Ron Rybicki
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We did not even bother to go up to camp this past week end, but did talk to a friend who in desperation trailered to the west end of the Powley Rd. (Stratford end ) He said it was great and made several runs up and down it. He said there were 10 trailers parked there but never saw another sled on the road. They must have crossed Rt 10 and plowed thru the mud holes to get to the OxBow Inn. He took the trail S88 thru Sheriff Lake towards Piseco and was prepared to turn around but said it was not that bad and did not have to plow thru any mud just negotiate around rocks. Then he went west on Evergreen which was 80 mph and took the G Lake Rd up to the lake and put his tracks all over it. He said Morehouse had groomed and it was good. They’re trails are always good. This like Darin might be his last ride so he made the most of it.
I cant believe that this year might go down in history that I did not get any riding in. Like Darin said. Hope for a miracle cause we are now into March and that ole sun is getting higher in the sky and the ground is warming up. Its going to be in the fiftys this coming week end and I know the little unbridged cricks will be opening up. I’ll be talking to a lot of people this week end so I’ll get reports from those desperate riders who in my opinion dont mind bending up a little metal on they’re sleds just for a ride. All for now.
RonThanks icicleal
With Ohio and Salisbury closed and the mud holes reported by Spike around Spy Lake I doubt that we are even coming up. We have to take a sled to get into camp and with the rain mixed with wet snow predicted we have done that to many times in the past and do not feel like doing it any more. I dont know how the snow is on the mad tom trail north of Haskells but if you can drag to the county line I dont understand why Ohio cant do this section. I think I know why and that is, if they cant ride in their nice heated cab groomers they will not do it. If I were Haskells I would say something about this.
Any way
We will be up the following week end for the Spaghetti Dinner at the Irondequiot Inn on Saturday March 2. My niece Jen runs the joint now and her son plays basketball for wells high School. Maybe see you there. Its a fund raiser for the kids.
RonUp Date for this past week end
Pressure Ridge on Piseco Lake 1/2 way down the lake and it goes all the way across. My friend hit it and got tossed off his sled but he is OK.
Trails around Piseco and Ox Bow are wooped all the way south to Stratford, Salisbury and Ohio. Some said the rocks have so many carbide scars that they might just get worn down a little. Its reported that Morehouse trails are the best until you get to Ohio. These southern towns only got 4 inches of snow this last Thursday where farther up north here we got about a foot. I’ll wait–my friends sleds look like bull dozers. Cant be doing the bearings that good.
The Christmas tree burning this past Saturday was great. Best fire work show ever. Big thanks to Mike O. for getting them and a big thanks to all of the Pleasant Riders for putting it on and all the work involved. Two friends burned dogs of death and burgers all day for the crowd
Mud holes have been pounded open but a good rider can get around most of them. Hopefully these last two cold nights might help to harden them back up but we need some more white stuff desperately. The boys have been shoveling them with straw and doing the best they can.
PS There will be a spaghetti dinner with a bake sale at the Irondequoit Inn on Saturday, March 2 starts at 4 PM. $12.00 bucks per adult. Kids are 1/2 price. Its a fund raiser for the Wells basketball team where these kids up here have to go to school.
All for now
RonSee on the web cam at the Irondequoit Inn some clown rode around the open water where Fall Stream has cut into the lake 1/2 way across towards the north shore. I hope some un suspecting rider does”nt follow his track and take a swim here. Its deep I told the fire company boys in the OxBow to get ready for a water rescue cause its coming and possibly at the west end where Panther Mtn. Stream has cut into the lake for about 500 feet. Cant fix stupid.
Also talked to Nina P. ( bar tender ) at the Salisbury club last night. She said the new chef at the clubs has a great Texas BBQ. as well as Fish Fry dinners on Friday night only. Sez it is great. The club is only open for Friday night dinner until we get some more white stuff.
RonUpdate of trails/ around Oxbow, Evergreen and Piseco Lake
Trails here are still closed all the way to Ohio, Salisbury and Stratford.
This did not keep folks from trying–I went up to camp this past Saturday and talked to a bunch of riders. Parking lots all the way up from Wells on RT 30 were full. Riders that have a camp in Perkins said trails in Perkins (C4) were great for what snow we have but the cold brook trail ( S41) past the out house had several deep mud holes They took the Fawn Lake trail out to the road ( new section) and said a 1/2 mile of bare road to the turn off towards Oxbow Lake. Trail to Oxbow was terrible (wash outs, rocks and mud ) Plus what snow was here was beat down by sleds. They stopped for a couple of quick ones and lunch and went across the road on what should be C4 but now is S84 to Rt 10 over the short end of Spy Lake and the Powley Rd which they found was great to the end and tried to venture on C8A towards Stratford but had enough mud holes and turned around. When I talked to them in the Bow they said that a lot of sleds were riding Lake Pleasant, Sacandaga Lake and Oxbow so they were going to take the lakes back into Spectacular then north back to their camp.
