8236-R1_MSA_January2023

An Official Publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association The Maine Snowmobiler

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January 2023 • Vol. 54 • No. 5 MSA, PO Box 80, Augusta ME 04332 United we trail, divided we fail www.mainesnowmobileassociation.com

New International Bridge Will Have Recreational Lane By Denise Duperré, MSA Northern Region Director

At one meeting back in 2016, when I tried to push the economic benefits that just the sport of snowmobiling bought to the state of Maine in terms of dollars, I was met with a few smirks, a stare of disbelief and one person outrightly blurted that this wasn’t important to bring to the table. Well let’s just say, that ignited my fire to push even harder,” added Duperre. Duperre was on the Madawaska Board of Selectpersons from2016 to 2019 as an elected official prior to starting her current job at the municipality in 2021. Madawaska’s town manager and selectboard were part of the planning stages, along with Edmundston’s city councilors andmayor, for the newbridge. “Madawaska is the start of Maine’s ITS 81 & 83 for snowmobilers.The actual club trails that bring you into or around Madawaska are a way to get adventurers to gas, lodging, restaurants, and recreational dealers.The big reason for my push for recreational access on both sides, was to offer a quick access to get into Canada via recreational vehicle and local connecting trails and vice-versa.” Not only is Madawaska excited about Last Bridge Girder – Seen in the foreground is a construction company Reed & Reed crane placing the last girder on the US side of the new interna tional bridge. Photo courtesy of Reed & Reed, Inc

T he newMadawaska (USA) – Edmundston (Canada) bridge is finally starting to look like something after sitting on the drawing tables for years. The new $97 million bridge will span almost 1,800 feet, twice as long as the old bridge, because it is being constructed in a diagonal direction so it can connect to the new port of entry in Madawaska, Maine. The bridge will feature sidewalks for pedestrians, wider travel lanes for vehicles and six-foot shoulders that will also serve as recreational vehicle access to both the U.S. and Canada. Madawaska’s Port of Entry is New England’s third busiest for automobile traffic and sixth for truck traffic. Denise Duperre, Madawaska’s Administra tive Specialist and Code Enforcement Officer and an M.S.A. northern region director states that many long hours of public and interna tional meetings with governments, state and province and local key businesses on both sides of the border proved to be fruitful in the end, for the recreational enthusiasts. “It was no easy task to try and convince the federal governments on both sides of the border, that a recreational trail was much needed for economic growth and development.

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the new bridge, the new Custom & Immigration Port of Entry, but the town is also working on trail access and connectivity to the new bridge. Planned in phases, the first phase of the connectivity trail project will commence in 2023 after much planning and engineering. A major milestone was reached mid-December when Reed & Reed, American Contractor for theMadawaska International Bridge Project erected the last 2 girders connecting the bridge to the US abutment. Greg Letourneau, who is overseeing this construction stated that the last 2 girders weighted in at 224,000 pounds, which completes a total of 7.2 million pounds of structural steel and 88,000 pounds of bolts that Reed & Reed construction crew installed and torqued. Bracing and decking will beginning shortly. Completion of the new bridge as well as the new Madawaska Port of Entry are slated for Fall of 2024. The last girder – The last structural girder, weighing in at over 100,000 lbs has been put into place on the US side of the new Madawaska International Bridge by Reed & Reed, Inc the contractor for this bridge, expected to open to traffic, pedestrians and recreational vehicles late 2024. Photo Courtesy of Reed & Reed, Inc.

A picture is worth millions – This photo shows the new Mad awaska Land Port of Entry in the foreground, and the new International Bridge connecting Edmundston, NB Canada to Madawaska. The old International Bridge will be removed once the new bridge is operational in late 2024. Also shown is Twin River’s Paper Company to the right and the Canadian National Trainway in Canada. The river is the St. John. Photo courtesy of Deschaine Digital

100 Year Old International Bridge – This photo was taken from the Canadian side to show the old International Bridge as it stands today and for the past 100 years connecting the Mad awaska – Edmundston ports of entry, and the new bridge being constructed to the right (connected to the Edmundston, New Brunswick Port of Entry). Photo courtesy of Deschaine Digital.

Merry and Bright… Mark couldn’t stand seeing the groomer sitting idle near the snowmobile trail so he decided to “light it up” and bring some joy to the passersby. It definitely makes you look twice and brings a smile to your face. This could be seen driving past the groomer garage on Depot Street in Buckfield.

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J YAMAHASNOWMOBILES.COM ©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider on closed course under controlled conditions. Model shown with optional accessories. Always wear an approved helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Ride responsibly and always ride within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvering, and respect others around you. Know the conditions. Observe all state and local laws. Don’t drink and ride. YAMAHASNOWMOBILES.COM ©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider on closed course under controlled conditions. Model shown with optional accessories. Always wear an approved helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Ride responsibly and always ride within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvering, and respect others around you. Know the conditions. Observe all state and local laws. Don’t drink and ride. YAMAHASNOWMOBILES.COM ©2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved. Product and specifications subject to change without notice. Professional rider on closed course under controlled conditions. Model shown with optional accessories. Always wear an approved helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Ride responsibly and always ride within your capabilities, allowing time and distance for maneuvering, and respect others around you. Know the conditions. Observe all state and local laws. Don’t drink and ride. smb02269_dec_me_snowmobile_assoc_1a.indd 1 u a r y a n

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C A R I BOUMA I N E . ORG / V I S I T

We’re looking for newspaper articles. Topics of interest.... All things snowmobiling! Do you have a favorite ride that you’d like to share? Grooming or trail work tips. Product reviews. Stories of your adventures. Club events. A member who goes above and beyond. If possible, please send along pictures for your articles. This paper is created for Snowmobilers and you are the experts - we’d love to have your input! Please submit articles to editor@mesnow.com

Photo: Paul Cyr

Whether you are coming to Caribou for the first time, returning to your forever hometown, or looking to relocate to the most northeastern city in the United States, find everything you need right here!

