Michigan Snowmobiler & ORV - August 2023

*Rate Restrictions: Valid only for Choice Privileges members (program enrollment is free). The reservation must be made on ChoiceHotels.com/Michigan-Hotels at participating hotels and must be made at least 7, 14, 21 or 30 days in advance, which will vary based on the hotel for which a reservation is being made. Subject to availability, the rate starts at 15% off Best Available Rate, is non-cancellable, non-changeable and non-refundable. Your credit card will be charged for the total reservation amount within 24-48 hours of booking. This rate has a seven (7) night maximum length of stay. Rooms at this discount are limited. Offer is not available to groups and cannot be combined with any other discount. Choice Hotels reserves the right to change or discontinue this offer at any time. Eligibility restricted to U.S. and Canadian residents. Members must book direct at ChoiceHotels.com/Michigan-Hotels or call 1-888-228-5050. All Choice Hotels properties are independently

from the editor

At Michigan Snowmobiler and ORV we are looking forward to Labor Day Weekend. As we approach this important holiday I can’t help but think of all the things that can easily be taken for granted that the laborers of the United States have brought us and continue to provide in support our sport. So as we approach this important holiday – let’s remember our laborers and resolve each in our own way to incorporate three new habits to honor our laborers.

For one, it’s so easy to buzz along our highways and bridges and never, ever think about all it takes to create and maintain the system that keeps us rolling to our favorite trails. Our roads and bridges are unique and

amazing in our country. Very few places have as many or as good of roads and bridges as we do. So I know we get tired of construction zones and delays –but what would we do without them! So next time you’re in one of THOSE zones – my fellow Michigan Snowmobiler and ORV crew – I challenge you – observe the slow down and give our road crews a break. If you think of all our big tow vehicles and attached trailers slowing down in construction zones, we can make a difference. WE truly might save a life.

For two, our tow vehicles, trailers and the fun we ride on come off a variety of lines manned by all sorts of laborers – hopefully still here in this awesome land. My father-in-law worked

on that line and I’m awfully grateful for his knowledge and the work ethic he passed on to my husband and the next generation. You will see our nation’s flag fly proudly at their home. Maybe brush off your own flag and post it in front of your own home. Those construction crews I mentioned, most of them will have flags flying at every site… I love it.

And three, well pick your own… but I try to be as kind and inspirational as possible when I can –whenever and wherever possible. Pass it on. The world needs more of it. Michigan has produced a lot of laborers over the years and we learned to work very hard – then play very hard! In my mind, very few people work harder at being a little bit better every day than Michiganders… we can show a unique can do spirt better than anyone… who better to spread that spirit on the

trails than all of us.

Just some thoughts to honor all of our laborers as we head into one of our nation’s most important holidays.

As always at Michigan Snowmobiler and ORV, we hope each of you is enjoying good health while dreaming of fun and the smell of revving engines in our pages! We look forward to seeing everyone at local events, chapter meetings and volunteering in support of Michigan Snowmobiling and ORVs. Please remember to keep all our veterans and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. Please feel free to reach out to us. We love to hear from our readers. Be safe and enjoy the trails until our next issue.

As alway, you can reach out to us at Michigan Snowmobiler at scottd@faragoassoc.com

VOLUME 56 - NUMBER 10

Founded September 1967

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THE MICHIGAN SNOWMOBILER+ORV is an independent publication endorsing the goals of MISORVA, and other associations. Opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the editor or contributing writers, and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the MSA, or their board of directors. Reproduction of material in whole or part is prohibited, unless authorized in writing by the publisher - all rights reserved.

PUBLISHER | Peter Farago

EDITOR | Ann Drzewiecki

ADVERTISING MANAGER | Scott Drzewiecki

CREATIVE ART DIRECTOR | Michelle Sheridan

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR | Chelsie Dzbanski Fontenelle

WEB MANAGER | Kelly Kosek

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS | Jim Duke, Patrick Grzebinski ,Terri Norey, Mike Olmstead, Melissa Sullivan, Jesse Wiederhold , Joyce Wiswell

SALES | Scott Drzewiecki, Peter Farago

DESIGNERS | Kelly Kosek, Kaitlyn Schoen, Deborah Schultz

MICHIGAN SNOWMOBILER and ORV INC., The Michigan Snowmobiler is published 10 times per year, September through February and May through August. Call or go online for your subscription today 810.348.1325 | michsnowmag.com

Summer Season Shines Light on Keweenaw Trail System

BY JESSE WIEDERHOLD CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ORV trails in the Keweenaw take you all the way from the white and blue Portage Lake Lift Bridge in Houghton to the Lake Superior shores of High Rock Bay past Copper Harbor. A sense of adventure, responsibility and excitement fills your soul when you bring your ORV to the Keweenaw. 160 miles of maintained trails await through beautiful, aged forests. Small copper towns line the way offering you many unique stories. The synergy between the trails, towns and people is what makes the Keweenaw’s ORV trail system truly special. Major projects are underway to not only repair, but to improve existing infrastructure for riders.

