Probably done sledding for good.

[Zambroski]

9 minutes ago, 1jkw said:

If it happened a 1/2 mile sooner it would have been worse but at least understandable, was probably going 1/2 as fast and slowing down on nearly a straightaway, only know that because I was told exactly where it happened and I know the area very well.

 

 

I was lucky to be only going 25-30 and just came off a jump so I was already standing in the "ejection position".  Not my first motor sports crash by any stretch, I guess I remembered how to tuck and roll by instinct cuz I don't even remember leaving my sled!  That shit happens so fast!  That's what makes it so scary.

Like they say...and like you are undoubtedly told..again.....and again....and again...It could have been worse.  But, you'll heal.  They question is, for all of us, at what point do we decided the pain/risks aren't worth it anymore?  To each their own I guess.  But I can understand why people leave motor sports.  Sometimes "the fire" just isn't there any longer...especially after a good hard crash.

Get well, you may be back next year.  If only to find out of you still have enough "fire".  

 

[AKIQPilot]

6 minutes ago, 1jkw said:

 

I know you asked Slinger, but the odd thing is I talked to my bil about giving it up the night before as I didn't ride at all last year and this was to be my first ride this year, the winters have been shit here not even cold enough to ride on the lake and have some fun, to ride upstate NY is about 4 hrs. trailering.

When I looked up at my wife and daughter looking at me on the gurney it made me feel pretty bad, then my 7 year old grandson called and was upset I really felt like shit.

I can understand that.  Every time I leave to go into the mountains with my buddies my wife says please be careful and come back in one piece.  I think nothing of it but she is definitely concerned.  As soon as we're back to the trailer I always text and let her know we are ok.  

And thanks for the answer slinger.  I was being a smart ass but you make very good points.  I would not enjoy sledding if someone else were putting my safety in jeopardy.  Getting hit head on by a drunk would suck.  Just the thought of a drunk in the same riding area makes me sick.

[Anler]

11 minutes ago, Snoslinger said:

tug hill is especially bad. they often get pounded with lake effect, attracting riders from all over the place when they don't have snow. i'll often see people boozing it up before noon. we're also losing local trails in our area, because of a-holes who ignore signage and warnings. just a matter of time until they won't be able to connect all the trails together. then there's the weather. I think our trails were open a few days last season (I didn't even register it was so bad) now this season they've been open less than a week total.

Same problem everywhere. Wisconsin is a state full of alcoholic degenerates. Mix that with the FIB degenerates and its a cluster fuck. I cant tell you how many near misses i had last week with cowboys taking blind turns in the wrong side of the trail. Kinda one of the better things about riding at night, you can see the lights coming. Still, weekday riding makes for better rides. 

[Snoslinger]

13 minutes ago, 1jkw said:

 

I know you asked Slinger, but the odd thing is I talked to my bil about giving it up the night before as I didn't ride at all last year and this was to be my first ride this year, the winters have been shit here not even cold enough to ride on the lake and have some fun, to ride upstate NY is about 4 hrs. trailering.

When I looked up at my wife and daughter looking at me on the gurney it made me feel pretty bad, then my 7 year old grandson called and was upset I really felt like shit.

I understand completely. I can't ride slow either, it's no fun. just a matter of time until my luck runs out. I've hit a boulder after jumping an old stone wall that wasn't there the season before. flipped end over end and landed on my back. I've had several chest plants into ditches or moguls, sprained wrists, and other limbs. missed deer by inches. my old body can't heal like it used to either

 

 

Edited February 20, 2017 by Snoslinger

[1jkw]

1 minute ago, Zambroski said:

I was lucky to be only going 25-30 and just came off a jump so I was already standing in the "ejection position".  Not my first motor sports crash by any stretch, I guess I remembered how to tuck and roll by instinct cuz I don't even remember leaving my sled!  That shit happens so fast!  That's what makes it so scary.

Like they say...and like you are undoubtedly told..again.....and again....and again...It could have been worse.  But, you'll heal.  They question is, for all of us, at what point do we decided the pain/risks aren't worth it anymore?  To each their own I guess.  But I can understand why people leave motor sports.  Sometimes "the fire" just isn't there any longer...especially after a good hard crash.

Get well, you may be back next year.  If only to find out of you still have enough "fire".  

 

Sleds have been a life long hobby, I'll probably always have my vintage stuff and I will probably keep my 2003 XCR, between the trailer, trail passes, der stickers, and mostly just the shit winters it's had me wondering for a while. 

