AGRR - 2009 - Nov.Dec

Volume 11, Issue 6 - November/December 2009

Avocations
life beyond the auto glass business

A Need for Speed

Brendan Picard, Novus Auto Glass, Regina, Saskatchewan

Brendan Picard, shop foreman for Novus Auto Glass in Regina, Saskatchewan, is quick to admit he has a need for speed. The 31-year-old installer has been snowmobiling since the age of 12.

“Being outside is a major part [of what I enjoy about it], but mainly it is the speed,” he says. “You don’t just ride on trails, you do a lot of riding in deeper snow and jumping, so it is quite an adrenaline rush.”

Picard began by snowmobiling with his father, Mark, and today the two continue the hobby. The two snowmobile both in local areas, such as Regina, Fort Qu’Appelle and Indian Head, all of which are in Saskatchewan. Two or three times a year they take a vacation trip to Nipawin Regional Park—a prime spot for this activity located approximately four hours from Picard’s hometown.

Picard’s snowmobile can go up to 95 miles per hour, and he’s traveled upwards of 350 miles a day in the past.

And, while Picard does enjoy the speed and the adrenaline rush that goes along with it, he also enjoys the calm that comes from it.

“It is quite an adrenaline rush.”

“It’s good to get out and be away from the city and all the junk that goes with that,” he says, “and just be out in the cold and the wilderness.”
Though some do compete, Picard has not chosen that route.

“It’s nothing competitive for me,” he says. “It’s all about camaraderie—no jumping or snocross or anything like that.”

Picard points out that snowmobiling can be done anywhere (with snow), and its popularity is growing. He encourages others to try it, but did offer some tips.

1. Start slow. “Don’t get too big of a machine at first,” says Picard. “Start slow, and take a training course if one is available.”

2. Be safe. “Snowmobiles can be dangerous, and you have to be very smart around them to keep from hurting yourself,” he says.

3. Find others to participate in the sport with you. “If there’s a club around, join the club,” advises Picard. “That way, if there are trails around, others can teach you where they are, etc.”

4. Have fun with it. “Be safe, but enjoy it,” Picard says. “Start small, and get big. It’s a lot of fun.”
When Picard’s not working or snowmobiling, he often can be found renovating his house in the summertime, and playing with remote control airplanes.

Picard and his wife, Kimberley, have two daughters, Brittney, 12, and Jenna, 7.