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By Brian SwartzCUSTOM PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
Take a sled ride across the Crownof Maine this winter and enjoy
win-ter in all its natural beauty.
Snowmobile trails crisscrossAroostook County, from east to
westand north to south, and connect theCountys cities and towns
with trailsin New Brunswick and Quebec. Theability to take a long
ride lures manysledders to organize multiple-daytrips in the
County, where, for exam-ple, snowmobilers can:
Head north from Houlton orIsland Falls at dawn and stay in
FortKent or Madawaska that night;
Explore the St. John Valley thenext day (east to Van Buren or
westto Allagash);
Stay that night in Caribou orPresque Isle;
Arrive home for lunch on the
third day.Two major ITS trails, 81 and 83, con-
nect eastern and central AroostookCounty with points farther
south. Run-ning north of Mattawamkeag, ITS 81enters Aroostook west
of Macwahocand extends all the way past Sherman,Shin Pond,
Masardis, Mars Hill, FortFairfield, Limestone, and Van Buren
toMadawaska. Just east of Limestone, ITS81 actually stretches along
the Canadi-an border. As long as they stay on themarked trail,
snowmobilers need notreport to Canadian customs.
Connected to the Millinocket trailsystem, ITS 83 enters
AroostookCounty at Sherman, runs throughIsland Falls and Oakland to
Houl-ton, and then follows the formerBangor & Aroostook
Railroad corri-dor north through Westfield beforereaching Presque
Isle. This trailextends north to Madawaska.
Other ITS trails range fartherafield. From Fort Kent, sledders
can
follow ITS 92 west to Allagash andthen north to Estcourt Station
onthe Quebec border. From its inter-section with ITS 85 in Portage,
ITS90 extends east past Caribou tointersect ITS 81 near
Limestone.Meandering from Ashland toPresque Isle to Caribou and
FortFairfield, ITS 88 introduces sleddersto the Aroostook River
Valley.
Besides the Interconnecting TrailSystem, many local club trails
exist,too. These provide important linksto the ITS trails; for
example, theNumber Nine Lake Trail connectsITS 81 and ITS 83,
respectively westand south of Bridgewater, and servesas a shortcut
for sledders travelingbetween Ashland and Houlton.
Each County snowmobile clubextensively grooms the trails
withinits jurisdiction. Sledders must alwaysyield to a groomer
while on the trails.
Sledders can reach TThhee HHoommee--
Start winter off right with a snowmobile ride in the County
See COUNTY, Page 2
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sstteeaadd LLooddggee in Oxbow with ease; accordingto the lodges
Web site, www.homestead-lodgemaine.com, the fully groomed ITS
85runs through the lodges 220 acres. Sledderscan stay overnight or
for a weekend andenjoy easy access to trails throughout centraland
northern Aroostook County.
Gasoline, engine oil, and a trailer-storagefacility are located
on site, and snowmobilersare invited to enjoy the hearty fare at
the aptlynamed Ride-In Restaurant. A buffalo herdroams the lodges
fields and woods, and, ofcourse, buffalo appears on the
restaurantsmenu. Think Buffalonof, All-in-One BuffaloStew, Buff a
Loaf, and the Ride-In Prime Buf-falo Burger, among other delicious
meals.
At DDeeaannss MMoottoorr LLooddggee (2075 PortageLake Road,
Portage), we are considered thehub for snowmobiling in the
northernregion, said Angie Burton. You can leaveour business and do
a very enjoyable loopthat will bring you through Eagle Lake,
LongLake, [and] Cross Lake [and] down the railbed back through
Washburn and right intoour dooryard via ITS 90.
ITS 85 runs through our parking lot, with
many connecting trails close by, she said.For sledders seeking a
home away from
home, the CCaarriibboouu IInnnn && CCoonnvveennttiioonn
CCeenn--tteerr and the PPrreessqquuee IIssllee IInnnn &&
CCoonnvveennttiioonnCCeenntteerr offer modern accommodations
andtrail accessibility.
Located at the intersection of Routes 1-164 in Caribou, the
Caribou Inn & Conven-tion Center lies near ITS 88; from the
inn,snowmobilers can quickly reach trails lead-ing to almost every
municipality in centraland northern Aroostook County.
Located on Main Street (Route 1) justsouth of the University of
Maine at Presque
Isle, the Presque Isle Inn & Convention Cen-ter provides
snowmobilers with easy accessto ITS 83 and the Star Citys
outstandingtrail system.
