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957 mi. We did three trips up to Pittsburg. Best photo was of my wife on Diamond Ridge in January.

And about 175 groomer hours also!!!

Getting to the end of the season for me back to daily work...so had to get out and get in my last licks. Rode on Sat and invoked in some Trail Side cooking at the "Big Pine Tree" for maybe the last time this season. Enjoyed a great day of riding. Sunday rode with Coldbrew, Noxorc, and Mark B. Great too finally ride with these guys this season. Where has the season gone? Took in some great scenery, good riding...90% great trails, good fellowship and overall wonderful time as usual. Not a lot of traffic at all either! Got a bit of Gopro footage that will have to last me into the summer before I hunger for more. Will post some later! Nice to meet some new people on the trails as always...I guess I have become too social...who ME! You never know whom you may meet...nice to meet you President Phil of the Derry Pathfinders...Pres to Pres! Thanx guys for riding!

About 650, not bad considering every ride included my wife, a 3 year old and 7 year old. Some days it felt it would be easier to go to the moon than get everyone out on the snow.

Zack and I did get out on Monday and it was sweeet. Just stayed around camp area...probably my last ride for the season. Nobody else around...not that it surprised us. Looking for moose...got close but didn't see them. "There is always next season we say" and how quick the snowmobile season comes and goes and then we say it again... We have pictures and videos so we can savor the moments once again at a later date...usually on a hot summers day. How nice it is to be able share these photo op's...with friends, family, fellow sledders and others. Always have to include pictures!

I always figure I'm OK as long as I don't have more than three or four bolts left over.

One other item, fire the lawyer. The whole idea of suing the AG's office was asinine.

2954. Mother Nature had us on a roller coaster, but conditions up north in March were best I've seen in a while. Huge thanks to groomer operators from SDR, GTB, Colebrook, Stratford, and Umbagog for a job well done!

I have started to take my sled apart for maintenance. I won't be riding anymore this season. Just before I did, I checked my final trip meter. 861 miles. -nox

My Father sold Rupp snowmobiles for a few years in the 70's and worked closely with the Cicchetto family who at the time lived in Deerfield. I have known Bob, as long as I can remember. Bob and Helen have been great friends of my wife and I for years and he will be a void in my list of true friends. He was at every Water Cross I can remember and often at other Dances and races the Northwood CrankPullers hosted. He will certainly be missed. God Bless.

Sooooo where are we now after the 4/4 meeting with F&G? Do we need to once again figure out how to proceed with membership business moving forward ? Its getting old trying to come up with a new solution every time the association tries to push there agenda. Why not concentrate on unifying the association and clubs and stop pushing the issue of ultimate control over everything.

Let me start off by saying that i'm NOT anti NHSA or NHOVA. One of my concerns is the part about requiring a validation # from NHSA and NHOVA, I don't think either of these entities should be specified in the rules. What happens if one of these entities goes under but the clubs are still functioning? The clubs could survive, it would be very challenging but could happen. So I'd like to see the language referencing NHSA and NHOVA removed and replaced with "a state recognized non profit snowmobile / ATV club or association" or something to that effect. I'm really surprised the F&G lawyers that put this together specifically referenced two non profit agencies that they have no control of. Using an NHSA or NHOVA validation # will not fix the problem with the F&G registration system. The system itself needs to be fixed so it will only accept a number once, currently you can enter a number multiple times and it doesn't matter where the # comes from (NHSA or NHOVA # can be entered multiple times for different people). The system is so flawed that when you register a used sled it can't transfer the machines details from the previous owner, the machines VIN # (provided by the mfr and is unique) means nothing. You can currently register multiple sleds under the same VIN # to different people, which to me is a MUCH bigger issue.

540, not bad for southern NH.

Yup...our average speed was something like 8 miles per hour on a couple of the days (which included snowman building time)...but still way better than not getting out at all. : )

It's seems that NHSA is really trying to consolidate the power into the Board. Instead of embracing the membership (clubs specifically) it appears to really be attempting to solidify control and pushing their agenda. I'm really thinking it's time for another association.

