It appears that the 2008-2009 snowmobile season is over for us, unless we go for the true swan song and jet off to Maine for one last ride this weekend.  I’m fighting back the urge, but since our sleds are already there, amidst snow that’s still measuring in the feet and random small snow storms (it’s snowing there as we speak!), the urge is winning.  It would be pretty easy to grab a change of clothes, the gear I haven’t yet unpacked from February’s vacation, and head up for that one “final theatrical or dramatic appearance” (thank you wikipedia, for clearing up the origins and meaning of the phrase).  By the way, if anyone is up in Maine, do be so kind as to give me an update on the riding in the Lincoln Lakes area?  Very recent detailed online resources are scarce for that area.

So alas, here I am feeling worse than a kid the day after Christmas (at least at Christmas there are new toys to play with!).  All I’m left with is wishful thinking, teasing intros for new snowmobile lines for 2010, and the realization that I may have to actually buckle down and get back to work!  It might help if our piddling excuse for Massachusetts snow would just melt and get on with Spring already (did I just day that!?), or if Maine’s would so I would know there just was no option but to muddle through the next warm months (sorry, you know how close misery and company are…).

I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much.  We had a banner year, and did more riding than ever.  I think we clocked in our February snowmobile vacation alone more miles than we normally do in a regular sled season, and that’s not counting the couple hours we managed in Maine in January and all the riding we did here at home in Massachusetts–which was a lot, especially for us with 4 kids that need sitting and especially for Massachusetts; it’s not often we get this much consistent snow.

So I’m trying to suck it up and move on with life, and considering a few sled-related projects for the upcoming spring and summer.  In the meantime, I’ll wax poetic and reflect fondly on our season, and start posting some pics from the past riding season.  If random pics show up here as posts with little or no explanation, that’s what they’ll be.  No time to start like the present…but before I go, I do hope you are still getting in some fabulous spring rides, and enjoying a dramatic song or two of your own…so please feel free to comment and tell me all about it!  I’ll be green with envy, but enjoying the vicarious life (comments always open below).

I promised pics from last weekend’s ride, so before we move on to this weekend’s fun, I thought it best to get those up here!

We’re Off!

…down the trails of the Coldbrook Snowmobile Club of Barre.  But not too far.  About 6 minutes into the ride (by Bill’s estimates ) I came around the corner and KNEW that was one of our hoods up in the air–ours as in, “this is going to cost me money.”

And then we finally did manage to get off, with no other real incidents, save for Mike doing a number on my bumper!  Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Couples

Sunday Ride, Ware River Snowmobile Club Trails

A picture’s worth a thousand words, so I’ll shut up and let you enjoy the scenery of these nice new shiny trails!–Trails courtesy of Ware River Snowmobile Club, pics courtesy of me…

That was then, hope to have more great fun and great pics this weekend!  Babysitter don’t fail me now!

If I was crafty enough to pipe in the background music from “Chicken Run,” by God it would be playing. Alas, I’m not in the least, so you’ll have to hum along in your head. Or aloud, who are we to tell? (For those of you who don’t know, the title is a quote from the movie, too).

Daydreaming as I am as I write an eBook on a subject far less interesting than snowmobiling, my thoughts wandered to a few notable points. One of them was of the “five years ago, who’d have thought” variety.

Five Years Ago Today….

As in five years ago, who’d have thought I’d be telling Bill to “go, man, go!” on a day-off Friday to go ripping it up with his buddy Bob, with me sitting at home.

Or as in, five years ago, who’d have thought my idea of celebrating and rewarding myself for a big-project finish and payout would be a new pair of Polaris snowmobile pants (note to Bill—UPS may be stopping by—and yes I know I totally could have slipped that by you and worn them for the remaindering season if I’d not just gone public with it)…. or a Saturday babysitter and treating Bill to gas and lunch at some trailside location…or some girly snowmobile stickers for my truck (note to self—finish your sticker order!); in fact five years ago I didn’t even own a truck and had no intention of doing so.

As our other buddy Paul so LOVES to remind me, five years ago I was an un-fun, bitter wife who called herself a snow-widow and snarled every time the subject of snowmobiling came up. I had no sympathy for the “guys” when they complained that they HAD to ride this weekend because the snow might be gone by the next. I had my own ideas of what HAD to happen. I cared little for driving hours away and spending the day with my kids and in-laws so Bill could buzz around the great snowmobile state of Vermont. I cared not at all to buy another trailing arm at the tune of a cool hundred bucks, or to replace the seat and bumper that someone rode up on because it had a dent or a scratch (which reminds me, I’ve got a bumper in need of a little attention—and no it was not my fault!).

So What Changed?