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This project is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Office of Tourism.

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From The Executive Board

From the President

The Raffle was a success! We had grateful winners from all over New England. The Polaris went to a lady from Vermont, The Ski Doo, Arctic Cat and both trailers to Maine folks. The raffle once again helped the clubs in these hard times. I’m very proud of the raffle we have a great team that makes it happen. We’ll be getting back on track now, the raffle meeting/drawing was well attended at the Augusta Civic Center. We had a great meal along with a quick meeting. The weather has been awful to say the least. Hurricane winds and lots of rain uprooted trees and flooded out many brooks. Brand new bridges were destroyed. The hard work by clubs members before the storm was eliminated by Mother Nature. Greenville was totally tore up on both sides of the lake. This storm has destroyed lots of miles of trails in certain areas of the state. It’s very hard on the clubs, Our friend Joe Higgins told me that disaster relief grants will be available. We have the best volunteers in the business, YOU people make it happen and I’m very proud and happy to be part of a winning team. Thanks for all you do! Happy New Year, AL on as President and even before that, has been busy promoting the Safety Program and the Lifeflight Program to educate young people all across the State. Al has been a Godsend to us in the MSA office as well as running from one end of the State to the other with whatever needs to be done to see that things run as smoothly as possible! John Monk would be the last piece to the “Steering Committee” puzzle and has been extremely proactive in any legislative issues or bills that cross our path and that concern the MSA, our Clubs, or the sport of Snowmobiling in general. John has been an asset to the committee with his many “Contacts” on this platform. A big thanks to Mike Grass Jr. for teaming up with John when extra muscle is needed to push our agenda at the State House on these matters. The “MSA” work does not stop here as there are many eyes and ears from the top of the state to the bottom in the form of Regional Vice Presidents, Regional Directors as well as Club Directors. This chain of command keeps the MSA tethered to the Clubs. These are an amazing group of passionate Snowmobilers who care deeply about the health of snowmobiling in our State, and are great advocates for the sport! They are an integral part of the association and seriously could not do it without them. So as you can see it takes many people working together to make it all work, and to make all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. I can tell you two things that I do know, that yes we have totally made mistakes along the way but feel that we have learned from them and it has made us better! And lastly I know for a fact that when a decision is made it is made with the best interest of the Association in mind, and THAT is a good feeling. Thank you for reading, and as always, if you have any questions, comments, issues, or just want to talk Snowmobiling, please reach out to me! Thank you, Mark. every year they are attending school and you could be awarded the scholarship consecutive or multiple years. I know from experience that it is very rewarding to review the applications and read firsthand how grateful and thankful the recipients are and what a positive impact the award has had on their educational journey. Amajor component of the scholarship is let ters of support from educators, employees and even snowmobile club members. With kids home for the holidays it’s a great time to start to gather up some of these letters. If you start now you’ll have good head start and with the application deadline of April 1 it will be here sooner than you think. The other big piece of the package is the essay and some of the best I have read included lots of information and appear to be written as they gathered ideas

Branch SC for lots of great food, check out the newest groomers and drags from the major groomer manufacturers. The Groomer Rodeo is easy to find right off the Interstate #244 on Clubhouse drive only a few miles from the exit, look for their new sign! If we have bad weather, it will be held on Feb. 4th. If you like to ice fish, the Anson North Anson SC will be hosting a fishing derby Jan.14 th on the Fahi Pond Road in Embden on Sandy Pond. If you like to eat, head over to Portage for their annual hot dog fundraiser. Hot chocolate, snacks and a corn hole game highlights the day activities at the groomer barn. This all day event goes into the night with a Hypnotist at 7pm for some entertainment! Over in Millinocket at the Northern Timber Cruisers SC and Museumwill be holding its 10th annual Snowball Run for Cancer, one Saturday, January 21st they will be open at 7am this is a ride to support cancer care in the Katahdin area. All sleds are welcome old and new! I hope you all had a great holiday season. Hopefully it snows soon, right now here in Central Maine we have lots of green grass showing without any rideable snow. We’re now one month behind and losing every day the temperature goes above freezing. short but well needed break just in time for the Christmas season and New Year and then it’s right back at it. Although I say we were taking a break, the E-board and Steering Committee as well as the MSA Office Staff really haven’t slowed down much. Both Liz and Al have been busy in the office with the Super Raffle Wrap-up, processing Memberships, delivering prizes, attending Club events and taking care of the Day to Day in the office. As far as the MSA Steering Committee goes, Lori Hemmerdinger has been very busy each month putting together and editing the Maine Snowmobiler Newspaper, and is producing the best product that we have had in a very long time hands down! She has also been busy with her treasurer duties as well as writing the MSA budget. Bob Flagg and Lori have also been working on getting the new Website on line, which should be interactive and very user friendly. Bob and Lori have been working on getting all the bugs out of the new video camera system that works with zoom, which allows people from afar to attend and participate in our monthly director’s meetings. Eileen and Larry Lafland have been working with Liz to process all of the membership submittals and paperwork, this is a huge time consuming job and they have been an enormous help with this. E&L have also been very active in their Eastern Region, holding numerous meetings to keep clubs informed and educated on procedures, protocol and MSA/CLUB changes. Mike Grass and I along with Al Swett have been holding Trails Workshops around the State to help educate ourselves and our Clubs in proper signage techniques, as well as answer any questions and keep Trailmasters and Groomer/Operators up to speed on any changes that might be taking place. We have also been helping Clubs with any Trail changes along with helping to resolve any landowner issues that might arise. Al Swett, among all of the previously listed tasks that he has taken As we start the New Year, it is never too early to start thinking about funding for ant post high school programs are kids may be pursuing this year. The MSA scholarship is not only for the traditional 4 year college but it also includes associate degrees, commu nity college 1, 2 & 4 year programs, trading schools and even for students in pursuit of master and doctorate degrees. As a member of the scholarship committee I have answered many questions from par ents and applicants about the process, often folks think they can only apply once or that the applicants needs to be an incoming fresh man. Anyone that is eligible can apply if and

Lori Hemmerdinger (207) 890-5455 544 Plains Road • Poland, ME 04274 Treasurer@mesnow.com Treasurer’s Report Respectfully Submitted, Lori Hemmerdinger, Treasurer

Alan Swett, 207-872-7282 234 County Rd, Waterville ME 04901 snowtraveler@roadrunner.com

H ello!

