9269-R1_MSA_February2026_Newsletter

MSA Club News

keeps our trails in the best possible condition with so many riders traveling through. Yes, we had some equipment breakdowns but our diligent small crew of workers got the equipment back up and running. Visiting sledders saw some of the many area activities included car racing on Moosehead sponsored by the West Cove Racing Association, snowmobile competition sponsored by New England XCountry Racing, the 19 th Annual Moosehead Lake Togue Derby and the 100 Mile Wilderness Sled Dog Race. Whether you are traveling through or spending the night there is always something going on with great places to park your trailer, sleep, eat or even pick up that sled accessory you finally decided to purchase. Even sled rentals are conveniently located in downtown Greenville. Our outgoing club treasurer, Chris Shields was presented with a television and plaque for many decades of dedicated service. His contributions to the growth of sledding in the area cannot be understated. Rob Gann has accepted the challenge to fill the void and recently introduced the acceptance of Venmo payments. More on this will follow. Jon Gray, our Club President, reminds everyone on the trails to ride with your safety and the safety of others in mind. You have heard it before, stay to the right, keep your speed under control, expect the unexpected, give the newly groomed snow a change to set up before the next ride and of course, thank a groomer for the trails we enjoy. Thanks for supporting our club. Bob Ludwig, Secretary raludwig184@gmail.com SHIRLEY BOG TRAIL BUSTERS Shirley, ME https://sites.google.com/site/ shirleybogtrailbusters/ email: shirleybogtrailbusters@gmail.com fb: Shirley Bog Trail Busters Writing the news mid-month for the issue that you will see toward the end of the next month proves to be challenging, so bear with me! A crystal ball would help, but we’ll just have to anticipate what is going to happen.

the snow was not especially helpful. Nor was the warmer weather and rain in early January. We’re still hopeful that later January into February shows much improved trail conditions. We have had everyone doing snow dances including the sled dogs and mushers who have their annual WILDERNESS SLED DOG RACES scheduled for FEB. 7, 2026 in Greenville. Thank you to all of the SBTB members who volunteered for this event. TRAILS

(Continued from Page 11)

QUAD COUNTY sc Springfield, ME

Hi to all, The weatherman hasn’t been very good on forecasting our snowstorms. Hopefully Monday’s storm will bring the QCSC trail system, the needed amount of snow that we have been waiting for since Christmas. The trails have been cleared of brush (some twice a few three times) by our volunteer Medicare trail crew, a big thanks to them. We haven’t opened our trails yet, but we have been out panning ITS105 from top to bottom, trail 7a and trail 12. Yesterday, we repaired a couple of water problems caused by beavers and a couple of mud holes. Hopefully with the frigid temps this weekend and maybe a foot of snow, Monday the trails will groom out great. We had our Lobster stew/Beef stew was a great success serving 103 people, with either eat in or take out. February 14, QCSC will be serving a Pot roast dinner from 4-5:30 at the clubhouse in Springfield. It is the most tender and tasty Pot Roast and well worth the $13 with dessert included. QCSC will be having our annual Hot Dog Roast on February 28 at Depot Lodge in Lakeville,11-2:00, FREE. Donations are accepted. You can sled there, just off ITS105 or Drive down Depot Rd. Besides the Hot Dogs, there will be coffee, hot Chocolate and January has brought us some up and down weather for sure! Snow, cold, warm, rain repeat! But we are not quitters! We have been out and making the best of it! We have compacted most of our trails at least once. We have a good base in some places. But we need more snow! We want to welcome new business Reardon’s Automotive and Diagnostics LLC as well as new family members Terrence Hamel and Patrick Thompson to the club. Thank you for your support. Trails We have been able to use our new Kubota tracked RTV quite a bit to finish up signage, pack down trails and be warm and dry in the process. We have had all four snowmobiles out also packing down trails and checking for damage, downed trees and updating signage. Upcoming Events Sunday February 22 nd Board meeting 5:00 p.m. Club dinner 6:00 p.m.(potluck) Club meeting 7:00 p.m. Sunday March 15 th Board meeting 5:00 p.m. Club House Rentals Our clubhouse is available for daily and weekend rentals. We are in the process of Club dinner 6:00 p.m. Club meeting 7:00 p.m. soup and campfire pies. Hope to see you there! Your slow Typing Reporter, Kevin EASTERN MAINE SNOWMOBILERS Holden, ME EasternMaineSnowmobilers.com Find us on Facebook

