Mid 1990's, I got back into sledding with an 89 Wildcat and an 89 Indy 500. I had a truck and a two place trailer and little else as far as tools and equipment. I checked the weather and figured that there should be lake effect somewhere along the west side of lower Michigan. I took a friend and we drove until we saw snow and trail markers. It was Baldwin, Michigan. We rode around some looping trails all day until a bolt came of of the Wildcat suspension, tore up one of the springs and ended the day. We found an Arctic Cat dealer just down the road and asked if they could fix it. They didn't have time but they did have everything I needed to do the job. There was a guy in the dealership who heard what was going on and he came over and offered the use of his heated garage and tools, somewhere in Lilly. Being city boys, we were a little nervous but took up the offer. We went over and the guy wouldn't help us fix the sled, but he stood by and told us what to do and gave us all the tools. It was good as new in no time. He invited us in, and his wife had chili on the stove. It was great. Turns out, he had an Indy 500 and he asked us if we wanted to go on a ride. We were kind of laughing that this old guy would probably putt around the trails, but for the next three hours, we did our best to keep up on hidden trails, unplowed roads, wherever the heck we went. We stopped in a few bars, and everyone knew this guy, and most had heard that he had a couple friends along from Chicago. I remember an amazing "Bitely Burger" at Bitely Tap, playing shuffleboard, and having a great time. Turns out he had a couple of kids that were off at college, and he didn't get to ride much anymore. By the end of the day, he was offering his house to us anytime we wanted to come up---even if they weren't home for the weekend! I also remember that he was a fireman in Holland, Michigan and that his name is Bruce Maclean, or something close to that. We never did take him up on the offer, and I've always wanted to send him a Chicago pizza or something, but I'm not sure if old Bruce is even around anymore. My friend and I were buzzing for weeks about that little adventure, and it's always been quite a story to tell.
Best Snowmobiling Memory
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I have two memories the first when I was a kid maybe 12 or 13 I lived in Genoa City WI we had a snow day from school I had two sleds they were both mid 70's one a polaris and the other skidoo boy were they junk but they ran.That's the first time I've seen thunder snow it was lighting and thundering and snowing so hard about every lap around the yard our old tracks were already covered.My neighbor child hood friend came over we must of made 500 laps around the yard.And the other is a new memory I'll always remember this past Saturday I took my 13 yr old son for his first solo ride on a sled.He has screwed around in some fields before but never on a real ride.I'm kinda a paranoid father that kinda drives my kids nut.So I took him to a field to get the feel of the sled. So after a few more pointers before I cut him free he looked at me and told me to chill out then he started the sled and hammered the gas and pelted me with the rooster tail.LOL Then after a few laps I had him follow my friend and I road behind him and I couldn't believe what I was seeing that kid can ride. He was keeping up with my friend no problem he wasn't going slow sliding it around corner throwing his weight around pretty much man handling the sled like an old pro it was pretty awesome.
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Grant Hoar
New member
About seven years ago three of us leave northern Chicago suburbs Thursday just ahead of a big storm. We get to Mercer, perfect 6 hour drive. Wake up in the morning to 13 inches of fresh snow. Took off Friday morning, and found out that the trails must have been groomed the night before, because they were glass smooth and covered with over a foot of fresh. We broke trail for 65 miles on these trails before even crossing another track. On a scale of 1 to 10, these were truly an 11. Got beyond our trails maps, really aren't sure where we are, came to a fork with directions to two towns, and we chose Phillips because we had not ever heard of the other town before. Running fast through the gas because of the snow, instead of playing have to decide to have one sled break trail and the others follow, we have no idea how far town is, just now hoping to make it to gas with at least one of the sleds. We get to Phillips, I don't think anyone had more than 1.5 gallons left.
So soaked from all the powder that had to make a stop at the local laundromat to dry everything (and I mean everything) I was wearing. No worries, did it it two load. Bought gortex shortly after that). Worst case of WAS (wet-a.. syndrome) have ever seen
On the way back to Mercer, we find road trails that had been plowed to bare pavement. Some trails were an 11, these six hours later were a 1.
After getting back from riding, we run into a group that left southern Chicago suburbs an hour after we had, staying at the same motel. They drove the entire distance in the storm - they had a 13 hour drive.
So soaked from all the powder that had to make a stop at the local laundromat to dry everything (and I mean everything) I was wearing. No worries, did it it two load. Bought gortex shortly after that). Worst case of WAS (wet-a.. syndrome) have ever seen
On the way back to Mercer, we find road trails that had been plowed to bare pavement. Some trails were an 11, these six hours later were a 1.