Snowmobilers have easy access to thetrails from NNoo.. 99
LLaakkee OOuuttffiitttteerrss in Bridge-water, where the groomer
comes off ITS 83across the field and into our cabin area,said Don
Burnett. He indicated that theconnector trail runs less than half a
milebefore reaching ITS 83; about a mile to thenorth lies a key
intersection with ITS 81 andpoints west.
Guests can access the nearby countryside
for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, andsnowshoeing; a guide
can take our guestsoff-trail for photo opportunities, he
said.Alpine skiers can quickly reach Big Rock SkiArea, which rises
about 8 miles to the north.
Among the scheduled snowmobilingevents taking place in Aroostook
Countythis winter are:
Jan. 12, 6 p.m.: The Chapman RidgeRunners will sponsor a potluck
supper at theclubhouse on Town Hall Road in Chapman;
Jan. 15, 10 a.m.: The Portage Lakers Snow-mobile Club will
sponsor radar runs, with reg-istration starting at 9 a.m. For more
informa-tion, contact Jen Curran at (207) 227-0045;
Feb. 4, 6 p.m.: The Portage Lakers Snow-mobile Club will sponsor
Supper on theRun and a Twilight Poker Run. For moreinformation,
contact Betty Benson at (207)435-6872;
Feb. 18: The Madawaska SnowmobileClub (Fournier Road in St.
David) willsponsor the USCC Madawaska 100 Cross-Country Snowmobile
Race. For more infor-mation, contact Mike Guerrette at
(207)728-7097 or Glenn Daigle at (207) 728-3881or email
[email protected].
March 17, 6 p.m.: The Chapman RidgeRunners will sponsor a
spaghetti supper at theclubhouse on Town Hall Road in Chapman.
2 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
CountyContinued from Page 1
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By NewsUSA
Ice sends thousands sliding,slipping and falling each year.
Andunfortunately, many of those fallsresult in serious injury.
You cant control the weather, butyou may be able to keep ice
fromforming on your walkways. Oneinnovative company,
HeatTrak(www.heattrak.com), manufacturesoutdoor mats that, when
pluggedinto an electrical outlet, melt snowand ice at a rate of two
inches perhour. Commonly used by business-
es and university campuses, Heat-Trak mats have recently
becomeavailable to homeowners. The matsare durable and meant to
stay out-side all season. Those who want toenjoy slip-free walkways
and stairssimply need to install the mats, thenturn them on when
snow first startsto fall the mats will prevent iceand snow from
accumulating.
Of course, its hard to avoidsnow and ice the whole winter, soits
best to take precautions againstslips and falls. Here are some
tipsfor safer winter walking:
Wear the proper foot gear. Slip-
pery soles will make icy conditionseven more hazardous. Wear
shoeswith non-slip soles and deep treads.
Watch where youre walking.Stick to sidewalks whenever possi-ble.
If a surface looks slippery, tap itwith your toe before stepping
for-ward. Be especially wary aboutblack ice, which can be hard
todetect visually. Walk at a slow, evenpace running or jumping
makesit easier to lose your footing. If youdo have to walk over
ice, bend youknees slightly and take shorter steps.
Stay balanced. Keep yourhands free to help you balance. If
there are handrails, use them. Tryto avoid carrying heavy
packagesup and down icy stairs, and dontcarry loads that you cant
seeover.
Dont let clothes obscure yourvision. You need to stay warm,
butdont wear ski masks, scarves, hatsor hoodies that restrict your
vision.
Watch out for ice from above.Falling icicles can cause
seriousinjury. Avoid walking underneaththe edges of buildings.
For more information on theHeatTrak products,
visitwww.heattrak.com.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 3
Tips to prevent slips and falls this winter
During the winter, meteorolo-gists report the actual air
tempera-ture outside and the windchilltemperature. Do you know the
dif-ference between the two? Air tem-perature is the thermostat
readingof the temperature outdoors.Windchill temperature is what
itfeels like to the body when thewind is blowing. According to
theNational Weather Service Office ofClimate, Water and Weather
Ser-vices, as the wind increases, itdraws heat from the body,
decreas-ing skin temperature and eventu-ally the internal body
temperature.Therefore, the wind makes it feelmuch colder. Windchill
tempera-ture only affects humans and otheranimals. It will have no
effect oninanimate objects. Those objectswill not cool down past
the currentair temperature.
