8988-R5_MSA_March2025_Newsletter_Web

The Maine Snowmobiler

March 2025 • Vol. 56 • No. 7 MSA, PO Box 80 Augusta ME 04332

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An Official Publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association

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Explore Limerick

L imerick and the surrounding areas offer a variety of scenic and recreational oppor tunities for snowmobiling. Enjoy the tranquil beauty including snow-covered trees, frozen ponds, and the serene landscape. Plan a day trip to explore nearby towns like Cornish or Standish, where you can find local restaurants and fuel.This area is a hidden gem but be sure to check in with the clubs in the areas for trail reports.

1. T-Bone Trail • T-Bone Trail: While in the area be sure to check out theT-BoneTrail snack shack. Hosted by the Rte 11 Streakers.You’ll be sure to find great food and lots of snowmobiling excitement. 2. Saco River Trails • Trail Highlights: Nearby trails run along the Saco River, offering picturesque views and a winding route.This area can connect you to var ious regional trail systems.to various regional trail systems. 3. Western MaineTrail Network • Trail Connection: Limerick is a good starting point to access the Western Maine snowmobile trails. Head towards the towns of Sweden and Bridgton for broader trail access. • Suggested Route: From Limerick, travel north towards the top of the Lake Region area—fol low trails to Windham and Bridgton for a mix of open fields and wooded paths.

4. Sebago LakeTrail System • Access Points: Travel northwest from Limerick to reach Sebago Lake’s snowmobiling trails. • Scenic Routes: Enjoy scenic views of Lake Sebago while navigating through the trails that connect to various lodge and picnic spots. 5. Moose PondTrails • Explore the Area: Located near Bridgton, the Moose Pond area includes trails that are known for their scenic beauty and exhilarat ing ride. • Access the Trails: From Limerick, ride toward Bridgton and join the Moose Pond trails. 6. Porter and Hiram Trails • Trail Connections: Head west toward Porter and Hiram for additional trails that connect to the larger network.These areas have both groomed and natural trails offering diverse riding experiences.

PARK & RIDE LOCATIONS

Attention MSA Clubs if you would like to add your local Park & Ride please visit: mainesnowmobileassociation.com and fill out the form under MSA Forms.

REGION Central Central Central

CLUB Anson-North Anson SC Lexington Hilanders SC Minnehonk Ridge Riders Norridge Sportsmen Alliance Smithfield Moonshiners SC

ADDRESS 18 High St 1453 Long Falls Dam Road Corner of North Rd & Bean Rd 444-328 Martin Stream Road 1232 Village Rd

TOWN North Anson Lexington Mount Vernon Norridgewock

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Park & Ride trail connects to the Mount Vernon trail system Trail maps are posted at Park & Ride parking lot and all trail intersections. Ashley Wing Memorial Park Direct Access to Kennebec Valley Railtrail KVT The park in ride is the paved parking lot directly in front of the ball field. Please do not block the driveway/parking area in front of the salt/sand shed. Thank you About 3/4 a mile south from Rt 25, Vacant lot and Approx 7 miles North of Limerick on Rt #5 Rachels on the green - breakfast- lunch - dinner - large parking lot for the Val Halla Parking lot. 15 minute drive from Portland with direct access to main trail system leading to destinations west and north of Cumberland. Westbrook Little League Parking lot Sunset Ridge Golf Course parking lot Prides Corner Congregational Church Parking lot will be busy Sunday mornings till about noon time. Located just north of the road crossing on ITS 111 North (Wildwoods trail) Located just north of the Jo Mary Trail on the left 1.5 miles north of Ebeemee Club House Lots of room for parking. Lunches usually served on weekends. Also the Rail Trail Parking lot off Bennoch Rd in Lagrange as well as Lagrange General Store Also, 2 miles down East Shore Rd, Lakeville, ME 04487 Large Parking Lot next to ITS 105 Very Large parking lot with direct ITS 85 trail access. Located right on RT. 7 just 1 mile from I-95. Food/Gas services available in both directions. Great take off spot for day or overnight trips. Contact Sebasticook Valley SC Facebook page for the latest grooming information. Located right at the I-95 Sherman exit Immediately off I-95 northbound exit. Located at Brooks Equipment Service . Direct access to ITS 83 Oils, parts, and services available at this site, as well as 2 gas stations located within 900’ of park and ride location (one of which has 24 hr. card service with non-ethanol gas also) As your leaving Caribou on Rt.89 heading east towards Limestone Otter St. will be on your left just before you reach the underpass. Drive all the way straight in and that is where the Park n Ride will be. As you come into Stockholm off 161 turn left onto Main St. and go across the bridge. Right after the bridge on the left you’ll see a sign for a public boat landing. Turn left into there and that in the parkn ride. There is a small maintained trail that will lead you thru the ballpark up to ITS 83 or you can ride the shoulder of Main St. from the park n ride and get on ITS 83 next to Eureka Hall. This is the location of our clubhouse. The clubhouse is not open to the general public w/o notice. There is lots of room for park ing, but please not in front of our groomer barn, “The Bullpen.” Parking lot across the road from the clubhouse (If space is filled please use clubhouse circle driveway) Ramp available for truckbed sleds. Please do not block garage overhead door where groomer is parked, or park in front of it. Free parking. This is a private driveway located on trail ITS 81. Call 207.316.9118 for permission to park (limited space) Park Ride behind the Little Black Checkpoint. This is a dirt road that connects east and west cottage road in Portage. There will be available parking on the west side of this road and will be marked with signs. Parking is alongside Station Rd in downtown Portage. There is room for approximately 12 rigs. Exit 286 on I-95. Heading North: take Exit 286 and take a right off the ramp. Take the first driveway on the right - big sign board out front. The driveway snakes between two homes - our log cabin Clubhouse is located in the back. Unload and you’re off and running on ITS 83! Take Vacationland Rd, Follow Signs. Look for sign at entrance, indicating parking area for Narrow Gauge Snowmobile Club Park & Ride Located at the Lake Pennesseewassee Boat Launch/ Parking Area. Parking lot is across from the Ham Athletic Fields at 40 Brag Way. 2/10 of a mile from the intersection of Brag Way and Route 302. Easy access to ITS 89. Take a right at Andover Village (Rt. 120) just down over the hill on right Parking lot holds 30 plus trailers and direct access to ITS115. Ample space for whatever trailer you might be hauling. P&R is directly across from WRVSC grooming hut. Open every day. Located on the right hand side of Route 2 after entering Gilead from the west and passing the rest area or on the left side of the highway if coming in from the Bethel area. Long, thin parking lot for about 4 trucks with trailers. Kiosk and map in parking lot. Fireman’s field next to the little Androscoggin River.