[Snoslinger]

5 minutes ago, Back Country Rebel said:

I can understand that.  Every time I leave to go into the mountains with my buddies my wife says please be careful and come back in one piece.  I think nothing of it but she is definitely concerned.  As soon as we're back to the trailer I always text and let her know we are ok.  

And thanks for the answer slinger.  I was being a smart ass but you make very good points.  I would not enjoy sledding if someone else were putting my safety in jeopardy.  Getting hit head on by a drunk would suck.  Just the thought of a drunk in the same riding area makes me sick.

if I lived in Alaska, or somewhere else out west, it'd be a completely different story.

[Angry ginger]

50 minutes ago, Anler said:

I need to get a tek vest. My ribs are still a little sore from last week... 

glad i have one,  been over the bars a few times including once Saturday after I hooked a ski offtrail and got tossed

 

 

Hope you heal quick, accidents are no reason to give it up.  

[sledderj]

2 minutes ago, Back Country Rebel said:

I can understand that.  Every time I leave to go into the mountains with my buddies my wife says please be careful and come back in one piece.  I think nothing of it but she is definitely concerned.  As soon as we're back to the trailer I always text and let her know we are ok.  

And thanks for the answer slinger.  I was being a smart ass but you make very good points.  I would not enjoy sledding if someone else were putting my safety in jeopardy.  Getting hit head on by a drunk would suck.  Just the thought of a drunk in the same riding area makes me sick.

My wife worries big time while I'm gone too.  I make sure I let her know when we are back at the end of each day.  We also have her phone set up on our SPOT, so someone usually sends a message out to the wives during the day that everything is good.   

 

13 minutes ago, 1jkw said:

 

I know you asked Slinger, but the odd thing is I talked to my bil about giving it up the night before as I didn't ride at all last year and this was to be my first ride this year, the winters have been shit here not even cold enough to ride on the lake and have some fun, to ride upstate NY is about 4 hrs. trailering.

When I looked up at my wife and daughter looking at me on the gurney it made me feel pretty bad, then my 7 year old grandson called and was upset I really felt like shit.

I have been in that same position, only I was 29 at the time.  I'll never forget my one year old being scared of me lying in the bed because I was so black and blue that it looked like I got the shit beat out of me.  It made me change how I ride and the risks I would take.  Like Tom, that's one thing about mountain riding that appealed to me. The speeds are mostly slower and landings are usually softer.  At 60, I'd probably be thinking like you, but damn, I really do enjoy it when I get out there.   

 

 

[1jkw]

5 minutes ago, sledderj said:

My wife worries big time while I'm gone too.  I make sure I let her know when we are back at the end of each day.  We also have her phone set up on our SPOT, so someone usually sends a message out to the wives during the day that everything is good.   

 

I have been in that same position, only I was 29 at the time.  I'll never forget my one year old being scared of me lying in the bed because I was so black and blue that it looked like I got the shit beat out of me.  It made me change how I ride and the risks I would take.  Like Tom, that's one thing about mountain riding that appealed to me. The speeds are mostly slower and landings are usually softer.  At 60, I'd probably be thinking like you, but damn, I really do enjoy it when I get out there.   

 

 

It will be hard if I can quit but our trails are closed again already it was 55 yesterday, this shit weather makes the decision easier.

[spin_dry]

mountain riding kept me in the sport until 2008. after that i got out. i can't really say i miss it. miss the guy stuff....but not the riding. mountain biking, hiking, hunting, and chasing girls tops my list these days. i sometimes get the itch for a motorcycle. 

[hayward]

1 hour ago, 1jkw said:

It will be hard if I can quit but our trails are closed again already it was 55 yesterday, this shit weather makes the decision easier.

Did this happen around your home or out of state?  Hell I didn't think you's had enough snow around your area to ride at all.  We only had about 6 inches down here nearly 2 weeks ago and it was nothing but mud underneath with no base and only lasted 2 days till most of it was all.

[1jkw]

16 minutes ago, hayward said:

Did this happen around your home or out of state?  Hell I didn't think you's had enough snow around your area to ride at all.  We only had about 6 inches down here nearly 2 weeks ago and it was nothing but mud underneath with no base and only lasted 2 days till most of it was all.

 

Near home, Forest City pretty decent condition but not a lot of snow north end of trails did have more snow though.

[racinfarmer]

2 hours ago, Back Country Rebel said:

I can understand that.  Every time I leave to go into the mountains with my buddies my wife says please be careful and come back in one piece.  I think nothing of it but she is definitely concerned.  As soon as we're back to the trailer I always text and let her know we are ok.  

