Memorial ride honors Tomlanovich

By MEGAN HUGHES

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GILE, Wis. - Snowmobilers gathered for the ninth annual Dan Tomlanovich Memorial Vintage Snowmobile Ride on Saturday.

The ride started at Annie's Pub in Gile and included both locals and some out-of-town riders who brought out their old machines to ride the trails. There were a few stops at local taverns along the way with chances at winning door prizes.

"Some people will just start at one of the bars, instead of at the beginning," said Kelli Stutz of the White Thunder Riders and A-Team ATV Club of Iron County. Stutz is one of the founding organizers of the ride.

"Some people call us the Northern Relic Riders," said Randy Abramson, another of the founding organizers.

The ride annually honors Dan Tomlanovich, who had a passion for vintage snowmobiles and is fondly remembered by his community, according to Abramson. "He was the guy that could find any part you might need," he said.

Proceeds from the event are given to a local cause. In past years, there have been donations to diabetes research, or various concerns in the community. This year, the money will be given to the local fire department.

"We have an amazing community that donates to anything and everything," said Stutz.

Many of the door prizes and raffle items were donated by local businesses and individuals.

"We're not anticipating numbers being down," said Stutz before things got started on a cold Saturday morning. "Snowmobilers are pretty hardy, and we will likely have a few participating by car."

Despite temperatures dipping well below zero, participants didn't seem deterred, with people lining up their snowmobiles outside of Annie's Pub as soon as registration opened. "The snowmobilers today, their gear is amazing. And, when the sun is out, it's really not too bad." said Stutz.

The stops on the ride included spots in Oma, Iron Belt and Pence, before returning to Gile for the final drawings of the night.