Monthly Income Monthly Expense

$ 77,425.55 $ 27,795.51 $ 49,630.04 $293,547.54 $131,151.76

Here we go into January. Many events kick off winter this month. The Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club will host a long lasting tradition Snodeo! The 19 th , 20 th , and 21 st will bring snowmobilers from all over the Northeast. The next big event is the following weekend on January 28 th , head up to Medway at the East

Net Revenue

Checking (12/31/22)

DedicatedAccount (12/31/22)

Pay Pal (12/31/22) - Special EventsAccount (12/31/22) $ 4,987.53 Credit Line (12/31/22) $ - Building Fund 12/31/22) $ 53,939.98 BrianWass Safety Fund (12/31/22) $ 1,285.33 MSA Scholarship SavingsAccount $ 2,082.00 MSA Scholarship CDAccount $ 60,187.00 From The Membership Corner Eileen Lafland, $

From the Executive VP

207-843-7813 PO Box 733, Holden ME 04429 L.andE. lafland525476@ gmail.com

over a season of riding. As speak for all the committee members in saying we are always available to help in any way that we can. The past few years has seen a decline in applications and nothing would please us more than to be flooded with appli cations in April. It is an absolute pleasure to review and be part of the process that helps one of our own continue their education. Be safe and here’s to a great New Year. Harvey There are still a few months to go before the membership counts are tallied for largest clubs in the state, so keep them coming in! A s of December 21 st , 241 of the 283 MSA clubs in the state have sent in memberships! That is wonderful to see as it means clubs are getting members to join and support what they do. Numbers are constantly changing and memberships are being entered daily. Here are the totals on Dec. 21 st . Total # family memberships - 6,610 Total # business 1524 Total members including all family members 13,162 Numbers by Region Central – 56 clubs / 1,304 memberships Coastal – 57 clubs / 1,073 memberships Western – 74 clubs / 2,134 memberships Eastern – 34 clubs / 1,704 memberships Northern – 62 clubs / 1,908 memberships On Dec. 21 st there were five clubs over 150 memberships; Rangeley (265), Moosehead Riders (199), Washburn (193) Fort Kent (162), and Bridgeton (151) and six clubs at or over 100 memberships; Blue Ridge Riders (137), Madawaska (131), Penobscot SC (125), Northern Timber Cruisers (110), Caribou SC (109), and Fryeburg (100). A shout out to Fort Kent SnoRiders for having the most new members join their club this past month! Cheers to the Northern and Eastern Regions as both have four clubs in the top ten for the state.

Mark Chinnock, Vice President 207-754-9874 544 Plains Road, Poland, ME 04274 napadude66@hotmail.com

H i Folks!!

As I sit here and write, we are playing Mother Nature’s game and she is not playing fair with us whatsoever! We do however have lots of winter left and hold high hopes that by the time you read this well into January that we will be telling a different story. I also know that the wind and rainstorm that hit us at Christmas took its toll on trail systems Statewide. It proved to be very taxing on all of the volunteers that had already worked very hard on getting the trails ready, and once again had to recreate the wheel and clear the trails, and for these people we need give a HUGE thank you! I hope everyone had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year, as we settle into what I call the “boots on the ground” portion of our season, where we take all the preparation work and finally apply it to the Trail. This is the most rewarding part, when we get to visually see the end product and are able to reap the benefits of our hard work. Here at the MSA with the Snowmobile Show and Super Raffle behind us, it gave us a

Scholarship Committee W elcome to 2023, hope everyone had a happy and healthy holidays and that the New Year is off to a great start.

Harvey Chesley, 207-314-0637 25 Hillcrest Dr, Clinton ME 04927 harv.chesley@gmail.com

