b'Whos In The Groomer?over the horizon from on top of theWhat are the biggest challenges younow active volunteers that perform mountain. Sometimes it feels like youface? tasks like painting stakes and work on are on top of the world. My biggest challenge is nottrial projects for the club.snowmobile-related. It is a battle with What was the last critter you sawcancer. Have you or your club received any grooming?In 2016, I had my left kidney removedVAST awards specific to grooming, The last critter that I saw groomingdue to kidney cancer. In Septembertrail conditions, or other awards? was a partridge that I almost ran over.of 2020, cancer metastasized to myYes, 2009 Trailmaster of the Year.It was resting totally under the snowright tibia, and I had six inches of and flew out just before the groomerbone removed. Since that time, I have blade was about to turn it into abeen on crutches while enduringDo you have a relief groomer, shared snowball. six surgeries to grow the tibia boneresponsibilities, or someone else in back. In April 2021, cancer spreadtraining? to my other kidney, where I hadThe Country Rider groomer team What is your clubs biggesteffective cryoablation to kill theconsists of twelve people willing accomplishment grooming-wise?tumor. However, in November 2021,to help with whatever needs to be Our most significant accomplishmentcancer spread to my right lung, wheredone to make flat trails. My son is having a grooming fleet of threecurrently it is too small to biopsy.Trevin, whom I started training as machines. Having three units allowsI am waiting until next month foran operator, would ride along many us to groom over one shift, whichanother round of scans to determinenights with me in the groomer and makes it easier for the operators sincehow to fight the next battle. I shouldhelp me stake and cut trees. As soon most of them also have day jobs.be walking again in February andas I can operate again, he will get his Grooming in one shift also allows ushopefully out riding and groomingfinal training to operate the Sno-Cat to groom our entire trail system inagain soon if all goes well. and be my replacement in the future.two nights, making for some of the best trails in Orleans county. AlongTell me a recent fun(ny) story about a with having this equipment, anothertime in the groomer?Any words of advice for aspiring major accomplishment is having theFlat Ron is the funny story that Igroomer operators about how to funds to keep these units operating.think about often since he has beenbreak into the job?The members who support the clubout in our front yard all summer.I started as a youth, volunteering fundraising events, volunteers whoYou might remember the articleto work on trails for the North Troy mark the trails and members whoabout Flat Ron from the Winter 2021Friendly Sno-Flyers. Too young to run help with trail projects are also a bigSnowmobile Vermont Magazine. Flata chainsaw, I would move brush and help. Ron was created by my friends tohelp to stake trails. As I got older, I show support while I couldnt leavebecame more active in the club and, What other ways do you help out thethe house. Its a life-size cutout thatin 1996, started grooming for the club? the club groomers used to take out onCountry Riders. The first groomer I the trail since I couldnt ride. One timeoperated was a metal track Tucker As a grant writer, I also help CountryFlat Ron was riding in the back of theSno-Cat and groomed down in the Riders and many other clubs withdrag when a group of snowmobilersvalley where all the rookie operators grants to secure operating funds.approached the groomer, thinking thetypically start.This past season I helped threecutout was real. The guys brought Vermont clubs get grants to buy newFlat Ron to my house one time, and grooming units; Drift Dusters, Northour dog would not stop barking or goAnything else youd like to share? Country Mountaineers, and Northeastnear it. The club has many volunteers that Kingdom Snow Basters. In addition tocome together each season to offer these three clubs, I also helped a clubthe community some of the best trails in Erie, Pennsylvania with two grantsDo you ever take along guestin the county. It takes a large group that were awarded. This past seasonriders?to make it work each season, and the these clubs received $471,000 towardsYes, the best guest riders are kids,club is always in need of volunteers grooming equipment. In my ten yearsand the look on their faces when youto help with corridor staking and of grant writing, I have secured overare pushing snow with the blade.projects. Without the generosity of our one million dollars of grant fundingHowever, after a couple of hours,landowners, we would have no trail for snow-mobile clubs, with somethey usually crawl up on the backsystem to enjoy. As rider stewards clubs receiving multiple grants. seat and fall fast asleep, dreamingof the trail system, we need to have about grooming trails for the Countryrespect for the landowners property, Riders. I have taken several youngride only on trails that are open, and kids for rides in the groomer that arehelp eliminate any off-trail riding to preserve our sport.12 | Snowmobile VERMONT'