Why do YOU Ride?

[Himark]

Stolen from another site...i thought it was a great! my reply changed up to reflect mtn ridin more:

why we ride, you ask?

it starts way before the ride. its starts with the preparation. the days prior to the trip...putting the sled on the lift....checking it over with a FRIEND and a beer. making sure the next ride it will be READY. throwing in a sled dvd in the shop, using the sleds as couches, enjoying the laughs, the drinks, the company of great people who UNDERSTAND.... IT. the SICKNESS of being a SLEDDER. the anticipation the night before departure. the lack of sleep...toss and turn, you waking BEFORE your alarm at 5am. feeling...even NERVOUS. waiting in the cold outside to be picked up by the boys. grabbing that coffee for the road trip. bullshitting with the boys the entire way...throwing out the random loud "BRAAAAAAAAAAAPS" and "remember that time?". even though its 5 am...your AWAKE. watching the snow banks grow with every passing mile. watching the mtns get closer.....more nerves settle in. ANTICIPATION growing. unload....breathe in the exhaust...take in the sound of the sleds idling all in unison like a pissed off orchestra. getting your gear on...its COLD. look out at the landscape...you are about to embark on an ADVENTURE. one that you're not sure where it will take you...what will transpire over the next 6 hrs but your EXCITED. you KNOW you will be surrounded by BEAUTY, NATURE, POWER, ADRENALINE, FRIENDS. you crack the throttle and the skis come up...you FEEL the power. its an ADDICTION. the cold is no longer cold...its just a part of the landscape. the snow blankets the land so perfectly...you ALMOST dont want to disturb it...but then you crack it....and create your own painting....look back and smile...."ya....i did that". you push the sled more, you PUSH yourself into thinking..."its doable, i can make it...hell they do it in the videos". you FAIL. you dont let it stop you. try again...SUCCESS. you sit and eat in the same company that has been with you since the days start. the day winds down...comes to an end...its bitter sweet. your tired, sore, exhausted...but your HAPPY. you head back to the trucks...forearms sore...legs sore....back sore...the cold is no longer a back drop....its creeping in. the trucks come in sight and the cold nearly vanishes...your happy to see it. it will take you HOME. you load up...climb out of your gear...feels good....climb into the warm truck, even better. even though you just went through all the motions and partook in the days activities....you converse nearly the entire way home about the day in great COMPANY....the wipe outs, the "sick" drop, the DEEP POW, the epic tree line...who WON. you get home, unload, say your goodbyes.."until next time"

until next time....

you ask why we ride.....there is no answer. no ONE answer. its a PASSION that only a sledder can and will ever understand.




why do YOU ride?

 

[catinthehat]

I think Himark said it all right there. What more could there be. I am sure others will have more to say but that sums it up very well imo

 

[schwindt]

I like drinking beer on the mountain is that one? Lol jk i ride to find new spots, get adrenaline rushes, challenge myself to get better every ride, always one more bowl, one more spot a bit higher to try and achieve, just always trying to outdo what was done the day before

 

[d8grandpa]

i just gas up and go lol

With ALBERTA gas, lmfao!

 

[RevyG]

With ALBERTA gas, lmfao!

You are quite the ch!t talker eh Grandpa! You think ALL we get is Alberta gas? This is a GREAT artical, actually read it out to my girl as she got ready for her two day sled course and then you have to stir it up. Oh and no it is not in the caribou closure either, well not till Tuesday!!
Thanks again, this artical really nailed it.

 

[SledMamma]

Here is my cheesy MOM/girlie answer...

When you get to be a "certain" age (that shall not be specified, cough cough) life gets to be about everyone but you, or so it would seem. You've finished school, established a career, you've had the wedding, you've sported the prego belly, rocked the babies, wiped the sp(h)it stains, and ushered them out the door to school. And then one day, the door slams shut and the thump thump of little feet fades and you realize that you have folded the same laundry, cooked the same meals, done the same damn dishes 10,000,000 times... Hell, some days I only eat leftover crusts from grilled cheese sandwiches and when I do sit down to a meal the little buggers steal it right off my plate while I am up getting a glass of water NOTHING belongs to you anymore, not even your right to go to the bathroom in private or shave both your legs in one visit to the bathtub!! What's next, what's new, what's challenging?

