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Motorcycle Forum / General / Off-road / February 2010Another check box on the bucket list
I finally got to try snowmobiling yesterday. Today I hurt everywhere. A friend loaned me his 700cc (2-stroke) Yamaha sled. We rode Snowy Range in Wyoming. While big fun, I don't think I'll be buying my own sled anytime soon. Compared to dirt bikes, steering on a sled is more of a "recommendation" than a "command". 40 years of motorcycle experience had me totally screwed up at low speed steering. High speed steering felt a lot like a bike. Doing any turns in powder require massive amounts of body english. In our group of 4, we had two noobs - myself & Shannon. Everyone in the group sunk their sled at least twice. The two experts were also the best at sinking sleds. One into a snow bridge over a creek, one into a tree hole (after wrapping his ski around the top of the tree). Damn, but those things are heavy! Shovel - lift - pull - shovel. Being in a ground blizzard at 11k' as the sun was setting was surreal. You could hardly see anything on the ground, and had to ride by braile. The expert who loaned me the Yamaha, totally bent the a- arms on one side of his sled dropping down a steep powder hill & catching a big rock. He flew over the top of his sled, then got run over by it. At least necessary repairs were limited to the sled, rather than the body. -Jeff- Good thing you didn't try a recent Ski-Doo (Rev chassis) 800cc. They sure are expensive. Never pass a bathroom. Never waste a hard on. Never trust a fart. Words to live by... HellSickle reports: > A friend loaned me his 700cc (2-stroke) Yamaha sled. We rode Snowy > Range in Wyoming. While big fun, I don't think I'll be buying my own > sled anytime soon. Compared to dirt bikes, steering on a sled is more > of a "recommendation" than a "command". I haven't been on one in ten years but my recollection is 1. if you have groomed trails, these things accelerate faster than anything 2. Steering is limited effectiveness at best 3. the brakes suck > He flew over the top of his sled, then got run > over by it. At least necessary repairs were limited to the sled, > rather than the body. Friends wife Doretta is still in the hospital from last Thursday's sled crash. Broke ribs and collapsed both lungs - bad ju-ju. She's out of the woods but incredibly sore. Go fast. Take chances. Mike S. > I haven't been on one in ten years but my recollection is > 1. if you have groomed trails, these things accelerate faster than > anything Nothing quite like a 150hp 2-stroke hooked to a continuously variable tranny in a <500lb machine. > 2. Steering is limited effectiveness at best In loose snow initially turn the opposite direction to get the outside ski up then use the skis to maintain attitude. > 3. the brakes suck Only downhill :) - imagine ONLY having a rear brake I was one of those pu$$ies who routinely put a clutch belt over a ski to go down slopes. 4. The '03 Ski-Doo Rev chassis and on is phenomenal in being so similar to a bike's riding position, putting the rider at the fulcrum of the sled and obtaining unbelievable suspension action. Every year, at least one local sledder dies in an avalanche. Frequently we'll get 3-6 die just in the Spokane/Cda/Sandpoint area. > Friends wife Doretta is still in the hospital from last Thursday's > sled crash. Broke ribs and collapsed both lungs - bad ju-ju. How does somebody collapse both lungs and survive? Continuous artificial breathing? Was she conscious? I know how much it hurt the first time I popped the right lung. Saints aint Aints no more Whelan - '02 200exc (x2) & '04 MTD 38 asks: > How does somebody collapse both lungs and survive? Continuous > artificial breathing? Was she conscious? I know how much it hurt the > first time I popped the right lung. It was touch and go for a few hours. She was real lucky to be riding with a genuine EMT who knew what to do. I don't so can't tell you for sure. I think that suction on a hole punched between a couple ribs is involved. Go fast. Take chances. Mike S. > Whelan - '02 200exc (x2)& '04 MTD 38 asks: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > can't tell you for sure. I think that suction on a hole punched > between a couple ribs is involved. We see that a lot on 'House', but somehow it always seemed too easy.  SignatureCheers, Bev Far away in a strange land >"sturd" < >HellSickle reports: [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >Go fast. Take chances. >Mike S. holey smoke collapsed both lungs?? usually that's a immediate death thing... must have been blessed to have some divine help at the right time.... incredibly sore is an understatement... hope she has a steady drip of morphine john john asks: > holey smoke collapsed both lungs?? Indeed. > usually that's a immediate death thing... I guess there are levels of "collapse". I remember doing a clinical study on a pig where we gave it a pnuemothorax on purpose and it died REALLY FAST. I'm not sure that is what she had though, all second hand info so far. > incredibly sore is an understatement... > hope she has a steady drip of morphine She actually sounded pretty good last night according to somebody that visited her in the hospital. I guess that means good meds. I'll talk to her as soon as she gets home. Go fast. Take chances. Mike S. "sturd" <m > john asks: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > that is what she had though, all second hand > info so far. oh that makes it better <grin> it was only a minor collapse LOL that's like when kid comes in and said i put a small scratch on your car.... but really dad i'm okay i got out of it before it caught on fire & exploded >> incredibly sore is an understatement... >> hope she has a steady drip of morphine [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Go fast. Take chances. > Mike S. well take care, gee wiz still can't get over how well the body survives the <krap> we do to it... john Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes? > john asks: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > that is what she had though, all second hand > info so far. Oh yeah. Some years back, 1994 if memory serves, I had a brief disagreement with a large Douglas Fir tree about who was going to occupy a certain portion of space at that time, and I lost. Big time. Broke every rib on my right side and collapsed the lung. It was by far the most painful thing I've ever experienced, and I honestly thought I was going to die for about half an hour, then I figured out I was just going to suffer for a while. After some nice guys drug my bike back up to the trail I rode out on my own (a little slice of Hell), got some buddies to load the bike, then drove home. As it turned out, the lung wasn't punctured, it just collapsed about half way from the impact. I can't imagine the pain that would go along with BOTH lungs. I hope she gets much better really quickly. Tim H > I finally got to try snowmobiling yesterday. Today I hurt > everywhere. I've only ridden a snowmobile a couple of time, but I hate them. Firstly, they don't go through snow very well, and when they get stuck, they are STUCK. My ATV can blast through deep stuff better than a (not-so-aptly named) snowmobile. My friends tell me that I need to ride on groomed terrain, but sheeeeeeeyit, I can do that on my dirtbike! OTOH, the power to weight ratio of a snowmobile is outrageous - coupled with no brakes or steering, I find them absolutely terrifying to ride. JayC |
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