8924-R1_MSA_December2024_Newsletter

The Maine Snowmobiler

December 2024 • Vol. 56 • No. 4 MSA, PO Box 80 Augusta ME 04332

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An Official Publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association

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Maine Snowmobile Association Celebrates Dedicated Club Presidents at November Meeting

O n November 19th, the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA) held a special meeting to honor the hard work and dedication of their current club presidents. The event, which took place during the monthly director’s meeting, brought to gether over 70 enthusiastic supporters from across the state. This gathering was not only a celebration of leadership but also a tribute to the collective efforts that maintain Maine’s sta tus as the premier snowmobiling destination in New England. The evening began with a warm welcome from the MSA leadership, who emphasized the importance of community and camaraderie among snowmobilers. The heartfelt conver sations that followed highlighted the profound impact that each president has on their respective clubs and the state’s snowmobiling culture. With their leadership, these presidents have fostered a sense of unity, cultivated thousands of trails, and brought together snowmobile enthusiasts from all walks of life. Maine has long been recognized for its stunning landscapes and well-maintained trails that appeal to both novice riders and seasoned adventurers.The state’s commitment to snowmobil ing is reflected in the numerous clubs that operate throughout, ensuring that riders have safe and enjoyable experiences.The successful management of these clubs is a testament to the dedication and passion of the presidents who lead them. During the ceremony, several presidents were recognized for their extraordinary contributions. As they shared their ex periences, it became evident that their commitment extends beyond just promoting the sport; they are also advocates for

safety, environmental stewardship, and community engage ment. This multifaceted approach ensures that snowmobiling remains a sustainable and cherished activity for generations to come. The event also served as a valuable networking opportunity for attendees, who exchanged ideas and strategies to enhance their clubs’ operations and strengthen the snowmobiling com munity. Discussions ranged from trail maintenance practices to organizing events that attract new members, highlighting the innovative ideas shared in the spirit of collaboration. As the evening drew to a close, it was clear that the MSA’s club presidents play an invaluable role in preserving Maine’s reputation as the #1 snowmobiling destination in New En gland. Their leadership contributes significantly to the enjoy ment of the sport, the safety of its participants, and the promo tion of economic vitality in rural communities across the state. Looking ahead, the MSA is excited about future initiatives and events that will continue to enhance the snowmobiling ex perience in Maine. With the dedication of their club presidents and the support of their members, the association is poised to maintain its legacy as a top destination for snowmobiling enthusiasts. In conclusion, the celebration of the club presidents was not just an acknowledgment of individual accomplishments, but a recognition of the incredible community that surrounds snow mobiling in Maine. As the season draws nearer, riders can look forward to another outstanding winter filled with adventures on the picturesque trails of this beautiful state.

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

mainesnowmobileassociation.com

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 Westbrook Trail Blazes Westbrook Trail Blazes Westbrook Trail Blazes Cornish Sno-Cruisers Quad County SC Inc. Sebasticook Valley SC Ebeemee SC Ebeemee SC East Branch Sno-Rovers LA Sledders Portage Lakers Caribou SC Moonlite Sno-Skimmers

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 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. About 3/4 a mile south from Rt 25, Vacant lot and Approx 7 miles North of Limerick on Rt #5 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 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 Parking is alongside Station Rd in downtown Portage. There is room for approximately 12 rigs. 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. 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) 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) Madawaska This is a dirt road that connects east and west cottage road in Portage. There will be available parking on the west side of

Central Central

Smithfield

Coastal

60 Val Halla Road

Cumberland

Coastal Coastal Coastal Coastal Eastern Eastern

429 Bridge St 771 Cumberland St 235 Pride St Rt #5 (Sokokis Trail) 976 Lee Rd (Rt 6) 238 Moosehead Trail US Route 11, ITS 111 Intersection US Route 11 6 Clubhouse Dr Club House 3346 Bennoch Rd Station Rd

Westbrook Westbrook Westbrook Cornish Springfield Newport

Eastern Eastern Eastern Eastern Northern

Ebeemee Twp Ebeemee Twp Medway Alton Portage Caribou

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

10 Otter Street

Northern

Stockholm

10 Otter Street

Northern

Caribou SC

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

Island Falls

1160 Crystal Road

Northern

Big Valley Sno Club

Island Falls St. David (Madawaska) Madawaska

478 Houlton Road 19 Fournier Road

Northern Northern

Big Valley Sno Club Madawaska SC

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

Madawaska SC

195 Dufour Road

Northern

Portage Lake

Portage Lake SC

Station Road

Northern

this road and will be marked with signs. Located right at the I-95 Sherman exit

Sherman Chapman

Benedicta Snow Gang Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile & ATV Club Washburn Trail Runners SC Norway Trackers SC Sno Wanderers Wild River Riders

Sherman Citgo 94 Town Hall Rd.

