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JACKSON COUNTY TRAIL RIDERS
Jackson County and the Black River Falls area have one of the premier off
highway trail systems in Wisconsin. Our mission is to support and expand the
Jackson County trail system for ATV and Off Road Motorcycle Riders.
Officers - President - Steve Kirschner, 101 Kirschner Dr, Hixton, WI 54635
sgk@centurytel.net Treasurer - Steve Roof - 6787 Coffey Rd, Black River Falls,
WI 54615 Secretary – Ron Bohl – Keytime Motorsports - 28702 Cty EW,
Warrens WI 54666 608-378-4290 oldenduroguy@yahoo.com Trails Committee
- Jack Potter
20 paid Members - $2,754.10 in Treasury
Our mission is to support and expand the Jackson County trail system for Off
Road Motorcycle Riders.
MEMBERSHIP FORM
Dues are only $10.00 per year. Please, make checks payable to Jackson County
Trail Riders.
Name: _________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
City: _________________________ State: _ Zip: _____________________
Telephone Number: _________________
Email Address: ______________________________________________
Mail to: Jackson County Trail Riders c/o Keytime Motorsports, 28702 County Rd
EW, Warrens, WI 54666
Jackson County Trail Riders,
Hello fellow off-road motorcycle enthusiasts!
Our proposed off-highway motorcycle legislation is finally moving into the final
stages.
Right now the proposed bill is being circulated seeking legislators to join in
sponsoring the bill.
We need to contact our assemblyman and senators to ask them to be co-sponsors.
Ask them to co-sponsor LRB 0082/3 which is the proposed OHM legislation that
Representative Mursau is offering.
If you do not know who your assemblyman or senator is, you can use this link to
find out.
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/pages/waml.aspx
Please take action on this today and pass the word to other enthusiasts asking
them to take action as well.
It is important that we do all we can to gain support for the proposed OHM
legislation.
Thanks for getting involved!
Regards,
Bryan Much
OHM Advocate, WOHMA
Trail Patrol Training
Some of you riders that run your dual sports on ATV trails (where allowed) might
want to sign up for the Trail Patrol program the ATV community offers. This could
be very useful during the WDSR events at Wabeno since we are allowed access to
the Nicolet State Trail there.
Although it is an ATV program, people are not restricted from patrolling on
motorcycles.
The way it works is that patrollers must operate in pairs and wear an issued "Trail
Patrol" vest. They assist people along the way and report any issues they find. If
people are riding off trail, a patroller educates them as to what the proper course
of action is or makes further referrals as necessary.
After each patrol, patrollers submit an on-line report detailing miles and hours
spent patrolling.
The reports are consolidated to show that we are working to supervise motorized
recreation as a user group. It would be good for motorcyclists to show they are
contributing as well.
Again, you may not patrol alone, so take a riding buddy along to the training.
MIDWEST OFFROAD TRAIL RIDERS
AMA Charter# 2539
NEWS
Ø Key point from our President: MOTR needs to take care of our trail
system or we will lose it.
***Absolutely no motorcycle riding @ Knobby Ridge until May 1st ***
Ø KNOBBY RIDGE – Youth Loop – Six Mile Loop (Green) – Intense Use
Area all slated to open on it’s traditional May 1st opening day
Ø KNOBBY RIDGE WORK DAY Sunday April 1st 9:00 am Knobby
Ridge Trail head Most everyone wants to ride but there is still work to do.
Please help out at Knobby Ridge, Please call or email
Larry Strangfeld: 715-743-3893 lstrangfeld@hotmail.com
Corey Schroeder: 715-937-1341 joinmotr@gmail.com
Future work days will be communicated after the first work day.
NO ONE NEEDS AN ORGANIZED WORK DAY TO TRIM BACK
OVERGROWTH
MOTR website. http://motrweb.webs.com Sign up
Ø MOTR promoted races at Summit Lake Game Farm, Stone Lake, WI
Blue Hills Enduro June 16 & 17, 2012, D16 & D23 points
Blue Hills Harescramble August 19th D16 & D23
Ø Blue Hills Enduro Corporate Sponsorship
Contact: Mike Ward 715-834-2793 bevaward@charter.net
Ø Summit Lake is working most weekends Brushing and arrowing.
Contact: Mike Ward 715-834-2793 bevaward@charter.net
NEXT MOTR Meeting Monday April 16th, 2012 @ 7:00pm Knobby Ridge,
Neillsville
$20 per Household membership:
Send Memberships and Renewals to:
Corey Schroeder – MOTR Secretary, W4941 US Hwy 10, Neillsville,
WI 54456
M.O.T.R. President – Larry Strangfeld
M.O.T.R. VP& Treasurer – Jack Pottter
M.O.T.R. Secretary – Corey Schroeder Home phone: 715-743-
4132 Email: JoinMOTR@gmail.com WEB: http://motrweb.webs.com
Directors at-large : Mike Smith – Trent Morbraaten – Mike Ward
Wisconsin Off Highway Motorcycle
Association
OHM enthusiasts:
With the November elections just around the corner
WOHMA felt that a status report on what has been
happening in Wisconsin off-road this year is in order. This
has been a busy year regarding progress on establishing
both an off-highway motorcycle registration program as
well as supporting our friends at WOHVA on their 4X4
registration program for their Jeeps and other bigger than
an ATV vehicles.
