02Sled

The ATV clubs are where the snowmobile clubs once were. It will come with time. Having a lot of separate permits or non reciprocal permits is a challenge.

Being able to take remote control of someone's PC isn't anything new. We were doing that somewhere around 15 to 20 years ago. It would freak out some of the users when their pointer started moving around the monitor and things kept changing. It sure made problem resolution easy when you could operate and see their system from across the country. Technology is advancing in leaps and bounds.

There are lots of areas that are crown land that ATV's aren't allowed. Tracts of crown land have different usage designations. The MNR have people specifically assigned to keeping ATV's off of the designated areas.

Markham tends to be the technology hub for Canada... definitely not anywhere in Quebec

That's one I did learn... being way down the line in a group of about 20 ATV's even on a nice day demands a shower at the end of the day. For me I would be going around the Port Severnto Parry Sound area and blackflies are a spring time guarantee. Then during the summer the mosquitos and deer flies. The best part about fall is the diminishing bug population but with that is the rains and mud.

That's what has kept me from getting an ATV. Went out with a friend on a couple of club rides... get into the trees and it's like ringing the dinner bell. Here I am come and get me.

depends on where you want to ride... the ATV's aren't legal on the snowmobile trails... especially those on private property. Yes municipally owned property is privately owned.

Reality is the OPP budget does include patrolling our trails but not adequately enough. There are also other demands on their time. Paid duty is about $75 / hr and no that is not what the officer gets. This is essentially over time for them as well. Check with your HR department what your fully burdened costs are. All the associated background expenses add up. For an 8 hr. day that's $600. Something tells me that the OFSC would have covered that expense very quickly. At $270 per permit during the season if 3 permits were sold that the OFSC wouldn't have sold that puts them ahead by $210 at the end of the day. Something tells me that if the club identified the "hot spots" then there would be a very positive cash flow. Catching 3 a day should be like shooting fish in a barrel. Then as word spreads the spinoff of people that buy permits because they heard about the increased presence.

Whether on duty or off they are officers of the court and theoretically "on duty" at all times. Also this is in essence just over time for them since the organization pays the OPP and the OPP then pay the individual officer. If you look it up there are rates for the officer's time and other items such as a cruiser.

I have also heard of a Muskoka ATV club that had challenges of riders not having permits. They hired off duty OPP for paid duty and had them out checking for permits and issuing tickets. Word apparently got out quite quickly and the number of permits sold sky rocketed and more than covered the cost of the paid duty OPP. Perhaps that is something the OFSC should look at. The clubs would know the best spots to set up permit checks and I bet it wouldn't take long until the expense is recovered multiple times over. Especially if they got checked for license insurance while at it.

I specifically asked about that and was told I am covered. It is legal to ride on the ice. The only scenario they told me that I would not be covered is if I was riding somewhere I was not allowed to. Such things as trespassing or on roads where snowmobiles are not legally allowed. i.e. If I decided to ride up the side of hwy 400 I would be out of luck

That's not what they told me.... I am covered essentially anywhere it is legal to ride a snowmobile. If a municipality allows a sled on the road I am covered. If I am breaking the law then I am not. Pretty much the same as if you drive your car / truck on a road that has been closed by the police then no coverage.

Yeah... you really need to know where you're going to make that trip. Way too many places where you can go from very thick to very thin ice very quickly. The old timers tell me that is what drove the construction of the McDonald bridge on C trail. It was a way to get north and stay off the ice of the bay.

We had lunch out on the trails. Kearney was where we had lunch one day if I recall correctly. If you can check into the trail access on and off the lake in advance it would be helpful since signage from the resort was non existent other than follow the road trail.

We have on the family day weekend once when we couldn't get into Deerhurst. It was good but not as good as Deerhurst. The dining room was overrun with kids since it was family day weekend. Instead we went to Three Guys and a Stove for dinner. The room was nice. They use the tennis court as a fenced compound for sled parking at the bottom of the hill in front of the resort. Make sure you have the sled keys when you head down to go for a ride. Don't ask how I know. The parking lot at the bottom of the hill is where they park the trucks and trailers instead of the one near the front entrance. It was a quick run across the lake to get to the trails. The people on the front desk didn't know anything about the route to the trails. Crossing the lake allowed us to avoid road rash through the resort area. They were in good condition that weekend. Gas is available at Deerhurst. You ring a door bell and a guy comes out.