Windchill versusair temperature:Be safe outside
BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ
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4 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
By ARA Content
Even the best behaved-dog can temporari-ly forget his manners
when faced with themany distractions of going on a walk. Whenthe
ground is covered with snow and ice,Fidos momentary lapse can mean
a nasty fallfor you. Properly equipping yourself andtaking some
safety precautions can helpensure you stay on your feet, and that
yourwalk remains enjoyable for both you andyour best friend.
Here are some tips for walking your dogin wintery weather:
DDoonntt ssttaayy hhoommee.. Both you and yourdog need exercise,
and just letting Fido outinto the backyard to do his business
doesnthelp your health. A daily walk helps to pro-vide both of you
with excellent cardiovascu-lar exercise, and also gets you out into
thefresh air. So even as the weather gets colder,help keep you and
your dog healthy withdaily walks.
LLeeaasshh ttrraaiinniinngg.. Larger dogs make greatpets,
especially for seniors who struggle tobend over to pet smaller
breeds. But if yourdog isnt leash trained, he could give you
Tips for fun, safe winter frolics with Fido
See FIDO, Page 5
Families: Prepare to have fun in the snow with Fido bymaking
sure he can frolic safely.
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BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 5
great difficulty in managing himand the winter elements. Take
himto obedience classes and work withhim so he knows not to pull
whenyoure out for short and longwalks. As the weather chills
andsnow and ice build up on your tra-ditional walking routes, youll
beable to carefully negotiate trickyspots without having to
worryabout being pulled off balance.
DDrreessss ffoorr tthhee wweeaatthheerr. Youreprobably already
going to be layer-ing up to stay warm, but dont for-get proper
footwear for both youand your dog. Dog booties can helpprotect your
pets feet from thedeicer chemicals that can hurt andcrack the pads
of his feet. Bootiesalso help prevent ice from buildingup in the
fur around his toes.
For your feet, you need gear tokeep you from sliding around
onthe ice. STABILicers ice cleats goon over your shoes or boots,
pro-viding you super traction - andeven better footing than your
dog.
Sold by retailers nationwideincluding L.L. Bean and
Cabelas,these ice cleats are durable andlight, and can fit easily
in a pocketor glove compartment for easytransport. For Scott Kelley
of PeaksIsland,STABILicers allowed him towalk his dog even after
shouldersurgery and physical therapy.
The idea of falling on the iceafter surgery and all that
physicaltherapy was too much to bear,Kelley says. So I put
STABILicerson my boots and wore them allwinter, even if the roads
and side-walks were clear, because the dogstill needs to be walked,
and thereis always that one rogue patch ofice lurking in the
shadows.
PPrraaccttiiccee ssaaffeettyy.. Since the day-
light hours are shorter during thewinter months, make sure
youwear light clothing with reflectivematerial, and carry a
flashlightduring your walks to help driverssee you in the dark.
Also let some-one know where youre going onyour walk, and your
anticipatedtime of return.
Getting out of the house,breathing in the fresh air and see-ing
the sun reflecting off the glit-tering snow. The winter monthscan
bring so much enjoyment toyou and your dog on your dailywalks. And
when youll be held onbalance with proper footwear, youmay soon find
yourself joiningFido in chasing squirrels, just forthe fun of
it.
FidoContinued from Page 4
Dont forget the pawsCourtesy of the ASPCA
Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when hecomes in
out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreezeor
other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws,and
his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice.
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By Brian SwartzCUSTOM PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
Major snowstorms that struckMaine on the eves Halloweenand
Thanksgiving remindedskiers to check their equipment priorto
hitting the slopes for the first time.
Winter firmly has Maine in itssights, so nows the time to learn
howto ski or snowboard. Three localMaine ski slopes offer lessons
andequipment rentals, and a cooperativeventure between seven Maine
skiresorts provides a great opportunityfor novices who think theyd
like tolearn how to travel downhill fast.
Big Rock Ski AreaHome of the Maine Winter
Sports Center, Big Rock Ski Area islocated on Mars Hill in
AroostookCounty. Offering 27 trails rangingfrom beginner to expert
in ski-
ing ability, Big Rock operates a skischool that provides private
andgroup lessons for beginning skiers.Ski school programs are
gearedtoward a skiers age and capabili-ties and are available in
single-,three-, and five-lesson packages.
Skiers and snowboarders canrent equipment at the Big RockBase
Lodge, located just off the
Graves Road in Mars Hill.Ski trails are accessed by four
lifts, including the Big RockExpress Poma Life, the North
StarDouble Chairlift, and the SouthStar Triple Chairlift. For
skiers, themaximum vertical drop is 980 feet.Big Rock has a snow
tube park.
