So what are the Cabot trails looking like? I have a camp in West Danville and we really want to ride to Groton but the only way to get there is through Cabot now with Peacham closed and I heard that their trails are sucky and the club is in shambles. Ice Princess what's going on over there? I know you are gone now, but are things really that bad where they are letting the trails fall apart?

we rode from coles pond threw cabot before the melt down on our way to the upper valley grille and there trails where awesome.

Most trails around Groton - Hardwick - Greensboro - Danville - to Cabot were GOOD - BUTTT the trail on 232 south from Cabot to Rt 2 was a nightmare - they have to groom that 2 mile stretch once in a while , and after we ended that little stretch we were all beaten-up - once we hit Rt 2 it was a speedway back to the trailer - both Groton and Danville did a GREAT job grooming ! richie7

i was just up there on monday rode from groton to cabot up to colespond walden area and that 2 mile stretch of trail on 232 was horribl;e and has been all year but when we cam out heading back into groton buzzie was makin his way threw there so it should be great cabot is lean on snow but sill ridable to get through.

rode 120 miles around there today. Cabot was the only trails we hit all day that hadn't been groomed.

I think we need to get off the cabot club butt yes they had some quiters which left unexpected so maybe thats the shambles they are trying to fix. But they also need some snow like we all do. They just purchased a groomer where they are learning to use. Snow everyone could use it in their trails...... My hats off to cabot for a great new begining maybe get that b.b.q. chicken dinner back in swing us guys really miss it... good luck hell you guys don't need luck you been down this road before no loss..

Ice Princess was doing a fine job of slamming VAST and all the directors a month or two ago. Seems that they are finding out what the whole grooming/club thing entails. Imagine if all the VOLUNTEER directors were to up and quit, then vast as organization (crooked according to ICE) would be done. Very easy to ridicule and quit but extremely difficult to hang in and try to make a difference. I hope the Cabot club recovers and moves on which im sure they will.

We don't need to get off the Cabot butt, there problem is they think they need a foot+ of snow on the ground to groom. I rode through there yesterday and put on 173 miles and Cabot was by far the worst. Yes I understand it is thin in places but they can either put the wheels down or pan, from the size of the bumps there is plenty of snow to cut them off and fill in the valleys. Barre has half the snow but their trails, the ones that are open do to almost no snow on some other ones, are table top flat. Unless the people who quit were running the groomer, then what is the excuse? They were the same last year until the 3+ feet we got in February. There is definitely enough up higher.

Also the 2 mile section on 232 between Groton and Cabot has been groomed by Buzzi and is pretty good. You can ride it sitting down.

Your right, it is difficult to hang in there.... thankfully we have people that do... it is a thankless job.

hey i hear cabot groomer went out last night "luke " old groomer operator training officers great job luke! I new the club would come back good to hear some positive from the cabot club......... hey luke maybe pass the word on to get the club back to the OLD WAYS with that chicken b.b.q. think snow

I'm sure the Cabot club will succeed. I've witnessed other clubs having their leaders quit. It's not pleasant, but they seem to rebound and are stronger in time. New leadership isn't always a bad thing. It's up to the rest of the club to step up and show that it wasn't all about one or two people.
Every club is very important and losing one hurts the whole organization.
Thanks to each and every Club, County and VAST officer for stepping up into a leadership role.
A huge thanks to every active VAST member for supporting your officers by working so hard. Without your support, the rest wouldn't mean a thing.
Thanks again!!!

Maybe they go out on Thursday nights but it did not look like they went out last week but maybe. Cabot is a vital link so if the trails are bad, a lot of people will be subjected to it. They were good in the begining part of the season though.

Guess it's a good idea for the county and VAST to throw out an entire club of willing volunteers eh rx? Very easy for you do ridicule the critics of your organization, when you're on the "click's" side. lol.
When people make it hard for you to volunteer your time, I wouldn't blame them for quitting. Why would you put your heart and soul into an organization that crapping on you? I would find another organization that values my skills and contribution and work with them.

