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In Memory of "JeepSter85"

27K views 355 replies 45 participants last post by  camccardell 
#1 · (Edited)
The
Steven L. Cole III
Memorial Trail Ride

 
 Sunday, October 3, 2010
Meeting at 10:am and leaving at 11:am
this run will last approximately 5 hours.



106 N. Maple Island Rd.

Muskegon, Michigan 49442

We have a GREAT stop along the route!
Prepare to get muddy!
and maybe stuck too.

 
Lunch will be provided after the run
Donations appreciated, proceeds go to Keeley Cole(Steve's Daughter)
Hot dogs
Hamburgers
chips
soda

50/50 Raffle
Proceeds to Keeley Cole



  Please join us as we honor the memory of "JeepSter85"
Please RSVP the number in your party NO LATER than 9/26/10
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#339 ·
Well, I just pulled in from Drummond Island. Hit my first deer on the way up. My bumper has a new look after nailing it at 75mph on US131.Can't believe I was lucky enough that it went under the Jeep instead of over the hood and into the windshield. NONE of the mechanicals were hurt, other than a bent trans cooler. But nothing leaks, so I'm all good.

It was a pleasure to meet all of you I didn't already know! Some GREAT folks. Sorry for the slow start. Next year we'll have to run the route backward so you can all see the rest of the trails I had planned for you. The better stuff was after the mud pits. you'd think after 25 years of this I would realize that I ALWAYS have too much trail planned for the day, lol.

Jeff, thanks for posting up the Tailgate Report link.
PLEASE fill them out! The DNRE doesn't think wheelers spend any money when they go out. I'll bet that store clerk thinks we do!

Sorry I had to bug out right after the run, but I had to get to Drummond. GLFWDA just got the trails up there designated as an ORV Route last year after DNRE Law Enforcement Division wanted to shut them all down to full sized rigs. It took us 2 years of meetings and now someone has given us a HUGE black eye. They drove their 4x4 down an ORV Trail (ORV Trails are for vehicles 50" wide or less, ORV Routes are for ALL vehicles [us]). The damage is extensive and has pissed off a LOT of Islanders against the 4x4 crowd. It will take the Drummond Island Off Road Club thousands of dollars and months of work to try to fix. You'll probably see a more official post about it in a couple of days (after I've had time to catch up on a few things).

I'd like to apologize about the small delay in the afternoon with the angry land owner. He didn't seem to understand the difference between a Certified (Act 51) Road and an uncertified (but still public) Road. All unimproved and most Seasonal Roads are not Certified Roads, but that obviously doesn't make them any less open to the public. I'll be at the Muskegon CRC office at 7:00am tomorrow morning to straighten that business out. I'll post the results of the meeting.

Again, it was a GREAT time running with all of you!


Sincerely,

Pat Brower
Chairman, Land Use Committee, GLFWDA
 
#341 ·
Pat,

I must say what's on my mind. I believe as a new(er) Off Road Enthusiast, that the community is blessed to have you. Meg and I attended the Two Trackers meeting tonight and heard a little more about the Drummond Island incident. Quite frankly? It was disgusting! To have people in our community (who know the consequences and repercussions) do what they did despite the fact that we're being frowned upon and our trails are being closed at an alarming rate, and seeing nothing wrong with their actions? That's total bullsh!t.

Any avid wheeler, hiker, geo cachers, etc. knows where they can and cannot go. Where they should and shouldn't be and what they can and cannot do while they're on the trails. ANY with common sense and respect for other enthusiasts that share their hobbie. We've all seen trails that have been abused, closed, and developed. Not to mention the fact that I can think of roughly 4 magazines that have titles such as "STOP TRAIL CLOSINGS! Are we losing ground?" (Petersen's 4 Wheel & Off-Road, December 2010) that have stories and reasons why our trails are being closed. But, then to hear eyewitness accounts of seasoned veterans and their disregard for their fellow enthusiasts is just... unfair and offensive. Not to mention, RETARDED.

I'm sorry, Pat. I know that my family and I don't know you very well yet. But you're doing ONE HELL OF A JOB, and I respect you just as much as I respect anyone who stands up for what he/she believes in without fear of reprocussion. YOU ARE BLAZING A TRAIL THAT MANY SHOULD AND WILL FOLLOW. You deserve recognition for it.

Thanks for all that you do.
 
#353 · (Edited)
I could not agree more and could not have said this better myself. Except for the part about "users of our trails knowing where they should and shouldn't be...." The sad part is a lot of people do not find out what trails are legal or illegal before wheeling and this has to change.

