Mother nature has not been kind to the snowmobiling community this past winter.
But that did not stop 15 riders from bringing out their vintage snow machines to the Vintage Snowmobile Rally on Feb. 25 put on by the Humboldt Area Vintage Club.
Club Treasurer Craig Poncelet says ATV riders were invited but with the temperature dropping to around -15 C during the day, that kept the other riders away.
Riders who did come out took their machines out onto Humboldt Lake to enjoy the snow there.
Without events like this, vintage sled owners have very few opportunities to show them off.
“This kind of event, if you don’t have this, guys don’t bring them out. They stay in their shops.”
The machines ranged from a 1965 ski-doo to older with many riders even wearing vintage snowsuits to go with their rides.
Poncelet says that all the riders had original sleds and “they’re all running and guys like to show them off.”
Looking at the newer machines, vintage snowmobiles are heavier and smaller without a lot of the modern comforts of new machines.
Poncelet says they are good machines to learn on because unless they are modified they do not go very fast.
“You don’t have the power there. They’re not a machine you can go racing around on unless they are modified.”
For the first time since the 1980s, Poncelet says they also had a live auction for 16 of their big prizes. He expected some tears from the old guys who used to attend auctions all the time when cattle would come through the building.
“It just doesn’t happen here anymore.”
Poncelet says that around 20 volunteers kept the day running with 8 helping out from the Naicam Snow Blasters.
Daniel Hinz from the Snow Blasters says there is a lot of vintage sled owners outside of Humboldt and a lot of Humboldt riders who are a member of the Snow Blasters club. Joining up just made sense.
“A lot of the younger kids would never see something that old or what it was like back in the day to see these one cylinders with no suspension.”
Poncelet says they are hoping to make this an annual event if mother nature is willing to cooperate next year.
