Dozens of snowmobile enthusiasts eager to share tales at ‘fun’ Forrest gathering
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/10/2017 (3083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
FORREST — Having worked on snowmobiles for two decades, Greg Herr decided this year he would travel east to meet other like-minded snowmobile enthusiasts at Snow Fever in Forrest.
Equipped with Yamaha parts and a 1973 Rupp American, Herr drove three hours from White City, Sask., just so he could make it to the antique snowmobile show.
“Everybody’s got the same interest,” he said. “And it’s fun.”
The third annual Snow Fever indoor antique snowmobile show and swap meet was held at the Elton Community Centre on Saturday.
Dozens of people meandered through the aisles of snowmobiles, both young and old, on display, including a couple belonging to Lanny Westwood of Hamiota, who was in Forrest for his third Snow Fever outing.
Westwood brought an old sled from 1949 to 1950 he found in Saskatchewan and refurbished, as well as a 1956-57 Polaris Sno-Traveler, one of 75 ever built.
He said the Sno-Traveler belonged to someone in Kemnay who had it sitting in his shed for a long time.
“You never know what you’re going to run into,” Westwood said.
The contrast between old and modern snowmobiles was clearly showcased, but there to provide a detailed account of the history of snowmobiling was Bill Hammond.
Hammond has documented snowmobiling in Westman since 1970, when he joined a group of 19 other riders for the Centennial Run, a five-day, 800-kilometre journey from the International Peace Garden at the American border to the Trappers Festival in The Pas.
Having spent years collecting old photos, safety manuals and other documents, the 1982 Canadian Snowmobiler of the Year said he has always believed in retaining facts and keeping the truth.
Hammond also taught snowmobile safety for 20 years, along with ATV and firearms safety, and said it was his way of giving back to snowmobiling.
He met some people who took his course years ago and a couple even said they haven’t had an accident since.
“That’s important,” Hammond said. “I’ve always been safety conscious and I would do it all over again.”
» mlee@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @mtaylorlee