Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
NEAL YOUNG, front, and his guide, Dick Farrell, trailing, ski toward the Active Backwoods Retreat warming shed near Ironwood on Friday afternoon. The Blind Outdoor Leisure Development group annually alternates between downhill skiing and cross country.
IRONWOOD - Skiers and guides from the Blind Outdoor Leisure Development group cross country skied at ABR on Friday and are expected to stay in the area and ski over the weekend.
BOLD is sponsored by the Lions, Lioness and Leo Clubs of Districts 27-A1 and 27-A2 of Southeastern Wisconsin and other area businesses in their region.
According to the BOLD website, the group is open to all legally blind people and event participation is free. BOLD's purpose is to allow the blind and visually impaired to experience outdoor sports and leisure activities while developing their social and athletic skills.
Neal Young, not the singer, and his guide, Dick Farrell, skied the Hemlock and Cherry Dairy trails at ABR before stopping at the warming shed for a water break. Farrell said the ABR trails are the best for cross country skiing, but he was also very complimentary of trails near Munising.
Young said the group alternates every year. One year they downhill ski and the next they go cross country skiing.
Liz Hahn and her guide, Vickie Cooper, were just coming toward the trailhead Friday and warming shack as a Daily Globe reporter was leaving and they appeared to really be enjoying themselves on the trails.
