8492-R1_MSA_September2023

An Official Publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association The Maine Snowmobiler

September 2023 • Vol. 55 • No. 1 MSA, PO Box 80 Augusta ME 04332 Find us on Facebook

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Destination Spotlight Allagash The Last Frontier By Darlene Dumond

B efore the later part of the nineteen seventies snowmobiling in Allagash was done primarily out of necessity and then only by local folks that could afford a sled. In and around nineteen seventy-four a few of the men and women in Allagash, got together and decided to try to carve out trails that would connect to what was becoming a growing winter sport in the more western parts of Aroostook County.Thus the birth of what is today widely known as one of the best places in Maine to snowmobile. A used

groomer was in Pennsylvania and on one of the long hauls transporting Maine potatoes out of Aroostook County, the driver returned to Allagash with the first Tucker. No more

snowmobiles pulling handmade drags with compasses, maps and snowshoes to make trails, the newly formed Moosetown Riders Snowmobile Club was born. Allagash being on the edge of America and her sister country Can ada, has always been known for its abundance of snow. They receive the white gold earlier than most regions and it stays on the ground weeks later for some of the very best spring sledding in the state. In 1976, the Allagash town officials approached the Kelly family and asked if they could accommodate the food for the number of folks, they anticipated coming to town for the bicentennial celebration. Leitha and Tylor Kelly accepted the challenge and the now iconic fami ly-owned restaurant Two Rivers Lunch, that welcomes

thousands of snowmobilers yearly, opened its doors for the very first time. Year after yearTwo River’s doors were swung open by more and more snowgoers arriving at the last frontier hoping to find a good meal and a potbelly woodstove to dry their gear before heading back on the trails. Not only did they find what they were looking for, but they were greeted with a spirit of kindness that would inevitably keep them coming back. Tylor and Leitha continued to expand their little take-out hot dog stand, building it into what it is today, a full-scale restaurant and Bunkhouse, which has grown into a lodge that sleeps eight comfort-

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Is just around the corner...

Check for yourself, The Farmer’s Almanac is telling us that this will be one of the snowiest and coldest winters we have seen in years. This is the year to buy your winter clothing, sleds and gear. So have the time of your life this winter, and we will have everything you need at the show to do just that. This is the year to be here so don’t miss it!

AUGUSTA CIVIC CENTER Exit 112 off I-95 • Augusta, ME

OCTOBER 20, 21 & 22 Fri 3-8pm • Sat 9am-8pm • Sun 9am-3pm

mainesnowmobileassociation.com

TRAILS WORKSHOP • TRAIL MAPS • LODGING • SNOWMOBILES • TRAILERS GEAR • CLOTHING • ACCESSORIES • MSA SNOWMOBILE CLUBS • IF&W • DACF MSA SCHOLARSHIP 50/50 • MSA SUPER RAFFLE • SLEDDING DESTINATIONS

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5 th Annual Big Woods Grass Drag rockets back in Ashland despite mixed weather By Paul Bagnall Bangor Daily News | The Star-Herald

ASHLAND, Maine — Despite a couple delays, the Ashland Big Woods Grass Drag drew many racers to the track at 133 Masardis Road. Racers from Maine and out-of-state revved up their stock and modified snowmobiles while waiting for the track to dry out on Saturday after the mini racers had finished with their races. Approximately 150 racers competed in 20 different classes over the Aug. 26-27 weekend. The Mini and Mini Mod classes, along with the Stock Class races, were held on Aug. 26, and races for the Improved Stock and Pro Stock Classes took place on Sunday, Aug. 27, due to a rain delay. A total of $7,000 in extra money was given out to racers in five different classes for the Shoot Out competition. Tim Lary of T-N-T Racing launches off the clay starting line at the 5th annual Grass Drag in Ashland on Aug. 27. (Paul Bagnall | The Star-Herald)

Joe Jarvis of Jarvis Family Racing rockets off the clay starting line of the 5th annual Big Woods Grass Drag in Ashland on Aug. 27. (Paul Bagnall | The Star-Herald) “We brought [the grass drags] back after a hiatus of prob ably close to 20 years,” said Jen Buckingham, treasurer for the Big Woods Grass Drag. The two racing lanes for the Grass Drags are split into three sections, including a 100-foot clay start, 500-foot grass drag and a 1,000-foot shut down.This year’s King of Speed went to Kory Luba and the Quickest Reaction Time went to Bear Gray for his 0.0005 second start. Racing team Red Barn took first place in Stock 500, Stock 600 and Stock 850 races. Tim Lary of T-N-T Racing rocketed into first place for the Stock 700 and Stock 800, with racing teammate Adam Thompson taking first place in the Improved Stock 700. Individual racer Brady Desjardins from Fort Kent won first place in the Stock 1,000.