Central Central

Smithfield

Cornish

Coastal

Cornish Sno-Cruisers

Rt #5 (Sokokis Trail) 60 Val Halla Road

Moonlite Sno-Skimmers

Coastal

Cumberland

Westbrook Trail Blazes Westbrook Trail Blazes Westbrook Trail Blazes Ebeemee SC Ebeemee SC East Branch Sno-Rovers LA Sledders

Coastal Coastal Coastal Eastern Eastern Eastern Eastern

Westbrook Westbrook Westbrook Ebeemee Twp Ebeemee Twp Medway Alton

429 Bridge St 771 Cumberland St 235 Pride St US Route 11, ITS 111 Intersection US Route 11 6 Clubhouse Dr Club House 3346 Bennoch Rd 976 Lee Rd (Rt 6)

Eastern

Quad County SC Inc.

Springfield

Eastern

Sebasticook Valley SC

238 Moosehead Trail

Newport

Northern Northern

Sherman Citgo 1160 Crystal Road

Benedicta Snow Gang Big Valley Sno Club

Sherman Island Falls

Northern Northern

Big Valley Sno Club Caribou SC

478 Houlton Road 10 Otter Street

Island Falls Caribou

Writers Wanted We’re looking for newspaper articles. Topics of interest.... All things snowmobiling!

Main Street

Northern

Caribou SC

Stockholm

Chapman

94 Town Hall Rd.

Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile & ATV Club Dwinal Pond

Northern

East Winn St. David

174 Springfield Road 19 Fournier Road

Northern

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 & beyond. If possible, please send along pictures for your articles. This paper is created for Snowmobilers and you are the

4-Seasons Club Madawaska SC

Northern

(Madawaska) Madawaska

Madawaska SC

195 Dufour Road

Northern

Allagash Portage Lake

Moosetown Riders Allagash Portage Lake SC

Northern Northern

20 Little Black Road Station Road

Portage Lakers

Portage

Northern

Station Road

experts - we’d love to have your input! Please submit articles to editor@mesnow.com

Smoki Haulers SC

Northern

Oakfield

317 Oakfield Smyrna Road

Washburn Trail Runners SC Bog Hooters SC Crooked River SC Harrison Friendly Riders Narrow Gauge SC

48 Station Road Rte 11 661 Meadow Rd Vacationland Rd 219 North Main St

Northern Western Western Western Western

Washburn Mechanic Falls Casco Harrison Strong

Norway Bridgton

95 Lake Road Brag Way

Western Western

Norway Trackers SC Pleasant Mountain SC (Formaly Bridgton Easy Riders) Snow Valley Sno-Goers

Join the MSA Snowmobile Club of your choice, by scanning the QR Code below and join the fun! MSA, PO Box 80 Augusta ME 04332 207-622-6983 Fax: 207-622-7669

Rt. 120 Just East of Andover Village 171 Main St. 55 Shanie Lane

Western

Andover

Kingfield Carthage

Western Western

Sno Wanderers Webb River Valley S.C.

Western

Route 2

Gilead

Wild River Riders

Know Before You Go!

mainesnowmobileassociation.com

Always Check Local Ice Conditions

Three $1,500.00 Scholarships

will be award this year by The Maine Snowmobile Association to eligible applicants.

