Huntington gap Hot Dogs and some video from out west.

Take a look at the pictures of Camel’s Hump, Huntington and the hotdog roast. I think Huntington was the best it’s been all year.

I counted 35 or more folks who showed to the roast via sled or car. We had a great time.  Most folks took a ride on the way. The trails were good and the sun warm.  Great idea Reggie!  

Trails Update:
The snow is going fast or gone in the lower elevations so the fields are closed for the season.  You can still access the higher elevations from Kenyon’s and the Fayston gravel pit. The higher evaluations are in ok shape, lots of snow a few bumps; Doug happily road 50 miles today.  Doug is hoping to get out one more time, but is waiting on some parts for the groomer…..yes another breakdown.  It has not been a good year for breakdowns.  I’ll send out an email when he gets out again.

Enjoy the sunshine.
Cari Wilson
MRRR President

Here is something I found and I thought you would all enjoy it.  What you are about to see is some good old hill climbing fun in Canada.  Brent is running a  Arctic Cat M 8  with a turbo 14lbs of boost On race fuel. 
Seems like a lot but you will notice that his skis are off the ground most of the time. 
ENJOY!!!!!!

Hot Dogs and smooth trails

Come enjoy the warm weather, smooth trails, a campfire and hotdogs.

Date: Sunday, March 7th
Time: Fire will be ready for roasting around 12:30
Place: Trail side near the Fayston Gravel Pit.

Folks can ride in or drive. The festivities will be close enough to the pit so that people can easily walk to the campfire. This is a family friendly event. Our kids just love it.

Bring your own dogs for roasting and something to drink. The club will have condiments and paper goods. Bring something to share if you like, but not required.

See you there.
Cari
MRRR President

Video of hunington gap during the first storm of the year

Change of Location for Meeting

Hello All,
I hope you have been out riding on this snowy
weekend. I have difficulties with the last few
emails, so if you did not receive the photos check
out the blog.

CLUB MEETING

DATE: Tuesday March 2nd, 2010
TIME: 7:00pm
NEW LOCATION: The Mad River Valley Ambulance
has generously agreed to let us hold our meeting
in their beautiful facility in downtown Waitsfield.
Thank you Kevin for facilitating the change in
meeting place.

Topics to be discussed: Radar Run - March 6th
Summer Trail Projects
Community Service Discussion.
Summer Outing

Open to the public.
Hope to see you there.

Cari Wilson
MRRR President

March 1st Photos and video

Wow! Check out the pictures complements
of Lenny Scofield.

Many thanks to Mother Nature at last!
Finally some real snow.  The valley received
30+ inches and higher evaluations 45+
inches… no I am not exaggerating!  Lower
elevations got rain too, but not the higher
…..…just the white stuff.

All trails, with the exception of Huntington,
 have been broken open and are flat. Many
 thanks to Lenny and P-nut for all their hard
work and hours spent.

Conditions are good, but wet in the lower
elevations.  Watch out for slush in the fields.
Higher elevations continue to be excellent!
The snow is a bit loose yet, but flat.

The plan is to break open Huntington tomorrow.
All trails are scheduled to be groomed again 
early in the week.

Don't forget about the Radar RUN on the 6'th @ kenyon's
"If you ain't first,  Your Last."


RIDE, RIDE, RIDE….. Enjoy the snow!

Cari Wilson
President MRRR

 

  

  

 

Radar Fun RUN. March 5th

HOW FAST CAN YOUR SLED GO?

Come test it out at the MRRR Radar Run.

Date:  Saturday, March 6th
Time: Registration 10-11am
        Radar Runs 11am–2 pm
Place: Kenyon’s Field
Cost: $5 to register and $2 per run

We will have burgers & dogs on the
grill and the radar gun ready.

Come earn some bragging rights!

Cari Wilson
President MRRR

Trail Update .... IT"S DEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPP

Trails Update: Well Mother Nature is finally coming
to the valley.  Let’s hope for lots of snow. The
upper elevations are in good shape. Everything from
Kenyon’s to up high has been groomed this week.
There are some ice patches, so take care. The
fields and lower elevations will be reassessed after
 the tomorrow’s storm.

Wednesday Night Ride:  Doug and I are planning
to ride tomorrow night!  Come one come all. Maybe
we could do dinner too. Meet at 6:00pm at Kenyon’s.

The St. Johnsbury Overnight has been postponed
due to trail conditions. The back-up date is March 13th.
More details to come.


