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40th Annual Big John Memories

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40 Consecutive Years & Windin’Down!!!!

Source: Dave Hagen
9 Mar 14

This outing surely rivals the Iron Dog Brigade in the annals of Snowmobiling Lore!!! And, #40 was no exception to that legend. Three of the Pioneers from the beginning in 1975, John Pearson, Roy Bewick and Tom Elmquist were on hand to explain to us ‘Novices’ how it was done ‘Back In The Day’ of Steel Tracks, Mixed Gas, Free-Air Cooling and Hard Ridin’ Sleds!! Yep, 2014 was just like 1975 all over again, except more comfortable.

The snow was excellent, certainly the best we’ve had in over a decade! Since Dave Mohr was occupied elsewhere and Bill Schroeder was anxious to ride ‘the Rocking Chair’, we initiated a new Trail Leader this year in Wayne Girard, who did a Bang-Up Job. We brought back some of the younger riders who haven’t been with us for 25 years. And we celebrated the 40th consecutive year of this event by presenting Trophies to our hosts at the Village Inn and to the 3 Pioneers from Year One (1975). We also present Medals to all 26 riders who still survive us. We had a moment of silence to recognize the 6 Alumni who have passed on to the “Happy Sledding Grounds”: Frank Jaeger, George Jungkunz, Russ Thompson, Dick Crampton, Bill Rowe and George Ojala.

Again we enjoyed Big-John Pearson presenting each of the riders with Libby’s time-honored secret recipe for special Hot Buttered Rums. As usual, Cheryl and Wade and their crew did a bang-up job again at the Village Inn and they will display their Big John Trophy in their bar with honor.

The sledders that partook in the 2013 expedition (and their # of trips) were: John Pearson (40), Roy Bewick (39), Dave Hagen (36), Bill Schroeder (32), Paul Bewick (32), Tom Elmquist (30), Jim Alford (24), Keith Lightfoot (24), Tom Orne (23), Lee Branwall (12), Barry Melchior (10), Chris Elmquist (5), Wayne Girard (4), Jeff Lightfoot (4), Jim Lightfoot (2) and Rich Thompson (2)!

The Vatican recognized the Ice Caves from 1996 and 2014 as a John Pearson sacred miracle, as well as noting that John has never missed a BJ Outing, and have therefore anointed John as ‘Saint John, the Patron Saint of Snowmobilers’. You can get your St. John Bobbleheads at ‘StJohnSnow.Org’ for you sled’s Dashboard.

We also recognized Tom Elmquist for his futuristic vision in Founding this Expedition 40 years ago, when the Snowmobile Industry was still in its Infancy.

And finally, a note of sincere consolation. Roy Bewick has participated energetically in 39 of these outings, having missed only in 1983, in spite of the fact that he travels from continents away each year. To pay homage to this accomplishment, Roy was awarded a trophy with the slogan “I coulda been a Contender!!!’

Dave Hagen, the Main Whip for this August body, passed on the ‘Torch’ to Tom Orne, who will organize more casual ad-hoc rides in years to come, making this BJ 40 the last of the Official Expeditions. But the legacy will live on with Tom and those who will ride with him in honor of the old group, realizing that wherever and whenever you ride from now on, Saint John will ride with you in spirit.

The 40th Is Such A Milestone That We’re Going To Go Casual From Now On!!

If you have a video playing software (Windows Media Player, etc)you could join us on a run through the woods here:

Tom Orne’s Web Cam Video

40th Annual Big John Memories

For more information

Dave Hagen
PO Box 134
Birchwood, WI 54817
715-354-7503
hagen050@tc.umn.edu