Winter 2019 | 19 Who’s In The Groomer? By Patty Companik The Hartland Hill Hoppers have four core groomer operators and one operator who grooms occasionally. Jerome Castellini is a groomer operator who fills in and grooms when needed. Ronnie Rice, Alan Dunklee, Roy Coley and Troy Nadeau are the four core groomers for the 44 miles of trails the Hartland Hill Hoppers care for. Between these five men, the HHH trails are well maintained. The club also wants to mention that their current Vice President Mark Walker also used to groom for the club at one time. RonnieRice,AlanDunklee,RoyColey&TroyNadeau HartlandHillHoppers RonnieRice Ronnie began his snowmobiling career in 1968. Yes, that’s 50 years ago! A neighbor of theirs had a sled and let the kids ride it around the yard. After that experience, Ronnie was hooked. He started grooming with his own sled. The drag he used was an angle iron. He groomed the trails for years with that set up. Eventually, the club purchased a used Tucker and that made grooming more enjoyable. Ronnie is part of a grooming crew which cares for 44 miles of trails. He typically grooms Saturday nights with his wife, Yvonne, and occasionally during the week. He refers to his wife as his grooming co-pilot. Like many groomer operators, he loves the smooth trail he leaves behind and he cringes at the riders who tear up that smooth trail he just laid out for folks to enjoy. Grooming is a commitment and Ronnie shared there’s a lot more that goes into it than most folks realize. AlanDunklee Alan began his grooming career in 1961, grooming ski trails. “The equipment has changed a lot through the years; it is much more refined now.” Alan grooms several times a week, covering approximately 35-60 miles. He enjoys keeping the trails smooth. Alan encourages others to get involved and give grooming a try. “It’s hard work sometimes, but it is very rewarding.” TroyNadeau Troy starting riding when he was 14 years old on a family farm. He was out on the trails with his friends just a few years later and purchased his own sled at 19. He looks forward to snowmobiling every year. Troy works for Alan Dunklee (HHH groomer operator). Alan asked him to ride with him one day. One day turned into a couple of years, and then Troy became a groomer operator himself just two years ago. The youngest groomer operator for the HHH, he grooms twice a week for the club. Going out and making the trails the best they can be for the best rider experience is something Troy enjoys about grooming the trails. Being a groomer operator takes a lot of practice and getting used to. Understanding how the grooming machine works is critical. It’s not as easy as it looks. Ice is always a challenge because it’s hard to keep traction, plus the snow just wants to slide off the ice. “Once you get used to all of it, it is a fun and enjoyable adventure.” Secretary Scott Brown, Trailmaster Jerome Castellini, Vice President Mark Walker, Trailmaster Alan Dunklee, Paul Tetreault, President Yvonne Rice, Treasurer Roy Coley and Trailmaster Ronnie Rice.