Cari Wilson
President MRRR

Trail Update

Trails Update: Doug, Lenny and the boys road
 around the Log Job and toward Duxbury Store, but
did not go down to the store, on Wednesday.  All
 the trails continue to be mid-winter condition in the
 higher elevations.  We continue to groom the higher
 elevations; the trails are flat and hard.  You can access
 the trails from Kenyon’s, just head up the hill or from
the Fayston Gravel Pit.   The fields are still waiting on
 Mother Nature.   The Camel’s hump loop has a few
ice patches, so take care.

Get out and ride a few miles it is worth the effort.


Overnight Ride to St. Johnsbury
     on February 26th& 27th.
We will be trailering to St J. on Saturday morning
 early and will ride in the area Saturday and Sunday.
 We have reservations to stay at the Holiday Hotel
 on Saturday night.  The cost per room is $69, each
 room has two queen sized beds.  Folks who choose
 to arrive on Friday night can stay for the same rate.

 Please RSVP by February 22nd,
 which is next Monday,
 to Cari via email cari@gmavt.net or at 802-496-3836.

Cari Wilson
MRRR President

Trail update.

Happy Riding,
The trial from Kenyon’s to the upper elevations is groomed and looking
great……..flat as aboard.  We have not had a big snow but the inches
have made all the difference. The higher elevations continue to be
groomed and are ready for riding. The fields and the trail to
The Duxbury Store remains thin. We recommend you head to the
higher elevations.

Cari Wilson
President MRRR

FYI The Duxbury Store hours vary. Do not count on being able to fuel up there; you may be out of luck.

NEws Update

Hello,

We held our February club meeting on Tuesday.
Thanks to all who attended.

I would like to congratulate Stephanie Mahue
for being elected to the position of Secretary;
A BIG hearty Thank you from the president and
all the club members.

The club currently has 164 members.

Come join us for a ride!

Overnight Ride to St. Johnsbury on February 26th& 27th.
We will be trailering to St J. on Saturday morning
 early and will ride in the area Saturday and Sunday.
 We have reservations to stay at the Holiday Hotel
 on Saturday night.  The cost per room is $69, each
 room has two queen sized beds.  Folks who choose
 to arrive on Friday night can stay for the same rate.
 Please RSVP by February 22nd to Cari via email
or at 802-496-3836.

Back up date March 13th

Wednesday Night Rides are still in the picture.
Would anyone like to ride from the gravel pit?

Think Snow …. We need some.
Cari Wilson
MRRR President

Trail and Groomer update

Hello Fellow Snowmobile Enthusiasts,

Great news; Tuesday evening a group of guys
were able to replace the broken pump and the
groomer is out of the woods.  It will be several
days before this groomer is out on the trails
again. They need to check it over for fluid
contamination in other parts of the machine. 
A special thanks to Paul, Pete, Eugene and
Doug for all their hard work and cold hands!


I was out for a ride around the Camel’s Hump
loop on Thursday.  Wow! The trails were terrific
and the views spectacular with the clear blue skies.
The trails are flat with plenty of snow, and a fresh
 3 inches topped it off.  It was a bit thin on the
Waterbury side, but still ok.  I only saw one or
 two water bars half open. You can access the
higher elevation through the Fayston gravel pit.
 We continue to groom the higher elevation trails.


The lower elevations are still very thin and the
groomer has not been through.  We are still waiting
on Mother Nature.

Cari Wilson
MRRR -President

Military Ride In.

Military Ride was a GREAT success. Despite
the bitter cold temperatures, attendance was
good.  Patrons had an enjoyable time. Ben &
Tim’s favorite was the Blackhawk helicopter.
The Times Argus has a very good article about
the event in Sunday’s paper.

Thank you to all who helped make this event
possible and to all those who have served
our country in the armed services. 

Trails:  OUCH ! They are still closed in the lower
elevation till further notice. More tough news
 in the higher elevations, grooming has come
to a screeching halt due to a break down. Check
out the pictures above.  The guys are working
on getting out of the woods, parts arrive on
Monday.  It will be a couple of days yet.

Club meeting       Day: Tuesday of this week
Place: Fayston Town Hall
Time: 7pm
Among the topics to be discussed are trails,
St. J Ride, Radar Run, location of  2010 Raffle
All are welcome to attend.

Cari Wilson
President MRRR

Military Ride in Saturday

The Military Ride, Saturday January 30th 2010
will be held as planned.  The festivities are at
Kenyon’s Field from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
Cost is free and open to the public.
                           
This event is to honor all who have served or are
 serving our county in the military.

The event features: Guided Tours; Snowmobile
Vendors; Food; Safety Inspections; Youth sleds
available for kids to ride,  Snowmobile demos
for the adults( YES! There is enough snow for
 these demos), and a Black Hawk Helicopter
 visit. This event is sponsored by VAST.