Northern Northern

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.”

Washburn Norway Kingfield Gilead

48 Station Road 95 Lake Road 171 Main St. Route 2

Northern Western Western Western

Located at the Lake Pennesseewassee Boat Launch/ Parking Area. Parking lot holds 30 plus trailers and direct acess to ITS115 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. Take a right at Andover Village (Rt. 120) just down over the hill on right 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. Fireman’s field next to the little Androscoggin River.

Know Before You Go!

Western

Snow Valley Sno-Goers

Rt. 120 Just East of Andover Village Brag Way

Andover

Bridgton

Western

Pleasent Mountian SC Formaly Bridgton Easy Riders The Bog Hooters SC Harrison Friendly Riders

Mechanic Falls Harrison Casco Strong

Rte 11 Vacationland Rd 661 Meadow Rd 219 North Main St

Western Western Western Western

Take Vacationland Rd, Follow Signs.

Crooked River SC Narrow Gauge SC

Always Check Local Ice Conditions

Look for sign at entrance, indicating parking area for Narrow Gauge Snowmobile Club Park & Ride

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Two $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 are eligible. Immediate family is defined as legal 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 fundraising events, do a 50/50 raffle at club meet 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 at the MSA office in Augusta by the close of business on April 1, 2025. https://www.mainesnowmobileassociation.com/msa-scholarship-fund/

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ISC 2024 , What is that? Green Bay Wisconsin By Jeff Miller

can come away with from ISC. It is not all work, there is usually a nightly reception for all to min gle and network outside of the meetings. The groomer reception is always a favorite of people to attend as there is always plenty of food and fun to be had. Another great event is the “offsite” event. This is where the host state shows its guests some of their culture and heritage that best represents their state (and more food). In Green Bay we had a dance and music show of the native American tribe in the Green Bay area. It is a perfect way to see a part of the country’s historical culture that you may not normally see. In Iowa a few years ago our off site was the “Field of Dreams” field from the movie even with baseball players from that era. There is also some down time for you to explore the area on your own. In closing, if you have never been to ISC, GO! It is an excellent net work of likeminded people that are there for the common good. The networking and friendships you create will last a lifetime and only make your own Association better. You will come to realize that your problems that you face are shared by many other Associations. It is comforting to find out that you are not alone with the issues that chal lenge you and your state. And with the newly created network from going to ISC, it will energize you to get those issues resolved.

ISC 2024 was held this year in Green Bay Wisconsin. Many people ask, what is ISC? Well, here is the relatively short version of every thing you ever wanted to know about ISC. ISC stands for the International Snowmobile Congress, which is a 3- or 4-day event held every year in the month of June. It brings together snowmobilers and Asso ciations from all over the United States, Canada and even Europe. It’s packed with seminars, displays and everything in between that has to do with snowmobiles and the sport we love. So, I hope I can give you a slice of this great experience that is called ISC. Early arrivals can take a guided tour of the area, sometimes in the form of a motorcycle tour for those who ride to ISC. Also is the FOSPAC (Friends of Snowmobiling Political Action Committee) where for an entry fee you can join in some fun

games or events that supports the Political Action Committee. Our days start bright and early with breakfast with 400-500 of your clos est friends and listen to the keynote speaker of the day. Our first day speaker was Drew Nussbaum, from the Wisconsin Dept of Tourism. He shared insights into what Wiscon sin has done as a state to promote snowmobiling as a viable tourism destination. Many things men tioned at these events can directly be applied to our home states to improve our sport. After breakfast and our morning speaker it’s off to morning breakout sessions. Many of the National Associations hold meetings with their membership to give updates and insight as to what is going on nationally along with elections of new officers. Throughout the next few days there are several breakout meet ings and informational seminars on various issues that could affect our organizations both positively as well as negatively. Some of the seminars at Green Bay were: Trail and Mountain Groups Roundtable Social media to recruit youth snowmobilers 30x30 plan International media/Tourism Council Trespassing This is just a sample of the valu able information that organizations

