Enjoy these pictures from Clear Lake, Iowa --- our Winter meeting - January 15-17, 2016
Click on individual pictures to enlarge
2016 Winter meeting at Clear Lake, Iowa --- January 15 -16th
This one didn't go off as planned. We intended to join in on the JACK races on Clear Lake in North Central Iowa. However, the warm early winter weather forced cancellation of the races. Our ASCOA Iowa Director, Aaron Kelly, went into action creating a "Plan B" for us Antique sledders. Within a week and a half, Aaron had worked with the local Chamber of Commerce and JACK Committee members to locate and secure alternative venues and activities. For example, it was the North Iowa Events Center in nearby Mason City that accommodated our Saturday membership meeting and driving events. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Aaron for pulling it all off.
Now, don't assume that winter was AWOL. The weekend featured a copious amount of cold. The northwest wind blew in from Canada and we all shivered in one of the first incursions of winter weather. I guess our blood had not yet thickened up yet, but it sure felt cold, what with Saturday afternoon temps of 2 degrees and wind. Can't blame the old machines. They all started up, and we all accommodated. For the driving events, Jerry Wanty and Howard Miller adjudicated the races from the warmth of a pickup truck. Jerry's son, Kurt, handled the flagging duties and ushered in a new generation of Wanty flagging the end of each race. We were thankful to see a coffee shop next to the racing and I for one warmed up with steaming coffee twice during the afternoon.
Another generational celebration was the Mortenson clan from Rice Minnesota. Grandpa, son and grandson all raced and enjoyed the weekend.
At the Saturday morning Membership Meeting we were introduced to new club Secretary Don Hamilton who received the long distance award, after his journey from home in Guelph Ontario, near Toronto. Some 850 miles one way! Not only that, Don brought a 1965 Sno Bug to race around on. Now, that thing drew stares from spectators and us club members alike.
At the meeting, the membership voted to award $ 7,000 to snowmobile museums. Members accepted the committee recommendation to gift $ 1,750 in unrestricted dollars each to Snowmobile Hall of Fame (St Germain, WI), Top of the Lake Museum (Naubinway, MI), West Michigan Snowmobile Museum & Library (Sand Lake, MI) and World Snowmobile Headquarters (Eagle River, WI)
For many in Clear Lake, the highlight was the venue for our Saturday night banquet. We were welcomed to the historic Surf Ballroom -- known as the last place where Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens performed before a tragic plane crash later that night. The pictures and memorabilia on the walls tell of a historic Rock & Roll landmark that has been jumping since 1948. Truly impressive, most of us spent the evening looking at the pictures and reading the stories.
This one didn't go off as planned. We intended to join in on the JACK races on Clear Lake in North Central Iowa. However, the warm early winter weather forced cancellation of the races. Our ASCOA Iowa Director, Aaron Kelly, went into action creating a "Plan B" for us Antique sledders. Within a week and a half, Aaron had worked with the local Chamber of Commerce and JACK Committee members to locate and secure alternative venues and activities. For example, it was the North Iowa Events Center in nearby Mason City that accommodated our Saturday membership meeting and driving events. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Aaron for pulling it all off.
Now, don't assume that winter was AWOL. The weekend featured a copious amount of cold. The northwest wind blew in from Canada and we all shivered in one of the first incursions of winter weather. I guess our blood had not yet thickened up yet, but it sure felt cold, what with Saturday afternoon temps of 2 degrees and wind. Can't blame the old machines. They all started up, and we all accommodated. For the driving events, Jerry Wanty and Howard Miller adjudicated the races from the warmth of a pickup truck. Jerry's son, Kurt, handled the flagging duties and ushered in a new generation of Wanty flagging the end of each race. We were thankful to see a coffee shop next to the racing and I for one warmed up with steaming coffee twice during the afternoon.
Another generational celebration was the Mortenson clan from Rice Minnesota. Grandpa, son and grandson all raced and enjoyed the weekend.
At the Saturday morning Membership Meeting we were introduced to new club Secretary Don Hamilton who received the long distance award, after his journey from home in Guelph Ontario, near Toronto. Some 850 miles one way! Not only that, Don brought a 1965 Sno Bug to race around on. Now, that thing drew stares from spectators and us club members alike.
At the meeting, the membership voted to award $ 7,000 to snowmobile museums. Members accepted the committee recommendation to gift $ 1,750 in unrestricted dollars each to Snowmobile Hall of Fame (St Germain, WI), Top of the Lake Museum (Naubinway, MI), West Michigan Snowmobile Museum & Library (Sand Lake, MI) and World Snowmobile Headquarters (Eagle River, WI)
For many in Clear Lake, the highlight was the venue for our Saturday night banquet. We were welcomed to the historic Surf Ballroom -- known as the last place where Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens performed before a tragic plane crash later that night. The pictures and memorabilia on the walls tell of a historic Rock & Roll landmark that has been jumping since 1948. Truly impressive, most of us spent the evening looking at the pictures and reading the stories.