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On 11/9/2022 at 12:51 PM, Mag6240 said:

Y

And with the forecast this weekend through next week, I don't think I'm going to enjoy putting in trail signs very much...

Ya every year it seems.  Pound fiberglass stakes through frozen ground.  Doesn't work worth a fuck.  I am going to try this this year.  I will let you know how it turns out.....https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZGV9RL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

 

Edited by poopooforme
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11 minutes ago, poopooforme said:

Ya every year it seems.  Pound fiberglass stakes through frozen ground.  Doesn't work worth a fuck.  I am going to try this this year.  I will let you know how it turns out.....https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZGV9RL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

 

No doubt the fiberglass style markers SUCK once the ground is frozen.  We've converted just about all of our signs to steel posts o rebar, and man does that make a huge difference.  I just hope we can actually use our trails down here for a season, instead of going out and brushing & marking, and then see them used for maybe a week, and taking everything down.  That routine gets pretty depressing year after year.

For that drill setup you're looking at ... just grab a 5/8" bit that you're willing to use (and waste) and drill through the couple inches of frost.  Once you're through the frost the rest goes easy, as you already know. 

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31 minutes ago, poopooforme said:

Ya every year it seems.  Pound fiberglass stakes through frozen ground.  Doesn't work worth a fuck.  I am going to try this this year.  I will let you know how it turns out.....https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZGV9RL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

 

I have this “spike” I made up a few years ago, no more pounding for me!  You can jump on it or use the crow bar as a thumper inside the tube.  Spike is about 12” long and makes a perfect sized hole for the fiber glass stakes or what ever you want to use.

 

3B3EFEE4-40C3-42F6-B827-CA3DBA39965A.jpeg

0C76674E-5FB2-4B6F-8EF6-E9628666935B.jpeg

Edited by Mag6240
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Problem is our club uses 3" wide flat stakes.  Not the little round ones you guys obviously use.  I hear ya Bontz on the getting to use them thing.  Our club has more resources than most and winter just doesn't seem to cooperate with us.

IMG_20211225_122857280.jpg

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2 hours ago, Bontz said:

No doubt the fiberglass style markers SUCK once the ground is frozen.  We've converted just about all of our signs to steel posts o rebar, and man does that make a huge difference.  I just hope we can actually use our trails down here for a season, instead of going out and brushing & marking, and then see them used for maybe a week, and taking everything down.  That routine gets pretty depressing year after year.

For that drill setup you're looking at ... just grab a 5/8" bit that you're willing to use (and waste) and drill through the couple inches of frost.  Once you're through the frost the rest goes easy, as you already know. 

I hear you on doing the prep work for little use, that happened during my time here a couple times too and it's sure a bummer.

 

2 hours ago, Bontz said:

Here's a couple pics from our club's work the last couple weeks (the pic of the mower work is actually one of our land owners offering up his own time & mower to help us out) :thumbsup:

 

Trail1.jpg

Trail2.jpg

Saw the mower pic somewhere on Facebook.  That's pretty cool.

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7 hours ago, Mag6240 said:

I have this “spike” I made up a few years ago, no more pounding for me!  You can jump on it or use the crow bar as a thumper inside the tube.  Spike is about 12” long and makes a perfect sized hole for the fiber glass stakes or what ever you want to use.

 

3B3EFEE4-40C3-42F6-B827-CA3DBA39965A.jpeg

0C76674E-5FB2-4B6F-8EF6-E9628666935B.jpeg

Very nice.

Some years ago we had early frost before we had all the trails marked.  We couldn't pound them in without bending the conduit so we had a couple drills with generators and drilling them in.  Took us 2 days to finish marking the trails.

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On 11/11/2022 at 12:33 PM, poopooforme said:

Ya every year it seems.  Pound fiberglass stakes through frozen ground.  Doesn't work worth a fuck.  I am going to try this this year.  I will let you know how it turns out.....https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KZGV9RL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

 

Fyi you can also get that bit at menerds or any nursery if need it now .

