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 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 8026 | Snowmobile VERMONT By William Thomas Sr. and Fellow Snowmobilers In a 2009 demographic study, women made up 12 percent of the riders in our sport, accounting for about 17,000 female riders across the US. In Vermont, that number is 13 percent using the last two years of TMA data. The snowmobile industry has taken notice of the rise in female riders and has begun to increase marketing to them. My favorite riding partner has always been my wife. We have shared countless miles of smiles together through the years. Many seasons later, my two daughters have joined in and I could not be happier about enjoying the trails with them as well. The women of our sport have always been the glue that has held it together. Let us also not forget all the behind-the-scenes work many do to keep things going at the club, county and VAST level. Female riders are no longer just sitting on the back of a two-up as was common in the early days of snowmobiling. They are now leading the way on group rides and winning races on the snocross circuit. Why we all snowmobile is obvious when listening to stories about our involvement in the sport. The good news is that it is available for all to enjoy. In this issue, we will hear from three women who range in age from their teens to their 80s. All of them share that common bond of family, friends and fun when it comes to snowmobiling. Irene Roberts Durham, Conn. and Island Pond, Vt. It’s a long story! In 1969 at age 36, I drove a friend’s Arctic Cat. The next week, I went out and bought my first snowmobile: a 1969 Polaris 10 HP Playmate. From then on, I was hooked! Friends and neighbors got into the sport and At 83 years old, Irene knows that the secret of staying young is snowmobiling the day away in Vermont. we would make our own trails through the woods having a great time together. Then I married my husband, George, who had a snowmobile, of course. Every few years, we would update our machines to get that “little better ride.” Then we started going to Yellowstone National Park and other states including Mass., N.Y., Maine and Vt. After trailering all around every winter, we fell in love with Vermont and 20 years ago, we bought some property and built a small cabin in the Northeast Kingdom so we could come and go as we please. I have snowmobiled every year for 47 winters. I am now 83 years old and am looking forward to the 2017 season. I love to just be out on the trail with all the beauty of the snow-covered trees, rolling hills, open fields, views from the hilltops and looking for wildlife. When gliding along on a smooth trail, it’s not about the miles; it’s about the smiles. Every summer when I am working in the heat in my garden, snowmobiling keeps me going. I am always looking forward to the next ride. Snowmobiling is not only for the young; it is also for the young at heart! I have enjoyed every mile and hope to have many more beautiful smiles and miles here in the NEK of Vermont. Why I Snowmobile