Hi Folks. As I am writing this, our high for the day was 22 degrees and the hills in the distance are all white.  It is getting close!  We are working hard to get our trails ready and to get other projects finished or underway.  It has been a rainy fall so it has been difficult to get ahead.  Somehow we do, but it takes a lot of work.

Here is what is going on.  First, our Christmas Party will be December 13^th.  Reservation and information forms are enclosed.  The food choices look good and it is a great way to kick off the holiday season and (we hope) the snowmobile season.  I hope to see many of you there.

We had a great dinner meeting in November.  Turkey and plenty of it.  We had over fifty people including Tony and Dave who drove all the way up from Pennsylvania to do trail work and to have a great meal and just maybe a few beers after three hard days of cutting.  Our two Easy Bucks winners that night were Neil Casa and Gary DeColfmacker. Thanks to them and all of you who bought numbers this year so far.  There are plenty more drawings so (it is not too late.  Thanks to the kitchen crew (Mac, Lori, Merri, Marsha, and Phil) for helping with the dinner.  We will have another “home cooked” dinner in January.

Trails should be the same as last year with one major addition.  We are getting the Notch/Flatiron Trail, the Bud Russell Trail and the Black Cat Hollow Trail back this year.  We will now have a good loop trail up to East Kennebago Mountain and back to Rangeley via ITS 89S.  Our maps are being prepared right now and should be ready in early December.

If you get up to Rangeley before the Holidays, head up to the Groomer Barn.  Clark Allen and his crew (Matt, Phil, Dave, Ken, Nick and others) have been busy building our 20X30 foot Pole Barn.  It is looking good and should be about finished by mid-December.  We also broke ground on our septic system this week.  Joe Haley and M&H Logging did the initial excavation work and several donors have provided the site design and most of the components.  We will list all the generous folks who helped us with the Pole Barn and septic system in a future newsletter.  The septic system is a key element as we work toward our plans to have indoor toilets and a warming area available with trail access.  All of this will be at the Groomer Barn location.

After a rough start, we are having a Snowmobile Raffle again this year.  PJ’S Power Sports is providing a 2009 F5 Arctic Cat with electric start and reverse. It has a retail value of $8000.  We also have several dinner gift certificates this year provided by Kash at Parkside & Main and by Loon Lodge.  Tickets will be in the mail soon and the drawing will be Snodeo Weekend.  Please buy a few chances. You may be the lucky winner.

Please, get your memberships renewed, remind your riding partners to get their renewals in and try to get a friend to join.  Membership funds are a big source of money for us as we go into the grooming season.  As soon as it looks like snow, we will get our web site trails reports out.  Look also for our web cam feed so you can see first hand what is on the ground up here.

Remember that Snodeo is January 22, 23 and 24.  It’s not too early to get those machines registered and prepped in anticipation of a great winter season.

Sandi Dumont, Secretary

Please visit our Sponsors page to check out businesses who have donated or pledged to donate to our grooming and trail maintenance program for this season. Be sure to patronize these businesses when in the area. It is due to their donations that we have the great riding conditions we all enjoy!