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From The Executive Board

From the President

YOU to the landowners and club volunteers for making re-routes & connections happen to keep our communities & businesses connected to the trails These can be frustrating from both sides and definitely time consuming, thank you to all who take the time to get it done, without your efforts it would be much more difficult for snowmobilers and businesses to connect. Watch for signs as the trail may not be exactly where it was last season, how it shows on your paper map or digital screen. Club members know best and on-the-ground signage trumps all other means. Please make sure you look for information about this winters’ Showcase ride & directors’ meetings this winter. These regional rides are a great way to explore a new area and meet people who you may only have connected with by phone or social media. We will have a ride during the day & MSA Directors meeting in the evening. I really enjoy them, there is no better way to explore a snowmobile region than with the club members who make & maintain the trails. I love to see all the club news and Facebook posts with the work going on statewide. It is nothing short of a miracle that gets pulled off throughout the offseason to ensure a connection between each town. Clubs, landowners and equipment operations making it happen so we can all get out and ride when the time and weather allows. While on the social media subject, this is a write up from Mark & I that went out to clubs in an email blast…a bit of a reminder: Make an Impact: Essential Social Media The life of a volunteer is equally as complex to explain. What drives someone to become involved with their local snowmobile club or maybe the MSA and vow to spend countless hours working in different capacities to insure that every snowmobiler has the best possible riding experience. At the end of the day, it comes down to a few common denominators that all volunteers have in common, passion, gratification and a great sense of accomplishment. Passion for the sport that they love and want to do what they can to see the sport not only survive but thrive, a sense of accomplishment knowing that they did their part and contributed to their sport. All of which ultimately leads up to that gratifying La Nina will turn Maine into a winter wonder land. We very much need it. We had a great President’s night last month at The Eastern Maine Snowmobile Club in Holden. It was a great feeling night and wonderful seeing everybody. Mark’s suggestion to have it again after an absence was a grand slam! Smiles and general snowmobile talk was the highlight of the evening. We’ve been busy at the office settling down after another awesome Snowmobile Show. Thanks again to everyone who made it hap pen. The Super Raffle is a few weeks away the prizes are once again incredible. Without our supporting businesses from Kittery to Madawaska it would be just a ho hum event. The trailers from world-class manufacturer’s made right here in Central Maine Alcom and Nitro. Everyone is very impressed with these two units. The Nitro is a Hybrid 101X12 with the optional black out kit. The Alcom is a new model Low Pro Hybrid 7.5X16. Either one would make a great Christmas gift. our efforts in a different direction from “ Pre Snow” to “ Post Snow” priorities, from trail maintenance and repair, Groomer maintenance and repairs and landowner permissions to actually grooming trails and finishing up with trail signs and reroutes. Now I know that this is not always the exact progression of events, however it is definitely a 360-degree change in mindset when the cold temps come, the ground freezes and the snow is adequate to groom and ride. When this all happens in a short period of time it is a feeling that is second to none and one that has to be experienced to explain, and just like that we are in business.

feeling that we are all a part of this successful machine, the machine that puts out one of the top three snowmobiling destinations in the nation, and that my fellow snowmobilers is something to be proud of! So the next time someone asks you “What are the benefits of joining a club and what can I expect to get out of it for myself”? You will need to reassure the potential new comer that the benefits may not be tangible but are much more rewarding than you can measure and the more that you put into the sport the more you will get out of it. Once you put that foot forward and start being an “active member” you will find the benefits, and the more you give the more infectious it becomes and the greater the rewards you will find. So if you are reading this and you are maybe not an active member, I challenge you to reach out to the club of your choice and become involved, I don’t think you will regret it. It really is a good feeling to be part of putting out a product that we can all be proud of. That’s all for now folks, may you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Remember my door is always open. So if you have a question, concern or just want to talk snowmobiling please reach out to me. Thanks for reading, goodbye for now. Mark Dos and Don’ts As we get close to the beginning of the snowmobile season the trail work and club events really ramp up. The MSA wants you to think about communication with club members, landowners, volunteers and the general public. Please think about the audience you now reach via social media & the exponential number of folks who may see your post through sharing. Do: • Stay positive • Be professional • Be courteous • Provide timely & accurate information Don’t: • Provide too much detail • Share photos that are inappropriate (some projects are better shared once fully completed) • Post something inflammatory • Post something that could be taken out of context • Share personal information There are great ways to get information out to all the folks you want to communicate with. Just put some thought into the best method for the message. A group email for your club members/ active volunteers/officers might be better than a Facebook post dependent on the content. Please feel free to reach out to us at the MSA if you have any questions or need assistance. The snowmobiles are world class too! The mighty Polaris Prostar S4 Indy 137 has all the bells and whistles that will make someone very happy on the trail. Thank you Ryan at Polaris for making this happen. The Ski-Doo 600 EFI Renegade in traditional Ski-Doo yel low from Mountain Side Powersports in Wil ton is an eye catcher. Along with an entry level sled from our friends at Kramers is a ZR 200 tops off our grand prizes. Thanks to Kittery Trading Post, JB Grooming, NEOC Katahdin Resorts, Sally MTN cabins, Overlook Motel, International Motel, Shin Pond, Northern Door, Northern Outdoors, Moosehead Marine Museum, Central Maine Powersports, Chan dler Farms, Jackman Powersports, Mooseh ead Motorsports, Richardson’s Boat Yard, and Wallingfords. These supporting businesses for the MSA help every MSA club out by their generous donations. We can’t thank them enough for their helping this fundraiser year after year.

