Old snowmachines welcome at new

festival display

Jan. 23, 2007

Jodi Snyder

Frontiersman

correspondent

Ted Schachle's parents, Lawrence and Genny Schachle, came to Alaska in 1954. They raised 10 children in their Lake Otis home, and they believed in making sure their kids had lots of opportunities for outdoor fun.

Back then, the family could load onto their snowmobiles from home and head out into the wilderness. Schachle has many childhood memories that include such adventures, and his love for the outdoors is still strong today.

As Anchorage closed in around them, the Schachles relocated to Wasilla, where the family still runs Penn-Jersey Drilling, a business their father started more then 50 years ago.

Schachle and his wife, Valerie, and several other family members, now live in Willow, where the family has been recreating since 1968, when they built a cabin on Long Lake. His mother, Genny, sold her Anchorage home and recently built a new one on the lake.

Valerie Schachle is one of those pillars of the community who volunteers whenever there is a call for help. For many years, she has been involved with the annual Willow Winter Carnival.

This year, when Valerie and others were looking for fresh ideas to liven up the 46-year-old carnival, Ted suggested they create a vintage snowmachine display. The idea was immediately adopted by carnival organizers.

&#8220The snowmachine crowd has dwindled in recent years,” Ted Schachle said. &#8220We thought this might be a good way to invite them back.”

Valerie Schachle agreed.

&#8220Dog mushing is great, and we get a good turnout for those events,” she said. &#8220But we really want to attract both the mushers and the motorheads to the carnival.”

To drum up interest in the display, Schachle has been visiting snowmachine shops around town, posting flyers and talking to owners about this and other events scheduled during the carnival.

&#8220We've had a great response. Folks are very interested in seeing these old machines,” he said.

Schachle is encouraging anyone with a vintage snowmobile to drive it - or drag it - down to Willow Lake on Feb. 3 and include it in the display, which runs from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Another &#8220motorhead” event slated for Willow Lake that day is the Radar Run, where for $3 a run, sleds, ATVs and motorcycles (both old and new) will be clocked using radar equipment, with prizes awarded for the fastest speeds in five categories.

Organizers also plan a swap meet, with $5 spaces available for those interested in selling or swapping their machines and parts.

Anyone with questions about these events can give Ted Schachle a call at

495-6452.