We matched almost exact. Had some rain and melt where we frequent that sure didn't help. (less miles than usual)

Put mine away this year with 1440 miles for the season

Here's a short video I shot with my drone last weekend of the fireworks show in Island Pond.

I doubt you will get any straight answers from NHSA. Their entire goal is to preserve their $10/member income stream from the clubs. The reason they are redoing their bylaws is because they are trying to get around the fact that the AG said that NHSA could not force club members to join their organization. Now they are trying to charge a $10 "transaction fee" for the clubs to get a voucher number from them. NHOHVA provides these voucher numbers to the ATV clubs for free. I don't think this idea will pass the smell test regardless of how they structure their bylaws and rules of business. Its time for a new organization to rise up and be committed to working FOR the clubs instead of against them or there are not going to be any clubs left to run the trail system.

We did have a good day. On Friday night, my wife asked me what who I was going to run the with. Told her a guy from this website She said "So your going to NH too Meet a guy at a rest area, then get in his truck and head into the woods, and you meet him on the internet?". I said yup, I guess I am... Happy to say it turned out fine...

It was a beautiful day, weather wise, riding wise, friendship wise. I'd go again tomorrow, if I didn't have to work.

Fish & Game Hearing 4/4/18 Question of NHSA SELLING "VD" NUMBERS for $12.00 each! I consider what F&G and NHSA constitutes a Restraint of Trade. What is Restraint of Trade and Creating a Monopoly? Restraint of trade is an economic injury that involves interfering with another person’s ability to do business freely. Restraint of trade is part of antitrust law, but the topic covers a wide range of activities, including: tortious interference with a contract or business agreement that negatively affects someone else’s ability to do business freely. forcing or coercing someone to quit doing business or to change their business so as not to compete in the market; agreeing to fix prices to drive other competitors out of business; creating a monopoly; using noncompete clauses or other contract provisions to keep someone out of business; tortious interference with a contract or business agreement that negatively affects someone else’s ability to do business freely. In short, a “restraint of trade” is any activity that hinders someone else from doing business in the way that he would normally do it if there were no restraints. While federal, state, and local governments can pass laws and regulations that create obstacles for certain kinds of businesses, it is generally considered improper for individuals to restrain one another’s trade in certain ways. Someone who loses business or suffers another injury may have a tort case against another individual whose trade-restraining behavior injured him. Creating a Monopoly The establishment, maintenance or use of monopoly power, or any attempt to establish, maintain or use monopoly power over trade or commerce for the purpose of affecting competition or controlling, fixing or maintaining prices is unlawful. Question to Fish and Game/NHSA Restraint of Trade and Creating a Monopoly? Going forth will we be able to conduct Business as we have in the past? 1: Fixing a price for an Validation Number $12.00 Cost of Number $10.00 Processing FEE $2.00 It was always FREE as part of a Membership in a Club by way of a Club Membership Card or Membership Certificate. Restraint of Trade: Our Club has 3 sources of generating Memberships. 1: Annual Mail Out to all members of the past Season. 2: Sales Agents. We have 3 local Agents that Sell our Membership. We provide them with our Club Applications. The Application has one of our Membership Cards attached. The application is coded showing who the Agent is, i.e. DaSilva DSL, EM Heath EMH and Skelly’s Market SKL. The Application has the corresponding Membership Card ID Number printed on it. We dedicate a specific series of Card Numbers to each Agent. We started in 2015 after NHSA STOPED sending NHSA Membership Cards to its Member Clubs. We designed our own Membership Card and had 1500 printed and ready to go for the 2016 Season. You knew you were a Member of the Moultonboro Snowmobile Club! 3: In 2017 we added an Online Membership Page. You now can Join the Club, Printout a Membership Certificate, order Club Maps and Decals. Pay by Credit Card or PayPal. Our Membership Cards and Certificates are accepted a PROOF of MEMBERSHIP by any of the numerous Registration Agents in the Area. With what I have Stated I believe we will no longer be able generate Membership in our Club as we have in the Past. Whatever happed end to YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A CLUB THAT IS A MEMBER (in good standing) of NHSA to be eligible for the $30.00 Registration Discount? Every CLUB is in the BUSINESS of SELLING Membership! Without Members there is no Club! George Higgins Membership Chairman Moultonboro Snowmobile Club. (Email: winnocturn1@gmail.com) (See page 2 for description of Restraint of Trade) Fish & Game HQ Concord 6:30 pm 4/4/18 (tonight!)