I have used bulb planter bits many times but when it is frozen our club has. Few hammer drills with long Ass masonry bits . We use 2x2 wood with  a point cut in . Mostly because if 1 gets left in a field you are not getting calls from the pissed off farmer just cuts em up . We also have guys who make up pounder caps as not to trash the stake In 1 season . New batch below 

Screenshot_20221115-135102_Messages.jpg

Edited by Ez ryder
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On 11/11/2022 at 1:30 PM, poopooforme said:

Problem is our club uses 3" wide flat stakes.  Not the little round ones you guys obviously use.  I hear ya Bontz on the getting to use them thing.  Our club has more resources than most and winter just doesn't seem to cooperate with us.

IMG_20211225_122857280.jpg

Yep you kids are stocked up well . No argo ? No swaps for you ? We have so much swamp in west metro minneapolis . And it gets more and more every yr with all the developments.  Most developments put the swamp in to the development as part of the hard cover calculation or turn it over to the state . So when a farm turns to homes we do all we can to find a rout and 99% of the time if there is a marsh that is the only option . Also so so much swamp /marsh land is tax forfeited 

Edited by Ez ryder
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Crabby meeting at our local club meeting last night.  When Wisconsin started the trail pass we picked up some members and some do help out with trails etc.  We also picked up members that think this is more just a social club.  Claiming as they have before we have some money we should have more functions like parties, Friday fish fries (funded) and other functions for the members. Most supporting this don't help out with fund raisers or helping with the trails.  Was getting a little crabby because a number of us show up for each fund raiser, trail marking, grooming etc.

I went to explain that both groomers and drags are paid for.  One groomer will be needing new tracks soon that will be 16-18 thousand.  The last year we had good snow the fuel bill was over $4500 and that was when fuel was about $2.50 a gallon.  If we have a break down we need money on reserve to cover that and that could get expensive.  To help save money our club president stores all of our equipment at no cost 

Got told by one of the wife's that that's why nobody wants to join the club because we don't do anything for members.  Really had to reframe myself and said that people need to make a choice then if its going to be a snowmobile club that supports the sport of snowmobiling by marking, maintaining and grooming trails or not.

Myself and a couple other guys left shortly after that.  Had a few phone calls today we'll see what happens.

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Oh every club has that.  We have a couple familys that you don't see all year until the free meal or free cocktails.  Pisses everyone that actually deserves it right the fuck off.  IMO if the husbands aint doing shit WTF are the wives of those guys even doing there??????  Thats why our meetings are attended only by our board members and trail heads.  Thats it.  In fact we have a meeting tonight.  

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4 minutes ago, poopooforme said:

Oh every club has that.  We have a couple familys that you don't see all year until the free meal or free cocktails.  Pisses everyone that actually deserves it right the fuck off.  IMO if the husbands aint doing shit WTF are the wives of those guys even doing there??????  Thats why our meetings are attended only by our board members and trail heads.  Thats it.  In fact we have a meeting tonight.  

Yes I know.  What set the tone is when we were scheduling a date to mark trails the same wife asked me that since I'm now retired how much of the trail I had marked already.  Not a good question.

We do have a great core group of guys but the tolerance level is getting lower.

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We have small deals for club like hotdog cookouts at shelter nothing to $$ but fun 

And for work days club always buys lunch and 1 drink or a big cookout type deal with coolers of beer . And I just spend what it takes to make it nice I don't give a fuck . Even just a hand full of guys doing maint on groomers etc the club pays for burgers for the grill or the like . 

This yr I purposed the club rent a big cabin for club trip and every one who puts more than 12 hrs in away from the table gets a bed or at least a subsidized bed . Forget think we went with a grand . No one dares say shit if they have a mouth full every one knowes who makes the money and puts the time in and I for 1 am not in the least bit intimidated in to keeping quite on shit like that if a social member were to bitch . I would personally give them there 10 bucks back and be like get the fuck out of here you don't do jack shit and we don't need your 10 bucks 

 

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2 hours ago, Doug said:

Yes I know.  What set the tone is when we were scheduling a date to mark trails the same wife asked me that since I'm now retired how much of the trail I had marked already.  Not a good question.

