I hope everyone had an amazing riding season this year. If you haven’t already, please take a few minutes to thank all the Clubs and DCNR for all the hard work they put into maintaining the trails this season.
I especially hope those riding in the Bald Eagle State Forest enjoyed the Hog Farm – Buttorff Trail. This new connector trail provides a safer way to access Boomerang’s Bar & Grille, Millmont, PA. A huge thank you to Bald Eagle Snow Riders (BESR), Bald Eagle District Forester, Matt Beaver, the Pennsylvania State Game Commission (PGC), Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Hartley Township, and the Buttorff brothers for working with me to get the trail approved and ready, 6 months start to finish, for this riding season. Also, I would be remise if I did not thank PSSA for awarding BESR a mini grant which covered the entire cost to purchase all the signs and posts needed to mark the new trail.
I would like to thank Matt Beaver, Bald Eagle District Forester, Tom Casilio, Tiadaghton State Forest Manager and their staff for the trails they maintained and support they gave to me throughout the season. Without fail, Matt and Tom took my phone calls, kept me informed and gave me guidance every time I needed something from them.
And to Michael Walsh, thank you for riding with me and members of Hyner Mountain Snowmobile Club. It was a pleasure to show you Tiadaghton, Tioga, Susquehannock and Sproul State Forests, and enjoy a day of talking snowmobiling in PA. It is not every day I can say “today I was able to ride snowmobile with a DCNR Deputy Secretary”. I look forward to our continued mutual respect and vision for snowmobiling in PA.
I also need to thank the clubs in Region 10 for the support they showed me this season, Bald Eagle Snow Riders, Hyner Mountain Snowmobile Club and Central PA Sleds and Treads. I would also like to welcome back Sugar Valley Snowriders to PSSA and thank them for the generous donation they made. If I can be of any assistance, please reach out.
And finally, I would like to thank the snowmobile community for taking time to participate in the PSSA survey “How can PSSA better serve you”. I, along with Randy Green and Arline and Clinton LaTourette made up the 4 member team that developed the survey and then took the time to read every response received, 550 responses to be exact.
I am looking forward to PSSA implementing feedback received in order to make PSSA your organization and improving the services we provide our members and snowmobile community.
If you are not a member of a club or PSSA I encourage you to consider joining one or more. PSSA along with the clubs work extremely hard to advocate, maintain and sustain snowmobiling, this year was a tremendous show of what can be done in Pennsylvania and we saw many out of state riders coming to PA for the first time to enjoy our trails.
Keep watching for articles and facebook posts from me in the Keystone Snowmobiler and on my PA State Snowmobile Association – Region 10 (@PSSAR10) facebook page throughout the off season, as I will do my best to keep you informed of the happenings within PSSA and Region 10.
Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Barrick
