Eighty-eight and still riding

When Ron Engels was featured in the News-Review’s Senior Focus 12 years ago, the 76-year-old Eagle River snowmobiler was logging more than 4,000 miles each winter. Now 88, he is still hitting the trail.

Though he has made minor adjustments, such as no longer riding alone or going as fast or as far as he once did, Engels credits his enduring passion for snowmobiling with helping him stay physically and mentally strong over the years.

“I just love being out there in the woods, where you can go places that you can’t go any other time of the year,” Engels said from his kitchen table, a smile crossing his face as he spoke of the freedom and mental escape the trails bring.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, and it’s just fun to be able to go and do what I can do,” he added. “When I’m snowmobiling, there’s nothing that can bother me. I don’t think about anything else. If I’ve got problems or stuff to do, I don’t worry about it.”

Originally from Kenosha, Engels has been snowmobiling since the early 1970s. It became a full-time winter hobby after he retired to Eagle River in 2004, moving into a home he had purchased in 2001 so he would have a place to stay while riding up north.

His love of the sport and the outdoors goes beyond personal enjoyment. Engels is a longtime member of the Sno-Eagles Snowmobile Club and has volunteered at the World Championship Snowmobile Derby every year since 1971, missing only one year due to COVID.

This year was no exception. Over the past two weekends, he worked the hot box seats at both the Vintage Derby and the main event. For the Sno-Eagles, Engels previously led the club’s weekly rides.

“Ron was still leading a weekly, fast-paced ride last year for anyone who wanted to show up for the day, as he did for many years,” said Sno-Eagles Secretary Cindy Fruhwirth. “He decided to give that up this year, but he is still helping in many other ways. He has always been very involved with trail preparation and maintenance, too.”

“I met Ron a few years back and while discussing snowmobiling with him, he told me he once rode a snowmobile from Kenosha to the Eagle River area,” said Sno-Eagles President Roger Rosenthal, referring to a 1979 trip Engels took with friends. “That’s quite a feat. Ron is always there to lend a hand brushing the trails.”

Proving his resilience and dedication, Engels recalled breaking his wrist while clearing trails and continuing to work before seeking medical attention. He also recently took a fall but shrugged it off.

“Just last week, I fell down and I had a heck of a time getting up,” he said. “I was able to grab a post and get myself up, but thankfully nobody came along and saw me. It would have been embarrassing for somebody to see me lying there in the snow like that.”

That’s the kind of thing that worries Karen, his wife of 68 years, but she also knows how much he loves being outdoors. When asked how she feels about Ron still riding, she said, “I think it’s fine, with the exception that he’s a fast rider. I try to tell him, ‘Don’t go so fast.’”

“Well, you’re not out there with me, so you don’t know,” Engels retorted with a wink.

Engels shows no signs of slowing down, with plans to lead a Sno-Eagles group ride to Mercer the following week.

“He is truly an avid snowmobiler,” said Sno-Eagles member Howard “Rusty” Wolf, who has known Engels for 13 years. “He leads groups to remote locations during the snow year because he knows all the trails.”

Engels admitted he never expected to be alive at 88, let alone still riding. Fortunate to have avoided any major health issues, he credits aging well to staying physically active.

Most of that activity comes from everyday chores, including shoveling his own snow and his neighbor’s and clearing roofs. In the summer, he keeps busy mowing lawns and golfing 18 holes each week, which he did on foot — not with a cart — until age 80. He also tries to eat healthy, enjoying an apple a day and cutting back on ice cream and chocolate.

“I try to take care of myself,” Engels said. “I just want to be around as long as I can, because I don’t know what’s going to be beyond this life.”

And according to Engels, living in Eagle River makes staying active easy, no matter the season. “Where else can you enjoy life better than up here?”