I saw tracks on Piseco end to end hugging the north shore but I would not recommend riding this lake unless you know exactly where to get on and off at the east end. Fall Stream has cut into the lake almost half was across towards the north shore and its deep here. I told one of the groomers that I expect to see the fire company doing a wet water rescue one of these dark nights. On the west end Panther Mtn. stream also cut into the lake for about 500 feet.
My friends rode Evergreen and said it was a 10 (80mph) except on the west end there is a mud hole right as you get on and off. I dropped a ski under the ice here once and got wet up to my waist. Only a foot of water but 3 feet of muck. They went all the way to Ohio on C4 then came back on C4B and C4. They”re sleds looked like bull dozers from the mud.,
I’ll wait cause I dont have a water hose to clean the mud out from my track and if it freezes you wont get it off. Cant be doing the bearings to good either.
Parking lot on Rt 10 had 5 trailers and people riding along the road to get access to the Powley Rd. May the trail from this parking lot never got cut out or opened.
Enough for now.
RonNow with the rain probably opening up some more mud holes we probably wont see to much work on the trails at this west end of Arietta. I guess we cant blame them so we will have to wait till it gets colder. You cant groom trails when their wet. The snow balls up in the drags and wont drop in the low spots.
RonOhio and Salibury just reported in via face book. Their trails are closed due to the rain and loss of snow in spots on their trails.
RonAfter reading Darin’s trip to the Powley Rd on Tuesday the 23rd I guess we wont see Arietta’s trails groomed any time soon. He went by S88 on the Powley Rd that gets you to Piseco. It looked horrible to him. I would assume that the rest of the west end of Piseco thru Sherriff Lake (C4) probably looks like this. To bad as these trails are a direct route from Morehouse to the Powley Rd so folks dont have to brave the 125 foot deep Piseco Lake.
Anybody out there want to complain by all means call the trail boss ( Hwy. Super/ Craig S.) on 518 548 7302. As always Arietta seems to be the last to do any thing on these trails even though both ends of this area are always groomed (as best they can) by Morehouse to the west and the Pleasant Rider to the east. Must be there is’nt that much snow in the middle even though the west end of Piseco always gets more snow due to its elevation.
I give up calling as I am labeled a trouble maker in town that just want to ride a decent trail not a polished one just a decent one but I did compliment the town for doing what they could on the east end of town around the Oxbow Inn.
RonJust got a report on face book from Ohio, Arietta, and the Pleasant Riders.
Morehouse– I know these guys have been trying hard to get the trails in shape and a big thanks to them. The trails should not be to bad though.
Ohio–groomed from Norway to Haskells and said it got better further north. I’m assuming this is towards the Hamilton county line. Hopefully.
Arietta–Trail Boss ( Craig S. ) said boys were out fixin mud holes and pulling drags to Oxbow and I hope to the out house (C4) Also groomed the Powley Rd. (C4) No mention of the Sheriff Lake end of town but Thank You Arietta ( Craig S.)
Pleasant Riders–They were out again fixin mud holes and pulling a drag to Spy Lake (C4) Still did not trust the ice on Spy with the T 1000 but sleds are running Oxbow and Spy Lakes. Saw 16 sleds at the Oxbow a few minutes ago. Woopy We might get a season yet thanks to these die hard volunteers. Lots of pictures on face book
As soon as we hear of sleds on Piseco and see a truck out there, we’ll give it a try.
A big thanks to all you guys out there.
Thanks again to all
Ron and Evergreen gangJust found out on face book that the Pleasant Riders attempted to groom a little on what the map sez is S84 but I think this is C4 from Oxbow Lake to NY RT 10 on Thursday. At least it should be a main corridor for funding. I will ask the Club.
Any way they said they plowed thru at least 14 mud holes just from Oxbow to Spy Lake. They drilled a couple of holes in the ice here and found 3″ of blue with 2 ” of water and 4″ of slush ice on this. They would not take the T1000 Tucker across it. There always was a small creek that runs into Spy on the south side crossing. Now its running pretty good down the middle of the trail.
They had to give up until we get more snow and cold temps to dry out some of the mud holes Cant blame the club here. Sleds are crossing Spy Lake which is probably OK for sleds. With sleds crossing Spy this must mean the club opened the gate on RT 10
To me this means that Arietta has not been out yet cause they always seemed to wait till the club goes out first then after people start to complain they will start. As of last Friday the 12th the BR 180 was not on the end of the Powley Rd. My friend is going up tomorrow and will let me know how good or bad it is.