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From The Executive Board

When it does snow and we get back on our sleds, at least here in the Central Maine area. We need to start-off easy; lots of us have not been on our sleds since last March. It’s like get ting back on a bike we all know we can do it but we’re just a little rusty and need to take it slow. When you’re riding at night slow down, be aware of wildlife. Ride smart and stay on the trail, Don’t ride alone it’s always safe and more fun to ride with a partner, be aware of hazards on the trail, you may have gone on a trail 4 hours ago and your return trip a tree has come down and is crossing the trail. Stay on the marked trail, our trial system is 95% owned by private landowners. We value our relationship with them. They make our Maine snowmobiling trail system work. Snowmobiling and under the influence do not mix, many accidents and fatal accidents happen because of this deadly combination. Please be safe out there. Take it easy. I have been spreading the safety words in schools. If your club or you know, a school that would like to have a me do a safety talk let me know. I’d love to do it! Its lots of fun we all have a great time. We have snowmobile safety posters avail able let me know I can ship them to you. They work great on the trail at you intersections and clubhouses and places to get food and gas. Thanks for all you do! AL thought of Jim Boyce when I heard how much snow Kingfield received in the first storm and wondered, “Jim, did that fill your garbage cans?” My hats off to ALL TRAIL CREWS for doing what you do and making sure trails are safe for everyone to ride. If everybody would volunteer three to five hours to a club to work on trails, the work would get done much quicker. Remember, trail crews like the plea sure ride just like you, so help them out then they can ride for fun as well. The Eastern regional meeting held at EMSC in December had a good turnout. Thanks to Larry Lafland, Joe Higgins, Brent Spaulding, Al Swett, Mike Grass, and Barry Ryan for pre senting information to those attending. It was nice to be able to gather again and hear what clubs are doing. There is another regional meeting scheduled. This one is on Jan 19 th and will be held Downeast in Baileyville. By the time this paper reaches everyone, notices will have been sent to clubs with all the info. Hopefully, snow will not prevent us from holding it and we will get a chance to meet with those clubs. Regional meetings are one of the best ways to get clubs together and let them know MSA is there to listen. If you haven’t ridden in a groomer and want to have a chance, check out the Groomer Rodeo at the East Branch SnoRovers on Sat. Jan 28th. Look for all the info in the Dec. Maine Snowmobiler. The February MSA meeting will be at the Lincoln Snowhounds club on Feb. 25 th . The trails leaving the clubhouse will be ready for riding, so come early and take a ride from there. More info will be available on the MSA website as the day nears. Until, February, Please stay safe out there. Eileen I hope that everyone enjoyed their holidays; it’s always good to spend time with family & friends. As I write this it’s currently 30 degrees, warm weather, rain and massive winds have pushed our season way back for a large portion of the state. But as usual the volunteers are out there clearing down trees, repairing bridges or installing new ones that were washed away by flooding rivers. There is disaster relief available. Regional directors and myself should be reaching out to all coastal area clubs to help get you the relief money. If your club has not been contacted feel free to reach out to me or any director, contact information is in the paper. Old man Winter & Mother Nature need to get on the same page very soon. So everyone please turn on your A/C units let’s freeze the rivers, lakes and trails. Then we need to start the SNOW DANCE!!!! Once again thank you for all your efforts. I Hope to see you on the trails soon. Ride right, be safe, Dave

Safety Committee

Steering Committee

the MSA office and we will set one up. Signs and grooming. This is a tough one but I feel the need to tackle it, mostly for safety reasons and conversations with Joe Higgins. While everyone likes to get an early start, starting grooming operations before you have your signage up creates safety problems. Why do you ask? Well, first off, are your “stop” and “stop aheads” up at all your road cross ings? Are all your hazards marked like fences, stumps and rocks? Are all of your informa tional signs up, like kiosks at intersections telling folks how and where to go? If you answered no to any of these questions, groom ing only invites trouble. Are all the water holes, swamps and normal wet areas frozen yet? More places for people who are unfamil iar with the area to get in trouble. People are just waiting for the chance to ride and any glimmer of hope turns into a prob lem if trails and clubs aren’t ready for traffic. For instance, if you groom a “section” of trail but not all of your trails, riders will assume all the trails are open. This not only could lead to riders getting stuck in water holes or other issues but also upset a landowner who doesn’t want snowmobiles crossing their unfrozen field and making more work for them in the spring and potentially closing it for the next season. There are many reasons clubs need to make sure signage is in place before you start grooming and clubs need to be sure they are basing any “trails open” statements on social media on their whole system and actually the connecting systems. People from hours away will show up if they see one groomer out, assuming there is all kinds of snow, water holes are frozen and all the signs are up. This year especially, it is just not the case. Old man winter just hates to take hold of us so far. Please be very clear in any social media/online posts that the actual conditions are posted. We all want the information but it needs to be accurate and up to date. With all that said, please email your clubs trail conditions to the MSA office so we can update our Trails Conditions page when things get going. The long-range forecasters are still saying the second half of January will be cold and snowy. Let’s all do our best snow dances and welcome 2023 with tons of snow (and cold). Think Snow, Mike In the meantime, please lend your usual weekend riding time to a club that could finally get to a bridge repair or new improve ment that will further enhance the trail system. We will get through this…. We have for over 50 years! LET IT SNOW! John quibble about this, but this is truly the way the clubs cover their expenses for these incurred trail expenses. Worrying about how to cover the costs for these should not be added to the dismal conditions. Upward and onward! On the steering committee front, we have reached out to an interested person for talks and a possible direction for future lobbying. On the surface, the person has political expe rience, familiar on lobbying, knows the rules of the legislative road and as an added bonus, is an avid snowmobiler. An initial meeting was set up, but got clouded last minute with scheduling. Another firm meeting date has not been scheduled yet, but is slated to happen in mid to late January. We’ll update as we have additional info. Our Trail Enforcement Bill has been in since November 28 by Senator Russell Black and is currently being reviewed by committee for language. As we have talked about over and over again, this really is a no brainer and aimed 100 % at protecting the club, landowners and respectful riders at preventing unwanted and clearly deliberate “off the corridor” trail devi ations. Its intent is to keep landowners who graciously allow trail from having to go to court to defend an agreement with a club of trail usage. It really should never have to get to that level. Please help educate your local leg islators and we will provide the LD number as soon as we get it.

Alan Swett, 207-872-7282 234 County Rd, Waterville ME 04901 snowtraveler@roadrunner.com W but then we got flooded out along with high winds that upset and eliminated what snow we had. Most of the land here Waterville and South has grass showing and very little ice on the ponds, lakes and brooks. With that said, please stay off the lakes and ponds. The ice has not formed enough and is not safe. The weather has been very cold and then the warm up goes into the high 40’s. Typical weather the last few years! Let’s hope this month changes and we get back into a Maine winter pattern. ell, January is starting snowless here in Central Maine. We had a good cover

John Monk Chairman of Steering Committee monksdoomopars@hermon.net

H ello All,

What quickly had showings of a very strong season, quickly turned sour with some Mother Nature foul participation. All is not lost though. While the strength of clubs each season does waver from time to time, the overall view from postings and commu nication this season has spoken otherwise. As demonstrated riders are concerned of the conditions and are rapidly reaching out to help and remedy the issues, so when conditions do turn around, not only will trails be ready, they will be better than ever. Recent landowners in my own club even have marked, cut and helped our club open up a section now closed for over two years. Enough positives just can’t be shared about these people. While the condi tions are right, lend a hand! As an added tough one to swallow, register your sled. Most might

