Lack of snow doesn't stop snowmobile show
Snowmobile enthusiasts didn't need snow to find a way to enjoy their hobby Sunday.
A group gathered in Cook Memorial Park Sunday for the 4th Annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride & Show.
“These are what we call vintage snowmobiles. They are older snowmobiles that have been saved through the years,” said event organizer John Lindberg of Wauconda, who owns four vintage snowmobiles.
Among the oldest on display was a 1969 Polaris Voyager, with a white body, red seats and blue skis.
When asked about the difference between today's snowmobiles and the vintage ones, Lindberg said, “They're a lot more basic. You can work on them yourself.”
Like today's cars, he said, today's snowmobiles contain advanced electronics.
There was more show than ride this year, due to the unseasonably warm weather and absence of snow.
“We were here a year ago when we had plenty of snow. We had a nice ride. But this year it was a little different,” Lindberg said.
Riders have found alternative locations to ride this season, including northern Wisconsin or Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Those who attended the show included both racers and trail riders.
Howard Marunde of Wonder Lake, the owner of the Voyager, said it has the original features, including an electric starter, which came standard, and a cable, instead of a hydraulic brake.
“It's got a wide track, which is very unique,” he said. “It's a 30-inch-wide track. These are some of the only sleds that came with a 30-inch-wide track.”
That track, which propels the snowmobile, was the reason the vehicle was called the “Super Voyager.” Most snowmobiles only go through so much snow, but with the wide track, it has more flotation and stays on top of the snow better.
He said it was used as a utlity-type snowmobile, built for towing logs out of the woods and hauling rescue sleds.
Marunde said he favors Polaris vehicles, an affection that dates back to his first one in 1971.
A newer model was on display, courtesy of Fox Lake resident Jason O'Connell: a 1995 Yamaha V Max 4800.
“This one has got four cylinders. It has got about 150 horsepower. And it does about 120-130 miles an hour,” he said.
A friend added, “This has as much horsepower as a Honda Civic.”
At the end of the show, the People's Choice Award went to Long Grove resident Rich Lafnitzegger for his yellow 1972 TNT Ski-Doo 775, a machine as low, handsome and sleek as a Lomborghini.
“This was the biggest motor made in 1992, a 65-horsepower 775. It was kind of the Hemi Cuda of the time. It's a very rare sled. They didn't make very many of these.”
Its unique features include chrome skis and shock absorbers, and had twice the horsepower of most sleds in that time.
When asked what he enjoys about snowmobiling, he said, “The bonding with friends. That's probably the biggest thing about it. A lot of nice people, a lot of friendly people. If you like riding vehicles that accelerate quickly, they're great for that.”
He also enjoys “the freedom of just cruising through the trails and the trees. And a lot of trails are very wide. It's not dangerous, unless you go excessively fast. You have the varying terrain. You go on a lake. It's wide open. You go as fast as you want. You go through the woods. That's fun. The kids love it. It's a great family sport.”