TRAIL CONDITIONS ONLINE!

The best way to check the status of trail conditions is to go to the SAM web site at www.sledmass.com click on "Forums & Trail Reports", then click on "Trail Reports", then click on "Western Massachusetts". Official club coordinators that are posting on the SAM web site are "Groomer_Guy" for Pittsfield State Forest, and "OctoberMountainMen" for, well duh, October Mountain State Forest. NEW, "Warthog3" is now reporting from Windsor! These three are groomer operators and typically have been posting right after they have groomed. There are of course many, many members who post online as well, way too many to list here.

NEW GROOMER!

We don’t own this new groomer, but it is being leased to our club for $1/ year. Long standing member Mike Bianco has purchased a Blazer with a track kit. This machine will be used as primary grooming trails in Pittsfield State Forest, as soon as the drag is ready. It will also be back-up for any of our groomers that may break down during the season. This new groomer also has a winch so the groomer will also be utilized in a situation where it can assist any of our other equipment if they become stuck or break down on the trail.

Pictures will be posted on our web site and in a future newsletter once she is painted and lettered up with our logo. A big THANKS goes out to Mike!

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE;

We have sold over 586 trail permits within 400 households/families. Over half of last years members have renewed and did so early this year. We have also seen a very large number of new members joining for the first time this year. I was thinking about posting the names of the new members, but the list is way to long to do this.

NEW TRAIL TO WORTHINGTON!

Thanks to property owners, some who are fellow sled heads and members, we now have a new trail to Worthington. The "old trail" required road riding which was a conflict at times. The new trail has been marked and posted with speed limit signs. The speed limits have been posted to remedy concerns that certain landowners have. There is also a time curfew on this trail, please no riding between 10:00 PM & 7:00 AM! Please be aware that the members of two police agencies live at each end of the trail. So, that said, abide by speed limit signs & curfew or stay home!

PONTOOSUC LAKE TRAIL CURFEW!

Everyone is reminded that there is an 11:00 PM curfew on the trail leading off Pontoosuc Lake going towards Pittsfield State Forest. There is an elderly gentleman that lives along the trail and he would like to get a good nights rest with out being woken up by sleds. His son is a Pittsfield Police Officer who has threatened to shut this trail down.

Everyone did a great job last year abiding by this curfew and we ask for your assistance again this year.

FRAN’S 100 MILE CLUB RIDE! - Cancelled

PONTOOSUC LAKE PICNIC & RIDE 2/7/10

Weather and snow condition permitting, Ride sign in 9:30 am-10am lower parking lot by Pontoosuc Lake boat ramp. Ride leaves @10am from lake to the state forest. Ride a loop through the forest ending at the picnic.

Picnic planned - Picnic will be at Joe Dickson's on the Lanesboro side of the lake on Sunday February 8. If you are headed to the lake from Pittsfield State Forest, take a left as soon as you get to the shore of the lake. Right across from the island is where the picnic will be. Picnic is 12 to 4 PM. Hamburgs and hotdogs will be served, free for BSS members, all others cost $5 per person, maximum $10 per family. Must show your pink trail pass for proof of membership. Please bring your own beverage. Guests are asked to bring a side dish if possible. Call Gary Bushey for more details, 413-499-2111

CHILLY CHILI & GREYLOCK RIDE!

February 21, 2010. The ride will leave from the ski jump parking lot and go to Greylock. From there we will go back through the forest via the scenic loop. Ride sign in 9:30am-10am, ride leaves @10am. Hamburgers, hot dogs and of course chili after the ride, free event for BSS members, all others $5/person, max. $10/family. Must show your pink trail permit for proof of membership. Bring your own beverages, alcohol is not allowed in the state forest.

We are also giving snowmobile rides to handicapped individuals in conjunction with All Out Adventures. As you may remember we used to do this in conjunction with the State Of Massachusetts, but due to budget cuts they have eliminated their program. This portion of the event will be between 12:00 and 3:00 PM. We are in need of members who have 2-up sleds and can donate their time and sleds for giving rides.

To volunteer or for any questions contact Jim Holland 413-822-8754

CLUB SWEATSHIRTS & HATS!

All with the Snow Seekers logo in color! Pricing on these limited items is as follows;

Baseball Caps, tan & burgundy, $18

Wool Knit Hats, green, or burgundy $15

Sweatshirts, black, green, or burgundy, LG & XL $27, 2X & 3X $29, 4X $32

Items are available for sale at our meetings and at PLT. For more details call Gary Bushey 413-499-2111

CORPORATION TAX STATUS NOTIFICATION

SOMETHING ELSE?

Do you have a funny, scary, or just great story about a snowmobiling trip? Do you have anything interesting that you would like to share about snowmobiling? How about some pictures to share with everyone? If so please e-mail it to mamsk1@msn.com and we will see about getting it into the newsletter and/or on our web site!

TRAILERING TIPS!

More than likely most of you have read tips on trailering and/or have learned the hard way what to do and what not to do. Then again maybe some of you are lucky or smarter than the average person. No matter what, you may find the following true life experiences helpful, or at least entertaining to read.

TIP #1; remove your locks from your trailer before you leave home. I have an enclosed trailer with padlocks on the front and rear ramp doors. My wife and I trailered an hour north up to Woodford, VT several years ago only to find out the locks on both doors were frozen. After breaking one key off in the lock, we decided to head home and call off the ride.

I now make sure I remove the lock before I leave the driveway. I sometimes have to use an old hair dryer that I keep in the garage to thaw the lock out. After all, who will steal the sleds as I am driving down the road? I also use "weather proof" locks, actually I have four that are keyed the same and use two at a time. The other two spare locks are kept inside the garage and are sitting and soaking in lubrication. I rotate the locks each time I go out and so far haven’t had to drive back home because I can’t get into the trailer.

TIP#2; check your lug nuts often, even after the ride and before you head home. Several years ago I had parked at Wahconah Falls in Dalton, MA. and after a great day of riding loaded the sleds into the trailer and headed home. When I got home I went to chock the wheels of the trailer and noticed that only two of five lug nuts were left on one wheel! The two lug nuts that were still in place were loose and about ready to fall off. Because of the missing and loose lug nuts, the holes for studs were no longer round, they were egg shaped and I had to replace the wheel.

I know for a fact that the lug nuts were tight before I left the house to go riding. The wheel that the nuts became loose on where on the "hidden side" of the trailer, facing away from the road. I believe some radical anti-snowmobile person had loosened the lug nuts.

TIP#3; carry a spare hitch pin or use a locking pin. I myself have never had a problem with a hitch pin that has gone "missing", but I have heard of some people who have had this happen. You won’t be able to go very far if you don’t have a hitch pin, and depending on where you are parked and the time of day, this could be a real hassle. I don’t really know who would do something like removing a hitch pin, some bored kids, some anti-snowmobile person again?

2009-2010 CLUB SCHEDULE OF EVENTS