Calgary Snowmobile Club "STARS" club ride

[smokindave]

Sledder people are the best kind of people.
When I got my pledge form yesterday morning I thought I would throw it out there about the cause.
I had full intentions to go talk to customers,friends and family.
Well after posting on Snow and Mud yesterday morning I was out untill past eleven PM last night getting pledges from members.
My sheet is full!!I even have mail ins coming in.
I am going to start putting pledges on the back of the sheet today,so if you have not given a pledge and want to please PM me or call and I will meet you.
I could of got it done but after reading these peoples posts over the last few years I spent a lot of time with each person,talking sledding and everything sledding and about STARS.
I am overwelmed at how nice and friendly the people that I have talked too and to talk to people that are as passionate about a sport or hobby or for some a way of living.
I could talk to these people 24 hours,7 days a week,but unfortunatly I do need a little sleep.
So with only today left if you want to pledge give me a PM or call 403-467-4561.
Man, sledders are the best!!!
__________________

 

[smokindave]

Well the ride is in the morning.Gotta say thanks to all Snow & Mud members that gave me pledges.I have spent the last day and a half getting donations from only members,you all kept me busy and I thank you all.

If you did want to give a pledge to Stars after the fact that can be done.
Just PM me for info as I do not have to hand in pledge sheet till next club meeting,so if you missed out you can still help a great cause.
I will take lot of pictures and even a video of the event and post on Sunday.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[polarice]

Well the ride is in the morning.Gotta say thanks to all Snow & Mud members that gave me pledges.I have spent the last day and a half getting donations from only members,you all kept me busy and I thank you all.

If you did want to give a pledge to Stars after the fact that can be done.
Just PM me for info as I do not have to hand in pledge sheet till next club meeting,so if you missed out you can still help a great cause.
I will take lot of pictures and even a video of the event and post on Sunday.

Cheers,
Dave

and if all else fails support the stars lottery coming up

 

[GasCan]

Great work there Dave! I'll be out there tomorrow with the wife on her first sled ride in 30 years. If she gets it nailed down early, we'll hit the logging road and maybe see you guys along the way. If not, we'll be hanging around the Etherington staging area for part of the day while she gets used to her sled.

Have a great ride and if you find some deep, leave a trench!

 

[Barton]

Just wondering if they groomed the trails for this event?

 

[Klingon Warrior]

Probably not, not enough snow to groom, but enough to ride !

 

[smokindave]

Well there everyone let me start this post saying,I belong to a few other clubs and well have never met such a close group of friends.
I will be going on the rest of the Calgary Snowmobile Clubs rides and social club events.
Now about our ride,we split off into two groups,one group for family ride and our group that went looking for some powder.
After around three miles I turned around to do a quick sled count behind me and I managed to hit a stump just off the trail which smashed my hood and actually split my bumper and airbox open,but did not stop to look at damage as I was going to finish this ride.
So from there everything was pretty much going fine,until we got to the twenty mile mark.
We found a meadow and a cut block that excited me and I did a couple of climbs up through the block and I pulled back down into the meadow and pulled a half donut.
The last weekend I had nicked a rock on last ride and had bent idler arm,but spent the week collecting pledges instead of working on my sled so while spinning my donut broke the idler arm and lower a arm.
So now it was either ride back to the truck and let all my ride sponsors down or McGivor a way to finish the ride.
So with a lot of help from the members in our group we cut a dead tree and zap strapped the log through both ski hoops.I now had steering again.
So from there we went to meet up with the rest of the members which we did do without any problems,well that is untill we stopped for lunch.
As I had smokies in my muff pot and it does not get hot on trails,I took a couple of pulls straight forward and straight back in the meadow.
Well it was a little too much for my zap straps and they broke making my skis go in opposite directions and I got thrown off barely missing a tree that would of ended my day.
So after having my hot smokies I put my sled back together with the log and finished the ride with no more problems.
In the end I put on sixty miles,forty of which were with our home built steering system.
Would I do it again?Darn rights I would,this is an excellent organization to support and the members of this club are remarkable,helpfull and friendly.
Everyone that was there was getting their hands dirty helping me finish the ride,offering rope and cutting wood & giving me duct tape.
I really had fun and remind all from the Calgary area that if you have not joined the club to join today.
They are keeping our trails open and clean and the people were just plain nice and friendly.
So if you still want to give a pledge for this ride you can still PM me.
Also while downloading photos,I being very tired last night after getting home accidently deleted most but my sled carnage,(I was making a new file)so if anyone from the club can add more to this thread it would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Dave:d
Check out the clubCalgary Snow Mobile Club Home

 

[calgarysledguy]

Thanks for the pictures and update there Dave. I would have been there if i wasnt out spending money cause of you.LOL .Thanks again for that call. Sorry about your sled.