☛ To be eligible for these awards the following criteria must be met: • Applicant and/or immediate family must be a member of the Maine Snowmobile Association for two years prior to January 1 st of 2025 • Applicant can be of any age • Immediate family members of MSA member dependents living in one household. • MSA membership can be family, individual or a business

☛ Scholarship awards are granted to MSA member or family member who is: • A recent high school graduate or holder of a GED • Any student in a one or two-year Associate or Technical School Program at a school in state or out of state • Any student in a four-year Bachelor Degree Program at a school in state or out of state • Pursuing a Master’s Degree

committee needs to raise funds. To do this we are asking clubs to consider making a donation to the scholarship fund. Some clubs in the state have held - ings, send a donation directly or come up with other ways to raise the money. Whatever your club can do would be greatly appreciated and helpful. The Scholarship committee greatly appreciates your consideration to assist MSA students in reaching their higher education degree.

The Maine Snowmobile Association believes that our future depends on our children, which is why we are doing our part to invest in them. If you feel the same way, please consider helping us to raise money for the fund or making a donation if you prefer? Each year the scholarship committee gives out two scholarships to students who have been MSA mem bers for the previous two years. This year we award ed two $1500 scholarships to students. In order to continue this tradition, the scholarship

All majors and /or courses of study are eligible.

Essay and completed application must be received

close of business on April 1, 2025. https://www.mainesnowmobileassociation.com/msa-scholarship-fund/

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REYNOLDS MOTORSPORTS 702 NARRAGANSETT TRL BUXTON, ME REYNOLDSMOTORSPORTS.COM ROGER’S SPORT CENTER, INC. 214 MARKET ST FORT KENT, ME ROGERSSPORTCENTERMAINE.COM REYNOLDS MOTORSPORTS 702 NARRAGANSETT TRL BUXTON, ME REYNOLDSMOTORSPORTS.COM ROGER’S SPORT CENTER, INC. 214 MARKET ST FORT KENT, ME ROGERSSPORTCENTERMAINE.COM REYNOLDS MOTORSPORTS 702 NARRAGANSETT TRL BUXTON, ME REYNOLDSMOTORSPORTS.COM ROGER’S SPORT CENTER, INC. 214 MARKET ST FORT KENT, ME ROGERSSPORTCENTERMAINE.COM

WHITTEMORE & SONS 257 WATERVILLE RD SKOWHEGAN, ME WHITTEMOREANDSONS.COM MOMS TOPSHAM 70 TOPSHAM FAIR MALL RD TOPSHAM, ME TOPSHAM.MOMS73.COM WHITTEMORE & SONS 257 WATERVILLE RD SKOWHEGAN, ME WHITTEMOREANDSONS.COM MOMS TOPSHAM 70 TOPSHAM FAIR MALL RD TOPSHAM, ME TOPSHAM.MOMS73.COM WHITTEMORE & SONS 257 WATERVILLE RD SKOWHEGAN, ME WHITTEMOREANDSONS.COM MOMS TOPSHAM 70 TOPSHAM FAIR MALL RD TOPSHAM, ME TOPSHAM.MOMS73.COM

©2024 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 ©2024 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 ©2024 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

©2024 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 ©2024 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 ©2024 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

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From The Executive Board

I continue to be amazed with both the dedication of people to take time out of their lives to do so much for Snowmobiling in Maine and the generosity of private landowners who allow us to use their property. Club volunteers put in 1,000’s of hours last week getting the snow ready for everyone, thank you for all that you do, it is greatly appreciated and valued by many who love the sport. I know it is also a needed boost for the tourism businesses after the past couple winters. As we ride across the State it is quite often, we find ourselves or other riders along the side of the trail looking at maps and/or signs. If you are a club member who helps with signs, please continue to improve your club’s signage. There is a lot of variation between clubs on how signage is done, the frequency of signs and information provided. Many who ride through your community have not been there before, do not know the landmarks and are counting on the signs to get them to the desired destination. Signage is a never ending “process” but should be in place before grooming begins to ensure the safety of the snowmobilers on your trail system. Both MSA volunteers and DOC employees are out doing signage inspections throughout the winter, if you have concerns, ask for one of them to come and inspect your trails. The feedback is The MSA has had a busy year attending events, spearheading the MSA Snowmobile Show, the Super Raffle, MSA Golf Scramble and navigating several snowmobile related bills from the State house with the guidance from our lobbyist James Cote. I am proud to say that a positive outcome was realized in all of these events. Now anyone that has ever been involved in coordinating one of these events knows that it takes a dedicated team, a team that is willing to give their all and work overtime, and for that I am very grateful and proud to have the privilege to work with these folks and to be an active part of this incredible MSA family. In the next several “off months” we will be busy working through a couple of legislative bills and its grant process, making sure that we have a seat at the table when making decisions on behalf of the MSA, our clubs and also base, and then it snowed! What a relief to see. A little setback the last few days, but we have snow statewide. It’s been good, and the sup porting businesses tell me they welcomed the change and a very good February vacation. People from all over New England and Can ada travel to ride our trails. We have a very good product built by the best volunteers in the business. I’m very proud of every one of you and glad to be on the team. We have many obstacles to overcome. I think landowner situations are the top priority for the off-season. We need to communicate and get help from Augusta to protect them and our trails. I think it’s bad for the clubs to work on certain projects and invest lots of money only to have the property owners shut us down after saying we can use that particular road/ trail for the next season. The Landowner is number one in my book, and I’ll respect them all day. But it’s hard to see our aging volun teers becoming discouraged after large proj ects are discontinued. We have to find a way to make everyone happy. I was asked to be interviewed for Maine Knows Howe, a podcast by outdoorsman Bob Howe. It was a fun time. Question and answers by a panel of experts from the Maine to February school vacation week, which boosted registrations and put snowmobiling into full swing. And remember that your registration dollars are what fund the Clubs that produce the top-notch product that we all have come to expect and love. It is always amazing to me just how fast the months fly by, it seems like just yesterday we were talking about finishing up Fall trail work in preparation for the ground to freeze and the white stuff to fall, and now we are staring the end of the season in the face and starting preparations for the Annual Meeting.

