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Page 8 Nipigon-Red Rock Gazette Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Any creditors having a claim against the Estate of the late Glenn Bazan of Red Rock, Ontario Please call 1-807-886-2664 Barbara Ann Boyd, Executrix , Before February 22, 2008 Wear the Gear... Skiiing, snowmobiling, skating. Helmets greatly reduce the chances of head injury!! The Intrepid Snowmobiler Craig Nicholson Dressed To Ride By Craig Nicholson, The Intrepid Snowmobiler (©2007 by Craig Nicholson. All rights reserved.) Special to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs: Getting cold can take the pleasure out of snowmobiling, so here’s the scoop on staying warm. It starts with eating well to fuel your body and staying hydrated all day with water, juice or energy drinks. Then it’s what you wear... When dressing for snowmobiling, there is one key principle to remember â€" retain the heat, release the moisture. The more heat your clothing preserves, the less hard your body has to work to replace it. The more moisture your clothing moves away from your skin to transfer outside, the warmer you will be, because WET = CHILL. Your body naturally emits perspiration throughout the day and under exertion, you sweat. That’s why fluid replacement intake is vital and why layering is so important. While protecting against cold, wind and wet, layering provides you with optimum versatility and flexibility to vent or modify according to conditions. With layering, you can adapt for excess heat and moisture caused by sudden exertion or for temperature changes throughout a long day of riding. Have you ever started to get a chill near day’s end? Adding a layer (or putting one back on) will help. Your base layer rests against your skin. While providing minimal insulation value, its primary purpose is to move moisture out, so this “long underwear” needs to be light, quick drying and quick wicking (non-absorbent, transferring wet away). Synthetic fibres are most popular, such a polypropylene. Your next layer(s) provides heat retention by trapping warm air as insulation. This is usually a mid-weight layer (or two, depending on the temperature and amount of exertion) possibly followed by a heavier one, such as polar fleece. Typically, these layers measure in grams; higher numbers denote greater warmth. Avoid cotton fabrics in all of your layering garments because cotton absorbs and holds moisture, and provides poor insulation. So no T-shirts, sweats or blue jeans, please! Your exterior layer retains inner warmth and prevents external cold from entering. This outer shell should be waterproof (not just water resistant), breathable (releases moisture) and windproof (protection against wind chill), such as Gortexâ„¢. Be sure to choose a jacket that also has multiple vents for flexible inner climate control and that is large enough to go over your other layers without being snug. Regular winter and even ski jackets won’t do the job...get gear made to specifically combat the unique challenges of snowmobiling. Dressing your extremities properly also contributes to your snowmobiling comfort. While riding, you may want a balaclava under your full-face helmet, the best choice for keeping your head and face warm. Since an uncovered head acts like a chimney for heat loss, always wear a hat while outside. For your feet, select a name brand, lightweight, waterproof boot, such as Baffin, made with multiple layers of insulation and removable liners so you can air them out overnight. For your hands, waterproof is also a must and mitts are the warmest, especially combined with handle bar muffs and electric hand and thumb warmers. If you choose gloves, ensure that they are not too tight and have extra insulation on the backs, which are directly exposed to the cold wind. Even if you make all the right buying choices for snowmobiling, and dress appropriately each day, you can still need an extra boost of heat sometimes. So always carry a selection of chemical toe, hand and body warmers just in case. And remember, some folks are more susceptible to cold than others, so take extra care to ensure their warmth and comfort. Plus, it’s a good idea to carry a half empty “day bag” to make it more convenient to add or remove layers and provide energy snacks and drinks on the trail. Now you’re ready to go snowmobiling! Until next time, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs invites you to Go Snowmobiling this winter. Check out trail status reports at ofsc.on.ca Craig Nicholson is the author of “Canada’s Best Snowmobiling: Your Ultimate Ride Guide” (order at: www.snowgoercanada.com) and the National Touring Editor for Snow Goer Canada Magazine. As “The Intrepid Snowmobiler”, he also pens a syndicated newspaper column and hosts a radio program, while appearing regularly on Snowmobiler Television. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author. For more info, click on www.intrepidsnowmobiler.com Nipigon Library Programs Nipigon Library is all about programs for the public these days and these girls participated in the Youth Open House. Mom, Hazel Boulter helps daughter Desiree and Montana Zachetti with their candle holder creations, made by squeezing plater of Paris, water and food colouring in a bag. Today, January 22nd there will be an acupuncture and massage demonstration at the Library at 8 p.m. Glena Clearwater Photo OPP Presents Winter Safety Tips On Wednesday, January 16, Nipigon OPP’s Constables Shelley Garr and Mike Matijek visited Terrace Bay Public School with a presentation on “Winter Safety”. Constable Garr first went from class to class of the younger ones, and then had a presentation in the school’s library for the older students. She talked to them about winter safety tips, ice safety, snowmobiling safety, and tobogganing/sledding safety. During the students’ recess, Constable Matijek showed students an OPP snowmobile, letting some students jump on. Here are some helpful winter safety tips Constable Garr went over that all par-ents/caregivers should go over with children: • Always wear layers and keep your head, ears and hands covered. • Always wear your helmet when snowmobiling, skiing and skating. • Test the thickness of ice before venturing out. Ice must be 15cm for walking or skating alone, 20cm for skating parties or games, 25cm for snowmobiles. Do not skate near open water. If you can see water, that means you’re on thin ice or near a cracked surface. If you do fall through ice and you are alone, call for help and resist the urge to climb back out where you fell in - the ice is weak in this area. Instead, use the air trapped in your clothing to get into a floating position on your stomach, then reach forward onto the broken ice without pushing down. Kick your legs to push your torso onto the ice. When you are back on the ice, crawl on your stomach or roll away from the open area with your arms and legs spread out as for as possible to evenly distribute your body wight. DO NOT STAND UP!!! Head to shore on your belly! Teach your child that if someone else falls through the ice and they are near, they should call for help or consider whether they can quickly get help from police, fire fighters, ambulance, or bystanders. If they can reach the person using a long pole or branch or a piece of clothing, from shore, they should lay down and extend the pole to the person. If necessary to go on the ice, wear a personal flotation device and carry a long pole or branch to test the ice in front of you. Bring something to reach or throw to the person. Near the break, lie down to distribute your weight and squirm on your belly toward the hole. Remaining low, extend or throw your emergency rescue device to the person and have them kick while you pull them out. Move Continued on Page 12