~ August 2025 ~

Greetings!

Greetings CVOA members

A beautiful summer’s day in Carrabassett Valley makes you forget the harsh climate of the Western Mountains. A gentle breeze, great sleeping weather with windows fully open, the smell of balsam fir and pine, blue dome sky and a long summer’s day. No bugs. It’s hard to believe the contrasting conditions 5 months from now. I’d recommend taking a brief break from the summer you may be spending away from the Valley and enjoy a day or two in the Western Mountains. It’s a real treat.

The Neil Trask Shooting Range would be a good reason to come “home”. I dropped by the Range to see if we had any CVOA stickers on hand (we do). What a beautiful location with a full-on view of the Bigelows. And the Range is in great shape. There is more information about Range activities in this newsletter that may be of interest. You can join the Range anytime during the year with an upcharge to your basic membership dues.

Why was I checking on sticker inventory, you might ask? The Board, Officers and Trip Leaders of CVOA try to stay one season ahead and this had to do with checking on supplies for the table at Sugarloaf’s Homecoming on the holiday weekend of October 10-13, 2025. This will be another great time to be in Carrabassett Valley with cooler temps and crisp days of fall. So if you don’t live in the Valley, come back sometime in the next few months for a visit and enjoy the other season.   

Thom

August 2025

August 2 - 5 Stand Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 3- Trap Shoot 9:00-12:00

August. 4 - Coastal Paddle Brunswick with the Trueworthy's

August - 9 - 5 Stand Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 10 - Trap Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 16 - 5 Stand Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 17- Trap Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 20 - Kennebec River Rail Trail Bike Ride with the Bickford's

August 23 -5 Stand Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 24 - Trap Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 30 - 5 Stand Shoot 9:00-12:00

August 31 - Trap Shoot 9:00-12:00

Click here: 2025-26 CVOA Calendar

Greetings Members! Thank you to all who are members of CVOA! You each add to our wonderful group of outdoor enthusiasts. Membership keeps percolating along with 7 new memberships since our last Newsletter. Welcome to:

John Benoit and Beth Rockefeller

Gillean Hamilton and Makayla Yager

Bob and Sally Nichols

Gary and Tamiko O’Connell

Ken Pelton and Brandon Pelton

Lucas Silva

Nathan Smith

A SPECIAL HELP REQUEST TO MEMBERSHIP

In October Microsoft will no longer support our version of Access (2010!) on our current computer. Access is our software for keeping membership data. We need to explore ways to maintain our database and its relationship with Constant Contact, the vehicle we use for communicating with members. Is there someone out there in the CVOA membership willing to work with me to transition to new software and possibly new hardware? Please contact me if you are willing and able to help or if you have questions or suggestions. Thanks in advance!!

Patti Johnston

CVOA.membership@gmail.com

Johnston.patti63@gmail.com

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING AUSTRIA

January 31 - February 7, 2026 

Group size 12-14

Discover some of Europe's best Nordic skiing in the stunning Leutasch Valley, situated northwest of Innsbruck in Austria's Tirol region. With over 150 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, and over 140 miles of cleared winter walking trails, it is a wonderful area to enjoy Nordic skiing at its best.

Click on the photo/brochure on right for the trip details and instructions on how you can submit your application. Please read carefully and submit your application as specified. 



Contact Pam Twaddel for more information

ptwaddel@gmail.com

207-542-7131

MONT TREMBLANT QUEBEC

March 8 - March 12, 2026

CVOA is Skiing Mont Tremblant Again in 2026!!

Mont Tremblant Resort is located north of Montreal and has a wide range of ski trails and lifts. The resort includes a Village with many restaurants and shops.

Thirty (30) members have joined the trip, and there is room for 10 more in 5 available rooms. There are now Executive Suite and Deluxe rooms available.

Click on the photo/brochure on top right for the trip details and instructions on how you can submit your application. Please read carefully and submit your application as specified.

Trip Leaders-Elaine & Steve Smith golfski@maine.rr.com 

Bike, Barge & Cruise in Germany

May 17 - 25, 2026

Bike, Barge & Cruise the mighty ‘father’ Rhine, the ever-romantic Moselle, and beautiful rivers of the Saar. Explore the city's of Trier and Cologne.

Click on the photo/brochure on right for the trip details.

If you are interested in this trip please contact Muffy immediately. Several people have let me know of their interest, but we need more to book the whole boat (24 people) which I think would be really fun. If you need more info, please contact me as soon as possible. After July 1, if we don’t have enough people, I will reach out to those who have expressed interest to see if they would be interested doing this as a smaller group.

Muffy Witham, Trip Leader

muffyw52@gmail.com

Outdoor Center Fish Stocking

Big thanks to those who helped make it happen!