In light of the current trail conditions we are
asking people to arrive by car, not sled.
The rain last week did a number on our lower
elevation trails.


Trail Conditions:

All of our lower elevation trails are closed
until mother nature sends us some more
white stuff.

Good news about the higher elevation, snow
conditions survived the rain and thaw rather
 nicely and  are open.  You can access the
 higher elevations by trailering to the Fayston
 gravel pit.  Higher elevations should be freshly
groomed by Saturday. 

Lets hope thats the last we see of the rain

Well, we got hit pretty hard by that rain and wind but don't put em away yet.  Although the low elevations took a beating, it got cold quick enough to prevent a total loss.  Everything is firm to say the least but at least things are still white.  On a brighter note,  as I look out the window in is snowing now hopefully it will amount to somthing.       There was plenty of wind out there with that rain so as always be safe and expect to see some downed branches  until there is enough snow for the groomers to get back at it. 
       Don't forget to come out this Saturday to Kenyon's and show your support.  It's always a  great event.
starts at 10 am with opening ceremonies slated for 11:30.  See you there.

Progressive dinner re-cap

The Progressive Dinner was a big success.  The trails were good, company fun and food was terrific!  We had about twenty friends who joined in the festivities. 

Appetizers featured scrumptious meatballs, my personal favorite, chips & dip, veggies, cheese & crackers and more.  There was also a warm crackling fire!  A special thanks to Gary & Arley Belknap and Jim & Jeannie Milne for hosting again this year.

Dinner was hosted by Paul Pizzale and Lisa Townsend.  We had the choice of chili or white bean and sausage cassoullet with parmesan cheese…delicious.  Cathi Dages provided the rolls and Skip Wallace brought his famous super salad.

The final stop was at Doug and Cari Wilson’s for coffee and a assortment desserts; white chocolate covered strawberries and bon-bon balls from Kathi Orr, pumpkin roll and whippy pies form Marsha Scofield, Lois DeHeer brought her famous cream puffs, and I made apple crisp served with ice cream and a fruit salad.

It goes with out saying we ate our fill of delicious foods!


Many thanks to all of you who helped make this enjoyable evening possible.

Think SNOW

Cari Wilson
MRRR – President
802-496-3836

Jan News Letter

   President:        Cari Wilson (496-3836)            Trail Master:         Marty De Heer (496-7051)
    Vice President: Art Dages                                   Ass’t Trail Master: Paul Pizzale (496-4476)
    Secretary:        LOOKING for a Volunteer          Safety Officer:        Skip Wallace (244-1580)
    Treasurer:        Lois De Heer

                              January 2010 NEWSLETTER
Great news we have some snow! The trails have been fairly good since Christmas.
We like to say good “early riding”.  The groomers have been out in full force,
but with the recent warm up they will need more snow before retuning to the
lower elevations.  The higher elevation trails have good snow coverage and
continue to be groomed regularly.

E-mail communication is in full service now.  Many of you have been receiving
 regular updates of club events.  We would like some feedback on the new set up;
 too many e-mails, not enough or any general thoughts.  If you know of a club
member who is not receiving the e-mails and would like to be added to our mailing
list contact: Cari@gamvt.net.

Our annual Progressive dinner will be held Saturday, January 23, 2010. Snow or no snow!
(Many of you already know this from the e-mail correspondence) The dinner is limited
 to 30 members and a $10.00 donation is requested to help with the cost of the food.
If you would like to attend and to sign up for food contributions please call
Cari at 802-496-3836. We will meet at Kenyon’s at 5:30 pm to ride sleds or carpool.
                   Appetizers                   Belnap’s camp                       
                   Dinner                        Paul Pizzale’s                         
                   Dessert                       Wilson’s                         

MRRR blog- Whitney Phillips continues to do a great job maintaining and updating the blog.
The site is: http://madriverridgerunners.blogspot.com.Please contact Whitney at
( madriverridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted.

TMA information and application can now be printed off the blog. Let your friends know.


                          Up-Coming Events

Wednesday Night Rides:       Date:   Every Wednesday
                                                Place: Kenyon’s parking lot
                                                Time: Ready to Ride at 6:00pm

Wednesdays are a great night to get out; all the trails are freshly groomed! It is a time to
 enjoy the trails with friends and share some local cuisine if folks choose to.
Everyone is welcome!

Military Ride:      Date:  Saturday January 30th 2010
                             Place: Kenyon’s Field
                             Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
                             Cost:  FREE

This event is to honor all who have served or are serving our county in the military. This
event features: Guided Tours; Snowmobile Vendors; Food; Safety Inspections; Youth sleds
available for kids to ride; Snowmobile demos for the adults, and a Black Hawk Helicopter
 visit. This event is sponsored by VAST.

