A Quarterly Insight into the happenings of the Ellery Sno-Cruisers
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ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS
newsletter
Volume 1, Issue 34 April 2013
Thanks to the Groomers!!!!!!! We cannot say enough about the effort put in by the grooming team this year. Given the lack of snowfall we experienced all season, we still ended up with a very decent year thanks to the effort of a number of club volunteers who put in many hours grooming and maintaining our trail system. Essentially every night, someone was out working on the trails to ensure that we had the best possible riding conditions. When all the numbers are tallied up, it is amazing how much time goes into grooming trails and maintaining the three machines that the club owns. So far this season, it is estimated that at least 500 hours were logged by the groomer operators out on the trails and at least 140 additional hours were required to perform routine maintenance on the machines. We would like to say thanks to the following folks who volunteered many hours of their own time to give all of us the best possible riding conditions: Jeremy Winchester, Joe Pitts,
Greg Stanton, Mike Allenson, Don and Colene Meder, Tim Ode, Dan Balling, Dan Meder, Jim Zipp, Steve Latone, Shawn Sweatman and Ray Head. As always, the club never has enough people to handle what needs to be done and we could really use your help. If you would like to help with event planning, trail work, grooming, etc, etc, call the club phone at 716-499-7539, drop us a message on our website, www.ellerysno-cruisers.org, or find us on Facebook.
................... Inside this issue >>> Thanks to the Groomers Last Chance Trails Never Too Early The Making of a Trail Meeting Schedule Officers First Annual SNOFARI News About Your Newsletter
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ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
“Stay Between the Stakes” Campaign We would like to thank all the gracious landowners who give us permission to have snowmobile trails on their property. Snowmobilers need to understand that we only have permission to ride in the area between the stakes. Every club state-wide is facing this dilemma, keeping snowmobiles between the stakes or “trails are closed”. Landowners are fed up with the few people that want to ruin our sport by cutting corners or have the urge to blast through areas that are off limits. Too many times we see this throughout the trail systems and only wonder why they can’t obey what the landowners have graciously given us. The landowners make it possible for us to enjoy this awesome sport and without them we would not be able to see the beautiful scenery that they offer. There are many reasons why landowners ask to have their fields marked by double stakes. Some fields are planted with tree seedlings, winter wheat and other crops that are valuable to their business and could be damaged by careless riders who are determined to stray off the trail. This is particularly a problem early in the season or when snow levels are light as they have been this year. The following are some more of the many reasons to ride between the stakes. • • • • •
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It is simply common courtesy to stay on the trail. Riding outside the stakes drastically increases your chance of hitting obstacles such as ant hills, tree stumps and broken fence posts that may be hidden under the snow. It is simply safer. That’s where the signs are that alert you to the riding conditions ahead. There are no ponds between the stakes. The volunteers who remove the stakes and signs in the spring also pick up litter and debris left by snowmobilers. These objects are easier to find if they are not scattered all over the field. It is simply easier. The track left by one snowmobiler who goes off the trail is NOT an invitation for others to follow. A ride between the stakes, even if bumpy, is better than no ride at all.
BECAUSE….
CAN IT BE ANY CLEARER?
IT IS NEVER TOO EARLY TO LEND A HAND With all the work that is necessary for a successful snowmobile season, it is always great to see the young people out on the trails lending a hand. This year Lucas Seiberg had a ball helping his Dad put up signs for the season and he was a huge help with this task. Getting the kids involved early not only gets them out for some fun in the fresh air but also teaches them responsibility and the importance of volunteering for a good cause.