making certain that we are at the head of the line when the funding starts to be dispersed. We will do our best to see that the grant process remains as simple as possible and will try to have some degree of assistance in that if needed. We will also be working on some exciting new changes to our Fall lineup of events, details to follow. But for now we are turning our focus on the Annual Meeting, which will once again take place at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer on April 26 th . The festivities will start at 9:00 AM with our April Director’s Meeting followed by lunch and an awards banquet in the afternoon. Our traditional silent auction will run through the morning, it is sure to feature some very cool snowmobile related items and always proves to be competitive and fun! Keep an eye out because now is the time to get those nominations in for that one person, business or Club That you feel would be deserving of one of our many yearly MSA awards.Don’t wait too long to make your reservations. Reservations can be made by calling the MSA office (207-622-6983 or you can RSVP through the MSA Website. Well, that’s all for now folks, as always if you have anything Snowmobile related that you would like to share please reach out to me by phone, message or email, whatever works for you, my door is always open. Thank you, Mark Every weekend throughout the winter there have been amazing local events from one end of the State to the other. Get out and enjoy one with family and friends. Most are in support of a local club or other non-profit organization. The next MSA event is the March showcase ride & directors meeting in Benedicta, hosted by the Benedicta Snow Gang on March 15 th . Call the MSA office to RSVP. As clubs wrap up trail activities for the season please think of the safety of those last/ end of season riders. Be clear with those using the trails of your clubs’ status. This is typically the month when the MSA and clubs are seeking nominations for officer positions. If you have been a member and would like to be more involved, or have time and skills your club could use, reach out, step up and take on a new challenge for the coming season. It is rewarding (and sometimes challenging) to be a part of an organization that promotes and makes possible something you are passionate about. If you have a question, problem, concern, or idea please get in touch with me. You can contact me at the phone # or email below. Matt constructive, quick and clear when it comes back to the club. outdoors folks. Everything snowmobile-re lated was discussed. The Alaska Recreation Department has seen the Question 4 trail bond and wants to interview me and the head of the Maine Nat ural Resource Council. It looks like an April meeting. Grant writing classes will hopefully start when the folks in Augusta agree on how to do it. Please stand by for information on our MSA website. I have been to quite a few places this year, clubs, and regional meetings. It’s wonderful to see folks from both ends of the State. I have been taking lots of phone calls and emails and responding to situations. It’s challeng ing yet very rewarding. We have our April Awards Banquet coming up. Please nominate your special dealer, landowner youth, club, business, the new Larry LaFland award, or groomer of the year; take time to make it hap pen; it’s a lifelong experience. Call the office, we’re there for you. We will be starting the Super Raffle this month. Lots of clubs want to start early. I can’t blame them. Whatever you need, we’ll try to help you all we can. Al

From the President

Treasurer’s Report

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

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

H ello Everybody, Well, I hope everyone had a chance to get a little seat time this Winter as February saw some pretty decent snow in most parts of the State. We had several good snowstorms coupled with sustained cold weather just prior From the Executive VP

Monthly Income Monthly Expense

$ 18,288.61 $ 21,580.74 $ (3,292.13) $ 85,600.00 $188,112.83 $156,567.08

Net Revenue

Short Term CD (2/28/25)

Checking (2/28/25)

Dedicated Account (2/28/25)

Pay Pal (2/28/25) $ 1,200.79 Special Events Account (2/28/25) $ 4,987.53 Credit Line (2/28/25) $ - Building Fund (2/28/25) $ 55,420.65 Brian Wass Safety Fund (2/28/25) $ 3,997.14 Scholarship 12 Month CD (2/28/25) $ 5,103.68 Scholarship CD (2/28/25) $ 61,079.43

From The Membership Corner

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

H ello fellow snowmobilers, Another Maine school vacation has come & gone. We were blessed this year with 2 storms to kick off the week that brought snow almost statewide. The week was busy & exciting for so many people spending time in the outdoors with family & friends. It was great to see the people who came out to support the local economy and were rewarded with some really good riding.

