Page 33 - TheJanuarySnomad

My C group had 10 people including Buddy and myself, as well as Jeff Obear,
Lenny with a new battery, Bill Plewa, Chuck Comstock, Dennis Winowiecki,
Paul Reed, Chuck Howey and Greg Whitaker my sweep rider. Sally Whitaker
had to run to Renze’s for a battery. Yep… Shakedown ride.

Thursday night I texted Keith Churill and asked about trail 8 between Shin-
gleton and the Bear Trap. He texted back about an hour later to say he was
just starting to groom it from Shingleton. Great news! In the morning I got a
text from Keith at 11:45 pm, saying he lost a hydraulic line after a mile and
had to head back to the groomer barn. I asked about trail 422 Miner’s Castle
trail as a bypass. He advised they had not touched it and he was told there
were large trees down blocking it.

We headed out and trail 7 and 8 to Shingleton were excellent. As we headed
north on trail 8 from Shingleton I could see the Groomer had been over it.
That lasted for about a mile as you could tell the drag was not operating
properly as it was still rough. About a ½ mile later you could see where the
groomer turned off as the next 5 miles were rough.

My group went to where trail 8 splits to go to Grand Marias east or the Bear
Trap west where Seney takes over and stopped for a well-earned rest. Just
as I pulled in Russ’s group of 8-10 was heading out having taken a break at
the same spot. As the rest of my group came up, Bill Plewa asked that I stop
more. Dave Gabriel and the off-trail group passed by coming from the west
trail from the Bear Trap playing just off the trail in the powder.

January 2020 The Snomad Page 33