Donald Teuma-Castelletti
QUYON Feb. 17, 2019
Yesteryear’s snowmobiles of all makes and models came tearing into Quyon about noon on Sunday, as the annual Old Sled Run returned for its 13th iteration and brought along some special guests.
Organized out of Constance Bay’s Royal Canadian Legion – Branch 616, the ride welcomes snowmobilers upon their old school machines to take a rip across the river to Gavan’s Hotel, before making the trek back in the early afternoon.
Mike O’Reilly, the event organizer, said the ride’s popularity only ever seems to grow, though participation does vary on the weather. He explained that years ago a poker run’s vintage snowmobile component drew a lot of attention, so he decided to capitalize on the success for the good of the Legion and Quyon.
This year saw great weather, which in turn, made for an excellent turnout.
“It’s a beautiful day to be out on the river, you come out on the river with the Gatineau Hills and the sun, it’s just fantastic,” said O’Reilly.
By half past noon, the parking lots surrounding Gavan’s were packed with all sorts of vintage snow cruisers and just as many proud owners.
The featured machine this year included two models, the Hus-Ski and Diablo Rouge. These machines were manufactured in the 60s, appearing more like a miniature tractor than the modern aerodynamic stylings of snowmobiles.
Jeannot Pilon, a Gatineau resident who has taken part in the ride four times now, had the chance to show off his Hus-Ski 444 from 1966. The yellow-bodied machine rolled across the snow as if a tiny tank, dragged along upon a track at the front with wooden tracks.
It was a sight to behold, especially as his buddy Bruce Schoblaska followed closely behind, riding a red snowmobile of similar stature. This one was Schoblaska’s Diablo Rouge, which is essentially the next generation of the Hus-Ski.
Schoblaska, a visitor to the area from Wisconsin, said he generally joins fellow Diablo Rouge and Hus-Ski owners for a ride in Canada every year, and that this was the first time he was lucky enough to join the Old Sled Run.
He explained that the stand out design were what really drew people’s attention, as they’re not a common sight on the trail.
“They’re incredibly unique and if we hadn’t been here as a group, you’re lucky to have one of these here,” said Schoblaska.
“Most people that see these, see them for the first time,” he continued. “They’re incredibly unusual.”
Their machines quickly garnered a lot of attention but weren’t the only ones to catch some fanfare.
Another popular set were the matching 1973 Johnson Golden Ghosts, two of which were owned by Pembroke’s Bob Blagden. He was proud to say that the sleds were in great condition and minus some touch-ups, fairly close to the original build.
“These were like the Cadillacs of that era,” he said.
Blagden said features on them like the electric start made the machines unique in their hey-day, but proved their downfall, as the difference in price made them too costly.
He had originally purchased one to take part in last year’s trip, but couldn’t get it working in time. Upon taking the machine to a mechanic, he stumbled upon the second one and purchased the matching machine.
This year, finally able to join, he brought along some friends from Guelph, Ont., and the three appeared in their glory as they checked out all the vintage rides.
Which is what the day is all about, as the group share their enthusiasm and get the chance to take out the old machines, which can often go forgotten left in storage.
As Stephen Malone put it best as he came off his 1972 Elan, a Frankenstein’s monster of a sled with a green paint job to boot, the vintage rides spark an unrivaled sense of joy for much of the group.
“I feel like a kid when I ride this,” said Malone, with a grin.
