The show must go on. There was no snow on the ground February 1st, the day of the Goodhue-Bellechester Railriders annual vintage snowmobile show. Of course that meant there would be no trail ride but it didn’t stop enthusiasts from bringing their sleds to town. From early 1970s to nearly new models, 32 unique machines lined the street along the side of Goodhue’s Corner Bar.
Most owners were local, trailering from Goodhue, Bellechester and Red Wing. Jeff Ryan brought 8 of the 16 sleds in his collection that are stored just a few blocks from downtown. Jeff really enjoys working on the vintage models to get them all running. “That one almost beat me,” he says of a particular Yamaha, but when he found the right part at a junkyard, “it started right up”.
Attendees split their time between admiring the variety of snowmobiles on display, voting for their favorites, then sharing stories and a meal inside the Corner Bar. Awards and a raffle drawing for prizes generously donated by local businesses wrapped up the day.
The Railriders club is funded through .5% of the state gas tax, the Department of Natural Resources, licensing fees and grants. The money is awarded through a county organization then distributed among local snowmobile/ATV trail riding clubs. The Railriders also raise a portion of their own needs through an ATV ride and raffle. The funds have been used to purchase a grooming machine and pay for other trail maintenance needs. Volunteers spend 8-12 hours each fall putting up markers along the 42 miles of trails in their territory and removing them in the spring.
There may be some changes to the trails coming in the future. The Minnesota Department of Transportation called for a public input meeting to discuss new regulations for snowmobiles crossing state highways and using right-of-ways.
More information will come at a later time. For now, members are just hoping for some snow.