Many thanks to you all that have served our country from the Mad River Rindge Runners.       

Weekend Overnight:     Date: February 26th & 27th
                                      Place: St Johnsbury
                                      Cost:  Pending

Always an enjoyable weekend for all; we will be trailering to a St. J destination yet to be
determined.  Some members ride and some choose to patron the local shops or sip coffee for
 some leisure time. In the evening we all gather for a delightful dinner and colorful recounts
 of the day’s events. Please contact: Cari at 496-3836 or cari@gmavt.net  if you would like
 to attend. RSVP by 2/6/10 More details to come via e-mail correspondence.

We are working on sponsoring a Radar Run some time in February, but the details are still
 being hammered out. We will keep you posted.


                             Think SNOW!                Happy Trails

Next meeting will be February 2nd, 2010 at 7:00 PM at the Fayston Town Hall.
                   Hope to see you there!! There will be cookies.

Trail Update Jan 19th

Hello Fellow Snowmobile Enthusiasts:

Doug and I took our four year old boys Ben and Tim for a 60 mile ride.  We went around the Camel’s Hump loop, up high the trails are terrific- plenty of snow, down past Duxbury Store and out through the fields.
We hand a fun family day and it was not too cold!  The one benefit of the warm-up, even if it did not do the trails a lot of good.

TRAILS:
100 and 100A are good in the higher elevation- the log job and Camel’s Hump and Huntington (on the back side it runs out of snow quickly).
100 from Duxbury store to the fields is boney, the fields and valley floor are in need of more snow. 
The groomer will not be able to go through the lower elevation again till we get a good snow fall.  We will continue to groom the higher elevation trails.


Wednesday Night Ride:  I am still up for a jaunt in the higher elevations.  I am planning to be at Kenyon’s ready to ride at 6:00.  We had a great time last week!
                                  
Progressive Dinner:  Is on for this Saturday the 23rd . Please RSVP by Wednesday if you would like to attend.  It is great time and terrific food.
      We now have about 22 people; 30 is the max.
                              There is also a $10 donation per person to cover food costs.
                            
                              The Dinner will go on!!! Even if the trails are thin.  Most of the ride will be in the higher elevations.
      People may also drive to the main course and dessert; appetizers do not have car access.


Happy Trials,

Cari Wilson
President MRRR

Progressive Dinner Ride /

On Saturday January 23rd we are having our annual Progressive Dinner.  For this event we meet at Kenyon’s and ride to three stops;
Belanap’s Camp on Corridor 100B north of WN55 for appetizers; then we ride on to Puzzle’s near WN91 for dinner; and on to the Wilson’s
 for dessert between WN52 and WN54.  The riding is fun, food is terrific and the company is enjoyable.

Event:   Progressive Dinner
Date:    January 23rd  2010 
Place:   Kenyon’s
Time:    Ready to ride at 5:30 pm

This event is limited to 30 people.

RSPV to Cari Wilson, 802-496-3836 or e-mail, by Wednesday January 20th.

Hope to see you there.

Cari Wilson
MRRR –President
802-496-3836

Jan 12th Update

Hello All,

The trails are groomed and ready for riding! Corridor 100 has been groomed from WN50, Neils field, to the suspension bridge. Lots of snow in higher elevations, fields is good, and snow is thin behind Harwood. Northfield has been groomed once, will need more snow prior to grooming again.


Tomorrow, January 13, 2010, the club having its first Wednesday Night Ride of the season; Meet at Kenyon’s ready to ride at 6:00.
Doug and I were thinking we could eat dinner at the Cider House in Waterbury. Hope to see you there.

Cari Wilson
MRRR President
802-496-3836

Jan 7th update

So there is good news and bad news. The good news is that there is great coverage on our trails and the boys have been out with the groomers. It might even be cherry enough to get Reg out there for a ride. The bad news is that Burlington got 33 " and we got skunked.
We were up early and ready to go play in all the snow that was promised to us by the evil people at the weather channel. My friends woke up at 6 in burlington to dig out there trucks and drive to the valley ( where the snow was supposed to be ) only to find 3 " on the ground. I am not sure what caused this strange phenomenon but I hope it's the last time I ever see it happen.
The only snow to be found was on the other side of of the mountain. So up and over we went. It was fun busting through all the wind drifts and by about 10:30 or so I had stopped cursing Tom Messner.

Happy New Year!!!!

