Meeting Minutes – 2021 November

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Sno-Goer

Meeting called to order on 11/2/21, 7:30pm at Potsie’s by Eric.

Secretary’s report:

Sent out via email earlier in October. Approved as read.

Treasurer’s report:

Approved as read by Sheri.
Closed CD and deposited into checking account, planning to put into investment account.

Media/Marketing:

Check for club website updates that Frank did recently.

Council Report:

Plans to do some brushing on the Gandy Dancer trail.
Council is going to sell a brusher and trailer.
Stower Trail. Final judge ruling still pending, likely by 12/11. Some trail work & signing has been done, but not doing too much until final ruling. As of now, the Stower trail will be open to snowmobiles after 12/15 pending enough snow accumulation. Horses have been on there this fall. Possible trail from club shelter to Stower being planned.

Trail Bosses Report:

Jeff Jonas & Rick LeRoux volunteered to do Stower trail if it opens up to snowmobiles.
Arik Mahler volunteered to do the west side of Dresser from the intersection to Interstate Park.
Trail signing starts this Saturday (11/6). Coordinate with Trail Bosses and make sure to contact landowners first. Remember to keep track of your hours and turn into your Trail Boss or to Kevin McNutt. The county gets funding from these hours.

KAOS Youth Club:

Safety Training held in October. 41 kids attended. Our club covered the costs.
KAOS club is doing trail signs on Saturday, 11/6, at 9am, meeting at McKenzie Lanes. Lunch will be provided afterwards for those that help. Doug Kromrey is in charge.
Next meeting is Tuesday, 11/9 at McKenzie Lanes at 7pm.

Old Business:

Elections were held after October meeting. See new officers above.
AWSC Fall Workshop was held in the Dells in October. Dan Carlson received the Snowmobile Friendly Community Award on behalf of our club.

New Business:

Stower & Dresser West trail bosses. We have volunteers, see above.
Need a new Social Committee Chair. It has been Eric Hallen, but looking for someone now that Eric is President.
Club Appreciation Party at Eric’s house this Saturday, 11/6 after 5pm. See email reminder that was sent last week for details. Food will be provided, BYOB.
Hunter’s Party at UW Wanderoos on Thursday, 11/18 at 6pm. They are looking for volunteers to help. Eric will get raffle tickets for club members to sell. Tickets will be handed out at Club Appreciation Party.
Club’s Warming Shelter. Not planning to cut wood this year. Mark Jessen offered to provide some extra wood for the shelter.
Meat Raffle planned for 12/3 at Potsie’s at 6pm. Fund raiser for the club. Eric will get the meat at Swanks. Volunteers needed to help the night of.
Board of Directors met to review budget proposal for 2022. Motion and 2^nd to approve 2022 budget as proposed by the Board. Approved.
New 2020-2022 Trail maps are now available.

Trip Committee:

Discussed ideas to get more involvement. Considerations of the club contributing money for food and/or rooms to entice more people. Likely planning for Hayward again?

Social Committee:

Need a new Social Committee chair. Volunteers?
Club appreciation party at Eric’s this Saturday (11/6). Club to supply food. RSVP via facebook or contact Eric for more info. Address is 605 218^th St, Osceola.
Deer Hunting Party at UW Wanderoos on 11/18 at 6pm.

Next Meeting: December 7, 2021 at 7:30pm at Hank’s.

Meeting was adjourned at 8:20.

Meeting Minutes – 2021 October

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Sno-Goer

*Meeting called to order on 10/5/21, 7:30pm at UW Wanderoos back bar by Kevin.

Secretary’s report:

· Sent out via email earlier in Sept., Approved as read

Treasurer’s report:

· Approved as read, Sheri was absent

· Reviewed Fair profits after 15% paid to Fair Board

Media/Marketing:

· Mark Kuhl website, Eric Hallen facebook

· Meeting dates, meeting minutes and contact info could be added to web page.

Council Report:

· Bridges on Cat Tail to be worked on.

· Stower Trail ruling next week?

Trail Bosses Report:

· Need Dresser west Trail Boss, let Kevin know if interested.

· Duane would like orange reflective tape/ribbon for quick trip landscaping area.

· Kevin answered questions from Lotus Lakes Homeoweners on Stower trail issues and referred to snowmobiling deputy.

· Trail signing next month, Turn in hours

· May need Stower trail boss, Chris volunteered.

Youth Club:

· Next meeting in October 12, 2021, McKenzie Lanes 7pm

· Safety Training 10/18,19&21, 6:30-9pm Intermediate School, notification in paper, Facebook and WI DNR Go Wild. Club covers costs. 30 books on order.

Old Business:

· AWSC Fall workshop is 10/22-24 at WI Dells. Club reimburses $100/family, $50/individual

· Memberships expired the end of June so time to renew for 2021-2022 season. 161 Memberships last year.

· Osceola Community Fair booth was a success, Thanks to all volunteers. Weather was great and helped with sales. Pretty much ran out of everything by the end. No turkey legs on Sunday. Need to do better at getting volunteers lined up in advance as several people did double jobs etc.

New Business:

· Club President and Secretary positions and 2 board positions will expire at end of this meeting. Elections will be held following the meeting.

· Board budget discussions/review end of October meeting for review at November meeting.

· Some items noted for budgeting PA system, propane grill, mop, floor matts for fair booth, custom trail signs for intersections.

· New 2020-2022 Trail maps are now available.

Trip Committee:

· Need a new committee and ideas here. Hayward 7 Winds casino seems like a doable location.

