Off Season Posts

[wheatonFJR]

I'll start posting in this thread in June or July.

Too bad you don't live close to mountains.

[Bugnatr]

I'll start posting in this thread in June or July.

Too bad you don't live close to mountains.

You know I do and still in July and August can be too damn hot (or smokey) even up there to ride.

If the road ain't froze it's never too cold to ride.

[Abercrombie FJR]

There's an off season?

I need to hit you up for some Montana riding next summer. My Tenere was purchased to explore Montana, the Rockys and Alaska and it hasn't happened to my satisfaction yet.

[bigjohnsd]

I need to hit you up for some Montana riding next summer. My Tenere was purchased to explore Montana, the Rockys and Alaska and it hasn't happened to my satisfaction yet.

And whose fault is that - Mr. Retired Workaholic?

It is not like you haven't been invited.

[Hppants]

I'm starting to sense just a tinge of Parked Motorcycle Syndrome (PMS). Seems a bit early for this, but as a year rounder, I'm afraid I plead ignorance.

Let me instead re-state my standing offer. Chez Pants is open for company. Find a window and ride down. Trailer or truck the bike if you prefer. Doesn't matter to me. We'll do some riding around here and see what kind of trouble we can start. Just come hungry and come thirsty. I'll take care of the rest.

[bigjohnsd]

I'm starting to sense just a tinge of Parked Motorcycle Syndrome (PMS). Seems a bit early for this, but as a year rounder, I'm afraid I plead ignorance.

Let me instead re-state my standing offer. Chez Pants is open for company. Find a widow and ride down. Trailer or truck the bike if you prefer. Doesn't matter to me. We'll do some riding around here and see what kind of trouble we can start. Just come hungry and come thirsty. I'll take care of the rest.

Fixed it.

All kidding aside, if you haven't been to Chez Pants house of ill repute you are missing a good bet! JSNS

[raYzerman]

Well I can't come down obviously, but I'd trailer my CBF and VFR and see whazzup at Chez Pants and possibly Chez Redfish.... met them both but still kinda askeered to meet Mrs. Redfish from all the stories we've been told. Maybe I'll take some hedge trimmers and hope I can defend myself...........

[Pterodactyl]

There's an off season?

I need to hit you up for some Montana riding next summer. My Tenere was purchased to explore Montana, the Rockys and Alaska and it hasn't happened to my satisfaction yet.

You are always welcome. Rumor has it that a group of misfits, including an illegal Aussi border jumper and a ne’er-do-well Dakotan may pass this way on their way to Alaska. You’ll fit right in with that group.

[Steel_Gin]

For me, since the days are so short now it's probably a good thing there is salt and snow on the road or I'd still be riding. I mainly ride back and forth to work and on these short days, it's dark when I head to work. Damn field rats tend to be active at that time and having four wheels is probably a better way to go. I never like putting it away and come springtime I am chomping at the bit to go for a ride. Sometimes giving yourself time to miss something is a good thing. Also, adapting to the season helps take the edge off, like skiing.....of course, there is the year-round activity of messing around with the wife that's always a little extra nice during the cold months.

[Bugnatr]

Sometimes giving yourself time to miss something is a good thing.

Spoken like a true northerner.

No doubt if I was in a snow climate I'd be on the snowmobile forums planning rides.

[PhilJet09]

It snowed here today, but not enough to make getting the Ural out any fun.

[Red]

Sometimes giving yourself time to miss something is a good thing.

Spoken like a true northerner. No doubt if I was in a snow climate I'd be on the snowmobile forums planning rides.

Bugnatr,

Had a guy at work who went up to a mountain cabin for some snowmobiling fun. Went out an hour before dark with a buddy, for a quick sunset run. He was driving on our famous non-packing Utah powder snow. He crossed a clearing and "discovered" a ten-foot (3m) deep hole that was filled in smooth, so you could not see the hole. The machine went down into the powder snow like a diving submarine. His buddy missed him after a few minutes, and came back looking for my co-worker. You probably guessed it; the buddy dove his machine into the same hole. The hole was too deep and too steep to climb out on foot, with all the snow, and it was too short in any direction to drive out, because sleds do not accelerate instantly on powder snow. They had no way to make a fire, and no wood for fuel anyway. They got to spend a cold and miserable night in sub-freezing temperatures, with no extra clothing, until the search team found them after dawn.

