Though I have never met you I have read alot of your post and rode a lot of the same trails. I wish you the best of luck.
One time I got a ticket up north,I think it was Cheybogen county and to my surprise when I went to pay it the magistrate threw it out. I was suspicous and asked why, she said that it was a state officer that gave me a ticket for something that was considered legal in their county.(riding on a two track) Bottom line the county wanted us to go riding in the area and spend our money, and the DNR doesn't want us in THEIR Forest.
I have had some bad luck with CO's, and have been hassled when I or anyone else in our group did any thing wrong. The funny thing is in the seventies and early eighties I never had a problem with any CO's, I found them helpful and polite, and now almost ever time I run into one it seems like I'm guilty and need to prove my innosense.
A couple of year ago I was with a group of guys at Black Lake, I was probably on of the youngest guys there (39) I would guess the average age was about 50. There had to be at least 4 motor homes a van, a truck and a few trailers, a CO came into the camp an said I quote:WE DON'T WANT YOUR KIND AROUND HERE!!!. Mind you this was early in the morning before even one bike was started and there was only one other camper in the whole park and we were far away from them. We road that day a left, when we originally planned on staying there for at least another night.
So far I have had good luck in all of our adventure in the U.P.
Hope to see you on the trail
DT