I have talked about this before as well. When I grew up in Vilas County, my family owned a summer business that was dependent on tourism, so I am sensitive to the economic argument. Don't we want to welcome all potential recreation?
(By the way, to answer one question, I don't make my money in Vilas County, but I bring it there, along with 40 or 50 guests each year around who come to appreciate the quiet. We spend a lot of money in restaurants and stores, but we don't wear helmets or outfits to identify ourselves)
My answer is that some kinds of recreation can be "folded in" to the current mix without detracting from the tourist industry that exists, and some can't. (Horseback riding and geocacheing, for example) . IF the ATV trails are as busy as the backers claim they will be, it will certainly detract from other people's experience, and they will prefer to go somewhere else to get their peace and quiet.
Now, here is the final point: There ARE other places to ride ATV's. There are very FEW places like the Star Lake-Sayner area or the Manitowish River, to be enjoyed in relative peace.
2 comments:
Mark,
I bring crowds of ATVers from around the state to different trails systems and pump our "city money" into the mom and pop businesses. You just take and look at what a door I opened up to Florence county with some of my blogs that I have written. Vilas county could be the same. Nobody really wants to live in the city (it sucks being down here) so we all flock upnorth to do our various forms of recreation that we love best (just as you do). There is room for everyone and it isn't going to be as noisy as you think it is.
I know that you are against motorized sports but I'd take you on a tour some time and show how we do things (you could even follow behind me on your bike if you wanted to). We go nice and slow to enjoy the scenery and make scenic stops along the way. We stop at local establishments to keep them up and running.
What it really boils down to is, we are all human and want to enjoy nature in our various forms of activity. Some think I'm an ATV obsessed fool and I'm crazy to stick up for "my own" but I'm not. I want the same opportunities for our user group that you as silent sporters can enjoy anywhere. I can ride my bike or hike down here in the city anywhere, anytime. After awhile...you need some change. My time to unwind is on my ATV on the trails throughout the state. I put aside all of my stress and pressures of every day life when I'm out there riding. I think of my best blog articles during this seat time. I take time to take pictures and enjoy the laughter and friendship out there. Isn't this all that people want? A break from reality for awhile? You'd be lying if you couldn't say the same Mark.
Jessica "Muddychick" Priem
"Now, here is the final point: There ARE other places to ride ATV's. There are very FEW places like the Star Lake-Sayner area or the Manitowish River, to be enjoyed in relative peace."
Excuse me, but that's more than a slight distortion of the truth. The VAST MAJORITY of the northwoods are off limits to ATVs. You are implying that having an ATV trail in a county means that there are ATVs EVERYWHERE in the county. But we both know that's not true--there are ATVs on the trail, but not elsewhere.
I'll use the DeadHorse Run Trail as my example. It's about 56 miles long and goes from Clam Lake to Loretta. Get a mile off of the trail and you'd never know it is there. Get 1/2 mile from the trail and you'd never know it is there. So, we have a narrow corridor through two counties with ATV activity. The rest of the forest around that corridor is available "to be enjoyed in relative peace."
Just like the Star Lake-Sayner area or the Manitowish River.
I know that QuietNorth is not in the business of being fair or of looking at both sides of the motorsports issue but, please, don't be stupidly obvious in your bias.
bill
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