Are You Staying In Or Getting Out?

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borderstaff

New member
I've owned sleds for over 30 years now and couldn't imagine not having one. My wife is my number one sledding partner and she gets worried when I upgrade sleds. First its the withdrawals and moping. Then the stage where I leave the freezer open and sit next to it in a chair worry her. Then, if it goes too long, I can be found sitting in the deep freezer downstairs wearing all my gear and making snowmobile noises. Finally she will just yell at me to go and buy a sled because she can't take it any longer. I sold my 09 M1000 and bought a 10 Sno Pro 800 M8 at the end of this season. I can't wait to ride it. But, as life hasn't allowed me to ride as often, I make my best effort to get quality rides in vs. quantity. I pretty much ride strictly out west for 2-3 trips a year and maybe one to the U.P. And, thanks to this site I've found some great sledding friends to go out west with.
 
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Deleted member 10829

Guest
Whitedust,

I do understand the riding alone thing, that's ok once in a while, but it's fun to enjoy the experience with someone else along to share in it. If you happen to belong to a club, they usually have members that you can ride with, but you would probably leave most of them in the "whitedust" as I know you like the upper end of the speedo more than the lower end. I hope you are able to stay in the sport!

It does sound like there are lots of people, or people know others, that are getting out of the sport. I don't mind less sleds on the trails, but at some point the revenue won't be there to maintain the trails the way they currently are.

In the meantime, enjoy the summer and your boat! I hear there can be some very good deals on Florida condos.
 
E

elf

Well-known member
We are still in it. But, as others have said it's getting expensive. We just came back from a weekend at the cabin, first time we've been there in 2 months, and it makes me wonder if it's worth it. We have a lot of money tied up in that place and selling it would allow us to pay off the mortgage on the house and being debt free would be nice. Don't get me wrong, it would break my heart to sell it considering I actually built it and the primary reason we built it was for sledding. But in the next 3 yrs we have to get my daughter a sled, my son a sled, upgrade my wifes sled, go to a 4 place trailer, etc... Lots of expenses coming up if we want to stay in it.
 
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coldbear

New member
First snow of the 2011 season, 9-4-2011.

Let it snow for the first time this 2011 season and the no goers will be out there pulling the trigger. June is a hard month to talk sledding. My wife and I are starting our 33 year in snowmobiling and as long as I can climb on a running sled I will always ride. I can't get enough of it.[snow that is].
 
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whitedust

Well-known member
mspease said:
Whitedust,

I do understand the riding alone thing, that's ok once in a while, but it's fun to enjoy the experience with someone else along to share in it. If you happen to belong to a club, they usually have members that you can ride with, but you would probably leave most of them in the "whitedust" as I know you like the upper end of the speedo more than the lower end. I hope you are able to stay in the sport!

It does sound like there are lots of people, or people know others, that are getting out of the sport. I don't mind less sleds on the trails, but at some point the revenue won't be there to maintain the trails the way they currently are.

In the meantime, enjoy the summer and your boat! I hear there can be some very good deals on Florida condos.
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Mark,
You nailed it! I did consider club rides but I cover trails in an hour that they take 4 hours to ride. Nothing wrong with a nature ride now & then but not every ride. I'm tuned for power cruising & just need another power cruising bud or 2 & I will be ok. Sharing the ride experince is the missing link for me. You can be the lone wolf for so long then you miss the pack & the goofy things you did with them. I'm in for 1 more season & maybe I'll find another power cruiser in the area.:)
 
H

Hoosier

Well-known member
I have been having some of these thoughts also. Just spent Saturday finally looking over and cleaning my sled, and it's seen better days. Just lots of rust on it here and there from riding on the trailer. So I'm thinking when the time comes for the next sled, I'm going to want an enclosed trailer to transport it. Then you need a vehicle that can handle that, so yeah, all these costs start adding up. I'm definitely staying in the sport, but really considering selling this Fall and just renting instead. No repairs, no trailer, no storage.

We rode out near Togwotee this past year for 4 days. Rented M6's and M8's. We paid less than $200 a day for the sleds, which includes gas, oil and damage waiver. When we were done riding each day, we just parked the sleds and someone else put gas in them. When we had a mechanical issue, they gave us another one to ride. No shortages of snow out there anywhere.

Plus we drove a car out there. It was a long drive, but with 3 guys, it didn't cost all that much.
 
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windingtrailgal

Active member
Whitedust - what would I do without your reports?? Say it ain't so! :confused:

We cut back on every other thing we can so we CAN ride.

I think it makes a big difference -with Whitedust and with others who have commented - on who you're riding with and if you have someone to ride with. We ride as a family and bigdaddy gets to take trips with his buds and the 13 yr old - then I and the 10 and 8 yr olds stay home. If my kids got to the point where they told me "ya know? I don't enjoy going" well, heck, I'd leave 'em at home. (not alone so don't be callin DCFS on my sorry butt!) So even if all of our friends decided to not ride anymore, we'd still go with just us. And if I was looking for someone to ride with other than my family and friends? That what the JD ride board is all about. :)

I can't imagine NOT snowmobiling!! I know if for some physical reason I couldn't it would hurt me mentally as much as the physical ailment that forced me to not ride.