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

CLUB MEMBERS Once grooming begins submit your trail reports to: EDITOR@MESNOW.COM Please include your name and club affiliation In the interest of keeping possible award recognitions a surprise, only number of clubs will be listed in the following categories: Two club have over 200 memberships, and thirteen clubs have total memberships over 100. 246 of the 285 clubs in the state have submitted memberships as of Feb. 20 th . Seems as though the recent snowfall state wide as sparked inter est in people. Only one more month to go to get those memberships in to count for the annual meeting membership incentives. Membership total as of Jan. 19, 2025 Family Memberships 7,723 Business Memberships 1,821 Total Memberships 9,544 Total by region Central 1,511 Coastal 1,075 Eastern 2,412 Northern 2,133 Western 2,406

Director of Operations

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

H ello Folks,

Well, it has been quite a winter. Novem ber brought us early snow, and December brought us a big thaw! But January came in swinging with cold weather we hadn’t seen in a few years. The ground froze well, along with many ponds and lakes. We had a great

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From The Executive Board

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18-wheeler truck. Recently, I got a call from a crying friend telling me he had just lost his best friend’s son. While going up a moun tain, the sled was up straight, came back, and landed on him. Tragedy. All three. So, what do we do? We continue to preach safety to kids and adults, and we provide edu cation and more education. Many riders think they are invincible; they can handle a snowmobile even though they have not ridden one in a long time. They think it’s cool to ride fast, and they think they’re NASCAR race drivers riding in the middle of the trail. Well, guess what? You’re not. Inexperienced and inconsiderate riders cause lots of problems. They think it’s cool to chase wildlife, go off trail, and rototill the trails after our groomer operators work all night to make the trails the best. And then there’s your loud exhaust. Hopefully, the fine goes up this year. I think you should be more responsible and

W ell Things look much better, a little more snow, not a lot and all the groomers are out, and we are getting very favorable comments. It was sad to see my sleds and trailer go away a couple of weeks ago, but my new Polaris side by side has arrived, not putting tracks on till next year (had another back surgery #8 and have to be careful the rest of winter). Still very weird why we aren’t getting any BIG storms, we definitely don’t want them like last year after everything was basically thawed. It is great to see all the posting on Facebook, rides, grooming, beautiful sights, keep them coming. With any luck we will travel north for March meeting, always a joy to be there in person. See you later, GOD BLESS Jerry sentations to the 2025 scholarship winners. As always, we committee members are will ing to help in any way answer questions or con cerns or even help support a fundraiser that your club might want to do to support our cause. and the recent snowfall has brought a wave of excitement to the area. For the snowmobile clubs, the fresh blanket of snow means the trails are now open and ready for adventure. Members have been busy prepping their machines, ensuring everything is in top condition for the rides ahead. The trails, which wind through picturesque landscapes and offer breathtaking views of the coastline, are now bustling with activity. Local businesses are also feeling the positive impact, as snowmobile tourism boosts the economy. Lodges, restaurants, and gear shops are seeing an influx of visitors eager to experience the thrill of snowmobiling in Maine’s coastal region. The community spirit is high, with clubs organizing group rides, safety workshops, and social events to celebrate the season. For many, this snowfall is not just about the sport but also about coming together and enjoying the unique charm of winter in Maine. Matt respect our sport. Landowners are the top priority. It only takes one or two off-trail riders to shut down a vital trail to our system. Every trail in the state is important. It’s a piece of the puzzle that connects us to those supporting businesses that count on Maine Snow mobiling to take them through to the next season. Snowmobile safety starts before you ride: trailering, personal items, safety equipment, and an emergency kit. Plan your trip and let someone know where you are going; bring a first aid kit. Watch out for Grooming operations; make sure you’re registered. Be careful crossing roads. Drive slowly, and make sure your registration is up to date. Don’t consume alcohol. These are just a few suggestions to make it through the season. Please be sure to be safe! Ride right, be careful, and have a great time doing it! Hope you all have a safe and healthy off-season Thanks, AL the trails. Speaking of families, it’s not too late for MSA members with children in college, any post high school program and high school seniors to consider applying for our schol arship. We have been told by many that the application process was not as time consum ing as they had thought. Our committee is always trying to promote our program and to keep the process streamlined and simplified as to encourage as many members as possible to apply. Please remember that the scholarship application deadline is April 1st for the paper work to be at the MSA office. Still time to get it done! Recently the scholarship amounts have been increased to $1,500 with two winners chosen each year. This year we are very excited to announce that there will be 3 winners awarded, two in mem ory of T-Bone as his Limerick Club did a major fundraiser in his memory and another scholar ship dedicated in memory of one of our com mittee members Larry Lafland. Both are very bittersweet but so very appropriate, the commit tee hopes that many will join us at the Annual Meeting in April when we make the awards pre