We do have a great core group of guys but the tolerance level is getting lower.

As it should be . 

I am not even polite to people who make up excuses when at say the shelter burning our wood etc of why they can't join a club and help out for 6 hrs 1 fucking fall day a yr. Zero respect deserved or given 

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We have a fairly large club and get pretty good participation - yeah it’s a lot of the same members but there is a fair amount of people who come and go over the years, enough to make it pretty decent for the main working members.  8 trail captains and we always schedule work days for others to come help - free donuts and coffee to those who show while we put the plan together.  Not too many free loaders, just one long time older member and quite frankly I don’t want him out there doing anything - he’s just a walking black cloud…

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25 minutes ago, Mag6240 said:

We have a fairly large club and get pretty good participation - yeah it’s a lot of the same members but there is a fair amount of people who come and go over the years, enough to make it pretty decent for the main working members.  8 trail captains and we always schedule work days for others to come help - free donuts and coffee to those who show while we put the plan together.  Not too many free loaders, just one long time older member and quite frankly I don’t want him out there doing anything - he’s just a walking black cloud…

8 trail captains! Sounds like a good way to split up some of the responsibilities and not get burned out. 

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1 hour ago, Mag6240 said:

We have a fairly large club and get pretty good participation - yeah it’s a lot of the same members but there is a fair amount of people who come and go over the years, enough to make it pretty decent for the main working members.  8 trail captains and we always schedule work days for others to come help - free donuts and coffee to those who show while we put the plan together.  Not too many free loaders, just one long time older member and quite frankly I don’t want him out there doing anything - he’s just a walking black cloud…

 

35 minutes ago, Sled_Hed said:

8 trail captains! Sounds like a good way to split up some of the responsibilities and not get burned out. 

Was working on a sled and some guys from the club stopped over asking what I was so crabby about last night.  Most are on the board so stopped working on the sled ordered pizzas and had some beverages.

In our core group we have small business owners for HVAC,  Electrical contractor, Hardware store manager and a large farmer.  All of them donate their time, services, shop, tools, equipment, merchandise and storage all for the purpose to save the club money and make it financially healthy.  Some people in the club don't realize the amount that is being donated if we had to pay for these or the cost of major maintenance, operating expenses in a good year or the issue to cover a big repair.  Just rubbed me the wrong way with the suggestion to spend more on club socializing for the whole club when you have other members donating above and beyond to help save the club money.

We have 2 trail chairs I'm one of them.  I'll normally mark early on my own weather permitting and on the official trail marking day we end up with maybe 12-14 guys.  Our club has 70+ members.  We'll buy pizzas and the beverages on the day of trail marking.

The club I'm in up Nth I don't make any of the meetings but take care of the far East 14 miles of trail keeping it cleared of trees. On the official brushing day they had over 70 volunteers which was great.

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On 11/11/2022 at 1:30 PM, poopooforme said:

Problem is our club uses 3" wide flat stakes.  Not the little round ones you guys obviously use.  I hear ya Bontz on the getting to use them thing.  Our club has more resources than most and winter just doesn't seem to cooperate with us.

IMG_20211225_122857280.jpg

Wish there was a place to stay in the area since they turned the one hotel in town into a assisted living home.  The Eitzen Inn doesn't have trailer room and it is damn big too.

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7 hours ago, Doug said:

 

Was working on a sled and some guys from the club stopped over asking what I was so crabby about last night.  Most are on the board so stopped working on the sled ordered pizzas and had some beverages.

In our core group we have small business owners for HVAC,  Electrical contractor, Hardware store manager and a large farmer.  All of them donate their time, services, shop, tools, equipment, merchandise and storage all for the purpose to save the club money and make it financially healthy.  Some people in the club don't realize the amount that is being donated if we had to pay for these or the cost of major maintenance, operating expenses in a good year or the issue to cover a big repair.  Just rubbed me the wrong way with the suggestion to spend more on club socializing for the whole club when you have other members donating above and beyond to help save the club money.

