Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.com There was barely enough snow for a dozen students to earn their snowmobile proficiency badges, but they soldiered through. In an unusual winter, about to experience a heat wave robbing the ground of its remaining snow, the Forest Riders Snowmobile Club certified its newest riders Saturday. The club has also added two five-mile sections to the 266 miles it already maintains. So, if it snows after the forecasted warmup, the kids will have lots of places to take their sleds. The neon-colored snowsuited kids got valuable pointers and fatherly encouragement from Jerry Grudem, who teaches the snowmobile test with Cheryl Wilkie, volunteers and the Department of Natural Resources. Grudem teaches the driving skills; Wilkie and a DNR officer teach the laws; Emergency Medical Technician Bucky Johnson teaches first aid skills. Although only 12 attended the Two Inlets class Saturday, as many as 30 students have signed up for the class in the past. “Some kids have done a lot of riding,” Grudem said. “Some have done none.” Kids must start their ride by testing the throttle, headlights, brakes and other mechanical items such as the steering icing up before they start their sleds. New this year is a kill switch and throttle limiter, which keeps snowmobiles at 10 mph per hour. Grudem explained the DNR installed these after a Wisconsin girl panicked and sent her speeding sled into an obstruction in that state, killing her. “This machine will go 90,” he said, pointing to one of the snowmobiles the kids were using. Nicholas Hess bounced his bottom up and down on the seat to test its suspension, but it barely moved. “I’m not heavy enough!” the pint-sized youngster protested. Mercedes Forseman went around the course twice. Grudem worried that she was a bit timid in driving the sled. After a second time through the course, in which students learn how to signal turns, stop, turn and maneuver, she was doing much better. Inside, Willkie was checking paperwork against student-submitted information. Related content “This is so they can’t lie” about their age or credentials, she explains. The paperwork is again checked at the DNR. The students like Forseman learned that some of their accessories, like scarves, can be dangerous if they get tangled in the equipment. Snowsuits with tassels and pull-ties must be snapped up and concealed or they, too, can present problems. Some of the students reported problems with the DNR website, logging on to it and reporting information. Wilkie urged them to keep trying. After paying the $5 license fee, they’re good to go – provided they get some snow. n Trail #35 is a route running south and east of Park Rapids from Trail 19 at the intersection of County Road 15 to Fish Hook Avenue. It turns north on county land along Eastern Avenue, then intersects with Henrietta Avenue on Eighth Street. The last segment runs along the west side of Henrietta Avenue north of Highway 34 to Trail #11. Riders can catch the Heartland Trail or head east to County Road 4. The second new trail extends Trail #16 from the Becker County Line through two privately-owned properties. The owners have consented to allow riders across their property and the club will groom the trails, which run east to Highway 71 and south to the public access on Eagle Lake or north to County Road 89. This addition eliminates a dead end on the trail system and connects the east and west sides of Highway 71 if the ice on Island Lake is poor.By Sarah Smithssmith@parkrapidsenterprise.comThere was barely enough snow for a dozen students to earn their snowmobile proficiency badges, but they soldiered through.In an unusual winter, about to experience a heat wave robbing the ground of its remaining snow, the Forest Riders Snowmobile Club certified its newest riders Saturday.The club has also added two five-mile sections to the 266 miles it already maintains.So, if it snows after the forecasted warmup, the kids will have lots of places to take their sleds.The neon-colored snowsuited kids got valuable pointers and fatherly encouragement from Jerry Grudem, who teaches the snowmobile test with Cheryl Wilkie, volunteers and the Department of Natural Resources.Grudem teaches the driving skills; Wilkie and a DNR officer teach the laws; Emergency Medical Technician Bucky Johnson teaches first aid skills.Although only 12 attended the Two Inlets class Saturday, as many as 30 students have signed up for the class in the past.“Some kids have done a lot of riding,” Grudem said. “Some have done none.”Kids must start their ride by testing the throttle, headlights, brakes and other mechanical items such as the steering icing up before they start their sleds.New this year is a kill switch and throttle limiter, which keeps snowmobiles at 10 mph per hour.Grudem explained the DNR installed these after a Wisconsin girl panicked and sent her speeding sled into an obstruction in that state, killing her.“This machine will go 90,” he said, pointing to one of the snowmobiles the kids were using.Nicholas Hess bounced his bottom up and down on the seat to test its suspension, but it barely moved.“I’m not heavy enough!” the pint-sized youngster protested.Mercedes Forseman went around the course twice.Grudem worried that she was a bit timid in driving the sled. After a second time through the course, in which students learn how to signal turns, stop, turn and maneuver, she was doing much better.Inside, Willkie was checking paperwork against student-submitted information. Related content “This is so they can’t lie” about their age or credentials, she explains. The paperwork is again checked at the DNR.The students like Forseman learned that some of their accessories, like scarves, can be dangerous if they get tangled in the equipment. Snowsuits with tassels and pull-ties must be snapped up and concealed or they, too, can present problems.Some of the students reported problems with the DNR website, logging on to it and reporting information. Wilkie urged them to keep trying. After paying the $5 license fee, they’re good to go – provided they get some snow.nTrail #35 is a route running south and east of Park Rapids from Trail 19 at the intersection of County Road 15 to Fish Hook Avenue. It turns north on county land along Eastern Avenue, then intersects with Henrietta Avenue on Eighth Street.The last segment runs along the west side of Henrietta Avenue north of Highway 34 to Trail #11. Riders can catch the Heartland Trail or head east to County Road 4.The second new trail extends Trail #16 from the Becker County Line through two privately-owned properties.The owners have consented to allow riders across their property and the club will groom the trails, which run east to Highway 71 and south to the public access on Eagle Lake or north to County Road 89.This addition eliminates a dead end on the trail system and connects the east and west sides of Highway 71 if the ice on Island Lake is poor.