Any body out there knows any thing different please add your 2 cents here.
Good to see 10 sleds in the Oxbow today on the live cams. Wish I could be one of them.
RonGot a report from a friend in Evergreen Park. 2 feet showing on the stick I built in his yard. I talked to him Sunday while it was snowing hard. Sez he will try Evergreen Lake next week, with the temps down near zero this week should be plenty of ice and with Morehouse working their trails, should be a decent ride to the Ohio Tavern. Dont know if Ohio is doing any thing on their trails so it could be bumpy. I know Arietta is not doing any thing yet, but with 2 feet on the ground they should be starting soon.
RonE-Emil
I believe the forester did get in there before the Law Suit and moved the trail out of the swamp but dont hold me to this. I dont know of any one who has tried it recently. I see tracks along Rt 10 but I also see tracks on the trail where it comes out on the Powley Rd. So some one is using it but cant tell you how good it is. I do know the town does not groom it at all but I heard they do cut it out.
I suggested to the forester a long time ago to widen it out enough for the town’s BR 180 to get thru and maybe more people might start using it. But like every thing, this town has to pay workers to groom and clean out trails. Dont expect them to work on trails in the off season.
If I did’nt walk the DEC in on the Sheriff Lake trail and the S88 trail off the Powley Rd to build by passes around mud holes we’d still be plowing thru them. I was called a trouble maker by some town folks for causing more work for the town to cut these by passes. There are probably a hand full of locals that actually ride snowmobiles in these towns up here and they might get out one or twice a season.
Now after the Law Suit and the DEC running scared to cut even a twig in the forest preserve so dont expect any work on snowmobile trails that might involve cutting a twig or two, let alone a tree. Even the forester cant get permission from Albany to re route a hiking trail up Echo Cliff out of severe washouts on this trail. Snowmobile safety is not part of the greenies vocabulary. They want our business’s to close and every one to leave the park so they can have a wilderness experience all to them selves..
I heard form one forester that Legal in Albany is pushing the Legislature to allow re routing of trails ( cutting of trees ) around dangerous situations. See where this goes. Now you got me going. I’m on a rant now.
PS I have seen folks drop their sleds at the Powley Rd and park in the sand pit and walk back and forth. Its a 1/4 mile walk one way.
Have a great week end.
RonE.Emil
You are absolutley right about some one not wanting that specific trail. Its the OHIO CLUB. They want the high snow corridor formula trail money but they do not want the work involved to keep it safe. They also should be working on C4C to Mosquito Hill but will not do it. Reason ? Here’e my opinion. They can not get into these trails with a nice heated cab machine in stead of using a Scandic snowmobile so they will not fix them until there is enough snow to cover all the rocks and the mud holes are frozen . With climate change frozen mud holes are a thing of the past. They want up wards of 2 feet or more on the ground. Is this not ironic as Morehouse can get to their end ( Mosquito Hill ) and do it every year and they work on it constantly.
I have been the only one to complain to the DEC and the club to do some thing so I guess you could call me a trouble maker. Stop complaining and do it your self as I was told by the past president of this club.
If we could get more people to complain the the DEC Forester ( Keith Rivers ) on 315 785 2610 and the current Ohio Club president ( Matt Kermizian on 315 790 2580 maybe these trails would be just a little safer than they are right now,
As far as that trail from Rt 8 south to Cod Pond that belongs to Stoney Creek Club. They never even cut it out one year and the director of Parks took a group it from Bennett Lake Lake trying to get to Stoney Creek. They pulled and pushed their sleds almost to Cod Pond and gave up. Again a corridor high snow formula trail that never got worked on. Needless to say the clubs trail milage and funding was threatened to be cut until it was fixed. The club fixed it.
PS You and I can complain all day but until more people take the time to go after the clubs and DEC that are getting paid with our registration money to maintain these trails nothing will happen or Until a disabled person riding these dangerous trails gets hurt and goes thru the Americans with Disability Act and a law suit is started nothing will happen. So stop complaining and go do it your self. Ha Ha
RonThanks Icicleal
If you want a plow for the drag machine go to your town clerk and have her apply for a grant from Parks and Rec. She or some one in town should know how to do it. I believe you first have to buy it or at least put a down pmt on it then apply for the grant. Arietta does it all the time. Call Craig Small over there. He’s the highway super. and should be able to help you. They put in for a grant to replace the bridge over Sheriff Lake out let and got it. Its on private land so the DEC was not involved I got a call from Parks about it and told them it definitely was needed.
Ron
