Michigan Snowmobiler & ORV - June 2023

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from the editor

This last weekend was eventful for us personally at Michigan Snowmobiler and ORV as our daughter’s best friend became engaged. Not normally something that would tie into an ORV issue – but this event and this couple definitely does. For starters Emily and our daughter have volunteered their time the last two years at the Novi Snow Show and helped us promote our annual Choko floatation suit give away. So a couple of things to mark on your calendars. The Snow Show takes place the first weekend in November in Novi and is a can’t miss for snow enthusiasts. And, starting in our September issue you will see entry cards for our annual Choko suit giveaway. Make sure to fill

yours out and get it mailed it to us!

But on to the weekend. As we pulled up to Emily’s house, I couln’t help but notice all the 4x4 pick up trucks parked in the yard. Like 3 to 1 ratio of pickups to cars. This says a lot of about folks in our area. Our daily drivers have to fill a lot of needs, not just get us from point a to b, but also our vehicles work every day hauling items, then pull our fun stuff, then honestly head off road for fun too… Then as we walked into their garage we noticed our own future dream SxS – a CanAm X3.

As we walked into the house to toast the young future married couple, the conversation of course was of the future plans and how Adam popped the question,

but also of the plans for the very next day… They were heading off on a SxS run organized by the Saints Snowmobile Club of St. Charles, MI. We’re hoping for pictures and a story, but given the events of the weekend, we will understand if our request might not have been their highest priority.

See this family and friends gathering exemplifies what we’re all about at Michigan Snowmobiler and ORV. We want to promote people getting together and enjoying life events with fun, respect and an eye towards the future. Adam and Emily will do a great job of this. They are committed to family, friends and their communities. It will be fun to see what they do next. Although, I imagine in a few years, they may need to shop for a four seater SxS…

PUBLISHER | Peter Farago

EDITOR | Ann Drzewiecki

Just teasing… we are in no hurry. Enjoy the fun ahead. It goes so fast.

To all the future couples and families out there – we invite you to be active in our local snow and orv groups. Our trails need you. Head on out to the MISORVA website to find a complete list of Snow and ORV groups in Michigan. We look forward to seeing everyone at local events, chapter meetings and volunteering in support of Michigan Snowmobiling and ORVs. As always, please remember to keep our veterans and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. Be safe and enjoy the trails until next month.

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

VOLUME 56 - NUMBER 7

Founded September 1967

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on the Heroes Dunes

Celebrating our heroes!!

BY MELISSA SULLIVAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The founders of The Heroes Operation, a 501c3 a non-profit organization had a “deep desire to help the men and women in uniform who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe and free”. So, they created the organization to honors veterans and first responders. The mission: to help give them back just a little of what they give to us, “They sacrifice their time, blood, sweat, tears, and often their lives.”

One of the most popular events they host each year is Heroes on the Dunes held at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Mears, Michigan. This two-day event is designed

to be a day of fellowship, fun and food for heroes and their families. The event will start off with a Friday golf outing at the beautiful Benona Shores Golf Course, followed by a dune day at Silver Lake ORV Park Saturday July 15th, 2023.

The 3rd weekend in July is the annual dune day at Silver Lake and the day they honor our Heroes! Everything starts with a flag raising ceremony and flyover by Hooligan flight team. The rest of the afternoon heroes get the opportunity to ride some of the coolest and fastest ORVs. ORV Owners register to volunteer open seats to heroes and give them a thrilling ride! For many

of them this is something they would never experience without the event, but some heroes do bring their own toys to rip the dunes they’ve ridden many times.

The event is more than just a good time, it is a great opportunity to honor veterans and first responders and interact with them during the festivities. The day on the dunes is followed by dinner and entertainment, raffles, silent auctions, and recognition to fallen heroes. If you are a veteran, active-duty military, first responder of the family of a hero, I encourage you to attend this event. Even attending as a civilian just to honor and support,

I promise this is an event you will remember.