Eastern Region VP

Trails Committee Chair Report

Eileen Lafland, 207-843-7813 PO Box 733, Holden ME 04429 L.andE.lafland525476@gmail.com H appy New Year Everyone and Welcome to 2023!! We write and submit these news articles the month before they are published so as I write this one on Dec. 20 th part of the state is still trying to dig out from a large snowstorm and get their power back on because the heavy, wet snow took down many trees and power poles. They are also predicting another storm just before Christmas, but this one looks to be rain and more high winds! Seems like Ole Man Winter gave us our wish and Mother Nature is saying- “Not so fast!” They sure need to get on the same page. Clubs have worked so hard, many times with limited crews, since early fall to get trails brushed and ready to ride then we get a storm like this that erases so much of what they have done. When you only have five to ten people clearing many, many miles of trails it takes hours and hours to clear them the first time, then you must do it all again! I will say, I

Mike Grass, Jr., 207-368-2316 249 Condon Rd, Plymouth ME 04969 mgrassjr@gmail.com W elcome to 2023. I hope 2022 was bet ter than 2021 was for most of us. Last years snowmobile season was definitely not one for the record books but most clubs had at least a week or two with some riding and northern areas having a decent season. This year is starting out much different for almost everyone. The 50-degree days and rainstorms can go away anytime! As chairman of the MSA Trails Committee, safety is always our top priority. When we are inspecting trails, the stop and stop ahead are at the top of our list. Road crossings can be very dangerous and we need to make sure we have them marked correctly each year. Signage is our biggest “weakness” across the state and much of our inspection form is directed at that very subject. Mark Chinnock started doing signage workshops around the state during his tenure as Trails Chair. The areas where he took his roadshow saw an immediate improvement in the quality of the signage. This year we have had three already. Minot, Holden and Bene dicta have all had an MSA signage workshop this year. Each had great information, ques tions and conversations concerning different signage issues. Hopefully, everyone went away with a better understanding of how, where, when, why to use the signs supplied by DOC and MSA. If your club would like to host a signage workshop, please contact me or

Coastal Region VP

David Watson, 207-205-1558 412 Roberts Ridge Rd East Waterboro ME 04030 dwatson6841@gmail.com

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From The Executive Board

Northern Region VP

This December has been a bit of a challenge for snowmobile clubs and snowmobilers here in the County. Multiple warmups, high winds and lots of rain have made getting trails ready a challenge. Clubs and their volunteers continue to work hard, preparing and then having to go back and re-do some of it because the weather shifted. Be patient, winter will come, and we will be able to ride. Make sure to help out clubs where you live &/or ride. The work to prepare for and make great trails is never ending and getting more expensive. Congratulations to all the Super Raffle winners, thank you all for purchasing a ticket, supporting the club who sold it and the MSA. This is a great fundraiser for both clubs and the MSA, which continues to grow. There are multiple re-routes so please watch the signage, as some intersections and stretches of trail won’t be where they were last season. These re-routes are very time consuming and can be expensive. Kudos to all those involved (club volunteers, landowners easier. I don’t care what Barbara says zero and below is downright cold and not much help. Take care and work safe, stay warm. It just isn’t right to do the work and then be in no shape to take advantage to enjoy it. Just a reminder about the trails this year, make sure while you are out there to read the signs, some of the trails have had to be rerouted and pay close attention to any NO SNOWMOBILING SIGNS. There may be trucks using that trail or there are areas that have to be redone because of unsafe erosion and we had to move that trail. Because of trails being moved gas stops may be further apart so please watch that gas tank. If you would like me to come to one of your meetings or functions, I will try to be there. All I need is the time, location, and contact phone number. Make sure you thank any landowner you come across. Without them, we have no trails. Sometimes just a quick hello and thank you goes a long way, it lets them meet that person on the machine. Also, if you meet someone from the local club let them know you appreciate their work on their trails that you enjoy riding. Be safe, enjoy the season. Keep smiling. Contact me if you need me or if I can help you with anything. Jack Lord February 18t h & 19 th - Island Falls Lake Fish ing Derby February 19 th - Big Valley Snow Club Trail BBQ at Junction of trails ITS 83 and 112 in Island Falls. March 4 th -Big Valley Snow Club meeting 6pm. March 11 th -Tame the Track Race Series race 3 at Island Falls 10am to 4pm 142 Walker Set tlement Road or trail 60. We kicked off another great meeting with a great crowd! Once we filled our bellies with some delicious food, we were able to get to the important stuff. Our Treasure gave his report and was sure to report that our adopt a mile program is still showing to be successful- very grateful for that. We also let the group know that we are in the process of updating out bylaws, these should be available shortly. We will be hosting our Groomer Day on 2/11 10am-3pm. There will be food offered at donation, along with many other surprises, this should be a fun day for all. We want to remind everyone that we have ROCKABEMA SNOW RANGERS Patten, ME

& contractors/equipment operators), making sure the trail system stays connected for the thousands of riders who frequent the County. Please follow signage along all trails, the club members who install & maintain them put them up for a reason, do direct you or share information with you. This is especially true of “Stay on Marked trail” or “Caution plowed road/logging”. Clubs gather information from landowners on where they can be, where landowners do not want us and following that signage make the difference of keeping that trail open. You may see many new pieces of grooming equipment around the County this winter, as quite a few clubs have upgraded their power unit, drag or both. Make sure to give the folks running them a big thumbs up when you see them, and please help the clubs by joining &/ or dropping some cash in the trail maintenance jars at clubhouses and convenience stores. The machines are very expensive, and cost of operations always exceed State grant funding.