With the support of the community, Michigan legislature and the club’s membership, Keweenaw ATV Club President Daryl St. John says a lot of incredible work went on this summer. Many are aware of repairs happening to Trail BD from Dollar Bay to Lake Linden. The nearly $9M development is making great progress, and the final culverts are being

placed. This will reconstruct a trail damaged immensely from flooding in 2018.

Besides the BD project, there’s been a lot of confusion about what routes are open, and which ones are not.

“We had one issue where a section of snowmobile trail that would normally be closed every spring was left open and SXS and ATVs were going through,” said St. John. “The property owners put a thing in the paper saying they were going to close the trail to let people know it would be closed and not to go through anymore. Everybody assumed it was The Nature Conservancy out closing ATV trails. It was a snowmobile trail that was improperly used.”

This was misread and caused some confusion in the Keweenaw community, as well as visitors researching the area earlier in the summer. However, it is true that you cannot ride your ATV up Brockway Mountain Drive. In the winter, snowmobile traffic is OK. Another trail closed this year is the Freda trail, or Trail BA. It was

Pass by Lake Fanny Hooe and Mud Lake on your way to High Rock Bay in the Keweenaw.

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also taken by flooding washouts and St. John says the club may be able to start work on the Freda trail next year.

Other than Trails BA and BD, the Keweenaw’s ATV trail system is fully open. St. John says there is a detour between Delaware and Eagle Harbor, but the trail is passable. In fact, you can ride all the way from the calm Portage Canal south to Mass City on the Bill Nichols Trail through South Range.

“From Eagle Harbor going west for a mile was all sandy and roots were sticking up,” said St. John. “We capped all that. It’s all been graveled and everything. We got that accomplished.”

St. John says people have been impressed and are noticing improvements to the trails. Montreal Meadows is beautiful wetlands trail through the northern Keweenaw. It’s been retaining moisture after rainfall, leaving it in rough shape over time. The club hired contractors to finish the rugged section by August.

Eagle Harbor Township, the Keweenaw ATV Club and Keweenaw Outdoor Recreation Coalition (KORC) helped plan and fund a

KEWEENAW ATV CLUB

Crews work to bring down massive culverts for water flow management.

KEWEENAW ATV CLUB

The trail will run over the culvert once installed and riders can safely pass over places that haven’t been open in years.

new trailhead parking lot for ORVs and snowmobiles. You can find the new lot and trailhead about a mile south of Eagle Harbor on Eagle Harbor Road.

“The ATV Club also put a trail a few hundred feet connecting the parking area to the trail,” said St. John.

In terms of membership, the club has increased its numbers. Having events like group rides and community picnics have increased the club’s reach to find new members.

“We had our picnic in July,” said St. John. “We had about 130 people attend, and we signed up eight new members. Just a few young folks. It’s tough getting them interested. They don’t realize what it takes to keep the trails open.”

St. John says the “young folks” problem is not unique to the Keweenaw ATV Club. He says the Keweenaw Snowmobile Club, and many other riding clubs around the Midwest are facing the issue of not getting younger riders to join their clubs. Which is important for the future of the organizations and the trails. Keeping your membership numbers high proves to the state that your club is active and increases the odds of securing project funding.

“It seems like some folks shrug it off,” said St. John. “Like ‘eh’. They don’t realize what we do to keep these trails open, the effort that it takes. It’s not so much when I say effort that it’s super hard work, but it takes time and it’s obviously a lot easier the more people you have involved.”

This fall, riders in the Keweenaw are in for a special treat. Those lucky enough to

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the larger culverts stretches about 150 feet long. The pieces are 11.5foot squares, each weighing nearly 33,000 pounds. Large excavating equipment is used to install this new infrastructure, some of which lies about 63 feet below grade. Leveling the ground and making sure water can move without destroying the trails was the biggest part of Trail BD’s repair.

This fall, look for “Nathan’s Ride” in the Keweenaw on Sept. 16. The Keweenaw ATV Club has a separate nonprofit it runs to keep funding separate for trails and community outreach/special events. “Nathan’s Ride” is a suicide awareness ride and invites people to unite for the cause. It’s also a fundraiser for the Omega House in Houghton. Riders can expect a “poker-run” style event.

