Snowmobile Trip to Oregon IL (Region 3)

According to the weatherman, the Chicago area has had the most snow in 24 years. With that kind of information, how could you not want to go for a snowmobile ride in Illinois. After checking the IASC website and determining that they had plenty of new snow, Ken Curry, Ron and Linda Stork went west to Oregon IL to explore this new area. They had not ridden in this region before and were eager to see what kind of riding was available. Oregon IL is located in the southern portion of Region 3 and is about 60 minutes west of Bolingbrook. Trails are groomed by the Tri-County Trail Alliance. These clubs have over 100 miles of trails to groom and enjoy. According to the Tri-County map, their trails will connect you to the Wisconsin snowmobile trails.

The adventuresome riders were on the trail by 1 pm and rode 110 miles each on that Saturday (February 9, 2008.) You may recall that the day started warm (35 degrees) and ended with Arctic chill temperatures. The strong wind was no friend either. The trails were well marked and light of traffic. Most trails go thru private property and offer a variety of riding conditions. Some road riding and fence hopping is necessary, too. They highly recommend the trail system and look forward to riding out there again. Next time, they will pay more attention to the distance between warm-up spots and gas stations. They had no problems but they were a little nervous about being so low on gasoline and it was cold!

If you plan to ride in this area, check out the BlackHawk SnowBlazers website. They have terrific information that will make it easy for newbies to get started. As you come in to town, be sure to stop at the Marathon on Rt. 64 and pick up your copy of the trail map. The parking area is just a little south of Rt. 64 off of Rt. 2. Be sure to check out the photos.

Cadillac MI Trip Recap

The first weekend of February, the annual club trip to McGuire's Resort in Cadillac drew a dozen members and friends. Even though the group was smaller than usual, the snow was deeper and better than usual. On Saturday half the group rode south toward Bristol, making a circle of about 100 miles. Ahout 45 miles into the run, they stopped at the Oak Grove in Irons for lunch. The owners changed, but the atmosphere is similar with patrons still dropping peanut shells on the floor. The group missed the turn to Coyote Crossing, another club favorite, and zoomed right along back to McGuire's for supper. Part of the group enjoyed Cadillac's Snowmobile Festival. It featured radar runs, a poker run and other festivites to enjoy. One day, a group of the younger men, did some hard riding and hit almost 200 miles for the day. The traffic on the trails was light. Maybe they were at the festival or stayed home to watch the Super bowl; whatever the reason, riding was a pleasure. Be sure to click on the link to see photos from the Cadillac trip.

Manitowish Waters, WI (Jan 17 thru 21, 2008) Recap

If you were not part of the group who went north to the Manitowish Waters area, you missed a good time. Most of the Club members were either at the Timberline Inn or the Pea Patch in Manitowish Waters. There were a few who were able to get in at the Great Northern in Mercer.
Friday was a day of equipment failures. Saturday was a great group ride (12 sleds altogether) and Sunday was a short ride and watching the Big Game.

Yes, it was cold. Saturday's actual temperature never got above zero degrees, and the wind chills were as low as 35 degrees below zero. The key was to wear several layers of warm clothing and make more than usual warm-up stops. Happily, no one suffered serious harm. Ron Stork and Cheri Day looked like their helmet straps may have caused a little bit of frostbite.

Equipment problems were numerous. Dawn Kaleta had a clutch go out early and was able to have it repaired; however, on Sunday's ride her machine quit on the trail. The sick clutch may have been a symptom of a serious engine problem. We will hope for the best. Paul Mueller, Scott Westling, and Randy Remblake each had their share of troubles, too. Handwarmers forgot to work, boogie wheels fell off and diesel trucks were too cold to start.