MSA CLUBS: TO ORDER NEEDED ITS & JCT SIGNS Contact Mike Grass Sr., MSA Trails Committee 252 Condon Rd • Plymouth, ME 04969 207-368-4914 home • 207-745-2745 cell Grasslands252@gmail.com TO ORDER CLUB TRAIL SIGNAGE Candice Pinkham, DACF/Snowmobile Program 207-287-4957 Office • 207-878-8111 Fax Candice.M.Pinkham@maine.gov is thick enough to cross. Warm weather is not good and we really haven’t gotten that deep freeze yet. Remember January 19 thru the 22 nd is Snodeo in Rangeley. Until next month stay safe and we will be riding soon. Jim book for information. Our crew did a great job working on bull dozing ruts, improving signage, ditching wet areas, and replanking the Grendell Brook bridge on trails #105 and #74. We did a rerout ing away from a wet area on trail #81A into the village of Mapleton. Our landowners are so gracious, allowing us to improve the trail and make a safer ride around an icy area. Trail #74, west of the West Chapman Rd. has also been widened in the area of “Buck’s Bridge” and west due to a railroad project where our trail had to be used as a road for heavy equip ment. This was a boon for us. Be sure and take a ride on the whole trail system. Continue to check out our Facebook page to check on trails, read the postings and maybe add a comment. We look forward to complet ing a very interesting project in 2023 that will make for a “destination ride.” Stay posted! We are launching a trial cribbage game day at the clubhouse. There will be no charge for this first day, Tuesday, Dec. 20. Participants will decide what the event will entail, pertain ing to charges, lunch, prizes, etc. It begins at 10:00. Check in with KimArcher at 551-2155 if you have questions. (Continued on Page 8) There are many events planned by clubs this winter, check out the calendar in the paper and follow club news where you ride or plan to vacation for information on these events so you can make them part of your winter. As we all begin to get out on the trails, please be safe. Plan your ride, ride with a partner, ride right and ensure a safe return home for you and those you meet. Take the time to talk to others about snowmobile safety and trail etiquette while stopped along the trail, everyone approaches trail safety differently and we can all learn from other experiences and stories. If you haven’t been to Northern Aroostook riding, plan to come up and join us for the Northern Region Showcase ride March 18th based out of Madawaska Snowmobile Club. If you have a question, problem, concern, or idea on snowmobiling in “The County”, get in touch with me. You can contact me at the phone # or email below. Matt Stedman

Matt Stedman 207-557-1921 (call or text) PO Box 621, Ashland ME 04732 Stedman.matt@jdirving.com

H appy NewYears’ fellow snowmobilers, I hope all of you had the opportunity to spend time with family and friends over the past few weeks and enjoy the Christmas season.

Central Region VP

Western Region VP

James Boyce, 207-265-6512 1168 Fosterhill Rd, Freeman ME 04983 Jboyce1168@gmail.com H APPY NEWYEAR! Here we are we had a good beginning with a couple feet of snow clubs we’re out in full force cutting blow downs repairing bridges. Then Mother Nature forgot it’s supposed to be winter. So clubs had to start over again a lot of wind means more blow downs and a lot of rain not what we needed. But we have the greatest volunteers in the world and clubs went back out and went over trails that were done already. Hopefully Mother Nature is done mixing up seasons and we can get to riding. A couple of things to keep in mind ITS115 in Carrabbassett is still closed due to the landowners’ request. Remember if you cross over rivers or ponds please make sure the ice

Jack Lord Home: (207) 672-3915 / Cell: 207-717-7131 17 Dinsmore St. Bingham, ME. 04920 Email: jacklord5256@gmail.com Holiday. I know at this time getting trail work finished and getting ready for the family time at Christmas and New Year can be somewhat overwhelming. The cold isn’t making it any H i Everyone, I hope everybody had a safe and great

CLUB MEMBERS Once grooming begins submit your trail reports to: EDITOR@MESNOW.COM Please include your name and club affiliation

MSA Club News

paper membership forms as well as an online option www.rockabemasnowrangers.org. We are trying to get our memberships up this year. As always let’s make sure we are doing our snow dances, to bring on the SNOW!!

Deadlines for club news is the 25 th of the month prior to the publications. Please submit articles to editor@mesnow.com

CHAPMAN RIDGE RUNNERS sc Chapman, ME

NORTHERN REGION BIG VALLEY SNO-CLUB Island Falls, ME

As you read this article we should be in possession of our new groomer, a 2022 Pis ton Bully 100 with 255h.p. Our new drag, designed by our club and built at NMCC, is also nearly completed. Our grooming crew is adding the lights, hoses, cylinders, signs and a hitch. We should be ready to go when we have enough snow to groom. If not, we’ll pack it down with our own sleds to make a base, as we used to years ago! That was my favorite way to ride, being careful enough to get all way to the outside of the trail, avoid the brush and stumps and flatten every snowflake! Who hoo! Oh well, we can’t beat progress! We are so excited about the new groomer, which replaces our 2002 Piston Bully, which still had a lot of life left in it, thanks to our very tal ented, conscientious groomers. We will plan an event showcasing our new groomer as soon as we have it-no exact date yet. Check Face

Big Valley has a lot of events planned for the 2023 season! Mark your calendars and book your stay. We have several options in the area. We will also have a park and ride just off the Island Falls exit, Brooks Park and Ride - right off trail 83 with gas across the street. If you are not a member of our club yet, please reach out to join. We can easily email you an application! drop us a message on Facebook or email us. You can pay in person by cash, check or PayPal, by QR code or mail it in. $15 for club and $30 with MSA, Business mem bership is $38.00! February 4 th - Big Valley Snow Club meeting 6pm February 18 th - Tame the Track Race Series race 2 at Island Falls 10am to 4pm 142 Walker Settlement Road or trail 60

