History of the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts (Brad Stafford)
SAM: Created by snowmobilers in the past, for the snowmobilers of the future. Part 1 A while back I wrote about a conversation with a fellow snowmobiler. He was bragging about how he didn’t get screwed by the state and ...Read more
Published on Sunday, December 15, 2013 in Education, Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, people, sam, volunteers
Christmas Snowmobile Procession in Russia (Evgeniy Borodin)
The Ural Mountains of Russia receive remarkable amounts of snow. The region is the perfect place for the snowmobiler and we use every chance to go on a ride and enjoy the winter, especially during the traditional tour around Christmastime. ...Read more
Published on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 in Guest Columns, News & Updates, Snowmobile Travel
Tags: people, travel
Ware River and Easy Riders Featured in Newspaper
The Worcester Telegram and Gazette featured a story about the upcoming snowmobile season “Mass. snowmobiles go where the cover is deep” by George Barnes. Quoted in the story were SAM members Jay Pease and Herb Hilton. “Mr. Pease of the ...Read more
Published on Sunday, December 1, 2013 in In The News, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, in the news, people, sam, volunteers
SAM I AM: Brian Blanchard (Terry Holland)
Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts member profile: Brian Blanchard is a member of the Snowbirds Snowmobile Club and has been riding for 42 years. His first snowmobile was a red 1973 Scorpion 290, his currently sled is a 2013 Ski-Doo MX-Z Renegade 1200 with an ...Read more
Published on Friday, November 22, 2013 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, opinion, people
Massachusetts Trails Conference (Larry Tucker)
While this past summer did have its hot spells, overall it was real nice with beautiful weather. I hope everyone was able to enjoy some cookouts, camping, the beach and some parties. While we put our sleds away for the ...Read more
Published on Monday, November 4, 2013 in Legislative Affairs, News & Updates
Tags: access, DCR, education, environment, people, public lands, sam
Brad Stafford Names Get-Sno Newsletter
Tucker Sno-Cat dealer Get-Sno Equipment in Newport Vermont were searching for a name for their new Get-Sno newsletter, something catchy. The Newsletter will cater to snowmobile trail groomer operators, snowmobile clubs, event listings, and insight into the equipment we all ...Read more
Published on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 in General Announcements, News & Updates
Tags: people, volunteers
Snowmobiler of the Year: Dan Gould
Dan not only motivates others to step up to the plate but has led by example and personally made key contributions to snowmobiling on a local, state, national and international level. Over the past decade as the president of Snowmobile ...Read more
Published on Monday, May 20, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: people, sam, volunteers
Dealer of the Year: Ray's Cycle Center
As a dealer, Ray’s Cycle Center business is always promoting the importance of SAM, Snowmobile legislation, and how the rules are there for everyone. They sells trail passes for several clubs. While the dealer is small and family run, they ...Read more
Published on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: people, sam
Friend of SAM: Roger and Joanne Clapp
The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts recognizes a family that has long supported recreation and snowmobiling, despite not being snowmobilers themselves. They have always understood the importance of snowmobiling to the area and the overall trail system. Just over a year ...Read more
Published on Saturday, May 4, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, family, people, sam
Club of the Year: Snowbirds Snowmobile Club
The Snowbirds Snowmobile Club have an understanding of what makes organized snowmobiling succeed. They have been involved in SAM since the 1970’s. They consistently have many members volunteering at the Sled Expo, and had several at the International Snowmobile Congress ...Read more
Published on Friday, April 26, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, people, sam, volunteers
Groomer Operator of the Year: David MacLeod
David MacLeod has been a Snowmobile Groomer Operator for over 25 years as well as a trail worker. This volunteer knows what it takes to make trails smooth. As groomer chief for the Snowbirds Snowmobile Club he studies grooming, teaches ...Read more
Published on Friday, April 12, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, Grooming, people, sam
Trail Worker of the Year: Paul Sokoloski
Snowmobile trail work and making them better is a year round project for Paul Sokoloski of the Conway Snowmobile Club. Smooth trails are in his mind all summer… long before any flakes fly. He is always thinking about the trails ...Read more
Published on Monday, April 8, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, people, volunteers
Snowmobile Family of the Year: The Taylors
Bill and Joyce Taylor of the Knox Trail Sno-Riders were presented the 2013 Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts Family of the Year Award. Bill and Joyce have been active in SAM for decades. Combined they have held the office of secretary, ...Read more
Published on Friday, April 5, 2013 in Awards, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, family, people, sam, vintage, volunteers
Breaking Bad: Snowmobile Trailer Axle Fails (Dan Gould)
Cold weather dominated our sledding excursion, now it was T-shirt time. We had snowmobiled for a few days and were snaking our way down the mountain road in the cab of Scott Sumner’s pickup after the last ride of the ...Read more
Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 in News & Updates, Snowmobile Tech, Snowmobile Travel
Tags: humor, people, tech, travel
SAM Assists With Blizzard Recovery (Dan Gould) UPDATED
The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts was contacted by NSTAR as part of the Governor’s Command Center to assist in the restoration of electric power caused by the Blizzard of 2013. NSTAR reached out to SAM once it realized that specialized ...Read more
Published on Sunday, February 10, 2013 in In The News, News & Updates
Tags: in the news, people, sam, volunteers
Teenagers Plan SAM Events (Sara Trova)
Are you between the ages of 12-19? Do you enjoy riding snowmobiles? Are you interested in meeting new friends that enjoy the same hobby as you? Do you want to help shape the future of snowmobiling in Massachusetts? If you ...Read more
Published on Monday, February 4, 2013 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: family, people, Teens
Happy New Year!
