Nunz Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Kered, it is awesome to hear of all the ways you support snowmobiling. It's people like yourself that make this sport so great. Thank you. I've been using this forum for about three years, and there is definitely a positive emphasis in terms of the types of postings being made. Not always, but most of the time. Obviously Simmer was unhappy and he decided to share his feelings publicly. The moderator thought Simmer had made a mistake in the name of the business, so he tried to "correct" it, and mistakenly named another business. This was unfortunate, and was corrected as soon as it was pointed out, and an apology made. Now you have made the effort to explain the situation from your side, and I for one appreciate the effort you have made. Hopefully Simmer and his riding friends will still be able to find a place suitable for them, even though I guess it won't be your establishment. Best wishes to all, and happy sledding. Well said Blake and ditto for me as well.... We gassed up at Shining Tree last year and was quite happy to see the donation being made off gas sales, kinda of surprised more places haven't jumped on that bandwagon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PISTON LAKE CRUISER Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 It is only logical in my opinion for any room provider and especially for a remote camp to ask for a deposit on a reservation. I feel bad for Spruce Shilling and Shining Tree Camp in this instance but I'm guessing that some of us on this forum will try to make thinks right with our patronage somewhere along the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Well said Blake and ditto for me as well.... We gassed up at Shining Tree last year and was quite happy to see the donation being made off gas sales, kinda of surprised more places haven't jumped on that bandwagon... X2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Doo Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 It is only logical in my opinion for any room provider and especially for a remote camp to ask for a deposit on a reservation. I feel bad for Spruce Shilling and Shining Tree Camp in this instance but I'm guessing that some of us on this forum will try to make thinks right with our patronage somewhere along the line. Well said PLC.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupkids Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Sportsmans closing for lunch was purely a business decision. it was costing money to stay open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barberch Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 does Sportsman still open for gas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnj Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Sportsmans is still open for gas yup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Oh wow! That didn't take very long. My phone has been ringing off the hook. But the two phone calls that were most important to me are the ones below. Had a group of 4 from Timmins booked for Friday and Saturday. They just cancelled thanks to your unwarranted name change revrnd. Had another group of 3 from Sudbury cancel after reading that post. He came right out and said he doesn't want to stay at a place like that. So once again.....thanks revrnd for slandering a business that had nothing to do with this. Are you going to reimburse me for the money you just cost me? If you are, let me know and I'll tell you how much. And where to send the money order. Now that this thread's title has been restored to the original, it would seem that the only place being unfairly hurt is Shining Tree Camp. Based on Derek's explanation of his actual contributions to the snowmobiling scene, it would seem that this thread's title may be harmful and unfair to his business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donkey Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 it's unfortunate that faceless people can go on the internet and say whatever they want (whether it is true or some variation of the truth suited to improve the person's story) and have it hurt legitimate business'. take all reviews you read on the internet with a grain of salt because they're more than likely embellished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuyuna Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 it's unfortunate that faceless people can go on the internet and say whatever they want (whether it is true or some variation of the truth suited to improve the person's story) and have it hurt legitimate business'. take all reviews you read on the internet with a grain of salt because they're more than likely embellished Social media can be dangerous in the hands of the unscrupulous. I think that this forum has handled that very well this season. There have been a few very controversial threads this year with the potential for much damage, but in a quick fashion, the facts and truth have come out making this forum one of integrity and honour. It is a reflection of its members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 it's unfortunate that faceless people can go on the internet and say whatever they want (whether it is true or some variation of the truth suited to improve the person's story) and have it hurt legitimate business'. take all reviews you read on the internet with a grain of salt because they're more than likely embellished I seen stories about fraudulent reviews on Yelp that were traced back to a competing business. The person had contacted Yelp to get the posts removed to no avail. Seeing as how this thread has gone, you can read between the lines & make your own decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Unfortunately the "title" of this thread may be all that is seen by some viewers - - those who may not take the time to read all the posts. Maybe the title could have the words "DO NOT STAY!!" removed, so the thread can continue to exist with a neutral title, rather than a title that may be unfairly prejudicial against Shining Tree Camp? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskywizard Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Unfortunately the "title" of this thread may be all that is seen by some viewers - - those who may not take the time to read all the posts.Maybe the title could have the words "DO NOT STAY!!" removed, so the thread can continue to exist with a neutral title, rather than a title that may be unfairly prejudicial against Shining Tree Camp? Good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Folks I've edited the title. It's up to you which business you patronize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme600 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 To those it may concern; Hi, my name is Derek and I’m the owner of Shining Tree Camp. It seems this forum is allowed to just post gossip without a lot of fact base. We’ve read these for years but just chuckled because of the inaccuracies in our area. Fact - I’ve volunteered for the club from 2002 until present. The past five years has been nothing but me from “C” trail North of Wanapite bridge to Mattagami Lake and into Shining Tree via L142. That goes for brushing, signing, grooming & groomer repairs and maintenance. 160 km of trail. Fact - Only club member in area. Fact - Moved trail from Three Bears laneway to Shining Tree Camp and staked down to lake for people to go to Three Bears. That was done because premium fuel was a hit and miss and now is always available which we donate 10 cents a litre back to the club. Regular fuel is still available as always if you want to run 4 kms down the highway to Spruce Shilling Camp. Fact - It cost us $150 for signage on the trail to advertise fuel. Fact - “C” trail North of highway 560 to Mattagami lake has been plowed by the TFAI, that’s forestry, without notifying me so I could move signs and break trail for a lake run to avoid it, I’m presently working on that, if you need updates or details feel free to call me @ 800 551 3899 for I will be the first to know. Gossip - John, AKA Simmer called me to book a cabin. Told me of Brandon in the hospital and how bad that is, AGREED. Wanted me to hold a cabin for his group until he decided whether they wanted it or not. I told him it required a deposit which he would not do. When he told me how they used to always do that @ Three Bears for him, I made the comment that “that’s probably why they are out of business and I’m not”. That’s when it went South real quick. The previously mentioned plowing of the “C” trail was just me trying to warn him off of getting trapped. Sorry I mentioned it. Derek. PS- if this gets posted, check the bottom to see if it has been altered before taking it as the original post. Happy sledding. Derek. Good post and glad you chimed in. This is the main reason I like this forum. Yes, mistakes were made in error. But, they have been rectified and I wish all business's luck. Business is very tough these days and I hate to see any close. But I understand and KNOW full well why many do close. If it is not feasible than they must close. Kered, it is awesome to hear of all the ways you support snowmobiling. It's people like yourself that make this sport so great. Thank you. I've been using this forum for about three years, and there is definitely a positive emphasis in terms of the types of postings being made. Not always, but most of the time. Obviously Simmer was unhappy and he decided to share his feelings publicly. The moderator thought Simmer had made a mistake in the name of the business, so he tried to "correct" it, and mistakenly named another business. This was unfortunate, and was corrected as soon as it was pointed out, and an apology made. Now you have made the effort to explain the situation from your side, and I for one appreciate the effort you have made. Hopefully Simmer and his riding friends will still be able to find a place suitable for them, even though I guess it won't be your establishment. Best wishes to all, and happy sledding. X4 on this one. Nice post as always Blake. Revrnd-Glad you fixed it. I know mistakes happen buddy. Hopefully everyone reads this post now and decides for them self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARKSIDE Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Good afternoon. This is Leon, owner and operator of Spruce Shilling Camp in Shining Tree. There has been a few posts on here about businesses closing around here. Especially in this thread. This camp has been here for 50 years, with 10s of thousands of dollars of improvements going into this camp every year. I have no mortgage and I keep all my stuff up to date including the camp. So it's been here a lot longer than a snowmobile club and I have no intentions of leaving or closing. So I don't know why everybody keeps going on about.....oh wow!!! no sledders?? which are here for only 2 -3 months a year. You'll have to close or go out of business. Bull crap!! I for one am going no where. Like I said before and I don't mean to be rude, but the money the sledders bring in here to this camp in those 2-3 months, don't hold a candle to the money workers bring in here in the winter in one week. I just had 15 sledders leave here this morning and 6 of them were a group of six women, by themselves. Woohoo! Most of my business here is 98% repeat business. Yeah, some sledders come back on quads in the summer or fishing. But they have been coming here for years and they are not going to change their habits. It's no secret, or at least I don't think it is, that Shining Tree Tourist Camp and Spruce Shilling Camp are not the best of friends but for what Derek does, he does a good job with what he has to work with. And I commend him for that and respect him for it. But essentially I just wanted to vent a little and dispel the rumor that if we don't have any snowmobilers, that we will be out of business. That couldn't be further from the truth. You can spread word of mouth or how ever you want to do it. We've always had gas and accommodations here, ever since the first snowmobile club was ever started and we'll probably be here long after they are gone. Because there is too much in-fighting going on in Shining Tree which is a pain in the a$$. But I can't do anything about it as far as sledding goes. So any sledders that want to come up, we will welcome you with open arms. But you are not the only reason are businesses operate. That's just a fallacy on your part. Thanks for reading this post if you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake G Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I enjoyed your post, DARKSIDE. You must be doing lots of things right to be in the position you're in. Best wishes for continued prosperity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DARKSIDE Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you for your comment. Hopefully someday the crap here will get straightened out. Cheers and Happy Day!