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 i Everyone,

It’s hard to believe but by the time you are reading this the holidays will be upon us and we will be knocking on the door of another new year. This has most of us turning From the Executive VP

Monthly Income Monthly Expense

$ 56,316.96 $ 51,681.63 $ 4,635.33 $ 85,600.00 $182,205.87 $138,043.00

Net Revenue

Short Term CD (11/30/24)

Checking (11/30/24)

Dedicated Account (11/30/24)

Pay Pal (11/30/24) $ 1,718.30 Special Events Account (11/30/24) $ 4,987.53 Credit Line (11/30/24) $ - Building Fund (11/30/24) $ 54,4,987.53 Brian Wass Safety Fund (11/30/24) $ 3,996.93 Scholarship Savings (10/30/24) $ 5,123.09 Scholarship CD (10/30/24) $ 60,216.40 We’re here for you! Finally, as we get to the beginning of the riding season, I would ask (beg) clubs to plan a trail side safety check in co-ordination with the Maine Warden Service. It’s a great way to interact with riders and promote safety on the trails. Find a good intersection or location with plenty of visibility and room along the trails, set up for a few hours on a weekend day and help us all improve rider safety and maybe prevent an accident this winter. “Ride safe today, Ride again tomorrow” is not just a great logo for a sticker or shirt, it’s a goal of the MSA and we should strive to show this message to the riders from the local club level on our trails. Reach out to your regional VP to discuss and plan an event like this. If you have a question, problem, concern, or idea on snowmobiling in “The County”, get in touch with me. You can contact me at the phone # or email below. Matt Stedman Well, question 4 passed, I think it was the right thing to do. Any money we can get will support the clubs and help where it’s needed. Hopefully some long term projects will get the attention first. A project that will last us for years to come, like an important bridge. Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Sea son! AL CLUB MEMBERS Once grooming begins submit your trail reports to: EDITOR@MESNOW.COM Please include your name and club affiliation

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

H appy December fellow snowmobilers, I returned just a couple days ago from a trip to the SledMass snowmobile show in West Springfield, Massachusetts with a few others from the MSA. We setup and talked snowmobiling in Maine with hundreds of people. The one constant was the amazing riding all over Maine. Thank you to every single one of you for all the work you have put into building and maintaining the wonderful trail system everyone is raving about. You will see some changes, as always, in the trails across Maine this season. Landownership changes, plans for timber management activities and new development happen all over and all the time. A big THANK

Director of Operations

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

Greetings! Well some parts of the State have had snow in their backyards. Let’s hope

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From The Executive Board Secretary’s Report - Betsy Watson Directors Meeting - Eastern Maine Snowmobilers - Holden, Maine - November 19, 2024