In a chest at the bottom of my closet, Lies a coat of colorful fabric. The smell of exhaust and gasoline, A smell of pure heaven, though wretched and vile, Fills me with a sense of joy and freedom. Each ...Read more
Published on Monday, December 31, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: humor, people
Dick DiOrio: Leader Of The Pack (Randy Toth)
The October Mountain Men, led by veteran snowmobiler Richard (Dick) DiOrio, watch over October Mountain State Forest (OMSF) which is located in the Berkshire County towns of Washington, Becket, Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield. OMSF, with over 16,000 acres, is the ...Read more
Published on Sunday, December 30, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, opinion, people, volunteers
Thanksgiving Proclamation (John F. Kennedy)
October 1961: More than three centuries ago, the Pilgrims, after a year of hardship and peril, humbly and reverently set aside a special day upon which to give thanks to God for their preservation and for the good harvest from ...Read more
Published on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 in General Announcements, News & Updates
Tags: people
The Take a Friend Snowmobiling (Ed Klim)
The Take a Friend Snowmobiling campaign is all about introducing non-snowmobilers to our winter recreation of choice. Research shows that people want to go snowmobiling but don’t know how to get started. By planning a ride, we take the guess ...Read more
Published on Monday, October 29, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: ISMA, opinion, people, press release
Russian Sledders visit Mass (Evgeniy Borodin)
The Russian Snowmobile Association invited the BRP Fan Club to attend the International Snowmobile Congress (ISC) as the best club in Russia (in the opinion of ROSAN Co, the BRP distributor in Russia). The aim was clear: to meet new ...Read more
Published on Monday, October 15, 2012 in Guest Columns, International Snowmobile Congress, News & Updates
Tags: ISC 2012, people, trail-riding, volunteers
In The News: ISC 2012
Press coverage of ISC 2012 appeared in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, featuring interviews with SAM members as well as our guests from Russia (pictured above). An excerpt of the article follows, the whole story can be read at this ...Read more
Published on Monday, June 11, 2012 in In The News, News & Updates
Tags: access, clubs, education, ISC 2012, opinion, people, sam, volunteers
Trail Worker of the Year: Jim Richard
Typically the recipient of this award operates in the shadows, their name and whereabouts a mystery to the majority of club members. It’s rare that anyone ever witnesses the actual duties being carried out. What they discover are the results. ...Read more
Published on Saturday, April 14, 2012 in General Announcements, News & Updates
Tags: people, sam, volunteers
Family of the Year: Molly, Jeff, and Marcia Miller
This family has been described as true ambassadors of snowmobiling. While many riders are seasonal recreationalists and put the season behind them in March, this family stays active all year, it is more of a lifestyle than a hobby. They ...Read more
Published on Saturday, April 14, 2012 in General Announcements, News & Updates
Tags: clubs, family, people, sam, volunteers
International Snowmobile Congress History (Randy Toth)
How about some ISC trivia? The International Snowmobile Congress is being hosted by the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts for 2012 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts but did you know that the first ever ISC was held in 1969 in New York? Has ...Read more
Published on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 in International Snowmobile Congress, News & Updates
Tags: National, people
Learning to Groom from The Master (Randy Toth)
The following story is true. Only the master’s name was changed to protect the individual. We received our first snowfall shortly after I retired. While sleeping late and thoroughly enjoying the experience, the phone rang at the crack of dawn ...Read more
Published on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: humor, people, volunteers
A Community's Passion for a Sport (Melissa Allard) (video)
Many of you have seen me running around with my camera at various SAM events over the past season. For those who don’t know me, I’m a born-and-raised snowmobiler from the Berkshires. Growing up, the Snow Seekers were like my ...Read more
Published on Thursday, January 12, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: access, DCR, education, environment, family, opinion, people, public lands, sam, trail-riding, volunteers
Saddle Bagging the Gaspe Peninsula (Tom Rosato)
We did it – sixteen hundred and fifty (1650) miles in eight days on a sled. Just as planned – well, almost, anyways. A group from the Easy Riders Snowmobile Club toured the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, Canada in a ...Read more
Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 in News & Updates, Snowmobile Travel
Tags: humor, people, trail-riding, travel
Chaudière-Appalaches and Québec Industry Lose a Pioneer
A press release from Quebec brings sad news of a friend to snowmobilers in the Northeast. Laurent Caouette was a familiar face at SAM’s Snowmobile Expo every October and to anyone who rode in Quebec along the Maine border. He was ...Read more
Published on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 in General Announcements, News & Updates
Tags: expo, people, press release, volunteers
Snow Angel (Bill Dighton)
It was like a scene in a Hollywood movie; a trip that probably shouldn’t have happened, a near death experience and a renewed faith in humanity. On a trip last February, Rich Murray and myself had all these things happen ...Read more
Published on Sunday, January 1, 2012 in Guest Columns, News & Updates
Tags: people, trail-riding, travel
