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PHOTO: Members of the Bridgton Easy Riders Club trail crew install protective tracks on the bridge to Highland Lake. (At the photographer’s request, masks were removed very briefly for the photo. The club has been, and will continue to be, very conscientious about following all safety requirements/guidelines during the pandemic.) (Submitted photo)
By Bill Preis
BRIDGTON — The Bridgton Easy Riders membership is still very strong, with 105 members so far, and that speaks well for the dedication of its members. The MSA Super Raffle ticket sales totaled close to $900, pretty remarkable since, because of COVID1-19, the club was not able to set up a table in town.
The club’s work parties have been awesome, with about a dozen or more volunteers showing up on Sunday mornings. The club has done a lot of brushing on ITS 80, and has also reset a bridge on ITS 80 that was partially washed out. With the large size of the crews we were able to get most of the signing done in one work detail. The Tuckers are in great condition and are waiting the the snow.
A couple of trail changes should be noted. In West Bridgton, because of a trail interruption, riders will have to ride a short distance on the side of U.S. Route 302 before resuming the trail. There is also a small reroute on the South Bridgton trail near Narramissic. The club would like to thank Loon Echo Land Trust for rerouting the trail.
The Bridgton Board of Selectmen approved the Highland Lake Water Level Policy that officially sets the lake level at 5.4 feet for the winter months and 6.2 feet for the summer months. This will go a long way to eliminating the bridge issues we have faced for several years, with high water level that causes the ice pack to fluctuate and the bridge to buckle. The new policy should make east shore access to Highland Lake much safer for snowmobiles.
The new snowmobile trail maps have been printed and are available around town. The club decided not to charge businesses for their ads this year. A big thank-you to businesses for supporting the club over the years! Remember to support our local businesses. Since there is not likely to be a club snowmobile trip up north this year, the club will make every effort to organize small group local rides. Those who are interested may sign up at www.bridgtoneasyriders.com. We’d love to meet you! Please join us on Facebook. Club membership packets will be sent to members soon. Because of the pandemic, there will not be any meetings or special events until things change and it is safe to do so. Members can do their part by wearing a mask and using proper distancing. We WILL get through this. Happy holidays to all, and hope for a better 2021!