After getting back from riding, we run into a group that left southern Chicago suburbs an hour after we had, staying at the same motel. They drove the entire distance in the storm - they had a 13 hour drive.
I agree that there are too many memories to single one out as the best. I've got three that stick out. The first was on the first official ride when my first oldest son was 12. He was riding a 1995 Indy Lite and when we did our pre-ride safety check and one of my rules was "don't try to keep up with the guy in front of you". Well I guess he forget that rule because he missed a 90 degree turn and whacked a tree. I turned around and saw him trying to pull the sled off the tree so I knew he wasn't hurt. Now every time we pass that spot we stop and hug the tree.
Second was with riding with a good friend on a beautiful sunny and COLD day. The air temp was -13 degrees when we started and the old Polaris TX free air sleds were running beautiful. We did 80 or 90 miles that day and everyone thought we were nuts.
My third memory was tonight. My youngest son who just turned 12 will be riding the same Indy Lite his older brother t-boned the tree with and he wants to make it "his". So over the summer we rebuilt the clutches and he wants to have studs "like Dads". Tonight I set him up with a drill, socket, torque wrench and 48 .75 inch studs and we studded "his" sled.
Second was with riding with a good friend on a beautiful sunny and COLD day. The air temp was -13 degrees when we started and the old Polaris TX free air sleds were running beautiful. We did 80 or 90 miles that day and everyone thought we were nuts.
My third memory was tonight. My youngest son who just turned 12 will be riding the same Indy Lite his older brother t-boned the tree with and he wants to make it "his". So over the summer we rebuilt the clutches and he wants to have studs "like Dads". Tonight I set him up with a drill, socket, torque wrench and 48 .75 inch studs and we studded "his" sled.
when I was a kid I would go the the cabin with my grandparents every weekend.the cabin was a old farm house my grandma grew up in in Becker MN no lake just a slew and 200 acres.
we would ride every weekend I had been riding a 71 292 lynx from the time I was 8 grandma had a 440 puma and gramps had the old Yamaha.
well grandpa had been planing a trip to his buddy's house in Milaca from Becker for a mo or so figured I was 11 and could handle a long trip
the time came for the trip I was excited we had never gone further than a few hrs from the shack to a bar and home.
me and grandma went up after she got off work fri night gramps was already up there.
next morning we got suted up to go grandpa went out to get the sleds started .
me and grandma went out a few min latter went out to the shed and HUGE surprise there they were.
3 brand new 1980 Yamaha Enticers a blue 300 for me and 2 340s for them.I can still hear my grandmas voice oooh Don I cant beleve you spent all this money on toys.(funny I get the same thing now from my wife] those things were like riding on air compared to the old sleds.
well the trip went off with out a hitch and just like all sledders we got to the bar about 1/2 way to his buds hooked up with his bud,s family and they had just picked up 2 new cats. sleder buddys always got to do the 1 up thing I guess
we would ride every weekend I had been riding a 71 292 lynx from the time I was 8 grandma had a 440 puma and gramps had the old Yamaha.
well grandpa had been planing a trip to his buddy's house in Milaca from Becker for a mo or so figured I was 11 and could handle a long trip
the time came for the trip I was excited we had never gone further than a few hrs from the shack to a bar and home.
me and grandma went up after she got off work fri night gramps was already up there.
next morning we got suted up to go grandpa went out to get the sleds started .
me and grandma went out a few min latter went out to the shed and HUGE surprise there they were.
3 brand new 1980 Yamaha Enticers a blue 300 for me and 2 340s for them.I can still hear my grandmas voice oooh Don I cant beleve you spent all this money on toys.(funny I get the same thing now from my wife] those things were like riding on air compared to the old sleds.
well the trip went off with out a hitch and just like all sledders we got to the bar about 1/2 way to his buds hooked up with his bud,s family and they had just picked up 2 new cats. sleder buddys always got to do the 1 up thing I guess
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indy_500
Well-known member
Probably this past weekend. Left Bruce at 3 am made it up to houghton and back down to krupps and it was 930 am. Took a good 3 hours to get from Bruce to mass from all the waterskipping. Didn't want to do that again so we tried heading to Bergland. Ran out of snow and took a road 15 miles back to the grade in Ewen and went back to Bruce. My bud ruined 1 ski on his 12 etec 800 and we all lost our carbides. Fun as can be though. Or last year when me and my buddy rode 240 miles from Lando to Houghton and back in a little over 6 hours. Too many other to choose from but these 2 were interesting. Or john dee ride in weekend i buried my sled in twin lakes got it out an hour and a half later in 4 feet of snow when it was 50 degrees out. guys were running up and down 3 in t-shirts.