What changed was that four years ago, while I was still pregnant with our last child, Bill decided in the fall that it was time for a new sled. And I’d finally had enough. I put my foot down and told him that if he was buying a new snowmobile…..!

…he’d better buy two. And he did. Really with no argument, to his credit.

After that, it all changed. It’s funny thinking back now because I remember when Bill went shopping for those sleds. I’d told him something used and cheap was good enough for me. After all, up until then I’d done no real trail riding, only banging around in the fields when I was young. I’d never dare to go over thirty, so no, his old 600 XCSP was not a good idea for me.

I Remember The Day….

I remember when he came home and told me what he’d picked out for me—the Polaris 550 Pro X that I still have (because it’s a nice sled with hardly any miles because it can’t seat 4 kids—and I wouldn’t want it to). I remember telling him that was more sled than I needed, and him talking about how he’d weighed it out and wanted a sled with potential and value. I also remember him telling his friends that at least that way, when he sold it with 300 miles on it because I never rode it, it would be a nice sled with some resale value. As it turns out, he’s not always as right as he thinks he is.

The Moral Of the Story

Today, things are quite different. Bill’s created a bit of a monster, and the germ is spreading. Since then, at least three close female friends or family members have bought sleds and caught the bug, with a number of others in the works; next year I fully expect to see Melissa in Maine with us, and no, breastfeeding a young’un is not an excuse—been there, found a way around that!

Now, it’s not always Bill pushing for weekends out riding—I take all the credit for making him go last Sunday after all day out riding Saturday. I’ve more than doubled my 30 mph, and my sled has probably the same number of miles (or close) as Bill’s. Now, I actually care that his clutch is squeaking and might need new bushings. Now, I know that a clutch has bushings. Now, I’m signing a check and sending him back downtown so his crappy clutch doesn’t ruin my good day riding!

Now, Paul gets to make girly whining noises as he ruffles my hair and teases me for my prior bitterness. Of course now, I’ve got little to be bitter about, save for the fact that winter only lasts a quarter of the year around here if we’re lucky. Now, I root for the bad-weather forecasts, and swear at the people who live in New England but complain about snowstorms. Now I write a snowmobile blog for women for crying out loud! There’s no way I could have predicted THAT five years ago!

The other great bene is that now Bill and I have finally found something in common. Today he comes home from the local Polaris dealer and hands me the new Polaris Rush brochure, and we’re both licking our lips. What’s even funnier is that I’d already checked it out online and watched the virtual ride while he was downtown. Much as we enjoy rides out with a big crew, we also enjoy a few hours’ dash together alone, just the two of us. We’ve found some common ground, and we’re imposing our much-loved sport on our kids. Last year when we visited the local Polaris dealer with the intention of buying the boys the 120, and I saw that hot-pink one sitting there, an old, familiar refrain sounded out:

And so we did!

“If you’re coming home with one, you’d better come home with two!”

Take A Friend Riding?

The big push by the International Snowmobile Manufacturer’s Association has been their “Take a Friend Riding” campaign. Take a friend riding? How about take a wife!? (girlfriend, sister, significant other….) I’ll tell you all now that’s a surefire way to grow the sport and get yourself out of the doghouse in the process. And put a smile on a lady’s face

Finally a Maine snowmobile accident story with a happy ending!

This story was in this afternoon’s Bangor Daily News. 

A New Hampshire man, his wife, and 12 year old daughter were riding the other night.  The father, apparently in the lead, became disoriented when snows turned to white-out conditions, and both he and his daughter (all on separate sleds), fell through thin ice on Lake Umbagog in Roxbury, Maine.  The daughter, thank God, got herself out quickly but the husband couldn’t make it out.  The quick-thinking wife took off her snowsuit and threw one end to her husband, and she and the daughter pulled him out to safety.  All three of them rode out on the one remaining snowmobile (the wife’s).  The man and wife were experiencing symptoms of hypothermia, but were able to reach a camp after 8 miles where they took shelter.

Read the full text here in the Bangor Daily News.

Wow!  Scary, but how smart?  Nice to hear something ending happy, and nice to hear that a 12 year old has the fortitude to keep it together in a perilous situation and save not only herself, but her Dad, too!  Somebody must be raising her right!

Glad to hear that all are OK.

Can you remember your first crash?  Did it look something like this?

  Don’t worry, the sled wasn’t hurt.  Oh yeah, and neither was Joss

I haven’t actually crashed yet, but I have buried my sled off-course a time or two.  I’m hoping that remains the worst of my worries, but I’m sure my day will come.

So how about it?  Care to share?  Any good tales about your first crash?  We’d love to know, and you can always remain anonymous if you want to.  (But remember if we know you there’s always the chance we’ll recognize the tale :)! )