If you’re adventuring north to ride this fall in the Keweenaw, go to www.visitkeweenaw.com for ATV/snowmobile trail maps, lodging/food recommendations and everything Keweenaw. You can keep in touch with the Keweenaw ATV Club’s efforts and social events on www.facebook. com/keweenawatvclub/. The club is always open to new members. Remember to ride safely, and within your limits. •

VISIT KEWEENA

Ride in a pack for even more fun.

Enjoy some of the best views from High Rock Bay. VISIT KEWEENA

Events and Experiences Galore on The Breezeway!

Summer is moving along quickly and the events keep on coming for residents and visitors alike in the Breezeway Communities of East Jordan, Ellsworth and Atwood to enjoy and experience. The 60th Annual Juried Portside Arts Fair will be held on Saturday and Sunday August 5th and 6th at the gorgeous Elm Pointe located on M-66 Highway just 1.5 miles north of East Jordan. The show runs from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM both days and features arts, crafts,

music and food. The East Jordan Historical Museum is also open for the public to tour while attending the long-running renowned art venue. While attending the arts fair, be sure to visit downtown East Jordan. The Jordan Art Walk added six more sculptures to the walk in June. There are now 20 sculptures on the walk. Be sure to visit the Art Walk website at jordanartwalk.org. Also be sure to stop by the Jordan River Arts Council on Main Street.

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Fender Bender

Jordan Valley Honor Star

EAST JORDAN THE Insurance

continued from page 12

Horseback riders, ATV riders and walkers are encouraged to participate in Kiersten’s Ride on Saturday, August 19th in the Boyne Falls area. Kiersten’s Ride is a 501C3 organization that is dedicated to bringing help, hope and healing through suicide prevention programs in Northern Michigan. To learn more about this event visit kierstensride.org.

Get ready to paddle the Chain of Lakes Water Trail on September 14 – 16 in the Paddle Antrim Festival. The festival is always held the second weekend after Labor Day. It includes a kick-off party on Thursday evening in Ellsworth, and then a two-day paddle event through the 42 mile Chain of Lakes Water Trail. Choose your own adventure! Paddle for one or both days! For more information on this superb paddling event visit paddleantrim. com

Be sure to save the dates – Breezeway Fall Color Cruises scheduled for Saturday, September 30th, Saturday, October 7 and Saturday, October 14th. Celebrate the fall colors, corn maze pumpkins,

and more!

Be sure to visit the East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce website at ejchamber.org for a complete list of upcoming events, lodging information and a complete list of local attractions, etc.

Happy summer!

Mary H. Faculak President / CEO

East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce

An ORV-Lovers St. Helen Michigan

BY KIM KISNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

If you are a motorsport lover and have not been off-roading in St. Helen Michigan – read on!

The St. Helen Trail offers over 50 miles of designated motorized trails that form long loops, several sandy play areas with moderate size hills and whoops plus six obstacle courses with concrete pipes and large boulders –fun for jeeps and 4x4 trucks!

The trail starts in St. Helen and travels south through scenic and rugged state forest terrain of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

Open to ORVs of all sizes (72 inches) it offers easy access to food, lodging, gas and ATV rentals and also connects to several other ORV trails including Ogemaw Hills, Denton, and Geels –which connects to Roscommon ORV trail.

The state forests and unspoiled wilderness make for a veritable playground and paradise, offering nature at its best year-round.

The area offers endless fun off the trails as well.

If you are into fishing, water sports or simply, a relaxing day on the beach, bordering the community of St. Helen sits Lake St. Helen, a 2,400-acre public lake that is the headwaters for the south branch of the Au Sable River. A hop skip and a jump away is the state’s largest inland lake, Houghton Lake, and also Higgins Lake.

Canoe, kayak, and tube the AuSable River beginning at the Paddle Brave Campground and Canoe Livery!

Feel like hitting the links? Among one of the jewels in northern Michigan golf is The Dream Golf Course.  The Dream is literally carved out of 312 acres of hardwood to form one of the most spectacular courses in Michigan.  The course is located along Old 76 just three miles west of downtown West Branch

Check out the family-owned and operated Roscommon Zoo which is home to various native and non-native exotic animals as well as domestic farm animals.

Go for a long walk or take a picnic lunch or dinner to St. Helen Memorial Park or South Higgins Lake State Park.

Ready to book your trip?

