How did you get into it

[Ov3rthetop]

: Ok I dont know if this is posted somwhere else in the forum or not I am still a newbie to the site. I thought it would be intersting to see how some people got their start into snowmobiling. I have kinda interesting way of getting into it.

When I was born I was born in florida to parents who originate from MT. About a week after my 13th birthday (in may98) my parents told me we were moving to MT so I can get back to my roots and they can see their aging family. Well the spring of 99 I came home from school and my parents were not home. Two hours later my parents came home with a snowmobile in the back of the truck. It was a 84 yamaha 340 Enticer with only like 8 hrs on it. They unload it and I take it around the block and on the first turn I roll it. I couldnt believe it first five minutes on a sled and I wreck. Story of my life. Later that week my dad came home with a new two place in tow and a built ZRT 600 which really was a 1200 gen. I rode the 340 for the rest of the season and actually got quite good at it. Two years later I saved up my money and bought a 95 440 sno pro. From there about every year I went to a bigger sled after really getting aclamated with the sport. The sleds went from the 340,440,then a 98 583 MXZ,02 800 RMK,05 900 RMK,02 summit.

 

[spring snow hero]

I was 3 1/2 years old in 1979. dad bought a sno-tamer for me to ride. he would be at one end of the yard, mom at the other......they would turn me around, and around and around......that sled had chanel iron cleats and dad welded some c iron to the skiis too. they have only got bigger and faster since. heaviest to date....1990 indy 650.....lightest 1984ish moto ski.

 

[IDA rather b sledding]

My dad got me into it. He brought home a 250 Polaris and a Rocket sled that had 4 skis and the front ones steered. The neighbor kids and I pulled that sled for hours on end in the cow pasture. The next year he brought home the big Polaris 295. Then his business started taking everyone to Alexandria Minnesota for a week in the winter as the bonus. We rode for miles on the trails and lakes up there. I have never stopped riding, except when I was in the Active Army. Glad to be in Idaho with reliable snow. I have all 6 of my kids out riding with us and the wife even goes.

 

[Ollie]

I started riding in 1970. An old ski-doo.
The only suspension it had was the seat. Mom sewed an extra chunk of padding on it for me. We moved from there to Las Vegas nevada. So much for sledding.

Saw a story about how they wanted to shut down yellowstone. Wife and I decided to sled yellowstone before they closed it.
That was 2001.
7 years later and more cash spent than I am going to admit, we ride every chance we get.

 

[irideabigpumpkin]

My grandpa bought me a bravo 25 years ago! That's when it all started, has gotten bigger and better since! Bravo, Jag, Pantera, Phazer, Wildcat, Summit X 670, 1M 900, King cat, M8, M1000 - - Funnest sled I ever had was the summit x 670!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GMCRMK]

First ride ever was on rented snowmobiles in Yellowstone NP complete with one piece suits and motocycle-type helmet with the big bubble shield. This was in the mid 90's and I loved it. We rented a few other times but that was it. At the time was still into skiing.

In 1997 I was hiking up to my cabin (7 miles) on snowshoes with a backpack for the weekend and got passed by snowmobiliers and I was like, hey... THAT'S how you do it! The next month the dealership I work for took in a '97 Storm & an XLT as trade-ins. I bought the Storm and learned to "ride" on it before getting my '00 RMK. Now it is a part of who I am and I look forward to snow every day of the year!

 

[fuzzydog]

3 or 4 years ago I figured I figured I would get a small sled for pulling the kids around on toboggans.
bought a 74 elan 250 (LOL!) that I outgrew in a couple days use.
then I bought a sweet 80 everest 500 f/c that I outgrew in a week.
then I bought an 89 Indy 500 that was somewhat 'done up' and started having some fun

then a friend of mine took me into the mountains with me riding his newer mountain cat and I was hooked.

then I bought a 97 RMK 700
Now I ride an 05 RMK 900

no looking back....

 

[07 Phazer]

In 1967,dad rented a ski-doo,and we took it out to a lake west of Edmonton.We have an old super 8 (before video cameras) movie of that day. I still think that some of the wrinkles I have on my face now, are from the huge grin I had on my face that day.