And thanks for the answer slinger.  I was being a smart ass but you make very good points.  I would not enjoy sledding if someone else were putting my safety in jeopardy.  Getting hit head on by a drunk would suck.  Just the thought of a drunk in the same riding area makes me sick.

Mine too, just not the mountains.  

2 hours ago, Anler said:

Same problem everywhere. Wisconsin is a state full of alcoholic degenerates. Mix that with the FIB degenerates and its a cluster fuck. I cant tell you how many near misses i had last week with cowboys taking blind turns in the wrong side of the trail. Kinda one of the better things about riding at night, you can see the lights coming. Still, weekday riding makes for better rides. 

I'm planning on a mid-March ride in Northern WI, if there is snow.  I'm just hoping that half the group that was with the last time we did this is not there.  Drive for an hour, drink for an hour.  Repeat for 3 days.  One of them said if he couldn't ride sled like that, he'd quit sledding.  I wish he would.

[DriftBusta]

2 hours ago, Snoslinger said:

tug hill is especially bad. they often get pounded with lake effect, attracting riders from all over the place when they don't have snow. i'll often see people boozing it up before noon. we're also losing local trails in our area, because of a-holes who ignore signage and warnings. just a matter of time until they won't be able to connect all the trails together. then there's the weather. I think our trails were open a few days last season (I didn't even register it was so bad) now this season they've been open less than a week total.

Fuck Tug Hill.  On the weekends, that place is stone cold dangerous, especially at night.  Every yahoo sno-x wannabe is concentrated within that one little area.  Its pass or be passed.  These days, my favorite riding is just picking lines though the trees, or on some untracked logging roads.  I'm burnt out on all those white knuckle trail rides, going 100 mph all day.

2 hours ago, Zambroski said:

I was lucky to be only going 25-30 and just came off a jump so I was already standing in the "ejection position".  Not my first motor sports crash by any stretch, I guess I remembered how to tuck and roll by instinct cuz I don't even remember leaving my sled!  That shit happens so fast!  That's what makes it so scary.

Like they say...and like you are undoubtedly told..again.....and again....and again...It could have been worse.  But, you'll heal.  They question is, for all of us, at what point do we decided the pain/risks aren't worth it anymore?  To each their own I guess.  But I can understand why people leave motor sports.  Sometimes "the fire" just isn't there any longer...especially after a good hard crash.

Get well, you may be back next year.  If only to find out of you still have enough "fire".  

 

I remind myself constantly to never forget the safety aspect and try to ride with a safety envelope, as in be able to avoid anyone coming the other way on my side, or be able to navigate that unexpected water bar, etc..  We were offtrailing this weekend, and there was this particularly sketchy bridge crossing, only about 6 feet wide.  One side had all the snow off it, and the other had 4  ft. of powder on it.  Fucker got me both times, almost pitched me off the side down into a creek 8 feet down, which was especially shitty, since one of my feet managed to get locked into the footwell (my only major complaint with my sled-tight footwells).  If that bastard had gone over, it would have taken me with it, and it wouldn't have been pretty.

 

Sorry to hear you got banged up 1kjw, I'm the same age, and a crash like that would have me thinking long and hard too.  

Edited February 21, 2017 by DriftBusta

[1jkw]

11 minutes ago, DriftBusta said:

Fuck Tug Hill.  On the weekends, that place is stone cold dangerous, especially at night.  Every yahoo sno-x wannabe is concentrated within that one little area.  Its pass or be passed.  These days, my favorite riding is just picking lines though the trees, or on some untracked logging roads.  I'm burnt out on all those white knuckle trail rides, going 100 mph all day.

I remind myself constantly to never forget the safety aspect and try to ride with a safety envelope, as in be able to avoid anyone coming the other way on my side, or be able to navigate that unexpected water bar, etc..  We were offtrailing this weekend, and there was this particularly sketchy bridge crossing, only about 6 feet wide.  One side had all the snow off it, and the other had 4  ft. of powder on it.  Fucker got me both times, almost pitched me off the side down into a creek 8 feet down, which was especially shitty, since one of my feet managed to get locked into the footwell (my only major complaint with my sled-tight footwells).  If that bastard had gone over, it would have taken me with it, and it wouldn't have been pretty.

 

Sorry to hear you got banged up 1kjw, I'm the same age, and a crash like that would have me thinking long and hard too.  

Thanks, been thinking about hanging up for the last 2 years, it's strange not having any recall for almost all of the ride.