I dont want to get into a pissing match with you over the issue that is really at your heart. VAST didnt throw out any clubs but your county did. This club isnt the topic of this thread.

The issue here is that some of the volunteers in your organization are treated unfairly/bad. I would say that is relevant to this thread. We were a club and we were treated badly. And yes VAST did throw the club out. Aren't we all VAST? (that's what they say at least) that would make the county VAST? correct? The county threw a club out, then didn't VAST throw the club out? hmm.
We can start another thread for the pissing match if you prefer. I don't think you want the pissing match in the first place. I piss reall well.

rx1vt... you are so far off base it continues to make you look rediculous! My issues with VAST are valid and mine to have...I have the right to my opinions and will voice them when ever I freakin feel like it so get over it!

WE as in our club...fully recognized that this was going to be a learning curve...and are doing whatever it takes for EVERYONE (yes, even you...oh wait have you ever riden down here?) to enjoy the trails...we have Luke out with the guys teaching them the ropes...it will take time.

As for Mark and I resigning...we also have that RIGHT...we volunteered (i.e. GAVE AWAY) four years of our time...and have every right to say our family has to come first right now. AND just because people "Quit" as you say, from Officers seats does not mean they abandon the group, the town, or the sport! TRY to think outside the box! Mark and I are still helping in MANY ways... attending the meetings, trail work, fundraisers, and Mark will be out grooming tonight. SO rx1vt... why don't you get your facts straight BEFORE you flap your lips...makes you look really stupid, petty, and ignorant!

Am I pissed YUP... I have put WAY too much into this organization over that past four years AND continue to do so...to allow someone like you to run it! That is actually one of the really big issues with VAST...NO APPRECIATION just expectations!

You know what...we stopped the B.B.Q Chicken Dinner when we realized it took days to prepare (with little help) and was costing the club money...this is supposed to be a fundraiser not a hinderance to getting other things done...we were actually having to give chicken away becuase so FEW people showed up! Sorry you miss it but it was just not worth the trouble.

And one last comments... do you VOLUNTEER?...cause if not then don't even take up the "quitting" issue...and if you knew the club at all then you would know we didn't just "quit" and dissapear...maybe get the facts!

AMEN!!!!

Point well made!

mxzwild....I have spent enough time in the groomer this winter to know that if we "put the wheels down" you won't want to see the trail after...it will leave deep grooves in the trail...regardless, feel free to come on over to Cabot and show us all how to groom...since you seem to think yourself an expert! Unbelievable how many people run thier mouths but aren't willing to put thier money where thier mouths are! As a matter of fact why don't you tell the rest of us what your experience with grooming is...and how many hours you volunteered doing trail work or any club work for that fact this year.

Let's not forget the fact that VAST pays its clubs to groom only twice per week. Therefore it is quite possible that people beat the heck out of the trail when they are freshly groomed and perhaps you happened to hit the Cabot trails before they were groomed again. If a club chooses to groom more than twice a week, then the money comes from within the club. With the price of diesel now, an extra night per week of grooming all year can really set a club back. I've been on some nasty trail in the past only to hit the same trail a day or two later and it's like a runway!

Thank you for stating that fact too...very appreciated...

yes snow buster vounteers.....many many years I say with alot of heartaches and pain but i beleive that is the part of volunteering... my family values in life are you join anything in life your there to the end. Not being there when over is" Quitting i find this very trouble some I am sorry if i have affended you in any way but my values in life are diffrent than yours i live with no regrets and to its fullest... and by the way that chicken b.b.q. hell i saw more volunterers at that school in the serving line than i see at your snowmobile raffle.. so i think as a rider i like to ride where there is food and that chicken was the best many of us guys miss it danville has there spag ride in today you know my mouth will be there... again think snow

You must have never come to our Raffle event...we typically have around 200 people show up for that...and it makes the club around $4000 ... the Chicken BBQ with just the Officers showing up to help made us less then $300 the first year and even less than that the second year...if you would like to put one on for the Snowbusters we would gladly ride over...but this club just didn't see that it was worth the three days of food prep and trouble for less than $300 dollars...and that $300 dollars was the Officers (again) buying a whole lot of the left over chicken themselves! As for "my family values in life are you join anything in life your there to the end" this is controdictory...either its your family you value... or you are willing to toss your family (and much of the rest of your life) aside to make sure you stick "it" out to the end! I am not willing to make that sacrifice any longer. Like I said I will help when ever I can because I still care deeply about the community and the club...but my family now is coming first!

