Page 34 - TheDecemberSnomad2019

1985

A Very Good Year

By Chuck Comstock

What were you doing this year? Well, if you were a Michigan Snowmo-
bile Historian in 1985 you might have been jotting down notes about the
changes in sled technology, trail development, or legislation. Little atten-
tion would have been drawn to the phone calls made to the Michigan
Snowmobile Association's office, requesting information about snowmobile
clubs and By-Laws. Yet, at a grass roots level and without notice a new
snowmobile club was born.
I would like to share with you the background and history of the
Snowmads Snofari Club. This will be the first installment about the for-
mation of the SnomadS and its early years, the members and some of
their rides. Much of the information that will follow came from articles
called "Memories", from Trip Participation Records, and from Jim Duke,
himself. Anyone who attended the November Season Kick-Off Party
knows that Mr. Duke was honored by the club he formed and shared
some of his thoughts as he spoke to the 78 members and guests present.
Jim is a great speaker, full of enthusiasm about the sport we all love and
as you will see, very articulate and sometimes "colorful". I would like to
present "Snomads — A Brief History" by Jim Duke.

"The original five (Charter Members) of the Snomads had been
riding together for several years before the idea of becoming an organized
club was born. I had become a member of the Michigan Association of
Recreational Snowmobilers (M.A.R.S.) back in 1978. And, when the big
merger with the other two groups, M.I.S.A. and M.U.P.S.A. came along in
the early 80's, I convinced my closest friend and riding companion, Ralph
Hilborn, that we should join the new organization, the Michigan Snowmo-
bile Association we know today.

December 2019 The Snomad Page 34