RAPID RIVER, Mich. (WZMQ) – An annual event for snowmobilers looks a bit different this year due to a lack of snow.
Every year on this weekend, the air is usually filled with the sounds of snowmobiles gearing up for the Rapid River Relic Ride. However, Friday was much quieter than snowmobilers had hoped.
According to Relic Riders member Scott Nieuwenkamp, the amount of snow needed for the ride did not accumulate in time. That led to the difficult decision to cancel the ride.
“We tried to wait till the very last minute hoping that we would get snow last night, but it didn’t happen,” he said. “We need at least six inches of pack on the trail. If we don’t, it’s so rough. There’s rocks, sticks, and gravel, and it’s just too hard on them.”
Even though they couldn’t ride, the group decided to make the best of it. Snowmobilers gathered outside Quality Plumbing for registration, lunch, and a bonfire.
“You get a raffle ticket, and you’ve got a chance to win prizes today at our Lions Club in Rapid River here,” Nieuwenkamp said.
There will be much more activity on Saturday, when the Relic Riders Snowmobile Show & Swap will take over Rapid River’s Main Street.
“You can bring as many sleds as you want,” said Nieuwenkamp. “It costs $5, whether you bring 1 or 50. There’s going to be food all day long, hundreds of can raffles, our sled raffle, a live auction, silent auction. It’s a lot of fun.”
Of course, the show will also feature vintage and antique snowmobiles.
“You can expect to see old sleds from the 1950s all the way to now, but it’ll probably be the ’50s to the late ’70s and ’80s,” Nieuwenkamp said.
Even though the weekend isn’t quite going as planned, Nieuwenkamp says nothing can keep the Rapid River Relic Riders from getting together to enjoy their shared interest.
“We’re all older now, and we remember this stuff from when we were kids,” he said. “It’s the nostalgia part of it and the camaraderie of it. They all are distinct. They all have a different look to them; they all sound different. Today, if we would’ve had the snow, you could see everybody has their helmet off and there isn’t a person out there that isn’t smiling. They’re actually having a really good time. That’s what I miss about today.”
Nieuwenkamp says the Relic Ride and show are only possible thanks to Delta County’s consistent support and donations.
Registration for the Snowmobile Show & Swap runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information on Saturday’s event, visit the Rapid River Relic Riders Facebook page.
