b'VAST NewsA message from VAST Vice President Mark Reaveslimiting him.is where the railbed crosses a Not wantingdirt road that goes down to some to riskcamps on the lake shore. I get permanentthere and we load up and then damage, weI had to figure out how to turn decided toaround. I decided that there must turn aroundbe a wider spot further down and limpthe road, maybe where the plow back to myturns around. Nope, the road just place. Whileseems to get narrower the further stopped atdown we go and then the plowing OE101, Igets sketchy so I decided that I happened towill unhook the trailer and turn notice whatit by hand. Its a 10X12 Sno Pro looked likeHybrid. We cant turn it with the an oil leak.sled in it, so I decide to take the Sure enough,sled off. it was. I putAs I start backing out, I am him on myimmediately reminded that the sled andtrailer is no longer hitched to Every year we await the start of theheaded back to my house to getthe SUV. It flips up and the hinge snowmobile season with a sensethe trailer. Of course, my wifeon one side of the door snaps of anticipation that sometimeswasnt home, and neither wasoff and the other one is bent. borders on giddiness. We imaginethe SUV we use to tow. LuckilyThere is only one cable so that is ourselves gliding along on thatMikes parents live just up thewhat is holding the side with the magic, white carpet laid down byroad and were home, so he wentbroken hinge on. It is diagonal the groomer, not a care in the worldup to get his dads truck. Wein the opening. We finally get the and not a bump in sight. Its ourloaded his sled on and droppeddoor back in place to the point escape from the sometimes harshit off at a mechanic. I guess wewhere we could drive the sled and sometimes mundane realitieswill see later this week what theback on the trailer and then take of our everyday life. When theleak is and if there has been anyanother 20 minutes to get it lined start of the season is delayed, likeserious damage done. back up and latched closed and this one, the sense of anticipationIn the meantime, my son decidedtake off for home. is heightened. It was with thesehe was still going to go for a feelings I approached my first rideride and parted ways with usThe lessons I took away from our of 2023 during the last weekend ofwhen we showed up with themagical first ride?January.trailer. Fast forward to 5 p.m.Always make sure your trailer The first ride of the 2023 seasonthat evening. Im sitting on myis hooked or has jack stands was with my son Carter and mycouch and the phone rings withdown when backing off.friend Mike, who keeps his sled ata number I do not recognize. IIts pretty darn dark in Groton my house in Barre Town. Despitewarily pick it up and it is my sonState Forest at night.the anticipation and grandioseon someone elses phone. He is dreams of smooth trails andbarely audible, but I finally makeNever go down an unfamiliar trouble-free riding, we outwardlyout that he is on the rail bed inroad thinking There has to be a kept our expectations in check. WeGroton and somehow put a holewider spot to turn around. There left my place in Barre Town aroundin his heat exchanger. He was allusually isnt and it could always 10 a.m. on Saturday. The trails wereright, but obviously the sled cantget narrower and sketchier. decent, and we saw lots of peoplereally go anywhere. I told him IllSnowmobiling is fun!out riding. We decided to headhook up the trailer and come getI hope you all had memorable towards Washington and somehim.first rides this year.Keep higher elevation.Of course, my wife is still at herwishing for snow and I hope to As we started heading out of thefriends house to watch a movie,see you on the trails.village, my friends machine startedso I have to have her come home.Mark Reaves, VAST Vice Presidentbeeping at him, the check engineI hooked up the trailer and head light came on and it started revto Groton to pick up the boy. He Winter 2023 | 5'