Status Saturday and Sunday February 3-4, 2001:

There is an Ice Fishing derby at the lake on this date.  Usually there are 100 vehicles on the lake and plenty of holes to measure the thickness.  We will evaluate the lake this weekend and post the findings here and also email everyone who's subscribed to the Ice-Trials email list described on the flyer.

2001 course design will be on the same theory as in 2000.  See drawing below)

Hi, all...

I went to the lake today (anyone else go?) at about 1:00PM to find the surface covered with pick up trucks and other 4-wheel drive vehicles.  Very little snow in depth or coverage.  Some crunchy hard pack and a few frozen snowmobile and other tracks.  The rain last week and recent cold weather (-10 degrees F this AM) seem to have left us with an ideal lake for this (now past) weekend.

The forecast for tonight and Monday is for up to 12" of snow and snow practically daily all week in the long-range forecast.  If that happens and with the hopes of 1 or 2 plows, I'd say keep your fingers crossed. 

My hopes were to have conditions as we had today and do absolutely no plowing.  We may end up spending all day Saturday creating a course for an event Sunday.  Who knows...

Bring a shovel and figure out where you want the tow strap hooked to your car when we pull you out of the snowbanks.  I don't want any bumpers pulled off.  It's up to the car owner to hook up to his car, so you better figure it out.  Front and rear tow locations please.  If you can bring a chain to wrap around your axle or provide a hook-up that will help if you need a tow.

A lot of people with shovels may be needed to improve the access to the lake.  Today it was over a foot of very hard packed snow, like it was last year.  Traffic and other conditions may require handwork.

I encourage you to arrive early and participate in any decisions and help set up.  Key word is help.  If we have only a handful of people there by 8-9AM, we may decide the interest is low and take that into account in making any decision.

Status Thursday February 8, 2001:

 Later…

Status Friday February 9, 2001:

 Later….

Course Design

The course will be designed to have separate start and finish gates. This will allow the timer display to show the last finishing car's time until the next car finishes. This will hopefully give the driver a chance to see his time.