The 18th annual Arcola Optimist Snowmobile Rally went off without a hitch recently, blessed by what one Winnipeg-based rider called, 'The best snowmobile conditions I've ever seen!'
The sun shone brightly on fields well buried under a soft blanket of dry snow as the rally riders started hitting the trails at 10 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 29.
With more than 500 riders taking part in the event, the parking lot of the Prairie Place Complex in Arcola, which served as a base for the day's activities, was chock full of colourful machines.
Riders, fortified by the warm and filling breakfast that was being served, sauntered out into the crystal clear, but nearly windless, morning ready to chew up more than 100 km of trail.
Carefully selected to give riders a taste of some of the wonderfully varied landscape the Moose Mountain region is blessed with, the trails brought riders right into the rolling landscape and heavily wooded areas of the Moose Mountain Provincial Park.
"It looks like it is a perfect day for this," said Devin Milligan of Moose Jaw. "I'm looking forward to getting out there!"
With 18 successful years behind it, the Arcola Optimist Snowmobile Rally has developed into a heritage for some families, as the Dechief's of Estevan explained.
"I've been coming out here for four or five years now," said father Don Dechief. "My son Tyler here, well, its his first time, but both he and I were really looking forward to it [the rally] this year."
The popularity of the rally, and the growing numbers of attendees, had caused some changes in the event this year.
Along with the rally itself, the Arcola Optimists also offer a limited-ticket raffle every year, with substantial grand prizes.
This year the grand prize was a selection of sport motor vehicles.
"Last year we had sold out of the tickets before the people from out of town got here," explained Optimist member Michael Rattray. "This year, to make sure that everyone who wanted to take part in the raffle could, we expanded the ticket pool by 500 tickets."
The grand prize winner of the draw this year proved to be Justin Boettcher of Alida.
Second and third places in the draw when to Blair Karlunchuck of Kisbey and Kathy Weimer of Midale respectively.
"We are extremely pleased with the way everything went this year," said Optimist member Glen Lawson. "Considering the fact that the day before the roads had been extremely hazardous, I think we really lucked out."
"Overnight the temperature dropped, and everything got nice," Lawson said. "Now the sun is out and shining. It's cold, but not too cold. There is almost no wind."
"I don't think we could have asked for a better day."
Meanwhile, at the lunch camp, held at the mid-point of the trail, rally riders drifted in and out of the area in large numbers, drawn to the smell of hot dogs and hot cocoa.
"This is my second year coming out to this rally, and I have to say it is my favourite rally to attend," said Ron Stokotelny of Winnipeg. "It is simply incomparable."
"The people I meet when I come out here are just great," Stokotelny said. "And the conditions this year are just simply incomparable."
"I'd say this is as close to the best snowmobile conditions I've ever seen!"
The Arcola Optimists run the rally as a fundraising opportunity.
The money raised through the various events of the day are used to support community projects in and around the community of Arcola.
It is reported there will likely be a 19th annual rally next year.