For more information about
6 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
Skiing opportunities abound this winter for all skill levels on
Maine slopes
See SKII, Page 7
BDN PHOTO BY
BRIAN SWARTZ
Gaining experiencewith every
schuss down theslope, a young boy
skis at CamdenSnow Bowl on a
holiday weekend.
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BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 7
this ski resort, log onto www.bigrockmaine.com.
Camden Snow BowlOperated by the Camden Parks &
Recreation
Department and located on 1,300-foot RaggedMountain in the
Camden Hills, the Camden SnowBowl features nine trails ranging in
skill levels frombeginner, such as the westernmost Spinnaker
Trail,to difficult, like the easternmost Lookout Trail. Mosttrails
fall within the intermediate range.
Skiers and snowboarders can access the trails onBig T-bar (4,100
feet), a chairlift (3,100 feet), and Lit-tle T-bar (1,100 feet).
Near the Alpine base lodge isMitey Mite, a 200-foot T-bar designed
for youngsters.
Slightly east from the ski trails is a tubing hill.When ice
conditions permit, a skating rink is availableon adjacent Hosmer
Pond.
The Camden Snow Bowl Ski and SnowboardSchool offers private and
group lessons for fledglingskiers and snowboarders, from ages 3 and
up. Privatelessons are available in one-hour, half-day, or
all-daytimeframes.
Equipment (including skis and snowboards) can berented at a
white modular building located near the baselodge.Ragged Mountain
Sports runs the adjacent ski shop.
Learn more at www.camdensnowbowl.com.
New Hermon Mountain
Located at 441 Newburgh Road in Hermon, theaptly named New
Hermon Mountain has 20 trails,with skiers and snowboarders reaching
the top on achairlift or a T-bar lift. Near the lodge is a
lift-equippedtubing park featuring a 600-foot tubing run.
A family-owned ski slope, New Hermon Mountainoffers skiing and
snowboarding lessons with qualifiedinstructors. In January and
February, novice skierscan participate in a four-week Learn to Ski
Program,with adult classes held at 6:30 p.m., Fridays, and
chil-drens classes held at 9:30 a.m., Saturday or Sunday.All
classes including skiing lessons.
For beginning skiers and snowboarders, New Her-mon Mountain
offers private or group lessons. A privatelesson lasts one hour; a
group lesson lasts 90 minutes.
New Hermon Mountain is open 3-9 p.m., Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-9
p.m., Saturday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m.,Sunday. The ski slope opens
earlier on weekdays dur-ing school vacations. For more information,
log ontowww.skihermonmountain.com.
Maine Learn to Ski & Ride CardWith the Maine Learn to Ski
& Ride Card, novice
skiers can learn to ski at five local ski slopes in Maineand
then hit the lifts and trails at Sugarloaf USA inCarrabassett
Valley and Sunday River in Newry.
Find out more at:
www.camdensnowbowl.com/maine-learn-ski-ride-card.
SkiingContinued from Page 6
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8 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
By David M. FitzpatrickBANGOR DAILY NEWS
Russ Ames has fished all his life,including ice fishing. He has
fondboyhood memories of Februaryvacation, when his father wouldtake
him on an ice-fishing tripalong with other fathers and sons.
So its no wonder that when hediscovered the Maine Youth Fishand
Game Associations annualFamily Fishing Day a few yearsago, he
jumped at the chance totake his son out. The free ice-fish-ing
event draws hundreds of peo-ple, with fishing open to kids age15
and under. MYFGA providesthe traps, gear, and bait, and theylleven
feed everyone, with hot dogsand hot chocolate on hand all day.
Its great for the kids, Amessaid. If you get a good, sunny
day,kids love to be out there iceskating and eating, and then a
flag
pops up and they all run over andpull the fish in. Its pretty
fun towatch them.
The annual January event isheld at the 10-acre Pickerel
Pond,located off the Stud Mill Road nearMilford. The Department
ofInland Fisheries & Wildlife stocksthe pond with 300-500 brook
troutin the fall yearlings of 10-14inches and retired brood stock
of14-18 inches. Legally, only kids 15and under can fish there,
whichMYFGA uses as a teaching pond toeducate children about the
impor-tance of the ecosystem and theresponsibility theyre tasked
withwhen they choose to fish or hunt.
We really encourage people tobring out their children,
theirgrandchildren, the neighbors kids,whatever they want, said
TravisRoy, former MYFGA presidentand current vice president.