Snowmobile grass drag racer rockets off the clay starting line of the 5th annual Big Woods Grass Drag in Ashland on Aug. 27. (Paul Bagnall | The Star-Herald) Kolson Condon of OCD Racing won first place in the Improved Stock 600 and Zach Jarvis won first place for Jarvis Family Racing in both the Improved Stock 800 and Improved Stock 850. Bill Sawyer for TCR took first place in the Improved Stock 1,000. Madison Pellerin won first place in the Pro Stock 600 race for Gang Green Racing. Justin Jarvis won first place in the Pro Stock 700 and another Jarvis Family Racing team mate won first place in the Pro Stock 800. Kory Luba won first place in both the Pro Stock 1,000 and Pro Stock Turbo classes for Last Minute Racing. Josh Smith won the vintage category for Poor Boy Racing. Simon Collins won first place for the Mini Class and Rylie Clark won for the Mini Mod Class. “Every year stuff comes out that allows us to go faster,” said Ross Reynolds, RST Auto Racing from Hooksett, New Hampshire. “We came back to see if we could break our elapsed time and mile-per-hour record.”

Winner of the Vintage Class Race Josh Smith for Poor Boy Racing takes off at the clay starting line of the Big Woods Grass Drag in Ashland on Aug. 27 (Paul Bagnall | The Star-Herald) Last year, Reynolds clocked in at a speed of 116 miles per hour during the Big Woods Grass Drag and won $2,500 for first place in the Pro Mod 1,000 Class. He did not top that in 2023. “We didn’t have as many sleds last year. We’ve gotten more sleds over the last year,” said Paulina Giroux, team manager of All Ballz Racing. Racers for All Ballz were Ivan Giroux in the Stock 600 and Improved Stock 600, Katie Giroux in the Stock 700 and Stock 800, Improved Stock 600 and Improved Stock 700 and Pro Stock 600. It was the second year that All Ballz Racing had come to Ashland to race with Katie Giroux, placing second for both the Improved Stock 600 and Pro Stock 600. Shoot Out winners were Tim Lary, who took home $1,000 for the Stock 800, Kolson Condon won $1,000 for Improved Stock 600 and Adam Thompson won $1,000 for Improved Stock 700. Madison Pellerin won $1,500 for Pro Stock 600, and Jarvis Family Racing took home $2,500 for the Pro Stock 800.

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Upcoming MSA Meetings - October 2023 Executive Committee meeting will be held onThursday, October 11 th at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Please watch your email for login information. Watch the MSA Website and Facebook for details on the October Director’s Meeting

MSA Directors Pot O Gold MSA Directors Pot O Gold At the August Director’s Meeting The Valley Riders SC was drawn for MSA Pot O Gold.

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

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

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Sharke y Graphic Solutions specializes in snowmobile and ATV map creation for clubs in Maine! Call us today and ask for Craig

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From The Executive Board

From the President

in for an old fashion winter. There’s always a silver lining somewhere, sometimes you just have to look for it! We at the MSA would like to welcome back all its Clubs and their membership to another season of snowmobiling in our great State of Maine. We are truly a destination State when it comes to snowmobiling which ALL of us in this sport have created in one way or another. There isn’t one New England State that doesn’t have Snowmobilers that don’t pack their gear bags and load up their sleds and trek North to ride somewhere in Maine. The reason that tens of thousands of riders do this is because the State of Maine puts out the best recreational snowmobiling product hands down! This Winter wonderland that we have before us does not come without a cost, it does not come without long hours of hard work, hard work that is done mostly on the backs of volunteers. Volunteers that are as passionate about creating this Snowmobiling Mecca as they are about riding the final product, which they have laid out for all of us to enjoy. We are a 600-million-dollar-a-year industry and play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy economy for our State. This industry was not created by accident, it was created by design and took nearly 60 years to get to the point where we are now. We (the MSA and its membership) are a strong voice at the snowmobile related State departments as well as being a very respected voice at the State We’ve had a legislative bill passed to protect our landowners and hopefully keep riders on marked trails. This off trail riding bill enforces riders to stay on marked trails. Our landowners are generous enough to let us use their land and we have the responsibility to help them by keeping folks on marked trials. The Raffle tickets are going out of the office very fast; many clubs from the North to the South are getting in on the action. PLEASE make sure you have your permit with you to sell the tickets. We have great prizes again this year. 2023 Arctic Cat ZR8000 from Kramer’s in Sidney. A 2023 Polaris Pro Star 900 137 from County Sports in Caribou and a Ski Doo 200 from Mountainside Powersports in Wilton. Excellent sleds for a wide range of riders. Also, from our friends at Nitro Trailers intense days of stuffing the envelopes and boxes. With all four of us working together, the membership packets are ready to go!! In fact, by the time you read this many clubs will already have theirs in hand! The four of us had them ready for the August Directors meeting. Any club at that meeting could pick theirs up with regional VP’s and regional directors and others taking most of the rest of them. Al did mail some as well to clubs who asked for them. Now, let’s get the memberships sold and back to the office as soon as you can! In each membership packet, with a few exceptions of clubs that already had them, you will find super raffle tickets. We are hoping clubs will sell these tickets and submit the money back to the office once they are sold. This year’s prizes are BIG! We were fortunate enough to be able to purchase the sleds early so we would like to have money back in the office to replenish that fund. Your membership packets also include the club handbook which contains much information. Please share the info with club members, especially new members, so they can understand what MSA is all about as well. In the packet for membership chairs is a blank transmittal form and instruction on challenging times but I’m confident we can make it happen with the best volunteers in the country. I’m very proud of every one of you, small clubs, large clubs you all make Maine a destination point for snowmobilers from all over the USA! From Kittery to Madawaska, there’s a piece of snowmobile trail puzzle that is as important as a straight away with miles of trail. Thank you for all you do.

