One Day
Then I went snowmobiling one Saturday. I had never ever tried it and did not think it would ever be something I would want to do. I was put on an old heavy Ski-Doo with a 144-inch track. I remember how nervous and scared I was that first day. I was using every ounce of strength I had to ride it, but by that evening I knew I wanted to try it again. This was the winter season of 2010-11.
In February, 2012, I got the chance to borrow a friend’s new Ski-Doo 600 with a 146-inch track. Wow. What a difference that made for me. The very next week I got a loan, bought a new sled and have never looked back.
I noticed I was feeling better about myself, I was gaining confidence each time I went into the backcountry. Snowmobiling was changing me as success and self-improvements are very noticeable when you are snowmobiling. I thank God that someone put me on a sled that first day.
A few years later I traded in my 2012 and upgraded to a Ski-Doo 800 154-inch. By that summer I was looking for places to move to that produced more snow and had a longer riding season. I relocated to western Wyoming specifically for the better snow conditions and more challenging terrain.
After moving here, I met some of the local search and rescue members and felt led to join the unit. I am proud to call everyone in our unit “family.” I would encourage those of you thinking about volunteering for your local SAR to go for it.
Every winter I am meeting more and more women who are getting into backcountry snowmobiling and off the trail. Each time I get the opportunity to ride with one, it does my heart good to see them conquer that hill or figure out their powder turns or FINALLY get that sidehill. Because I know, just like me, they will go home changed just a little bit, their confidence being built.