The event is designed to bring a day of fun and relaxation to heroes. The members of the organization have themselves discovered the amazing freedom of being behind the wheel and they want to share that powerful feeling with the heroes that they meet. They work to fundraise and work with donors and communities to do this at little to no cost to the hero. It’s an opportunity for the volunteer/driver to look over and see a hero smiling and

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BY RON SCHROEDER & ARCHIE COLE III

Located in the northwest corner of Northern Michigan sits one of the most scenic areas in the State. It’s called the Jordan Valley. The Jordan River flows through this valley where it empties into Lake Charlevoix in the town of East Jordan. East Jordan has a mix of local residents and seasonal residents who enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

In 1967 the residents of East Jordan started a club called the East Jordan Sno-Mobilers. They banded together and built a modern clubhouse. With lots of hard work and business donations they purchased 30 acres of land where the club-house still sits today. The members wanted to make it a success and their hard work paid off. The club grew very fast. This was made possible by one of the founding fathers, Tom Galmore.

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They recruited members from all over the State. By 1969 they were ready to hold their first legislative ride to promote the area. The Safari Ride through the Jordan Valley was a huge success. Other Clubs, like the Kalkaska Club, drove over 40 miles to attend both the ride and the dinner held for the legislators and their families.

Over the years, the club and its members held lots of events, including a grass drag on July 10th of 1969 with over 5,000 in attendance! In addition, there were several oval track races held for many years. They were also the first to teach snowmobile safety classes to kids using snowmobiles.

On the East Jordan property, a decision was made to purchase a chalet style log home from Boyne Falls Log Homes. The log home was leased to the MISA, the organization representing snowmobilers in Michigan. It was at this point in time that the other state organizations decided to join together and form the Michigan Snowmobile Association. The MSA sponsored the first leg of the East Jordan Sno-Mobilers 1st annual Snofari Ride. Ever since that time, the MSA and the East Jordan Club have worked hand in hand to create snowmobiling as a positive family sport. Because of their love of the U.P. they de-cided to use funds to purchase land in Grand Marais, Michigan. They built a second clubhouse just south of town. On land diagonally located from the current groomer barn.

Since the 1960’s a lot of Clubs have come and gone. However, the heart of the East Jordan Sno-Mobilers remained strong. Over the year’s lots of good people stepped up to keep this club alive.

With the advent of the Off Road Vehicle, several snowmobile club members began enjoying both as recreation. In the spring of 2018 members Tracey Johnson and Alan Kava formed an ORV Club and called it the South Arm ORV Club. Named after the South Arm of beautiful Lake Charlevoix located in East Jordan.

Because of the rise in popularity of ORVs the club took off not only from existing snowmobile club members, but from enthusiasts around the State. Our success was a group effort. Members stepped up to hold

organized rides all over the State. On these rides, all members bring dishes to pass as other member’s grill burgers and brats. New members quickly feel like old friends. In less than four years, our membership has tripled.

Due to the fact that we were mostly members of both the snowmobile as well as the ORV club and we used the same clubhouse it was a natural progression to merge into one club. So in April of 2022 we voted on and became The East Jordan Trailblazers. A name that reflects what we have been and hope to be. This merger could not have been possible without the cooperation of both Clubs who work hand in hand to make it possible.

As with any new challenge there will be hiccups. There will be trials and errors. There will need to be adjustments. But as history shows, in the end the positives far outweigh the negatives.

One of our goals is to create an ORV trail from the Clubhouse to be used to attract Motorized Recreational enthusi-asts from all over the State. This will not only assist the local businesses, but will create a need for new business opportuni-ties. Currently we are well on our way toward the development of this trail. The ORV trail would give us year round Motor-ized Recreational opportunities. If you would like to be a part of this historic undertaking, go to our East Jordan Trailblazers Face Book page to apply for membership.

For over 50 years, our Club has been responsible for grooming the Jordan Valley Snowmobile trail system. The trail crosses our property and offers snowmobilers and locals the choice to stop in on Sundays for the best breakfast deal in the north. We’ve been serving breakfast for over 50 years, every Sunday from December 1st to the last weekend in March.