Safety Committee

These last few weeks have brought me to meet many students in area schools. Medway is always an excellent place to kick off snowmo bile safety. Then, off to East Millinocket Middle School. Year after year, I get lots of good feelings and laughter from it. The mighty East Branch Snowmobile Club hosted the event once again. I’m off to Rangeley. This was a neat day! One school, 200 kids later, and it was awesome! There were lots of comments and questions. The Blessing of the Sleds in the Dixfield/ Mexico area was also special. A safety pre sentation was well received., These are a won derful group of MSA folks. We have snow Statewide, and that’s a good thing, but we still have serious accidents and fatalities. We should not ride alone. We lost a fellow rider while he was alone enjoy ing a nighttime ride. Another, it appears that he went through a stop sign and hit a large equipment maintenance. Sledders from near and far have smiles from the miles of great riding our system offers. The snow conditions also tend to highlight mapping issues. More specifically, I’m talking about electronic mapping applications. I have fielded several concerns from landowners about sleds riding on discontinued trails. There are many sources of electronic navigation. BRP Go, Polaris Ride Command, GPS Trailmasters, and Onyx to name a few. This technology is great as long as the onboard data is accurate. Unfortu nately, we all know there are in season changes for any number of reasons- logging, landowner issues, weather related damage- that can and do make tracks inaccurate. I would remind all riders, that regardless of the technology you use – even a paper map—it is simply a GUIDE meant to show you a connection between two points. When you are in quandary on the trail because your screen points you straight but there is a SIGN that points you left, PLEASE turn left. ALWAYS DEFER TO THE LOCAL SIGNAGE ON THE TRAIL! The Trails Committee and State Snowmo bile Programs continually educate clubs on signage. There is a published standard and defined sign package deployed throughout the state. We also inspect signage throughout the system as we ride. The clubs work their butts off to place signage appropriately to ensure safe travel and clear navigation. PLEASE READ and HEED the SIGNS. Until Next Month… Brent to advocate for these objectives and we will share more information as it is finalized. Sales Tax As I have mentioned in previous articles, Senator Russell Black has submitted legis lation on behalf of MSA that would dedicate a portion of the sales tax on snowmobiles to Maine’s snowmobile program. This is a sim ilar model to what happens with the sales tax on motor vehicles being dedicated to the high way fund. As of today we are awaiting the bill to be printed and scheduled for public hear ing, where we hope that some MSA members will be able to come and testify in support. We will keep you posted on more details. It is important to note that the state budget does not have the luxury of excess funding like it has in recent years, and any request that requires funding (which this bill would do), will be more difficult to achieve. With that said, MSA feels strongly that we should continue to talk about and promote the benefits of better fund ing Maine’s snowmobile trail program. ATV Weight Restrictions, Joint Registra tions, and more! Earlier in February the IFW Committee of the Legislature heard a bill proposing to increase the weight limit of ATVs from 2,000 to 2,500 pounds. Size and weight restrictions have become a hot topic in Augusta, and we anticipate at least a couple more bills seeking to do the same. Additionally, we are hearing about some potential bills that would allow a joint-use (snowmobile and ATV) registra tions for some ATVs that have tracks. These discussions are all in the very early stages of deliberation, and MSA is keeping an active eye out on all of these issues. We are actively engaged with stakeholders and state agencies, and will keep the membership apprised of any new developments. I hope you all enjoy a safe and snow-filled end to this riding season! James Cote, MSA Lobbyist

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

Trails Committee Chair Report

Scholarship Committee

Brent Spaulding, MSA Trails Chairman 207-944-7762 41 Madison Ave Brewer ME 04412 msatrailchair@gmail.com G reetings from Brewer, Yes! The snow Gods finally blessed us! I hope all of you have gotten out and are still able to ride as of this publication. I have had some great rides – one during February that was 735 miles over 7 days! Good times! With the good snow conditions comes great atti tudes and eagerness amongst our army of volun teers that have finally gotten to fire up the groom ers after hours and hours of trail prep, bridges, and

H ello friends and fellow snowmobilers, the season got off to a late start but the past few weeks have been nice in Central Maine and pretty much Statewide. March is always a great month to ride and hopefully we will continue to have good conditions. It has been refreshing and rewarding to see many people out riding, nice to see the fruits of so many clubs and volunteers labor being appreciated by others. Looks like many of the riders I see appear to be families out enjoying Harvey Chesley, 207-314-0637 25 Hillcrest Dr, Clinton ME 04927 harv.chesley@gmail.com

MSA Lobbyist Capitol Report

Western Region VP

James Cote MSA Lobbyist

G

reetings Maine Snowmobilers! It sure is nice to be seeing a bit more snow in the forecast these days. Keep it com ing, Snow Gods! The State House is finally starting to heat up and MSA is working on a number of fronts to represent Maine’s snowmobiling community. Trails Bond Our highest priority in the near term is to help support and facilitate the successful implementation of the trails bond funding. MSA continues to advocate for the most user friendly grant requirements that also achieve maximum transparency and compliance. We know that club volunteers are often faced with limited time and resources and we continue to talk to key staff and program stakeholders about the need to make the grant application process as simple as possible. The ultimate goal is obviously to put these dollars to work as efficiently as possible and enhance the qual ity of our trail systems. As of today, we are hopeful that a grant application process will open later this spring so that clubs can begin to put some of this money to work in advance of next season. MSA leadership will continue