Let us know when you hold that BBQ and we will be there on sleds, with our kids!

I have been to your 3 raffles and have never seen 200 people there. I am happy that club members sold that many tickets to raise $. I beleive that I was not asking how much the club makes that is the clubs privacy. I was just saying the volunteer ratio was much more noticable at chicken b.b.q not only by club members but the community and their children. Which I love to see . Im happy to hear your family values come first. That shows before you make a comitment make sure you have time and effort because normally its to the end not in between. happy riding

Why would anyone criticize a Club for stopping a fundraiser when it doesn't raise funds? What works in one area may not work in another. A raffle is a good bet to be successful, rain or shine, but a cookout can kill you if it rains.
Volunteering is just that, VOLUNTEERING. No guarantees. If every member volunteered a little, then there would be no "burnout" by a single member. I sympathize with any member that gives their all and it's not enough. Then to have someone criticize them for "quitting"? That's not fair.
Iceprincess and I don't agree on some issues, but we both have given a ton of time to the cause, and if I had to "quit" for family sake, I wouldn't give a shit what anybody thought.
No matter what her reason, she volunteered in and it's her choice to volunteer out. It might not be opportune for everyone else, but if you wait for that, then you'd be critcized for taking time to attend your own funeral.
Thank her for her time. It's a lot nicer.

I believe I was not putting anyone down. If you only have read the past forums you would have not been so eager to jump into a conversation so fast. But I am glad you volunteer "but" no guarantees? I may be a little confused with that part though anyways the fundraiser of that b.b.q chix was the greatest clubs from every where came over I have met my old friend thats I have not seen in years I really think the lack of snow was a major part because every year when I sledded over there the volunteers were over whelmed and what made it that way was the community. As far as volunteering I guess they figured it out how much time and effort it takes. I have volunteered for 25 years raised my family and all of them volunteer so I guess my values in life are fine.I have no regrets. Glad to help you out please read past forums thanks.... From what I have heard volunteering is one thing but taking on a poistion in a club is another you just don't brings things to a table and LET EVERYONE BELEIVE IT IS FINE then "quit the next day that is not right. You go back to the table and talk!! You don't walk out in the middle of the season I'm sorry!

It seems like there is a difference of opinion as to what volunteering means. Your life situation may be different than someone else's. It's great that you have given so much and have taught your kids to do the same. That's a rarity. Please don't judge someone that can't do the same.
I won't defend quitting mid-term. It's not the "correct" thing to do, but it was probably the only thing to do, personally and for sanity sake. When you are elected and agree, it becomes a committment for the term. It's always with the best of intentions. Situations change.
I've volunteered since 1972, and raised 3 kids, who by the way don't care about snowmobiling. (saved money on TMA's). I don't think I've failed. I do what I can. That's volunteerism. I have always been fascinated by the snowmobile and the sport. It makes it worth the labor.
Enjoy the rest of the winter.

I may of been a little harsh on the first post and I apologize. But I also find it hard to believe that it was groomed at all in the 7 days prior to last Thursday. My buddy and I rode all around Cabot plus through it, and Cabot was by far the roughest. But like I said in the second post is that we missed the grooming rotation by a day but that was just a small percentage of the total riding for the day and we survide it.

I also did not say put the wheels down in a foot of snow, there were a few spots that had were pretty thin.

Also is the portion on 232, above the town on the south side, that goes behind the Cabot Creamery closed for the year or just because of the low snow conditions?

im glad we agree on some things. happy to have resolved i hear yeah on tma cost....

Land changed hands waiting for new owners permission I hear it is back open ...... happy riding