So many memories it's hard to just choose one. I think the one that stands out the most is the father-son trip with my son Adam on new years eve 1999. We stayed up at Tall Pines in Amasa and had beautiful trails and such a good time being best buds. In the late afternoon of new years eve we road out to a local hill where we could watch the last sunset of the millennium. As we sat and watched the sunset we had such a good heart to heart talk about what the future will bring us, where we have been, and what we can do to make this world better. This all coming from a fourteen year old with his whole future ahead of him. It still brings a tear to my eye when I think about that night. He has since finished college and started his career. Altough we don't get to spend alot of time together anymore I still have that memory of him and I all alone on a smooth trail watching the sun set on the turn of a century. Ahhh snowmobiling.....there is nothing like it!!!!!
600_RMK_144
Active member
Alright, so my story is how I got totally hooked on sledding. I had been out several times in Iowa, riding packed down trails, iced over lakes, etc. Nothing real great and I didn't "Get It". But a couple winters ago IA had a HUGE storm (before Thanksgiving). The father in law called and asked if I wanted to go out, so I said "sure" (not expecting much). Man, all I can say is I was YELLING at the top of my lungs inside my helmet as I pinned the trottle on that Indy 500 as we plowed thru that sweet, OH SO SWEET, untouched powder!!! NOW I GET IT!!! Ever since that day, I have been searching for that same powder. I'm totally, over the top hooked! I think about sledding pretty much all day every day. Some of my friends think I have a problem, i just tell them they have no idea. I can talk to you about it unitil I'm blue in the face (which I do), but you just gotta get out there and experience it for yourself. That's why I enjoy John Dee.com so much --- You guys (and gals) all get it. Thank you for that!!!
hamburgchf
New member
I think for me one of many memories, was many years ago when my son JR37 was very young, we went for a nice father son afternoon ride, after a few miles down the trail we are stopped by the county sheriffs on sleds, after a few questions the officers suggested that we return home as my son was definetly not old enough to be out on the trail driving himself, but before we were able to leave my son asked the officer if he would please start his sled as he was not able to start it by himself.
It's tough to pick out one and make it the best when you have so many to pick from, as a kid running the old Rupp Snow Sport until the track broke, jumping fence rows on the farm then going back over the tracks so Dad didn't know I was jumping them, watching Dad and the guy down the road drag racing on the lake, Dad with his Rupp Magnum against a SkiDoo TNT. In more modern times riding with my youngest son sitting in front of me, (who is now in college) and having him fall asleep and his helmet hitting the kill switch shutting the sled off going down the trail. Riding with my oldest son in hood deep powder after the eastern UP got dumped on getting stuck and digging out so many times we lost count. Riding with the Great friends I've made on this site, they may not all have been long rides but they sure have been fun rides. Thanks John for helping us continue to make Great memories.
Bradzoo
Bradzoo
A great memory for me was back in 2005 or 06. A buddy and I came up to Mass and unloaded. That afternoon we headed down to Bergland and I remember hopping on that road that crosses over the river on trail 13 being completely bare. The next morning we headed down 13 again and on that same road the snow was literally coming over the hood. It had snowed at least 1.5 - 2ft in just over 12 hrs. I remember talking to a father and son a couple days later in Mass who told me they were suppose to have gone home days ago but they just couldn't with conditions that good. It was good insight for me as to the passion people have for this sport. That trip and those conditions did alot to instill that passion in me.
garyl62
Active member
The reason for the handiman's quote is how similar his memory is to mine. It was the second father son trip and I was on my 2000 ZL500, my son was on his 99 Jag340. Problem (for him) was he was 16 and bigger than me so we switched sleds for more than half the trip since he felt like he was too big for the 340 and I was more satisified with bonding than boondocking! The actual memory was an early ride one day when we hit trail 13 after buying gas at Pat's by Greenland. We left there and headed north with my son in the lead on the ZL. The trail had been groomed and had set up so conditions were perfect. Off we went and within 5 minutes I had lost sight of my son. No worries, sooner or later I'd catch him. A lot of memories about what I was thinking during that ride but the short story is we went the entire length of trail 13 being the first sleds down perfectly groomed trails, never met anyone the entire way from 12 to 3, never stopped once and when I got to 3 my son was waiting for me with his helmet off and a huge grin on his face asking me what took me so long!
