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i Crossing the Fox on snowmobiles By Joe King Herald staff writer gj Like many ideas that seem to be a little ~ crazy, this One had its origins in a saloon. • They were just a few ordinary guys sit- « ting on bar stools the day before 2 Memorial Day trying to think of some < unusual way to enjoy the holiday."Why I not ride our snowmobiles across the Fox 5> River?," said one. ~ A tradition was born. x The following morning, a few of the < barstool dreamers showed up on the banks of the Fox just below the Cary-Fox River Grove bridge, cleared out a runway area, cut the grass, and started up their machines. Donning life jackets and helmets, three of the brave souls mounted their sleds and splashed off -- to the delight of the 20 or so spectators who had gathered to watch. Two actually made the trip across. On­ ly one managed to make it all the way back, but even those with the sunken sleds had too much fun to worry much about it. From those humble beginings arose a Cary Memorial Day tradition, the Snowmobile Water Crossing. Organizers of this year's event are hop­ ing to draw more contestants than there were spectators for the first event, and are hoping for Over 2,000 spectators. As for the physics involved in getting a 500 pound, $4,000 fiberglass and steel snowmobile across 450 feet of water, no one seems able to explain it, not even Stan Helmer, president of the Riverbend Snowmobile Club and organizer of the event. Helmer made it across in his first at­ tempt last year but still doesn't know ex­ actly how it is done. "Just open the baby wide up, lean back, and go." That's the closest Hqlmer can come to giving any useful advice on how to get across. * Last year, seven of the 20 entries managed to make it across, so it is possi­ ble. There is even a world record for the event - 47 miles - and he could have gone further if he hadn't run out of gas. \ In fact, Helmer said, tl^re may be a world record attempt by one of the most successful entrants of the past two years. According to Helmer, most of the sleds attempting the crossing are stock models, with only guages and lights removed. All a rider needs to enter is a sled, a helmet, a life jacket and some type of buoy tied to the sled so it can be located if it sinks to a watery grave. So, if all it takes is great speed to get across the water (80 mph when they hit the water), why is it that every rider you talk to seems to be dreading it in the bit­ tersweet manner usually reserved for a high schooler facing his first date? "It's a lot like skydiving," Helmer ex­ plains. "When you are at ground school its great, in the plane you are fine, but when they open the door and point at you and say, 'You're first,' its like, oh my God!" "Your adrenalin gets pumping, your blood pressure is way up, the crowd is screaming, and by the time you hit the water all you care about is making it across, because that water is very cold," Helmer said.1 For those who do run up on the opposite bank there are no trophies or prize money, just the cheers of the crowd and a cold beer. For those who come up short, it will be a long, soggy walk home. If the sled does slip beneath the waves it is not as big a problem as one might think. Riders just pull the spark plugs, drain out the water, change the oil, lubricate the cables, and its off to the races once again. 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