We finally have some good coverage out there on the trails. The fields are still a little thin but once you get above 2k feet the coverage gets much better. The beaver meadow area down through the hump is as good as mid feb.

I went out yesterday and on my way home couldn't see the front of the truck.

Although it is cold out there I know there is snow getting blown into the meadow.

Get out there and be safe for 2010.

If you get some photos send them to me and I will post them up.

Turkey Time

Turkey Time..... Looks like we have snow in the forecast for next week so cross your fingers.

Below you will see photos from the Raffle and fixing the bridge.

A Very Big THANK YOU to everyone for coming out and working in the rain.

IT's a group effort to make everything possible.

Remember. It is very important to go out to the shed or the shop and sit on your sled like you are riding. It makes them feel loved. It's better for them than an oil change and it will make run harder for you this winter.

OH Yeah.. the news letter is at the bottom...

PO BOX 248, WAITSFIELD, VERMONT 05673

President: Cari Wilson (496-3836) Trail Master: Marty De Heer (496-7051)

Vice President: Art Dages Ass’t Trail Master: Paul Pizzale (496-4476)

Secretary: Please VOLUNTEER!! Safety Officer: Skip Wallace (244-1580)

Treasurer: Lois De Heer

November 2009 NEWSLETTER

Congratulations to Mike Doney of Moretown for winning the 2009 Polaris IQ Shift. Our annual raffle dinner was a huge success. Thanks to all the members who volunteered and our local businesses for donating prizes.

The club could use YOUR help! Everyone is busy, but we need to keep our snowmobiling community and trails happy and healthy.

The club is seeking to find a volunteer to help out with the position of secretary. It is just a few hours a month.

We are still hard at work on the trails and need some strong strapping guys to run chainsaws and build bridges. The work crew meets every Saturday, 8:00, at Kenyon’s. Bridge work is also scheduled for November 14^th and 21^st. Call Marty at 496-7051.

BLOG site is: http://madriverridgerunners.blogspot.com.

Please contact Cari (vastridgerunner@gmail.com) if you have anything to be posted. We attempt to update the site regularly, but our resident expert has moved on, so we are on the learning curve. The blog will provide current information about club happenings. This is another area the club could use help with. Please let us know if you have such computer skills.

MRRR is going to a PAPERLESS newsletter. If you would like to receive our newsletter via email, please fill out the form at the bottom of the newsletter or email us (cari@gmavt.net). The newsletter will also be available on our blog when we work out the maintenance details. For the few who are not computer savvy and would still like a copy mailed through the post office, contact Cari at 496-3836.

VAST is offering an Early Bird TMA discount again this season. In order to get that savings, you must purchase your TMA prior to December 15, 2009. For the Early Bird TMA via mail, applications must be post marked prior to 12-15-09. All paper work and documents need to be in correct order for us to process the application in a timely manor. Please see the attached TMA information sheet. TMAs will again be available at Kenyon’s or the Duxbury store

Holiday Pot Luck and Yankee Gift Exchange

Please bring a dish to share, drinks for yourself and a gift (no more than $12.00) for the Yankee Gift exchange to the December meeting.

Next meeting: Holiday Pot Luck on December 1, 2009,

Fayston Municipal Building at 6:00 pm

At our next meeting we will be scheduling this season’s fun activities so put your snowy thinking cap on.

Hope to see you there!

………………….…………..cut here…cut here…cut here…………………………….

MRRR Paperless Newsletter

Name: _______________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________

Phone:________________________________________________

Email:________________________________________________

Mail to MRRR, PO Box 248, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673

Winter is coming

Winter "Coming soon to a trail near you"

Time to blow the dust of the old sleighs and get ready.

This was dec 21st 2008

We would also like to congratulate the Orrs on the new addition to the club.

Grandpa Reg has such a nice ring to it.

August 2009 Newsletter

August 2009 NEWSLETTER

It’s time again for the Season Kick Off Pot Luck Dinner.
Bring a dish to share and your drinks.

Please join us September 8, 2009, 6:00PM at the Fayston Municipal Building.

May 2009 Newsletter

Due to increased costs and our limited budget this is the last newsletter that will be mailed. Newsletters are posted on our blog http://madriverridgerunners.blogspot.com. A request in writing from members without email who wish to continue receiving the newsletter should be sent to MRRR, PO Box 248, Waitsfield, Vermont 05673

Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted.

The slate of officers cannot be finalized due to open positions for President and Secretary. Please consider supporting the club by becoming an officer. Contact any club officer if you are interested.