My youngest daughter was 14 and we were staying at Bent Camp's. She was doing all the young teen things; nothing was good enough, this is boring, parents are so stupid. Then we went for a ride across the lake at dusk. It was snowing lightly. A herd of deer skampered across the lake and she stopped dead. When I went over I saw she was crying and I asked what was wrong. She said, between sobs, that she had never seen anything so beautiful.
I remembered then that there was a young lady with an appreciation for true beauty and kindness in her heart and it made me proud. She is a wonderful girl today and just delivered my granddaughter.
I remembered then that there was a young lady with an appreciation for true beauty and kindness in her heart and it made me proud. She is a wonderful girl today and just delivered my granddaughter.
firefightentaz
Member
I would have to pin mine favorite on back in 1993. I wasn't into sledding much, rode a few times but never really got into the sport back then. I had been dating my wife for about 6 months and she invited me to her parents place for the New Year and to celebrate my b-day. So off we went to the Great White North I had always called it. I was a city boy so anything north of Flint was north! So as we arrived at her families place north of Reed City I had a very warm welcome to snowmobiling! My father in law had a shot of Yukon Jack warmed waiting for me for the long ride. Then off sledding we went. They strapped me to a 72 Colt 340! I thought this was great! I was loving it! As the week wore on we rode day and night. I don't know how far we went but it seemed like hundreds of miles. The best time though was after celebrating New Years at the Traveler in Leroy, we were heading back to the cabin and my wife stopped in a field and I followed. We shut off the machines and the sky was crystal clear, the air was crisp, and not a soul in sight. As a city boy, I had never seen so many stars and truly quiet. I saw the beauty of Mother Nature at her finest! We now spend every year at that place on our way home from our annual dinner at the Traveler. We now get to share it with our three kids. All on their own sleds of course! There are many more now that we are a sledding family! I can't imagine sledding not part of our lives. The sport has truly given me many memories with my family. Thanks John for bringing us all together in one place!
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Mine was in December of 2002, my buddy and my brother were staying in Silver City. We went to the Root Cellar for dinner at 9PM and when got there my buddy was scatching the head of the male elk in the pen through the fence. When we walked in and mentioned it to the owner, he had this terrified look on his face. He said that two weeks prior, someone had done that same thing and the elk ripped his arms to shreds, as it was in rut at the time. oops! After dinner, we went out and our sleds had 6 inches of fresh snow within an hour. We should have known this was going to be an interesting ride back to Silver City. We crossed the lake, then started heading north to Hoop and Hollar, but the snow was coming down so heavy and large flakes (completely mesmerizing) that you could barely make out the tail light of the sled in front of you, less knowing where we were going. All we could think about was wondering towards the dam and falling into open water. We we finally got off the lake, and Larry (who is a really tough character) had tears running down his face and said "Were you scared!". We always use that line since that time. We proceeded down the powerline trail towards the hotel and each time you would go over a hill, as you looked ahead you would see actual snow tornados which would be a complete whiteout as you went through them. The next morning, we tried to ride, but the winds were 50MPH plus, got as far as White Pine, turned around and went back to Silver City. The only time in my life that I considered the conditions to be unridable. Sat in the bar all day and just watched the snow continue to pile up. Unforgettable trip!
Another memory when my youngest was 10 years old and riding behind me on the AC 2-up. We were on a railroad grade and it was hard, flat and cold. I was doing about 65 and remember thinking that it was just like riding a motorcycle on the highway.
I looked in the mirror (I always had one on the trail and on on him) and watched him unzip his jacket, take his gloves off, take his iPod out of his pocket, change the song, put the iPod back in his pocket, put his gloves on and zip up his jacket.
Now that's when you know the trails are good.
I looked in the mirror (I always had one on the trail and on on him) and watched him unzip his jacket, take his gloves off, take his iPod out of his pocket, change the song, put the iPod back in his pocket, put his gloves on and zip up his jacket.
Now that's when you know the trails are good.
yamarage07
New member
Wow,I cant really pick a favorite.Every chance to ride is the best ride.from riding with the parents growing up to riding with them on their last ride. they finally had to give it up at 80 years young,or the many trips with a group of guys its hard to choose a favorite.I guess my favorite memory would be looking out the window when i was a kid watching it snow and asking my Dad,Dad is there enough to go for a ride on yet.He would reply let me know when the grass is covered.And there i would sit watching and waiting for the snow to pile up so my Dad would take me out for a ride.I still blame him for my addiction to snowmobiling.
polarisrider1
New member
Wow! That question is fully loaded. Guess you will have to wait until my book comes out! I have hundreds of good memories and most involve Ontario and my kids.