you work with your local wardens to set up trail side snowmobile check. Reach out to them for an event that you might be having or for that trail side check. Eastern Region Vice-President: Eileen Lafland – We appreciate everyone coming. Volunteers are hard to find to get out and work on the trails. As the Eastern Region gets going we are going to have a regional meeting on 12/11/24 at the East Branch Sno-Rovers. We are going to try and get as many people there to talk about what we all are doing and what we need to do. I will be checking with some clubs that have zero members to see what is happening with them. Remember to get those memberships in. Northern Region Vice-President: Nick Morrill: - Up here in the north, the clubs are up and running, getting trail work dome now that farming season is over. Clubs are selling the Super Raffle tickets. Otherwise we are just waiting on Mother Nature and what she wants, fall or winter. Holding on until the cold weather comes. March 15 Northern Region Showcase ride will be held at the Benedicta Snowgang Snowmobile Club. Central Region Vice-President: Ron Nunes: I’m impressed will all of volunteers that we have had. We have been working on bridges, trails and signage. Western Region Vice-President: Jerry Major: Western Region Landowner’s Dinner in Leeds that is Brad Barkers Club and they have the most impressive food array and 32 landowners come to the meeting. There is a little problem on ITS 89 going to Oxford which one landowner shut us right down and there is quite a bit of work to go around it. Western Region Meeting is going to happen in January in Leeds. The clubs working on the trails. Coastal Region Vice-President: Matt Baron: Matt was out tonight. Mark – There is a deadline that I want to remind people of. December 1st for the Municipal & Snowmobile Safety education increases the operators understanding on how to operate your sled. Courses are available through our State IF&W division. You can find locations and dates in our MSA monthly newspaper. When you learn safe riding technique’s you’ll learn how to ride reasonably and respect the landowner’s property. Doing so will make you aware of hazards and how to avoid them. Snowmobile education classes can be done in person which I recommend online. You can avoid dangers on the trail when you learn how to operate your sled responsibility. Cer tain environments in certain parts of our State are different and you adjust for snow and ice conditions. Be aware of obstacles on the trail, if you have traveled down a trail in the early morning and come back later in the day be careful just because it was flat and smooth at 7am doesn’t mean at 3 in the afternoon its the same. maybe a wind or snowstorm has come through and there are now downed trees reetings from Brewer, The trails committee is in full swing. We are on a regular monthly meeting schedule and all of our inspection routes have been hashed out and assigned. Hopefully, some areas have received snow by now. It certainly won’t take much to improve on last year’s snowfall. I trust all of you have been doing your snow dance. While signs were again delayed this year, you should have received your orders by late Nov/early Dec. We are working with Joe Hig gin’s office to address sign orders and the late arrivals the past few years. Speaking of signage, there has been a com mon and ongoing issue that gets questioned frequently. It came up again at the trails workshop at the MSA snow show. The ques tion? Is there a way to differentiate ARROW SIGNS between ATV and snowmobile trails. Our signage program is based on a national standard and as such, an arrow is an arrow. G

Club grants. Director of Operations: All Swett – We are the top third destination in America for snowmobile riding. Raffle is doing really well. There are a few more tickets outback if you need any. The show was great, the attendance was down, but the show as a whole was wonderful. Question 4 went thru. The money should start going out in Jan. Safety signs are in the back so you can have some. Take them and put them up. Mark – Chris Garmarsh is the trail manager for Polaris with the Ride Command map program. His job is to make sure that riders have accurate trail information. The App is available, free for riders to use; the goal is to make it work with club maps. Put your business sponsors on it, charge them to be on the maps and pocket the money because it is free to clubs. The app is updateable. Safety: Al Swett – Safety is a big deal. I try to instill in the younger members (the youngest member at the meeting tonight is 22 and the oldest is 87). that safety is important. Wear that protective gear. Have a safety checks, they are very successfully. Scholarship Committee: Harvey Chesley: Focus on the agenda the savings account and the CD. We never had healthier finances we recently rolled over the CD to a new term so we are now getting approximately $200 a month in interest and that’s not the good news, the good news is the savings account is over $5,000 with any luck we can go a couple of years without touching the CD. Now that Thanksgiving vacation is upon us, a lot of students will be home and it’s a great time to have them look at that and start to fill out the application. Funding Committee: Matt Stedman – As Al and Mark both mentioned, Question 4 passed. So that $30 million spread out over 4 years is $7 and a half million per year. It splits up to 50% joint use, which is any 2 uses like snowmobiling and horseback riding or bicycle riding and walking; 25% motorized and 25% non-motorized. Another thing on funding, last and snowdrifts to contend with. December is a break in month hopefully we have snow enough to ride. Remember you have not been on your machine since last season if you did it last year at all. Riding in groups, getting unstuck, riding at night and hand signals are just a few things to rekindle your snowmobile thinking. Safe riding tips include watch for the signs, look out for animals, don’t leave your buddy behind, cross roads carefully either a main road or a woods road, the logging trucks have the right of way, don’t ride alone, don’t do drugs or drink alcohol when riding, respect our landowners and stay on the trail, drive under control and stay right, and here’s a big one know before you go, ice conditions vary foot by foot. We’ve lost to many snowmobil er’s account of thin ice. Lately with our warm winters the ice has not been good ice. Check over your trailers check for breaks on the frame work, lights, electrical plugs, wheels, tires, bearings, if your tires have I have heard many suggestions from “SNO” or “ATV” stickers to different colors. Well, we aren’t supposed to write on arrows, so the sticker idea is out. Production of an additional color arrow does not adhere to the national standard and would add cost as well as major effort to deploy. We have many areas where there are shared trails and then a split or cross ing between ATV and snowmobile trails, so what’s the solution? The fact is we already have the answer using our existing signage. We have snowmobile and ATV signs. The simple solution looks like the image on the next column to the right: I’m aware that putting up another sign requires another backer, another fastener, and more effort but it provides clarity to rid ers unfamiliar with the local trail system. Remember, a main focus of the Trail Commit tee is to ensure that riders can find their way easily and safely reach their destination. There

