Vintage News
Vintage Event Inspires 500-Mile Ride
by Joel Kunz
With 31 years of bringing the love of the antique and vintage snowmobiles to the masses, and last year’s cancellation in the rearview mirror, the Midwest Ride-In, is “fired up” for the 50th Anniversary of the production of John Deere snowmobiles. So yes, it is definitely the “Year of the Deere”—the last weekend of the month, January 28 through the 30 at the ERX Park in Elk River, Minnesota. Snowmobile enthusiasts from across the country (and world) will gather to enjoy all that is the Ride-In, trail ride, judged show, brand specific displays, memorabilia sales, racing from Kids Pro Ice to the One Lunger sleds, silent auction, live auction. The activities begin at 8 a.m. on Friday; the start time was moved up four hours for four more hours of fun! The ever-popular swap meet will be expanded and close to the truck track this year. Don’t worry, attendees will get a map this year upon arrival to help navigate the roughly 500 acres of the park. Remember, this is a snowmobile event, so bring your sled for traversing the area. Plus, the people movers will be running all day to help you get to where you want to be. The silent auction will be in the big grey building again this year, along with memorabilia sales. Hot and cold beverages will be served, so make sure to stop by the chalet. Food will also be available including some tasty pork chops from the Elk River Easy Riders, the local snowmobile club. It has been expanded this year to two locations—the back parking lot of the big grey building and at the chalet. Saturday is a big day, with the swap meeting continuing, and the best part of the Midwest Ride-In—the Memorial Jack Speckel Trail Ride. The new improved trail ride starts at 11 a.m. There will be no crossing traffic this year, as it will start in the truck track next to the swap meet, and there will
be more fun at the pitstop with food trucks and refreshment options. Kids Pro Ice, hot laps start in the morning, and the one-lunger races start later in the day in the sno-cross track. Again, there will be memorabilia for sale, a silent auction, displays of sleds and a vendor or two, all in the big grey building all day. On Sunday, we round out the weekend with the big judged show, more Kids Pro Ice, more one-lunger, and the last of the swap. This is not just a big event; this is the event when it comes to anything and everything related to the antique and vintage hobby. Thank you to all the volunteers that make this event happen, helping the local snowmobile clubs, but also helping the other clubs that make the trip to volunteer. Without you there would not be an event. The Kids Pro Ice Midwest Championship will be held on Saturday and Sunday. Kids Pro Ice Racing is a non-profit
Sunday’s Judged Show 20
Minnesota Snowmobiling
