To the editor:
Wonder how those snowmobile trails magically appear each year just in time for riding fun? Snowmobile club volunteers spend countless hours working with landowners, putting up signs, brushing trails and getting grooming equipment ready.
There are over 20,000 miles of trails across Wisconsin. Trails are maintained by nearly 600 clubs, with local club efforts coordinated by the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs. More information about AWSC can be found on its website at www.awsc.org.
Safety is always on the minds of responsible snowmobilers. The AWSC encourages riders to watch their speed and drink alcoholic beverages responsibly, if at all, while riding. There is a nighttime 55 mph speed limit for snowmobiles. Riders are also reminded that machines must slow to 10 mph when in the vicinity of pedestrians, dwellings or fishermen.
Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1985, must obtain a snowmobile safety certificate to ride legally. The course is available at www.snowmobile-ed.com/wi/ or from classes held by clubs. A list of classes can be found at the Department of Natural Resources website.
Did you know that the snowmobile (and ATV/UTV) sports are entirely self-funded by users? All monies spent on trail placement, upgrading and maintenance comes from machine registrations and a small rebate from the state gas tax, calculated by how much fuel each machine burns in off-highway use.
Equipment, insurance and fuel are major expenses for clubs and can total hundreds of thousands of dollars when you include the cost of replacing groomers and drags.
If the snowmobile sport is to grow, more people need to experience the thrill of riding our great trails. If you are an active rider, make it a point this winter to take someone riding who has never been on a sled or hasn’t gone for years. Also, get active in your local club. There is a lot of gray hair on the heads of most of the very active members. The sport can’t survive without younger folks getting involved to carry on the volunteer work.
We are only a round-trip tank of gas away from Green Bay and the Fox Valley, making Oconto County an ideal snowmobile destination.
Even if you don’t ride a sled but own a business or just want to get involved, we welcome your assistance. Check www.ocontocounty.org for the club nearest you and volunteer to join or help, either financially or with your time.
John Brantmeier
Townsend
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