Nice seeing you at the meeting, I recognized Meg from the Memorial Ride.
 
#355 ·
I could not agree more and could not have said this better myself. Except for the part about "users of our trails knowing where they should and shouldn't be...." The sad part is a lot of people do not find out what trails are legal or illegal before wheeling and this has to change.

There is still a perception that this is America, land of the free where people can go unrestricted into the woods as some sort of frontier.
This has changed to a reality that some unelected beaurocrats with agendas now control most aspects of our existence.
Citizens not hip to these realities through apathy and ignorance further tighten the noose on all of us.
Constant vigilance to maintain freedoms can seem futile when surrounded by masses absorbed by infotainment news.
Is this what thousands died for on Omaha, Normandy, Utah and others?
 
#340 ·
Pat,
i want to thank you for Sunday, it was a nice run. EVERYONE had a wonderful day! even freak with his broken axle shaft at the mud pit. :teehee:

i would more so like to thank you and the GLFWDA for everything you do on a day to day basis to help us all continue enjoying what we love to do most, wheel. :rock:

thanks again for everything!
 
#342 ·
Thanks guys. It's nice to hear some appreciate the work involved.
I just want our trails back. They've been closing them for over 25 years now, so I don't expect to get them back overnight. Any progress is good progress. I just wish we could get organized enough to stop shooting ourselves in the foot!

The 3 tiered system only works if we're all watching our own area. United IS watching DC and GLFWDA IS watching Lansing. We need more clubs and individuals to join up and start watching their favorite places and keep in mind that GLFWDA / United aren't here to do it FOR you, they are here to do it WITH you. Local support is CRITICAL to success. GLFWDA was instrumental in getting Drummond designated, but could NOT have done it without the constant support of the Drummond Island Off Road Club (and MANY others too).

We need to all work together to get it done.
 
#346 ·
Just talked with he Muskegon Road Commission. They confirm that Gibson IS a public Road at this time, but that they are going to tell the land owner that if he really doesn't want people to use the road, he should Petition to have it abandoned. SO, we need to pay attention to the MCRC to see if they receive a Petition for Abandonment and FIGHT it.
 
#347 ·
Just talked with he Muskegon Road Commission. They confirm that Gibson IS a public Road at this time, but that they are going to tell the land owner that if he really doesn't want people to use the road, he should Petition to have it abandoned. SO, we need to pay attention to the MCRC to see if they receive a Petition for Abandonment and FIGHT it.
Its on now!
I got my boxing gloves.
 
#348 ·
Just sent the Township Supervisor pictures and names/addresses from the trash piles too. Hopefully he can get some illegal dumpers prosecuted!
 
#350 ·
Just sent the Township Supervisor pictures and names/addresses from the trash piles too. Hopefully he can get some illegal dumpers prosecuted!
Excellent!

Now we're going to have to contact the MCRC on a regular basis to ask if they've received a Petition to Abandon. That way we can stay on top of the situation.
How often should we contact them?
Weekly? Bi-Weekly? Daily? :teehee:
 
#349 ·
Now we're going to have to contact the MCRC on a regular basis to ask if they've received a Petition to Abandon. That way we can stay on top of the situation.
 
#351 ·
Pat,

You mean to tell me that the idiots who dumped their trash forgot to shred letters with their address on them? Haha. Wow.

As per contacting the authorities to support wheelin' and keeping the trails open for all to enjoy, THIS IS WHY PAT AND OTHERS CONTINUE TO SAY: We need more people to join organizations that help the cause for these exact reasons!

Pat, any information on any organization(s) a person/family can join to support? The time to act is now! Especially with Decembers ORV Magazines and their cover topics. May have opened some eyes.
 
#352 ·
Pat,

You mean to tell me that the idiots who dumped their trash forgot to shred letters with their address on them? Haha. Wow.

As per contacting the authorities to support wheelin' and keeping the trails open for all to enjoy, THIS IS WHY PAT AND OTHERS CONTINUE TO SAY: We need more people to join organizations that help the cause for these exact reasons!

Pat, any information on any organization(s) a person/family can join to support? The time to act is now! Especially with Decembers ORV Magazines and their cover topics. May have opened some eyes.
National: United Four Wheel Drive Association
http://www.ufwda.org/

Regional: Great Lakes Four Wheel Drive Association
http://www.glfwda.org/

Local: Two Trackers Four Wheel Drive Club
http://www.twotrackers.org/
 
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