Tips for Safe Snowmobiling

January 13-19, 2019 is International Snowmobile Safety and Awareness Week. This is the perfect time to talk about smart snowmobiling habits so you can have a safe, fun time in the great outdoors all season long.

Below are a few safety tips to follow when you’re out on the trail:

·     Don’t drink and ride. You wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) drink and drive a car, and you shouldn’t consume alcohol if you’re going to operate a snowmobile. You need to keep your full attention on operating the machine. Drinking dulls your senses and reflexes, which increases the likelihood of an accident. Don’t put yourself or any other riders at risk—leave the alcohol at home. (Many states have laws prohibiting alcohol consumption when operating a snowmobile).

      Dress appropriately.  Like any sport or activity, wear the proper equipment for riding—suit, helmet with eye protection, gloves, and boots. You should also layer your regular clothing under the gear so you stay warm and dry.

Avoid private property.  When you get out on the trail, stay on designated snowmobiling paths only. If you venture onto private property, you could get cited for trespassing.  
   
Go slow. Speeding is the number one cause of snowmobiling accidents. It is recommended to keep your speed at or under 40 mph, especially at night. It’s also not advisable to cross bodies of water on a snowmobile, even if it appears to be frozen. You can never be sure of the ice’s thickness, and you have less control of your snowmobile on ice, so it’s harder to get and maintain traction on a slick surface.

      Don’t ride alone. Snowmobiling is better with multiple riders in a group. Not only is it more fun, but it’s easier to keep track of each other when you’re on the trail. It all comes back to having a safe, fun experience in nature.

Snowmobile insurance is another way to protect both yourself and your snowmobile. At ETA Insurance Group, we work with several carriers that offer plans for riders’ various needs and budgets. Contact us for more information about this valuable coverage and to learn more about the carriers we work with.

Are there any other tips you’d add to this list? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Recipes for National Mocktail Week

January 13-19, 2019 is National Mocktail Week, so it seemed like a great opportunity to share a few tasty drink recipes that don’t include alcohol.

Whether you’re abstaining from alcohol because of diet or other lifestyle changes, you’re pregnant and must abstain, or you’re just looking for some new drinks to try, the recipes below can help get you started.

THE CLASSIC SHIRLEY TEMPLE

Photo: Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 ounce grenadine syrup
• 4 ounces ginger ale
• 4 ounces lemon-lime soda
• Maraschino cherry, for garnish

How to Make It

Fill a glass with ice and add the grenadine. Add ginger ale and lemon-lime soda. Stir, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

ALCOHOL-FREE MOJITOS

Photo: Pinterest

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 cups mint leaves, chopped

2 cups lime sherbet, softened

1 cup lime juice

1 cup water

8 cups club soda

Lime slices for garnish

How to Make It

• Combine 2 cups water and the sugar in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on High for 5 minutes. Stir the mint into the water; let stand for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the mint leaves from the syrup; set aside.
• Stir the lime sherbet, lime juice, and 1 cup water together in a large pitcher until well combined. Pour the mint-infused syrup into the mixture. Add club soda and stir. Serve over ice. Garnish with lime slices.

ALCOHOL-FREE MINT JULEP

Photo: Kenilworth and Co.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups crushed ice
• 1/2 cup prepared lemonade
• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

How to Make It

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and 1 tablespoon of chopped mint. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. After about an hour, strain out mint leaves.

Fill 2 cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice. Pour 1/2 of the lemonade into each glass and top with a splash of the sugar syrup. Garnish each with a mint sprig and a straw. Serve on a silver platter.

CHERRY LIME RICKEY

Photo: Recipes Hubs.com

Ingredients

•       ½ cup tart cherry juice
•          Juice of 1 lime
•          1 packet granulated sugar substitute
•          Club soda
•          Lime wedge for garnish (optional)

How to Make It

• In a measuring cup, combine the cherry juice, lime juice, and sugar substitute. Stir to dissolve the sugar substitute.
• Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in the cherry juice mixture. Top with the club soda. Serve with a straw, garnished with the lime wedge, if desired.

What are some of your favorite alcohol-free mixed drinks? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Winter Car Care Tips

Photo: OpenRoad Auto Group

The holiday season is usually a bright spot in what is typically a cold, gray, dreary time of year. Now that the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year’s is over, unfortunately we still have a few months of cold, gray, and dreary weather to get through!

Winter can definitely be a tough season, and the harsh elements can take a toll on both your home and vehicle (especially your vehicle) if you don’t do some preventive maintenance first.  There are a few simple steps you can take to get your vehicle road-ready for winter driving.

