Frederic has been calm and quiet all day like I figured it would be. There has been light snow in the air most of the day and I would say we have had about half an inch but I havent seen or heard any sleds. I want to talk about a couple things before I go on to the story about my ride up north. First of all 4 deaths this past weekend that I know of and the fatality count has jumped to 22. No one likes to see that. Secondly the police and the train had their sting set up here in frederic this past weekend again. Even though everyone should know to stay away from the tracks they bring in a train engine with state police on board and stop the train and nab riders and ticket them. They are setting a trap for unsuspecting riders. Instead of trying to write people up why dont they put some signage up near the tracks. I have talked about this before about the way that the trail comes from Gaylord and then at Hulbert road if the trail was to continue from there it switches to the other side of the tracks, but of course there are no signs. This is not a good situation and I would like to see it change.I left a message with the sheriff so I will keep you posted….Now on to the weekend ride I was on. There were 9 of us all bunked in at Redz Wolf Inn just south of Pine Stump Junction. What a great time we had. Lots of bunk beds in the place and just a big snowmobile camp. I left frederic saturday morning about 5 and headed off to seney in my truck to stop and see Don at Fox River who was getting ready for the Vets ride that he said they had 264 sleds registered for. I headed out from there and went and met up at the camp with everyone. We got our sled ready and headed out and rode to Seney where we stopped at Andys for lunch. Along the way several of the ten groups of 25 or so riders for the Vets ride passed us along the trails, all of them flying small american flags on the back of their sleds. After lunch we were off to the loop trails heading to Grand Marais. Of course all along the way I was taking video, we gassed up and went to Lake Superior Brewing company and after being there a while we headed off towards pine stump. About 10 miles from Grand Marais I realized my video camera was gone. I last used it in the parking lot at the brewery, dont know if I left it on the dash of my sled or if it fell out of my pocket. I went back looking but didnt find it, I was hoping someone picked it up and turned it in but so far nothing….Its a small silver aiptek camera…the guys waited for me and when I got back they were all laying in the snow just waiting on me…trails were great all day saturday but from grand marais to pine stump was a little bumpy in spots. Sunday we headed into Newberry where we had lunch at timber charlies and then off towards paradise. Great trails then I noticed my cooler was missing out of my rack, that was thanks to a very bumpy trail 9 into newberry. We were 20 miles past newberry when I noticed that missing so we just kept going and made it to taquamenon falls to camp 33 brewerey at the falls. After a while there we were back on the trail heading to pine stump. One of the guys new some great back roads that got us that way a little sooner. It was almost 10 when we got to pine stump and Deborah that works there was just ready to close. Well we held her and her husband Scott up a few hours as we were only a couple miles from where we were staying. She made us a darn good pizza and our entertainment was watching the snow on the roof out front trying to crush one of the entrance doors as it was creaking and groaning with the 3 feet of snow on the roof. I actually watched board pop off of the side because of the wieght. It was snowing nice and hard too while we were there. First thing monday morning I drove back up there to see what had happened and all the snow had slid off the roof and buried the front and there was still alot of snow up behind the porch with the snowmobile on it and it was getting pushed out by all that wieght, who know what has happened by now. I am putting a link to the video I made with pictures I took with my other camera and you can see what I mean about the roof. On monday morning most everyone was packing up to head home but a few of the guys are staying all week…wish I could do that. We rode down to newberry for breakfast and only about a half mile from where I last saw my cooler I saw all the stuff that was in my cooler along the trail. Whoever found my cooler took that but left everything else. I had 4 diet pepsis in there along with some sledheads signs and my sledheads hat along with some wrappers from lunch the day before…well at least I got that stuff back…sure wish my blue cooler would turn up with my video camera in it…..All in all it was a great trip and I got to make a bunch of new friends as I hadnt met only a couple of the guys before but most of them have been to the shop here or read my site….I am very glad they invited me…..and I am ready to do it again. Here is a link to the video I made and a few pictures…..I had music in it but because it was a copywrited lynrd skynrd song they muted it….oh well its 2 minutes of silence now….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-06OpUrQJGc&feature=youtu.be