MYFGA formed in 2000 andbegan holding events in 2001. It
grew quickly, thanks to over-whelming public support. The
firstyear, MYFGA had a vision of build-ing a lodge within 10 years,
butNorthern Log Homes soon donat-ed a log-home kit, the
NationalGuard and local construction com-panies built it, and the
Stephen &Tabitha King Foundation donated$15,000 for a
generator. And in2008, International Paper donatedthe land to
MYFGA.
Everything we do is 100 per-cent free for the participants,
saidMYFGA vice president Travis Roy.We raise the money so, [for]
thesekids, its never going to be aboutthe haves and the
have-nots.
The day before the event,MYFGA volunteers drill holes inthe ice.
They used to do it by hand,but now use two ice-auger caddies;they
drive up, quickly drill a hole,and drive to the next spot.
Conven-tional wisdom says the ice shouldbe 6-8 inches thick, but
Roy said
they aim for 10-12 inches, just toerr on the side of caution.
Whenthe weather cooperates (and theresalways a rain day or, as
MYFGAputs it, an ice day) as many as 300people turn out. Its grown
so pop-ular that MYFGA is consideringadding a second ice-fishing
day.
The event draws all kinds ofpeople from all over, and Roy saidhe
especially likes it when peoplenew to ice fishing show up eager
totry. Two years ago, we had a ladywalk up to us [who said] I run
aGirl Scout troop, theres six of us,were here, and we have no
ideawhat were doing, Roy recalled.That puts a smile on our
face.
Once the kids are into ice fish-ing, Ames said theres no
shortageof places to ice fish in Maine. Evenponds without good game
fish canstill be exciting for kids; theyll stillhave lots of action
guaranteed tobreed excitement and spur kidsinto game fishing later
on.
They keep the flags going upand keep the kids running, keepsthem
interested, Ames said.
Ames and his son Makenzie, 14,and his daughter Sophie, 5,
willreturn in January 2012 for anotherice-fishing adventure. Wife
Teriand toddler Stella will join themfor fun on the ice. Its fun
for all,really, Ames said. Its fun to seethe kids get excited. Its
all aboutgetting kids hooked on fishing. Icant say enough good
about that.
The annual Family Fishing Daywill be held Saturday, Jan. 21
from8 a.m. until 3 p.m. The rain day isFeb. 4, same times. MYFGA
willprovide food and bait, as well astraps to those who need
them.MYFGA provides many other freeevents year-round, as well as
aninexpensive week-long summercamp that costs just $75.
Theorganization has just begun a$150,000 capital campaign toexpand
the lodge and continue thesuccess of the program. Learnmore
at:wwwwww..MMaaiinneeYYoouutthhFFiisshhAAnnddGGaammee..oorrgg
Kids drawn to ice fishing hook, line & sinker
PHOTO BY TERRENCE L. FITZPATRICKAn adult moves the trap out of
the way, but its up to this young angler
to haul in her catch in this shot from 2008.
-
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with great views
E-mail: [email protected] Ted at 207-829-6384 9am-9pm
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Belgrade; Rumford Conr. Rt 2 + 232
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Discover the Lifestyle
www.sundayriver.com 800.207.2354
Explore your Options
By Metro Creative Service
Regardless of what season it is, skin seemsto bear the brunt of
weathers wrath.Whether its the sun beating down in thedog days of
summer or thewind whipping aroundand causingskin to
crack when the weather starts to turn cold,skin is never fully
safe from the elements.
Each season poses its own unique chal-lenges to skin, and this
year is no different.With fall and winter on the horizon,
itsimportant for men and women to practiceproper skin care in an
effort to protect
themselves from dry skin, which canbe irritating and
unsightly.Though an extra layer of cloth-
ing might hide dry, flakeyskin from view, it wont
do much to relievethe irritation anddamage thatresult
fromseverely dry skin.This fall and win-ter, consider the
following tips to help the skin survive thewoes of winter.
Take quick, temperate showers. It mightfeel good to get in from
the cold and take ahot bath or shower, but this actually breaksdown
lipid barriers in the skin, potentiallyrobbing the skin of
moisture. In lieu of along, steamy bath or shower, take a
quickshower in warm water.
Moisturize every day. Moisturizers aredesigned to relieve dry
skin irritation, par-ticularly on those areas of the body that
aretroublesome during the winter months.Look for creams that
contain water andglycerin that will help to draw moisture intothe
skin and stimulate the bodys naturalrepair process. Moisturizers
that are non-greasy, non-oil based and fragrance freetend to work
the best to repair dry skin. Oil-
based creams will actually repel water thatwould otherwise
hydrate the skin causingfurther damage.
