b'TRAILS REPORTBy Matt Tetreault, VAST Trails AdministratorFull CircleMost of us who are reading this fit the definition of a snowmobiler, or rider as we are referred to by many. I am sure there are other choice words that we are called as well, but only by the few who do not take the time to get to know us. A snowmobiler is a noun and is a person who drives a snowmobile. This is certainly true, but a snowmobiler is far more than that. How each of us became a snowmobiler is a bit of a different tale, and truthfully would be an interesting way to fill many pages in this magazine in the issues to come. We all got our start somewhere! For those that do not know me, I grew up in Central Vermont, Marshfield to be exact. Two miles upCarson Tetreault tries out the familys new Phazer. a dirt road off from Route 2. VAST trails were a part of my upbringinghis El Tigre and let me drive aroundRed Ryder in the movie, A Christmas on the hill. I remember the soundsmy parents field. One time my UncleStory? I wanted a snowmobile in of machines in the woods and fieldsDan went right over my parentsthat sort of way. One of my fathers as far back as I can remember. It wasstone wall with me on the back of hisco-workers, who had been active in not uncommon in the 80s to see themJohn Deer Snowmobile. We had snowthe East Montpelier Gully Jumpers, buzzing up and down the dirt roadin those days, and you wouldnt haveFrank Pratt, was transitioning out hours before the snowplow arrived.even known there was a three-footof snowmobiling at this time and In those days, there wasnt a clearwall there!had a couple of snowmobiles he roads policy. More of a well getWith the essence of snowmobileswas willing to sell. The topic was there when we get there kind ofaround me from the time I was youngdiscussed around the coffee pot at policy. Even if the road was plowed,I desperately wanted one of mywork and my father jumped on it. no one cared if snowmobiles wentown around the age of ten. Do youOne of Franks sleds was a Yamaha up the road. It was that kind of place.remember how Ralphie wanted thatthat I wanted badly, but it was too My Uncle David would stop by withexpensive. Instead, my affordable golden chariot was a 1971 Olympic Ski-Doo with a 292 in it. $200 was the price, and I had mowed lawns for a couple of summers to save up for it. I just had to have it, and after a carburetor rebuild so it didnt spit gas into the stomach area of my onesie snowmobile suit (a way oversized hand me down from one of my uncles that you can see in the photo-the red helmet was a hand me down open face too) I rode that sled thousands of miles it seemed through the neighbors fields and woods (with permission of course). I rolled that tippy machine over multiple times, but I truly learned to ride and become a snowmobiler. As Frank Pratt got out of snowmobiling, I was fortunate Carson and Bree Tetreault have always enjoyed riding with their dad. Now they can enjoyenough to be there to buy one of the the fun of snowmobiling on their own sled.machines he was parting with, where 18 | Snowmobile VERMONT'