year they reviewed the gas tax split on users and how that comes out. It looks like into this year’s budget for Joe’s office, to put back into the trail program will increase $220 thousand out of gas tax for the snowmobile programs. We will be putting in a bill this session to increase funding for the trails fund and right now it looks like we are going to focus on sales tax of snowmobiles. Trail Committee: Brent Spalding: We had our first mapping dinner last week and the next four weeks we have more dinners planned to get our routes mapped out. There are major bridge projects, the ITS reroute that Less is involved in, a new bridge going in that was washed out last year; it’s happening. Logging operations not sure where they are going to be yet so some of the clubs don’t know where the trails are going to be. When the time comes the clubs will react and we will have a continuous system we can ride. Our job is to have a safe navigation to get you from A to B and have a good time. At the seminar at the Snowmobile show one question was asked about railing on bridges. I refer people to the Best Practices Manual. The manual tell you how to build a railing but not when it is required. After talking to Joe, there is no hard and fast rule about railing. Just use your common sense. If you have a bridge 40 FT high, you need a railing. Membership Committee: Eileen Lafland: Eileen read off the different regions and the totals for each region. Total members are 4059. Hall of Fame Chair: Gail Ryan: Sent cards to members for different reasons. Hospitality: Gail Ryan – Told us a wonderful joke. Matt: Social media conduct try – be positive; be professional; be courteous; provide timely and accurate information; timely posts; pictures. Just be careful posting things. 50/50 – Mike Whitten $148.00 Pot of Gold – Fox Glenn SC in Augusta. They were not present. Motion to adjourn – all in favor cracks buy new ones. And make sure your hitch is secure when you take off along with the safety pin. Clothing is important as well. You’ll be more comfortable with the right helmet, gloves, boots and base, mid and outer cloth ing. Waterproof, windproof are a must for Maine winters. We have many shared trails on our system be aware of cross country, bikers, snowshoe ing, horseback riders and walkers. Please remember we’re a class act outfit and yes I’m bragging! We have to take care of our landowners and supporting businesses. You volunteers make it happen I’m so proud to be part of this trail ride that makes our State a true destination snowmobile hot spot because of folks like you all. People from all over our country and Canada ride our system because of the passion you have for MSA snowmobiling! Thank you, Be safe out there! AL are several joint ATV/Snowmobile clubs that should already have both signs. For those areas that have independent clubs, reach out to each other and get it done. Also, signs can be obtained through the ATV or Snowmobile

S ecretary’s report Betsy Watson – Motion to accept by Ron Nunes and second by Troy Grass. No errors or omissions. Motion carried. The treasurer’s report was read and placed on file at the office. President’s (Mark Chinnock) opening comments: MSA has been busy. Even though the MSA snowmobile show is over (which was great), we went to the Epping Grass Drags in New Hampshire and the Snowmobile Expo in Mass representing snowmobiling in Maine. Thank you to the kitchen crew for such a wonderful meal. Executive Vice-President: Matt Stedman – We have great conversations about Maine snowmobiling and the clubs. Most of them that we talked to want to come back so thank you for doing such a great job catering to all the out of starters that come snowmobiling here in our State. Great work. Make sure that Betsy Watson, Secretary 207-205-1559 412 Roberts Ridge Rd, East Waterboro, ME 04030 watson.betsy29@gmail.com