President:
Vice President: Art Dages
Treasurer: Lois DeHeer
Secretary:
Trail Master: Marty DeHeer
Assistant Trail Master: Paul Pizzale
Saftey Officer: Skip Wallace


Our last meeting for the summer will be our annual cookout at the Dages’ Residence. Please call Art at 496-2577 for directions.
Please bring your own drinks and meat to grill, a pot luck dish to share and lawn chairs.


Next meeting will be Tuesday, June 2, 2009 6:00 PM at the Dages’ Residence. Hope to see you there!!

April 2009 Newsletter

April 2009 NEWSLETTER

We had our April meeting at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, April 7, 2008.
Seven members attended.

TRAILS
Special thanks to our dedicated groomers, Doug, Peanut, Paul, Skip, Lenny and Stuart, who did an outstanding job again this year of maintaining our trails.

SLATE OF OFFICERS
Please consider supporting our club by volunteering to become an officer. The president and secretary positions are open.

The following nominations were made and will be voted on at the May meeting:

President:
Vice President: Art Dages
Secretary:
Treasurer: Lois De Heer
Trailmaster: Marty De Heer
Ass’t Trailmaster: Paul Pizzale
Safety & Ed: Skip Wallace

MRRR blog- Don’t forget to check our site for the latest club activities. The site is: http://madriverridgerunners.blogspot.com.
Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted.

Our last meeting for the summer will be June 2nd and will be our annual cookout at the Dages’ Residence. Please call Art at 496-2577 for directions.
Please bring your own drinks and meat to grill, a pot luck dish to share and lawn chairs.


Next meeting: May 5, 2009, 7:00 PM at the Fayston Town Hall.
Hope to see you there!!

New Link Added

Richard Migneault thought that other club members might be interested inSledGPS Snowmobile Trail Maps for Garmin GPS. The link to this site has been added to the Links section on the right side of this site.

February 2009 Newsletter

February 2009 NEWSLETTER


We had our February meeting at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, February 3, 2009. Ten members attended.

Our annual Progressive dinner was held Saturday, January 24, 2009. Twenty two members attended. Special thanks to the Belnaps, Orr’s and DeHeer’s for hosting a great evening.

A family fun day honoring Vermont's military personal and their families was held January 31, 2009 at Kenyon’s Field. The Military VIP Ride-In was a huge success and well attended. Thanks to all the volunteers who made the day possible.


Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted to this blog site.

Please note our next meeting has changed due to Town Meeting Day.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the DeHeer Residence.
Hope to see you there!!

Military VIP Ride-In This Weekend

The VAST Military Ride In is this weekend Saturday January 31 and will be held at Kenyon's Field from 10-2 PM.
This is a family fun day honoring Vermont's military personal and their families.


Winter activities will include snowmobile rides for all ages, games, special events, and guests. A warming hut and barbecue will be available.

Please contact Doug Wilson if you are able to volunteer on Friday or Saturday.

January 2009 Newsletter

January 2009 NEWSLETTER

We had our January meeting at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, January 6, 2008. Eight members attended.

Sadly, Stanley R. Orr, a founding member of the Mad River Ridge Runners, passed away on January 1, 2009. Our deepest condolences to the Orr family. The family requests memorial gifts to the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service, PO Box 305, Waitsfield, VT 05673.

Unfortunately due to the lack of snow the Annual Hot Dog Roast will be rescheduled. Please check the blog for the date.

Our annual Progressive dinner will be held Saturday, January 24, 2009. Snow or no snow! The dinner is limited to 30 members and a $5.00 donation is requested to help with the cost of the food. If you would like to attend and to sign up for food contributions please call Cathi at 802-496-2577. We will meet at Kenyon’s at 5:30 pm to ride sleds or carpool.

Snow
Appetizers Belnap’s camp

No Snow
Art and Cathi Dages

Dinner Paul Pizzale’s

Dessert DeHeer’s

MRRR blog- Tony continues to do a great job maintaining and updating the blog. The site is: http://madriverridgerunners.blogspot.com.
Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted.

Next meeting will be February 3, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the Fayston Town Hall.
Hope to see you there!!

Groomer Report (Tuesday January 13)

Doug Wilson reports that our trail system continues to be groomed. Camels Hump Park and the Log Job were groomed during the weekend. The Valley floor and the trail over to Northfield are going to be groomed tomorrow and the plan is to have the trail to Huntington groomed by this weekend.

We Need Your Help Clearing The Trails Of Fallen Trees

The high winds that we have experienced in the valley the last couple of weeks has downed many trees throughout our trail system. These trees are going to seriously slow down the ability of our groomers to cover ground and open up more terrain. When you go out for a ride, please bring a chainsaw, a handsaw or even an axe or hatchet with you and do your part to help clear the trails. The trail to Huntington, the trail to Northfield and Paul's Trail (100A, Talc Mine Rd to the Log Job) need the most urgent attention.

