Jack Grzesik spends his winters on ski patrol on the slopes in Ironwood.
It’s extensive training that needs to be renewed each year. He’s volunteered doing it now for more than four decades.
“It's the dedication of all the people around you that creates, what I think is, some of the best friends Linda and I have ever made. Linda's my wife,” said Grzesik. “That's what keeps you coming back.”
Grzesik first learned about the Heal Creek trails at a Rotary meeting. It’s a newer trail system in Rhinelander that’s been built up near the Northwood Golf Course.
While not a biker himself, Grzesik thought the trail system could benefit from a bike patrol, a division of the National Ski Patrol.
“Many of its members bike in the summertime, and they take the same talents, but on the ground without snow, to help people that are injured,” said Grzesik.
LAMBO Riders in Minocqua started a bike patrol in 2021.
Mary Dunphy is the LAMBO Bike Unit Patrol Representative and a member of the National Ski Patrol Bike Program. She says about a dozen LAMBO members have gone through training.
They patrol during events, group rides, and high traffic times at the Zip Trails.
“We don't have very many injuries, which is terrific. Occasionally, an illness. There'll be people that sometimes need asthma inhalers or get a little bit too heated when they're doing races,” said Dunphy. “But in general, with us being there, wearing our National Ski Patrol/Bike Patrol jerseys, it kind of reminds people that ‘Yeah, I should think about not doing some of these daring skills if I haven't ever done them before.’ We're there as a reminder to be more safe on the trails.”
Enjoying biking, willing to help others, and not squeamish about blood and injuries are good attributes for those considering joining bike patrol, according to Dunphy.
“We're a fun group of people, and you get together and you talk about the things that you have experienced in the past, and that's how everybody learns,” said Dunphy. “There's ongoing new techniques in emergency medicine that the National Ski Patrol is on top of, and once you become a member of Ski Patrol, there's a whole educational program within the National Ski Patrol website, that can be either online to learn about different techniques, or also in-person clinics that you can attend, so you can become more adept yourself.”
You can learn more about the National Bike Patrol program here.
There is a meeting at the Northwood Club House on September 20th at 2:00 p.m. for people interested in joining bike patrol for Heal Creek. You don’t need to register, though Grzesik would appreciate a head count. People can call him at 715-490-0676.