House when it comes to any legislation regarding our sport. We are very fortunate to have Lobbyist James Cote on our team who is the eyes and ears representing our membership and our sport at the State House. A very conscientious person as well as a passionate snowmobiler himself he is and has truly been an asset to all of us who wish to see our sport succeed. We all have some definite issues that plague and threaten our sport that have been brewing for some time, it’s been kind of a snowball effect (no pun intended) and they don’t seem to be going in the right direction. One is the generation gap within our membership, there seem to be Very few Clubs around the State that have an ample supply of young people willing to step up, become active and help with the boots on the ground work that is typically being done by an aging generation that is getting tired. Whether its’s trail maintenance, Grant work, fund raising or Grooming duties even in some of the larger clubs this work seems to fall on an aging core group of volunteers. I realize that our forefathers in this sport were having these same conversations 50 years ago and things seem to have a way of working themselves out, but it still is very concerning to me more than ever. I’m not sure that there is one single magical answer for this, however if anyone has suggestions on this, I would love to open up a line of conversation on this issue. The second issue that concerns me is We’ve been busy over the summer attending events and club meetings. Please call us if you need anything, we’re here to help. Thanks for all you do! Al in Pittsfield a X Sport 101X12 snowmobile trailer. Plus, from Alcom in Winslow a Hybrid 7.5X16 Low Pro sled trailer. These are incredible prizes from two of the BEST trailer manufactures in the USA! Made right here in our backyard. Gift cards from Shaker Hill, Kittery Trading Post and Shin Pond Village plus many other incredible prizes from incredible supporting businesses. Thank you for supporting our clubs. James Cote our new Lobbyist has been working hard keeping us up to date on issues at the State House. He’s a great asset for us. Getting ready for the next session, he’s preparing us for new bills that will be of interest to our snowmobiling community. If anyone has any questions or ideas, please let us know. Liz should be back in September, just in time for the show and raffle tickets! She’s been out on medical leave.

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

W elcome Snowmobilers to the 2023 - 2024 new season! Hopefully we’ll have the same weather pattern this winter as we had all summer. Lots of challenges this year as always but we always seem to find a way around the negatives with our plan B options. I know these are

Monthly Income Monthly Expense

$ 7,954.43 $ 41,299.79 $ -33,345.36 $ 85,600.00 $134,415.69 $ 95,889.63

Net Revenue

Short Term CD

Checking (8/31/23)

Dedicated Account (8/31/23)

Pay Pal (8/31/23) - Special Events Account (8/31/23) $ 4,987.53 Credit Line (8/31/23) $ - Building Fund (8/31/23) $ 54,029.73 Brian Wass Safety Fund (8/31/23) $ 1,285.50 MSA Scholarship Savings Account $ 1,182.38 MSA Scholarship CD Account $ 60,869.33 the gap in funding to the Clubs. Similar to wages over the years, the cost of living has risen at a sharper rate than wages have. The same formula holds true in regard to a Clubs overhead cost to produce a quality product on the snow, which has increased at a much faster rate than the funding they receive. This has put yet another burden on the same aging group of volunteers to bridge the gap between funding and real-time operating costs by holding creative fundraising events in order to make ends meet. I am excited to say however that there has been a very ambitious task force put in place to put together a legislative proposal to try and get more money in the hands of the Clubs. There is a lot of homework to be done, it will take time, and nothing is for certain, but just know that we have heard your voices and are doing everything that we can to drive this home to our Clubs. That is all for now from your Exec. V.P. and remember, my door is always open to anyone that wants to share a concern, is looking for advice or just wants to talk Snowmobiling! Call, text or E-mail me I would love to hear from you. Thank you, Mark. send it back, please find a way to ask them their preference. Also, please make sure you have their correct address. Each year we have papers returned because of incorrect and/or undeliverable addresses. If you have not received your packet yet, let us know. You can call or email the office or membership and we will track it down for you. Hope the season starts off well for all clubs! If you need anything let the office or myself know and we will hopefully answer your questions. Eileen $

From the Executive VP

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

H ello Everyone! Typically, I would start out by saying that I hope everybody had a good Summer, and I’m sure that we all did in one fashion or another but can we just for one minute refer to this as the Summer that never was?! June ended with all but just a couple days that it didn’t rain followed by a July with excessive humidity and more rain, which continued on for much of August. The reason that I point this out is because if this weather pattern continues which the Farmer’s Almanac suggests, Look Out! We could be

From The Membership Corner

how to fill it out. There will be a blank one on the MSA website, most likely by the time you read this. Remember, MSA needs this or something similar included with the sold membership cards and money returned to the office as soon as you sell the membership. PLEASE LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE RENEWAL CARDS AS THERE IS A NEW ITEM ON IT . MSA is asking everyone how they want to receive their ME Snowmobiler paper. You have the option of, digital, print, or not at all. This question is very important to us, so please ask the member to answer it. If you do not send out the card and have them CLUB MEMBERS Once grooming begins submit your trail reports to: EDITOR@MESNOW.COM Please include your name and club affiliation

