Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
Page 53
Page 54
Page 55
Page 56
Page 57
Page 58
Page 59
Page 60
Page 61
Page 62
Page 63
Page 64
Page 65
Page 66
Page 67
Page 68
Page 69
Page 70
Page 71
Page 72
Late Winter 2016 5 A message from VAST President Tim Mills Letters Orange County Sheri Bill Bohnyak and VAST President Tim Mills discussed club and law enforcement relationships on Feb. 13 at the 6th Annual Snowmobile Safety Day event at Champlain Valley Equipment in East Randolph. To date I have ridden my sled a total of two times. Once was to unload it o from my trailer to be serviced and the second was to load it back on. When the season began we were all thinking that we were just o to a slow start.Just wait a few weekswe kept telling ourselves. There will be a big noreaster and we will be in business grooming before you know it. Who would have thought that we wouldnt receive a substantial snowstorm all winter However there were a few areas in Vermont with sections of trail open where you can put some miles on. Some clubs have made great eorts to provide a few trails for the membership to enjoy. When riding these few open trails we must heed the conditions warnings posted by VAST and the clubs. There is a reason these warnings are posted - rider safety. These early seasonconditions consisting of shallow snow cover thin ice exposed tree roots rocks water bars and other objects are hazards that riders need to be mindful of. Accidents are more prone to happen when we encounter conditions and situations that we are not prepared for or that we are unaware of. There is nothing that rocks our snowmobile community more than when we hear of someone having an accident. Some counties across the state have a day devoted towards the prevention of snowmobile related accidents. In February Orange County held a Snowmobile Safety Day sponsored by Orange County Sheris Department and Champlain Valley Equipment. In addition to being able to get your sled inspected and receive a safety sticker this event also allows people from the community to meet with local law enforcement. It gives them a chance to ask questions voice concerns and get an insight on what the local law enforcement does within the snowmobile community. A few times a year Orange County clubs invite local law enforcement to our monthly meetings. Both law enforcement and the local clubs are able to openly discuss a wide range of topics. Some of these topics include trail related accidents snowmobile violations and landowner relations. Along with law enforcement ocers another resource you have within your community are first responders. This includes firefighters rescue squads and EMTs. Building a relationship with your local first responders allows you to coordinate a more ecient response if an emergency occurs. Ride safely and smooth trails - Tim Mills VAST President I am sure everyone will express a common theme in their year-end reports that details just how crappy this season was. I wont pile onI will agree though. Instead of reliving this nightmare of a season I wanted to share with anyone reading this a particular situation our club experienced in February. Our longtime Trailmaster Ray Heath was involved in a very bad auto accident. He is recovering and will be his regular self after a period of recovery but it made me pause to think about our volunteers and landowners. Ray has been an ardent supporter of snowmobiling and has put countless hours of time labor and money into preserving the VAST trail system throughout Caledonia and Essex counties. He is also a Landowner that supports Class 1 and 3 trails across his propertiesa LOT of trails across his properties. Needless to say when we heard about the accident our clubs first concern was about Ray and his family. Once we had heard from him that he was going to be okay we all breathed a sigh of relief. Snowmobiling might be a sport to some but we think of our group as family. I am sure that all of Orange County Sheri Bill Bohnyak and Sargent Ben Herrick complete a safety inspection on Eric Kenyons snowmobile. Beth Godin photos Continued on page 6 year but were still never sure. Take a weekend and go support the businesses that make riding in Vermont a great recreation. Gas is cheap. Even if we cant ride its worth the trip. - Bob Russo Newark E-Z Riders I am more than happy to have paid my VAST fees this year for my two sleds. My son Eric and I have not been on the trails at all this season and if that ends up being the case I know that my membership fees will still go to good use. I will even make another donation if you need some additional funds. We are so very lucky to be a part of such a great organization and we know the hard work that goes into maintaining the trails. - Matt Eric Victor Side Hill Snow Cronchers