Summer 2017 | 25 VAST Memories “We all stopped at a motel and the prices were a little steep, but the desk clerk told us they had a room for half price, because the air conditioner didn’t work.” “I’ll take it!” Bill exclaims. “Well, it just happened that Bill had driven his service truck to Augusta, so he goes into the room, pulls the access cover off the A/C unit, discovers what’s wrong with it and fixes the dang thing!” Eleanor's husband, Howard, was at the interview and told of a funny story when they were over in Augusta, Maine at a conference. This merry band of history making pioneers traveled together all over the United States and Canada during those early years, attending as many International Snowmobile Congress meetings as possible, explaining and sharing ideas to other groups and wishing for the same success enjoyed by Vermont's VAST organization. A somber, touching moment occurred a few years ago when Corky visited her old boss and VAST's first director, Carmi Duso, at a nursing home, just before he passed away. "Carmi was a great guy," Corky says, as the rest nodded in agreement, "But he was so, so stubborn! You could not change his mind once he made a decision, no matter what, right or wrong! But he was a good friend and a good boss. Before I left, Carm asks me, ‘See that big field over there?’ I looked out the window of his room and replied ‘ ‘Yes, I see it, Carmi. What about it?’” In an ironic twist of fate, he nearly brings Corky to tears whispering, “That's my home farm over there. That's where I grew up." Thank you! Bill & Mitzi Oakes, Amos Colby, Norman Hayes, Howard & Eleanor Curtis, Milan & Corky Lawson, Carmi Duso, Ray & Marilyn White, Roger & Donna Ringuette, Jamie & Betty Jacobs, Star Orr, Marilyn Currier, Carmen & Charlie Joselyn, George Kries, Paul Jackson, Wayne Flynn, Gil Long, Herb Benoit, Lloyd Church, John Hall, Mary Stratton, Harold Turner, Elwyn Neil, Wilfred Bourdeau, Bill Sumner, Keneline Collins and so many other snowmobile pioneers that did the tough work 50 years ago!