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Leon keep on digging and good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AkronOrange Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 My $.02: I rode through there a few weeks ago, stopped for gas and had a nice chat with Derek, he was pleasant and told me didn't know what was going on at 3 Bears. He does give .10/gallon to the local club. Derek - thanks for your hard work and dedication to the area. We zipped across the lake for a visit at 3 Bears to see what was going on for ourselves. Brandon was there, he had lost a lot of weight since last year. They were open for business that last week of February. We stayed and talked with Brandon for about an hour, talking about the various era's of 3 Bears; the Cindy era, the Kelly era etc. He was in very good spirits, didn't charge us for our beverages and told us how nice it was to see us again. Sounds to me like Simmer has some unreasonable expectations and perhaps he will be a better fit in Quebec. Regardless of the politics and all of that I hope 3 Bears continues, it has been one of our annual stops for many years and I'll miss it if it's gone. I wish Brandon well and a speedy recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 My $.02: I rode through there a few weeks ago, stopped for gas and had a nice chat with Derek, he was pleasant and told he didn't know what was going on at 3 Bears. He does give .10/gallon to the local club. Derek - thanks for your hard work and dedication to the area. We zipped across the lake for a visit at 3 Bears to see what was going on for ourselves. Brandon was there, he had lost a lot of weight since last year. They were open for business that last week of February. We stayed and talked with Brandon for about an hour, talking about the various era's of 3 Bears; the Cindy era, the Kelly era etc. He was in very good spirits, didn't charge us for our beverages and told us how nice it was to see us again. Sounds to me like Simmer has some unreasonable expectations and perhaps he will be a better fit in Quebec. Regardless of the politics and all of that I hope 3 Bears continues, it has been one of our annual stops for many years and I'll miss it if it's gone. I wish Brandon well and a speedy recovery. Interesting perspective thank you damage can be done too easily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Yarek Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I'm very confused over this entire thread Like watching those shows the wife can't miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I have recently been looking for a Hotel in Houston Texas. WTF does that have to do with this thread you ask? Lots! I have had to rely on online reviews to have the best chance of a successful stay. The reviews are absolutely nasty to go through. I discount many of them, but have to read them to figure out if the expectation of the writer were far beyond what the hotel has promised or reasonable expectations. Many of these were not. Many of the reviews were repetitive to several hotels. It is unfortunate that online reviews cannot be trusted as there are far too many people trying to willfully hurt competing businesses to make their won business look better. In some cases it could be immature retaliation. At the end of the day, Expedia, Yelp, TripAdvisor etc. have an obligation to ensure that the practice of false reviews is eliminated or at least minimized. The food and lodging forum here on OC.Com is here for our members to share their experiences. It is not for advertising (Sponsors Excepted) by the resort owners, staff, family or friends. The difference here is that the thread is open for comment and eventually the comments will get to the root of the truth. We have a lot of great members that are experienced and influential that always steer us straight. That is our strength. You should never take a first post as gospel. Read the whole thread, ask questions, look for feedback from those that you trust will provide honest criticism and accolades. No business can please 100% of the people 100% of the time. What differentiates the best from the average is how they deal with the feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slomo Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 In reference to above, saw this on CBC Marketplace a few weeks ago.... "....it’s really amazing how easy it is to purchase deception now on the internet,” says Jeff Hancock, a professor who researches online language and behaviour at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. You can get fake likes, you can get fake comments, fake reviews, fake everything.” "So why do we fall for companies’ fake reviews and false reputation? " Link: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/fake-online-reviews-4-ways-companies-can-deceive-you-1.2825080 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Voyant Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I used to work for a recognized-name hotel chain. When on-line booking sites began on the internet, we were encouraged to create false profiles and post positive reviews to try and capture business from our competitors. Do your research and try to get personal first-hand reviews from people you know. One of the reasons why I like this forum. Honest and un-biased information. When I see the X1's or X2's on the subsequent posts, I know I'm on to something. Thanks you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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