Been riding sleds literally since the early 70's....snowmobiling was it year around for a good portion of the last 40 years....we grass raced in the summer...ice dragged and oval raced in the winter...trail rode in between all of that. I moved north to be able to do it more often and there was many years I rode every day from late November to mid-April when conditions allowed. 6-7000 miles a season was the norm....didn't matter what the temp was...we rode. Bought new sleds every year...but now as i've reached the half century mark...it doesn't mean that much to me anymore. I sold all the race stuff several years ago....have no desire to stand outside at Eagle river for 10/12 hours or stand in the middle of the lake changing weights and jets and all that crap for just a touch more speed...or go trail riding when its 10-20-30 below....last year I put maybe 100 miles on...this year way less than that. I guess the reason for the post is I feel guilty cause I'm not out there when conditions are so good....would rather be in my shop messing with stuff. I build custom bikes as a hobby and between that and the full time job I have plenty to keep me busy....hard to explain why something that meant so much doesn't mean hardly anything anymore...maybe its time to load up the Harleys and head south to enjoy them more....
Just curious...do you ride as much as you used to?
- Thread starter nhra1000
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Not even close. Go about 2000 miles a season now. Back in my 20's would go 5000 miles and usually go through 2 sleds a season. Many of my original group have gotten old, moved away, died or quit sledding or spend their winters in Florida or Arizona. The younger guys are chasing high school sports across 3 states and only go sledding when there is nothing else to do. It is no longer the 'religion' it used to be. I ride alone a lot. Which is fine.
C
Cirrus_Driver
Guest
NHRA...interesting thread, I was thinking of asking the same question a few weeks ago. Last time I rode, now admittedly, I was feeling the best, I just wasn't very "into it". It was perfect conditions too....good base, great groom, 3-4" of fresh and still snowing. I just wanted to head back to the cottage. I was thinking of selling my sleds and getting a 2 up, but the little woman said it's no fun riding on the back. I said, 'that's the first time you every said snowmobiling was fun'. That being said, I think I'm going down to one sled next year, at least until she complains. It used to be the only thing I looked forward to about winter, but now? Used to be a 10 for me, now it's a 3-4. Things change - that's life. It's more a young man's game, IMO.
I'm starting to ride more. Kids are getting older and my 16 yr old son would go every weekend with me. As long as I'm taking him my wife is fine if I head off to the cabin for the weekend. Also doing more weekends with friends. I guess as I get older I'm realizing I can't do this for ever, at least not the way I like to ride now. There'll be a day soon where I become a full time trail rider, just trying to push that as far out as possible.
I have been pretty consistent putting on just under 2000 miles a year, oddly this year will probably be a little less as my December trip did not work out. I would assume that as my kids get older I will put on more miles but I also ride with about 14 other local people and there's no guarantees they will all hang with sleddin in the future. That's one big reason I have tried to find new people to ride with from all over. A short 14 more years and I will be able to retire and ride more and be able to hop into the groomer!
no I don't for sure, and main reason is lack of snow locally, can only get away so many times a yr towing far to find it!
a shame, as sleds now are better for riding more limes than ever!
just been a bunch of almost NO snow years here now!
averaged over a 1,000 miles on local trails for yrs and last 4 winters combined , I haven;t managed to get 350 miles in on them , due to just not open to ride due to NO snow!, heck in 2017 they never opened even 1 day!, first time ever, since trails have been there!, 2018 they were open for maybe 4 days(NOT in a row either) and this yr, they were open for 2 days so far!
hard to rack miles up like this LOL
a shame, as sleds now are better for riding more limes than ever!
just been a bunch of almost NO snow years here now!
averaged over a 1,000 miles on local trails for yrs and last 4 winters combined , I haven;t managed to get 350 miles in on them , due to just not open to ride due to NO snow!, heck in 2017 they never opened even 1 day!, first time ever, since trails have been there!, 2018 they were open for maybe 4 days(NOT in a row either) and this yr, they were open for 2 days so far!
hard to rack miles up like this LOL
sweeperguy
Active member
I ride more now. Same amount of passion, but I used to ride old not very reliable sleds. They were not always fit to ride when I had the chance. Work, (drove wrecker for 15 yearsor so) took precedence. Had to work a lot of weekends when the guys were riding. Kids took up a lot of the little time off I had. Not to mention the cost of raising kids
NOW with kids grown and a seasonal job. I have much more time, and significantly more money to spend on newer more reliable sleds.
NOW with kids grown and a seasonal job. I have much more time, and significantly more money to spend on newer more reliable sleds.
I would say about the same. The passion is still there but as the snowline has migrated north it requires more travel. Which requires more planning, travel, etc. We just got back from a trip to Mercer for a couple of days. Their trails were much smoother than Hwy 51/39.
Not anymore since we sold our Vipers this year. Used to run 2000+ every year with a trip out west thrown in. Since we sold our home and are now full timing in our 43’ Winnebago, we head south for the winter. Never thought I would stop riding, been doing it since 69! Things change, and the call of warmer weather got to me I guess. Now I live my sledding adventures through great memories and the stories here on JD. My son in law has a dealership and will provide me with a sled to scratch the itch if it comes up, but for now I sit back and enjoy the warm weather and watch you guys continue to dig out of the epic snowfalls as of late. Be safe out there my friends......
You don't say where in NE Pa but we drove from Columbus OH to Palmerton to get our first Tibetan Terrier(480 each way)....I find it hard to believe the Poconos don't get snow....you anywhere close to them? (Not calling you out, just curious)
indy_500
Well-known member
Mehhh kind of. From age 12 to age 18 or 19 i pounded out 3000-5000 miles a year trail riding typically. Then i went to backcountry/mountain riding so cant really rate your amount of riding by miles, and i sold my couple trail sleds to buy 1 new mountain sled. Age 20 i made a trip out west and countless trips to the UP on a brand new sled. Age 21 i made 3 trips out west and a stupid amount of trips to the UP on a brand new sled again, i rode something stupid like 40 full days that year. At the end of that winter i closed on my house so obviously cash flow was going to diminish. Next winter i started off with a bang going out west and wrecking my knee... Tried to ride the UP a couple more times that winter yet. Last winter girlfriend and her son moved in, made 5 day trips to the UP and no trips out west, now this year i purchased 2 trail sleds along with my mountain sled. Ive made a trip out west so far this year, 3 day trips to the UP, and probably 5 full days and 5 quick trail rips on my trail sleds so definitely getting some snowmobiling in whether its on my mountain sled or trail sled. At a point where time and money keeps getting less and less but this winters been good for me and hopefully i can keep it up, as the passion is still there.
True that. Last week in Utah we were showing some other guests some of our pictures from that day and the husband commented on how he's too old to ride like that. When I said I was 51 he seemed amazed as he was only 53. I mentioned to my wife that we'd like to go out next yr and she said I should as I'm not getting any younger and need to do this while I still can. It'll catch up soon I suppose.
ICT Sledder
Active member
Screen time on electronics plus kids sports jumping the shark and taking up all of a given family's disposable free time and money have really screwed up a lot of traditional hobbies, both on an individual level and as a father-son or whole family perspective. Can’t fish/hunt/sled/camp/scouts because every weekend of the year is spent three states away and in hotel rooms so little Johnny can eventually get a partial scholarship to play college baseball at D2 Nowheresville State. And when the family is not doing that they’re nose deep in facebook, twitter, and instagram. Culture is just changing.