8492-R1_MSA_September2023

MSA Club News

ful and safe season ~~~~~~~~~~THINK SNOW!! Jim Splan. Reporter@ Large P.S ~~Cruise tickets are out! P,SS ~~ Camp looks great, Stevie!! P.SSS ~~ And the Yankees.......... P.SSSS ~~ Time for longjohns Charlie!! ASHLAND SNO-MOBILE CLUB Ashland, ME Hello Maine snowmobilers, I hope you have all enjoyed your summer. Meetings are on the 2nd Monday of every month and most of them are at the Ashland Rec Center. We will be working on member ship packets & and getting our 2023-2024 sea son schedule of events nailed down. If you are interested in joining the club, learning about who we are and what we do, please reach out to us on Facebook by searching for “Ashland Sno-Mobile Club”. If you have enjoyed our trails, live &/or ride here often please consider joining our club. Every member helps to make the load a bit lighter and ensure the clubs’ future. There is always a way to chip in and help regardless of what past experiences you have. We look forward to meeting some new folks this year, enjoying good times both maintaining & rid ing the trails in the Ashland area. We will be scheduling workdays for the fall & always need extra hands to assist in bridge repair, sign maintenance, brushing & trail clearing. Contact us to find out how you could help. See you soon, Ashland Sno-Mobile Club CENTRAL REGION Hi y’all, Just can’t believe another summer has passed! Well not really. We didn’t have one… It seems like the only thing we did have was RAIN, RAIN AND MORE RAIN!!!!!!! We had the big May Day storm (May1), that left us with lots of trees down, amazing amounts of debris and damage to our major connector bridge, but we are diligently work ing to make all our repairs and cleanup our trails. Here’s hoping that we stay in the same weather pattern, so we can see our trails and mountains covered with lots of that “White Snowball Making SNOW!” And we can look forward to a GREAT SNOWMOBILE SEASON. With that being said, “Our Little Club That Could” is really being put on the map. Our new trail will now be the ITS connector trail 115. So you’ll all be coming through our neck of the woods, to get up north. We have lots of work to finish getting ready for the new sea son, new signs to put up, trails to brush, and bridges to repair. So we’ll be looking for vol unteers to come help - Brake out your brush cutters, chainsaws and “YOUR I’LL DO ANYTHING TO HELP ATTITUDE!” In advance, I’d like to thank all of you for your time and effort that you give our club, the “Little Club That Could “, the Lexington Highlanders Snowmobile Club, to make us the Best Ever! We’ll be open again this year, for fuel - non ethanol, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese and whatever the girls come up with for a “Special of the Day!” Yummy! Soups, Stews, Chowder, Chili, Home baked muffins and cookies. It’s all Fabulous, so make sure you come by and visit! We’d love to see you all. And don’t forget the warm dry clubhouse with TV, internet, a clean bathroom and a large park and ride. You can contact us via Facebook or phone 207 628-4142 for your parking permit. On another note, by the time you read this newsletter, we would have hosted our annual chicken BBQ at the Happy Horseshoe Camp ground on Sunday September 3rd. “Hope you didn’t miss it! Cause if you did, you missed the best BBQ chicken and fixings around!” Stop by and visit! LEXINGTON HIGHLANDERS sc Lexington Twp, ME

Join our/ a club! Volunteer your time! See ya’ll this season at the “Little Club That Could!” 1654 Long Falls Dam Road Be Safe! Lori Nunes Club VP & Reporter Greetings to all, I hope everyone had a nice summer, despite the more than usual rain. For those of us that ATV, the season has been challenging. We have managed to get in a few rides and hope others have as well. We recently had our club camping trip at Mount Blue State Park. There were five families with a total of 11 people that participated. It was a fun week end. Now we are getting into the time of year of membership renewals and hopefully, new members. Also, it is time to start working on trails. We know that the rain washed one of our bridges downstream and other possible damage is still unknown. Keep an eye out for emails and Facebook posts on work sessions to get our trails in shape for riding. Sincerely, Roberta Kemp V.P. and membership chairperson The Rome Ruff Riders Snowmobile Club sadly announces the passing of valued officer Harold (Hal) O. Garnett. Hal passed peace fully at his home on Long Pond (Belgrade Lakes) in Mount Vernon. Hal was the clubs Secretary for 20 years and also Treasurer/Sec retary for 9 years. A dedicated club member, Hal was active in trail maintenance, volunteering many hours to trail grooming. His commitment to the club will be greatly missed. Hal was interred at the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery on June 29th with mili tary honors. Hal n Molly’s Last Walk (By John Romac) COCHNEWAGAN TRAILBLAZERS Monmouth, ME ROME RUFF RIDERS sc Rome, ME

WESTERN REGION

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

BRIDGTON EASY RIDERS sc Bridgton, ME Bridgtoneasyriders.com See us on Facebook.

