HUMBOLDT - The Sno-Skimmers of Humboldt County are preparing for another season and they hope winter cooperates.
"The Humboldt snowmobile club began in 1971 as a means to get together and have organized club rides," club President Brian Ricklefs, of Dakota City said.
The club exists to establish and maintain a trail system, operate a state-owned trail groomer, promote and protect the sport of snowmobiling, and assist emergency personnel during winter-time emergencies.
The club is affiliated with the state association and club members must also join the state association, Ricklefs said. The state association works very diligently at keeping the sport alive through legislation and property access laws.
"They also work very closely with the Department of Natural Resources to keep the sport safe and legal," Ricklefs said.
"Currently we aren't able to keep our trail signs installed permanently so we are working on getting signs put together and we'll go out and install them in mid-November," he said. Members have recently completed some much-needed repairs to the groomer as well.
The groomer is owned by the state and no tax dollars are involved. The DNR purchase and operate the groomers from funds received by snowmobile registrations. The local club has an agreement with the DNR to operate and maintain the groomer to make trails for public use. The club is fortunate to have a fairly new groomer in good condition. The groomer gives trail riders a smoother more consistent ride free from bumps and dips, Ricklefs said.
"We do not get paid to operate the groomer and it involves hundreds of hours of volunteer labor by our club members to operate," Ricklefs said.
"Iowa law allows you to operate your snowmobile in the right-of-way of public roads, on lakes and rivers, and in some state parks. The machine must be registered in the county where you reside. In Humboldt County, we have access to operate our snowmobiles on the Three Rivers Trail. This can be a very scenic ride but it's pretty rare to get the right conditions to facilitate riding. The established trails are recommended routes and can be groomed based upon the snow conditions," Ricklefs said.
Winter frequently doesn't cooperate.
"We complain about all the effort we put forth in preparing the trails and the fact that we can't even ride our snowmobiles. Our income is reliant upon the snowfall, however, our expenses are too. The biggest fundraiser for us in the Fun Runs that we have scheduled for the year and they require snow. Our membership roster typically suffers on a low or no-snow winter also. People don't think to join the club unless they participate in a club function," Ricklefs said.
The club is active during the rest of the year too. "We have a summer campout as a get-together for our members and their families. Our club also owns a light and timing system for drag races," Ricklefs said. The club used to hold grass drag races in September and plan to start them again in 2009.
Ricklefs. 30, has been a member of a snowmobile club for 15 years, and became an active member in the Humboldt club eight years ago.
"I grew up on a farm south of Rolfe. As a child I always enjoyed winter-time activities from riding in the sled behind the four-wheeler to downhill skiing and obviously snowmobiling. I think every kid loves winter and it typically provides the opportunities to build forts and snowmen and it can also provide an additional benefit of a few days off from school," Ricklefs said. He is president of U.S. Bank in Humboldt.
"My parents always had snowmobiles as far back as I can remember. My life of snowmobiling really took off when I got my first snowmobile in 1992. It belonged to my grandfather and I inherited it. It was a 1974 John Deere JDX6. It was a far cry from being a nice machine but we managed to get it running. After the first few rides I was hooked. I've changed sleds over the years but the passion for the sport has remained the same," Ricklefs said.
"If you have ever ridden on a marked and or groomed trail in any state you should belong to a snowmobile club," Ricklefs said. "They provide that for you and at a cost of time and money. Belonging to the snowmobile club also gives the local and state club strength in numbers when it comes to promoting and preserving our sport," he said.
The Humboldt club includes members from surrounding counties and as far away as Illinois, Ricklefs said.
"I thoroughly enjoy riding here in Iowa and have also ridden in many other parts of the country. It's pretty awesome seeing things in the winter time that you can only see on a snowmobile," Ricklefs said.
The club meets the first Monday of the month.
Larry Lenning has been a member of the Humboldt club for more than 40 years. He is the club's webmaster.
"He is a good leader for the club," he said of Ricklefs. "If you enjoy the sport of snowmobiling you need to become a member of a club. If you don't support a club you could end up with no place to ride your snowmobile," Lenning said.