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MSA Club News

I say we need more northern influence. Like Poutine, Tourtière, Crepes, cold temperatures, and white precipitation. Rain can take a winter break to the south. Our trails are closed, lakes are not frozen and other hazards exist. Please be aware of trail conditions before you head out. Also remember your best snowmobiling etiquette. Stay on the trails, be courteous to others on the trail and do not cut trees without permission. Every member is an ambassador of the club, so please live up to your title. The club works hard to maintain good relations with landown ers. We hear about every incident that occurs whether the perpetrator is a club member or not. If you see or know of someone being dis respectful, please be a good ambassador and say something. We do not want to lose our privileges. Most of our trails are for snowmo biles only. Do not use ATV’s, dirt bikes, tanks, horses, or anything else without permission from the landowner. Be good ambassadors and LET IT SNOW! Hans Rasmussen hanseieio@gmail.com NORRIDGEWOCK SPORTSMEN ASSOCIATION Norridgewock, ME Our club has been busy getting in all the needed stakes, but still have more to do. Our groomers are getting tuned up and running, and our groomer operators are getting ready to get to work. This summer, we replaced at least 3 bridges which is pretty good. We used some steel that we got from Cianbro so we shouldn’t have to do anything with those bridges again. We did not get the funding for the small bridge on the rail trail this year, so there is no easy way to get to downtown (or from downtown to the outskirts). The new Pub, The Six Penny Jug, is open now and seems to be packed every night. You can still get there if you go past Oosoola store and wind through town and come out at Dave’s garage. We found out recently there is a discon nect from our ITS 87 trail going north toward Skowhegan. We have tried to work with land owners, but so far unsuccessful. Currently the only way to get to Skowhegan and north would be to go the Bigelow Hill trail and cross the river (after it freezes) near the high school. On a better note, the new park and ride lot on Martin Stream Road is done. The town has approved and appropriated the money for a building there but I don’t think that’s gonna happen this season. Look for it in the spring or next fall. Maybe by the time you read this, there will be some snow on the ground. and if so, ride safe, and carefully. Hello MSAMembers, The December 9 th Christmas Social at The Bridgton Community Center started off with delicious appetizers and Punch, hosted by Bob and Mary Corthell, Kathy and Duane Hendrix, and Jim and Jackie Barber. It was followed by a generous Pot Luck Supper of Holiday food including dishes of various kinds, and many deserts to choose from. Blaine Chapman, President, called a shortened meeting to order with a Pledge of Allegiance. Membership is strong with 129 family memberships and 28 business mem berships, so far! Blaine thanked Bob Corth ell (Vice President) for driving to Falmouth, to see a landowner and obtain his permission to re-route a trail. Bob then presented Blaine Chapman, and Steve Brill (Trailmaster) with BER Sweatshirts for all their hard work and dedication to the Club. Steve Emery, Trip Coordinator Extraordi- Respectfully submitted, Bob Washburn, Secretary WESTERN REGION BRIDGTON EASY RIDERS sc Bridgton, ME Bridgtoneasyriders.com See us on Facebook.

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6:30, join us, we love to see new faces and hear new ideas! Let’s make 2023 a great season. Ride safe, ride right, and be courteous on the trails. And always remember, Clubs are made up of volunteers. Think Snow,

MOLUNKUS VALLEY SNO-DRIFTERS Sherman, ME Hello from your MVSD friends, We have been very busy getting those trails ready and now praying for snow Memberships are coming in great On November 27th we held our 18th annual Christmas Parade. It was a great day and turn out and all area snow clubs was invited to attend as usual. The only club to put a float in was the Benedicta Snow Gang and it was awe some. We are never going to get area clubs to work together Sad but true! MVSD very own club President Sno Queen attended as well! Santa made his appearance with goodies for the children after the parade everyone was invited to the MVSD Clubhouse where prizes were handed out. Each child who wanted got to visit Santa and letters left by children in Santa’s mailbox was answered back! A Col oring Contest was held and Waylon Qualey of Sheman was the winner of his age group. Skye Cullen was the winner of her age group and prizes were mailed to them On Dec 3rd MVSD Super Raffle Drawing Winners were as follows: 1st Shawn Southard, 2nd was Herb Fithian who donated his prize back to club! 3rd was Sherry & Jeff Arsenault & last but not least was Berta Lane We held our Christmas Party & everyone enjoyed a great meal prepared by Rick & Deb Long, Roger & Linda Willett, Tim & Trudy Long & Heather Willett. The local school held a festival of trees. MVSD put a tree in giving back to the com munity with certificates we purchased from area business & outdoor items! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year! Praying for snow! Let it snow! Keep on keeping on! Deb Long (CLUB PRES) Happy New Year! While many people are nestling themselves into their warm homes for a long winter, the Portage Lakers are gearing up for our fun sea son. We have some great events planned for the next few months, and we would love to see all of you attend. We are starting off the New Year with an Open House at our new groomer building (behind the Portage Municipal Build ing) on Saturday January 21 st , starting at noon through the afternoon. If you are on the trails, or on the road, stop by and check out the hard work of only a handful of volunteers. We will be serving some light refreshments, great con versation, a raffle, and even some fun activ ities for the kids. The fun afternoon will be followed by Chad “The Hypnotist” (this guy is hilarious!) at the Portage Municipal Build ing 6pm-8pm, doors will open at 5:30 so get there early to get a seat. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door. Once the show is over, there will be a Corn Hole Tournament at the Groomer Building. The money raised will help heat our new building. Come show us your skills! While I’m thinking of it, don’t forget about the annual PLSC Pie Auction. Book your rooms, rent a house, set up a tent, whatever you have to do, to get to Portage on February 18 th . This event never disappoints! Now, for the nitty gritty of the club… Glenn and the guys have been out doing some trail work, putting up signs, and getting ready for snow. (As I am writing this, we have green grass ) But we have faith there will be snow on the ground before too long, and the Piston Bully will be out of its new home hitting the trails. As always, follow us on Facebook at Por tage Lakers, on the web at portagelakers. org (check out the new website), or email us at portagelakerstreasurer@gmail.com Our monthly meetings are the first Friday of each month at the Portage Municipal Building at PORTAGE LAKERS sc Portage Lake, ME