NORTHERN REGION

Hello MSA Members, After a very wet summer, we are looking forward to winter and we hope to have some great snow conditions for riding! The Bridgton Easy Riders Club was hon ored to accept the MSA Award for Snowmo bile Club of the Year! We have also been approved for our 501c3 tax status. Special thanks to Heather Harding for taking on this task and to Bob Corthell for all of the legwork to keep this project moving along. On August 20th, the Club celebrated its 50 year anniversary with a party on the shores of Moose Pond. I understand many cheeseburg ers, hamburgers, and hot dogs were consumed along with the renewal of many friendships. The extreme spring rain and resulting floods damaged or moved several bridges that will have to be repaired. Inspection of all trails will start soon and work parties will be announced. Bridgton, like some other towns in southern Maine, is experiencing unprecedented growth, so there will be many trail changes. This past winter, the Easy Riders enjoyed two fantastic Club trips up north. These trips are fun, and because we divide up into smaller groups, each with a leader, the trips are suit able for riders of different abilities and experi ence. Plans are being made for two Club trips in 2024. Our very popular Lake Region Snowmobile Trail Map now shows trails for the nine Snow mobile Clubs in the region, thanks to the addi tion of the Waterford Sno-Packers. Bill Preis will be contacting the snowmobile clubs to get updates and changes on the trails, the adver tisers, contact information etc. With good group cooperation, it is hoped the map will be printed and ready to distribute by December 2023. Bridgton Easy Riders first meeting of the season will be Friday, September 8th fol lowed by the second meeting on Friday, Octo ber 13th, at Bridgton Community Center, on Depot St. Bridgton. The Fabulous Pot Luck Supper will begin at 6PM followed by the business meeting at 6:45. All are welcome! Come learn about our upcoming Club events: the Christmas Holiday Party, Club Rally, and Club Trips. Hope to see you there, Bill Preis BER Club Correspondent Hello Sledders, A big thank you to Lost Valley Ski Area. We now have a second groomer shed. We are building two new bridges on A1 trail Lost Val ley to Auburn Middle School trail. We meet every 3rd Monday of the month at 7pm from September to April at the West Auburn Congregational Church Vestry, 811 West Auburn Road, Auburn, Maine. Please Join P.R.S.T Happy Trails Grant Caron Treasurer/Membership NORWAY TRACKERS Norway, ME Find us on Facebook norwaytrackerssnowmobileclub@gmail.com Welcome back everyone, We hope everyone has had a wonderful summer. We are looking forward to an excit ing snowmobiling season with lots of snow. Our meetings are held at the Norway town hall. We host a potluck dinner at 6:15 with the meeting starting at 6:45PM. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join us Our next PERKINS RIDGE SNO-TRAVELERS Auburn, ME

CHAPMAN RIDGE RUNNERS sc Chapman, ME

Dear Members, I wish I could let you know about all of the work that was done this summer, but I’m sure I don’t have to remind you about all of the rain we have had. It has been a very trying summer for our crews. We did manage to get a few things done. Our club has purchased a mini-excavator to help with ditching. We have ditched on the Swan back Trail # 105S, and the Sewer Plant Trail 105N. The Sewer Plant Trail was also resur faced/bulldozed. A new roof was put on our Sign Shed and the foundation was repaired. A big “Thank you” goes to our grooming crew, working in all seasons. Maintaining trails is really a 12- month operation, as many of you know. We hope to reinstate our Landowner Appre ciation Supper and possibly some other sur prise events. Our crew is getting older-does that sound familiar? The rush will be on now to finish planned reroutes and trail work for the season. Our ATV members have had a diminished season due to all of the rain on the trails, which makes ditching so important. Packets will be coming in Sept. or Oct. We hope to see you at our events and out on the trails. Happy Fall-it’s coming! Sue Maynard, Secretary Hi Gang, Well, it’s time to get back at it!! Thank goodness, the Summer that wasn’t, is over by the time you are reading this!! If we get snow like we did rain, it will easily set a record. So let me get you up to speed as to what is going on with the Snowgang. This past spring the club purchased a lot from Charlie and Bonnie Lane that is the front lot of the old Sherman Lumber Mill in Sherman Station. If memory serves, this lot is approx. 3 acres with direct access to both ITS 83 and 81. Our parts/storage building is already on the property, and plans are under way to build a groomer garage, and at some point a new clubhouse. Thank you to members Charlie and Bonnie for your help in making this happen! In other news, our New Holland TS110 has a new brake system. This was quite an under taking, as the tractor had to be literally bro ken in half to do the job. With the guidance of Doug Wilson of Mountain Grooming, and Matt of SEI both from Vermont, members Randy Bates, Pat Joyce, Mark Fitcher & Chris Smith, over the course of several days, the job is complete ~~~ well done guys!! Our calendar of events has been updated, and should be in each month’s event section. On that note, our webpage is being completely redone and should be up and running soon. As far as I know, we will keep the same url which is www.beneditasnowgang.com As in past years, this issue of the Maine Snowmobilier is going out to every person who registered a sled last year. This is the time to join/rejoin the club of your choice or maybe 2 or 3 clubs where you ride. Remember, there IS safety in numbers and the Maine Snowmo bile Association provides that, with folks who deal with legislative issues and helping out with landowner issues among a host of other things. Our officers for the upcoming year are: President ~ Randy Bates, Vice President ~ Kim Joyce, Secretary ~ Naomi Smith, Trea surer ~ Mark Ficther. These are the folks who can address your questions or concerns. Pat Joyce will continue his great work as your Trailmaster, and this old fool will try to keep you all updated as Club Reporter. So in closing, lets hope for a very success BENEDICTA SNOW GANG Sherman, ME

Down the road she goes In the Cool autumn Air Little Molly Girl Strutting without a care And not far behind All bundled up for Fall Is Hal catching up “Here Molly” comes his call Molly turns her head Pretends to listen well Hal Smiles, moves along Molly finds a new smell Winter follows Fall. Then Winter turns to Spring Each day a new walk Everyday a new thing As Summer greens fade And Fall colors blaze bright. One day all alone Molly is not in sight. Hal’s walk continued still. Bright smile on his face “Hi” John as he passes. Alone, a slower pace And now those walks renewed. On a new path it seems Hal n Molly walking Once again, a team

ANSON-NORTH ANSON sc Anson-North Anson, ME

Hope everyone has had a great summer. Our craft fair is happening again November 4 at the Carrabec High School in North Anson, always a good time. Memberships will be going out soon, Mem bership can also be done from our website. We have some bridgework that will be com ing up in the fall; damage was done by heavy rain this summer. Our first club meeting will be October 11 at Anson town office. Hope to see you there. Thanks, John.

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