As I get older I see the older folks out there on the trails - going at a nice easy pace - and I think "GOD! Please let that be me!" because I think it's really cool to see everyone from the teenagers up to the 80 year olds.

I hate the heat so Florida sounds like a nightmare place for me to live. But I say that now in my 40's...if I was retirement age? FL part time may not sound so bad... (no, I still can't see me ever thinking FL)

If nothing else, no matter what the age, to me it's a great way to get out of the house and have something to do that I ENJOY in the winter! There's plenty o time for fishing and swimming and every other seasonal activity during those other seasons.
 
H

Hoosier

Well-known member
indy_500 said:
Time to go buy some rattle cans! I take it you're talking about pipes, front suspension a-arms, and rear suspension torque arms?
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Exactly - mostly the pipe, the rear suspension and some of the bolts here and there. I think I'm going to pull the skid next time I'm near the sled (it's stored about 2 hours north of me) and pull it apart and paint the parts that are getting rusty. Do you just use rustoleum on something like that? What about the pipe? Can you can paint it with something? Probably not worth the effort but it looks awful when you pop the hood.
 
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bigvin

New member
Never Give Up!

:)
I'll have to agree with what Borderstaff says in an earlier post,....
Going to have to go with Quality over Quantity.
Enjoy every minute of the time you CAN go.
I sure hope I can get at least ONE more sled in my lifetime.
Getting older changes the priority chain into more of a Bucket List.
Snowmobiling has been too big a part of my life in making me who
I am,... Since that '67 Fox Trac up to today,.... Gotta do my best to
"carry the flame".
Going to have to "hang on to" the sleds Longer,....
Snowmobiling is such an Awesome experience.
Great thread!

(Side Note)
Ya know,... The more and more I get ate up by these dang bugs,...
trying to get work done,....
The more and more Summer just isn't what it's cracked up to be.
Isn't it amazing in the Winter,... how pumped up you get when the weather
guys on TV are tracking the HUGE storms,....
And in the Summer,... how much turmoil. panic,.... and PRE-Doom you feel
When they track the same thing?

Nothing like mowing the yard between Thunderstorms with the smell of DEET caked
repelent protection rolling off your sweaty elbows in 85% Humidity as you pick the
ticks off you and spit out the mosquito's,.....

Gotta fire up the sled again,... just to dream :)
 
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snoughnut

New member
I'm out, after 20 straight years you get a little burned out. Most of all this recession we're in is the biggest factor, financially it's hard to justify any more. Selling the remainding 2 sleds and trailer this fall.
 
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Pizza Man

New member
I'm not riding as much as I did years ago.
But, sleds and trailer are paid for and I'm staying in the sport.
Althought this will be the last sleds and trailer I'll buy.
 
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westbc

New member
Still in...

Me and my buddy talk about getting out quite a bit. But when the trails are really good there's not much better. I'm planning to buy a new 2012 Cat XFR 1100 this year. Getting a new sled helps stay motivated.
 
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jerkbait_1075

New member
Im with snoughnut. After 15 great years, wonderful memories and seeing some of the greatest places and folks across the country I got out a couple of years ago. Surprisingly while i miss the memories and the times that were had I dont miss the headaches and hassles of owning my own sleds, trailers, tow rigs ect. Sure like everyone else i occassionally miss tinkering in the garage on the sled. In fact my group of fellow riders had two of the biggest tinkers that ever lived i think. And I too miss the smell of 2 cycle oil just to get ur summer fix. My wife to had become my best riding partner towards the end and we were very fortunate with her family owning a second home near the wisc "up" border. We were fortunate that making travel arrangments were never an issue. Life is about change and in a way I am glad that I have choosen to take a "hiatus" from my snowmobile life. The memories and experiences that I am now having whether it be with the wife or kids or some other activity is the next chapter in my book and I am enjoying it. LIVE IT UP TO ALL U STILL KICKN UP THE SNOW EACH WINTER as many of us on this site live vicariously through your tales. However to any of you questioning whether or not to get out be it for good or just a few years break I would say you already really know that answer and ur just in denial. I know I did a year or two before finally making the decision to sell out. I'm just glad I got out while the economy was still pretty good. Geez I pitty any one needing to unload there equipment in this economy.
 
X

xcr440

Well-known member
Everybody has something they enjoy doing, and you do what it takes to do it.

New sled? Nope.
New truck? Nope.
New trailer? Nope.

Still riding? Yes Sir!!
 
H

Hoosier

Well-known member
jerkbait_1075 said:
I'm just glad I got out while the economy was still pretty good. Geez I pitty any one needing to unload there equipment in this economy.
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According to one of this years' snowtech articles (don't remember when), used machines were selling for very good prices this past season. I assume this is related to the lack of new sales over the past 4-5 years as well as the rapid escalation of prices on the new machines.
 
Admin

Admin

Administrator
Staff member
Let's see...

1) Brand new sled to use each season for free.

2) Can open my garage door and immediately ride in the best snow anywhere east of the Rockies.

3) Still have tons of friends that love to ride.

Yea, I guess I am still in. :)

On a more serious note, I am looking forward to kissing my health issues good-bye and having a season where I feel 100% and the only thing holding me back is my ability.

-John

PS. I do know how fortunate I am and am eternally grateful for numbers 1-3 and my improving health.
 
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