I’m back with an Esky this time

[George B]

The close competition and comparing the two systems make for exciting contests!

I've never ridden a sled. Hell, I've never been in more than about 2" of snow. I'm absolutely jealous of your fun and can't imagine rippin' the powder at ~90 MPH

It is a blast!

 

[Snowbound]

Wish I was up north. I just got my old sled out of storage and started. May get up for one family weekend next month. Staying out by Squaw Lake and Buckskin Lake.

That sled is awesome. I have a soft spot for them Polaris’. Reminds me of my brothers XLT with the mono head. My XCR800 had individual heads. But I miss the sound. Enjoy it. I’m gonna try as much as possible this season too.

 

[Snowbound]

The close competition and comparing the two systems make for exciting contests!

I've never ridden a sled. Hell, I've never been in more than about 2" of snow. I'm absolutely jealous of your fun and can't imagine rippin' the powder at ~90 MPH

My Harleys come and go but I’ll always have a sled. I’ll never give it up. Everyone should experience it, but they all seem to think it’s too cold but you’re not. It’s so relaxing and without a care in the world.

 

[Snowbound]

@George B

 

[George B]

@George B

Love it. May never own a machine like that but I wish.

 

[Snowbound]

Gonna try to get caught up here. I’ll make it as short and sweet as possible.

Finished getting Jacks sled together and put in back of truck and headed up north.


My boys and I had a good weekend, it was cold but Jack had his new sled and Josh was on the old Jag, it was his first year riding the trails on his own sled.


We made a stop at an old church that was a little off the trail. It was built in 1914 and was the first Estonian Lutheran church built in America.

 

[iamdub]

Gonna try to get caught up here. I’ll make it as short and sweet as possible.

Finished getting Jacks sled together and put in back of truck and headed up north.
View attachment 367060

No surprises with your 'new' 2500?

 

[Snowbound]

Sorry, I thought I had an hour or so to get caught up. What was I thinking? An hour to myself? That’s crazy talk. Let me try again.

Josh’s first day out on his own sled conquering the trails. He was doing very well, and I was even blasting off in front of him speeding down the trail and then wait for them to catch up. Until one time where I looked back at him, he was there and so was Jack behind him and the trail came out onto a road and followed the side of the road for a little bit. After about 3/4 mile I look back again and they both aren’t there. I’m going slow for the next 1/4 mile thinking they’d catch up but nothing. Then I come to a stop and wait. Nothing. So I spin around and handlebar that throttle! I’m going 100MPH down the road not knowing what happened when my phone rings across my helmet communicator and it’s Jack. “Dad, Josh went off the trail and almost hit a tree.”
“I’ll be right there!”
And this was the scene when I arrived.

This was his direction of travel. This is where he first left the trail. Doesn’t even look like he attempted to steer back left to get on the trail.


And then he went across this little creek, again doesn’t appear to have made any attempt to stop or go in the direction of the trail. Must have panicked and grabbed all throttle and no brake. You can see that big plastic corrugated culvert pipe, there’s 2 of them and it appears he hit both of them.


This is where he came to rest just before hitting the tree.


He’s trying to fix the broken plastic with his magical fingers I guess. I told him, who cares about the sled, that’s what it’s for. As long as you’re not hurt. He said he wasn’t

 

[Snowbound]

So upon further investigation, not taking into consideration the info that was dribbling out of Josh’s mouth. My conclusion is this.
He got his right ski off the trail and the snow pulled the sled to the right. Instead of hitting the brake or letting off the throttle, he panicked and squeezed the throttle. He then hit a good sized rock that was hidden under the snow. Judging by the lack of imprint or tracks in the snow he was airborne until he landed on the first culvert. Again, no trace of him or his sled touching anything until reaching the second culvert leads me to believe the first culvert must have trampolined him and his momentum carried him onto culvert number two. By that time he must have been losing forward momentum and I’m picturing him draped over the handlebars so there’s no way he could still be on the throttle. The evidence shows where he slid off culvert number two and went nose first into a small retaining wall that lines the creek. Maybe it’s a drainage pipe under there but all I could see was the concrete wall from being cleared from impact. That is where I believe the damage to the nose of sled occurred. But it didn’t stop there. The skis must have straddled the retaining wall because he managed to get past that and come to a stop just before contacting the tree. And I can verify that the marks in the snow indicate that no contact with tree was ever made. I know this is hard to follow based on the pictures that have been presented, so I made a visual aid.


This must have really scared him because the rest of the day I couldn’t get the kid to go over 10mph. I kept telling him he needs to shake it off and keep going. We rode the next day too but he lost a lot of his confidence in that creek which is a shame.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Gonna try to get caught up here. I’ll make it as short and sweet as possible.

Finished getting Jacks sled together and put in back of truck and headed up north.
View attachment 367060

My boys and I had a good weekend, it was cold but Jack had his new sled and Josh was on the old Jag, it was his first year riding the trails on his own sled.
View attachment 367061

We made a stop at an old church that was a little off the trail. It was built in 1914 and was the first Estonian Lutheran church built in America.
View attachment 367064

Cool church! It was built a year after my house