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

Matthew Baron, 207-608-3737 92 Emery Corner Rd, Limerick, ME 04048 msacoastalregion@gmail.com F inally, snow has arrived in the coastal region of Maine, much to the delight of snowmobile enthusiasts and local clubs. This winter season has been eagerly anticipated,

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From The Executive Board

I want to give a BIG THANK YOU to the East Branch Sno-Rovers in Medway for their hospitality on Feb. 15 th . Ken Osborne led eight riders on a ride through the area, with a stop at a trail dedication and lunch at the Northern Timber Cruisers before returning to Medway. That evening the Sno-Rovers hosted the MSA February Directors meeting. With a large snowstorm predicated the next day, turnout at the meeting was low but those there were feed a wonderful meal. Eastern Region clubs have been amazing at turning in memberships and recruiting new members. As of February 20th, this region is the number one region in the state mem bership wise. Way to go everyone! You are the best! By the time you read this, MSA will be tallying club memberships and choos ing membership recruitment awards for the annual meeting. Keep them coming through March though as they will still count until April 1 st . Speaking of the annual meeting, please plan to attend and support all the award win ners. There will be a new award this year to honor a trailmaster or trail worker for their dedication. By now, applications should be submitted for all the awards to the MSA office. The annual meeting will be April 26th at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer. PLEASE NOTE- We are looking for auction items for the annual meeting silent auction. Please contact the Office or Eileen Lafland to donate items. My condolences to President Mark Chin nock and his family on the loss of his father. He will be missed in the Millinocket area. Safe riding everyone! Eileen Since the last time I wrote to you, we have received a little more snow, so we have all been able to groom and make the trails rideable. By the time you read this, we may be at the end of this season due to rain and warm weather but for now, “Ride Like Crazy!” I know I sound like a broken record, but we must support the clubs and the businesses that support our sport. I urge all the clubs to watch very carefully for any information forthcoming regarding the question 4 bond grant process, MSA is working hard to define the process. To all the club members and supporters in the Central region, “Thank you for all you do!”“Keep up the great work!!!!!!” Ron H ello Central Region Riders, The Snowgang membership was 106 as of last week, so get those reups in, tell your fam ily members and friends, because we finally have good snow and great riding. We are on a regular grooming schedule and trails are MINT!! Looking ahead a little, our Regional MSA ride/dinner/meeting will have come and gone, will update you on it as time allows. If you have an interest in being a Benedicta Snow gang club officer, or just have some ideas or thoughts, please consider coming to our April meeting as all offices are up for election/ re-election. Date and time will be posted on our website - www.benedictasnowgang and our Snowgang FB page. I guess that gets us up to speed for now, ride safe & too the faaarr right!! Jim Splan, Reporter @ Large P.S ~~ 109!! P.SS ~~ Great job Snowgang!! P.SSS~~ He’s got game, Steve Neal!! P.SSS~~ You didn’t win Muttsy!! Drumroll.......... And our lodge is open for bMy grandfather used to tell me a very long time ago, that it only snowed when an angel was shaking its wings. Well after this week end there must have been an honest to god WWF match going on somewhere in the heav ens because I really doubt if the angels have ST. FRANCIS SNO ANGELS St. Francis, ME

bership as a way of saying “Thank You”. The Northern Region showcase ride and din ner meeting is right around the corner taking place March 15th and is being hosted this year by the Benedicta Snow Gang. The ride will start at 9 am and leave from the Irving gas station in Sherman. We’ll take a nice loop ride around the area and then head over to the Rockabema club house for lunch. Afterwards we’ll make our way back to Sherman. The dinner portion of the event will start at 5pm with a social hour followed by a spaghetti dinner at 6 and then the director’s meeting starts around 7pm. The din ner and meeting will be held at the Benedicta Parish Hall which is located at 1063 Benedicta Rd. in Benedicta. Anyone looking to attend either the ride and or the dinner is encouraged to RSVP with Liz at the MSA office. I highly and strongly encourage all clubs from around the region to attend as this is a great time to ask any questions you may have. I hope everyone is enjoying what the 2024 25 riding season has to offer us now and are getting those miles of smiles on and enjoying the great memories that can be made together this time of year. Lastly I’d like to end on a different note by saying congratulations to all the high school girls and boys basketball teams from around the region and state who punched their tickets and participated in this year’s high school basket ball tournaments, I’ve spent the past two weeks sledding The County and the Katahdin area and driving up the 95 to support my local home town team the Caribou Vikings who brought home not 1 but 2 Class B State Championship gold balls. My congratulations to them!!!!! Remember to always RIDE RIGHT!!!, RIDE SOBER!!! & RIDE SAFELY!!!

