I knew there was a reason I liked Polaris.  It’s not just because they make the best sleds, either J.  Here’s a little snippet I came across today that might be of interest to all the Sled Chicks and their male counterparts out there. 

PowerSports Business reported on June 29^th that Polaris is stepping up to the plate to support military personnel and, more specifically, their families.  During June and July, Polaris is donating a portion of the proceeds from all Polaris ATV sales to the “Armed Forces Foundation”.  The AFF provides aid to military families.  There’s not much more than that to the article, but what there is can be viewed here. 

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to include snowmobiles, so if you are planning on ordering yours now for the upcoming winter, I don’t think you can plan on your cash making it to military spouses and children, but supporting a company with their heads and hearts in the right place is never a bad thing, either. Regardless of what you think about any ongoing conflicts or the war in

Iraq, the troops that are protecting our freedom, even as trivial as our right to ride, deserve our support.  And when a company steps up to help that cause, you should take that into consideration.

Thus far we’ve yet to find anything better to do than snowmobile.  I’m very doubtful we ever will.  But it would be nice to find something that comes close to sledding during the spring, summer, and fall. 

It seems logical that a reasonable substitute for a sled in the summer might be a personal watercraft; similar styling and handling, manufactured by the same companies…  Of course, I’m shooting from the hip here.  I’ve never actually been on one.  And I just read that Polaris doesn’t even manufacture personal watercraft anymore, so I’m not sure there’s a lot of point in getting involved.  I am curious to know what others think, though. 

From what I’ve seen so far, the biggest drawback to me would be the amount of people you’re likely to encounter riding a jet ski.  Your likelihood of running into people on a lake on a hot summer’s day has got to be exponentially higher than your likelihood of traffic-jammed backwoods

Maine sled trails.  I think the weather-factor has really helped us out as far as that goes.  Since one of the biggest draws to snowmobiling (at least to me) is the escape, maneuvering around a mass of people on a Jet Ski or Sea Doo just won’t do. 

But I’m not as closed-minded as I sound.  If you ride personal watercrafts, I’d like to hear about it.  If you ride snowmobiles and watercraft, I’d love to hear your take.  Who knows, I may even learn something.

For a true-blue Sled Chick, there’s really nothing that replaces her snowmobile.  Not for this Sled Chick, anyway.  I’ve tried a few things, but snowmobiling is just about all there is for me in the power sports venue.  A couple of years ago my husband had a motorcycle.  A Harley even.  Maybe that sounds impressive to you, but it did nothing for me.  Part of the problem was that motorcycles are supposed to represent freedom, and for me most of the time, they only represented being left behind while hubby disappeared for a few hours.  I thought about learning to ride myself (as if he’d have let me take his Harley!!!), but I really had no interest.  For one thing, bikes are just too tippy.  For another, you’re still battling traffic regardless, and who needs more of that?  Even when we did have a chance to go together, I hated it.  I don’t like not being in control.  I feel the same way about my sled.  I’d never be a passenger.  I guess I just like knowing my mistakes are my own.  And I can crawl along at 25 if I want to. Eventually we both tired of the overpriced garage ornament and the bike was traded for a Polaris (OF COURSE!) ATV.  Just a few weeks ago we took the ATV up to Maine and I went, for just a few minutes, out on a trail ride, hoping there really was life in the summertime.  Unfortunately, it turns out I was right.  It’s just not sleddin’. It was a little fun, but mostly it felt too similar to driving for me to really get into it on a regular basis.  The other problem I had is that I couldn’t see it being any fun with a group.  Riding with a bunch of friends is a blast on sleds, but on a four-wheeler, it’s just eating dirt. So there you have it, my two cents.  Sorry to those of you who think a four-wheeler is a more practical past-time.  I disagree.  Guess Bill can keep it for hauling cordwood.

Summer seems to be the kid’s time of year.  They’re out of school, have nothing pressing to do, and activities for kids abound in the summertime.  In this SledChick’s home, summer is ‘their time’.   Maybe you don’t have kids, in which case the whole year is ‘your time’, but even if you don’t, surely you recognize - and remember – summer as being that time that seems to be about all things children.    In our house, all the warmer months, but most significantly summer, are devoted to the kids and their activities; or at least, to activities that mostly include them.  There’s one driving reason for this.  They’re parentless in the winter.  That’s “our time”.   Okay, we don’t really neglect them (*please no comments from the relative babysitter gallery), but sledding is the one thing that my husband and I both enjoy and do together.  Mostly as a couple.  The exception to that is when I take pity on his poor soul and allow him a ride or two out with ‘the boys’* to shake off the trailing tail slowing them down (read: keeping speeds reasonable).  Or when we can’t find a babysitter. There have been a lot of times when people have asked us if we plan to expand our sledding horizons to make it a family-thing, or suggested getting two-ups to trail the kids out, too.  And thus far our answer has always been the same.  WE DON’T WANT TO.  It’s not that we don’t enjoy our kids, we certainly do.  In moderation.  And most of our lives are devoted to them – working to support them, going to their activities, getting them ready for the day, feeding and clothing them.  And sledding is our escape.  It’s our thing.  It is, like I said, the one thing that we have chosen as our shared interest as a couple.  After being married for 11 years, and adding four (wonderful) children to the world, we need that; something for us, something for us to share; something FUN!!  Snowmobiling has finally given us a common ground and a fun outlet for the stress of marriage and family.  And we’re just not ready to give that up anytime soon.  So for now at least, our children will remain snow orphans, and for a few hours when we can get it, we’ll be carefree kids again. 

