CLUB FLASHBACK BATAVIA HILL & CELEBRATE

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Gully Riders

50 Years

Submitted by Paul Hartmann – Hill & Gully Riders Trail master

The Batavia Hill & Gully Riders held a 50 year celebration party on April 22, 2022. Attendees were landowners, past and current members of the club with special invite guests. Mike Holden AWSC Director for Sheboygan County was in attendance to present the 50 year certificate to the club.

A plaque was presented to Bob Hartmann for 50 years of service with the club and last active charter member.

A memorial plaque was presented to the Eugene Bemis family honoring his 33 years as president of the club and Northern Kettle Moraine Snowmobile Association club rep for 40 years. (Eugene passed away in 2014)

The Batavia Hill & Gully Riders club was formed on November 13, 1972 with the effort of local snowmobile enthusiasts. They wanted to continue the trail making efforts with other newly formed clubs in the area. The trail system is located on Corridor 34 in the southwest corner of Sheboygan County with the small unincorporated town of Batavia as its center point. The club maintains 10 miles of funded and three miles of unfunded trails.

A milestone event for the club happened in the Fall of 2010 when a new 55 foot long bridge was installed spanning the Milwaukee River on the Corridor 34 trail just north of Silver Creek.

This bridge was funded from a DNR grant.

The club has 50 members today which is the largest in club history. The club struggled in 1995 – 2000 with only six members until a recruiting effort was successful in rebuilding the membership. The club has been contracting the grooming operations since 1994. Prior to that, the club operated S&W Groomers with their first machine purchased in 1981 and second machine in 1985 equipped with a 65 HP Wisconsin Air Cooled engine and six foot grooming width. In the early years a home-made drag was pulled behind an Evinrude snowmobile own by Andy Herriges of Batavia who was the club’s first Trail Master.

The club held brat fry fundraisers for many years until 1987 when it switched over to a ticket raffle.

The club is a member of the Northern Kettle Moraine Snowmobile Association and website, nkmsnow.com, is used for trail opening and closing notifications.

Thank you to all landowners for trail access. No trails would exist without their willingness to allow trails across their property.