Install winter wiper blades. If you’ve never had winter wiper blades before, you’ll notice a difference the first time you use them. They’re heavier than regular blades and contain a special rubber portion on them that keeps ice from collecting. Like regular blades, make sure you buy a set of winter blades that are the right fit for the size and shape of your windshield so they work properly.

Check your tires. Most vehicles come with all-weather tires, but some older models still need to have the tires switched over to the winter ones. According to the PepBoys’ corporate website, winter tires are made of soft rubber that won’t harden in the cold, and their tread is typically deeper, which give them a better grip and allow them to pass through snow easier. And don’t forget to check your tire pressure! Cold weather can cause the pressure to decrease slightly, which can impact how well your tires handle winter driving. Check your pressure regularly throughout the winter and fill them as needed.

Keep your wiper fluid full. Anyone who has driven in a full-fledged winter storm knows how quickly the visibility can change. Your wiper blades work overtime on these occasions, and at the same time, you likely use quite a bit of your fluid. Check your wiper fluid well often—there’s nothing worse than driving in poor conditions and not being able to see, and as a bonus, having a splattered windshield and nothing to clean it with! It’s wise to keep some extra fluid in your car, as well.  Be sure to use all-season fluid so it doesn’t freeze in the line (note that “summer” fluid will freeze once the temperature drops below 32 degrees F).

Check your brakes. Sailing over a patch of black ice is not the best time to discover your car needs new brakes. If they’ve been showing signs of wear and tear or you’re nearly pushing the brake pedal to the floor, don’t wait to take your vehicle in for service. You don’t want to take any chances with your vehicle when driving in winter weather, so winter is not a good time to put off any kind of vehicle maintenance.

Pack an emergency kit. Winter can be unpredictable at best, and you never know when you might be stuck on the road for an extended amount of time. Be prepared with an emergency kit for your car. It should include blankets, at least one extra set of clothing, candles, extra cell phone charger, nonperishable food (protein bars and/or trail mix work great), road flares (in case your vehicle is in distress), first aid kit, flashlight and extra batteries, jumper cables, and bottled water.

Being proactive with preparing your vehicle both inside and out will go a long way towards staying safe on the roads this winter. But the best way to protect yourself and your car is to watch the weather forecasts and don’t go out if you don’t have to!

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolution

Photo: Inc.com

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. From losing weight to quitting smoking to finally getting organized, we frequently set goals for ourselves and are ready get started on January 1, but our enthusiasm and motivation frequently wane after only a few weeks.

So how can we make resolutions we’ll actually keep?

A New Year’s resolution is like any other goal, and the key to reaching a goal is to commit to what you want to do, then develop a realistic plan that’s easy to follow and suits your lifestyle. For instance, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds this year, but you regularly put in 12-hour workdays and snack on unhealthy food throughout the day, chances are you’ll have a tough time losing weight. The key is to work a weight-loss plan into your jam-packed schedule however you can.

One way to reach your goals is to follow the SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Results-focused, and Time-bound. This helps to keep your progress high and stress level low.

Ready to get started? Below are a few additional tips to keep yourself on track with your New Year’s resolutions

Start small. If your goal is to lose weight, one of the worst things you can do (and one of the fastest ways to lose your momentum) is to aim higher than you can reasonably reach. For instance, if going from your couch to your fridge or pantry is the most exercise you’ve gotten in a year, you’re probably not ready for a 5K race this weekend. Start by walking around the block, then going a bit further or for a longer time the next time you head out.

Keep a record of your accomplishments. Track your progress. Keep a food journal so you can have a written record of everything you eat. Write down every cigarette you smoke so you have an accurate list of how many you smoke in a day, then taper off gradually.

Reward yourself. You should celebrate small victories along the way. Treat yourself to a massage or that new pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing when you lose those first ten pounds. For every day you go without a cigarette, splurge on yourself. Whatever your resolution is, reward yourself when you reach an important milestone.

Have a friend join you. Many of us find it easier to stay motivated if we’re accountable to someone. Are you determined to finish that novel you’ve been writing? Join a writing group or connect with a critique partner. Get a workout buddy or accountability partner with whom you check in regularly. It’s harder to slack off when you know someone else is counting on you to show up.

Continue to challenge yourself. As you reach the smaller goals, keep pushing yourself to go further. If you keep up your weight loss and exercise routine, set new goals. Sign up for a 5K or other competitive event. If you quit smoking for a few months, look at what other vices you could reduce or eliminate.

Reaching a difficult personal goal is an empowering and liberating achievement. Be proud of what you’ve done! What will you do next?