Men and women should also makemoisturizing a part of their
nightly rou-tine before going to bed. Skin tempera-tures rise
during sleep, resulting inincreased circulation and healing, so
besure to moisturize each night before goingto bed.
Continue to protect skin from the sunThe sun is just as strong
in winter as it isduring the summer, and winter sun can
dosignificant damage to unprotected skin,especially when winter sun
combines withsnow glare. Use a moisturizer with SPFthroughout the
winter, and apply it to bothhands and face roughly 30 minutes
before
BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 9
Protect skin from the worst that weather has to offer
See SKIN, Page 13
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By David M. FitzpatrickCUSTOM PUBLICATIONS WRITER
With the recent opening of the
newly redeveloped Lake ParlinLodge & Cabins, the Kruse
familyis ready for plenty of visitors, fromthose staying at the
spectacularfacility to those wayward back-
woods sledders just stopping byfor a bit of culinary heaven.
The Lodge opened on Jan. 8,2011 with four lodge rooms and
afive-bedroom, five-bath mini-lodge. At the time, the six
cabinswere unfinished shells, but wereready for the 2011-2012
winterseason. The cabins feature fullkitchens and flat-screen TVs
andhigh-speed internet access, andone cabin is ADA-compliant.
Thisis why the Lodges Web site bills itas luxury in the rough.
The Lodge sees loads of snowmo-bile traffic. We had a great
winterlast year, real positive,said Joe Kruse.A lot of people
stumbled upon usthat didnt know we were there.
Kruses family has deep roots inthe region. His parents built
theBriarwood Mountain Lodge inJackman, now the MountainviewResort,
in the early 1970s. Kruse
lived in Jackman until 1977, whenthe family returned to his
parentsnative Florida. But they spentsummers and Christmases at
thefamily camp on Lake Parlin, whichabuts the current lodge
property.
I love hunting and fishing andthe outdoors and wanted to goback
to Maine to raise our kids,he said. We never looked back.
Snowmobiling has long been apart of the Kruse family.
Krusesfather had once worked with localfolks to start the first
groomedsnowmobile trail in the area and
helped to get a grant to build thefirst snowmobile bridge across
theMoose River. Recently, Kruse hasbeen part of a dedicated
groupthat recently merged the ForksArea Recreation Club and the
Bull-dog Summit Riders into one club,the Coburn Summit Riders.
We have an awesome trail sys-tem, Kruse said. We have thehighest
groomed point in the state,Coburn Mountain. We plan togroom the
trail to the summit on aregular basis to make it accessiblefor all
riding levels.
It will be done now and will eas-ily be one of the key
attractions toanyone on a sled, Kruse said. Itseasy with the great
board and arrayof eager volunteers.Theres a lot ofpositive energy
for the club, andeveryones real excited, he said.
The Lake Parlin Lodge is anideal jumping-off spot for
sledderswith its location at a major nexuson the Interconnected
Trail Sys-tem. Located 10 miles south ofJackman on Route 201, the
Lodgeis situated on ITS 89 and just threemiles from ITS 87 using
the LakeParlin Connector Trail. Best of all,its in a region that
could have twofeet of snow on the ground; weget a lot of snow at
our elevation,Kruse said.
And in the works: a USCC snowrace on Jan. 28, 2012, starting
atthe Lodge. This will be a 100-milerace with approximately 20
5-milelaps.Anyone with a 600cc or lesscan enter. You can find rules
on theUSCC site, and information aboutthe race on the Lodges Web
site.
Whether running a race, cruisingthe trails, or gunning it up
CoburnMountain, theres always good foodwaiting for you. The Lodge
features abevy of talented chefs including2011 Maine Lobster Chef
of the Yearfinalist Ryan Campbell. Campbell,originally from
Winslow, trained atthe Culinary Institute of America andworked at
prestigious eateries aroundthe nation before returning to
Maine.
Were really fortunate to havethat kind of food in the middle
ofnowhere, said Kruse.
