As the temperatures start to fall and the calendar pages turn toward the start of the snow season, we all become optimistic about the upcoming riding season. A season that no doubt will bring with it many, many miles along with a lot of good times for all of us who call snowmobiling our favorite sport.

 Some of you have gone out and purchased that new sled that you’ve been wanting while others have shelled out for a new jacket or helmet. Most of us have already made plans and reservations for trips to our favorite winter destinations; all of this in anticipation of hitting the trails with our buddies, our families, and the friends that we will make along the way. The trail system awaits us!

Throughout Minnesota there are many snowmobile clubs who eagerly look forward to our arrival to their areas so that we can enjoy the trails that they have worked so hard to prepare for us. Throughout every month of the year those clubs keep the trails in shape so that they are ready to show them off to us just as soon as December 1^st hits the calendar. They clear brush and remove fallen trees. They put up signs and have their maps printed. They perform routine (and unexpected) maintenance on their groomers and equipment. They ask for and sometimes fight for, the right to have their trails on the land that it crosses. Most of these club members put in numerous volunteer hours to make our sport enjoyable for all of us who ride yet more often than not, very little recognition or appreciation trickles down to those individuals.

The Andover Sno Dragons would like to tell those clubs that work so hard that you are appreciated! The Andover Sno Dragons understand and recognize the work that you do and we, through fund raising efforts of our own, try to do our part to help you maintain your trails and your equipment. The Andover Sno Dragons have been in existence since 1995. We are located just north of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and being a metro area club we don't maintain a trail ourselves, but through our fundraising efforts at Hay Days we like to contribute to those trails we ride on throughout the year.  We appreciate all the hard work and volunteer hours put in by the clubs that maintain a trail system.

Our fundraising effort consists of being the sanitation engineers (we pick up garbage) at the Hay Days World Championship Grass Drags that is hosted each year by the Sno Barons. Our club assembles at the Hay Days grounds for a weekend of friendship, camaraderie, and most of all, “Picking up Trash for Trails”. This has become our club motto and it is something that we are very proud of! Picking up trash may not be a glamorous job but on Sunday evening after everyone has gone home from Hay Days and all our club members smell like dumpster juice, we sit back and congratulate each other on a job well done because we know that we will be able to donate to another club that really needs our help. As a club we feel that it is important to help out in any way that we possibly can to help keep the trails open for everyone to enjoy and to show our dedication to the sport of snowmobiling. If you are a club that is in need of help please contact us. We ask that you send a short letter detailing your need and that you have the letter to us no later than November 1st of each year. Our donation committee reviews every request that is received and then makes a determination of who we should donate to.

So as you eagerly await the start of this riding season please remember that the trails that we all ride do not just appear. There are many clubs, many people, and many hours dedicated to snowmobile trail maintenance.  Do your part to help keep this sport alive.  Protect Your Trails - Join the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association or your local snowmobile club.