January 1, 2007

Across The Country

Christine Jourdain
American Council of Snowmobile Clubs
www.snowmobilers.org/

Okay – who ticked off Mother Nature??

 It certainly appears from the vast brown across the northern tier of the United States, many of us are on that list. 

 Winter was off to a very slow start in the Northeast and Midwest.  In the West things were spotty, from good snow conditions in the upper Northwest to almost too much snow in Colorado.

 This is the year to see the economic impact of snowmobiling.  Many large hotels and resorts have temporarily closed or have decided to remain closed through the winter months. 

 This is a casebook study on the circular flow of funds, and a very sad story for the economy. 

 The dealers have had a slow start….it’s almost impossible to sell sleds when there is no snow.  No snow means snowmobilers aren’t out there buying up the latest and greatest accessories.  No snow means the mechanics aren’t out back fixing the broken parts.

 The hotels, motels, grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants are really feeling the absence of the snowmobiler.  The parking lots are empty.  The shelves are full.  The customers are simply not there.

 Which is where the circular flow of money comes in…….the closures have caused vast layoffs of employees in the snowmobile belt.  Their lack of income changes their spending habits which, in turn, impacts others.

 When hotels close, they no longer need the front office staff and they no longer need housekeepers.  When restaurants close, they no longer need bus boys, cooks and waitresses. 

 When all of those former employees are not working, they are no longer buying the same groceries, getting their cars repaired, taking their kids to the doctor and on and on.

 Snowmobilers have emphasized the importance of our economic impact for years.  This is one year that will not require us telling the northern rural areas across the country how much money we spend when we come to snowmobile.

 From gas stations being down hundreds of thousands of gallons of gas needing to be delivered to pizza delivery guys not making their tip money, the business of snowmobile tourism is sadly missed.

 Then there are the snowmobile clubs…..what a scary season for them.  Groomer payments continue, insurance payments continue, tanks full of gas just sitting there, and in many cases, no revenue coming in, from grant monies to memberships.

 However, when the snow come, no matter how late, snowmobilers are guaranteed to load up and head for the hills and the trails and the mountains.  Better late than never is the attitude!!

 Hopefully enthusiasts will remember safety.  Safety first.  Safety last.  Safety foremost.

 We all have lost time to make-up.  We all want to get to our favorite riding areas.  But, with the shortened season, there will be more snowmobilers on the trails at the same time. 

 Do not neglect safety. 

 With the warm start to the season, many bodies of water have not frozen over like they normally do.  Check before you go.

 With the amount of water received, take the corners easy…..there may be ice.

 With the minimal amount of snow we have received, take it easy in the corners.  Leave some snow for the people following you.

 International Snowmobile Safety Week was officially in January – but we must all set the example and set the rules for the group. 

 Think Snow every day and hope Mother Nature gets back on track for the rest of the winter.

 Enjoy your next snowmobile trip!!

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The American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) is a national organization that was formed to unite the snowmobile community. Because snowmobiling is enjoyed by millions of individuals across the United States, it was imperative that a strong national organization be formed. ACSA is that organization.

ACSA is your voice for snowmobiling on national issues. Many snowmobilers are mistaken when they think national issues have no impact on their snowmobiling. Across the United States there are thousands and thousands of miles of snowmobile trails on public and private lands. Will these lands remain open for snowmobiling in the future? Long term use of the lands is no longer certain. Only the unified voice of the entire snowmobile community will help to guarantee the continuation of our sport.