Good afternoon, 

With thanks for all of your assistance over the past year, I’m pleased to report that there are now well over 200 brook trout swimming happily at the Outdoor Center’s Moose Pond. They are a good 8 inches, which is reportedly a great size for kids to catch. 

Thanks again, and happy casting,

Garrett Corbin

Town Manager

Raft Up Adventure at Holbrook Harbor

On July 5, 16 CVOA members enjoyed a sunny afternoon raft-up in Holbrook Harbor in Penobscot Bay. Boats started arriving around 3:00 and shortly thereafter seven crafts were rafted together. The crews socialized across the boats and in true CVOA fashion enjoyed a bountiful buffet of appetizers and beverages. Click here to view additional Photos.

Thanks to everyone for a great start to the summer boating season!

Tracy & Dan

Bird Watching Show & Go Event

Sugarloaf Outdoor Center

Tuesday July 8 at 8am

We had great time taking a leisurely walk around the Outdoor Center Pond. We talked about the basics of bird identification, ethics of feeding birds, and discussed the lifecycle of the birds we were seeing. By the end of our walk we saw or heard over thirty species of birds! See the list here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S258120358

Tim Flight

tflight@systemfolder.com

Coastal Kayak Paddle

Brunswick

Monday August 4 at 9;30am

Join us for a leisurely five minute paddle from Mere Point boat launch to Birch Island. We will then follow the island shoreline to the Norton Preserve where we will go ashore where picnic tables and hiking are available. Bring water and snacks.

A BBQ lunch follows at the Trueworthy's. Please bring an appetizer, side or dessert to share. This is a weather dependent event. Will re-schedule same week on another day if necessary.  

Departing the Trueworthy's appx. 9:30AM.

Reply 207-208-7305

7 Wenger Lane, Brunswick 04011

Hosted by Linda and Paul Trueworthy

🚴🚴‍♂️ Kennebec River Rail Trail Bike Ride 🚴🚴‍♂️

Wednesday August 20 at 10:30am

Join us for a 13.9 mile round trip ride on the Kennebec River Rail Trail. The route is from Gardiner to Augusta, with a restaurant stop for lunch at the Quarry Tap Room in Hallowell. Great photo ops in Hallowell with colorful Adirondack Chairs, nice river views, and a turn around by the old Federal Building in Augusta. The Quarry Tap Room offers a variety of lunch offerings with plenty of outside tables. There’s an ice cream shop in town too! 

Join us on Wednesday, August 20, at Gardiner Landing boat ramp & park on Water Street in Gardiner at 10:30 AM. Hope to see you there!

You do not need to sign up, but if you would like to let us know you are planning to join us, that would be great!

Trip Leaders Glenn & Peggy Bickford

glenpegbic@aol.com

pegbic150@gmail.com

Stonington Outing

September 9, 10 & 11



Cmon down to Stonington for another GREAT CVOA event. Experience a real Coastal Maine town with many of your Sugarloaf friends. There’s lots to see and do. Early September is a perfect time to visit. The summer tourist season is slowing down and the weather is usually quite enjoyable. 

Many members have already indicated that they plan to come by car, campers, sail or power boats staying at campgrounds, VRBO’s, hotels and with Sugarloafers who live close by.

(PLEASE NOTE: RSVP’s are necessary for Tuesday night’s Meet n’ Greet and Wednesday’s cookout. Instructions are in the itinerary.)

CLICK HERE for the detailed itinerary and important information. 

Trip leaders

Mike & Jeannette Parker and other CVOA members that reside in the area. 

Welcome Summer with a Bang!

Our clay shooting season is here! We will host 5 Stand Shoots every Saturday and Trap Shoots every Sunday starting at 9am until noon (or when all shooters are done, so come early) These shoots are open to the public, so bring your friends! This is not a competition and beginners are welcome. It's a great way to learn or practice these shooting sports.

Also, check out our targets on the Pistol and Rifle Ranges. We have new metal and paper target options. Remember, if the Pistol Range is busy and one of the Rifle Ranges is empty, it is permissible to walk up to the targets and shoot handgun on the Rifle Ranges.

______________________________________________________________

As a range member, your guests are welcome. Shooting guests should sign the green Day Use waiver form and pay $10/day. Non shooting guests need not sign in, but it is the responsibility of the member to ensure all posted rules are followed. Any questions, please contact me.

I hope to see our Range Members enjoying our other CVOA events. Come meet old friends and make new ones. CVOA folks know how to have fun any time of year.

Enjoy our beautiful Range and be safe!

Diane Stone

Range Secretary

CVOA.range@gmail.com

207-240-4752

To foster and promote the conservation of our natural resources

and the creation of recreational opportunities in our region.