It's been a heckuva winter for outdoor recreation. Skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, ice fishing, snowmobiling - you name it.

There's snowbanks out there right now that this boy hasn't seen in a lot of years. And there's more to come as we plow through March and into April.

One low point to the winter has been all the news of snowmobile accidents and fatalities. Nine dead thus far. Sad, very sad. And most often needless.

I wasn't paying much attention to the matter until the Fort Fairfield guy who went out snowmobiling dressed in a pea coat, T-shirt and shorts. Yeah, shorts. And, of course, he got lost and had to get fished out of the woods next morning pretty much near death from hypothermia.

Brilliant. Damn near a Darwin Award winner. Close but no cigar. Thankfully.

Can you say "common sense", dude?

Yeah, now that you're body temperature is back up to normal, I bet you can.

Since then, however, the snowmobile scene has gone from bad to worse. Way worse, with four fatalities just last weekend. Five, if you count the one early Monday morning, ostensibly right before the DIFW was to hold a news conference on the issue.

Speed and alcohol. Both are thought to be involved in three of the five fatal accidents.

Jeez. What the hell are you doing out there at 1 AM, 3 AM?

"Snowmobilers were urged Monday to slow down and use caution on the state's trails following the deaths of five riders in less than four days."

Please folks, please. And when you put the machine in gear, put that other thing in gear, too. That brain thing. It's pretty useful, but only if it's switched on.

The interactive snowmobile safety CD Right Right, Ride Smart is available from the Maine Snowmobile Association and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Seriously, stuff happens out there on the trail. But a lot of it is preventable, especially when common sense is regularly employed.

Slow down, way down. Enjoy the ride, have fun. But do it safely. Live!

And maybe, just maybe, think about a refresher course in snowmobile safety, or a look-see thruough the Ride Right - Ride Smart CD. For you or someone you know. If it causes you or someone you know and love to pause and think - and live - then wouldn't it be worth it?