Went to bed early but woke up at 1am Jonsing to ride. Left the house at 3:30 and arrive at the Mooslook around 7:15, had a great breakfast and was on the trail about 8am. Parked at the 102 crossing on Vermont Route 2 near Miles Pond. About 2 inches of fresh snow. Headed north on 102 and for the first 2 miles snow was spotty. Got to where the Thunder Riders turn around and Oh My, fresh groomed, perfect conditions. It was just perfect conditions everywhere we went, pure snowmobile heaven, had the whole place to ourselfs for a couple of hours, then saw a few sleds. Wound around Vast 1 both ways, up 102 to 102A back to 98 up to Bloomfield to gas up, then up 102 to 102A, back down 102A up 102 to 114 to 2000 to 111B to 105 to Norton awsome conditions all the way. I did come across a couple of small patches of dirt here and there but 105 was the best I've seen it all year. Gassed up at the border and headed down 105A to 106, up 97A to 97 to 98 to 106 to 102A to 102 to 1 around the bypass again and back down 102 to the Balls. (I have missed a few of trails here and there) The trail home was the best I've ever seen it, Period. Got back to the rig about 5:45 with 264 miles on the clock. I think it was the best trail conditions of the year. The temps got up to 40 but with the light traffic nothing ever got bumpy and with the fresh snow very few bare spots or brown snow all day. Probably my last ride of the season, I can rest easy now. Thanks to all the clubs in the NEK, especially the American Thunder Riders who consistantly have the best trails year after year. DT

Thanks again DT for sharing your pictures!

91 near St Johnsbury:


Thunder Riders Start on 102:


Daytripper on Trail 2000:


Snow on VAST 1 Turn:


VAST 1 Loop:


Radar Site from VAST 1 Warm-Up Shack:


105 east near 111:


102 south on the way home!


SnowCrazed is the 2004 offical picture hoster for Daytripper's snowmobile photos :div20:

I can see why you were "jonesing" Mike, Thought it was fantastic last w/e with Snowcrazed- the "official" posta-hosta guy. Wished I thought it would hold up for the w/e as always would love one more ride
Mike

thanks for the up-date DT. i'm trying for one more trip this saturday hopefully i can still park at the 102 crossing. do you know of any other spots to park other then going all the way to maidstone?
chris

I've never gone sledding in real low snow conditions in the NEK. There will still be a lot of snow but you'll have to deal with a fair amount of mud unless it it frozen. I'm thinking the Stone Bridge where 102 crosses VT 105 of you want to ride in the NE section of Essex County. If you want to ride ATR trails area possibly near the Elementary School in East Burke I've never parked there myself but have heard others do. It is on VT 114 on the way towards IP. Points north from East Haven area are gonna be dirty for sure as 102 and 98 are the only ways to go. I'd go for the Stone Bridge. Good Luck!

Hey daytripper, I was riding the same trails you were and we probably met, sorry I didn't know to flag you down. If I could have I would have thanked you again for the suspension tuning advise you gave me for my Yamaha. Tuesday the conditions were not like Wednesday especially the Brighton trails. 111B and 2000 were trash, but with my "new" rear skid it didn't matter. Amazing what a 5 min. adjustment can do. We didn't find the trails quite as you did Wednesday, I guess we were riding in the other direction as we met lots of traffic. I think everyone was out thinking this was the last good day, I know we we were and given the weather forcast it probably is unless you like mudding. Have a great summer and thank again for your expert advise. :div20:

By the way how do you submit a series of pictures as you have done?

158, I gotta give you credit for trying this set-up, I bet 95% of the Yamaha riders would rather complain about their poor rear suspension performance than take the few minutes and make one simple adjustment. My thoughts yesterday were, wow this old sled really rocks! It ran perfectly all day and I was very comfortable, even after ten hours on the trail. If I didn't have a 3.5 hour ride home and work the next day I would have ridden a couple of more hours. I had some thoughts of getting a new Vector but I think I can pay for all my sledding next year with what the depreciation would be on the new sled. I swear mine is still like new even with 15,500 miles on it. I didn't get up to Norton till about 2PM and by the time we got up to 97,106,97A 98 area everyone had already left, everything worked out great, I'll never forget that great ride! I had wanted to ride tuesday but couldn't get the day off, got lucky I guess. I don't have a clue on posting pictures, you can thank SnowCrazed for that job! Hey Kingdmridr, what happened with the Ted Miller? He bagged my riding buddy for not coming to a complete stop at the Mings intersection plus not wearing a seat belt. He is contesting the ticket in court. As for one more ride, I'n skeptical, but I think that every time I go to the NEK the conditions are better than I expect them to be so it might be possible to ride this weekend, I however, seem to be done for the season, going out on a high note! DT

All right I'll get this off my chest............
The days riding last Fri was absolutly fantastic, that was after being checked out 3 different times by Troopers, had no problem at all with that but as for the local
Ocifer Theodore....was heading out of IP central at 10pm came upon what I now
know as his favorite intersection, hooked a left south on 114, we are talking slow speeds here, and he pulls me over for what he state a failure to use my turn signals. Ok, I figure warning right, nope he doesnt give those out. $194 yup
one hundred ninety four buckeroos. Next day in the Caldonian Record was looking at the fines handed out in St J area, I could drive unregistered or have no insurance with cheeper fines. Would even have to be doing 87mph on 91 to match
the fine for a turn signal, WHAT UP WIT DAT?
All I have to say is Snowcrazed stepped up and said he would split the ticket because he was with me and therefore it was really his fault
KR

Oh yeh, I almost forgot the praise he received in the letter to the editor in the CR in Saturday's paper for bringing "lots of money into Island Pond", I'm sure this persons opinion is not that of most IPers but here it is anyway....