We have 2 trail chairs I'm one of them.  I'll normally mark early on my own weather permitting and on the official trail marking day we end up with maybe 12-14 guys.  Our club has 70+ members.  We'll buy pizzas and the beverages on the day of trail marking.

The club I'm in up Nth I don't make any of the meetings but take care of the far East 14 miles of trail keeping it cleared of trees. On the official brushing day they had over 70 volunteers which was great.

I totally get where you're coming from. When I was involved in our local club I was the snowmobile trail coordinator,  meaning alot of the work fell on one person. We had a few guys I could count on to show up for work days but beyond that It was a one man show including maintenance on all the equipment. Add to that our club is Snowmobile/ATV there was always a rub between the two sides about what was more important. I might still be there if it weren't for a jackass from Wayzata that retired up here and came to be the ATV trail coordinator. 

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6 hours ago, racinfarmer said:

Wish there was a place to stay in the area since they turned the one hotel in town into a assisted living home.  The Eitzen Inn doesn't have trailer room and it is damn big too.

Right across from the golf course is a motel.  Its owned by a friend of mine.  yes he is indian... LOL  He has a local family running it for him and its clean and has plenty of parking.  The Crest Inn.  For what its worth.  Or there is a motel in Houston MN.  Even if that place in town was still open I would tell you to go to the Crest instead.  That place in town was a fucking dumpster fire!

Edited by poopooforme
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Wife and I drove a good chunk of my clubs trails last Friday in the pickup. Brushing was good, signs were about 90%. 15 miles of freshly graded trails (with a road grader no less) were torn to shit via the SXSs. Even had one come up on us and instead of waiting 3 seconds for me to pull over, the asshole flys around us, in a blind corner, roosting dirt all over the place. Sooo hard to keep trails flat with use like that. Unfortunately, so many sled trails in the LP use forest/county/seasonal/marked roads and those are pretty much 100% open game to the SXS crowd. Our club fought for a $40k grant from the DNR to pay to have this grading done because we don’t have the equipment to do it. Kinda sucks that this is how it’s probably all going to turn out. 
 

Our club trail boss and I headed out Saturday trying to just get some signing done on another section of trails and the battery in his Ranger up and died so I spent a good chunk of the morning dragging him out of the woods and back home. 
 

Still better than sitting on the couch. Just wish that I had something other than my diesel pickup to help with and that I didn’t live 165ish miles away from where the help is needed. 

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Sounds like there's a common theme among all of our clubs ... a core of people who do the heavy lifting, and others looking to make it a social event.  One thing I'll say, that's changed for the better for us, is that we've gotten some good YOUNGER people involved.  And by younger, I mean guys in their 30's or early 40's.  Sure helps to have those guys doing some of the grunt work (like planking bridges) vs. the "old guard" guys.  But even some of the other volunteer stuff ... like if anyone is involved with gambling (bingo, meat raffles, etc) ... even that gets to be a pain in the ass because it's the same people trying to help out.  Hell, we've seen members show up to PLAY BINGO instead of help work the events.  I guess we just need to be thankful for the folks who are OK with volunteering their time.

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We also have had a few younger members step up with helping out.  At the same time, we've acquired a handful of "Fixed income guys" (Retiree's) that have been very helpful the last couple years.  They can go out during the week to get some of the signing and tree trimming that needs to be done so we avoid the weekends that a lot of our land owners are out there hunting.  Yeah, they aren't the fasted, but they aren't in a hurry, and get it done properly.

As for social events, we do 3+ club rides a year.  We don't pay for anything, if you want to come, you pay for your own way.  Our first scheduled trip in January we have 27 people signed up!  Almost filling the entire "resort" we are staying at... Quite a crew, and fortunately they have a large enough meeting room on site, that we can use for free.

Edit:  NO - we don't all ride together, we send out at least 4-5 goups with that many riders, and they all take different routes depending on skill level.

Edited by Mag6240
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