Of the computerized variety.

No I didn’t feel like getting myself all worked up over state laws on the weekend. We can pick that up during the week. I did come across some nice free desktop wallpapers of snowmobiling shots for you, though, like this one from Coburn Mountain in Maine.

These come from American Snowmobiler. There are several shots from many different makes and models of new sleds, so go pick your favorite! Choose from 3 different sizes of Snowmobile Desktop Wallpaper to remind yourself every day of the way life should be!

American Snowmobiler is giving away free stuff…but you have to win the monthly sweepstakes.  For May the prize is a storm pack from True Adventure Gear.

Go here to learn about the prize and find a link to enter.  And don’t worry, you can enter with or without subscribing.

 Good luck!  Hope you win!  Well, you know, if I don’t…

Hey!  Learn about great contests and giveaways sooner!  Subscribe to the SledChix snowmobile blog.  Just hit ’subscribe’ above!

Not enough reason for us to jump the Polaris ship yet, but the four-year warranty Yamaha is offering on new sled purchases until April 15 as part of the 2009 Yamaha Spring Power Surge Program might be something to consider. 

As reported by American Snowmobiler, buyers who get in on the SPS program will get a one-year factory warranty, plus 3 more years through Yamaha’s “Y.E.S.” program for a total of four.  There is also the option to add a fifth year for around $100, which we know is all too easy to spend if something goes wrong with your snowmobile.  What makes it an even better deal is that the warranty is fully transferable, so you can still sell your sled under warranty, theoretically increasing its resale value and marketability.

 Here are some details from the AmSnow article:

• No deductible
There’s never a deductible to pay on covered repairs.

• Fully transferable: Increase value on your Yamaha
Your 4-year Y.E.S. protection plan is transferable, which can increase your Yamaha’s value if you decide to sell or trade it in later. There is no fee for the transfer.

• Affordable 5th year available
2009 SPS buyers can add an extra year onto the end of the coverage for about $100.

• TRIP benefit
Y.E.S. coverage automatically includes TRIP - Travel and Recreation Interruption Protection that’s in effect from the date of Y.E.S. plan purchase, even during the factory warranty period. With TRIP, expenses related to a covered failure can be covered as well, up to $150 per occurrence. This means unexpected food or lodging expenses, transportation expenses, even a rental vehicle can be covered - and that’s each time you have a covered warranty or Y.E.S. repair.

• Nationwide coverage
Have the nationwide network of Yamaha dealers behind you.

• Peace of mind
Repairs* become Yamaha’s problem, not yours. Y.E.S. will be there to help make it right.

*Excluding those repairs due to normal wear and tear or aging.

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Sounds like a decent deal, but you have to wonder what the real worth of extended sled warranties are (not just for Yamaha, for any snowmobile).  The italicized print says it all, doesn’t it? “*Excluding those repairs due to normal wear and tear or aging.”  Which naturally, most snowmobile repairs are.  I guess it can’t hurt and it’s a good promotion for Yamaha.  Probably still not enough to make us make the switch, though. If we were to do that I think we’d have to bank more reasons than a warranty of questionable real-world value.

The Maine IF&W website has more sled-friendly tools on their site than just the snowmobiling video.  They also have helpful links to regstrations, safety info, and useful forms. 

 One of those forms you’ll find here:  Snowmobile Trip Itinerary from Maine IF&W

The form is, as you might have guessed, a trip itinerary form that you can fill out to outline your route for friends, family, and game wardens should you get lost.  We’ve talked about the importance of doing this before, and this quick & handy form let’s you know just what info to include so that you can be found easier in the case of a break-down or emergency.  It’s a general form, so you really don’t have to be snowmobiling in Maine to use it.

 There are even more useful things on the Maine IF&W website, and I’d venture that other sled-heavy states offer even more.  Stop by and see what you can use!

The Maine Snowmobile Association, in cooperation with the Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Department, has made available a free snowmobile safety CD.  It’s an interactoive CD aimed at educating snowmobilers to Ride Safe.  It’s being promoted as a tool for sledders new and old, and for snowmobilers looking for tools to help educate their children in regards to safe riding practices.

 The CD itself is free for anyone in the US and Canada, but there is a cost to ship it.  To avoid the measly $5 shipping fee you can pick one up in person at an MSA location or event.