First we would like to give you an update on the
registration programs.
WOHMA was started to specifically address starting a
registration program for off-highway motorcycles in
Wisconsin and to address other OHM issues. These
include working towards OHV parks (also called MRAs or
Motorized Recreational Areas), addressing trail closure
threats, education of our legislators on OHM recreation,
promoting sustainable trail building methods, and working
with the states clubs to promote OHM recreational
opportunities in general.
We have been working closely with AMA District 16, which
represents the competition and street events part of
motorcycling. WOHMA is more on the legislative side of
OHM recreation. We have also been working closely with
WOHVA, which represent the Jeeps and other large 4X4
drive vehicles. They are also going for a registration
program to get trails for their larger vehicles and we have
been having joint meetings with the DNR, the Wisconsin
County Foresters, and recently the DOT as a united front
for OHV recreational opportunities in Wisconsin.
Recently both WOHMA and WOHVA met with the
Wisconsin DOT to present our proposals for separate
OHM and 4X4 registration programs. We met with David
Vieth from the WisDOT as well as representatives from
trails, the DMV, safety (State Patrol) and legal (WisDOT
attorney). They had been sent copies of both registration
proposals before the meeting. Issues we were asked to
focus on included: impact upon public roads and public
safety, and definitions with pictures to clearly explain
differences between types of vehicles (i.e., ATV/4WD,
UTV, etc) and the different type of OHM (Dual-Sport, play
bikes, trials bikes, competition bikes).
The meeting first covered the 4X4 vehicles and much
discussion centered on what vehicles would be covered
under their program. Next we covered the OHM
registration program proposal. The discussion centered on
trail funding, law enforcement, and safety programs, which
I explained were all part of the proposal. Helmets came up
and we have stated in the past that we would advocate
helmets for minors and otherwise would suggest following
the ATV regulation which leaves it optional for adults. Just
a note, the WisDNR already requires helmets regardless of
age for any ATV or OHM when on DNR controlled property.
Our next step is to work with Representative Jeff Mursau's
staff, who will introduce us to the right people at the LRB
(legislative Resource Board). The LRB staff will write the
actual legislation and will use our submitted proposal as a
template. We will set up this meeting to take place in
November, after the elections."
We have been working on this for the past 2 years and are
well underway to establishing an OHM registration program
in the state. The three legislators that you and your friends
can contact and would be very beneficial would be
Representative Jeffrey Mursau, Senator Jim Holperin, and
Senator Randy Hopper. Now is the time that we need
people to contact the legislators to show that we have a
large contingent of riders interested in starting a trail
funding process that does not ask for tax money. The
riders would voluntarily fund it themselves. Hopefully the
legislators will win their re-election bids and be there to
help us bring the registration programs forward. Please
vote accordingly if you are in their districts.
Once the registration program is established we will be
working towards OHV parks, single track trail construction
in the counties, fighting trail closures, and promoting
educational programs in support of OHM recreation.
Welcome to the effort, and we hope you and your friends
will join and help support what WOHMA is trying to do.
Membership applications are on the web site, which shortly
will be going through an extensive update. www.wohma.
com
Alex Bub
This is an update from the WORVPI, the Wisconsin Off
Road Vehicle Park Inc.
This group from Forest County has been working on
promoting the establishment of an all-inclusive OHV park in
Forest County for the past few years. Much progress has
been made and a number of locations in Forest County
have been identified. The plan is to include all forms of
motorized recreation including dirt bike, 4X4 Jeeps/trucks,
ATV, and side-by-side.
Alex Bub
This is an update from the WORVPI, the Wisconsin Off
Road Vehicle Park Inc.
This group from Forest County has been working on
promoting the establishment of an all-inclusive OHV park in
Forest County for the past few years. Much progress has
been made and a number of locations in Forest County
have been identified. The plan is to include all forms of
motorized recreation including dirt bike, 4X4 Jeeps/trucks,
ATV, and side-by-side.
Please read the press release below. WOHMA will stay
involved in this process, and will promote a riding area that
will welcome all forms of OHM activities including trials, trail
riding, and racing activities as fits the master plan being
developed.
Alex Bub
NOHVCC Wisconsin State Partner
President WOHMA
Education Chairman WOHVA
Member Governors ORV Council
Board of Directors Lake States Resource Alliance
3/24/2013 –Milwaukee, WI
Wisconsin Off Road Vehicle Park Incorporated recently
was featured in an article by Rick Barrett of the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel. Several of the Board of Directors from
WORVPI were sited showing their enthusiasm and
dedication to the project. WORVPI is an all-volunteer
organization working pro-actively to plan and develop a
motorized multi-use recreation facility in Forest County to
meet the needs and requests of recreationalists all over the
State of Wisconsin and the Midwest.
