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John Walker, club president, Jim Bourque, trailmaster, and Carol Bourque, club treasurer and secretary make a slow-moving caravan up the hill two miles to the mine’s location transporting cookout equipment by sled. Jay Milot, former club vice president, provided sleds, grills, and tables. At the end of the day, the sled caravan was packed up and traveled down the now-bumpy trails, which showed signs of a very busy day on the trails.

AREA — On Saturday, March 5, the Wild River Riders snowmobile club held its annual fundraising cookout at Wheeler’s Mine in Gilead, Maine.  It was a warm, sunny day, and all snowmobile trails had been groomed by Head Groomer, Toby Walker, during the week for a smooth ride.

Trailmaster, Jim Bourque, cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, and chili for the riders, while Carol Bourque, Secretary/Treasurer of the club, collected donations for the club. Club volunteers, Tracy Walker and Sue Corriveau, peeled cheese slices and assembled cheeseburgers and hotdogs for a steady line of hungry riders. The mine was buzzing with sled activity from 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., and President, John Walker, counted sleds, reporting about 140 sleds, many with multiple riders.  It was the reciprocal weekend in Maine, which allows riders registered in other states to ride in Maine without a sticker, and the club attracted riders from Vermont and New Hampshire, as well as from Lewiston/Auburn, Gray, and our local Bethel and Gilead riders. Many guests lingered in the sunshine, enjoying the social aspect of the event, while families with children ate cookies and played in the snow.
All of the items for the cookout have to be transported on the snowmobile trails by sled.  Jay Milot, former Vice President of the Club, provided sleds, grills, and tables.  The club volunteers made a slow-moving caravan up the hill two miles to the mine’s location.  At the end of the day, the sled caravan was packed up and traveled down the now-bumpy trails, which showed signs of a very busy day on the trails.
The Wild River Riders snowmobile club greatly appreciates all who came out to the cookout, who were very generous with both their dollars and their praise of the trail system. The Wheeler family has allowed the club to use the mine’s location for the cookout for several years. It is the perfect location with beautiful views of Western Maine, a scenic mica mine covered in ice, and an outhouse.
Follow the Wild River Riders on Facebook so you don’t miss next year’s annual cookout!