8306-R2_MSA_March2023

sador Ride 2023 tt Stedman

to be a part of the weekend and following weeks’ ride. Saturday we had a group ride planned with an evening fund raiser. Also joining us were Polaris ambassador Mike Keith from Michigan, as well as Arlon Springer from Pennsyl vania who had come to NH earlier in the week to explore. 35 sleds joined us for a chilly morning ride over some of the scenic Pittsburg NH area trail system. It was a fun day, new sights to see, a blue bird day for pictures at some of the mountain overlooks. It was great to let others try some of the different model sleds on the ride. Lunch at the Buck Rub Pub and back to the Full Send Bar & Grill to finalize setup for the event. Thanks to generous snowmobilers and vendors we were able to raise $1,325 for the Pittsburg Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club.

Thursday was very cold and the guys hit Washburn Trail Runners Clubhouse for lunch, some local trails and a quick stop for a bogie wheel at Chandler Farms in Mapleton. Friday, we gathered for one last large group ride heading south out of Portage destined for Matagammon Wilderness Store for lunch and to see two of the guys off to head back to NH. 3 to 5 inches of fresh snow made for lots of snowdust and the need to ride further apart to ensure we could see well. Always a good meal here, and a new section of trail for most all in the group. Beautiful views of the hills and mountains around Katahdin. One of the parts of snowmobiling I enjoy most is the adventure/exploration part of the ride. Seeing new places, showing others neat places I have discovered over the years and talking to others along the trail about spots to see. The other is spending time with folks who also love snowmobiling and the outdoors. This trip I met new folks from all over who have a passion for riding sleds. Throughout the week we rode in about every weather & trail condition imaginable. Mid to-upper 40’s and sun, 30’s and rain, -10 and rock-solid trails and everything in between. Being prepared with the right clothing and equipment is important on a long trip. Once you have done a few trips it becomes more apparent, especially once you forget and must buy it along the way! We were very fortunate to have very few mishaps and only one minor breakdown along the way. Local dealers were very welcoming and helpful getting us in & out so we could get back on the trail.

I know that next year I will be planning a backpack trip to and around the Central & Western regions so Dylan and I can spend a bit more time exploring what they have to offer. In Aroostook County (and most of the northern tier of Maine) we are so very fortunate to have these great riding conditions right in our back yards, and the opportunity to ride them as soon as the weather cooperates. We spent time with riding with folks who trailered 12-20 hours to get here. That’s extreme dedi cation to snowmobiling. We are fortunate to have people that come to our state and spend their vacation time and money here. It is a major boost to rural Maine. Thank you all for supporting our state, clubs, and communities.

Loring AFB 2/20/23

The journey home was to be another long one-day affair, so we could land back in the County with the group and put some miles on Monday. 4 of us left around 7AM and headed north. We did take a few more pit stops on the way back, some picture opportunities in Maine we hadn’t done on the way down. The morning trails were awesome but school vacation week traffic took its toll and by early afternoon there were some long miles! We came back the same route, knowing what it had in store for us and where/when to pit stop. Landing back home about 9 PM, the guys got to Dean’s in Portage to join Chris Letourneau & Curtis Lewis from southern Maine, Justin Royer & Steve Larson from Pennsylvania as well as Mike Keith and Arlon Springer who had trailered up Sunday. Monday’s agenda included a trip to former Loring AFB to check out the B-52 hanger and runway. The sheer size of the building is breathtaking. Great times and a beautiful day for riding.

A huge thank you to all the 25+ clubs who made our rides possible. Without the landowners, clubs and their members dedicating numerous hours of time throughout the year none of this would have ever happened. Our group joined clubs as we pro gressed through the trip, making sure to help where we could. Clubs are key to this sport and our ability to enjoy it.

Estcourt Station 2/22/23

Denny Pond, Deboullie Unit, BPL 2/22/23

Tuesday we headed up through Eagle Lake (stopping to see the Yeti), over to Sly Brook then to Lakeview for a great lunch. It was another nice clear day, this year we got to the over looks and could see something! Last year we tried describing the sights during white-out conditions. Trails were good, clubs working hard with lots of additional snowmobiles out during school vacation week. Wednesday we headed north for Estcourt Station. Travelling through Deboullie with a stop into Denny & Galilee Ponds for some pictures. Most folks ride right through the Deboullie trail and never get to see some of the great sights like the rockslide on Gardiner Pond or fire tower view from Deboullie Pond. From there to Allagash, Two-Rivers for lunch and up the road for some gas. Its great when your friends have friends all over the state and can hook you up with some gas when there isn’t any commercially available. Up and across the St John River bridge, North on ITS92 to the tip-top of north-western Maine. A few pictures, some nice overlooks along the upper portion of the state of Maine looking into Quebec, and we headed south with a plan to make it to Portage before dark.

Matagammon Wilderness 2/24/23

Frenchville Scenic Overlook 2/21/23

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