St. Johnsbury, Vermont · Friday, March 26th, 2004 · Updated 10:00am

Island Ponders make the right choice
Saturday March 20, 2004

To the Editor:

Three cheers to all the people of Island Pond who voted for Ted Miller as town constable. You will never find a more dedicated person to fill his shoes. He splits his time, working some days, some nights. And if he is not on duty, and there is a problem, you can count on Ted to be there if he is called.

I lived in Island Pond for 22 years, most of which Ted Miller was the constable. He really cleaned up the town. Before he became constable, there was a lot of vandalism, bar brawls, drinking outside the bars, etc. Halloween was literally a nightmare. Parents didn't even want to take their children out to trick or treat because the vandals would egg them, their vehicles and homes.

After Ted Miller became constable, there was considerably much less vandalism, rarely a bar brawl, and no more drinking outside the bars. Halloween was literally a treat to take the kids around.

Ted Miller, with his wife Mary and a few other volunteers, would ride around and pass out candy to the trick or treaters, and keep an eye to make sure everyone stayed safe.

Ted knows the laws, and if you are breaking them, you deserve a ticket, but then again, if no one broke the law, the world would be perfect, and we all know that nothing, nor anyone, is perfect.

Ted Miller has brought a lot of money to the town of Island Pond, and for all the people who just come up for the weekend, or for a visit should be proud that it is a safer place to be.

When Ted Miller does his job, people complain; when something happens, they complain that he isn't doing his job. You people have to make up your minds, do you want him to do his job or not?

The people who want to run against Ted Miller during election time are the people who have been in trouble, or who have friends that are in trouble. There was one individual that ran against Ted Miller that didn't even have a driver's license, there was another individual that ran against him that had lost his license for DWI, and had to be driven around by his parents.

What a joke! Are these the people you want for a town constable? Even the town drunks have tried to run against Ted.

Keep up the great work Ted Miller.

As far as I am concerned, keep your nose clean, and you will have nothing to worry about.

Respectfully submitted,

Cindy M. Santaw-Brown
South Wheelock
A former Island Ponder

DT--

Did this same exact ride last weekend... conditions, especially in ATR country, were excellent, just as you described. Was like glass, especially 102 near the 1 loop.

Thanks for all the trail reports -- very helpful in knowing where to get the most bang for your buck!

spring sucks...!! :-)

Thanks

PS: take home message on the island pond ticket deal: don't go breakin any road rules in VT unless you wanna cough up some cash, jack.

Wouldn't it be great if every town had someone like him to hand out 194 dollar tickets to every car that came thru. If he had the charges preprinted he could really rack up the cash for the town. Target out of staters especially those ones at least 200 miles away and you've got a real cash machine. Elected cops? I've never heard of that before. That means he wouldn't even need a HS diploma to get the job. God Bless America! DT

I can't really get if your point was sincere or sarcastic.

Getting a ticket for failure to signal is the same to me as getting a ticket for going 1mph above the speed limit: EXCESSIVE. It was a Friday night @9:40pm with no one in front of us, no one behind us and no one coming down the road we turned on. This is a case of vengeance and revenue generation not protecting and serving the people!

As this abuse happens more, I’m sure more people will avoid IP and then people might wakeup to the abuse of power.

BTW: I will concede that from what I've heard Teddy targets VTers as much as tourists. Maybe the locals love him because he keeps their taxes down... who knows. It's just something that takes the fun out of traveling to IP for me.

I'm not here to say who is right or wrong. It is hardcore enforcement of the motor vehicle laws but if you check the Island Pond websight you will see that they even warn you there to obey all traffic laws. It may not be fair as compared to other law enforcement policies but if you have been there in the past you know that this is their policy and has been for many years. I might also add that my green VT plates have given me many tickets in other states(NH especially) so I guess it all evens out. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time, or in this case pay the fine. I've done my share of keeping NH's taxes low, you can help Island Pond with theirs . :frech32:

When a person put in carge to protect the publics best interest acts in this manner it causes more harm than good. I have not driven to Island Pond in years and Ted Miller is one of the reasons I avoid the place. In fact I've only been there twice on my sled in five or more years. I have no plans on ever rerturning. DT

This year coming home after a long day riding out of Newark, I had somebody pass me heading north on I91 south. :doh: Thank god traffic was light and me and my buddy who I was following were in the slow lane! Well, we continue on only to get pulled over by a sheriff in Johnson for my friend having a tail light out on the trailer. He actually did a u-turn to do this. The whole experience was priceless.

Teddy strikes again!! I think everyone who frequents IP has been pinched or at least knows someone who has. We were coming into IP at about 11pm on a friday night a few years ago, my buddy was in front, we get to the end of 114, he fails to come to a complete stop, and here comes the calvalry......teddy gives him ticket for $100 something and tells him he better follow the rules if he wants to stay out of trouble. Ok, here is a 30 something guy with his wife and 2 kids, perfect driving record, barely...and I MEAN barely rolling thru a stop sign at 11 at night, not a soul around, at a wide open intersection, and he gets whacked for over $100!!! That is rediculous any way you slice it.

Daytripper.....thanks for all the reports....as always, very helpful to those of us who ride the NEK!! Sad to say the season is over, time to pull out the boat!!

Ron

ttt

rob, it sounds like you really LOVE teddy, with all the ttt's

ever get busted by him?????

Nope. Read the 'spotlight' post for history on the 'ttt's

ahh now i see

iv learned 1 thing in my 40+ years

some people are just insane