In closing I’d like to once again recognize those that came before us on behalf of both organizations. Their efforts are what caused us to be forever linked. To think it all started in a little log cabin in the Jordan Valley 56 years ago. •

Keweenaw ATV Club

Powers into 2023 Riding Season

JESSE WIEDERHOLD, VISIT KEWEENAW PUBLIC RELATIONS/EVENTS COORDINATOR

The pinnacle of a Keweenaw ORV adventure – parking at High Rock Bay and hearing the waves crash around you.

Sometimes you need four-wheel drive, ground clearance and the grip of an all-terrain vehicle to access your favorite parts of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Up here, 180 miles of ORV trails run through beautiful vistas, along rocky cliffs and snake through thick forests. It’s just you, the trees and the hum of your machine when you ride through the Keweenaw.

Unlike other destinations lucky enough to support ORV riding, the Keweenaw’s offroad trails run heavily on privately owned land.

A key purchase by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2022 secured over 32,000 acres in the northern half of the Keweenaw for public use. Earlier in 2022 – some worried the trails and land may be lost. But, when buying the parcel, TNC also gained rights to the trails, historical structures and minerals on the land. To the joy of riders, TNC was pro-trails and they’re staying open.

Though, riders and ORV enthusiasts can thank the Keweenaw ATV Club that riding has been made possible for almost three decades. The club works arduously in season and out to solidify and negotiate land contracts with owners to keep agreements current.

Keweenaw

ATV Club Trails

Coordinator Michael McMahon says he saw a need for the club just before the year 2000.

“I worked for the land company up here that we have most of our trails on and we could see that the trails were going to start disappearing if we didn’t do something,” said McMahon. “So we created a club.”

In 2004, the club became a 501C3 nonprofit. Since then, it’s held a membership, worked to maintain land contracts and has projects in store for this year. One is repairing a trail dubbed “Montreal Meadows.” The trail floods often and is in rough shape.

“The trail needs engineering,” said McMahon. “We have an estimate on engineering right now to be able to raise that trail [and] because it’s in wetlands you have to go through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. It’s our main trail and we fixed half of it last year. We’ll finish filling potholes in the summer so the trail doesn’t disappear basically on us.”

Another major project is the restoration of a trail from Lake Linden to Gay, or ATV Trail “BD”. This, as well as trail “B” both lead north toward Calumet and Laurium. The club secured about $8.5 million in state funding working with U.P. politicians like Representative Greg Markkanen and Senator

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|

VISIT KEWEENAW

VISIT KEWEENAW

Ride north to experience stunning trails and inland lakes from a new perspective

continued from page 15 Ed McBroom. The trail was heavily damaged during the western U.P. “Father’s Day Flood” in 2018. The DNR blocked off the trail on March 10 and began construction the following week.

“Our club, according to the DNR, is the biggest spender in the state,” said Daryl St. John, Keweenaw ATV Club president. “From Eagle Harbor going west, it’s all sand and roots sticking up. We’re going to gravel that this year. That’s around $45,000. Last year [we spent] about $155,000.”

Funding for the Keweenaw ATV Club comes in the form of ORV sticker purchases through the DNR,

membership dues, and state-funded grants. Which can also come from the DNR.

“A lot of people up here say – oh $36 for stickers and it all goes downstate,” said St. John. “No, downstate send their money up here. Even the DNR said down there they got clubs and most of their trails are on state or federal land and the forest service takes care of most of it.”

However, he adds that the Keweenaw club has a good relationship with the DNR and grants can sometimes fund the entirety of trail-related infrastructure projects. Though, that’s not the case for diesel fuel.

“Most peoples’ equipment runs on diesel, ours runs on donations,” said St. John. “We can’t use grant money for it. Diesel is club funded. We need to clarify the paperwork where we can get some mileage out of the DNR for grating. We just have to turn in a mileage book or something.”

Many members and volunteers have been in the club for almost 20 years. St. John says it’s been difficult to get young folks interested in lending a hand or buying a membership.