10 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
Luxury in the rough at Lake Parlin Lodge
LAKE PARLINLODGE PHOTO
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BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 11
SNOWMOBILINGJackman and Moose River have been catering to
snowmobilers for over 20 years. The snowmobile trails are ideally
located for access to accommodations, restaurants and services of
all kinds. From the Jackman-Moose River Region, the ITS trails can
take you North into the Province of Quebec, South to the Forks,
Eustis and Rangeley, or East to the Northeast Carry, Rockwood,
Greenville and beyond. There is no region of Maine that cannot be
reached by snowmobile from Jackman. (that is if THEY have snow!)
Get our up to date trail
reports!http://jackmanmaine.org/maine-ice-fishing.php
ICE FISHINGIce fishing is an extremely popular sport. The Lakes
and Ponds in the region: Big Wood Lake, Little Big Wood, Holeb
Pond, Long Pond and Spencer Lake, are usually thick enough to
travel on by season open (January 1st) and stay frozen well into
March.
Even at night, you may see lights scattered over the lake as Big
Wood is especially noted for its large Cusk population. Other
common fish are Salmon, togue, Brook trout, and splake.
http://jackmanmaine.org/northeast-
championships.php
MAINE SLED DOG RACES Many professional drivers come to this race
with their dogs in the best condition of the season. It is a fast
paced and diversified event featuring everything from one dog
skijoring to large sled teams, as well as 3 dog junior and one dog
junior mushers. Dog teams from all over the US and even the world
come to Jackman to compete in the sled dog events. It is great fun
for the spectator too as you watch the teams race to the
finish.
For more information on trail conditions, fishing derbies and
sled dog races visit jackmanmaine.orgor call 1-888-633-5225
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By Metro Creative Service
Winter weather takes all of theusual road hazards and steps
themup a notch. Although winter drivingmay be frustrating, there
are ways toprepare for the season and preventaccidents and
injuries.
PrepareIts important to check that a vehi-
cle is in top shape before the coldweather sets in.Pay special
attention to
the tires. If tires are bald or their wearis signficant, that
could prove haz-ardous on weather-slicked roads.Havetires replaced
before the first snowfall.The same can be said when switchingfrom
regular performance tires to all-weather or snow tires. Be sure
tochange all of the tires on the car, evenif it is just a
front-wheel drive vehicle.
Now is the time to also get atune-up on the vehicle. Coldweather
can make it hard for a carto perform at its best, and any prob-lems
should be eliminated before
they spiral out of control. Be sure totop off any fluids in the
car, espe-cially windshield washer fluid youmight need to improve
visibilityduring a storm. Check the functionof wiper blades and
change them ifthey arent up to snuff. Consultwith a mechanic to
find out if it isadviseable to switch motor oil vis-cosity during
the winter to improveflow through the engine and helpwith cold
start turnover.
It also helps to stock up on suppliesshould you get stranded or
stuck:
- snow shovel- scraper/brush- tire chains- flashlight (with
extra batteries)- abrasive material, like cat litter,sand, or salt-
jumper cables- flares or reflective triangles- brightly colored
cloth to signalfor help- empty water-tight containerwith candles,
matches or lighter,bottled water, and a snack- sleeping bags or
blankets, skicaps, and mittens- first-aid supplies
SkiddingHow best to maneuver a car
when it starts to skid depends onhow the vehicle handles. If the
rearwheels skid, turn the steeringwheel, and subsequently the
frontwheels, in the same direction ofthe skid. If the front wheels
skid,take your foot off the gas and shiftto neutral. Dont try to
steerimmediately; the skid may slow,and traction could return.
Thenyou can steer in the direction youwant to go and put the car
backinto drive.
Keep in mind that even withexpert maneuvering it can be trickyto
recover from a skid on ice. Snowtires are not infallible and may
beineffective on icy roadways.
Leaving SpaceOne of the best things a person
can do when driving in winterweather is to slow down and addmuch
more room for reacting toroadway conditions. Drivingslowly and
braking slowly mayhelp to prevent skids. Also, shoulda skid occur,
having more roombetween you and another vehiclehelps you to
maneuver elsewhereor come to a stop without causingan accident.
When visibility is poor, leavingextra room means you can react
ifsomething suddenly veers into thepath of the car or you missed
see-ing it through the snow and sleet.
Stranded or StuckShould the car break down or it
becomes stuck in the snow, thereare some things you can do.
Be
sure to steer or push the car to asafe location, if possible.
Put upwarning flares or triangles so thatyou are visible and leave
the four-way flashers on if the battery isoperable.
You can try rocking the car, byputting it in drive and hitting
thegas, then in reverse and pressing onthe accelerator to create a
valley inthe snow that might free the car.Use your abrasive
material to pro-vide traction. You can also attemptto shovel out
the tires.
