Trails in the News - Press Clipping Files

12/27/2006

Vandals Attack Signs Along Mullet Lake Trail

Vandals steal W. Mullett Trail signs

Cheboygan Tribune

By RICH ADAMS
Tribune Editor

CHEBOYGAN - Vandals gave the Cheboygan Trailblazers - the organization that grooms snowmobile trails in the area - the equivalent of a lump of coal for Christmas.

Someone ripped down 25 signs along the newly opened section of former railroad grade known as the West Mullett Trail on Friday or Saturday of last week, leaving two members of the organization to spend five hours on Christmas Eve day replacing the signs, said Trailblazers President Fred Brandt.

“They broke the signs off by twisting them,” Brandt said on Tuesday. “They pulled off speed limits signs, stop ahead signs, stop signs and the larger signs that listed the hours of operation.”

While the stop ahead and stop signs are the responsibility of the local club, the larger signs were contracted out by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources after DNR Director Rebecca Humphries declared the trail open to snowmobiles last summer. The trail had been off limits to snowmobiles for 10 years prior to the opening.

Brandt said he reported the vandalism and theft to the Michigan State Police.

“This is discouraging when you have all-volunteer labor,” Brandt said Tuesday. “Some of these guys aren't even riders.”

Brandt said none of the removed signs were found in the vicinity. It was the second such case of vandalism. An early sign pillage took place along the established trail in the downtown Cheboygan area, he noted.

Mark Elliott and Rob Morrow, both Trailblazers members, spent five hours of their Christmas Eve replacing the signs along the trail.

“We have no idea who did this,” Brandt said Tuesday.

Anyone with information on the missing signs can call Brandt at 625-2567.

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