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

THE 2023-24 SEASON IS HERE!! M y how the summer has flown by. Many, many thanks to Liz in the office for organizing all the paperwork needed to go into the membership packets. Also, many, many thanks to Al and Larry for three

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From The Executive Board Secretary’s Report - Brad Barker 584 th Directors Meeting - Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Augusta, ME, August 15, 2023

Director Jim Boyce: This is a new season. We need to do a better job with public relations and stay off negative social media. Keep the PR positive. What are we doing for small clubs, members, and landowners? Al spoke on land issues. If landowners do not want a snowmobile trail on their land, they do not have to have it there. Do a reroute. We want to keep the trails but the landowner is more important than the trail. There is coastal gate blocking, issues with landowners and club a president. Bob Flagg encouraged the use of the folks at IF&W, Chris McCabe, Rick Laflamme, and a couple others. There is also the issue of the federal land takeover around Baxter State Park. There was a motion made to not support this. M/S/C Augusta Show: October 20, 21, and 22 - If you want to sell Super Raffle Tickets at the show then you need to sign up. You also need four people that will be there to cover the entire shift. If you’re interested you can also email your club name. We would like to have the MSA represented at the New Hampshire Grass Drags and the Massachusetts show in Springfield, the Big E. LD 732 Off Trail Riding did pass and this will protect the landowners. First offense is a $100 fine, second offense is $350 fine, and third offense is $500 fine. Jerry Major mentioned that a source for culverts would be the local town, contractors, or Joe Higgins. You can also try Treeline Inc. at (207)794-2044. A comment was made that perhaps the MSA could be a broker of the culverts. Legislation to think about: The five year cycle for registration cost is coming up. Should we increase it or keep it the same? There is a CMP line upgrade that is coming through central Maine and Al was assured that the bridges will be kept passable to snowmobiles and the trails will be open. Scott Newton of 201 Powersport passed away and our hearts go out to friends and family. He was very active and helpful in donations to support the MSA. It was much appreciated. The MSA office would like to move the membership calendar year from October 1 st to September 1st. The MSA Super Raffle money and the membership checks should be separate checks. David Cogley, Trail Master of the Cobbosseecontee Snowmobile Club, has a 5 foot by 12 foot drag for sale. Call him for more information. Loud exhausts may need more enforcement by the wardens in order to keep landowners happy. Jim Boyce, September 3rd, World Famous Chicken BBQ!! Angela Boyce won the 50/50 raffle of $103. Meeting Adjourned at 8:44 Respectfully submitted, Brad Barker piece of equipment make sure there blocked properly. Be safe folks we don’t want you losing fingers, eye site, you’re hearing or a lifelong injury. Hope you have a great fall! Be safe out there! AL

members and the multi-club paying members No secretary’s report was read. The treasurer’s report was read and placed on file at the office. President Al Swett’s opening comments: HUGE washouts have occurred in Wilton. Gov. Mills is applying for federal money to help fund disaster relief. Al then spoke in support of the previously mentioned insurance proposal. Executive Vice-President: Mark Chinnock shared concerns about the insurance, administrative costs to which someone responded, “Why should MSA be selling life insurance?” Bob Flag spoke on the insurance being a selling tool for recruiting MSA members but we need to protect our membership list. The insurance used to include family memberships, spouses and dependents. There was a motion made to table the insurance company vote until we know more. M/S/C Eastern Region Vice-President: Eileen Lafland: There’s a lot of water, a lot of new culverts with 8 to 10 inches of water running through them. The club packets are available to be picked up. Central Region Vice-President: Jack Lord: There is a lot of mud and water on the trails and many washouts. Most trails are both snowmobile and ATV trails so we are waiting for the ATV season to end so we can start preparing for winter. Coastal Region Vice-President: Dave Watson: Great seeing everyone. Hopefully we will see you all September 19th at the Windham Snowmobile Club. Trails are now active with the ATV clubs. ITS 87 has storm damage and we are trying to postpone improvements until fall. Have a great winter. Northern Region Vice-President: Matt Stedmen: Clubs have been working on signage and some of the trails overlap with other clubs, both ATV and snowmobile, leaving people unsure where to go. He has the membership packets and will be handing them out. Western Region Vice-President: Jerry Major: Here’s the new kid on the block! Two major trails are damaged and there is a lot of ditching being done. Safety Director: Al Swett: Spoke of the meeting with IF&W. More presence on the trails by the wardens is going to happen. Brookfield’s IF&W is back to laminating again. There is a new safety logo, “Ride Safe Today, Ride Again Tomorrow”. Expressed concerns about the Oakland/Maddison Bridge because it is a single width. They are going to put up warning signage to proceed with caution. Recognized Brent Spalding as the new MSA Trails Committee Chair and Jerry Major as the new Western Region VP. MSA Trail Committee Chair: Brent Spalding: August 1st they had their first trials We had a bad year last season. Ten people died while snowmobiling in Maine. We need to educate more, it’s difficult. The State does a great job holding snowmobile safety courses. My thought is to have mandatory snowmobile safety courses for children up to 18 years old. I’d like to see that become a law. Matt Sted man and I met with some State IF&W offi cials last spring to form a committee to solve this problem. They are all in favor of more enforcement on the trails, better signage and more safety classes. Our new logo “Ride Smart Today, Ride Again Tomorrow” rolls out this year. It will be on most everything we print. We will be pro ducing decals small and large for all types of applications. In addition, Safety signs will be available this year as in the past. Wear your PPE while you’re working on your trails and servicing your equipment. It