If the car is inoperable, stay inthe vehicle out of harms way
andcall for help on a mobile phone.Leave a window cracked open
ifyou will be running the engine forperiodic heat. The National
SafetyCouncil says that you can run theengine for heat about once
everyhour, or every half hour in severecold. Be sure to clean snow
fromaround the end of the tail pipe toprevent carbon
monoxidebuildup. For extra heat, don blan-kets or a sleeping bag to
preventhypothermia.
12 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
Drive safe this winter by prepping your car for slick roads
BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ
Whether youre hitting the roads on an adventure or delivering
anice shack to its frozen home, being prepared for winter
weather
is important.
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going outside. Wear a winter wardrobe. Protective
clothing like gloves, scarves and thick socksnot only keep us
warm through the winter,they also keep skin safe as well. Strong
win-ter winds and below freezing temperaturescan damage the skin
significantly, so bun-dle up when going outdoors. And be sureto
avoid wet socks and gloves, which canirritate the skin and cause
itching and
cracking, and might even result in the for-mation of sores.
Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated isanother skin care pointer
people primarily,and incorrectly, associate with summer.But staying
hydrated is just as important inthe winter as it is during the
summer. Stay-ing hydrated is important for overallhealth. Men and
women who enjoy caf-feinated beverages like coffee and sodashould
know that caffeine is a diuretic thatdraws water out of the skin.
So be sure tocounter caffeine consumption by drinkingplenty of
water.
BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 13
SkinContinued from Page 9
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14 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
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BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011 | 15
By Metro Creative Service
Snowshoeing is a wintertimeactivity that can be enjoyable
andhealthy for all ages.
Enthusiasts say that snowshoe-ing is truly an activity that
anyonecan enjoy from children toseniors. As long as a person is
ableto walk, he or she can also trysnowshoeing. According
toresearch provided by SnowsportsIndustries America, 40.8 percentof
snowshoers are women, 9.4percent of snowshoers are chil-dren (ages
7 to 11), and 44.2 per-cent of snowshoers are betweenthe ages of 25
to 44.
There are a number of reasonsto try snowshoeing:
It is a relatively inexpensivesport to try because there is
limit-ed equipment and most of it canbe rented.
Snowshoeing provides aunique perspective on the out-doors.
The activity is a great form ofcardiovascular exercise, as
theshoe and the snow provide anadded measure of resistance
whilewalking. The sport helps burnmore than 600 calories per
hourand can help you burn 45 percentmore calories than walking
orrunning at the same speed.
Snowshoeing is easily a socialgroup activity.
It poses little risk for injury.One of the main advantages
to
snowshoeing is that oftentimes
the first time you head out youveeasily grasped the concept.
Unlikeother sports that take practice tomaster, snowshoeing
onlyrequires a few steps before it ismastered.
Snowshoeing has been aroundfor thousands of years.
Archaeol-ogists have not been able to deter-mine when the snowshoe
wasfirst used, but it is known thatsnowshoes were used more
than12,000 years ago. It is believed thefirst snowshoe was made
fromsolid wood and animal skins.Natives of North America reliedon a
form of snowshoe to traversethe landscape during hunting andother
chores.
Although the first snowshoe
Adventures in snowshoeing
See SNOWSHOE, Page 16 BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ
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16 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Friday | December 9, 2011
designs were made from what people couldfind and were primitive
in nature, they setthe course for more intricate designs
andhigh-tech materials.
When selecting snowshoes, beginners canchoose among recreational
snowshoes. Usu-ally, these snowshoes work best on simpleterrain
that doesnt require a lot of steepclimbing or descents. For avid
snowshoers orthose who compete, aerobic snowshoes orones designed
for hiking are more durable
and may be the smart buy.Many experts advise against
purchasing
used snowshoes, because you wont be surewhat youre getting.
Snowshoes can be rent-ed, but they are relatively inexpensive tobuy
new, ranging from $100 to $300. Snow-shoes are sized according to
your weight.The most common sizes are 25, 30 and 36inches. Working
with an educated retailerwill ensure you get the right size
shoe.
Snowshoeing can be done anywhere thereis snow. It doesnt require
marked trails. Justbe sure to go with a partner the first
timearound to ensure safety should you get stuckout in the
wilderness.
SnowshoeContinued from Page 15
MAINES BEAUTYSEEN VIA SKI
BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ
Two cross country skiiers cross afrozen lake under the magestic
rise of
Mt. Kineo