For me, it is sledding. I always loved quadding and dabbling in sports and fitness, but sledding is the one thing that I am NOT good at!! It is my personal challenge that is new and refreshing, and as ever-changing as the conditions on the mountains themselves. Some days (or minutes or seconds) I am the 'king of the mountain', the next I have been chewed up and spit out by a wind lip, an impossible wall, a hard landing, or an unexpected cliff! Its that perfect combination of psychology and physiology; and when my brain and body work together its like art Its quiet moments inside my helmet: no kids asking, no dogs barking, no phones ringing, or hospital pagers and monitors beeping. Its not a competition with anyone else. Its not about being the best in my group, only about being the best ME on that particular day. I have little goals for myself, as cheesy as it sounds, and if you could break inside my helmet, you would hear me whispering "20 seconds of courage" over and over. Because that is all it takes is 20 seconds to face the thing that terrifies and excites you all at once. And then the throttle gives beneath my thumb, I hear a white noise in my helmet as all rational thought fades away, and suddenly... its done! Usually I am either victorious or stuck, but at least I did it and that "thing" that was terrifying isn't as scary as all the thinking I did about it, and I am ready to try again.

Sledding is also about the beauty and majesty of my surroundings, of going to someplace quiet that Facebook and Telus will never be (I hope). It is sharing those views with friends who laugh beside me and share the same passion. Of knowing that when we break into an untouched area or crest over a beautiful ridge into a new zone, that we are all having the same wild anticipatory thoughts without having to speak a word. And then there is the comraderie- helping out your fellow sledders whether it be the stuck of the century or the breakdown of the day. Its about being creative and innovative and resourceful and helping out strangers and friends alike without a second thought. (In some ways, sledding brings back all the aspects of humanity that are lost in the day to day shuffle that is work, cell phones, social media etc., I think that is perhaps why it is appealing to so many, because without knowing it, our souls are craving the purity of nature and adventure and friendship...)

I consider myself blessed that my husband introduced me to sledding, and that a majority of the time, he is with me. It is something we do together and he is always believing in my abilities when I don't. He finds me things to jump and drop, and dusts me off when it doesn't go so well It is amazing to me that it is his voice I hear telling me to throttle up a steep vertical and attempt a re-entry. "Does he really think I am that rad??? Like really? He clearly hasn't been watching me ride " Its true: The couple who plays together, stays together!! In all honesty, we have gone up the mountain after a fight, when I don't want to talk to him at all and I just want space... Its not a great feeling, but I don't know any couples that don't fight!! Somehow, a day on the mountain with my best friend gives me a chance to appreciate him outside of the stresses of our life and the confines of being a MOM/DAD/WIFE/HUSBAND. It is an effortlessness between us that fades when you have kids and need to schedule dates and couple time... There is a "hubba hubba" factor in watching him effortlessly move through the trees and see how athletic and strong he is. I like knowing that when I fall into a hole he is not only looking for me, but he knows where to look because he saw that line too!! Sometimes the best "I'm sorry" is a BRAAAAP!!! I might still be mad about whatever thing it was in the first place, but I am better able to forgive because I see the big picture and who is my partner and protector when all is said and done.

When it is all over at the end of the day, there is that glorious soreness in my body that I love. I go home to my kids and I am a better Mom and a better wife for having spent that time away and finding "ME" again. Besides, my three girls are watching me very closely and they need to see a Momma who continues to challenge herself, to learn new things, and attempt new heights

Oh, and also and perhaps more importantly, I like that when I get home after a day of sledding, my arms and chest are totally ripped!! It actually makes me sad when sledding ends and the callouses on my hands start to fade... something only another sledder would understand

 

[Luke The Drifter]

I ride because it lets me forget about the riff raff and bullchit of daily life. Something I need to do more of!!

 

[retiredpop]

I ride for a few different reasons. Sometimes it's just to get out there away from the routine. Sometimes it's to take the grandchildren out to enjoy the snow and scenery so they can have some fun time with Grandma and Grandpa. Sometimes it's to enjoy time with family and friends. Sometimes it's to introduce a newbie to the sport and hope they get hooked. Sometimes it's to go exploring in new and old places. The list goes on but mainly it's just for the fun of it!

 

[tantrumpipeline]

It's the one and only sport where it's all about you while pushing your ability and luck making pulls and technical maneuvers yet there's a group/team feel to it in between doing so, you're in the mountains where you get a surreal view many will never see, and I'm pretty sure 2smoke oil is addictive so any excuse for that fix

 

[Newmanater90]

Just like that old commercial "what's your thing"..Well sledding is my thing! No better view then on top a mountain looking down on the world with out seeing a highway or hint of pollution. I love exploring and finding new areas and above all I love spending money lol

 

[mick]

Cause the wife doesn't

 

[LUCKY 7]

It's the best sport to do with your son. especially if my wife is at home cooking us supper for when we get home lol

 

[Himark]

Wow momma....not girlie....totally awesome! Thanks for sharing!

