Last night, we in the Midwest turned our clocks forward one hour, which to me is the first of several signs of spring to come. It’s the beginning of what I call the Spring Motorsports Equinox, which is our transition from snowmobiling to motorcycling. March is the month we really get Spring Fever. As much as we love our sleds, we long to feel the wind on a hot summer day as we speed down country roads on our bikes.
Yesterday, we attended one of the last snowmobile events of the year, the 5th Annual Snowmobile Hill Climb at Mt. Brighton, in Brighton, MI. With the recent rain and relatively mild temps, I was afraid it might be cancelled, but 24” base at the ski hill held up just fine. Upon arrival, we turned into a very full parking lot and headed for the slopes after getting wristbands.
Two hills were open for racing, one with two jumps! We made our way through the mud and deep slushy snow to the sidelines, keeping an eye out for sled traffic making their way to the starting gate. Arriving at an open spot along the sidelines, we waited for the next group of four sleds as they lined up and waited for the Christmas tree. The chairlifts hung motionless in the icy winds, having done their job for the season. The aroma of racing fuel hung in the air, and we exchanged smiles.
Note to self, for next season I must find thin, warm gloves for my winter photo adventures. My knit gloves I had on offered little protection from the frigid wind, and were numb within minutes. After adjusting settings and taking a few practice shots, I was able to get multiple photos from both hills, and after a while we headed to the lodge to warm up. The lodge was pretty full, and on this end, held more racers and spectators than skiers and snowboarders, who had the slopes on the far end. The entire wall facing the slopes was all window, and provided a great view of the festivities while we warmed up and enjoyed music from a live, local entertainer, one guy and his guitar. I changed lenses and we were back out into the frosty air.
The far slope on the left was busier, so we headed in that direction to line up at the fence with the other spectators. Pair after pair, the sleds zoomed up the snow covered hill leaving a spray of snow in their wake. I got an up close shot with my 200m lens of the guy in the blue, and was mortified to see that he had not only wet pant legs, but bare hands on this frigid day. The wind had kicked up, continually knocking over a heavy sign that was propped up against one of the pieces of snow making equipment. We perked up when they announced the vintage class, but it consisted of only one race, a Yamaha SRX and an Arctic Cat El Tigre, both appearing to be late 70s models. It was nearing the end of the day, and I looked forward to warming up on the ride home. Check your local ski hills in March for snowmobiling events! It’s near the end of the season, and they typically host events such as a hillclimb or uphill race to finish out the year.
In Michigan, the state owned snowmobile trails close on March 31st, so we may have two more weekends to ride, depending on the weather. Again, because of our love for snowmobiling, this Michigan winter has gone by incredibly fast, and for that I’m grateful. Today we saw and heard several bikes roar by, another reason I’m happy to live on a semi-main road.
So we may get another trip or two in, and it will be time to summerize the sleds, which I’ll share with you in another post. After Saturday’s adventure, it may just include modifying one of our sleds for racing.
