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The Citizen, 2001-12-19, Page 1141 frit Parrifietile, CRAIG NICHOLSON Snowmobiling and the environment By Craig Nicholson (©2001 by Craig Nicholson. All rights reserved.) THE OTREPID A0410eill-P EDWARD FUELS QAdvanceTM snowmobile products The best for your sled! 357-3435 WINOHAM • "Your Arctic Cat Sledquarters" ARCTIC car What Stiowntobiling's All About. TM Service to most makes o, small engines Automotive farm and tire service 519-345-2248 Mike Kells Jim Bauer 2: Auto Parts Plus Auto Parts 'FA—EN— We stock a full line of snowmobile parts & accessories See us for your snowmobiling needs! "Quality Parts plus Personal Service" Turnberry St., Brussels 887-8002 fax 887-8004 GSM brought to you by: SALES AND SERVICE HONDA, YAMAHA, SKI-D00 JOHN DEERE, SABRE TANAKA SPECIALIZING IN " ROTAX CRANKSHAFT REBUILDING • CYLINDER REBORING " RE-SLEEVING " VALVE GRINDING COMPLETE MACHINE SHOP SERVICE Wingham (Hwy. 86 just east of Hwy. 4) (519) 357-3435 Fax (519) 357-3081 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2001. PAGE 11. The Blyth Midget Bulldogs have just gone through the tough part of their schedule before taking time off for the Christmas break. The Bulldogs defeated Wallace 3- 1 and dropped a 2-1 game to Clinton. Last Monday night the Bulldogs travelled to Lucknow and forged a 6- 6 tie. Micah Loder scored twice for Blyth with singles going to Rob Archambault, Cole Stewart, Shawn Henry and Kirk Stewart. Later that week the Bulldogs dropped a 5-1 decision to Wingham. Neil Salverda scored Blyth'S lone goal with assists going to Ryan McClinchey and C. Stewart. The Bulldogs hosted Teeswater on Sunday afternoon and were downed 6-2. Blyth scored the only goal in the first period, however Teeswater scored three powerplay goals in the .second frame and went on to the win. Matt Bromley and K. Stewart scored for Blyth. Picking up assists were Henry, C. Stewart, Loder and T.J. Marks. 4 • 4 4 4 Ti, f While snowmobiling may appear to be prolific, the total surface area actually occupied by snowmobile trails in Canada is only about 240 square miles, approximately equiva- lent to the size of one medium urban centre. So snow-mobile trails, where the vast majority of riding occurs, occupy only a tiny speck on Canada's total land mass, and are used three months a year or less. Studies clearly demonstrate that maintained snowmobile trails are the best way to dissuade riders from ran- dom cross-country travel. The 99 per cent of Ontario riding occurring on groomed trails ensures that sleds stay where they belong and move expedi- tiously from one point to another with only a fleeting pre-sence in any one place. Moreover, these hard- packed surfaces increase the winter survivability for many animals who conserve energy by using them to .forage and travel. What about air pollution? Figures extrapolated from a University of Minnesota study, and compiled by snowmobile journalist C.J. Ramstad, indicate that the 1.3 million snow- mobiles then operating in the U.S. consumed about 41.5 million gallons of fuel annually. But apparently, 1996 U.S. Department of Transportation statis- tics for all road vehicles (including locomotives and over the road com- bination semi-trailer rigs) show con- sumption of 146 billion, 676 million gallons of fuel each year, about 3,534 times more than all snowmo- biles combined. So snowmobiles accounted for only .032 per cent of the total U.S. motor fuel burned annually at the time of these-reports. The equivalent Canadian percentage, representing Medic Alert ALWAYS ON CAL.L www.medicalert.ca For more information 1.866-1348-3259 about 90 per cent fewer people, would be minuscule. And. last year, after new testing procedures for snowmobile engine emissions were approved, the EPA revised its snow- mobile emissions numbers down- ward by a whopping 335 per cent, confirming that snowmobile emis- sions are hardly significant in the big pollution picture for the internal combustion engine. So what about sound levels? Technological advances have- reduced them by 94 per cent over the past 30 years. Today, it would take 256 current sleds revving together at full throttle to equal the sound output from one of those early machines. In fact, a current sled puts out sound comparable to an average pick up truck! Snowmobiling has been getting a bad rap because of a proliferation of inaccurate information and junk sci. ence. A recent attempt in the U.S. to close national parks to snowmobil- ing failed in large part because the rationale was based on faulty data. This is not to say that snowmobil- ing cannot be improved, but it's already a lot better than frequently portrayed. And with the advent of four stroke engines, fuel consump- tion, emissions and sound levels will decrease even further. Until next time remember that snowmobilers care about the envi- ronment too. For trail condition reports check.ofsc.on.ca Craig Nicholson is a regular con- tributor to Snow Goer, Canada's Snowmobiling Magazine. The Intrepid Snowmobiler also appears on radio and on Snowmobiler Television. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. It's the middle of December and the Brussels local league PeeWees are sporting a perfect record of eight wins and no losses. They visited Ripley on Dec. 5 and were certainly not good guests as they went home with an I I - 1 win in their equipment bags. Ten different players got in on the scoring parade. The first period saw Chase Chapman scoring from Jordan Campbell and Brad McKague. He was followed less than two minutes later by Steve Ropp with help from McKague. Brussels was less disci- plined in the first than the coach would like taking all three of their penalties in the first frame. The second period saw Andrew McDonald put it past Ripley's goalie aided by James Cochrane and Chapman. Scott Phillips netted one next, aided by McKague and Mitch Blake. Adam McClure started off his four-goal night with less than two minutes left in the period with Phillips and Blake adding to their point totals with assists. The roof fell in on Ripley in the third franie with Brussels scoring six goals to make their dominance com- plete. McClure got his second and Phillips and Chapman added to their assist totals. McKague and McClure then went 'solo scoring unassisted goals within 30 seconds of each other. Ripley got no relief as Chapman scored his second of the game aided by McClure and J. Cochrane. Shane Cochrane then decided to get in on the act with Phillips and Ropp padding their point totals in aid of his goal. McClure then added an excla- mation point with his fourth goal - Ropp and McKague providing assis- tance. Zack Home was more than solid in the net for Brussels allowing only one puck over the line. In the third he took care of business, first stopping a break-away and less than a minute later turning a penalty shot. Ripley's, frustration was evident in the last two frames as they committed seven penalties. Dec. 16 saw Brussels host Seaforth, but gracious they weren't manhan- dling their guests 12-0. They scored six in the first and three each in the next two periods to send their guests home with no Christmas joy. Chapman opened the scoring and added two assists to his point total in the second period. Ropp and McClure then started a scoring spry which saw each notch four goals before the final buzzer. Ropp assisted on four other scores and McClure also had a helper. McKague and J. Cochrane had three-point nights with a goal and two assists. Blake had two assists and Campbell slipped one past Seaforth's goalie in the second. Both McDonald and Phillips had helpers in the first. The Brussels PeeWee's will be playing their next game in Clinton on Dec. 20. Bulletts edged by South Point The Brussels Bulletts hosted the This held up until South Point struck the gap to one. South Point Midgets in an exhibition for two quick goals to go up 5-3. The This seemed to spark the South match Saturday, Dec. 15. Bulletts came bounding back when Point team as they applied pressure The game was scoreless until near Kerri Meier took a pass from Cook and scored another. the end of the first period. South and wristed it in the South Point The Bulletts answered that with a Point came in on a two-on-one and cage. The Bulletts pulled their goalie powerplay goal of their own. Elliott snuck it by Nicki Berfelz to take the in the final minute but after some picked up a rebound from Ritchie's early lead. chances they simply ran out of time shot and snuck it by the netminder to South Point struck again early in in this 5-4 loss. restore the lead. the second to take a 2-0 lead. The Bulletts hosted the South South Point responded to tie this The Bulletts fought back when Point Midgets for a second match on match up again, then took the lead Rachel Elliott picked up a back pass Sunday, Dec. 16. in the third with a shorthanded mark- and fired it to Michelle Cook who Brussels got things started with er. picked up the rebound and lofted the Rebecca Burton scoring unassisted, The Bulletts pulled the goalie in puck over the fallen netminder. less than two minutes into the favour of the extra attacker and South Point regained a two-goal lead game. gained the tying goal with just sec- but Brussels roared back with Elliott The Bulletts upped the lead to two onds remaining. Ritchie ticked up snapping one in set up by Cook and with a shorthanded marker. Meier the rebound off Elliott's shot and Ashley Ritchie with seconds_left in sent a pass up to Elliott who in turn backhanded it in to salvage "a 4-4 tie. the period. fired it out front to Cook who blast- Berfelz did a superb job in the The squad, came out on fire to start ed it up the yawning cage. Bullett cage. the third period. Michelle Nixon That lead was short-lived however The next game for the Bulletts is blasted a shot by the goalie on a-pass as the South Point team took advan- Monday, Dec. 17 against the Ilderton frcm Alicia Dick to tie the match. tage of the powerplay and narrowed Intermediates. Local League PeeWees win big Midgets win, lose ViATONVA4TOMOMOVAW. 4 4 4 4 4 4 • • 4 ► ► ► FEBRUARY 16 2002 Blyth Snowtravellers Note: Blyth Snowtravellers' Members will collect discarded Christmas Trees on Saturday, December 29 and Saturday, January 5. Please leave at the end of your driveway. COMING EVENTS January 5 & 19, 2002 Wing Night at Blyth Club House 7 p.m. to midnight Family Fun Day at Blyth Club House * Antique Show and Shine Trail permits are not required for antique sleds which are 1985 or older, for this day only, must use specially marked trails not OFSC trails. Watch for signs. * Radar Runs - old and new sleds (registration before 11 a.m.) * Lots of Great Prizes * Wings from 3 p.m. - midnight For more information call Paul 523-9873 or Darryl 523-9383 V V V V V VIAYAWAOTWVAto L\ ./AreA\ dAredls .\