I think it's still true that if you give any thread enough time it will wander a bit, and sometimes more. What I get from George's post is that he doesn't think the NHSA and F&G rules are fair to his club. That has little to do with the price of sleds. My concern with the proposed changes to F&G administrative rules and NHSA Rules and By-Laws is that they seem designed to be a work-around to preserve funding for NHSA Before, the NHSA took a $10 membership fee for each member, then a re-interpretation of the enabling statute said that NHSA membership wasn't required to get the discount. Now, the NHSA says that they will charge the clubs $10 to issue a number that the F&G proposes to be required to get the discount. Without the proposed F&G mandate the NHSA would have little leverage to require the transaction fee. I think you would have to fairly oblivious to not see that the "membership transaction fee" is a replacement for the former "membership fee" for those seeking the registration discount. Now, as to the mechanics of how this will work out, it's hard to say seeing that I don't understand how this process will work, thus I asked the questions in a previous post. There doesn't seem to be a lot of hard public information out there. As for the price of sleds.... I suspect the rising prices have a lot to do with a shrinking market due to urbanization of formerly rural areas, and a changing winter climate over a large part of North America and other regions. Snowmobiles need open space and consistent snow cover, and both are becoming in short supply, especially in the Northeast. Wheeled vehicles always enjoyed a sales advantage over sleds in that they can be used in all climates for at least part of the year.

Its quickly getting to the point where the $30 discount isn't even worth it. A lot of clubs are at $35 for dues, so for the person registering a single sled it costs less to register as a non club member. $30 into GIA or $35 to a club. Either way the sport wins but it sucks that the two groups that make it all happen (clubs and BOT) are competing for the money. I'm starting to think this whole system sucks and needs an overhaul

In the proposed "Rules of Business" under Dues, it states "Annual dues shall be $30. In addition, member clubs shall be assessed $10 per club membership transaction." What is the meaning of "club membership transaction"? Is it all members of a club? Is it all club members that belong to the NHSA? Can I be a member of a club and not have any connection to the NHSA that would require a transaction with them? Is this $10 connected to a discounted registration? When NHSA allocates delegates do NHSA members and non-NHSA members both count? The proposed BY-Laws state that "Delegates from the member clubs of the NHSA allowed to vote must have been a club member registered in the NHSA database on or before March 1'st of that year." So, are clubs members who are not members of the NHSA registered in the NHSA database? (does being in the database imply NHSA membership?) If I'm not an NHSA member, will my club membership count towards the delegate allocation? There are rules and by-laws, and there are interpretations of rules and by-laws, and sometimes the interpretation can make all the difference.

Dave, The problem is not a 12 Digit Number. It is how CLUBS generate Memberships! What we got out of attending the 2 Informational Hearings that F&G held is the NHSA has FULL Control of disseminating and setting the cost of the "VD" Numbers (with out ANY over-site). As it stands now NHSA is the only source that F&G will accept to Register a Sled irregardless of any Lower Priced Registration Cost. $30.00 Discount? There is no dollar amount stated in the RSA. It appears to be the difference between the Price set by F&G between a Member of a Club and a NON-Member of a Club. It seam it always ends up at a $30.00 difference? Some people are/were under the impression that EVERYONE was a member of NHSA. Not really. This move by F&G has totally left the "MEMBER of a CLUB that is a MEMBER of NHSA" with no way to get the lower cost of Registering a Snowmobile as the RSA state he has the RIGHT to do. YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A CLUB THAT IS A MEMBER OF NHSA. Not a Member of NHSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does the meaning of the RSA no longer apply? Case in point only 90 out of 500 Member of a Club when given the option to join or not joined NHSA?

