b'Club NewsThe Topsham Ridge Runners are celebrating 50 years as a club. (Eric Olsen photo) A young member helps Events Coordinator Sara Merrill draw the raffle tickets at the Things used to be a lot simpler backOur groomer looks great on the snowCountry Riders hot dog roast.then.If you wanted to put a trail in,with the excellent job that Granite City you just cut one in! Trying to keepGraphic did on it.Our annual rafflewill hopefully be an annual event, a up with safety and the growth of thewas online again this year but wasVintage Ride-in at OS29 in Tetreault sport, trails have become wider anddone on Facebook live. It went well.Flats. Well over 125 people braved smoother. But at the core of our club,Next year we plan to have it in personthe sub-zero temperatures to sample we still have a passionate group oflike we used to. Looking ahead tosome warm food and drinks and view members that seek the same thingpreparations for next season, we have27 vintage sleds before they took off as our founders: getting out to ride.a couple bridges that will need someon a quick ride around a local loop Hopefully, with this passion, the clubnew decking and a small section tothrough Newport Center, Troy, and will thrive for another 50 years. reroute on Corridor 25 between OE96Westfield. Mike Lapierre from Vintage Wed like to express our condolencesand OE89.Snowmobile Lovers interviewed a few to the family of Tim Mills. Tims manyAs always, a big shout out to ourparticipants before they took off and contributions to VAST and the wholegracious landowners who allow usalso recorded the ride send-off for his snowmobiling community in Vermontto pave those white highways forpopular podcast. Winners were Reggie will not be forgotten.everyone to enjoy. Please respect theirField for Oldest Sled and Oldest Rider Matthew Powers, President & Andrewgenerosity, stay on marked trails and(a 1964 Polaris Sno-Traveler Voyager Connell, VPbe courteous to others on the trails. K12), Laura Galvack for Most Unique Like us on Facebook Have a safe and fun completion of the(a 1985 Manta), and Ray Parenteau season.took home honors for Best in Show Jim Wild, Media Managerwith his 1973 Rupp Magnum.Like us on Facebook We ushered in February by drawing a big crowd to our annual Hot Dog ORLEANSRoast on Feb. 5 at OS32 in Troy. This COUNTY event is always a good time to see old friends, make new ones and stock up Washington Snow Flyers on Country Riders merchandise.As I write this, it is mid-March andOur annual Poker run was back after most of the VAST trail system is shuta three-year hiatus (conditions and down due to low or no snow.AnotherCovid double-whammy!) on Feb. 19. of what feels like a short season. ThereCountry Riders The event was a great success, with might be a storm this weekend to givemany people participating by sled another quick window for riding. Once we kicked off the season byand car. Players (140!) were dealt a Our volunteers have done a great jobgetting the trails open the secondhand from stops at Little Johns Gas, keeping trails open, groomed and flat. week of January, there has been a lotKingdom Brewery, Rustico Bistro, I hope riders have been able to get overof activity in our corner of OrleansBoutins Market, Hillikers Store, here and enjoy them. county. Jan. 22 saw the first of whatThe Junction Restaurant, and The Jay Village Inn, with a final stop and after-30 | Snowmobile VERMONT'