Spent the last couple days in Ely, one of my sled's crankshaft froze up, so we didn't get to ride much, but some of the other folks gave us the reports... Lots of sleds, the Fun Run on Saturday was in the area. I saw literally hundreds of sleds all over the place. The groomer was out, but only so much they could do with all that traffic. Some places had rocks and gravel on several local trails, and the lakes were well traveled. We went out again this morning- tried to follow lesser frequented trails, mostly lakes. Great cabins we stayed at- Veterans on the Lake. My wife found some mukluks she liked and bought at the Steger store.

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i drove right by where you stayed today on fall lake. did you ride the fun run saturday??

The crank froze up on the 500, had to tow it out- got less than 20 miles on... the wife was ecstatic... she got to go shopping. The group put on 140 miles that day, she woulda been really fried, 'cuz she doesn't ride but once or twice a year. The guys we were with just went down to Babbitt and then to the top of Vermilion, then ate at Tower, not part of the Run. Busy place, the whole town, sleds all over the joint... at least I got out today for a quickie down Birch Lake.

nice nice. shopping.. little but lots of that in ely. trails seemed ok but worsened as the day went on. i only rode to babbitt and back saturday. it was nice to have a little bit warmer weekend. i could only hit 94 gpsed saturday on birch. was pretty flat too surprisingly. did you enjoy your riding around this area?

I wasn't able to spend much time on the trails, which I prefer rather than lake riding. The few wooded trails we were on today were kinda narrow, and with the amount of sleds that chewed 'em up, kinda beat, with a few exceptions. I can't really say too much, because I wasn't on them for very long, but the other guys seemed to want to avoid them because of the conditions they found Friday and Saturday. What can you expect, anyway? I guess with the North Shore Trail so close to where I am, I get spoiled... I'd like to spend some more time up towards Virginia soon, too. Someplace I won't have to stay overnight, it gets expensive... The guys I was with were getting on in age, I like heading out early to get some miles on in good conditions, these folks wanted to hit the trails at 10:00. Seemed like lots of variety of riding areas, though, and two weeks ago, further down the Tomahawk, the trails were spectacular. The lakes are fun especially when there weren't any plowed roads to attempt to cross, which was pretty decent today. They come up too quick... my wrists will never be the same after hitting a few just north of town here in Duluth several years ago.

Pics are kinda hard to get, too, 'cuz I'm fishing for my camera as I'm heading along with the group, good thing for image stabilizers.

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The Beargrease dogsledders were leaving town this afternoon, we got stuck in traffic for over 1/2 an hour, saw a bunch heading up the NST, so that's not a good place for me right now. I don't wanna make any headlines... "Out of Control Snowmobiler Knocks an Unsuspecting Dog Team into the Trees". We were heading across White Iron today, and a bunch of dogsledders stopped in the middle of the staked area of the trail on the lake, gave us a bunch of dirty looks... like we were on "their" lake... none of them waved except the kiddies, we actually stopped and waited for them to cross, too. I usually pull over for them to get by me/us, unless I get waved on to pass. CC skiers are another group usually get very upset if they are "disturbed" by sleds, must throw off their equilibrium. Or something...

yes the lakes have improved dramatically throughout the last couple weeks. no the skiers and dogsledders are not very friendly around here. I wouldnt say the snowmobile and dog sledder relationship is stable quite yet. Funny though on the lakes how they were pissed on riding OUR CLUBS stakes that WE put up with OUR money and NOT THEIRS. they never help but they will ride on a hard pack trail wehre the snowmobilers are because it;'s easier. If you noticed they also use half of the White Iron to Birch trail. What a joke. thats a trail wehre you can come around a corner and smack them because the trail is only like 7 feet wide if that. And the CC skiers ride around the shore of the lake using the SNOMWOIBLE tracks when there's lots of snow because it is packed down. My dad and i used to go pack trails around lakes for skiers and dog sledders when we would get major snowfall for some friends we have to help out. I think CC and dog sledders are pretty lucky to have snowmobilers around. everyone benefits with the stakes and packed and GROOMED trails that no one but the Snowmobilers pay for. but everybody uses. just my $.02


This picture is on Fall Lake and I'm standing on the lake with the Longbranch right behing me. This was sunday at sunset

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