meeting. He expressed concerns regarding the ITS 115 connector trail to the east side and to Bingham. There is currently no access into Bingham and it is a five mile trek in and out for fuel. The points system for signage for the Capital Equipment Grant will be implemented this season. He would also like a list of the Park N Rides in order to link them to the trail system in the online maps. The Nordic Lakers Club is dissolving and the Caribou Club will be picking up those sections of the trails. Barney Robichaux of the Matawamkeg Snowmobile Club passed at 101y. He really loved grooming. He moved to rename the grooming award to the Barney Robichaux Grooming Award. M/S/C Membership Report: Eileen Lafland: Acknowledged Al and Larry’s huge help stuffing envelopes and boxes for the clubs, including raffle tickets. The officer update form is EXTREMELY important to get filled out and returned to the MSA. On the right side of the membership renewal card it is important to check off the box indicating paper, virtual, or none in regards to the Maine Snowmobiler newspaper. This is also important due to the costs of postage. Make sure that you have the license with you NO MATTER where you’re selling raffle tickets. For the Membership Transmittal Form the front page is needed. Then you fill out the membership information on the second page. If you would like to use an Excel spreadsheet for this information instead and submit it to Eileen this way, it does save time on data entry. On renewals, if nothing has changed, you don’t have to fill out the back of the transmittal but they do need the cards back. Some people are lifetime members of a club but not of the MSA, in which case they would still need to pay the yearly fee. You can contact the office to check on the lifetime status of members when renewing membership. Some clubs use Venmo for payments but it is hard to do that with the MSA payments because only one person can be on the Venmo account and our officers change back and forth frequently so it is difficult to keep it up to date. Hospitality Report: Gail Ryan: shared a joke. Scholarship Committee: Assistant Director Barry Ryan: Scholarship fund is going well but only three applications last year. We would like to give away more this year. The deadline for this is April 1st. Laura at the Red Barn is doing a fundraiser for the scholarship fund sometime in September. Hall of Fame Chair: Aleta Rioux was not present and no report was given. Steering Committee Chairman: John Monk was not present and no report was given. New Business only takes a few seconds to put on a pair of earplugs to protect your hearing. Eye protec tion too, metal splinters hurt you’re the eyes. Gloves and good shoes are a good idea as well. Back in the 70’s we did not have the pro tection that is available today. That’s why my ears ring constantly. Please use care when jacking a bridge or

Brad Barker, Secretary 207-524-3301 155 Fish Street, Leeds ME 04263 barkerbrad155@gmail.com

M eeting started with the pledge of allegiance at 6:42pm. Juno and Drew spoke on the American Income Life Insurance policy that is being proposed to the MSA to offer to its members. Juno spoke regarding: • There is a letter in response to the Zoom meeting. There is no obligation for the accidental death and dismemberment to the MSA members. • The insurance company would pay these premiums after they get a response from a member that sent their card in requesting contact. • They will be using physical stickers for addresses instead of a database for member addresses. This will protect the privacy of all MSA members. • It is only free to the paying member of the club. Drew spoke regarding: • The member list and the virtual meeting that will occur after a contact card is returned. • Insurance costs the company $.48 per thousand dollars per member or $1.92 for $4000 worth of insurance. • Typically, they get a 20% response. • Pointed out that there would be two mailings, one after the other and then a follow up mailing in 18 months. Mark Chinnock commented that AIL should pick up the administrative costs of printing and processing the mailing so that MSA is not donating our time and effort towards their benefit. Dave Watson stated that if it is voted in then the MSA should also get a copy of the letter that will be generated to all the clubs so that they are aware of what is going on. Discussion occurs about dues paying