Eastern Region VP

Northern Region VP

Nick Morrill, 207-554-0074 406 Main Street, Stockholm ME 04783 landscaper9791@gmail.com G reetings once again from the Northern Region!!! Well mother nature finally decided to show up and deliver not one but two good dumplings of snow to our area of the state. She hasn’t stopped yet with another delivery this past weekend as well. Clubs and groomer oper ators have been in full swing around the clock getting the trails opened fully and putting out the remainder of their signage. Some area clubs have also been having to work through mechan ical breakdowns while trying to complete these tasks. It’s been great to see clubs helping their neighbors out while they dealt with these issues. Considering the early season conditions this late into the riding season the trails are in great shape. So, when you’re out riding and cross paths with a groomer make sure to give them room to get by and give them a thumbs up or a big arm pump in the air for the top-notch job these operators have been doing. Better yet stop by their club’s house or get in contact with them and leave a donation or buy a mem

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

W elcome to March everybody! WOW!! Ole Man Winter sure showed his stuff the first part of February, didn’t he? Just in time for school vacation statewide received significant snow fall in a series of storms that seemed to come every two-three days over two weeks. Along with that he also showed his stuff with freezing temps and wind chills in some cases well below zero!! Those high winds didn’t help in open areas as the drifts were so big, groomers couldn’t keep up. The main roads in a large portion of The County had closed because snowplows couldn’t keep them clear. Too bad these storms hadn’t come in December and stayed with us, but we will take what we can when we get it.

Central Region VP

MSA CLUBS: TO ORDER NEEDED ITS & JCT SIGNS Contact Mike Grass Sr., MSA Trails Committee 252 Condon Road, Plymouth, ME 04969 207-368-4914 home • 207-745-2745 cell Grasslands252@gmail.com TO ORDER CLUBTRAIL SIGNAGE Candice Pinkham, DACF/Snowmobile Program 207-287-4957 Office • 207-878-8111 Fax • Candice.M.Pinkham@maine.gov

Ron Nunes, 401-527-5370 260 Last Round Up Rd, Lexington Twp, ME 04961 Thelastroundup2018@gmail.com

MSA Club News

any wings left to shake. We were blessed with 8 inches this last Thursday and another full 12 inches of wind whipped snow that make our landscape look like a frosted world of possibilities. The moon reflecting off the snow makes the whole world look like a scene inside of a snow globe. It’s beyond words, white, serene, crisp, and cold. The animals on the trails eyes glow like embers when the lights of your snowmachine invade their homelands. You know you want to come north!!!!!!! Leave the trails where you can’t really open up your machines, just too much traffic and come learn what true snowmobiling is. Our lodge is open and ready for business. We’ve now served 5 weeks of hot meals on Saturdays and the snow gods willing; we should have another 5. Plenty of time to make your reservations and come to Northern Maine for” The way Life Should be.” We recently had our Second Annual Pig Roast and it was a tremendous success due to each and every person who attended. We are eternally grateful for each and every one of you. If you came and had a meal, if you just rode by and waved at your fellow man, if you came in and warmed up by our wood stove, each and every one of you has made our little club a place to remember and come back to each and every time you visit us. Visit our stores, Joe’s Country Store, Chamberlain Mar ket. Have a meal at one of our homey, unique restaurants on ITS 92, The Forget Me Not Diner in St. Francis, Two Rivers lunch in Alla

gash. See what everyone is talking about! And then tell everyone about your trip!!!! Adven ture awaits!!!!!! Kim M Ouellette Secretary

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

ROCKABEMA SNOW RANGERS Patten, ME

NORTHERN REGION

It’s Finally Here!!! The ground is white with fresh snow and the groomers are out and about ensuring safe and fun snowmobiling is happen ing for all. The temps have finally come out of the negative numbers making the snow more manageable and creating some great trails for our sledders. With that in mind, I would like to put out a friendly reminder - With these great trails comes the need for speed - First, remember, we do have a speed limit on our trails and that is for your protection and the protection of the sledders you meet. Second, when coming to a corner, I know the need to dive into the inner circle provides that feeling of the INDY 500, but please don’t!!! Stay on your own side of the trail. Meeting another sledder head on in a turn will not end well for either of you. Third, always be aware of your surroundings. When headed for a tree, don’t speed up. Slow down and get control of your sled. Finally, if you come upon a groomer, the groomer is NOT going to move for you - you pull off and wait for it. The groomer is simi lar to a snowplow - it has an object, to make the trail safe for you to travel. That’s all for

BENEDICTA SNOW GANG Benedicta, ME

Hey Gang, I’m sitting here writing on Feb. 24th, it is 35 degrees and sunny -- great day to be out there brapping. A very busy week last week, with school vacation, the basketball tournament, and every club in the region having events going on. The Snowgang held it’s $7000.00 50/50 raf fle, and here are the winners: 1st, Mike Duffy, 2nd, Juan Fernandes, 3rd Greg Desjardins,4th, Jeff Brooks. Congrats. to all the winners, and THANK YOU to all who participated!! Along that same note, the Snowgang was one of the participating clubs in the regional KAST poker run on Feb. 22. The club sold poker hands or cards at the Parish Center, and I am told that we sold the most hands ~~ well done guys. The winners of the poker run are posted on the KAST Facebook page. 1st place, with a full house was Shawn Southhard, 2nd place was James Remeschatis also with a full house -- just a little smaller! Congrats to all, proceeds all going to the Shriners!!

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