24 replies to this topic

[yamarev]

So, like everyone else we rode from Pittsburg to Rangely on Saturday for reciprication weekend. We left Pittsburg at 9 am on Saturday and the Pittsburg trails were groomed and nice! When you hit the ITS 84 trail in Maine it had not been groomed the night before a big day of riding for some reason and was already bumpy! We rode around Rangely and the trails were pretty decent in the higher elavation.



THEN, we start heading back to Pittsburg from Rangely around 3 on ITS 84 the only trail out and it was the most god awful 30 miles I have ever rode in my life! Im talking 2 to 4 foot moguls the whole frigen way! Everyone had the look of anger and disgust when we were pulled over taking a break on the side of the trail. I understand that you cant groom in the middle of the day, but why was it not groomed the night before the biggest expected sled traffic? It would have made a difference later in the day. Once we got about 5 miles into Pittsburg on trail 20 things improved for the better and we were able to motor on back to the house on first lake.



My hats off to Pittsburg for grooming everything Friday night and that is why I ride in Pittsburg!



Needless to say we all got heavily medicated on Jack Daniels Saturday night to numb the pain from the moguls!!

[AUTOMOVER]

Bosebuck was far enough for my group, stopped for a 3 hr lunch and back to NH. I don't think you'll have to wait in line for a ME reg after that experience.

[steviep]

we never made it to Maine we made the mistake of taking 20w to Vermont I guess there wasn't enough snow to groom, Next time we will stay around SDR they did an excellent job. I can't comment on the rest of PPR trails as we didn't ride them enough unfourtunally. I will tell you I didnt like corridor 21.

[AUTOMOVER]

It wasn't bad around Pittsburg, I saw the most sleds ever lined up for gas at Dormans and Youngs and Youngs ran out of 89 and 91 octane gas. It was busier than snodeo weekend IMO.

[748eric]

Had to laugh when I saw this post. We rode in Maine on Friday and Saturday. The ride back to Pittsburg was rough on Friday afternoon, and we thought "wow that was a tough ride back!". On Saturday we rode out to Rangeley and also started to head back to Pittsburg around 3pm. Let's just say I can't believe I have any suspension left after that! It was either go slow and ride each mogul or.....try and ride the tops of each one. Either way you tried, you were going to PAY!!!! Glad to ride the smooth trails of Pittsburg this morning!

[sled_guy64]

I too rode the terrible trails towards Rangely. I say towards Rangely because 15 miles in, we decided it was way too bad and turned around. The bose buck groomer was full of snow and had never been out Friday. Very dissapointing. Came back to Pittsburg and rode 160 miles on Saturday afternoon. Trails up high were excellent. Congrats to the PRR for handling the traffic and putting the effort into making it a great weekend. Clearly, the Vermonters and the Mainers that came to Pittsburg got the good deal. I talked to some Vermonters that were new to Pittsburg and said they would definately be back. From the look of the restaurants on Saturday night, I'd say Pittsburg won.

[SHOWEM]

If this is the first time you guys have ridden in Maine then you have no idea how good the trail system is. Don't judge this weekend on how they normally are. Get a 3 day pass and ride during the week. Jackman,Millinocket,Greenville,Ft Kent. Awesome trails and scenery!!

[skully]

steviep said:

1327888838[/url]' post='77217']
we never made it to Maine we made the mistake of taking 20w to Vermont I guess there wasn't enough snow to groom, Next time we will stay around SDR they did an excellent job. I can't comment on the rest of PPR trails as we didn't ride them enough unfourtunally. I will tell you I didnt like corridor 21.

i do not think Corr.21 is a PRR trail.
Rob ...

[dunphy11]

Did the run to Bosebuck and Ogusook Friday and it was terrible. They tried grooming Oqusook friday afternoon . By the time we ate and left it was like the groomer never even touched the trails. On top of that we ran straight into sleet, freezing rain and rain late in aftrenoon. On sunday we gave Bosebuck another shot, sucked even worse (hard to believe) ate lunch at Bosebuck then back to Diamond Peaks via 143 then 112 back to SDR . We had the NH trails to ourselves for the most part, SDR had groomed 112 , what a treat.