Safety Committee

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

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

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From The Executive Board

club is time as MSA has all the prizes for you. October will soon be here and with it is show time! The NH show is Oct 6-8th in Epping. Mark your calendars for the MSA Show in Augusta on Oct 20-22. Come see the new sleds and purchase items from the vendors. Check out the MSA booth and buy your 50/50 tickets from the MSA Scholarship booth. It is always a great weekend and we hope to see you all there. Until October, Renew your membership, join a club or two or three or more, register your sleds, winterize them and get ready for the snow to come! Eileen Hope this new season is a cold & snowy one. Everyone start doing your snow dances now! Happy thoughts Gail Rya n US Postal or it can be emailed but it MUST BE THERE. The scholarship committee then scores the applicants and picks the winners. These scholarships are for ANY MSA MEMBER OR THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY who is either planning to go to col lege, or already enrolled in a degree program or pursuing a Masters Degree. A family mem ber is defined as a legal dependent living in one household. You can apply each year. If you are re-applying you must complete the entire application again, including submit ting all the letters, etc. The scholarships are awarded in January after confirmation from the student and school of enrollment in the second semester. To view the entire scholarship application and eligibility , please go to www.mainesnow mobileassociation.com, click on membership, scroll down to MSA forms and then scroll to scholarship. The updated version of the application will be available on the website by December first of the year you are applying. WHO CAN I CAN CONTACT? Harvey Chesley, Co-chair - harv.chesley@gmail.com Barry Ryan, Co - Chair- skidoo6000ber@gmail.com Larry Lafland- L.andE.lafland525476@gmail.com Eileen Lafland- L.andE.lafland525476@gmail.com Mike Grass Jr- mgrassjr@gmail.com DID YOU KNOW THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND ACCEPTS DONATIONS? In order to continue awarded these scholar ships to our members the fund needs to gener ate money. The Scholarship Fund has a booth at the MSA Show each October selling 50/50 tickets. It also accepts monetary donations at any time from individuals, clubs, organiza tions, etc. These can be sent to MSA, PO Box 80, Augusta, Maine 04332 atten. Scholarship Fund I sent get-well cards to Jon Holmes, Jerry Major he had heart surgery, Barbara Lord, Liz Mahaleris she had heart surgery too, and there’s probably someone I’m forgetting. I’ve sent a thinking of you card to Aleta & Roger Rioux. Now for the sympathy cards! Stacey Seymour lost her mother, Gary Dial ing lost his wife, Joel Bosselost his son, Brad Barker lost his mom, Don Hammond lost his dad, Rich Armstrong lost his dad, Jay Emery (Reggie’s Skidoo)lost his dad, Reid Mclaugh lin lost his mother, Bill Dougherty lost his wife, Elaine Brown lost her husband of 64 years, Bob Flagg & Linda Spydell they lost his mom, Carl & Nancy Gerow his brother passed, the family of Dave Sylvia, family of Kathy Gray, family of Harold Garnett, Linda Spydell & Bob Flagg they lost her dad, Lisa & Bill Sawyer lost her dad. I’m hoping this next year is a year of new babies, birthdays, anniversaries, just thinking of you cards and lots of happy events..!! But I’ll make sure to get out those sympathy cards as well. Bob Lafontaine- bobiswim@gmail.com Gail Ryan - s kidoo6000@gmail.com

H ello Everyone! Well, the summer sure was a wet and wild one, wasn’t it? So much rain and so many flooded and damaged areas in the state and it is still happening as I write this in mid-Au gust. Snowmobile trails statewide have taken a beating that’s for sure. Clubs will be work ing overtime trying to repair damages and, in some areas, it will take many, many dollars and man power. PLEASE, PLEASE if you are able and hear of a work detail in your area, volunteer to help. Club trail crews are going to need as many hands as they can get, so why not volunteer a few hours to them? Eastern region clubs- All memberships packets were packed a ready for delivery We will continue to promote proper signage with our workshops. If you would like to host a workshop in your area, feel free to reach out. The Farmers’ Almanac is saying we’re in for a snowy winter with less mixed precipita tion. That works for me, but I’ve always said weather historians are way more accurate than weather forecasters. All for now… Brent a “High Peaks National Wildlife Refuge” in the Rangeley/Flagstaff region. While con servation and protection of natural resources remains a high priority of the Maine Snowmo bile Association, there is significant concern about the potential impacts to recreational access that come with a national wildlife refuge. Many towns in the region, as well as area legislators and organizations like MSA, Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Maine Pro fessional Guides Association have expressed opposition to the proposed refuge. In August, Senator Collins, Senator King, and Congress man Golden also wrote to U.S. Fish and Wild life Service voicing serious concerns about the proposed refuge and asking them to terminate its evaluation of the High Peaks Region for inclusion in the National Wildlife Refuge sys tem, and to instead work with local conserva tion entities and the State to address wildlife conservation needs. At the time of this writing, we understand that U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser vice is in the process of determining its next steps, and I will likely have more updates for you later this fall. We thank Senator Collins, Senator King and Congressman Golden, the many state legislators, local communities, and our outdoor partners for their leadership and support on this issue. The next legislative session is soon approaching and I’ll be back in the State House in January working on legislative issues of interest to the Maine Snowmobile Association. In the meantime, we’ll be meet ing with key stakeholders to continue build ing relationships, finding areas of common priority, and educating lawmakers about the needs of the MSA. If you have questions or feedback, please always feel free to reach out to me at jcote@bernsteinshur.com. Have a great fall! James Cote The trails committee has already had its first meeting of the year and many clubs have been contacted by our members. The ITS MAP will have minimal updates with the only major change on ITS CONN 115, which will move off the west side of Rt 27 to the east side and once again connect Kingfield with Carrabas sett. A shout out to the Lexington Highland ers SC for stepping up and taking on the new responsibility. Also, note that ITS 87 will not run through downtown Bingham as in the past. There will be a spur trail into town for fuel access. As many of you have witnessed firsthand, this summer’s rain has wreaked havoc on our trail system. Clubs are diligently addressing the issues and will hopefully be able to keep our usual routes open. A BIG THANK YOU to those working to mitigate Mother Nature’s ire. challenges and interactions with our MSA family.