Several years ago I testified at a JLCAR hearing. NH Div of W&M were requesting rule changes which put a financial burden on my employer. I had the proper documents to back my position and the rule changes were denied. I was the only one testifying against the rule changes. The committee will listen to you and make a fair decision. From what I heard at my last club meeting I think there's a good chance these rule changes will not be accepted if contested at JLCAR. Just my opinion.

The consensus weather forecast was for snow/rain and clouds today, and the sky this morning did give warning. Turned out to be a false alarm. I was a bit late to pick up the best colors, but not too bad.

I'm good at taking things apart... We'll see how well I do at putting it back together. suspension is out... Now working on getting the track out.

New season will be here before you know it !!

I was wondering if anyone here regularly buy from Amazon.com. I just started an affiliate account as a way to help support the website. If you click the link below it will take you to Amazon.com and a small percentage of anything you buy will be credited to my account to help pay the bills. It won't cost you anymore to buy your goods. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/?ie=UTF8&tag=nekwx-20

NHOHVA has no problem at all. We changed the bylaws last year. When a rider joins a club, they can also join NHOHVA for free by checking a box on the registration form and NHOHVA gives the voucher numbers to the clubs for free. The club controls what their membership fee is and contributes $10 to NHOHVA for each member that joins their club. As the total number of members goes up, the amount per member goes down. Each year, the clubs vote on the NHOHVA budget. Once the budget is approved, the budget amount is divided by the total number of members to determine the amount per member. The more members, the lower the amount per member. Its a very simple system and prevents the runaway spending that is happening at NHSA. Also because each club has one vote, they have much more of a say in what goes on.

George look in the annual report i think its listed somewhere in there

I totally agree with leveling the playing field. No matter if your club has 50 or 5000 members, each club still only has 10-30 members that run the club and do everything. This new delegate count gives clubs an equal voice in what happens in the NHSA.

Hey Dave, I do. I know that our Representative has done the best they can do for our county. The staff has turned out some great improvements this year, Facebook, emails , and website have been greatly improved. My problem is higher up. I feel our club needs to support an association, but one that is there for us. It seems those that run things at NHSA work hard at knuckling the club's under. The Two year wait to get back on the insurance plan is a great example. If a club doesn't buy NHSA insurance, because they want control of it, including Workers comp amounts. What happens if they go out of business? The club cannot get insurance from the NHSA company? So for a year the club shuts down until they can get insurance? The NHSA policy should be so friggen awesome that a club would be stupid to not join in. I do believe in an association, I would like to support an association that I truly feel is working for the clubs.

There are actually 2 side by side one being taller...think it is Twin. They really show up from camp late in the day when the sun hits them just right! I have the camera on zoom a bit so they actually look closer than they are.

Apparently I was competing for the "lowest mileage award", because I did a pathetic 366 miles this year. If you add in the small amount of mileage on the vintage sleds, I'll say 380 miles for the year total. Sad...

A couple car companies did try the soy-based wire insulation, but mice have been chewing on cables and wires for many years. Riding mowers and snowblowers from the 1970's have this problem, and nobody was using "green" wiring then. (Tecumseh snowmobile engines ignition coils seem to be a favorite hangout and dining hall for mice) There are 100 ways to eliminate the problem, and some of those ways might even work, sometimes. Bounce dryer sheets (floral scent) are sometimes suggested. Honda sells a rodent-resistant tape to put on electrical wiring. They were suspected of having the soy-based wiring so promoted the tape.The tape contains hot pepper. Of course, Amazon carries it. https://www.amazon.com/Honda-4019-2317-Rodent-Tape/dp/B00AJTG3N0

Absolutely love this sport. Not cheap, lots of work depending on the weather, but God is it worth it ! Miss it already ! Thanks for posting.

Me too, a great perspective on the area thanks for posting it

I agree completely. Having been on the board of NHSA and NHOHVA, I have to say the NHOHVA is much more caring about the needs of the clubs. After what happened with the Attorney General investigation, I would have thought they would change their ways. Instead they are trying to get around the AG rulings. Its amazing to me but proves the old adage: "It's all about the money".