[hendo13]

Went out of oquosic sat am and the trail was groomed that night and it was nice got to bosebuck in 45 min. But coming back at 3pm it took 2 hours for the 30 miles of hell. I am still sore this morning. Had 170 miles of good to great conditions and 30 miles of moguls.

Edited by hendo13, 30 January 2012 - 02:50 PM.

[NHsledin]

And I stayed home.

[Nor'easter]

NHsledin, on 30 January 2012 - 07:59 AM, said:

And I stayed home.

Me too

[kenpaul]

Nor, on 30 January 2012 - 08:11 AM, said:

Me too

Ah same here! I'll be enjoying the trails Wednesday night - Friday!

[748eric]

Have to say though, even though the trails were rough on the ride back from Maine each day, the rest of the trails in Maine were great and it was nice to ride some new trails. We totally expected the trails to be beat, so we were somewhat prepared. Rode out to Bulldogs camp on Friday and must say the food and service were great!

Rode 440 miles in 2 1/2 days so I'm not complaining. Better than sitting at home doing housework!

[djmvpph]

I rode with Yamarev The trails in and around Rangley were ok to good like everywhere they need more snow.Pittsburg trails were great and GROOMED.Like someone else said the groomer did not moved from Bosebucks all weekend.I was disapointed that trail was not groomed at all.I have ridden in Maine before and the trails are great.I just think on a big weekend like this the groomer should have went out since that is the only trail in and out of NH and Maine that far up.(I know There is another trail by Errol)I felt bad for the people we met up with by Bosebucks that were coming from Pittsburg and heading toward Rangley.All and all a nice weekend.Thanks agian to all the volunteers and groomer drivers who without them we would not be able to ride some awesome trails.


Thank You
Dave

[pathfinder]

I went out Saturday morning with all intentions of going to Bosebuck for lunch! Heading out to the trail to Maine, from Smith Brook Camps to the Tin Camp I counted over three hundred sleds and four Fish and Game running radar. Parked at the Tin Camp and watched most of the traffic head up the hill towards Maine. The traffic was amazing late morning to the point of the two others with me and I decided to forget Maine and headed to the Warming Hut, had a coffee and goodies and then investigated the "New" trail off the upper end of Indian Stream, 142. As soon as we headed that direction the traffic was no where to be found, the trails were flat and 142 by Terro Pond and over the ridge to Hall Stream was totally amazing and flat. Did an 80 mile loop in about three hours and got to see some new country and saw very little traffic.

As far as Maine goes, the "reciprocal weekend" was something that those in the know acknowledge that the Maine Snowmobile Association is dead set against restoring reciprocity, so the condition of the trail between Pittsburg and Rangely is no surprise to me. They literally did not want people to "want" to pursue reciprocal registrations and this is their way of demonstrating it to the snowmobile community.

I can remember when my rental business was booming in the late eighties to mid nineties, at least half of my fleet would end up in Maine every weekend, and Timberland Lodge would see heavy traffic from people gassing up from Maine to head back that way. The commercial advantages of the reciprocal agreements were very obvious everywhere. We see a small percentage of people going both directions since that agreement has stopped, only because Maine cannot figure out how to pay for the perceived cost of "grooming" that heavier traffic would require. They are losing sight of the huge commercial opportunity that is staring both states in the face, that represents 100 times what they are worried about in grooming costs. There has to be an answer that could worked out between Maine, NH and Vermont to reap the benefits to the three states that need an economic boost now more than ever............

path finder#6

[NH Trail Chief]

The trails were rough on Friday evening in Maine. In discussions with the Rangley folks this morning they wanted to apologize for not being able to get out. Bosebuck just got a groomer this past week and it was not ready for this weekend. The Rangely area wanted the riders to come for the weekend and riders certainly did get out. The trails around Pittsburg and Rangely lake were busy and so were the businesses, which is a good thing for all of us.