Capitol Report

Scholarship Committee

James Cote MSA Lobbyist

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

H appy Fall Everyone! As I sit at my desk this morning, I can’t help but look at the thermometer that says 52 degrees. It’s hard to believe that summer has rapidly passed us by, and my only hope is that all of this rain we have been getting will turn into lots of snow for our upcoming riding season. The Legislature finally adjourned in August, and I’m pleased to report that MSA’s legis lation, LD 732, An Act to Prohibit Off-trail Operation of a Snowmobile in an Area Closed to Off-trail Operation, which was sponsored by Senator Russell Black, passed and was signed by the Governor. This bill would pro hibit a person from riding a snowmobile in an area that has been posted as closed to off-trail snowmobile operation and provides for a fine of not less than $100. This legislation is seen as a critical deterrent to trail access abuse and an added layer of protection for our landowner partners who so graciously allow us trail access across their land. Additionally, I wanted to report on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal for

NEWS FROM THE MSA SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE Last season the MSA scholarship commit tee awarded three $1,000 scholarships to MSA students. Thomas Watt, Kathrine Smith, and Alicen Higgins all received this award. Con gratulations to these three as they continue their education. FREE MONEY FOR MSA MEMBERS That’s right free money!!! Each year the MSA Scholarship committee awards two $1,000 scholarships to eligible MSA members and/or their immediate family member. Last year we awarded three scholarships because the year before we only gave away one scholarship. To be eligible for free money you have to be a MSA member for the previous two years, and fill out the application completely . THE DEDLINE IS BY THE CLOSE OF BUSI NESS ON APRIL 1ST . This means it has to be in the office by that day. It can be sent by

Trails Committee Chair Report

Hospitality Committee

Brent Spaulding, MSA Trails Chairman 207-944-7762 41 Madison Ave Brewer ME 04412 msatrailchair@gmail.com G reetings from Brewer, For those of you unaware, I was recently appointed by President Al Swett as the MSA Trails Chair. Many of you may know me from my previous role as Membership Chair. I have been involved with the trails committee for several years and have been the Eastern Region Chair for the past 5 years. I am excited about my new role and look forward to the

Gail Ryan, MSA Hospitality 207-478-6821 207 Lancaster Brook Rd, Glenburn, ME skidoo6000@aol.com

H i everyone,

by the end of August. In order to attempt to save postage fees, which keep going up and up, regional directors and others were given packets in their areas to deliver. If you are reading this now and haven’t received your 2023-24 club membership packet, please con tact me directly and I will track it down. Also, if any Eastern Region club needs Super Raffle tickets, please contact me directly as I have a supply on hand and will make arrangements to get them to you. It is best to contact me a week before you need them so we get them to you on time. I know of quite a few clubs who are already out there selling Super Raffle tickets and doing quite well. It’s an easy way for clubs to raise funds and the only cost to the We are going to try something new this year. I’m going to let you know about all the cards I send out this year. First here’s a recap of the past season’s cards.

Eastern Region VP

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

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From The Executive Board

Northern Region VP

MSA club this season so you can enjoy the paper monthly, as well as the multitude of other benefits the MSA has for its clubs and members. While it is not even fall yet, clubs and their faithful volunteers are out doing the business of snowmobiling: Landowner permissions, looking at re-routes, fixing water damage from the summer, club memberships, tuning up their groomers, preparing new signage… the list goes on. These clubs are the reason we have all the great trails across the State, connecting the riders from point A to point Z and all the businesses in between. Clubs statewide need new active members to keep this all going. With ever-increasing traffic load and more folks coming here from away for our consistent and long winters the more work the same crews end up doing. Please reach out and join a club. It’s quite rewarding to help and then take a ride on the trail you have helped with.

At a larger level the clubs and The Maine Snowmobile Association work to ensure that issues that affect snowmobilers & snowmobiling are being discussed and worked on so we can continue to enjoy our great sport for years’ to come. This fall the MSA will have a group working on how to get legislation prepared for fall of 2024 to better fund our clubs. This will include brainstorming across the state to get ideas documented and chose the right path(s) forward. There is no one single answer and all ideas will be needed to make sure we get the right combination. We plan to reach out and gather ideas from you club members who are in the trenches and understand what it takes (and what you need) to keep you club and trails going into the future. One more focus for the winter, trail safety. You see the new MSA logo and that theme will be carried out on the trails. MSA had a very One of the most important things this year. If we do not have a PHYSICAL address. I cannot deliver your membership package. You will have to pick it up at the office in Augusta. IT IS just too expensive to mail them. So please call me or the office to make sure the correct address is the one I have THANK YOU. The other thing I would like to address. This is my last year as Central Region VP. If you or you know someone who would like to take the job and get together to go over everything ahead of time just let me know. This year I am turning 80 and Barbara says it’s time for me to retire and at 85 she is really too old to go looking for me out on the trails if I get lost. So please step up and help us out. Just a quick note from Barb (Coffee and soup are always ready if you need a break while you are out there working this area). If you need me for anything, just call or email me KEEP SMILING, BE SAFE, JACK the place. CENTRAL REGION..........

