From the Vice President

From the MnUSA Vice President See You Out There!

Tim Heinen

Hello fellow snowmobilers. I want to thank all of you for this honored position of VP for MnUSA.

When I was a paperboy in Waconia, delivering the afternoon edition of the Minneapolis Star (anybody remember that?), there was a contest to see which carriers could sell the most new subscriptions, and the winners could win a free weekend, packed with fun. One of the items was to go riding on a snowmobile. That was the first time I drove a snowmobile. I don’t remember where the event took place, but I remember driving the machine around a 1-mile course. I did this several times.

Later that year my older brothers each bought their own snowmobile—a Polaris and an Arctic Cat. It was January 1970. When they were not home, I would look around and find the key for the ’69 Polaris Mustang. I would sit there pulling on the cord to get it started and it just wouldn’t start. I had to go to the back of the sled where the fuel tank was, remove the cap and blow hard to get fuel up to the carb. About 15 to 20 minutes later I got it running. I only drove it around the house, of course, getting it stuck as I went down the snowbank on the driveway and couldn’t make it up the other side. (Back then we had snow, lots of snow). Once the sled was freed, I went around again, only this time when I came to the driveway snowbanks, I “gunned it.” Well, the sled went into the air, and I went flying off. No damage, just my pride, as the neighbors were watching. Unfortunately, both sleds were burnt up in a barn fire during summer storage. One brother bought a new ’71 Puma with the insurance money. Then in 1972, I bought my brother’s ’71 Puma, and from there I continued on with sledding. (Yes, Mark A. I did drive Arctic Cat).

To say the least, when I started to drive sleds there was not a trail system in place. A few of the local men and women would blaze a trail and the rest would just follow those trails through the season.

It seems that mentality has carried over, even though we have a marked trail system now. If there are tracks off the trail, people will follow them. Today we call that “TRESPASSING.” It seems to be getting worse.

The Fall Workshop was just held in Fairmount, Minn. There was much to discuss and there is a lot that needs to go to legislation. Great seminars were given, and great story telling was going on. Importantly, this is the start of our new season. Clubs will be starting work on their trails. I know our club is out there prepping trails as I write this, and soon we will be signing the trails. Don’t forget to put up plenty of “No Trespassing” signs along with “Snowmobile Only” signs—a lot of them. Also, please install the trail markers so if I am standing at one marker, I can see the other marker. I don’t have the eyesight of an eagle, so let’s bring the markers closer together, as this helps keep people from wandering off trail.

It is also time for clubs to go over their groomer and drag equipment with a fine-tooth comb. Nothing is more frustrating than to have your groomer break down. With that said, fellow members, you need to pull that sled out of storage and you need to go over it carefully—from the tip of that ski all the way back to the edge of that snow flap. (I almost said mudflap; so wrong).

With that said, Scott would always say, “Keep the sled track side down,” but I will say, “Keep the throttle loose and the windshield crack free.” See you out there soon.

ISABELLA, MINNESOTA

N47° 38.813 W091° 27.250

WELCOME

ATV’S MOTORCYCLES SLEDS HUNTERS FISHERMEN

• Modern Cabins • Gas/Oil • On/Off Sale • BWCA/Canoe Outfitting

9702 Hwy. 1 Isabella, MN (218) 323-7681 www.knottedpine.com

We’re right at the intersection of Tomahawk and Yukon Trails