Safety Committee

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

Trails Committee Chair Report

divisions of ACF in Augusta. Until next month…… Brent

Brent Spaulding, MSA Trails Chairman 207-944-7762 41 Madison Ave Brewer ME 04412 msatrailchair@gmail.com

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From The Executive Board

way. Clubs and their teams are working hard on trails, bridges, and grooming equipment in anticipation of a great season. Remember to register your snowmobiles and do not forget to join a club and participate in that club. Not only is there labor work to be done, but there is an enormous amount of work that you can do behind the scenes with management, fundraising, membership and more. So even if you think you cannot help in the woods, you can still contribute a great deal. The MSA Central Region is the gateway to the Northwoods for tourists and many of our clubs operate with small teams. So please follow our websites and social media sites for information on individual clubs in the areas you ride and pitch in where you can. I would also like to thank all of you who attended the Central Region Directors meeting at the VFW in Madison. And a special thanks to all that helped set up and prepare the delicious meal. Ron Nunes, Central Region VP W ell, the end of another year is almost here and it doesn’t’ seem possible we will soon say Hello to 2025!! The Fall of 2024 has been too warm to make us feel like winter is coming, but hopefully by the time you read this it will have arrived. With the dry condi tions in Oct. and most of Nov. at least some of the water holes have dried up. Let’s hope they stay that way, freeze hard, and allow us a winter like we deserved and definitely want. I know there are people out there doing cold weather and snow dances now, so maybe if we all do them it will happen! On Nov. 19 th MSA brought back President’s night and what a night it was! I couldn’t be more proud of Eastern Maine Snowmobilers and especially cook for the night Larry Lafland and his crew for putting on a wonderful meal. They served 23 presidents and a total of 70+ meals in a short period of time. Great job by There are 4,175 members and 882 business members for a total of 5,057 memberships. Compared to last year as of mid-November we are almost 1,000 total memberships ahead this year! Totals be region as of 11/23/24 Coastal- 594, Central-687, Northern -1,104, Western- 1,330 and Eastern – 1,335 high school senior planning to attend are eligi ble to apply. All the necessary information is available on our website and we have worked to streamline the process to the point that we have heard from past applicants that our appli cation is relatively easy to complete. The due date may seem to be a ways off but April 1, will be here sooner than you think. The committee would like ways to encourage as many families as possible to apply. With the two winners each getting $1,500 we feel like this is a significant way to help support our MSA family members with the cost of educa tion. The MSA office is always willing to help with any questions that might arise and every scholarship committee member is willing to offer any support that we can. Sticking with the holiday theme, we are always looking for donations or pledges to help build the scholarship fund so that we can give as much as possible. We have had a really good year in terms of finances and we want to continue to build so that our awards can keep up with the rising cost of post high school edu cation. If you, your club or anyone you know might be interested in supporting our cause, please feel free to reach out to any of us . Thanks to each and every one that has helped in the past and wishing all a happy and healthy holidays season. Incredible work to ALL the clubs who are working hard to renew members and sign up new ones. I did notice quite a few members who are returning to clubs after two or more years not being members. Glad to have you back in the clubs and back with MSA! Report as of Nov. 23,2024- (after the two-day ,700 + memberships were entered}187 of the state’s 284 clubs have submitted memberships to MSA. One club has over 400 (Rangeley), one club over 200 (Washburn) and two clubs over 100 ( Moosehead and Blue Ridge).