Thanks for that reply Larry I am unfortunately at the point where I don't care what happens .. It is unfortunate that the dedicated, hardworking members are left in the dark .. This sport needs a new leadership and focus on using the registration money for what is best for the sport period ... and not based on membership dues. The income from these 2 recreational sports is really important to northern NH. The North country and Concord are on two different paths. IMHO I am a member of both associations .. while the ATV/UTV people are still new to this game, the NHSA has been around for a long time and knows the game We need to put local concerns at the forefront and move forward as one group of dedicated supporters

Met up with BigGuyNH yesterday, after a couple of failed attempts. Rode from the parking lot down the road from Faybans around to Jefferson Notch, and followed corridor 11 toward the Jericho warming hut, then into Gorham for lunch, and back to the truck via corridor 12. There was PLENTY of snow from Franconia Notch north, nothing south of that looked good from the road. Trails were varied, some areas groomed better than others, but we had a great day, putting on about 70 late season miles. I got to meet a great forum member, and have some laughs throughout the day.

Looks like your coming down with a cold...cough-cough. Zack and I will probably go out in the morning for a bit.

I wish I could have been there, but my truck was down. So I put a new floor in my son’s bedroom, I would have much rather been Snowmobiling.....

Did an easy 40 miles with the family today in/around Campton on CNHSC trails. Overall pretty good conditions. A few thin spots and the beginning of Bald Mtn, just north of Junction T on 155 was thin and muddy as the club reported. But beyond that trails were overall great. LOT of people out there today. Highlight for me was after we got back my 6 year old was FINALLY ready to give the Mini a legitimate go. Got it last March and she has been a bit hesitant to ride it. Today she rode it for nearly 2 hours till it was dry. Apparently she's a pro now...asked "Can I get a bigger one so I can drive it on the trails with you guys!?" Groomer just went by at 8:00 PM...

Its been a banner year for these pests.Been catching one at least every couple days all winter.Just when I think I've got them all I catch another.I stopped catching,but still heard them in wall.Maybe pb goes bad.I cleaned up a few traps and put out some more new ones with tomcat bait mix.When that slowed down I added some smoked gouda and caught 4 in 6 hours.Nothing for two weeks,I hope they are gone for now.I'm tiredof cleaning out the silverware drawer.

Personally, I feed them very well, that is to say that I feed them all the rat bait that they can eat! Tom Cat rat bait boxes with rat bars and the pelletized rat bait... mice seem to think the tiny granular bait is a gourmet treat... Frito Lay puts lots of these bait boxes along the perimeter of there distribution systems... Mice traps....put them perpendicular & touching the edge of the wall .... rodents like to run along the sides of the building etc... Peanut butter on the traps works great the round ones are pretty fool proof, but you only get one use per trap...but a great last line of defense in a trailer... there are multi use traps that use bait and glue strips to catch multiple mice.... Saw one odd homeade trap...it was a 5 gallon pail.... bottom with some water...the top had a beer can smeared with peanut butter with a coat hanger through the centers...making a roller for the critters to run up the stick on the side of the pail allowing them to jump on the can to get to the bait...they fall and drown in the water / antifreeze To keep them out of cracks & crevices....stuff the hole with STEEL WOOL...it's impervious to them Sadly, it's a never ending challenge to bait and trap the nuisances!

Hello All ! This is a new feature here at SledNH and I hope you all like how it works. What you do is list a future ride you are planning that you are looking for other riders to join you on. In the TOPIC section of your post it should have ONLY the Date and DAY you plan on riding. This way if you put the wrong Date we can double check. In the posting section of the post be as specific as possible ..... Where you are leaving from ....... What time you are leaving the meeting area .... What type of riding you plan on doing .... Slow ...... Medium ..... Fast ....... How long of a ride ..... Half day ..... All Day .... Overnight ...... How many rider's you are looking for (set a maximum if you like). Another type of post would be someone looking for others to ride with say certain day of the week ANY WEEK of the riding season. Those types of posts will stay up all season and if there ends up too many maybe we could have a Sub-Section off this forum for those ONLY. Rob ......