Winter 2018 | 5 VAST News A message from VAST Vice President Jeff Fay Mother Nature is one variable that can’t be controlled when it comes to any outdoor activity. After what appeared to be a blessing of an above average mid-December beginning to the season, in she steps, with negative 35 degree to above 50 degree temperatures, rain, wind, flooding, snow and ice. All that was just within 36 hours, causing trail damage, fallen trees and the loss of weeks of grooming work. It reduced many areas back to non-rideable conditions. Those locations lucky enough to survive with some trail base intact, saw it turn to a sheet of ice while waiting impatiently for a few inches of new snow. Once again, Mother Nature decided to smile and dropped a few inches here and there over the next week or so, bringing riding back to life across the state. However, as we have all seen, fickle she is. A mid-January thaw is upon us as this is being written, with more rain, undesirable temperatures and little to no “white gold” in the forecast. Never fear, as they say, “This too shall pass.” With the variable weather patterns, it becomes harder and harder to plan a ride, not to mention harder to organize a club activity. Many clubs have fundraisers planned on most weekends from January through March. It is still important to support these events even if you can’t ride. Poker runs, calcuttas, hot dog roasts and dinners featuring just about every food one could think of are all ways clubs raise funds to keep functioning. Not all, but most are accessible by vehicle if trail conditions are not favorable to ride in. I urge you to get out and support your local club or support a club where you ride. It’s not as fun as a day on the trails, but still a chance to get together with friends to have a good time. February and March are usually the best riding months. So, being optimistic, the best is yet to come if one lady decides she wants to cooperate. Get out and ride as weather permits, but please heed the advice of clubs if they request riders stay off certain trails or if they have closed trails. It is usually to protect landowner property or preserve the trail base in warmer temperatures. Thank a volunteer, thank a groomer operator and, by all means, thank a landowner. Enjoy the rest of the season! Ride right, ride safe, ride with respect. – Jeff Fay, VAST Vice President PHOTO CONTEST By Michael Koehler On Dec. 9, the Orleans County Snowmobile Association held a snowmobile safety course with instructors Roger Gosselin and Michael Koehler. The event was graciously hosted and sponsored by North Country Hospital in Newport. RN Kathy DiCarlo and Vermont State Trooper Albert Stringer also assisted with instructing the students. Their careers give them special insight and knowledge into snowmobiling- specific medical concerns and Vermont snowmobile laws. The instructors were pleasantly surprised when 32 students showed up and the class was standing room only. The cost for this class was by donation of two non-perishable items for the Jay Area Food Shelf. The participants’ ages spanned from 12 all the way up to 72 years old. Special thanks goes to Jay Focus Group, Track Inc. (formerly Get-Sno) and Ron and Sara Merrill for all their help with this great class. EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES Send those photos in! All six winners will get a Snowmobile Vermont beanie hat and their photo published in the magazine. First place receives a TMA for next year and the cover shot of the Fall 2018 issue. All photos must be high resolution and at least 2 MB in file size. Provide your full name as the photographer. Provide the first and last names of people in the photo, their snowmobile club(s) and location of photo. Once you submit your photo, you are giving VAST permission to use this photo in the magazine and for future marketing purposes. To enter: Upload your photo and caption information to vtvast. org/ photocontest.html or email to editor@ vtvast.org with the subject PHOTO CONTEST.