There are a few incorrect points in some of the posts which can be corrected. The Rangely club and businesses was a driving force in the getting the resciprocity weekend approved. They have not been able to get additional groomers to keep ITS 84 as groomed as folks would like and a lot of folks did not anticipate the number of sleds that would be around this weekend (limited riding in most other areas in New England put a lot of extra pressure on Corridor 20/ITS 84).

Maine is already started planning to correct issues for next years resciprocity weekend. I rode to Ocquasit on Friday for fuel and lunch like many other riders did. Pittsburg Ridge Runners did a great job with the trails and Swift Diamond Riders also did a good job. ultimately, it was a chance to ride and I was happy to have gotten the chance to get out and talk to riders at the intersections.

pathfinder, on 30 January 2012 - 02:58 PM, said:

I went out Saturday morning with all intentions of going to Bosebuck for lunch! Heading out to the trail to Maine, from Smith Brook Camps to the Tin Camp I counted over three hundred sleds and four Fish and Game running radar. Parked at the Tin Camp and watched most of the traffic head up the hill towards Maine. The traffic was amazing late morning to the point of the two others with me and I decided to forget Maine and headed to the Warming Hut, had a coffee and goodies and then investigated the "New" trail off the upper end of Indian Stream, 142. As soon as we headed that direction the traffic was no where to be found, the trails were flat and 142 by Terro Pond and over the ridge to Hall Stream was totally amazing and flat. Did an 80 mile loop in about three hours and got to see some new country and saw very little traffic.

As far as Maine goes, the "reciprocal weekend" was something that those in the know acknowledge that the Maine Snowmobile Association is dead set against restoring reciprocity, so the condition of the trail between Pittsburg and Rangely is no surprise to me. They literally did not want people to "want" to pursue reciprocal registrations and this is their way of demonstrating it to the snowmobile community.

I can remember when my rental business was booming in the late eighties to mid nineties, at least half of my fleet would end up in Maine every weekend, and Timberland Lodge would see heavy traffic from people gassing up from Maine to head back that way. The commercial advantages of the reciprocal agreements were very obvious everywhere. We see a small percentage of people going both directions since that agreement has stopped, only because Maine cannot figure out how to pay for the perceived cost of "grooming" that heavier traffic would require. They are losing sight of the huge commercial opportunity that is staring both states in the face, that represents 100 times what they are worried about in grooming costs. There has to be an answer that could worked out between Maine, NH and Vermont to reap the benefits to the three states that need an economic boost now more than ever............

path finder#6

[gunmaker]

Not being in the political way, i don't know if this could happen or not. How about next year having the weekend a floater. Say like, if next year is this bad in Jan. maybe float it to Feb. We wanted to ride in Vt but the trails just didn't look that great. Every great thing can be improved on to benefit everyone.

[steviep]

skully, on 30 January 2012 - 05:07 AM, said:

i do not think Corr.21 is a PRR trail.
Rob ...

You are right corridor 21 is colebrooks, My friends camp is about 1/2 mile before the Junction of 21 and 121 I think. The one near the Thyocal and the Polecats

[Paul D]

NH Trail Chief, on 30 January 2012 - 03:22 PM, said:

The trails were rough on Friday evening in Maine. In discussions with the Rangley folks this morning they wanted to apologize for not being able to get out. Bosebuck just got a groomer this past week and it was not ready for this weekend. The Rangely area wanted the riders to come for the weekend and riders certainly did get out. The trails around Pittsburg and Rangely lake were busy and so were the businesses, which is a good thing for all of us.

There are a few incorrect points in some of the posts which can be corrected. The Rangely club and businesses was a driving force in the getting the resciprocity weekend approved. They have not been able to get additional groomers to keep ITS 84 as groomed as folks would like and a lot of folks did not anticipate the number of sleds that would be around this weekend (limited riding in most other areas in New England put a lot of extra pressure on Corridor 20/ITS 84).

Maine is already started planning to correct issues for next years resciprocity weekend. I rode to Ocquasit on Friday for fuel and lunch like many other riders did. Pittsburg Ridge Runners did a great job with the trails and Swift Diamond Riders also did a good job. ultimately, it was a chance to ride and I was happy to have gotten the chance to get out and talk to riders at the intersections.

Thanks Chris!