b'TRAILS REPORTBy Matt Tetreault, VAST Trails AdministratorI am generally able to produce someknow anything else. Besides, if theyinch mogul, and the sled has 386 of interesting writing/stories/rhetoric inmoved south, they would need to findtravel, so no problem. My kids, on the these little articles, but I am strugglingsomething else to complain about orother hand, are riding older sleds that a bit this year. Riding opportunitiescomplain about the weather there! have much less suspension capabilities. have been far and few betweenSo, the above makes it seem as if IHey, they are young, and may as well this year, and overall, it has beenam negative or grumpy. I am a little.ride like we all did when we were filled with transition personally andGood riding from December to Aprilkids, on older stuff that does not ride professionally.would be nice, but truthfully, it isas well. You must earn the way up! Here at the VAST office, we havenot realistic anymore. The less-than- The trails were decent considering we changed personnel and positionsfantastic weather has allowed me timemet forty other riders in a short time, around. It is difficult to see co-workersfor other hobbies, like working onand we were able to wind our way up you enjoy moving on to other careerold snowmobiles so I can sit back andto the lookout and take in wonderful opportunities, but at the same time youlook at themand not ride them! Iviews of the White Mountains and know they are doing what is best forkeep thinking about turning one intosurrounding areas. It was a bluebird them and their family. The transitiona jet ski somehow. It has more thanday and was a great excursion for us.can be difficult but is incrediblylikely been done. I just need to look onOn the way back from the lookout, positive just the same, it can simplyYouTube, which I will eventually do.the sun was starting to sink lower take time to get there. This transitionDespite my complaining here, therein the sky and coupled with the ice has required this old dog to learn newhave been pockets of decent ridingon the tops of the trees (which was tricks. Despite what everyone says,here in Vermont. It has been limitedcompletely elevation driven) created old dogs can learn new tricks, I think!to smaller areas and short-lived, butspectacular scenery. The sunlight was Maybe not successfully, but they canit has been there. I was fortunate toshining only on the tops of the trees learn a new trick just the same.get a short ride this past Sunday withand created a gorgeous sight for the The two flood events experiencedmy kids. Knowing the warm upeyes. Meanwhile along the trail, the this season have certainly caused uswas coming this week, I decided lateshadows created by the steep hills all some anxiety. I am only referringSunday that we needed to get outand valleys were magnificent. It did to trails and bridges, but it pales infor a quick ride. The kids requested acreate flat light along the trail too, but comparison to the devastation forscenic overlook where they could takeyou were able to ride in shadows for a those who lost homes and businessespictures of their sleds. I assume thesefew hundred feet and then into bright or even lives. July hit us in the gut, andphotos were wanted for social mediawarm sun. It was like riding from a December wanted to give us a shotsuch as FaceStory, Instacart or Tweeter.freezer into an 80-degree room when while we were already down. We alsoThere is no mystery in what kids arethe sun hit you as you emerged from tried to install new GPS units in thedoing nowadays. Their friends knowthe shadows.groomers that once again are givingwhat they are doing before they evenIt was a quick three-hour ride, but it us fits of utter disappointment thisdo it, I think. My kids have a trackerwas a wonderful time with the kids, winter. Worst of all though has beenon all their friends and know whereand I needed to readjust my attitude. the continued gross weather we havethey are at any given moment. ThatThe time with the kids, spectacular been experiencing!used to be stalking I think, but now itscenery and lighting on the trees I still hear folks in the grocery storeis the norm. Go figure. Oh, youre inreminded me how fun this is, and why complaining about spring not comingthe bathroom at Dennys? What are youI enjoy it. My son now rides with a soon enough. I wanted to pipe up anddoing there? My algebra homework! GoPro camera, and I had hoped I could say, Hasnt it been like spring sinceYes, I digressed yet again there.steal a still image of the sunlight in the November? But instead, I just thinkAnyhow, I decided we needed to feedtreetops from him, but low and behold, to myself, What a wonderful worldthese social media outlets with photosit was not working. Instead, you get and I break into song in the middle ofof sleds at a wintery lookout, so wea view of the Presidential Range in the store. No, not really, but I digress.headed for the lookout in Groton.New Hampshire from our Vermont I do think, We havent had a winterIt was late Sunday afternoon andride! I am hopeful there will be an yet, so why are you complaining? Is itknowing the temperature was warm,opportunity for at least a few more possible that you should not live herethe sun was out, and that it was a hotbefore we put the sleds away for the in Vermont then? Maybe head southriding area for the entire weekend, Iseason, but only time will tell. to where it is warmer and 98 percentknew it was what it was. And it was!Despite the less than average winter, of the time there is no snow? If youIt was well ridden all weekend, butkeep your heads up and spirits high. do not enjoy snow or have anythingoverall, the trail was not bad. WhenSneak those days in while you can enjoyable to do in it, why would youthere is not deep snow, it is moreand enjoy the moments you have with want to live here? Maybe because theydifficult to create a mogul. A four-inchfamily and friends out on the trails. have a home and life here and do notbase can only really create an eight-10 | Snowmobile VERMONT'