b'In MemoryH arold Buzzy Eastmannumerous awards Jr., longtime trailmaster forfrom VAST over the Buckaroos of 302 andthe years, including owner/operator of BuzzysGroomer of the Year, Grooming, passed awayFamily of the Year, Outstanding on Feb. 15 at the age of 80.Trail Contribution, Certificate of Buzzy became involved inAppreciation for Ongoing Trail snowmobiling in 1964, whenConstruction (Buzzy liked to he and his brother-in-law,build trails), and an Award for Milt Lamberton, took a rideEnthusiasm. on a friends snowmobile. ItIn addition to building trails and only took that one ride beforegrooming, Buzzy also owned they were hooked. TheyHO Taylor Chevrolet, where he quickly went and boughthad started working when he a brand new 1965 Ski-Doowas 18 years old. He employed Bombardiers.Remembering many locals, and the Eastmans Buzzy and his wife Bettytreated them like an extension started riding when theirof their family. It wasnt long daughter, Judy, was 3 yearsbefore there were Chevys old. It was something fun toBUZZYparked in every driveway in do as a family. They joinedGroton. their local snowmobileWhen Betty and Buzzy tried club, the Buckaroos of 302,EASTMAN out their first Yamaha, a 1983 shortly after and the rest isPhazer, they were so impressed history. From 1974 to 2016,with it that they decided to Buzzy served as a groomerBy Taylor Lamberton start Wells River Snowmobile, a owner/operator, workingYamaha dealership, using an old as a private contractor forwarehouse on the same property VAST. He was instrumentalas the Chevy dealership. It in building and maintainingwasnt long before this small the 62 miles of trails thatbusiness grew and Betty and make up the Buckaroos trailBuzzy eventually sold all four system.brands of snowmobiles out of Buzzy first started groomingthe same dealership. In fact, with a Bombardier Alpine.Wells River Snowmobile was He operated it from 1974 tothe only dealership in Vermont 1982 and in his words, Itat the time to sell all four brands was a mean-steering bugger!under the same roof. I would get on it around 7In Buzzys younger days, the p.m. after working all dayfamily was a regular at the at HO Taylor ChevroletThunder Road and Catamount [now Wells River Chevrolet],race tracks. Their daughter, charge the battery up, fill itJudy, was a scorer for their up with gas, and by 11 p.m.,friend, Stub Fadden, driver of Id come back on my handsthe Nascar North #16.and knees, with the groomer out of gasRalph welding new sprockets on andBuzzy will be remembered for and the battery dead. Four hours wasspending a fortune on it, they sold ithis dedication and passion for all it and I could last. the following March, and the search forsnowmobiling. To Betty and Buzzy, In 1982, Ralph Hatch (who passedanother Tucker was on.snowmobiling was a year-round away in 1999) and Buzzy began a huntBuzzy and Ralph ran a number ofactivity. If they werent riding and the to find a used Tucker groomer. BettyTuckers over the years. Ralph wasground was bare, they were thinking wrote letters to ski resorts asking ifa true tinkerer and served as theabout what trails needed work and the they wanted to sell a Tucker. Finally,mechanic. Buzzy said he was the besttrails they could build. The Buckaroos they purchased a 1963 Tucker formechanic he ever met and could fixfondly remember Buzzy for his many $2,300 from CW Gray Auctioneers inanything. This was good consideringyears of service, and we will be Fairlee. It had a rubber track convertedhow many times Buzzy broke downhonoring his legacy by re-naming one with car tires, though the sprocketsover the years!of our trails in his name. Rest in peace, were not converted and were stillBuzzy. You will be missed.running steel on steel. After a season ofBetty and Buzzy have received Late Winter 2020 | 9'