Neither Governor Jesse Ventura nor Lt. Governor Mae Schunk planned to participate in the ride, announcing that state planning director Dean Barkley would attend to represent them.
Still more than 400 riders had registered for the event, which is held in conjunction with the MnUSA Winter Rendezvous, but the warm weather has melted the trail base.
On Friday, the Governor’s Ride will still be held, according to Mike Kotschevar, Koronis Hills Snowmobile Club president, but it was being rerouted to trails with the most snow. Originally it was scheduled to start in Willmar, take a morning break in Atwater, and lunch in New London.
The guided rides on Saturday will be made depending on snow and interest. Volunteers were scheduled to guide riders through various trails in Kandiyohi County.
The local club has been asked to help with the weekend events. The club’s groomer will be grooming our trails plus an additional 16 miles of trails in northeastern Kandiyohi County. If there is snow, the groomer will be out Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
On Saturday, 17 club members have volunteered to lead guided rides through Paynesville. These volunteers, called leaders and sweepers, will be responsible for safety, including road crossings, breakdowns, and trail speed.
This is the first time the ride has been held in central Minnesota, but guests to this part of the state will not get a chance to experience our trails at their best.