rivercat

we put ours up 12 years ago,,,,,, they are still up ,, we have changed any that needed to be changed,,, my last count was TWO bullet holes in about 70 signs

anybody else have an opinion of having a State wide standardized signing system?

I suggested to the "Trails Committee" at NHSA that a STATEWIDE marking system be implemented, Like the highway system in the USA, or the signage in VT, Maine, Canada, ,,, maybe SOMEDAY... I will add that two neighboring clubs that for the most part copied the TLTD system got "sponsorship that COMPLETELY paid for the permanent signs installed by the Contoocook Snomads, and the Bow Pioneers

One thing I constantly see is that our sport continues to "morph" way faster then its organizational people, A "ride" today can exceed 300 miles, High end sleds are closer to $20,00 than $10,000 and I KNEW when they went past $10,k that sales would stop , the sophistication of all aspects of snowmobiling has ramped up, sponsors at $200-$400 each 6-8 sponsorships will cover the average trail system. A standardized marking system could allow a vendor or the BOT to inventory sign blanks, and brackets

There were ZERO reasons that held water with me,,, the ones I heard were, well its not easy for clubs, we can't REQUIRE volunteers to adhere to what we wish them to do. It may be too expensive, ,,,,,,,,,, EVEN after I illustrated how to do them for FREE I feel too often people think of WAY too many ways to make something NOT work,,,,, then ways to make it work My grandfather taught me when I was 13,, "if we wait to see what the weathers going to do, we will never get the hay made!"

At least three clubs in Merrimack County ave gone with aluminum signs on steel posts that have a life cycle over 10 years , (yes sometimes trails change and those intersections change) However two of the clubs reached out to local businesses for "sponsorship" and not only covered the cost of the project but MADE money enough to put into reserve for updates as necessary, the businesses are listed at a couple major intersections on the trail system and I believe on the club websites. Sponsorship = FREE signs! I do want to say hats off to you Bruce because ANY improvement is an improvement! I Did request at a recent NHSA trails meeting, WHY CANT WE ADOPT A STANDARDIZED trail marking/signing system for the ENTIRE STATE? Not ONE of the "excuses why we couldn't standardize within the committee made ONE OUNCE of sense to me,,, but I recently have discovered that Im 20 years AHEAD of most curves, so I shut up and went with the "floor". Canada, Maine and Vt has accomplished it, whats so difficult? BTW I brought to the NHSA table SIX plus years ago that we needed a Statewide electronic map, it just happened this season.

John if its any help ,,,,,,, you pay the "portal fee" once and can then join any clubs you wish without paying the NHSA portal fee for each club ,,,, you can have one primary club and multiple secondary clubs all thru the portal.

There is NOT currently any benefit for landowners to keep land open from a tax standpoint. That having been said any landowner that has 10 acres or more not including the lot his residence is on is eligible for a "current use assessment" Depending on the location and the use certain tracts have very inexpensive taxation in current use. My family has a piece that does not boarder a rd, is landlocked and the taxes for 20 acres is a few hundred dollars annually. Keep in mind just because a landowner puts his land in current use does NOT mean he is required to allow snowmobiling or atv use, he is also not required to have it open for hunting, I do not have all the info but I can say that it is tailored to promote "open space"

So sad to lose another great guy,,, my condolances

Thanks so much everyone,,,,, I did post a comment on the threat fire at Murray Farm,,,

Hey Thanks so MUCH everyone,,,,, snowmobiling friends and friends from far and wide have been reaching out,,,, several came to lend a hand for a day or more,,, many well wishes from ALL OVER ,, my entire service building and offices , heating plant including my chip plant, water storage and booster pump,, fertilizer for this spring,,, this seasons seed packs for our customers, just serviced our zero turn mower,,, all GONE ,,,, the gable on our greenhouse that was destroyed was 174' wide. It took 100% of all the heating equipment hung on that gable,, we lost our stand by generator, all our tools, and I just put a $35,000 standing seam roof on the building last summer,,, we had just taken a delivery of a NEW gas boiler that wasn't installed yet, the wreckage list is surreal.... I have no choice other than to be POSITIVE,,, the good in neighbors, friends, family, no one was hurt, the cat survived, MOST of my plants that were not burned will make it,,,,,, INSURANCE? grossly underinsured, I hope my inspiration will inspire others,,,,, its all I really have always wanted in life,

Very nice job and great yankee knowhow! Now I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get her fixed!

Im horribly sorry Steve but I have to disagree with your post. IT in NO WAY is the volunteers "job" that just finished a 7000 mile infrastructure of trails and bridges and developing landowner relationships responsibility to NOW GO AND find the "off trail riders" a place to ride.. off trail riding breeds a mindset that when they want to zip up a embankment, ride all over gravel pits and across ANY field they want they just see it as their "god given right" We just lost a section of primary 335 in Boscawen, We have another section in Jeopardy, as well as 2,5 miles of corridor #11 ,,, we have even had riders cut thru the STATE OF NH VETERANS CEMETERY!! They have also ridden all around the Merrimack County Nursing Home with their lights flickering into the rooms of the elderly as well as alzimers residents! We are on the ENDANGERED LIST WITH THE COUNTY, STATE, a major Gravel Company, and a landowner that has over 2000 acres ALL IN BOSCAWEN "Im my view off trail is not a sport its an "attitude" and its a shitty attitude at that! OH ,,,, I forgot one,,,, the CITY OF CONCORD gave us passage in limited sections of the City Parks,,, we are on "probation" with them also!. I have about $25,000 of irrigation laying on top of the ground under 6" of snow (in Concord) there have been ZERO PROBLEMS for the las 20 years with riders staying OFF my irrigation I provide MANY acres for passage thru my property as does my family As soon as any of my Irrigation is damaged Im closing off my land,, and NO it can't be "picked up in the fall! I want to be clear there are TWO types of off trail riders in NH ,,,,,,,, However BOTH are breaking the LAW!

Maybe time in NH for a new sign,,,,,,,,,,,,, "OFF TRAIL IS AGAINST THE LAW" ID suggest the Moultonboro announce a go fund me and try to work with the landowner ,,, when enough is raised to put enough game cameras out, the trails could open with recording,, its WAY BEYOND discouraging for many of us