The snow storm made it a long ride home for everyone who drove south on Monday. As you will see from the photos, there were good riding conditions, and the cold temps probably kept the crowds away. (Photos will be posted to Flickr soon)

Kankakee River State Park Snowmobile Ride

On Tuesday, January 1, 2008, Ron and Linda Stork drove SOUTH to ride the snowmobile trails. Yes, they went south to Kankakee River State Park. The latest snow storm really dumped in that area. We think officially they received 6 inches or so, but with the blowing wind it seemed deeper. On the southern side of the river, there are equestrian trails marked and snowmobiling is permitted on these trails. The entire trail system is about 15 miles, but this off DNR trail riding. The trail is not groomed, there can be floating pieces of wood in the wooded areas, and “safe” water hazards. However, the trails are plenty wide for a sled since horses use these trails in warm weather. There are some open meadow areas, but several wooded sections, too. Part of the trail is near the river and offers some great views. Hope you enjoy the photos.

If you visit the park, plan to gas up your sleds before you get there. Gasoline is available in nearby Bourbonnais. We were able to ride only three hours since we got a late start, but there were some very scenic areas to explore. Officially, the park is open from sunrise to sunset and trails are open when 4 or more inches of snow is on the ground.

Wausau Snowmobile Trip - Update

As you see in the photo, there was plenty of snow in Wausau, WI. According to Paul Killa, all of the trees were covered with snow and the rides were scenic. This photo was taken at their family cabin.

They rode 201 miles in NE & NW Marathon county, SW Shawno county, Southern Lincoln County and a little bit of Langlade county. In general, the trails ranged from good to excellent with the trails around the cabin and in Lincoln County being the best.

Paul promised to give us more notice next time he heads up to the family cabin. Hopefully, more of us can join him.

Wausau Snowmobile Trip - Dec 28 thru 31

Paul Killa and family are heading north to Wausau, WI. The snow is good and there will be plenty of riding ahead. If you are interested, you can contact Paul at 630-391-3645.

December Meeting Recap

Our thanks to everyone who attended the membership meeting. We know that December is a very busy time of the year for everyone. For those who missed the meeting know you were missed! A hello to our guests, Diane and Don Sandberg from Lockport.


Our thanks to Ron LaFido and Dawn Kaleta for leading the meeting.

• Christmas Party Update. The party at Baci's was a success. 24 adults and nine children attended. Ron Stor, Social chairman requested feedback from those who did and did not attend. Need to know what you thought of going to a restaurant. The Club actually made a little money, and this excess will be used to purchase pizzas for the next snowmobile safety class. Last year, total club expenses were over $500.00. We paid $300 to the VFW for the use of a room, everyone brought a dish to pass plus the costs for the main course food, children's surprises, and miscellaneous.
• Snowmobile Safety Class Update. Dawn Kaleta reported that the class on December 1 had 40 students and a bunch of snow. The class was a sucess. The Club donated two pizzas to the Plainfield Fire Department as a way of saying thanks to the firemen for letting us use the community room for the snowmobile safety classes. The next class is Sunday, January 6. Already, 30 students have signed up.
• Chicago Wolves Hockey Game. No dates finalized yet. Expect either April 13 or 20.
• Membership Discounts. Be sure to ask if your dealer offers any discounts to IASC members. The Rusty Runners Snowmobile club is a member of the Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs.
• Wisconsin Rules. Wisconsin seems to be more concerned this year with loud exhaust systems. Tickets are more likely to be written for excessive noise. Be aware.
• Club Trips. Be sure to make those reservations for upcoming snowmobile trips. You may recall that this year, we are offering more opportunities to ride together. However, we know that not everyone can attend each trip. We hope you can attend as many as possible. Depending on your family situation, certain locations may be more kid friendly than others. All of the designated hotels except the ones in Manitowish Waters have an indoor swimming pool available. If you have questions about a location, contact the trip leader for each trip. If you are looking for a roommate or need help bringing your snowmobile along, let us know. Often there are members who have an empty slot available in their trailer or who are looking for a roommate, too.
• Snowmobile Trips in General. Now that the snow season has arrived. We know that members are going to go riding at the "drop of the hat." If you have a trip planned and want other members to know, send Linda a message with details. She will post it to our Blog. Or if you have some time off and are looking for a group to ride with, let Linda know. She will post your availability. Updated rosters will be email shortly, and members will then be able to contact each other directly. And if you have your 2006-2007 roster handy, go ahead and use it.
  

On behalf of the Rusty Runners Snowmobile Club, we hope you have a wonderful holiday and wish you a joyous new year!