“We need younger members,” said St. John. “We were re-decking a bridge across the Gratiot River with a group from the club and they’re working on

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Bring your whole crew for a ride-out, they’ll thank you for the invitation

Slow down and enjoy the view

Feel more connected with your loves ones and your machine as you traverse through the Keweenaw on four rugged wheels

VISIT KEWEENAW

VISIT KEWEENAW VISIT KEWEENAW

With 180 miles of trails, you’re likely going to want to stay a while. Or, come back!

the hand rails. Mike (McMahon) turned to me and says, do you realize we’re the youngest guys out here?”

Roughly, there’s 240 members in the club, down from a historic high of over 300 members. The club has 45 sponsors this year, down 10 from previous years.

“So many just take it for granted,” said St. John. “They see the trails there, the signs are up, they don’t know what the effort is to maintain that trail. A lot of people think it’s the DNR that does all this.”

St. John says there’s a few ways to get involved this year.

Firstly, membership numbers matter. St. John says the DNR is more likely to give out larger funding to larger clubs. Wherever you are, if you ride – consider joining your local club. Additionally, people can “Adopt-ATrail” in the Keweenaw similar to Michigan’s “Adopt-AHighway.”

“Join and show up at the meetings,” added St. John. “Put in your two cents, your advice and tell us what we’re doing. Wrong or whatever. We can’t monitor 180 miles of trails every year on our own.”

At the end of the day, the Keweenaw ATV Club wants visitors to have the best experience on the Keweenaw trails and to enjoy local dining, drinks and businesses.

“They don’t have to be on the trail, they don’t have to be a bar hosting sledders or ATV riders,” said St. John. “Every business around here benefits from the trails just from the tourist money that comes up here. I’m not just saying ATVs or snowmobiles. You must understand that from the hikers, the bikers, people that come up sail boating – I don’t care. They come up here, they spend money and that money circulates through the community.”

Remember to ride within your ability and be responsible on your machine. ORVs are a powerful tool to explore and view places you can’t get to on foot. If you’re looking to adventure north and take a beautiful ride through the Copper Country, consider making it to the Keweenaw. For more information on the area and for ORV trail maps, go to www.visitkeweenaw.com. •

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If you’re looking for a weekend getaway where you can leave the everyday hustle and bustle behind, mark your calendar and book your Keweenaw reservations today

VISIT KEWEENAW

VISIT KEWEENAW

2023 SEADOO SWITCH SPORT PONTOON

Grayling

The Perfect Destination for ORV Enthusiasts

BY KIM KISNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The first settler landed in Grayling in the early 1900s. It is said that the city was originally called Crawford, but the residents preferred the name Grayling given the many graylings swimming in the river, so they changed it.

Grayling’s access to two major rivers - AuSable River and Manistee Riverand the presence of the vast forest around it make it an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Thousands visit the area for biking, fishing, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking during the summer months. And if you enjoy ORVs, the area is definitely for you!

Grayling has hundreds of miles of ORV trails perfect for any rider, experienced or novice.

With an ORV Ordinance in Crawford County that opens the shoulders of some county roads to ORV traffic, a connected trail system is available that leads into Kalkaska County. The Frederic Loop ORV Trail is 29 miles long and open to ORVs less than 50 inches in width. Taking Cameron Bridge Road according to the ordinance, the Frederic Trail system connects to the Kalkaska system with 150 miles available.

The Kalkaska trail is mostly sand and rock with rolling hills. There are looped sections and several loop options.

The Frederic Trail runs from the trailhead off M-72 and heads north to the trailhead off County Road 6-12.

You can ride for days in the area and if you are into fly fishing this is the spot. The area is world-renowned for trout. Early June is best for ATV and fishing due to the weather and the spinner hatch.

WHERE TO DINE AND DRINK

After you work up a thirst and appetite from riding and possibly fishing, there are lots of options for great food and drinks. There are several breweries in the area and, in fact, the city has a Brew Zone that allows open alcohol, so you can grab a beer and walk to the next place as you quench your thirst.

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If you’re in the mood for a juicy burger, you can’t go wrong with Spikes Keg ‘O’ Nails famous Spikeburger. This family-friendly restaurant has something tasty on the menu for everyone to love, with burgers, sandwiches, Mexican food, desserts, and even a kid’s menu.

