The Vermilion Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club held their 8th Annual Snowmobile Expo at the Vermilion Regional Centre on November 30. Sleds and approximately 400 spectators came from all over Alberta and Saskatchewan. One sled came from British Columbia, and a spectator from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. “The common comment we receive is, ‘That’s what I had (or my dad or grandpa) when I was a kid.’ A lot of it is nostalgia, and many get interested in fixing up the sleds and riding them. The modern manufacturers make very high powered expensive sleds, and the vintage ones offer people options to learn to drive them at a safe speed which is easier for a beginner,” said vice president, Chris Swan. This year, the Expo featured a display celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Ski-doo snowmobiles. A 1961 sled with wooden skis on it was the earliest in the collection. Andy Stierman from Spruce Grove came with his James Bond edition Ski-doo. The sled was released to the public in the film, ‘Die Another Day,’ and with 1,000 of them made, this one was #337. “I always wanted one and finally found somebody that had one. I bought it four years ago and was eager to fix it up,” said Stierman. The event raised $330 and a Cadillac full of food to be donated to the Vermilion Food Bank. After visiting and eyeing all of the sleds, many stayed and were eager to attend Lorne Larson’s open house for his vintage sled collection near Onion Lake on December 1.