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WHERE TO STAY

If camping is your thing, nearby St. Helen Campground offers 30 sites with electric and water hookups and direct trail access. Looking for a roof over your head? The comfort and convenience of the Trails End Motel can’t be beat. Affordable, close to the trails and hospitable, it’s always a good choice. And there is a food truck available that offers Detroit Style Pizza and BBQ.

If you are in the mood for something cozy with great amenities, a fifteen-minute drive to the Springbrook Inn may be worth it. Offering five rooms with options for a fireplace, hot tub and more, the Inn also features casual fine dining on the premise, an outdoor allyear-round tiki bar, lovely perennial gardens, a beautiful koi fish pond with waterfall, and gazebo.

There are several other options in West Branch, and cabin and house rentals can be found as well.

WHERE TO EAT

When your hunger alarms are ringing, visit the Firehouse Bar and Grill for a juicy burger, delicious wings, creamy pasta or satisfying sandwiches. The restaurant owner was a firefighter for 28 years and used many of his items for the restaurant’s décor. Over its 15-year lifespan, the restaurant has collected firefighting items from all over the country.

If you are looking for a fast and easy “Home Cooked” meal and a warm, cheery welcome then the Hen House will meet your needs. The Hen House Restaurant is located at the heart

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continued from page 18 of St. Helen Michigan and offers breakfast lunch and dinner including an array of specialty sandwiches, burgers, chicken dinners and even seafood.

And if you want a great pizza, check out The Angry Oven Pizza and build your own delicious pie or salad.

WANT TO WET YOUR WHISTLE?

Located in downtown West Branch, the Highway Brewing Company offers 16 taps, specialty cocktails and elevated pub fare.

Treat yourself to delicious sandwiches, burgers, and more at Dead Bear Brewing Co., a locally and family-owned business serving the communities of Grayling, MI.

Around the corner is Paddle Hard Brewing, offering pizza, paninis and pub fare as well as good, cold beer.

For motorsport lovers, St Helen Michigan is a dream come true. Don’t hesitate to book your trip! •

PROFESSIONAL

RACING’S CLOSEST FINISHES

“Where do we go from here...”

BY RIC FEDERAU CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Yeah, it’s July. It’s auto racing season. Ya know what my friends?..... It’s also time to think about snowmobile racing as well. It’s time to start thinking about the 55th. running of the international 500 snowmobile race hosted at Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. “Always hosted the first Saturday in Feb. each year.” Let’s take a lap around the track, over the next several months, we’ll be sharing behind the

scenes information and what it takes to host the world’s most prestigious snowmobile endurance race.

In addition,  we’ll be doing interviews covering a wide range of involvements within the sport of oval ice endurance racing and the International 500 race.

It’s a known fact that motorsports enthusiasts are generally known to be race fans as well. Maybe not fans of all types of

racing but certainly a fan of some type of competitive racing. After all.... as they say at every race in the world... “ Racing is racing “ and if you’re a true race fan, you simply understand and love racing in general.  Racing is competitive, fast and always high octane excitement for spectators and fans. True race fans are die-hard supporters of their particular motorsport type of racing and their drivers. You are urged

to join the family of fans who support snowmobile endurance racing.  Be assured and prepared for high level excitement and all the thrills that you’ll experience. Snowmobile oval ice endurance racing is........ Amazing!

That being noted, the 2023 International 500 was host to one of professional racings closest finishes within any type of race bar none. It has been talked about from the I-500 track to USAC

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1-500 the finish line

and NASCAR. It put snowmobile endurance racing among the big guns of motorsports racing.

It was simply incredible and YOU can certainly find videos of the finish throughout various social media sites. You’ll be glad you did, believe me........

Due to such an outstanding 2023 finish, the I-500 directors recognised the opportunity to enhance promotion of snowmobile endurance racing as well as the “Grand-Daddy of all oval ice racing, the International 500. We want race fans to know more about the sport of Oval ice endurance racing and it’s a mission to have fans thinking about the I-500 throughout the year. YOU

can’t start planning too early when it comes to attending the International 500 snowmobile race. Start NOW!!

Le’ts talk about the upcoming information that we will share over the next several months. We’ll be writing and sharing information on topics related to “off season” planning for the sport in general. We’ll also host interviews related to the sport of oval ice endurance racing and the various groups that make the I-500 such an interesting event to follow. It’s our objective to interview such groups as the race committee staff that does intricate tech work related to each vehicle, driver and equipment, This segment within the monthly publications will be titled “ TECH CHATTER’’,

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Interviews with Tech staffing, race committee race director, track officials, timing team and more......