The Passing Of One Of Our Founding Members

Stanley R. Orr
1916 - 2009

Stanley R. Orr – 92, of Radcliffe Drive, passed away in the comfort of his family at the Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin on Thursday, January 1, 2009. Born in Calais on September 3, 1916, he was the son of the late Fred and Mabel (Slayton) Orr. On August 18, 1945, Stanley married the former Eleanor Wells in Plainfield.
Stanley was a graduate of the former Plainfield High School and as a young man he worked on the family farm in Calais. His specialty was raising turkeys. In 1946, he purchased the Hardware Store in Marshfield and with it founded a plumbing and heating business. Moving to Waitsfield in 1959, Stanley continued his plumbing and heating business and in addition, with his wife, began a ski lodge known as Orr’s Ark, a longtime institution in the Mad River Valley. Stanley retired in 1975 and with Eleanor, began traveling in their mobile home throughout the lower 48 states as well as Alaska, an adventure they completely enjoyed for nearly 30 years. Stanley also loved hunting and fishing.
His memberships included the Couples Club in Waitsfield, the Waitsfield United Church of Christ, the Valley Rotary Club and was a founding member of the Mad River Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club.
Stanley is survived by his wife of 63 years, Eleanor Orr of Waitsfield; a daughter, Deborah Orr of Moretown; a son, Reginald Orr and his wife, Kathi of Waitsfield; 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family. Stanley was predeceased by two children, Peggy Orr and Brian Orr, as well as 3 sisters and 7 brothers.
Memorial services will be held from the Waitsfield United Church of Christ on Wednesday, January 7th at 6:30 p.m. The family requests that flowers be omitted; rather memorial gifts would be appreciated to the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service, PO Box 305, Waitsfield, VT 05673. To send on-line condolences please visit www.perkinsparker.com .

Amazing early season powder conditions

Club member Whitney Philips submitted these great pictures of recent riding conditions up in the park.

December 2008 Newsletter

December 2008 NEWSLETTER

President: Tony Amenta (496-2925)
Vice President: Art Dages
Secretary: Cathi Dages
Treasurer: Lois De Heer
Trail Master: Marty De Heer (496-7051)
Ass’t Trail Master: Paul Pizzale (496-4476)
Safety Officer: Skip Wallace (244-1580)

We had our Annual Holiday Potluck, Yankee Gift Exchange and December meeting at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, December 2nd. Thirteen members attended.

The official opening day of the season Monday, December 15th. Thanks to all the volunteers that made that opening possible.

The Annual Hot Dog Roast will be New Years Day. We will meet at Kenyon’s and will depart on sleds at 11am. Please bring your own hot dogs and drinks.

Future club outings include: An overnight ride to St. Johnsbury’s - February 7th and 8th; A Quebec weekend in March and the annual Progressive Dinner on January 24th. More info to follow.

Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted to this blog.

Next meeting will be January 6, 2009 at 7:00 PM at the Fayston Town Hall.
Hope to see you there!!

Have a wonderful safe and snow filled Holiday

TMA by Mail Form

Mad River Ridge Runners

To purchase your 2008/2009 TMA you will need the following:
1. A copy of the sled’s current registration (expiration date Sept. 2009)
2. A check made out to “Mad River Ridge Runners” (MRRR) for the amount of the TMA plus the local club dues ($12.00) and county club dues ($3.00) and $20.00 VAST grooming surcharge

You can purchase your TMA at:
• Kenyon’s Variety Store, Route 100, Waitsfield, Vermont
• Duxbury Store, Route 100, Duxbury, Vermont
• Or by mail to: Mad River Ridge Runners
P.O. Box 248
Waitsfield, Vermont 05673
You must complete and sign the form and include #1 and #2 above when requesting your TMA by mail. *Non-Resident land owners must send a copy of your paid tax bill for 2008

Remember early bird TMA’s are sold only until December 15, 2008 and will be full price after December 15, 2008.

Questions Call Lois DeHeer at (802) 496- 7051 or Kenyon’s at (802) 496-3922

2009 VAST TMA QUICK PRICE LIST
(PRICE INCLUDES ALL FEES) $12 County Fee, $3 Club Fee, & $20 Grooming Surcharge

Prices to & including Dec 15th Resident $100
Non Resident $130
Family (Resident) $68
Family (Non Resident) $83
Classic $85
Prices after Dec 16th Resident $125
Non Resident $165
Family (Resident) $80
Family (Non Resident) $100
Classic $105


Note: if paying by check, please make out to:
“Mad River Ridge Runners”

November 2008 Newsletter

November 2008 NEWSLETTER


We had our meeting at the Dages’ residence on Wednesday, November 5, 2008. Nine members attended.