That guy still goes out on the snowmobiles, but now he carries about 100 pounds (45kg) of emergency gear (clothing, tent, camp stove, fire-starter, radios, et c.) on every trip. Adventures are not adventures while you are having the adventure.
.

[raYzerman]

Back in the 70's I had snow machines, but these days there's not enough snow to justify one. Global warming! As some do here, they travel north a few hours to Igloomifuktuk area to find real snow. There is a trail system you can get permits for..... expensive little hobby for such a short season and where do you store all those bulky machines. Some of the tech now is however unbelievable in those machines.
Lots of stories of snowmobile incidents and one thing you don't want to be is stranded out by yourself.

[bungie4]

Back in the 70's I had snow machines, but these days there's not enough snow to justify one. Global warming! As some do here, they travel north a few hours to Igloomifuktuk area to find real snow. There is a trail system you can get permits for..... expensive little hobby for such a short season and where do you store all those bulky machines. Some of the tech now is however unbelievable in those machines.
Lots of stories of snowmobile incidents and one thing you don't want to be is stranded out by yourself.

B.I.N.G.O

It's true, southern Ontario gets SFA for snow nowadays. But you tend to get it in big dumps (lake effect) when you do. Up here in the land of Igloomikfuktuk, the amount of snow we get is highly dependent on the winter. A warmer winter (like they are calling for) we get a ton. Cold winters (like they are calling for!) we get little. Even up here, the trails, on a good year are only open for 2.5 months, a bad year a month or less.

I know a few folks around here who still have snowmobiles, but hardly any. The ones that do treat them for their utility (hauling cargo to camps etc), not for recreation. The industry blew its own brains out trying to squeeze out every dollar. Most of the guys that used to have snow machines bought PWC's instead. Longer season, just as much fun, more places to ride and the women are in bathing suits not sleeping bags. No brainer!

You haven't lived until your machine gets stuck in 3 feet of slush, -15C with it dropping down to -25C at night, alone, way out in the bush. Good times!

[wheatonFJR]

f@$k that!

[Uncle Hud]

@Red: Took the kids skiing in your neighborhood thirty years ago. We were all disappointed in our failure to make snowballs or a snowman. Went back to Snowbird two seasons ago and remembered that disappointment as I enjoyed your light, fluffy, non-packing snow.

Covid the asshole has pre-empted skiing this season. Now that I am subject to random dug tests, Colorado skiing has lost some of its appeal.

[Bugnatr]

Sometimes giving yourself time to miss something is a good thing.

Spoken like a true northerner. No doubt if I was in a snow climate I'd be on the snowmobile forums planning rides.

Bugnatr,

Had a guy at work who went up to a mountain cabin for some snowmobiling fun. Went out an hour before dark with a buddy, for a quick sunset run. He was driving on our famous non-packing Utah powder snow. He crossed a clearing and "discovered" a ten-foot (3m) deep hole that was filled in smooth, so you could not see the hole. The machine went down into the powder snow like a diving submarine. His buddy missed him after a few minutes, and came back looking for my co-worker. You probably guessed it; the buddy dove his machine into the same hole. The hole was too deep and too steep to climb out on foot, with all the snow, and it was too short in any direction to drive out, because sleds do not accelerate instantly on powder snow. They had no way to make a fire, and no wood for fuel anyway. They got to spend a cold and miserable night in sub-freezing temperatures, with no extra clothing, until the search team found them after dawn.

That guy still goes out on the snowmobiles, but now he carries about 100 pounds (45kg) of emergency gear (clothing, tent, camp stove, fire-starter, radios, et c.) on every trip. Adventures are not adventures while you are having the adventure.
.

