Across The Country

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

Are you making your list………checking it twice, trying to find out who’s --- no not that list --- your snowmobile list??  It’s December – it’s time to get serious about planning your snowmobile trips!

It’s time to get your calendars out and start making the list of places You Have to Go and the list of places You Would Love to go.  We all do it – gather the hotel information and the trail information, and the all important list of who to go on what trip.

Don’t forget to make some plans for your non-snowmobile friends.  Now that’s it December, it’s time to do more than casually mention your upcoming snowmobile trips.  It’s time to invite – ask them if they would like to join you this winter for a weekend of snowmobiling.

We all have different groups of friends, our old friends, our newer friends, our summer/boating/camping /motorcycle friends, our neighbors, our up-north friends, our city/downstate friends and families, both immediate and extended.  Many of our friends and family don’t snowmobile – but statistics show that they would if they were invited.

Non-snowmobile friends are hesitant to ask to be included, after all they don’t own a snowmobile, trailer, all of the gear, and have no idea where to go or how to get started. 

Our non-snowmobile friends hear us talk about snowmobiling and our excursions, but many of them don’t really understand.  They wonder about our trips, try to picture the trails, some of them try to picture lakes frozen so you can drive on them, but they don’t understand because they have never experienced winters like we have. 

We know there are a number of rental facilities where we could hook our friends up with the equipment and gear they need, then take them riding.  We know that – but our friends don’t know that and are afraid to ask.  Friends don’t like to impose.  Friends like to be included.  Friends like to hang out and try new things, so long as they are with people they know and trust.

Remember your first time snowmobiling?  Most of us didn’t go out and buy a snowmobile, trailer and gear before we had ever ridden a snowmobile, right?  Someone took us for a ride somewhere.  It didn’t have to be a long ride – snowmobiling isn’t a bug that takes a long time to catch!

It’s important to take a friend snowmobiling where they will feel comfortable.  They don’t need to ride hundreds of miles the first day, they don’t need to highmark the first mountain they see.  They simply need to be exposed to what we love.

Believe me, I know it’s easier to plan your upcoming trips with your snowmobile buddies, but I can tell you it is so fun to see the expressions of non-snowmobilers after their fist ride.  The smiles do not get bigger and the stories cannot get much better.  They are timid when they pull out of the parking lot, it may take them awhile to get over 10 miles per hour, but once they get out there and see what we see and feel what we feel, they will be bitten.

They may not turn into an instant snowmobiler, they may not have the time, the money, the desire, etc.  But they will turn into a friend of snowmobiling.  They will no longer wonder when you start talking about heading north.  They will no longer wonder what it’s all about.  They will no longer question your sanity when you’re thrilled with the weather forecast of snow and lots of it! They will understand your obsession with snowmobiling.  They will know because they will have experienced it first hand.

I know I’ve got some dates marked on the calendar to take some non-snowmobilers out and I hope you’ll try to do the same.  Just one weekend.  If we all took someone out, just one time, we would double our support.  How easy is that??!!

Join me – take one of your non-snowmobile friends out this winter.  It will be fun for you – and your friends.

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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.

For additional information, www.snowmobilers.org