[BOHICA]

I was 35 years old when I gave it up.  Don't miss it at all or the damn cost of it. Being in blue collar trades essentially my whole life the only aches and pains I have came from sledding...  1 particular incident back in 2006 involving a cornice and miss judging the landing angle with semi hard snow conditions on mount baker in Washington.  Doesn't take much impact or jarring of my wrist to this day and it will literally take my breath away.

giving up sledding will let me at least be mobile in retirement.

[Ez ryder]

5 hours ago, Back Country Rebel said:

Dang man, this is no good.  High speed crashes are why I gave up trail riding and took up mountain riding.  You don't usually get hurt when mountain riding, you just die in avalanches.  Much less painful.  

Sorry about your crash.

I don't know man still having issues raising my arm over my head and the hips are still a bit tender lol. would have deff been much worse landing in Midwest hard pack

[Ez ryder]

1 hour ago, 1jkw said:

Thanks, been thinking about hanging up for the last 2 years, it's strange not having any recall for almost all of the ride.

it will prob come back . I have been knocked out in a few diff accidents and eventually for some reason it start coming back to u . think the brain shuts down to save u the mental trauma so u can deal with the physical trauma.

I am not a shrink but I did stay at a holiday in a few weeks ago

[Ez ryder]

1 hour ago, racinfarmer said:

Mine too, just not the mountains.  

I'm planning on a mid-March ride in Northern WI, if there is snow.  I'm just hoping that half the group that was with the last time we did this is not there.  Drive for an hour, drink for an hour.  Repeat for 3 days.  One of them said if he couldn't ride sled like that, he'd quit sledding.  I wish he would.

I wont even ride with those guys . I can drink all fucking summer I look forward to ridding all fucking yr I will not spend that time in a fucking bar any longer than it takes to eat lunch or dinner. even guys who stay up all night drinking then want to head up to 10k feet and ride if u cant hang because u are hung over go home and be pissed off at me I really don't give a shit . want to act like u are 18 go to spring break

[Sal Rosenberg]

6 minutes ago, Ez ryder said:

I wont even ride with those guys . I can drink all fucking summer I look forward to ridding all fucking yr I will not spend that time in a fucking bar any longer than it takes to eat lunch or dinner. even guys who stay up all night drinking then want to head up to 10k feet and ride if u cant hang because u are hung over go home and be pissed off at me I really don't give a shit . want to act like u are 18 go to spring break

 

X2

[DriftBusta]

8 minutes ago, Sal Rosenberg said:

 

X2

x3    wait.  Maybe  wasn't the right emoticon.  

[ArcticCrusher]

14 minutes ago, Ez ryder said:

I wont even ride with those guys . I can drink all fucking summer I look forward to ridding all fucking yr I will not spend that time in a fucking bar any longer than it takes to eat lunch or dinner. even guys who stay up all night drinking then want to head up to 10k feet and ride if u cant hang because u are hung over go home and be pissed off at me I really don't give a shit . want to act like u are 18 go to spring break

Least wait until they are parked for the night.  That shit does not sit well anymore.

[jtssrx]

6 hours ago, 1jkw said:

 

Went for a ride Wednesday, ended up with a concussion,  5 broken ribs, broken collar bone and 5% collapsed lung.

I was wearing a tek-vest thankfully, I don't remember a thing about what happened, the guy I was riding with told me we had been running pretty fast,I was along side him and slowed down as we were getting close to a gate area, ridden the area all my life and I usually just get off the throttle and coast rather than brake hard, he slowed down too, he said he saw a guy walking on the trail and the guy was pointing , he looked back and the sled was upside down and I was laying in the trail, so at 59 it's probably time to call it quits.

 

I was riding my IQR/XCR I haven't seen the sled but my friend said it really didn't hurt anything other than the Racepak..

 

 

Im glad your alive to tell the story. Im sorry you're injured 

[Jimmy Snacks]

I'm almost quit after going through the ice at night....then I realized it was just a serious lapse in judgement probably helped by one too many beers. 

[Ez ryder]

19 minutes ago, ArcticCrusher said:

Least wait until they are parked for the night.  That shit does not sit well anymore.

hell I don't care if a guy has some beer at lunch but I am not hitting every flashing sign that says bar .

and I am all for parting hard at night in the Midwest but when guys do it out west they usually pay the price the next day . I do not put up with that shit at all . self induced sickness gets u map and a point in the direction of the closest trail from me . I have seen 2 guys vomit in there helmet and I just LMFAO at them . washing out the breath box in snow tossing face mask in the woods all while I and others  are heckling.