Sent from my GT-I9100M using Tapatalk 2

 

[0neoldfart]

Hard to put into words - it is definitely an illness for which there is no cure. I enjoy the company of my wife or kids (sometimes both), being able to see places that the average joe will never experience. Buying a sled and tinkering with it until it's a perfect fit, then starting over with a new unit to do it all over again. I'll be honest, I'm not as aggressive as I once was, certainly no more 2 am departures to the mountains for me - I'll leave the day before (this will come with time for everyone lol). Always a good feeling when you pull off a technical climb or tough move, lets you know you still "got it", only to bury the sled five minutes later to keep yourself humble. Mountain riding isn't a pastime in our household - it's an obsession. I'm thankful that my significant other loves to shred powder, and shares the same addiction...

 

[SledMamma]

Cause the wife doesn't

Bahahaha!! That's funny...
I got in trouble from a couple husbands a few weeks ago for taking their wives sledding. Apparently now they think they can go anywhere and belong on every trip .. Ooops!!! I think some sit down negotiation might be required and I don't wanna be anywhere near that conversation

 

[thunder44]

I am not sure where to start....... It's an addiction, obsession and it's my mental health counselor all in one. My husband and ride together 90% of the time. He is my best friend and my adrenalin junky partner. With our work schedules most of the time we only get to sled on Saturdays, so from Monday till Saturday morning I am on the count down till I get to start my sled on another adventure.

As Sledmamma said he is my cheering section telling I can do. In my helmet I am asking myself if he is crazy and amazingly I pull off a crazy drop or pick an amazing line through the trees OR NOT. He never complains about pulling my sorry a$$ out of a tree well or an epic stuck.

Sledding is something I do because of the whole experiance. Top of the mountain views, personal challenges, sunshine, snow, friendships, laughter. I don't think there is any way of explaining to a non sledder the feeling of making first tracks in 3 ft of champagne powder on a bluebird day.

I really think only other sledders can understand. I know at work today as I was doing the happy dance because a part came in for my sled and it was snowing( everybody else was grumpy). One more powder day .I really hope I will be saying that a few more times this season. It may be wishful thinking but we can all wish, it is a long time till next season and I find I am already starting to think about next season.

 

[lilduke]

I tried putting a muffpot on my ford focus but the ravioli wasnt getting hot eneogh... So now I sled.

 

[snoqueen]

Here is my cheesy MOM/girlie answer...

When you get to be a "certain" age (that shall not be specified, cough cough) life gets to be about everyone but you, or so it would seem. You've finished school, established a career, you've had the wedding, you've sported the prego belly, rocked the babies, wiped the sp(h)it stains, and ushered them out the door to school. And then one day, the door slams shut and the thump thump of little feet fades and you realize that you have folded the same laundry, cooked the same meals, done the same damn dishes 10,000,000 times... Hell, some days I only eat leftover crusts from grilled cheese sandwiches and when I do sit down to a meal the little buggers steal it right off my plate while I am up getting a glass of water NOTHING belongs to you anymore, not even your right to go to the bathroom in private or shave both your legs in one visit to the bathtub!! What's next, what's new, what's challenging?

For me, it is sledding. I always loved quadding and dabbling in sports and fitness, but sledding is the one thing that I am NOT good at!! It is my personal challenge that is new and refreshing, and as ever-changing as the conditions on the mountains themselves. Some days (or minutes or seconds) I am the 'king of the mountain', the next I have been chewed up and spit out by a wind lip, an impossible wall, a hard landing, or an unexpected cliff! Its that perfect combination of psychology and physiology; and when my brain and body work together its like art Its quiet moments inside my helmet: no kids asking, no dogs barking, no phones ringing, or hospital pagers and monitors beeping. Its not a competition with anyone else. Its not about being the best in my group, only about being the best ME on that particular day. I have little goals for myself, as cheesy as it sounds, and if you could break inside my helmet, you would hear me whispering "20 seconds of courage" over and over. Because that is all it takes is 20 seconds to face the thing that terrifies and excites you all at once. And then the throttle gives beneath my thumb, I hear a white noise in my helmet as all rational thought fades away, and suddenly... its done! Usually I am either victorious or stuck, but at least I did it and that "thing" that was terrifying isn't as scary as all the thinking I did about it, and I am ready to try again.