 

[Wally in Calgary]

Well there everyone let me start this post saying,I belong to a few other clubs and well have never met such a close group of friends.
I will be going on the rest of the Calgary Snowmobile Clubs rides and social club events.
Now about our ride,we split off into two groups,one group for family ride and our group that went looking for some powder.
After around three miles I turned around to do a quick sled count behind me and I managed to hit a stump just off the trail which smashed my hood and actually split my bumper and airbox open,but did not stop to look at damage as I was going to finish this ride.
So from there everything was pretty much going fine,until we got to the twenty mile mark.
We found a meadow and a cut block that excited me and I did a couple of climbs up through the block and I pulled back down into the meadow and pulled a half donut.
The last weekend I had nicked a rock on last ride and had bent idler arm,but spent the week collecting pledges instead of working on my sled so while spinning my donut broke the idler arm and lower a arm.
So now it was either ride back to the truck and let all my ride sponsors down or McGivor a way to finish the ride.
So with a lot of help from the members in our group we cut a dead tree and zap strapped the log through both ski hoops.I now had steering again.
So from there we went to meet up with the rest of the members which we did do without any problems,well that is untill we stopped for lunch.
As I had smokies in my muff pot and it does not get hot on trails,I took a couple of pulls straight forward and straight back in the meadow.
Well it was a little too much for my zap straps and they broke making my skis go in opposite directions and I got thrown off barely missing a tree that would of ended my day.
So after having my hot smokies I put my sled back together with the log and finished the ride with no more problems.
In the end I put on sixty miles,forty of which were with our home built steering system.
Would I do it again?Darn rights I would,this is an excellent organization to support and the members of this club are remarkable,helpfull and friendly.
Everyone that was there was getting their hands dirty helping me finish the ride,offering rope and cutting wood & giving me duct tape.
I really had fun and remind all from the Calgary area that if you have not joined the club to join today.
They are keeping our trails open and clean and the people were just plain nice and friendly.
So if you still want to give a pledge for this ride you can still PM me.
Also while downloading photos,I being very tired last night after getting home accidently deleted most but my sled carnage,(I was making a new file)so if anyone from the club can add more to this thread it would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Dave:d
Check out the clubCalgary Snow Mobile Club Home

Hey Dave -- Sorry to hear about all your problems but I know how you feel as that's how my first few weeks went this year. Sounds like you made out well on the pledges and hope you can get your parts together soon.

 

[smokindave]

Hey Dave -- Sorry to hear about all your problems but I know how you feel as that's how my first few weeks went this year. Sounds like you made out well on the pledges and hope you can get your parts together soon.

Its not that bad there Wally.I'll stitch the hood up and buy a new bumper.
I have extra a arms,bushings and bolts.
The main thing is STARS,and yes I did not do bad on pledges,thanks to people like your self.
I'll have my sled ready for the next ride.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Klingon Warrior]

For anyone interested, I have posted 4 short videos on youtube, nothing special, have to learn video editing, adding music etc. Maybe I could spend some time with Gas Can, he has a handle on it.

 

[smokindave]

Skyline trail part of Stars ride http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ7r7dqJByU

 

[smokindave]

Old Man River Road Part of the STARS ride [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2z0p2Ph5Iw[/media]

 

[smokindave]

Two other Clips from the STARS ride [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFnIWv8FvDo[/media]




[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OStsQcHRtTk[/media]

 

[smokindave]

To all the people that generously donated money for this STARS ride, I have requested what the totals were for pledges but as of today have not yet recieved the numbers promised me from the club.
All I can say except for one hundred dollars from Chunk Motorsports all my pledges came from members of Snow and Mud and my total in the day and a half that I had to collect pledges came to seven hundred and forty dollars.
I can honestly say that snowmobilers are the most generous of any recreational sport out there and I am certain STARS appreciates your support.
I just hope none of use need their services.If I can ever get the club to release the total from the event I or one of the other members will post the total balance of pledges.

Once again thank you for your generous support of a very important service to the people of our great province,especially during our tough economic times.

Thanks to all of you,I really did enjoy our conversations I had with all that did make pledges,I just wish we had more time to talk sled talk.We might have to start some kind of snowmobile club or social club.

Cheers and have a happy and safe season,
Dave (smokindave):d