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4 Snowmobile VERMONT This has been a very discouraging winter. Most of us have not had the opportunity to enjoy the sport that we love so much. The volunteers work so hard to get everything ready and wait because they look forward to riding their sleds also. Businesses are having it tough because they need the snowmobile activity to help survive the long winter months. We must all remember that winters in the Northeast Kingdom can vary year to year. Remember last year Wow what a good season that was The most important thing to remember is that regardless of what this winter turns out to be your local club and VAST needs your support. Trail maintenance is a year long job and is not cheap. Clubs still need to make payments on their grooming equipment and pay all the other bills. Most of that comes from VAST. The TMA and club memberships are an investment in your riding future as well as a pass to ride the trails. Help keep the security of your favorite trails by supporting your local club and VAST. It stinks having trails ready and no snow but keep this in mind... What if we had all kinds of snow and no groomed trails because clubs lost their grooming equipment or VAST could not afford to pay them to groom Protect the future of your groomed trails by supporting your local clubs and VAST. - Raymond Rodrigue Orleans Snow Stormers Its been a tough year for everyone. We need to try to hang together and support the businesses that help to make riding in Vermont so enjoyable. If you cant get there by sled at least try to go to some of your favorite restaurants and other businesses by car. They depend on us to make it through the winter in many cases. The same applies to club activities and fundraisers. Held off on buying a TMA Many of the costs are still there. Clubs are still making groomer payments and the VAST staff is working hard to ensure future trails and increase efficiency throughout the organization. Remember were a grassroots volunteer organization. Please continue to be active. The rewards will come. - Dave Ladd Grand Isle County Director Alburg Sno Springers Letters Send your letters by email editorvtvast.org or mail to 26 Vast Lane Barre VT 05641 Got something to say Lets hear it LETTERS 26Vast Lane BarreVT 05641 editorvtvast.org facebook.comVTVAST Total snow accumulation for New England in inches Sept. - March. Courtesy NOAA 201415 201516 We all know every year when we buy our trail passes that our sport is weather dependent. Sometimes we take the great trail coverage for granted. This will just make us appreciate it that much more next season. I feel much worse for the businesses that depend on rider revenue so heavily that they will not survive a season like this. - Brian Quinn Woodford Sno-Busters Registered all three sleds this year. Zero miles on VT trails. We will register all our sleds next year also. You have to support the clubs whether there is snow or not. No clubs no trails. Regardless of snow - Thomas Perkins Upper Valley Snow Packers I have supported VAST every year since the early 80s. There have been lean years but never one where there was virtually no riding everywhere. We need to remember that the groomers that didnt turn a track will still be needed next year and the years after. The emergency grant that fixed a problem or a break in the trail network makes it possible to keep that trail open for next year and the years after. Everyone is welcome to review VASTs expenses and income at Annual Meeting to see where our money was used in the worst winter anyone can remember. - Ken Kemon Hurricane Riders I will continue to purchase an Early Bird TMA every year regardless if it snows or not. VAST and all the hard working clubs need this money to assure we all have nice trails to ride on when there is snow I put a big screen TV in my garage and invite my friends over. We park our sleds in front of the big screen watch YouTube videos and pretend were out for a trail ride. We can even drink beer and stay completely safe this way too - Fred St Onge Shrewsbury Sno-Birds We have been riding in Vermont since 1997. Even though this winter is looking like its going to be a bust it is nice to know that the money spent on three TMAs will be used to ensure that our sport keeps moving forward. Thank you we have never had a bad day of riding in Vermont We have enjoyed many wonderful seasons of riding in Vermont and it is all due to the hard work and dedication of the people who support the sport. One bad year will not change how I feel. We will be buying our TMAs again next year without hesitation. Thank you for all you do - The Gilles Family Sno-Bees of Barre Buying a TMA is the chance we all take. We are hopeful of a snow