Here’s the low-down from the MSA:

Interactive Snowmobile Safety CD

INTERACTIVE SAFETY CD

Since the MSA and IF&W introduced the Ride Right, Ride Smart interactive snowmobile safety CD several years ago, thousands of snowmobilers have used this fun and innovative product to increase their safety knowledge. The program is designed for use on your personal computer, allowing you, your friends and family to take the course in your own home! Copies of the CD have been supplied to every middle and high school library in the state of Maine for the use of snowmobiling young people state-wide.
The course leads the rider on a virtual snowmobile trip across Maine. Using video and displayed text, the student learns the basics of snowmobile safety along the way. At various times on the trip, the rider must refuel their sled by taking a short quiz. Upon completion of the course, the rider can print out the tests and a completion certificate.
The CD is being distributed free of charge at the MSA office, 7 Noyes Place in Augusta, at the IF&W Info Center on State St. in Augusta, and at MSA meetings and events. If you wish to have a copy of the CD mailed to you (U.S./Canada only, please), we ask that you include $5 to cover postage and packaging. Send your request, mailing address and $5 per CD to: Safety CD, MSA, PO Box 80, Augusta ME 04332. If you require a Mac-compatible version of the CD, please note this on your request. (Fees waived for educators, librarians, youth/scout leaders, corporate safety committees, etc. - contact the MSA with your requests.)
The Ride Right, Ride Smart Safety CD was produced by Ursus Productions. Funding for the $20,000+ project was supplied by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, IF&W Dedicated Snowmobile Enforcement Fund and the MSA’s Brian Wass Safety Education Fund.

*****

 You can also access the safety video directly through the Maine If&W website and view online.

More great and low-cost ways to teach and educate about safe snowmobiling!

You might recall a while back (and if not I don’t blame you) I promised to seek out answers to an appropriate question:

What Is The Perfect Women’s Snowmobile?

Recently, I posed this question to “Motorhead Mark” (aka Mark Lester) from Supertrax through the Supertrax  website.  I expected a short and thoughtful answer, but Mark delivered so much more!  My question has been included in the latest Supertrax newsletter, which I now receive via email after having registered for the free Polaris giveaways.

Mark delivered a full article-length description of what he thinks makes the ideal women’s sled.  He didn’t offer up any single sled in particular, but mentions some very good possibilities offered by various manufacturers.  More importantly, Mark tells us why he recommends the sleds he does.  He also gets into some other very pertinent issues regarding buying snowmobiles and choosing the right sled for you; Mark shows he did his homework, too, and visited the SledChix Blog prior to answering the question, so he talks about all the things that are important to us here, including buying environmentally friendly snowmobiles (and the answer here might surprise you–a must read before you buy a new sled!).

I’m not going to do Mark an injustice by trying to paraphrase someone who is obviously a far more experienced and knowledgeable expert than I am (especially since an expert I’m not).  Instead, I’ll give you the link to the newsletter.  When you get there, scroll down to ‘Ask The Experts’ and click on the obvious link (what’s the perfect women’s sled) to learn from Mark’s very good advice.

I’d like to extend my Thanks to Mark for not only answering my questoin, but doing so so thoroughly.  This isn’t the last we’ll hearing about this article; in the next  few posts I’ll take some time to highlight some important topics and aspects of buying snowmobiles that Mark included.

To read Mark’s answer, read the Supertrax newsletter here.  Hey while you’re there, you might as well sign up to receive all the Supertrax newsletters (and don’t forget the free giveaways)!

Supertrax  magazine has anounced 2 free contests.  You can enter to win a free Polaris 600 Shift and you can enter to win a weekly prize of $100 worth of free Pure Polaris gear.  Here’s how:

 -For the free sled giveaway, you need to get your hands on an entry form either from the print version of the mag or from the Supertrax Magazine Website.  After you fill out the form, you have to take it to any Polaris dealer to be entered into the drawing.  If you win the Polaris 600 Shift, you also win an all-expense paid trip to Minnesota to tour the Polaris plant and ride with the editors of  Supertrax (I’m not sure which prize would be better!  I like my sled, I’d settle for the free snowmobile vacation!).   You can download the entry form online, but you can’t enter the form for this giveaway online–you have to visit a Polaris dealer (oh the things we have to do…).  The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, and one winner will be chosen from each country.

 -To enter for the free gear, you have to go to the Supertrax website–you can’t enter this one anywhere else.  Entry is simple, though, just go to the site, scroll down to the lower left of the homepage and click on the Shift giveaway ad.  That takes you to an online entry form where you just enter a few details (which I’m so sure they’ll use to keep emailing you, but heck, isn’t a little SPAM worth free snowmobile gear?).  This giveaway is ongoing until January 4, 2008 and one winner will be drawn every week, so keep going back to enter every week through the end of the promo. 

 While you’re there, you can do lots more like read up on snowmobile issues and sled reviews or subscribe to the mag online.  Best of luck to all–let me know if you win.  I’m off to throw my weekly hat into the ring!