ties! While this bond is not a silver bullet to our funding concerns it is a significant step forward and will hopefully provide some true support and relief to many club projects in the coming years. MSA leadership and I are work ing diligently with state officials to urge that the grant process be as simple as possible so that clubs can put this funding to use as soon as possible without a lot of red tape. Additionally, I am also working with MSA leadership on potential legislative strategies to attract additional funding for our clubs, mainte nance and infrastructure. There continues to be a lot of details to iron out, but we are being dil igent in exploring all opportunities. Stay tuned! The new Legislature will be seated on Decem ber 4, and they will return to Augusta in early January to begin their work in earnest. I am anx iously awaiting committee assignments to better understand what legislators we will be working with most closely, and look forward to build ing new relationships and educating legislators about the positive benefits of snowmobiling and the snowmobile economy here in Maine. Until next time, please have a safe and relaxing holiday season, and hopefully, we’ll see you on the trail early this season! James Cote Maine Snowmobile Association Lobbyist afternoon from what I see clubs have been busy painting drags and getting their equipment up and running for what we hope to be a better winner than last year. I’m hoping to get back into the motion of things and start feeling better from some medical hurdles. I’ve had to jump. I just want to say that I appreciate everybody’s patience, understanding and giving me words of encouragement. I enjoy seeing things come together for the sport that we all enjoy although I may not be able to ride this year. I am certainly excited to see people while I’m serving up a hot meal at the T-bone Trail in Limerick. The holidays are here and I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving and has a fantastic upcoming Christmas. I hope to get together with some clubs and speak in regards to fundraising and talking about grants. I hope everybody enjoys the upcoming months and get a bunch of riding in. As always don’t hesitate to reach out to me if anybody needs anything merry Christmas everybody and have a happy new year. Matthew Baron W ell folks, just got back from a great meeting in Holden, it was presidents night and 75 were in attendance. Great supper, great people, the MSA is an organization we can be very proud of. We will hold the January meeting here in the western region; it will be held at the Masonic lodge on route 219 in Leeds (many thanks to Brad and Marie). I am proposing this to be another president’s night, so we can meet and honor the presidents in the southern part of this great state, more info next month. Many thanks go out to all the fantastic VOLUNTEERS that make our trails what they are, we realize that you do not get the recognition you deserve, keep on, keeping on. Enough of my babbling get out and do a snow dance, let’s pray for a good year of riding, lots of snow, our businesses deserve it. Till next month, ride right, ride safe. GOD BLESS Jerry allowing us to be there, and to Matt Stedman and Brent Spaulding for speaking to those in attendance. These regional meetings are always a nice chance to meet with clubs and discuss topics that they want to talk about. Hopefully there will be two more in January, so clubs watch for your invitations. Eastern Region clubs- Once again you are getting members to join and renew and are sending in those memberships are a great pace. Keep up the wonderful work you are doing. I’ve said it before and will many more times: I am proud of what the clubs in the Eastern region do and all the effort they put forth to make snowmobiling in this area so great. Have a wonderful holiday season everyone and hope that 2025 comes in roaring with cold, cold weather and lots and lots of snow. We ALL DESERVE it!!

MSA Lobbyist Capitol Report

Scholarship Committee

James Cote MSA Lobbyist

Harvey Chesley, 207-314-0637 25 Hillcrest Dr, Clinton ME 04927 harv.chesley@gmail.com H ello fellow snowmobilers, with the holi days fast approaching it’s a great time to think about the MSA scholarship if you have any high school or college age students com ing home. Most all students will be home for an extended period of time for either Christ mas break or at least some family time. Any dependent family maybe either currently enrolled in post high school programs or any

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reetings Maine Snowmobilers! I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving and the start of our holiday sea son. As I write this I am so pleased to see sev eral inches of snow on the ground already and more snow and cold weather in the forecast! I am pleased to report, as you likely already know, that the $30 million trails bond passed in November with flying colors, and attracted more support than any other bond measure. In fact, the trails bond won in 14 out of 16 coun

From The Membership Corner

Coastal Region VP

Matthew Baron, 207-608-3737 92 Emery Corner Rd, Limerick, ME 04048 msacoastalregion@gmail.com Well, it’s December already winter is in the air. Some folks have already seen snowfall. It’s exciting and gets everybody’s blood flowing but quickly disappoint when it melts come

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

W OW!! In a two-day span in late No vember between Liz in the office and myself we entered over 700 memberships!!!

Western Region VP

Central Region VP

Ron Nunes, 401-527-5370 260 Last Round Up Rd, Lexington Twp, ME 04961 Thelastroundup2018@gmail.com T he leaves are falling temperatures are dropping. Fall is here, and winter is on its

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

MSA president Mark and Director of Opera tions Al for keeping the meeting rolling ahead. Most importantly a BIG THANK YOU to all the Presidents for what you do. Thanks also to ALL CLUB MEMBERS for making our sport fun and safe while making sure your clubs are operating and keeping the doors open. By the time you read this, there will be some very happy people, as the Super Raffle draw ing will have already taken place. Congratu lations to all the winners and thank you to all the clubs for selling tickets this year. It always amazes me how many tickets are sold and how many ways clubs find to sell them. Again, great job to all the clubs that sold tickets. Also, by the time this hits your mailboxes another Eastern regional meeting will have been held. This one was at the East Branch Sno Rovers clubhouse in East Millinocket/ Medway. Thanks to everyone at the club for

Eastern Region VP

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

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