For Barbeque check out Ray’s BBQ, Brews, and Blues and enjoy great service and top-notch food.

For pizza and breadsticks hit the Bear’s Den Pizzeria or have it delivered!

Dead Bear Brewing Co. is a cozy spot that serves a full menu of food including small plates, entrees,

burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, desserts, and daily specials. With 21 beers on tap, including their own craft beer, a full bar, and live music on the weekends, it’s no wonder the place is so popular for locals as well as out-of-towners.

And if you love a great breakfast, Grayling Restaurant is where the locals eat. Since 1937, Grayling Restaurant has been serving homestyle food with a smile. Try the Lumberjack Breakfast and you won’t be disappointed.

WHERE TO STAY

Enjoy privacy in a quiet, wooded setting at the Woodland Motor

Lodge . With quality rooms at reasonable rates, outdoor cooking, a firepit, and jacuzzi suites available, this is a great place to spend your time relaxing when you are off the trails.

9 Oaks Inn is located five miles south of Grayling, nine miles northwest of Roscommon and 4 miles from the north end of beautiful Higgins Lake, in a rural area of Crawford County. Eight updated rooms are always clean with Wi-Fi and HBO television.  Borcher’s Bed & Breakfast is Grayling’s first Bed & Breakfast. With four guest rooms in a beautiful setting, family-style

Grayling & Crawford County

FREE Maps!

grayling-mi.com

breakfast, and open all year you can’t go wrong.

On the banks of the AuSable River, seven miles east of Grayling sits the Gates AuSable Lodge which has 16 attractive motel rooms each with a river view. Private dining room featuring homemade soups, breads, pies and dinner specials make it a slam dunk.

There are several other hotel and motel and cabin options in the area as well.

THINGS TO DO

Take a day off from hitting the trails and hit the links at Forest Dunes Golf Course or the Patriot Golf Course. If you face inclement weather, head inside and play 18 at Out of Bounds Indoor Golf.

Take a walk and take advantage of beautiful nature at Hartwick Pines State Park or head to Borchers

Canoe and Kayak Rental and take a spin on the AuSable River! Or check out the Rialto Theater for a movie! This legendary theater has been owned and operated by the same family for over 100 years.

Grayling is also known for Kirtland Warbler Tours in June. These beautiful feathered friends recently came off of the national endangered species list and hit Grayling during their annual migration. Grayling truly has something for everyone and a lot for ORV enthusiasts. Book your trip today! •

A Secluded Northern Retreat

Northern Glory Landing is a 9-unit vacation rental facility located in White Cloud, Michigan. It is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the great outdoors and all that northern Michigan has to offer. The property is located on 450 feet of private lake front on Diamond Lake. There are several docks for watercraft on the lake, as well as firepits, a basketball court, a volleyball net, a swingset, a pavilion, horseshoes, sandy beach, picnic tables and more.

The units at Northern Glory Landing are all fully furnished and include a kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathroom. Each unit also has a private screened porch

and patio with a view of the lake. We are located in the Manistee National Forest and there are many trails nearby.

Northern Glory Landing is the perfect place to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. The property is located in the heart of Michigan’s snowmobile country. There are also several golf courses, trailheads, and fishing spots nearby. In the winter, you can go snowmobiling, hunting, cross-country skiing, or ice fishing; and Caberfae Peaks ski resort is just over an hour and a half away. In the summer, you can go swimming, boating, hunting, fishing, or hiking.

Northern Glory Landing is the perfect place to relax and enjoy

the great outdoors. The property is located in a beautiful setting and has a variety of amenities to make your stay enjoyable. Whether you’re looking for a winter getaway or a summer vacation, Northern Glory Landing is the perfect place for you. We are the Meyers family and we purchased Northern Glory Landing in 2022. We see it as a miracle that God made possible in our lives. We have a vision for this place and we are excited to bring it to the world! We partnered with the Ripley family shortly after purchasing to implement our plan.Together, we operate Northern Glory Landing.

We have owned Northern Glory Landing for over just over one year.