productive meeting with the Maine Warden Service this summer and want to make sure folks are safe on the trails. Please reach out to your MSA regional director or district Warden to set up a trail safety check, report areas of abuse or misuse and to get a dialogue going as the season ramps up. If you are a club that needs help, or a group of new officers/directors please reach out to your local MSA VP or regional directors. We are here as a resource for the clubs to help in any way we can. If you have a question, problem, concern, or idea on snowmobiling in “The County”, get in touch with me. You can call or text me at the phone # or email below. Get out and attend a fall fundraiser, landowner dinner, go to the MSA snowmobile show and get pumped up for this coming winter season!! Matt Stedman

Matt Stedman 207-557-1921 (call or text) PO Box 621, Ashland ME 04732 Stedman.matt@jdirving.com H ello Fellow Snowmobilers of Maine, Welcome to those of you who do not regularly get this paper. We hope you join an

Western Region VP

Central Region VP

Jack Lord Home: (207) 672-3915 / Cell: 207-717-7131 17 Dinsmore St. Bingham, ME. 04920 Email: jacklord5256@gmail.com Well it’s time!!.......To start getting ready. This season might be a challenge if the winter weather is anything like this summer, all over H i Everyone

Jerry Major, Cell: 207-838-0892 137 Morrill Rd, Norway ME 04268 mrfun101jem@gmail.com

H ello fellow snowmobilers, This is another new adventure for me, as VP of the Western Region. As most of you know, I have been active in the MSA for a LOOOOOOONG time. Area coordinator, director, fund raising chair, and many other misc. duties. So, I guess I’m ready to take on this new position. It is my hope and desire to have several more of you in the western region to step up as directors, working with clubs in your area and reporting back to me the clubs good and bad news. Once or twice a year we would get together to discuss issues so that I may keep the MSA officers informed better regarding the Western Region. I would encourage anyone that becomes a director to join us once a month for a meeting on ZOOM before the regular membership meeting. I am also looking for a club in the Western Region to host the annual January meeting of the MSA. If you and your club feel you can do this, please call me for more details. (The last two years they were held in Oxford and So Paris) It is that time of year when WE ALL must get active. Our #1 priority should be reaching out to our Land Owners. Then we can get going on our trails. With all the rain this year, there are numerous bridges that need to be repaired or replaced, along with filling in washouts, cutting brush. etc. Then we MUST get our signage in top shape, especially road crossings and intersections. We should be able to know where all side trails go without getting our machines. I realize that same old song about 5% do 95% of the work for most clubs. A few hours from others would sure make the clubs more enthused about doing 95% of the work. ALSO, let’s all make a bigger effort to get those FREELOADERS to join a club and at the very least support the sport financially. REMEMBER...UNITED WE TRAIL DIVIDED WE FAIL. Jerry

Coastal Region VP

Join the MSA & The Club of Your Choice

Select the MSA-affiliated snowmobile club that you would like to support by going to https://www.mainesnowmobileassociation.com/clubs/l , then fill out this membership form. Enclose your check for $30 or enter your credit card info and mail to: MSA, PO Box 80, Augusta ME 04332. If you’re paying by credit card you can fax the form to 207-622-7669. $15 of your dues supports your local club; $15 supports the state association. The club is credited for your membership, and an MSA decal is sent to you.Your subscription to the MSA newspaper, the Maine Snowmobiler, begins with the issue following receipt of your membership. Season runs from October 1, 2023-September 30, 2024 CLUB SELECTED ________________________________________________________________________ MEMBER NAME ___________________________________________________ DATE ________________ ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________ CITY/TOWN ____________________________________________ STATE ________ ZIP ______________ TEL _____________________________ DATE OF BIRTH ___________ ___________ IF PAYING BY CREDIT CARD, PLEASE CIRCLE ONE: VISA MASTERCARD DISCOVER CARDHOLDER NAME ______________________________________ TEL __________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________ ACCOUNT NUMBER _____________________________ EXPIRATION _____________ CARDHOLDER SIGNATURE _______________________________________________ TOTAL # OF PEOPLE IN FAMILY

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

I t’s that time again!! Our rainy summer is winding down, fall feeling is in the air and clubs across the state are gearing up trails & equipment ready to go. September Directors Meeting is being hosted by Windham SC September 19th. Thank you for Hosting. There is one thing we certainly need to do and that is promote our sport, we need more people to join clubs and get involved. Across the state, clubs need help. Some people may be ready to help maintain trails; others are mechanically inclined to work on grooming equipment. In addition, some people are great at raising money to help fund all that our clubs do. I urge all of you reading this to reach out to friends who ride but are not involved with clubs to join a club. Volunteers are needed. In closing I hope that this summer’s rain.... Is the SNOW we need! Ride safe, Ride Right Dave

MSA, PO Box 80, Augusta ME 04332 • 207-622-6983 • Fax: 207-622-7669 mainesnowmobileassociation.com

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