Chuck and I went for our first snowmobile ride of the year on Friday, January 22. With the weather forecast predicting rain, we wanted to get at least one ride in before rain came and melted away what little snow we had. Fortunately that was not the case—the rain fell, but it was followed by snow. A dusting near Lake Superior, but a nice accumulation “over the hill.” I’ve heard from a number of people that the trails are looking good.
That was not the case last Friday. We left from downtown Grand Marais, just to see what the trails were like. They were not good. We were driving in grass for the beginning of the trip. But when we crested the Sawtooth Ridge, it started getting better. It wasn’t great— there were rocks sticking up here and there and brush battered the side of the sled. And there was mogul after mogul after mogul.
Snowmobiling, even riding, is not the passive sport many people believe it is. It’s not as tough as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing—now that’s fabulous cardio exercise. Snowmobiling is more of a power sport (no pun attended). It’s more of a workout for the driver, muscling the handlebars to ensure that the machine stays on the right side of the trail. While you’re cruising you also have to be alert for those moguls and brace yourself with your legs. Even riding, it’s a workout—imagine doing squats for an hour or more, alternating with arm dips.
By the time we reached Hungry Jack Lodge, we could barely get off the snowmobile. However, the stunning view of the new lodge gave us energy for the short stroll up the hill. We couldn’t wait to see the finished lodge. We’ve visited in its varying stages of completion, but now it is truly open. And it is amazing. The lower level is open and airy, with a lovely stone patio. The Loggers Lounge is full of log furniture, welcoming and waterproof for visitors coming in from the cold. The upstairs is inspiring with the large vaulted ceiling with its meticulous woodwork and the massive stone fireplace.
We ate dinner and enjoyed catching up with Forrest and Erika of Hungry Jack Lodge— it is nice to see their business completely up and running. It was also fun to talk to the other snowmobilers at the lodge. We all agreed the trails could be better, although we acknowledged that the trail groomers were doing the best they could with the amount of snow we had. We learned that we could take a different route home that would be a bit smoother.
We also admitted that we have become “soft” over the years. When I was a teenager, there was no such thing as groomed trails. Machines were very slow and moguls were a fact of life. The jerky fast-slow ride that we experienced last Friday was a typical trip. It was all part of the adventure.
Our snowmobile ride to Hungry Jack was reminiscent of those old snowmobile rides. Thankfully, the cold weather clothing has improved immensely. I remember a terribly bumpy and bitterly cold snowmobile trip on the trail called the Meridian, wearing thin jeans with long johns underneath. I didn’t enjoy that trip too much.
The temperature dropped as we dined at Hungry Jack and we expected a cold, bumpy ride home. However, our modern winter wear— UnderArmour, Polar Fleece, and SmartWool—kept us warm. Thereturn trip followed more of the expressway snowmobile trail, so it had fewer moguls. We made pretty good time on the way home.
But what hasn’t changed is the pleasure of cruising through the dark under the moon and stars. The headlights cast diamonds on the snow and the frosty tree branches. It’s fun to be out on the trails together—it’s always an adventure.
The trouble with weather forecasting
is that it’s right too often
for us to ignore it and wrong too
often for us to rely on it.
Patrick Young
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