We put great care in the renovations and improvements we have made as we begin the long awaited and desperately needed restoration process.

We take great pride in providing our guests with a comfortable and enjoyable stay. We are committed to making your vacation as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. We hope you will consider Northern Glory Landing for your next vacation, getaway, hunting trip, snowmobiling trip, or next great adventure! Here are some of the activities you can enjoy near Northern Glory Landing:

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Snowmobiling: Michigan is known for its world-class snowmobile trails. There are over 12,000 miles of trails in the state, and many of them are located near Northern Glory Landing. You can rent snowmobiles from several local businesses.

Hunting: If you are looking for a good hunting state, Michigan is a great option. With its abundant game populations, variety of hunting opportunities,

and public hunting areas, Michigan has something to offer every hunter.

Boating: You can use the kayaks, paddle boats, and row boats provided by Northern Glory Landing. Or you can rent power boats and other watercraft from several local businesses.

Cross-country skiing: There are also many miles of cross-country ski trails near Northern Glory Landing.

Ice fishing: Ice fishing is

a popular winter activity in Michigan. There are many places to go ice fishing near Northern Glory Landing. You can purchase ice fishing gear from several local businesses.

Fishing: You can fish in Diamond Lake. You can purchase fishing licenses and buy fishing gear from several local businesses.

Golfing: There are several golf courses located near Northern Glory Landing.

Hiking: There are several hiking trails located near Northern Glory Landing. You can purchase trail maps from several local businesses.

Biking: There are several biking trails located near Northern Glory Landing. You can rent bikes from several local businesses.

Swimming: You can swim in Diamond Lake at Northern Glory Landing.

Water skiing: You can water ski on Diamond Lake. You can rent water skis from several local businesses.

Wakeboarding: You can wakeboard on Diamond Lake. You can rent wakeboards from several local businesses.

Skiing: There are several ski resorts located a few hours around Northern Glory Landing.

We hope you will consider Northern Glory Landing for your next vacation. We are confident that you will have a wonderful time and make many memories that will last a lifetime. •

Kalkaska County Sand and Snow Plays Well with Others

conquer the challenge.

In April 2020, Kalkaska County Sand and Snow (KCSAS) was born! A club where anyone with a motorized vehicle was welcome. We became an organization where all toys could play together in the sand and in the snow.

The members of Kalkaska County Snowmobile Association knew that times were changing. It became obvious that another motorsport was quickly immerging on the trail scene. In 2017, KCSA realized a new challenge, how-to live-in harmony with both snow machines and dirt vehicles. Change brings opposition because of the unknown. At that time, KCSA had members who were a part of the founding organization who were diehard snowmobilers.

We also had new members with young families that wanted to ride all year round. When we sent out a

survey, we found that a substantial percentage of our members owned both snowmobiles and ORV’s. Our meeting discussions involved questions. Will the ORV’s tear up the snowmobile trails? How would the money be handled? Who would be allowed to join?

The Board of Directors were tasked with researching what a dual club would look like and to make a recommendation to the club members. The Board’s presentation showed that with a few language changes to our Bylaws, a name change with the government and a new T-shirt logo, KCSA could

To begin the process of becoming a dual club, KCSAS developed a common mission and goals to move us toward being one of the bestknown trail systems in Michigan. Our mission statement needed to address the basis for our nonprofit classification, Michigan 501 C7. This classification supports nonprofit organizations that are classified as social organizations. Equally important, we have been a State Grant Sponsor through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for both the snowmobile and the ORV programs. This is how we have become a trail system that is recognized for having well-groomed

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” this Michigan sports club has figured out how to pull their members together to make a more inclusive membership.

BY TERRI NOREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

and graded trails. These trails need year-round maintenance so that motorized trail enthusiasts can travel safely and enjoy the sports that they have a passion for. With all of this in mind, KCSAS decided on this mission statement: To maintain and grow a recreational trail system beneficial to the community and those who visit, while providing camaraderie and social opportunities for all who share the passion of motorsports.