BTDT I grew up in Minnesota. Talked dad into getting a sled for his five children to enjoy (I rode the most) in 1969 our first was a Sno-Jet 190cc single pull start. That motor was famous for fouling plugs, I can't tell you how many times I froze my fingers changing/cleaning plugs as gloves were to bulky to handle the plugs in 0 degrees or colder.
Finally after to many visits to the shop dad sold it and bought John Deere sled-another POS so he got smart and bought 72 Polaris 295cc twin- pull start. Always started and ran great.
One day while out riding alone on through the cattails in a nearby slough I hit an air pocket and dropped a few feet. Man I spent a long time digging enough to ride out of that mess...lesson learned. That was a great machine and damn near indestructible too, we tried for years and it just kept on going. As me and my brothers moved away from home the sled ended up at my oldest brothers and his two boys rode it for years too.
I think if we ever get enough moisture this winter I'll go up to Truckee and rent a sled for a day as I haven't ridden one since the 70's and they look amazingly fast....and expensive.

[danh600]

You old farts make snowmobiling sound like no fun.

You are killing all fantasy.

[bungie4]

Bug,

Just a word or warning, most modern machines are designed to be operated on groomed trails only. Those stubby tracks don't 'float'.

I alluded to getting stuck in slush. This is a pretty regular occurrence. One time, the owners of the local yammie dealer decided to throw a bunch of brand spanking new machines on a long trailer and treat his staff to a great weekend.

They didn't arrive until after 11. We heard them coming down the lake, throttles pinned, followed shortly after with bouncing headlights.

They came around the point into view and every machine, i think their were 6 of them, went from 70mph to 0 in about 30' when they ALL got into the slush.

I clearly remember standing up to my nads in slush from about midnight to 6am trying to winch them all out, then clear the tracks of slush before they froze solid until spring.

Lots of fun, digging a big slot then using a piece of plywood to act as a winch anchor at 3 in the morning suffering from hypothermia.

Good times, good times.

f@$king hard no.

[ionbeam]

...riding alone on through the cattails in a nearby slough I hit an air pocket and dropped a few feet. Man I spent a long time digging enough to ride out of that mess...

Our winter off-road vehicles are horses.

I've gone through the ice on the Charles river. By the time we got unstuck and got out of the river the horse and I were soaked. When we finally got back to the barn my pants were frozen solid into the shape of the horse. The horse was just fine, giving off clouds of steam because riding through deep snow was hard work.

My wife and I were riding one late winter day and she had her brand new major $$$ saddle on her horse. As we went along we came to a little swampy area that wasn't completely frozen. As my wife rode across the wet patch suddenly she and the horse disappeared. My wife popped out onto the edge with no problem; all I could see was the head of the horse sticking above the water.

We pulled on the bridle to encourage him to get out. Instead, he appeared to pass out and give up. Finally my wife had to wade in and hold his head above the water. I thought to wade in but discovered that the hole was really deep. But, there was a tree under the water that was parallel to the horse and sloped down sharply. I managed to get my feet on the tree so I could reach underwater as far as I could and grab the saddle girth. In an action like pushing a car I pulled on the girth, got my footing again and pulled again. The horse didn't move. I was working on hypothermia when we realized that the only ways the horse was coming out without drowning was either a tow truck or helicopter. These were the days before cell phones so calling for help wasn't an option. We realized that a tow truck probably couldn't get to the horse. My wife was going to ride for help but my horse had run off.

With most of my remaining strength I pulled on the girth again, but this time the horse at least tried to lift its head. The next pull the horse seemed to try to move. On just about my final pull the horse started to struggle. Eventually he came to and struggled out. So much for the new saddle. Now the challenge was to find my horse and get many miles back to the barn before I succumbed to the cold.

On another winter ride, my horse and I started across a very narrow bridge on an Audubon trail deep in the woods, miles from anyplace. Part way across she panicked and tried to turn around. This resulted in her getting crosswise on the bridge with her stomach flat on the bridge with her front legs in the water on one side and her rear legs across the bridge in the water on the other side. Phuck me, how in dogs name were we going to fix this? Eventually the shitty bridge started to sag and my horse started to panic. Somehow (I don't remember exactly) she managed to get her front legs on the bridge and got out. She was beat up and bleeding from all four legs. It was yet another long cold ride back to the barn with frozen jeans.

If people think they can get into trouble on a snowmobile, try horses