Thanks to all the members who volunteered and our local businesses who donated prizes, our annual raffle dinner was a huge success.

Congratulations to Terry Severy for winning the 2009 Polaris 550 IQ Shift.

VAST is offering an Early Bird TMA discount again this season. In order to get that savings, you must purchase your TMA prior to December 15, 2008. TMA’s will again be available at Kenyon’s or the Duxbury store

We are still hard at work on the trails and need volunteers. The work crew meet every Saturday @ 8am at Kenyon’s.

We are holding our annual snowmobile safety class on December 1, 3 + 4 at Reggie Orr's shop in Waitsfield. Please contact Skip Wallace for details and to register.

Holiday Pot Luck and Yankee Gift Exchange.
Please bring a dish to share, drinks for yourself and a gift (no more than $10.00) for the Yankee Gift exchange to the December meeting.


Next meeting: Holiday Pot Luck on December 2, 2008, at Fayston Town Hall at 6:00 pm
Hope to see you there!

October 2008 Newsletter

President: Tony Amenta (496-2925)
Vice President: Art Dages
Secretary: Cathi Dages
Treasurer: Lois De Heer
Trail Master: Marty De Heer (496-7051)
Ass’t Trail Master: Paul Pizzale (496-4476)
Safety Officer: Skip Wallace (244-1580)

October 2008 NEWSLETTER


We had our October meeting at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, October 7, 2008. Nine members attended.

The Annual Raffle Dinner tickets are available at Kenyon’s. The dinner and raffle will be held on Saturday, October 18th at the Montpelier Elk’s Club. 100 tickets are being sold at $120.00. A ticket is a chance to win a 2009 Polaris 550 IQ Shift sled and includes 2 dinners. Social hour will begin at 6:00 pm and dinner will be at 7:00 pm.

Prizes are still needed for the raffle, it you would like to donate a prize please drop off prizes at Reggie and Kathi Orr’s as soon as possible.

VAST is offering an Early Bird TMA discount again this season. In order to get that savings, you must purchase your TMA prior to December 15, 2008. TMA’s will again be available at Kenyon’s or the Duxbury store

We are still hard at work on the trails and need volunteers. The work crew meet every Saturday @ 8am at Kenyon’s.


Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted to this blog site. This site is updated regularly and provides current information about club happenings.

Next meeting: Due to Election Day our next meeting will be Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 at 7:00 PM at Dages’ residence. Call Art at 496-2577 for directions. Hope to see you there!

September 2008 Newsletter

September 2008 NEWSLETTER


We had our September meeting and annual pot luck dinner at the Fayston Town Hall on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. Sixteen members attended.

It’s time to start working on the trails. The club has a lot of projects and needs more volunteers to help. The work crew meets every Saturday @ 8am at Kenyon’s. Come on out, it’s a great time to meet club members and enjoy the outdoors. Bring work gloves, water, and a box lunch.

Our Annual Raffle Dinner will be held on Saturday, October 18th at the Montpelier Elk’s Club. 100 tickets are being sold at $120.00 and will be available for pick up after September 27, 2008 at Kenyon’s. A ticket is a chance to win a 2009 Polaris 550 IQ Shift sled and includes 2 dinners. Social hour will begin at 6:00 pm and dinner will be at 7:00 pm. It’s a good night out with your friends and neighbors. Volunteers are needed to help. Donations are also requested as raffle prizes. If you have a prize to donate please contact any club officer for pick up.

Please contact Tony ( vastridgerunner@gmail.com ) if you have anything to be posted to this blog. This site is updated regularly and provides current information about club happenings.

Next meeting: Tuesday October 7th, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the Fayston Town Hall. Hope to see you there!!

Trail Work Begins This Weekend

We will be meeting at Kenyons at 8AM this Saturday weather permitting. Our plan is to begin work on replacing the long bridge at Turners Farm that parallels route 100. Please come out and lend us a hand.

August 2008 Newsletter

August 2008 NEWSLETTER

President: Tony Amenta (496-2925)
Vice President: Art Dages
Trail Master: Marty De Heer (496-7051)
Secretary: Cathi Dages
Treasurer: Lois De Heer
Ass’t Trail Master: Paul Pizzale (496-4476)
Safety Officer: Skip Wallace (244-1580)

Please join us for the

Mad River Ridge Runners
2008-2009 Snowmobile Season Kick Off Pot Luck Dinner

September 2, 2008
6:30 pm
Fayston Municipal Building