The trails are the heart of our organization. The safety and well-being of our community as well as our guests is foremost. This could not happen without a dedicated group of individuals, that came together with various expertise’s to form a team. A successful club must look at their members’ strengths and tap into their talents. Some members make the best cookies! Some know how to plan great fundraisers; others know about community politics and finances. Then you have the people that are experts in trail maintenance and equipment repair. To thrive, a club needs commercial members who are willing to support your cause. It is our belief that, “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.”

The Kalkaska County Sand and Snow teams grade 92.5 miles of ORV trails. Our trails are in Kalkaska

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continued from page 29 County Michigan. Locally they are known as the Blue Bear and the Cranberry trails. On the state map, they are trails 76, 79, 791, 679. Riders can park and enter the trails at the M72 parking lot trailhead or at the Starvation Lake parking lot trailhead. Both trailheads are east of the village of Kalkaska. We have two teams of grader operators that maintain the trails. The Blue Bear team grades to the north of M72 and the Cranberry team grades to the south of M72. They share a John Deere 8120T with tracks and an old, modified snow drag that is only used in the dirt. The club purchased the John Deere in 2012 when it was written out of the snow program.

Our trails are a minimum of 10 feet wide. We brush the trails 12 feet high and 12 feet wide. We grade all the 72-inch routes in Kalkaska County. We do not grade the 50-inch or 24-inch trails. Due to the dramatic increase in the ORV community and the explosion of side-by-sides, we now grade 40 to 50 hours every other week. We also grade just before and after a holiday. This is a drastic change from our old schedule where we would grade four times a season. At that time, it would take 15 to 20 hours to get the job done. Most of the increased time is spent on pulling the dirt back into the curves and flatting them out. Some riders enjoy the high banks, but our job is to make the trails safe for everyone at every ability level. By keeping up with the trail grading, we also keep them in shape for the snow season.

Every fall and again in the spring, many volunteers make sure the trails are cleared of brush, branches and trees that may cause harm to riders on the trails. Between the graders/ groomers and the riders themselves, we are quick to remove debris daily all year long. Last fall, we recorded over 100 hours of brushing.

Then there is the social part of Kalkaska County Sand and Snow. We have 300 dues paying members in our club. Members can join our club easily, by going to our website, kalkaskacountysandandsnow.org. We have members from all over the United States. In addition to our paying members, we have 4,772 Facebook members.

KCSAS holds events all year. We have “Meet and Greets” at commercial members’ establishments. Club members introduce themselves to trail riders. We educate riders about trail safety, tell them about our club, and share free food and conversation. KCSAS holds club rides. We vary them by having day rides, night rides, joint rides with other clubs, and memberonly rides. Twice a year we hold a fun run. The public is invited to play card games and gather for delicious smoked ribs dinners. Once a year, at Christmas time, the club picks a community project to help fulfill a need in Kalkaska County.

An important part of our club’s success comes from the help that we get from our commercial members. The businesses in Kalkaska County are very generous when it comes to

helping us raise funds for projects. We have three businesses near our trails. Two of the businesses are on Starvation Lake Road near the Starvation Lake Trailhead. The Starvation Lake Corner Store is a gas station and convenience store. They support us by providing a space for us to have Meet and Greets. They also are kind enough to provide hot dogs for our concession stands. The Hideaway Bar and Grill is about a quarter mile away from the store. They host events where the proceeds are donated to Kalkaska County Sand and Snow. They also provide free pizza for volunteers that work brushing the trails each fall. The Bear Lake Inn is located near the M72 parking lot. They also sponsor many events where the proceeds are donated to KCSAS. The owners of Bear Lake Inn also feed the volunteers that help with brushing the trails. When visiting our trails, be sure to patronize these businesses. You can find a full list of businesses that support KCSAS on our website.

If your passion includes motorsports, dirt trails, and fun with friends, then set your GPS for Kalkaska Michigan. Book a room at the All-Seasons Resort (855-797-6733) mention Kalkaska County Sand and Snow to receive a 10% discount. Check for information about the club’s events at kalkaskacountysandandsnow.org or reach out to us by email at info@ kalkaskacountysandandsnow.org. We would love to welcome you to our playground. •