Sledding is also about the beauty and majesty of my surroundings, of going to someplace quiet that Facebook and Telus will never be (I hope). It is sharing those views with friends who laugh beside me and share the same passion. Of knowing that when we break into an untouched area or crest over a beautiful ridge into a new zone, that we are all having the same wild anticipatory thoughts without having to speak a word. And then there is the comraderie- helping out your fellow sledders whether it be the stuck of the century or the breakdown of the day. Its about being creative and innovative and resourceful and helping out strangers and friends alike without a second thought. (In some ways, sledding brings back all the aspects of humanity that are lost in the day to day shuffle that is work, cell phones, social media etc., I think that is perhaps why it is appealing to so many, because without knowing it, our souls are craving the purity of nature and adventure and friendship...)

I consider myself blessed that my husband introduced me to sledding, and that a majority of the time, he is with me. It is something we do together and he is always believing in my abilities when I don't. He finds me things to jump and drop, and dusts me off when it doesn't go so well It is amazing to me that it is his voice I hear telling me to throttle up a steep vertical and attempt a re-entry. "Does he really think I am that rad??? Like really? He clearly hasn't been watching me ride " Its true: The couple who plays together, stays together!! In all honesty, we have gone up the mountain after a fight, when I don't want to talk to him at all and I just want space... Its not a great feeling, but I don't know any couples that don't fight!! Somehow, a day on the mountain with my best friend gives me a chance to appreciate him outside of the stresses of our life and the confines of being a MOM/DAD/WIFE/HUSBAND. It is an effortlessness between us that fades when you have kids and need to schedule dates and couple time... There is a "hubba hubba" factor in watching him effortlessly move through the trees and see how athletic and strong he is. I like knowing that when I fall into a hole he is not only looking for me, but he knows where to look because he saw that line too!! Sometimes the best "I'm sorry" is a BRAAAAP!!! I might still be mad about whatever thing it was in the first place, but I am better able to forgive because I see the big picture and who is my partner and protector when all is said and done.

When it is all over at the end of the day, there is that glorious soreness in my body that I love. I go home to my kids and I am a better Mom and a better wife for having spent that time away and finding "ME" again. Besides, my three girls are watching me very closely and they need to see a Momma who continues to challenge herself, to learn new things, and attempt new heights

Oh, and also and perhaps more importantly, I like that when I get home after a day of sledding, my arms and chest are totally ripped!! It actually makes me sad when sledding ends and the callouses on my hands start to fade... something only another sledder would understand

Well, SledMamma.....you pretty well summed up what sledding is for me too! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way you so eloquently put what sledding means into words! I have also been so lucky to have been there with you for the last two seasons, seeing how you have overcome all the sledding trials, tribulations and obstacles that came your way without complaining, and usually a quick-witted comment is enough from you to get our group laughing and in a good mood when the going gets tough!! You have pushed yourself farther than anyone I know. You have my utmost respect for that.

I too am sad that our sledding season is coming to an end, especially since this season was all about setting many personal goals for myself after not knowing if I would EVER be able to ride a sled again....but I'm so looking forward to many more adventures with you both. We have to get your next re-entry on film! No ifs and or buts about it! Love ya SledMamma!

 

[ferniesnow]

There are some tough acts to follow and some eloquent writing skills in the previous posts and not much left to put into words.

In my/our world, sledding isn't an addiction, an obsession, or just a winter sport. It is something we doo throughout the year. Yes, we ride a lot with family or as a family and have a lot of fun and memories. I don't expound on the actual "riding" because sledding is more than that. Sure, there is all the physical, scenic, snowy sort of things through the winter months however long that may be in your world of riding. To me it is much deeper than that. It is more than a passion because it has turned into a way of life.

The riding season is near it's end or winding down but I am not finished with this wonderful sport just because the snow is melting. I have a snow check to look forward to with all the cool accessories, I have a little maintenance to look forward to to prepare one sled for sale and the other for next winter, I have a sled for sale experience to look forward to, I have a bucket list for riding next year to develop, I have sled shows to plan for in Edmonton, Saskatoon, and Washington, I have forums to keep track of and a great sport to promote, I have club work to finish at a cabin site (wood shed, interior trim, signage, etc..), I have trail work to doo this summer, and club duties that are never ending. I love pretty much every minute of it because it is all for a great community.

Most of all, it is the camaraderie and the great people I have met with all our endeavours. Sled shows are crazy busy, forums can be busy, "take a friend snowmobiling" is crazy busy, but you know what? I have met some great friends and amazing people in this sport. So for myself and my great wife and family, it is a year round happy time.

Gotta go and make some tracks today as the pine bows are sagging and the mountain tops will be pristine again........ahhha the beauty of it all....

 

[Joholio]

I don't think about anything but sleddin when I am sleddin. It's a vacation, even if only for a day!

BRRAAAAPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!