We’ll also be covering other important areas of interest this sport has going during the “Off season”, Interviews with team drivers and owners,  Track building staff members, race sponsors, media who cover the I-500 and sport and much more...... Again...... “Racing is racing” and we want to expand knowledge about the sport of oval ice endurance racing and the International 500. Therefore, we’ve launched our “ INTERNATIONAL 500 SUMMER TOUR “.  We’re taking the International 500 on the road throughout the whole summer.  We’re visiting various auto racing venues throughout the whole state of Michigan.  We have representatives from the I-500 Board of Directors, members of the Miss I-500 Pageant and I-500 volunteers who will be on hand at the I-500 booth. The objective is to build UPwards from one of the closest finishes in professional racing by sharing more information about the sport, the International 500 race and all that goes into planning and building what’s needed to participate and host professional oval ice endurance racing and the I-500. There is an opportunity to visit with race team drivers who participate by putting their race sled on display, answering questions and signing autographs as well.

The West Shore Resort

THE “ I-500 SUMMER TOUR” SCHEDULE:

8/5/23:  Kalamazoo Speedway

8/9/23:  Berlin Raceway

8/12/23:  Owosso Speedway

9/1/23:  Kinross Speed Park

9/8/23:  Norway Speedway

HOWEVER..... Let’s not pit for fuel just yet. Let me bring back some advice we want to share regarding attending the 2024 International 500 at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. PLAN AHEAD NOW..... Get your fan base together and commence making plans now during the “ Off Season”.

Lodging is certainly important to confirm a.s.a.p.  From there... It’s a matter of planning accordingly so you can be a part of this world class racing spectacle.  Fact.... Once you’ve experienced the International 500 in person, chances are, you’ll be back again and again.

You’ll be building memories that last a lifetime.....  There’s absolutely something for everyone of all ages taking place throughout the whole week long series of events hosted at the I-500 venue.

For more information and schedule of events for the UPcoming 2024 I-500, visit us at:   www.i-500. com

On behalf of the International 500 Board of Directors..... Come on UP !!

“ It’s all left turns from here...” •

For the Love of Power Sports

Stevens’ Cycle Sales Has Been at it for 56 Years

BY KIM KISNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In 1956, fueled by his enormous passion for motorcycles, Bill Stevens began selling parts at a Triumph Motorcycle dealership in Bay City. On March 15, 1967, he opened Stevens’ Cycles - a motorcycle rental facility/gas station.

His wife, Debbie, married into the business, and for years, the store grew and went from rental only to sales and multiple types of vehicles. Right around their tenth wedding anniversary, Bill purchased a second business in Midland calling it Debbie’s ‘Anniversary gift’ with a laugh.

Today, this family business has evolved into one of the oldest and most well-known power sports stores in the country with 30 employees selling and repairing virtually all brands of ATV’s, UTV’s, snowmobiles and motorcycles along with apparel and accessories.

When asked why they’ve dedicated their lives and careers to Stevens’ Cycle Sales and Steven’s Sports Center, they both say, “For the fun of it.” In fact, that was their slogan for many years. “It truly is a fun business to be in because everything about power sports is just fun.”

After years of working on the front

Owners Bill and Debbie Stevens

continued from page 27

scenes, they’ve taken a step back and their two sons and daughter run the shops on a daily basis, but they are still involved.

They say their success can be attributed to a few things.

First, they know the area, the people, and their products well. “I’ve never moved more than five miles in my life,” says Bill. “We have third and fourth generations buying from us.”

Second is their inventory. “We have the largest parts inventory of anyone in Michigan, says Debbie. “We order every day, while others have minimums imposed so their orders can be held for two to three days. This means we get the parts faster and have everything in stock for our customers at all times.”

Third is the fact that they have been open seven days a week for thirty years. “People know who we are and where we are and they know we’ll be open for them,” said Bill. “Most of our competitors are only open five or maybe six days a week.”

But most important, they say, is their employees. “Our employees are family and most have worked for us for ten to fifteen to even thirty years,” said Debbie. They know the business inside out. We have over

continued on page 30

continued from page 28

ten people in each service department and they are true professionals with years of experience and that makes a huge difference.”

Bill – who used to race enduros all over the country - now rides his new 2023 Honda VT 1100 with an automatic transmission.

Stevens can outfit anyone from footwear to shorts and pants to helmets. They carry seemingly endless accessories from over 100 brands.

When asked how they’ve managed to remain open seven days a week for thirty years, Debbie says, “Again, it comes down to the employees. We can take time off and leave the business in great hands.”

The Bay City store is situated on M-13 just north of Bay City limits. The Midland locations is located off Eastman and US10 on Stark Road. •