If you have any questions about trail con ditions, events or memberships, please call me at 764-1236. Watch for our mini “dona tion” groomers in the area, made by our very own, Kim Archer. Our new groomer was very expensive and fundraising is difficult with COVID. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Sue Maynard Secretary Hi Gang, A week before Xmas and we just got a foot of wet, heavy snow. We are not grooming yet, won’t be long now! Have it confirmed that there will be 2 flat statues of “Bravo Man” out there somewhere, take a pic with him and you could win a Snowgang head piece!! The winners of our cruise raffle this year are Rene & Tim Mcnally of Sher man. They have played every year since it started ~~~ Congrats, guys!! Our current membership stands at 113, with another mailing left to go -- well done so far, could be a record. President Keith Sanford and crew will have a hotdog “burn” on ITS#83 N of Whetstone Falls on Feb. 25th. Donations will be accepted!! The Snowgang annual Fishing Derby will take place on Feb.19th on Plunkett Pond, once again hosted by Kim & Pat Joyce & Family. Lots of cash and prizes to be won, so makes your plans now. Well, that is a quick overview, got to go finish my humbugging, Happy New Year. Jim Splan, Reporter @ Large p.s.~~126 days until Spring! p.ss~~ And, the Patriots...................! Hello everyone, Yesterday was the winter solstice. Today the daylight is seconds longer. This weekend is Christmas closely followed by New Years. And thus begins our third holiday of the winter and that is snowmobile season. In my opinion this might be the most enjoyable of the winter. Time to use the presents we received for Christmas. Those new Ski-Doos would work wonderful up in the cold, crisp, northernMaine weather. The new helmets, suits, gloves, gas cards need to be used up. Come north! Our groomer made its first trip of the sea son last Monday, setting the base for the next 12 weeks or so. We have our Saturday meals planned and by the time you read this we will be well into our season. ITS 92 goes straight through from Fort Kent to Allagash and the trail will bring you directly by our lodge. We are open Friday afternoons for warming up, yes, we have a warm bathroom. Saturdays we are open with a hot meal until we sell out and if we should run out of our planned entrée, we have purchased a new fryer to make sure we will have french fries and chicken strips, hot dogs, and hamburgers. We can make sure you leave a little warmer with a full belly. Stop in for some conversation and information on how to get there from here. We are anxious to meet you. Check our facebook page for trail updates, meal menus and general information. Hope to see you soon. Kim M Ouellette Secretary BENEDICTA SNOW GANG Benedicta, ME p.sss~~ “JUST SEND IT!” p.ssss.~~ Bruins ROCK!! ST. FRANCIS SNOANGELS St. Francis, ME

Tammy Kenney Club Secretary

MEDUXNEKEAG RAMBLERS Meduxnekeag, ME

The Meduxnekeag Ramblers held their meeting on Tuesday night with good atten dance, good food and fun at Yankee gift swap. Well we received a little over 15 inches of snow last weekend. But rain in forecast upwards of 2 inches. The club members are working to clear the trails of brush from the storm. Many hands make light work so all help is accepted with gratitude. Our Breakfasts will be starting JANUARY 7 th , serving from 6am to 10 am every Saturday until the end of March. $10.00 per person or $8.00 for kids under 10. We can be reached by sled, walk, snowshoe, drive or cross-country ski. We are on the Wiley Rd in Littleton, over looking Cary Lake. Clubhouse rentals are available; please call 207-538-8048 for more information. Judy CENTRAL REGION Hi y’all We’ve been doing our snow dances and so far, they seem to be working. We had our first real snowfall on Friday, December 16th with 18 inches of wet heavy snow. Hopefully, if we keep dancing, the snow will keep coming and we’ll have a Great Snowmobile Season!!! We’ve made it to the 21 st century! Our club now has its own phone 207-628-4142, TV and internet! Woo Hoo!!!! Yes, Ma’am!! Our little club is really coming along. We can’t wait for you all to stop by and visit us! Our January calendar is quite full, starting on the 8 th with our second movie night at 7 pm, the 13 th is our monthly meeting at 7pm, our first Club ride will be on the 17 th , meet ing at the club house at 9am heading to the Woodsman for breakfast or lunch, whichever your tummy decides. On the 20 th , we will host our second game night again at 7pm. Then you all are invited to our 1st breakfast fundraiser of the season on the 21st from 8am - 12 noon. Then on the 26 th is our club ride to Cafe Relli’s and then we finish the month with our pot luck dinner and meeting on the 28 th at 6pm. Make sure you check us out on Facebook to look for updates or weather changes to our calendar. Here’s hoping you all had a Blessed Christ mas and have a happy healthy New Year with lots of great snow! See you out on the trail or at the club house. Stay safe and dance for snow! Lori Nunes Hello everyone, Trails are ready for snow, groomers have been serviced and new tracks have been installed. We still have some raffle tickets available, $500 Bobs cash fuel card or equivalent in cash, $10 each, only selling 300 tickets. We are having an ice fishing derby January 14, 2023, check Facebook or web site for info. Happy Holidays to all, ride safe. LEXINGTON HIGHLANDERS sc Lexington Township, ME ANSON-NORTH ANSON sc Anson, ME

SMITHFIELD MOONSHINERS sc Smithfield, ME

There is snow on the ground and the New Year is around the corner. The forecast has temperatures in the 50’s with up to 3” of rain.

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