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Riding with the Ontario WOW Relay Women
Article and photos by Karina Hunter
Sue Barlow, Lucie Harrison & Tracy Stieh (Ontario’s WOW Relay Riders) rode out of Dubreuilville that morning towards White River where I was to meet with them. For myself just getting out of Manitouwadge became a challenge. Polaris was providing me, as a V.I.P. Rider, with a sled for the trip so I wouldn’t be riding to White River and since the day was ending in Marathon, I couldn’t very well drive either (how would I re-coop my vehicle after?). Luckily the Manitouwadge Motor Hotel, big fans of the WOW Relay, provided me with shuttle service free of charge.
We arrived in White River around 10:00 am where the sled was already unloaded and the Polaris Support Crew was waiting to prep me with a WOW jacket and helmet. Shortly thereafter, the ladies rode in, and it was great to see Sue, fellow Manitouwadgian, and the one who inspired my involvement in the Relay.
After some quick introductions the three ladies gave me a rundown on their trip to date. What a friendly group of women! They told me of their adventure across Ontario, of the new friends they had met along the way, and of how well they were received by snowmobile clubs, O.P.P., trail guides and politicians along the way. It was already Day 6 of their trip but all the miles they had logged did nothing to diffuse their enthusiasm! These women are hard core! Riding long days of up to 329 miles, they were still going strong with no hint of quitting, focused completely on the task at hand - raising funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Tracy Stieh
When we did hit the trails I was amazed with the Frontier Classic 700cc four-stroke I had been given to ride. I must admit that I like the roar of a vintage 2 stroke. Until this ride, the growl you hear when riding a sled really was part of the thrill of snowmobiling to me. Having said that however, it didn’t take very long before the hum of the 4-stroke had me sold. It really is a different riding experience. More similar to riding a motor bike than any other snowmobile I had ever been on.
I had never ridden the portion of the loop we covered that day, D trail from White River to Marathon. What an experience! The combination of wide open power line and tight trail riding, both of which were awesomely groomed, was amazing! The Frontier Classic was a great sled to ride it on! I’m not a heavy rider and typically, I prefer to be a passenger, at 130 pounds most sleds have a habit of getting away from me and skating too much when I open them up. That was not the case with this machine! I found it really easy to handle, and a very comfortable ride. The handle bars are wide enough & have enough clearance that I was able to ride quite high on the seat still being able to swing freely from side to side to throw my weight in the trails.
We stopped along the way, enjoying the sights and of course shooting snapshots of the journey. The ladies took advantage of these little breaks to give me much appreciated tips on getting the most out of the machine I was riding. In the blink of an eye though, we were entering Marathon.
Just outside of Marathon we called it a day, enjoying supper together and laughing about all the special moments of the day. It really is a challenge to describe the feeling of being part of this trip. Spending the day snowmobiling is such a thrill in itself but add to that the opportunity to raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Research and WOW! I almost wished I could keep going but must admit that upon seeing the hotel shuttle, I began to realize just how tired I was! These women were not an easy act to follow and they had put in twice the miles that I had that day!
Crossing the bridge near Marathon
After some long goodbyes I was on my way home to Manitouwadge. The ladies would be trailering to Terrace Bay for the evening where they would meet with Denis Burns, president of the OFSC. As I watched them on the way out of the parking I could see them greeting other sledders that had pulled in, explaining WOW to them and collecting more donations (every penny of which goes directly to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation).
Sue is now also back home in Manitouwadge. She tells me their ride in to Nipigon, as well as the reception they received there, was great! The owner of the Petro Canada there presented each of them with a long stemmed pink rose and had a beautiful cake for them as well. Customers were invited to enjoy a piece of cake and coffee for a $5.00 donation to the CBCF.
Sue Barlow
They had to trailer the rest of the way as there are no trails into Thunder Bay. There they met with the Manitoba ladies who would be continuing through their province before finishing in Roseau, Minnesota on February 19, where Polaris’ first snowmobile was manufactured. Two thumbs way up to all those involved in this year’s international WOW Relay, and a special congratulations to our three Ontario ladies who were unrelenting in their enthusiastic fund raising!
Participants in the WOW Relay having finished in Roseau will participate in a world
record snowmobile trail ride during Roseau’s Frostbite Days on February 21, as part
of the Polaris 50th Anniversary celebration.
For more information:
www.polarisindustries.com/WowRelay.
Email: Karina Hunter
Visit
http://www.manitouwadgehotel.com/
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