History

The E-Z Riders Snowmobile Club was originally founded in 1970. The club originated out of the Stanwix Heights Men’s Club and was incorporated in 1972. The foundation of the E-Z Riders was to further the sport of snowmobiling while promoting rules for safe operation and safety of snowmobiles. It was the basis for the construction and maintenance of area snowmobile trails in and around the town of Westmoreland, NY.

E-Z Riders officials, in conjunction with the Oneida County and New York Snowmobile Associations supported legislation beneficial to the sport of snowmobiling, encouraging family participation in snowmobile recreation. The Club, at one time consisting of 124 members participated in area fundraisers such as the March of Dimes Sled-a-Thons, and held a variety of social functions for its members. In 1976 the club became inactive, lying dormant still quietly in existence with the corporation still intact.

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Club Revived

In 1998 a diverse group of active snowmobile riders discovering the Club’s corporate existence decided to reorganize and reestablish the corporation within the community. With the cooperation of landowners and multiple volunteers the once dormant snowmobile trails consisting of abandoned railroad beds and overgrown fields were being cleared and marked for snowmobile recreation. By 1999 the E-Z Riders had revived the trail system and submitted membership to the Oneida County and New York Snowmobile Associations. Trail maps were updated and the once renegade trails that connected outlying snowmobile clubs such as Tri-Valley Trailriders, West Rome Riders, and WASTA (Waterville Area Snow Travelers Association) through the Town of Westmoreland were designated “NYS Snowmobile Trail 70B & 70C.”

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Club Starts Grooming

After the first couple years of pulling make shift drags with snowmobiles the club purchases Ski Doo Skandic Wide Track and fabricates couple mogul master type drags with extensive help of members Tim Beasock and Brian Potacki in welding. Member Kirk Donley and Dan Brown go partners and purchase Bombardier SW48 and begin assisting on main trails as traffic increases. Finding the SW48 is too heavy and trackwidth too narrow its sold and club purchases ASV Tracktruck for main trail grooming. Couple years later additional Arctic Cat Wide Track is added to small rigs for feeder trails. Big move comes with sale of TrackTruck and purchase of John Deere Gilbert Groomer and drag out of New Hampshire. Couple years later the Ski Doo Skandic is sold, trails are widened on north and south ends and club excitedly purchases Tucker Groomer and Drag that has improved maneuvering through snaking trails over the Gilbert with ram steer. Today the club proudly operates John Deere Gilbert on the East/West trail and Tucker on North/South with Wide Track snowmobile maintaining feeder trails inside town to supports businesses and fuel station.

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Current Status

E-Z Riders Snowmobile Club currently has membership of approximately 200 families and officers continue efforts to recruit new members. The secondary class snowmobile trails of E-Z Riders trail system feed and allow pass thru to the corridor trails for surrounding clubs including Tri-Valley Trailriders, West Rome Riders, Oriska Snowdrifters and Central NY Snowtravelers.

Club Officers and Board of Directors

  • President: Gabriella Marchesani
  • Vice President: Dan Kitchen
  • Treasurer: Haley Kitchen
  • Secretary: Lindsey Zakris
  • Trail Boss: Mike Flint -Phone: 315-542-6377
  • Grooming Cooridinator: Frank Slawiak
  • Board of Directors:
  • Membership Coordinator: Bill Shanley Jr. -Phone: 315-371-0032 or email Bill at: billyinwestmo@aol.com

Special Thanks to Past Presidents for their Dedication:

  • Ken Stewart
  • Pepper Shanley
  • Kirk Donley
  • Greg Techmanski (Club reorganizes in 1998)