 

[wasatchrider]

my dad had sled but i hardly ever got to go i was really young. my first sled was a kitty cat. maybe 50cc im not sure. 2004 next sled was my 99 summit 670 and 2000 summit 700 bought them both so friends could ride not a great idea i ended up mostly riding the 700. the only reason i got them was for backcountry ski access. it took me a good five times days just to be able to turn the thing i had no advise or anybody teaching me so it was all on my own. after that i picked it up pretty quick.
now i ride sleds more than ski and bought my first new snowmobile

 

[sledjunkies]

I've been snowmobiling since I was 8 on the lake and trails around the house, but started mountain riding in 2004. A friend wanted to do a backflip, and a buddy asked me and a friend to go up with them for first-aid purposes . I told them I wouldn't go unless someone brought a video camera as I didn't have one at the time....never looked back since...

Matt

 

[sleddin pete]

Rode sleds a couple times in the 80's back in Vermont,didn't really do a whole lot for me.

Moved to Colorado in 93 was still a die hard skier.Winter of 99-00 a co-worker took me sledding a couple times(his folks had 2 brand new Summit 600's).The third time we went it was over the head deep all day long.Got home opened up the paper to the classifieds and had an RMK 600 within a week.Progressed thru that sled to an 02 RMK 800 stage 1,07 Summit Xand now an 08 D-7.Got the wife into it also she started with Skidoo377 Safari then a 00 RMK500 and now 07 RMK600.

Started skiing less and less each year until last season when I didn't get out on ski's once.I'm OK with that,a powder day lasts so much longer on the sled.

 

[gonehuntnpowder]

My dad started in 1970 with a brand new Polaris Mustang. Always bought a new sled every few years. In 1980 he bought a new Yamaha SRX and gave me the 79 Polaris Centurion. I was 16, it rode me more than I rode it, but I was hooked. Lived at the foot of the Big Horns, we rode every weekend we could. Lost my Dad in 07 after a very long illness, but I am still as passionate about it as in the beginning. I am still busting Wyoming powder. Thanking God and My Dad for making it possible.

 

[karnedge]

i was 16 and my bro needed someone to ride with.. i bought me a kawaski 340 invader..we used to think a mod was to run a hotter plug..lol...ohhh the good ol days..

 

[MN_Nole]

Wow, we have similiar yet diverse threads in life. Mine, my mom, born raised here in the midwest with lots of family still here. She moved away to FLa, where i was born and raised, hence part of my name, nole, FSU alum. After an engineering degree, realized no money to stay down south, so I came north to mom's home. Spent 2-3 yrs indoors for winter, and did not like it, so went out that fall and threw down the money on a toy that looked like fun. 1 yr mn trails, the next UP Mi trails powder and the addiction set in.

 

[Ov3rthetop]

Its awesome hearing all these. all of them have to do with family which that is what sledding is all about right. You know as I mentioned Im originally from Fl and was so mad at my parents for years. But that all changed once snowmobiling became part of my life. Now everytime I see snow and my parents I thank them. Otherwise I would be stuck in 72 deg weather right now not gorgeous 10deg with 12ins on the yard alone.

 

[MN_Nole]

Its awesome hearing all these. all of them have to do with family which that is what sledding is all about right. You know as I mentioned Im originally from Fl and was so mad at my parents for years. But that all changed once snowmobiling became part of my life. Now everytime I see snow and my parents I thank them. Otherwise I would be stuck in 72 deg weather right now not gorgeous 10deg with 12ins on the yard alone.

Don't let oonight see this, he lives down south close area to my home town( last I checked it was 78 there, central fl). Well maybe give him a kick in the azz to go west, as he wants to.

But then again, you would not have known the differance, and been like me before I came north, made fun of the cold and snow, as I was going fishing.

 

[Luke The Drifter]

My ol' man bought me a sled when I was 12 (I'm 19 now). 1993 Arctic Cat 550efi EXT. I haven't looked back since.

 

[rotax]

well, from the story i've been told:

i saw dads snowmobile running (warming up) in the back yard, while my dad was gearing up.

i got on, pulled the trigger, and ended up out in the field behind the house.


LOL


and it was game ON ever since i guess!

 

[treemongrol]

My dad was always into sleds, soloed om my first sled in 75 been on one ever since

 

[sledmanhof]

ive been sledding since i was about 9. started out on a mid 70's john deere cyclone 340. I rode that for quite a few years later and then my dad takes a trip to the mountains as an appreciation deal from our local seed dealer. The next year he buys a 02 700 rmk. That spring he took me and my brother to the black hills for a trip. I bought a 700 rmk that summer and then that fall he bought a 01 800 for my other brother. That was about 3 years ago already and we now have 5 sleds and try to take as many trips to the mountains as our schedules allow