In spite of the "muddiness", this is a great time to be in the northwoods. No snowmobiles, motor noise, etc! I enjoyed watching the stars in relative quiet...
Take a look at the front page article of the Vilas County News-Review for 3/29 titled "High Snowmo death toll calls for action". I was struck by this defense of the status quo by a member of a snowmobile organization:
“You do it for the excitement, not for fresh air. Most people know the risks and they take those risks, because this is how they have fun. I know I could get killed"
That quote says it all. Snowmobiling, for many snowmobilers, is a racing sport and has nothing to do with appreciating winter in the northwoods. For them, the northwoods is a background, akin to the scenery in a video game. I saw a bumper sticker today that said "You are being passed by an Artic Cat Bitch". It may be true that the local economy can not do without snowmobiling, but lets name what is happening for what it is: The northwoods is being "punked". Because of the money, people are afraid of setting any reasonable limits on snowmobile speed or noise.
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