*the term ‘boys’ is not used loosely here; referencing grown men as ‘boys’ is entirely intentional.  All men are small boys again as soon as they seat themselves on a snowmobile.

During the winter months, a Sled Chick never has to ask herself…what should we do this weekend?  But as soon as the trail base starts melting away, boredom sets in and life is a little less worth living.    Well, a girl’s gotta have something to do in the meantime.  Now, here in our house we’re not a family that is never indoors, but we do enjoy outside activities; and more and more, we’re trying to get the kids out, away from the TV, and enjoying the outside.  This year, we’re making more of an effort because all of us in this house have found ourselves in somewhat more sedentary positions than those we’ve held before.  I’m writing hours out of the day, my husband is operating (heavy equipment) & driving more, and two out of four kids are in school full time.  Add to that the fact that oldest is almost 8, and is hitting a time where activity & health is going to become critical.   So there’s a short list of things we like to do be good active examples for our kids, enjoy family time together, and occupy ourselves until the ground is white again.  Here are some of the things we enjoy most, including a few we’re just getting into: 

• Hiking in the woods, right in our own backyard
• Walks near our home, but the kids usually bike it
• Fishing (a new one this year, although my husband & I both did as kids)
• Yard work & gardening
• Visits to area farms/petting zoos
• Random visits to the park, but I have to say, I’d much rather go somewhere less packed & let the kids run around a field
• Occasional ATV riding
• Board games & card games with the kids; you’d be surprised at what games even the little ones can handle.  We even have a 7 year old chess player (I didn’t teach him that one; my speed is more like Candyland)

And of course there’s all that summer & swimming stuff, too.   So what’s on your list?  Is there anything you’ve found that comes close to the thrill of a good sled ride?  Or even anything that comes close to a crappy sled ride?  If so, please do share!

Now that I’ve got you wondering just how far a SledChick will go… 

It helps to know what a blog is about, but sometimes it’s also useful to know what it’s NOT about—to see if the blog will be a good resource, a good ‘fit’ for you. 

So while SledChix is a place where we’ll talk about the fun of riding, safety, sled news, great stuff, the occasional trail condition update (BTW—The going’s pretty rough right now…), and things to occupy your time ’til it snows, there are a few things this blog just isn’t. 

Namely, this blog isn’t much of a place for motor-head type of riding news.  You won’t see me talking much about engine sizes & designs, probably won’t have a heck of a lot to say about suspension, not too many suggestions for upping your horsepower, and there probably won’t be a lot said about who builds the best snowmobiles even though we all know it’s Polaris. 

Really we’re here because we love riding, life, the riding life, and the great outdoors.  In that order. 

But seriously…I’m not a hard-core rider.  I have never been filmed for any of those snow-cross videos.  I have on occasion surprised myself and taken a little more air than I intended and from that grew an enjoyment of safe, predictable jumps with a clear landing view.  There’s just a certain thrill you get from finding out you’re still in one piece and still on our sled. 

So ladies (and curious gents) if you want a place where you won’t be picked on for not knowing what a trailing arm* is, this is your place.  You want to talk fun & good riding, come on back.  And as always, if there’s a question or issue you want to see covered, drop an email or a comment, and I’ll see what I can do. 

*a trailing arm is not what happens when you lose your grip; a trailing arm is a very overpriced piece of pipe your husband breaks riding that must immediately be replaced at the expense of your night out for dinner and a movie

Okay.  I admit it seems a tad silly to be starting up a blog about snowmobiling just as the summer heat is starting to hit in force.  In fact, today was the first day we cranked up the AC here in the northeast.  Not that that necessarily means much; once it gets over 60 we start cooling the house down to keep our winter hides prepped and ready for the first big snowfall.  (No, not really, please, people, it’s just a joke!) 

Anyway, you can’t always control when opportunity will knock and I figure it doesn’t really matter because sledders are sledders no matter what temperature the thermometer reads, and if you’re not out riding, you’re at least thinking about it! 

So that brings us to the point of this blog.  This is, in case you missed it, a blog for women (girls, chicks…) who love snowmobiling; and if you’re nice, guys you can stay, too.  This is a place to come and read up on the new trends, products, places to ride, and so on, and so on.  It’s a place of community where comments are welcomed – ENCOURAGED! This place is for all of you lady riders as much as it is for me, the SledChick whose ramblings you’re forced to endure. 

Now as I said, and as you know, I’m sure, already, sledders are sledders year-round, at least at heart.  What that probably means is that even when there’s not much trail riding to be discussing, there are probably a few other topics of interest we might be able to pass the time talking about.  Maybe you’re an ATV rider in the off-season (me not so much, but I dabble…).  Maybe you’re a Mom, an Aunt, a Sister, a guy hanging around trying to pick up SledChicks;  Whoever you are, I’ll venture to guess you might be interested in finding out what else there is to do in life while we all (not so) patiently wait for winter to come, and we’ll talk about that, too. 

However you ended up here (and I thank you profusely for hanging on this long!), WELCOME!  I hope to be seeing and hearing lots from you all.  So please drop a line to say Hello, offer up your thoughts, questions, and suggestions.  

I’m looking forward to a fun ride here on The SledChix Blog!