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
The Making of a Trail By: Harold Mong Ever wonder how we got the hundreds of miles of trails together we ride? The answer isn’t as simple as one might think… It’s a long hard & difficult process for each and every mile of trail throughout the county and state. “Landowners and volunteers” are the keys. Each trail must have written approval by every landowner within the trail. Volunteers in the club 1st must decide where the trails are routed. They spend hours trying to find the best possible route. Once a route is collectively agreed on, it is reviewed with the land owners. Most trails have several landowners and written approval is required by all. The next task is to gather a group of club volunteers and discuss where the drain pipes, gates, bridges etc. are needed and get them installed. Bridges & drain pipes traditionally take a lot of money, time and energy to complete, often requiring heavy equipment to excavate the terrain. When this is completed, the trail then needs to have the trees, stumps and brush trimmed so the groomer can fit through the trail. This requires chain saws for cutting, trimming, equipment for digging and hauling the wood, stumps or limbs from the trail. We are now getting close to signing the trail. Signing is the term used to position signs strategically throughout the trail to warn snowmobilers of dangers, road crossings, places of interest, rout numbers and direction of travel to keep you safe. Many hours are spent placing and removing the signs each season. This is mandated by law to keep riders safe & where they are suppose to be. Recently the state has required all trails to be GPS. This requires even more man hours to GPS the trails. After the trail is completed the final ingredient is snow. This is where we count on Mother Nature to do her wonder. Cold weather and snow make it happen… So we ask, the next time you’re out enjoying the trails please thank the landowners, all the volunteered hours, manpower & money that make this great sport what it is today. Please do your part to help out with volunteering your time or and donations. Thank you for riding our trails and look forward to yet another great season… “Think Snow”
Caster Drilling Inc 5363 Stow Road Ashville, NY 14710 Phone: 716-789-2230 Fax: 716-789-2234 http://www.casterdrilling.com/
LAW OFFICES OF
RANDY E. RHINEHART Randy E. Rhinehart Attorney at Law 800 Fairmont Avenue Jamestown, New York 14701 (716) 483-1289
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General Practice Real estate Personal Injury Claims
Fax: (716) 483-1920
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Wills & Estates Bankruptcy
Trail Conditions Hotline Courtesy of Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
Meeting Schedule >>> Ellery Sno-Cruisers regular meetings are held at the Bemus Point Golf Club on the first and third Wednesday of the month. All members are welcomed! The Board of Directors meetings are held at the See Zuhr House on the fourth Wednesday of the month. NOTE: April meetings will start at 7:00. Thereafter, meetings will begin at 8:00 pm (starting with the May 1st meeting).
Officers & Directors President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Signing Coordinator Land Owner Coordinator Trail Coordinators: Bemus-Stockton Trail Stockton Area Trails Gerry Trail Membership Coordinator Directors:
Jamie Carlson Mike Allenson Chuck Hinman Lisa Allenson Ray Head Jim Cheney Ryan Kelley Don Meder Conrad Mason Dawn Gilbert Jim Cheney Greg Stanton Harold Mong Ray Head Tim Ode Don Meder Conrad Mason Jaimie Kayner Donna Crandall
Club Phone 716-499-7539
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
FIRST ANNUAL SNOFARI WAS A BIG SUCCESS Lions, Tigers and Bears aren’t exactly the normal scenery you would expect to see while hitting the trails but thanks to organizers, Jeremy Winchester, Rob Buydos and Tom Carson (Parts Unlimited) and Tom and Jared Anzalone owner’s of 3 Seas Recreation, the first annual SNOFARI ride to JNK’s Call of the Wild Sanctuary (www.jnkscallofthewild.org) took place on February 24th and proved to be perfect day. Check out the recap of the event at http:// theriderscope.com/home/snowmobilingchautauqua-county-new-york-1st-annualsnofari-ride/
Phone: (716) 483483-1435 • Fax: (716) 483483-3995 •E•E-mail: service@jamestownawning.com ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
Real Estate Advantage 716-484-2020 Club Phone 716-499-7539
Homes & Property on and near the trail. Earl and Ginger Johnson
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
Cutting Costs to Improve Your Club The Ellery Sno-Cruisers thank you for your membership to the club and for your participation and support. Since we are a Not-for-Profit organization, we must be especially careful with any expenditures. As with any good organization, we must carefully budget for expenses and always be on the lookout for ways to provide services to our members and supporters in the most cost effective way possible in order to ensure our future existence. Any money we can save in the day-to-day operation is money that we can spend to groom and maintain trails. For many years, the Ellery Sno-Cruisers has printed and mailed out a newsletter to keep our members in the loop with the current events of the club. Most recently, the newsletter has gone out quarterly in December, March, June and September. The downside of mailing out a newsletter is that the cost of printing and mailing one issue is upwards of $1,000.00. $1,000.00 There is also a delay of about two weeks from the time it is submitted to the printer until it hits your mailbox. As with any business, we are looking to use today’s technology to provide our members with the same level of service at the most cost effective and efficient way possible. In the future we will only be mailing out the complete newsletter when it is necessary to include other printed material such as raffle tickets, although, we will be mailing you a post card to let you know that it has been uploaded to our website. Those of you who have already viewed issues on our website know that it looks much better in color. Furthermore, reference links that are printed in the newsletter are active. Let us know your thoughts! Send us a note at news@ellerysno-cruisers.org.
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org
If you want to keep up-to-date on what is going on with your club, join our group on Facebook. You can find out the latest information on trail conditions, grooming, work parties, and other activities. Visit our group at: http:// www.facebook.com/pages/EllerySno-Cruisers/133144796764715
ELLERY SNO-CRUISERS | 716.499.7539 | news@ellerysno-cruisers.org | www.ellerysno-cruisers.org