Help out on the trails.

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snobuilder

Well-known member
Put my sled in 4' of deep heavy plow cast snow today with only me snd ma to dig out.
About 5 minutes into what looked like 20-30 minute ordeal, a group of sledders came along and had us back on trail in a few minutes.
Needless to say we were extremely grateful as we exchanged high 5's and went our separate ways.

Fast forward 30 minutes later....we are about 15 miles either way from civilization and the nearest highway when we come across a couple young fellas with one outta fuel and both are riding these trails for the 1st time. We both had 3/4 tank a fuel and were able to put my handy dandy shaker siphon into action and transfer a couple gallons to the empty sled.
Bein able to pay forward....or backward usually doesn't present itself in such quick order but we've all been there on both sides of it.

This got me to thinking about the negativity we see on sites like this many times a year.
IMO the good samaritan sledders outweigh the rest 100 to 1.

I'm not posting this to toot my own horn as we all have been helped an have helped out on the trail, but if you have a good story? ...why not share it.
 
Wong

Wong

Member
I totally agree with you that the good outnumber the bad. Every site seems to have the crowd that rides little and complains constantly. I prefer to hang out with the glass half full crowd and ignore the half empty crowd. If you spend too much time with the half empties they will eventually wear you down.
 
dfattack

dfattack

Well-known member
Nice to hear that.

You bring up a good point and please tell me what you use to siphon out the gas. This seems to be a nice gadget to have not only for helping others but in the odd chance it happens to someone in our group.
 
O

old abe

Well-known member
X2 snobuilder!!!!! Just good people. Hope your ride was good this weekend. And hope it's not the last for this year!!!
 
J

jtm_67

New member
Amen to help on the trails, Last weekend my kid was riding solo and threw a belt about a half mile south of Donken, Some riders stopped and helped change it in the dark. After they took off he found out he couldn't pull the machine over. Someone else stopped and gave him a tow to the road crossing in Donken where he could get someone to come and load it up to get it home. We have always taught ours to stop and check on people whether it is on the side of the road or trail. Now he knows first hand why.
 
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euphoric1

Well-known member
besides all the people we have helped pull out of the deep snow along side the trail it was probably about 5 years back on the way to silver mountain ran across a lone rider with an arctic cat sno-pro with a broken drive shaft, being broken it would have been very difficult to tow as the track would not turn, we took the suspension out of the sled, put the track up into the tunnel, reinstalled the suspension and towed it and him back to the bp station in mass city where he phoned someone to come and pick him up from. Not snowmobile related but I used to live along a highway and on occasion would get knocks at the door in the wee hours of the morning and at much to my wife at the times dismay I would answer and help with whatever I could. I will help whom ever with what ever because someday that could be me and I hope that someone would do the same.
 
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sweeperguy

Active member
Several years ago I saw a guy stuck in the ditch at hwy 5 and 6-94 in front of lifetime fitness. Was driving by in truck, only had shoes on. Pulled over got him going. He was at the back side of a large snow pile from plowing. He got stuck again almost toppled over this time. Get him going again, He gets up on top, I'm closer to his helmet and heavy jacket. When I get up to him he has his wallet out trying to give me a 20 spot.
I told him "NO WAY" I ride also. He tells me he saw a truck with a sled in the bed. And a truck with 2 place trailer neither stopped. I told him (like euphoric1 said) I hope someone would do the same for me if they saw me. No way I could pass him by could tell he'd been stuck for a bit since his helmet and jacket off.
 
X

xcr440

Well-known member
X3 on the good out weighing the bad eggs on and off the trails.

With all the riding I’ve done this year, I have not had the opportunity to help anyone. But I have needed help. Busted A-arm 32 miles from Hoyt Lakes, limped it into town and found an old boy that welded it up on the spot - wouldn’t take a nickel so I left a $50 bill on the work bench in his heated shop. 400 miles later it still looks good as new.

I made sure I left a message at the gas station we found him at that so they could pass on to him how grateful we were and he could know his work was successful - not that he needed to be told that, but I’m sure he appreciated knowing we made it back the 100+ to the trailer.
 
1

1fujifilm

Well-known member
snobuilder said:
Put my sled in 4' of deep heavy plow cast snow today with only me snd ma to dig out.
About 5 minutes into what looked like 20-30 minute ordeal, a group of sledders came along and had us back on trail in a few minutes.
Needless to say we were extremely grateful as we exchanged high 5's and went our separate ways.

