The Rural Voice, 2005-12, Page 26a Jia¢¢P
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22 THE RURAL VOICE
farmers, as snowmobilers crossed
land without permission. But it was
also a danger as the drivers were
often unfamiliar with terrain and the
dangers that might be present, such
as barbed wire fences.
Now, in many places the trails are
the double width of the groomer at
12-16 feet. Hazards are clearly
marked and obstacles removed. Even
through the bushes, where the trails
are narrower, they still allow ample
room for two snowmobiles to meet,
says Hardy.
Hardy said he tries to get out in
the early morning with the
groomer and spends about 12
hours, and 50 gallons of gas, each of
two days to complete the route.
During the high season, Hardy says it
is likely that the groomers will be out
every day. "It's just never ending and
the trails never stay the same."
"You have to go out every day,
even when the trails are smooth. You
might not do a lot but even a little
ground drifting can make a
difference," says DeJong.
The regular wear and tear is one of
the challenges. "You have to go out
at the right time. I like to go at
night," says DeJong, adding his route
takes 16-17 hours though it can be as
much as 24 hours to finish. "You
take a lunch box," he chuckles.
The reason for grooming at night is
because of the lesser traffic. "With
fewer snowmobilers on the trails it
gives the snow a chance to set up
rather than being chewed up by the
machines."
"Sometimes the evenings will give
things a better chance to set because
there aren't many people out after
midnight," says Larry Rose of
Brussels, one the people in charge of
grooming the B -W Trailblazers
system. "It makes for a better trail."
The Trailblazers' operation runs a
little differently. The north route
takes a total of 12-14 hours at a time
with shifts running from four to 10
hours. How often they're on the trail,
"all depends on the weather," says
Rose, who also uses a Bell groomer
and tends the north trails. "We try to
have the trails topped up for Friday
evenings, because of the increased
use through the weekend. Otherwise,
the condition dictates when we
-groom."
Ensuring that the trails are in
optimal condition takes observation.
"We keep an eye on the number of
machines out," said Mervyn Bauer of
Brussels, who also grooms the B -W
north trails. "If the sun shines and it's
cold you know there are going to be a
lot of people out, so we will run the
trails at night."
There is no formal schedule said
Bauer, just "whoever's available goes
out. But we make sure there's always
someone available."
Because of the workload in a busy
season, the majority of people
driving the groomers are paid
employees now, Rose said.
The north section of B -W trails
extends from Walton, north to
Gorrie, and Ethel, west to Blyth.
Rose has done the work for five
years, while Bauer has been on board
for two years. "After I quit plowing
roads, I was interested in grooming
the trails," said Bauer. "I guess I'm
just clearing the snow from different
roadways."
Heavy snowfalls can also increase
the hours spent. Though the
groomers can go through quite a bit
of snow with little difficulty, it does
slow down progress. "Heavy snow
takes longer to get packed down,"
says DeJong.
Mild weather is a bigger problem.
"If it is zero degrees the snow packs
too much. You can't groom because
it won't go through the drag. Really
cold works really nicely."
"Definitely cold," agrees Rose.
"And with lots of snow and very
little wind, you've got perfect
conditions."
While the men have to be
interested in the sport to
put so much time into a
job, it certainly has changed the way
they look at it. "I do a lot Tess
snowmobiling than I used to," says
DeJong. With a total of 200 hours
spent each winter in the groomer, he
adds, he "doesn't feel much like
going out snowmobiling."
Yet while you might think touring
at 16 kms an hour down open' fields
and through bushlots in the wee
small hours of the morning, isn't
exactly a good trade-off, the men
probably wouldn't see it that way.
"You see the countryside," said
Bauer. "I stop and watch the deer
when they cross pass. It's quiet and
peaceful."0