Forest County off-road-vehicle park proposed
By Rick Barrett of the Journal Sentinel
A park for off-road vehicles, with thousands of acres of
trails for motorcycles and pickup trucks, has been
proposed for Forest County as a national tourism
destination.
Covering 10,000 acres, it would be the largest park of its
kind in the Midwest, according to the park's proponents, a
mix of off-road-vehicle enthusiasts and public officials
seeking economic development.
Land would be acquired in various ways including
purchases, leases, easements and land swaps.
It's an enormous task, but advocates hired Ripon College
to do a market research report that says the number of off-
road vehicles in Wisconsin has increased dramatically,
while the number of places to use them hasn't kept pace.
The park proposal has support from Forest County officials
and business groups. They have spent several years
working on it and say more of their plans will be made
public soon.
"It's not just a small committee trying to ram something
through the system. We believe we have a good, solid
plan," said Mike Gruett, president of the Forest County
Chamber of Commerce.
Environmentalists say they have a lot of questions about
the plan and damage to the ecosystem that could come
from hundreds of off-road vehicles.
"It would be a shame to see pristine habitat used for
something like this," said Shahla Werner, director of
Wisconsin's John Muir Chapter of the Sierra Club.
A nonprofit group, Wisconsin Off-Road Vehicle Park Inc.,
was formed to develop the plan. It says Forest County is a
good location for the trails because it's a lightly populated
area and the recreational use would not conflict with
logging or farming.
There are huge tracts of undeveloped land, according to
the county's economic development officials.
Forest County also is home to one of the state's largest all-
terrain vehicle clubs and an ATV race that attracts tens of
thousands of people a year. A sprawling playground for off-
road vehicles, including motorcycles and trucks, could
attract users from a 300-mile radius, said John Schnorr,
president of Wisconsin Off-Road Vehicle Park Inc.
There's nothing else like it in the Midwest, said Schnorr, an
off-road-vehicle enthusiast and retired business executive.
"We would like to make this a national vacation
destination," he said.
Access obstacle course
One of the biggest hurdles will be getting access to
thousands of acres for the trail system. The park's backers
say they have identified eight suitable sites that would
include a mix of public and private property.
The U.S. Forest Service manages much of the land in
Forest County, so it would be crucial to have its
cooperation, said Jim Schuessler, president of the Forest
County Economic Development Partnership that promotes
the area's economic interests.
It would cost about $18 million to start the park that local
officials estimate would pump millions of tourism dollars
into one of the poorest counties in the state.
The initial funding for the nonprofit venture could come from
a combination of grants and loans.
Land prices in the area start at about $900 an acre, and
there could be ample opportunity to lease forested
property, get easements or make land swaps.
"I don't think you could afford to do this in southern
Wisconsin," Schuessler said.
The Department of Natural Resources would have to be
involved, for environmental reasons and if the trails crossed
state-owned properties.
The agency has been evaluating the need for an off-road-
vehicle park since at least 2006. Since then, it has looked
at other parks in the Midwest and discussed options with
user groups.
"We got tired of waiting," Schnorr said about the Forest
County plan.
Running into opposition
Motorized vehicle trails have been controversial, largely
over environmental and noise issues.
"I think there's a place for these things, but it depends on
how pristine the habitat is. And all of a sudden your
peaceful getaway from an urban area becomes pretty loud.
That's annoying," said Werner with the Sierra Club.
Land-use conflicts and noise could be addressed in a
variety of ways, said Steve Nelson, a University of
Wisconsin Extension community development educator in
Forest County.
"We realize the 'silent sports' such as hiking and skiing are
important, too. But the idea of a motorized recreational
vehicle area fits very well within the culture of our
communities," Nelson said.
The Ripon College study looked at off-road-vehicle parks in
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee and West
Virginia. It noted that northern Michigan has 3,200 miles of
trails that include 960 miles for off-road motorcycles, 1,600
miles for ATVs and 640 miles for other off-road vehicles.
Minnesota has an off-highway-vehicle park, near Gilbert,
that has about 36 miles of trails.
Tennessee and West Virginia have hundreds of thousands
of acres of trails in areas where the coal mining industry fell
on hard times. Federal grant money was used to construct
the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, in West Virginia, which attract
users from across the nation.
The West Virginia system operates in six counties and has
more than 30,000 visitors annually, mostly from out of state.
It's been a "game changer" for many communities, said Bill
Robinson, West Virginia's trails coordinator.
"We are just tickled to death with it," he said.
No need to throttle back
The next steps in the Forest County plan include seeking
funding and finding the best park site.
We will also be forwarding some important messages from
WOHVA regarding legislative updates and petitions that we
should support on OHV recreation in Wisconsin. Please go
to the site listed in their message and sign the petition, it
only takes a few minutes.
Alex Bub
WOHMA President
WOHVA Education Chairman
WI ORV Council member
NOHVCC WI State Representative