· Could club sponsor a pizza party or put $ toward room costs to encourage club participation?

Social Committee:

· Club appreciation party/picnic moved from June to 11/6 trail signing to be held at Eric Hallen’s. Eric to provide drinks BYOB and Club to supply food. RSVP via facebook or contact Eric for more info.

· 11/18 Deer Hunting Party at UW Wanderoos.

Next Meeting: November 2, 2021 at 7:30pm at Potsies (previously Sues) .

Club Elections held following meeting:

· Eric Hallen will become club president, Cyndi Sommerfeldt will retain Secretary role, Rhett Larson and Jason Raska will become Board members. All have been added to the heading of these meeting minutes.

Trail Signing – For all ages

Posted on April 11, 2021 by Sno-Goer

Here are a few pics from Doug Strain. These 5 kids helped Doug and Nate Gustafson put signs in last fall on the trail from Dresser to the north towards Interstate park. Thanks to all for helping with our trails. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to ride.

2021 Covid didn’t slow us down!

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Sno-Goer

The 2020 pandemic will be with us for quite some time. Snowmobiling in 2021 was an outlet for many of us to get out of the house. Surprisingly, stops at our local bars were not crowded if you were careful when you rode and where you stopped. If you were willing to travel, there was abundant snow within a 3 hour drive. Here are a few pictures from our riding this year.

Riding in a 12″ snowfall — nothing better!

UP — Gay, Michigan. Had to drink our beer outside

2021 Club Safari

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Sno-Goer

This year’s Safari was held in Hayward, WI at the Seven Winds Lodge on County B & K. Another light attendance this year, but still fun for all that attended. The snow was sufficient, but not abundant. We rode north to Lake Namekagon, south to Lac Courte Oreilles & everywhere in between. The main group did 300 miles over the 3 days. We had a nice blend of experienced rider and some not as experienced. Overall the trip was successful (no one got hurt and no breakdowns) and everyone had a great time. I hope we can get more participation in future years.

Breakfast, energy needed for a full day of riding

Updated 2-23-2021

Posted on December 30, 2020 by Sno-Goer

All Polk county snowmobile trails are closed.

Please check these websites for more information: http://www.co.polk.wi.us or http://www.travelwisconsin.com

The Hard Truth About off Trail Riding

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Sno-Goer

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT OFF-TRAIL RIDING
By: Mark Lester, Photo By: Mike Lester
3/15/2019
It looks like snocross racing has been supplanted as the identity of choice by the image of the deep snow freerider.

Iconic names like Haikonen, Morgan and Hibbert for two decades have given way to powder slaying, cornice jumping images of Chris Burandt, Carl Kuster, Dave McClure, Rob Kincaid and many others. More important, in showrooms the sought-after image of snocross sleds is increasingly shifting to deep-snow sleds.

Proof positive are comments coming from the OEMs indicating the sale of crossover and mountain sleds is the growth market in the snowmobile industry right now.

We would not dispute this assertion. Our contact with you, our readers, and Snowtrax Television viewers indicates not just a passing interest in off-trail riding but a determined desire to rip-up powder, ride without boundaries and generally go wherever you choose.
Although we’re not against this new, tweaked definition of snowmobiling, we must clearly state this reality: If snowmobiling keeps redefining itself away from groomed trail riding – and I’m speaking about flatland freeriding here – there’s going to be a huge price to be paid.

Sure, it’s great the OEMs are recording sales increases in deep snow, longer tracked crossover rides; I get that. However, there has to be a visible, coordinated move to educate these buyers their new way to participate has boundaries and subsequently, rules. If this doesn’t happen soon, we’re in for big trouble!

So, overall, this is good, right? I mean more sleds sold means more participants, more tourism impact, more justification for our sport’s continued acceptance and support by government and thus more monetary support for snowmobiling. This is correct thinking, right?
Honestly, I’m less sure about the above rationale than I’ve ever been. I’m concerned things are getting out of control. We attend all the big US consumer shows every fall and this year I was overwhelmed by the increase in people we spoke with who are buying sleds with the intent to use them off-trail in flatland, trail-based territory.

Like I said, I’m all about more participation and expansion. However, I’m becoming increasingly concerned about the consequences of this re-imagined type of riding.

You’ve likely heard, just like we have, about trail closures from sleds wandering off the prescribed signed and marked routes. Landowners are the backbone of North America’s state and provincial groomed trail systems. The desire to freeride using these trails as a springboard to “get to the pow” runs 180-degrees counter to the original idea behind groomed trails.

Therein lies the problem. This growing desire to ride deep-snow-capable sleds in deep snow has to be subject to some rules. Moreover, this new movement needs tourism destinations and riding locales to step up and recommend terrain and areas where this kind of riding can legally and considerately take place.

Those who build, maintain and groom our valuable trail systems can no longer just get angry at off-trail riders, because they’re most certainly not going away.

In fact, it appears these participants are going to grow again in numbers this winter. There has to be some solutions and some give-and-take in an effort to get this new genre of riding under the wing of established trail sanctioning groups.

One more thing: It’s probably time for the OEMs to step up with some ideas aimed at preserving the amazing access we enjoy to public and private land. As the main benefactors of the explosion in popularity of deep snow sleds, the manufacturers need, at the very least, to participate in and ideally help direct this conversation as well.

It’s time to get talking constructively about this no longer “emerging” but rather, ever-increasing fraternity of snowmobilers who see things differently than the status quo.