Fast forward 30 minutes later....we are about 15 miles either way from civilization and the nearest highway when we come across a couple young fellas with one outta fuel and both are riding these trails for the 1st time. We both had 3/4 tank a fuel and were able to put my handy dandy shaker siphon into action and transfer a couple gallons to the empty sled.
Bein able to pay forward....or backward usually doesn't present itself in such quick order but we've all been there on both sides of it.

This got me to thinking about the negativity we see on sites like this many times a year.
IMO the good samaritan sledders outweigh the rest 100 to 1.

I'm not posting this to toot my own horn as we all have been helped an have helped out on the trail, but if you have a good story? ...why not share it.
Click to expand...

I have a personal policy for giving a thumbs up to all riders that look "down" on the trail and stopping for thumbs down guys.

Eight or so years ago I was breaking in a 600 carb Ski-Doo near Au-Train and ran out with only 80ish miles at 4 PM in late December and it was cold as a bugger.
I flagged down the first guy I saw with a red can on the tunnel and got a gallon. Saved me from walking about 10 miles, paid him $50 for the gas to make me feel good (he wanted to turn it down) but we all know carrying a can sucks.

Bear
 
LoveMyDobe

LoveMyDobe

Active member
A few years back I was out riding solo and found a guy trying to dig himself out off trail, I walked up to him, asked him if he needed help he said"but you're a girl?". I said "but you're stuck", so I took out the tow strap and pulled him out. He didn't have any money to offer me which I wouldn't takin but told him to tell his friends " a girl pulled me out " All in a days riding....
 
mezz

mezz

Well-known member
Very cool:cool:, but, I'll bet he didn't tell anybody a girl got him out!!! LOL! Though, there is no shame in it, help is help...-Mezz
 
F

fatdaddy

Member
During this past snow storm I came across a young lady stuck in the ditch, as I approached the car she stepped out wearing only a jogging bra and stretch pants. She asked if I had a strap or rope to try to pull her out with, I responded I sure do, but I never pulled a pregnant women out of the ditch before. She said oh no, I'm not pregnant, and I said, your not out of the ditch either, lol
 
harski

harski

Member
I always give a thumbs up to see if folks need help in which I've help folks with directions mostly in the later years. I definitely needed help this weekend as I got sucked into a ditch off of a shoulder access trail while looking back at my saddle bag to make sure it was fastened. Thank goodness for my riding partner and a passerby that both knew what they were doing! WE ALL will need help sooner or later and it's just good karma to help out folks one way or another!! Riding with friend is DEFINITELY best too!

Harski
 
snomoman

snomoman

Active member
A little snowmobile lore to share.. We were out a few years ago at night somewhere around 10 PM coming back from copper harbor on our way back to our hotel. We just crossed the bridge in Houghton, went through the park and proceeded down the trail after crossing the road. All of a sudden there was a snowmobile on the side of the trail flashing a light as us, so we stopped to find out what we could do. He had been riding alone, starting from south of eagle river. He was riding a 4 stroke Yamaha (apex maybe?) had developed some sort of oil leak, lost all of his oil, then the engine shut down. He was SOL alone on the trail on a cold dark night. So we got his belt off, & towed him back to the Yamaha shop across the bridge with a hotel next to it. He wanted to give us money but we refused, telling him some day he will be able to pay it forward to someone else in need. I had a great feeling inside after we helped him to safety. It was a great ride back to the motel that night.
 
R

Rupp Collector

Active member
Yep, always checking to see if we can help if needed. One very cold night we found a guy about 30 miles out of Big Bay without lights. He was last in a group of 4 that came by sled from Wisconsin that day. We put him in between my wife and I and guided him into Big Bay where his "good friends" were sitting in the hotel bar. He was pissed and wouldn't even speak to them. He sat with us and even bought our dinner. BTW it was -32 when we got into Big Bay about 10:00pm. He left out of there by himself the next morning headed back to Wisconsin without his ex-friends.
 
dfattack

dfattack

Well-known member
Rupp Collector said:
Yep, always checking to see if we can help if needed. One very cold night we found a guy about 30 miles out of Big Bay without lights. He was last in a group of 4 that came by sled from Wisconsin that day. We put him in between my wife and I and guided him into Big Bay where his "good friends" were sitting in the hotel bar. He was pissed and wouldn't even speak to them. He sat with us and even bought our dinner. BTW it was -32 when we got into Big Bay about 10:00pm. He left out of there by himself the next morning headed back to Wisconsin without his ex-friends.
Click to expand...

Apparently there weren't his friends. Friends don't treat friends that way.
 
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