The snow and cold don’t always drive people indoors.

Antique and vintage snowmobile enthusiasts Chanda and Ben McClain can often be found outside as they enjoy local trails on their antique and vintage snowmobiles. They have helped organize the Antique and Vintage Snowmobile Show and Swap, a free event taking place from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Ramada Inn in Alpena.

Ben said people are encouraged to bring their sleds and there will be trophies and raffles throughout the day.

Chanda said it’s a family event where children, uncles, grandparents show off their different sleds.

“It is nice to do something in the winter; get out and enjoy looking at other sleds. It’s something to do in the winter. It doesn’t have to be a perfect sled. Often people like to see what they rode in the as a kid,” Chanda said.

This is the fourth year for the event and Ben said it’s been nice to see it grow in popularity.

“I’m seeing it grow, which is good. It’s kind of a slow period in the area. I wanted to bring something economic into the community,” he said.

One of his favorite aspects of the event is when he interacts with older snowmobilers.

“It’s fun to listen to the old timers share their stories,” he said.

He said they will discuss what the trails used to be like and how different the gear was. Ben said the older helmets often wer open faced.

Chanda said in the 1970s the focus of snowmobiling was often on races, of which there were many across Michigan.

The couple share their passion in the Alpena Trail Roamers club. They have about 30 sleds between the two of them.

“It started when I was 13,” Ben said. “I couldn’t afford a new sled, bought one off of a rock pile for $30 and got it running. I rode that for two years. Then I got another one at a garage sale for $40. I just couldn’t afford the new ones. I have a small engine certificate; I’m mechanical and can fix anything.”

Chanda said because Ben’s mechanical it has been helpful when restoring older sleds. A lot of people don’t have the patience for them she said.

“The patience is the biggest thing. You have to have someone mechanical because you have to work all the bugs out of them. Once you do you can get a really good running sled that are enjoyable to ride,” she said.

She said since they’ve become hooked on older snowmobiles they’ve gone to shows and made friends through them.

For a snowmobile to be considered antique it had to has to be anything made in 1968 and older. Snowmobiles made from 1969 to 1985 are considered vintage, Ben said.

Both Chanda and Ben have a particular brand that is their favorite. Ben likes Polaris and Chanda prefers Moto-Ski and Ski-Doos.

“It’s a personal preference. I started riding Ski-Doos when we started riding. I don’t mind riding the Polaris,” Chanda said. “The Polaris are pretty dependable sleds. The Ski-Doos are good by they’re cold blooded. They can be a challenge at times. Polaris seem a little boxy. It’s just a preference.”

Both have seen interesting animals on the trails like elk and deer and had their fair share of mechanical problems.

“I’ve run out of gas. My husband’s run out of gas on the old sleds. We’ve broke down a couple times too. That kind of makes you mad. One time we ran out of gas; thank God it was on a relic ride there were a bunch of other people around because they towed us back,” Chanda said with a laugh.

Both encourage people to come to see the sleds since it is a free event.

“I just want to share the love and passion. It’s just neat. I love history and this is part of history. I’m hoping the younger generation will see some of this stuff and think ‘Whoa that’s cool.'” he said.