updating the facility quite a bit! We have just purchased some new lightweight plastic folding tables instead of the old heavy ones. We will be getting new bathroom fixtures and having the entire floor of the clubhouse epoxy coated in April. This will be a big process and we will need some volunteer labor ... We will be doing emptying out the facility, cleaning, and painting after the floor is done. That’s all for now.. Hope to see you at the club or on the trails! Troy G Trail Grunt At the time of writing this, it’s the end of January and the season is just kicking in. By the time you read this, a lot of big events will be in the rear-view mirror. In the short term watch our Facebook Page and see what’s going on! A lot of activity has happened in the last month. The clubhouse floor is sporting a fresh coat of wax thanks to Kenny Osborne. Looks brand new! LOTS of trees got cleared from the wind storms a few weeks ago. The Gator got extracted from a mud hole and the crew followed up to get that area filled in. Several volunteers are filling a rotating schedule to keep the clubhouse woodstove going and it’s been toasty warm. Groomers have been out a couple of times and they’re anxious to get out some more. The Club’s monthly meetings are the 2nd Thursday of each month. Meeting starts at 6PM with a potluck meal prior to the meeting at 5:30. Come on out for the food if nothing else! As always come on out to our Tuesday night Music Jams. These are held every week, food is served starting at 4:30, and the music is 6-9 PM. You can find the menu each week on the Club’s Facebook Page. Better yet – there’s no admission charge! Stay on top of upcoming events on the Club’s website at www.snorovers.com or follow the Facebook page. EAST BRANCH SNO-ROVERS Medway & East Millinocket, ME

Charlie & Steve assessing a blow down for impromptu trail work 1/1/2026

This is where a crystal ball would be useful, because at the time of this writing we still have many unresolved issues. Plan ahead when going out riding, especially after storms like the December 29 freezing rain, wind, and snow. As of this writing, our trails are not officially open but people have been using them. It’s a good idea to have a chain saw with you to clear trails of potential downed trees. You should check before you ride to see what has developed for openings, closings, or changes by contacting the SBTB Club via any of the addresses listed here. By now you may have already planned a sled trip for a few days or a week. Whether you plan to use one hotel as your base, or ride each day to a new destination, you need to plan ahead. (ITS Trail Map app.) Map out your days with your planned appropriate mileage so that you will hit your hotel or end spot at a reasonable hour. And it’s a good idea to pre-book your hotels so you are not left stranded necessitating a long ride to another town late at night. Plan out stopping points during the day like club houses, gas, and restaurants. If you’ve clipped some of the past MSA newsletter “Destination Spotlight” articles, you will find some great ideas for trip destinations. Additionally, you can usually get some additional suggestions at your hotels or club houses along the routes for local trails and points of interest. SPRING RIDING A reminder to plan your spring rides for March/April: Be sure to do your riding in the early hours when the temperature is below freezing and the trails are still firm. Later day will cause ruts and deterioration, so you want to avoid that. Maine Maple Sunday (4 th Sunday in March each year) is always a perfect opportunity for a “crust ride”, or keep in mind the Shirley Maple Open House at Moosehead Maple and the Pancake Breakfast downtown—a fundraiser for the club in memory of Darell “Bee” Sawtelle in late March or early April.

MOOSEHEAD RIDERS sc Greenville, ME Find us on Facebook

Santa DID send a storm at the end of December, but freezing rain in between Marc grooming with side by side and small drag 12/2025

Denise Gross Club Reporter

January and February are our busiest times in the Moosehead area. Continuous grooming

HELP WANTED: SNOWMOBILE TRAILBLAZERS & ENTHUSIASTS! Do you live for the thrill of a fresh trail and the hum of a snowmobile?

Our local snowmobile club is the heartbeat of the riding community, and we’re looking for passionate volunteers to help us create the best riding experiences possible. If you want to give back to the sport you love and ensure our trails are safe, scenic, and “flat and fast,” we want you on our team!

Our Ideal Crew Member Is: • A team player with a positive, can-do attitude. • Passionate about snowmobiling and the great outdoors. • Willing to learn and help with a variety of tasks as needed. • Reliable and safety-conscious.

Position Details: • Hours: Extremely flexible! From a few hours per season to a full-blown, 24/7 lifetime dedica tion—we appreciate any time you can give. • Experience Required: None! We provide all necessary training. • Compensation: Paid in fresh air, camaraderie,

Volunteer Duties May Include: • Trail Signage: Helping to post and main tain critical safety and trail markers. • Trail Brushing & Maintenance: Clearing brush and debris to keep trails wide and safe. • Grooming Operations: Assisting our grooming team (a truly rewarding job!). • Fundraising & Events: Helping us raise crucial funds for fuel, equipment, and trail permits. • Administrative Support: Lending a hand with membership drives, communications, & planning.

Why Volunteer With Us? • Directly impact the quality of your local trails. • Join a fantastic community of fellow snowmobiling enthusiasts. • Get outside, stay active, and have fun during the winter months. • No experience? No problem! We’ll teach you everything you need to know.

and the priceless satisfaction of riding on a winter full of perfectly groomed trails that you helped create. • Work Location: Your Favorite Snowmobile Club and the beautiful trails they maintain. Ready to Make a Difference? Reach out to your favorite club and help keep the trails we all love in prime condition!

12

r y 2 0

r u a

2 6 l M a i ne S n o w m

e b

F

r

o b

i l e