Is riding really that important to you..?

[polaris dude]

Many users of this forum consider riding to be a life essential, almost rivaling food and water. Many shutter at the idea of losing riding areas or just giving up riding for whatever reason. The thought of life without snow is almost unbearable; or is it??

Is riding REALLY that important to you, or is it simply a paradox fueled by convenience due to your living close to the steep and deep? It's easy to become wrapped up in the sport when it's easy. But, what if it wasn't so easy? If you HAD to move, for job or whatever reason, you had to move, to say... Louisiana or Tennessee, where average winter temps seldom fall below the 40s and 50s and your neighbors (mistakenly thinking your sleds represent the latest in personal watercraft technology) ask you "What kind of jet ski is that??", would riding still be important enough to you that you would own sleds and travel the hundreds of miles to ride? Or would you be surprised by your own resilience at how quickly you realized sledding REALLY WAS something you could live without?

is this even a question?

 

[T-Bone]

There are some great responses in this thread...

I'm sure that I could live without sledding...but it would take something awfully big to make me give it up. The feeling of blasting through 3 feet of untouched powder, or the rush of climbing something that a normal person would wonder why you even try is a feeling that I have yet to replicate doing anything else, and believe me I've tried. Looking back, friends and relationships have come and gone, but snowmobiling is the one constant that hasn't changed.

 

[ThrillSeeker]

Many users of this forum consider riding to be a life essential, almost rivaling food and water. Many shutter at the idea of losing riding areas or just giving up riding for whatever reason. The thought of life without snow is almost unbearable; or is it??

Is riding REALLY that important to you, or is it simply a paradox fueled by convenience due to your living close to the steep and deep? It's easy to become wrapped up in the sport when it's easy. But, what if it wasn't so easy? If you HAD to move, for job or whatever reason, you had to move, to say... Louisiana or Tennessee, where average winter temps seldom fall below the 40s and 50s and your neighbors (mistakenly thinking your sleds represent the latest in personal watercraft technology) ask you "What kind of jet ski is that??", would riding still be important enough to you that you would own sleds and travel the hundreds of miles to ride? Or would you be surprised by your own resilience at how quickly you realized sledding REALLY WAS something you could live without?

Been there done that.... or do that now....

Did lots of snowmobiling when I live in Alaska and then in the NorthEast.... Then moved to Arizona... and I still snowmobile every season... just not as much...

I keep the snomobiles in NorthEast Utah and drive up with gear and hookup and go snowmobiling in SouthEast Idaho/NorthEast Utah...

Though I do miss being close to the steep and deep... I don't miss the shoveling or plowing one bit...

 

[brahm]

eh, I guess I'm in the minority here. Sledding is alot of fun it's on the top of my winter sports list, but if I lay myself out again and have to spend another half year on crouches I may just have to move on.

I've got alot of interests that compete with each other and if I ever found myself moving out mammoth back down to SoCal. I doubt I'd see much sledding in my future, most likely go back to dedicating all my free time to my hot rods..really would like to get the '29 Buick going and I really miss drag racing, but as long as I'm here, and it's something that is available to me I'm going to make the most of it and get out and ride 3-4 days a week and have a good time while doing it.

 

[cat rider]

YES!!!!! Sledding is that important to me! I live for riding the steep and deep. I can't even imagine not having snow or snowmobiling to look forward too. Ever last extra penny I have goes into sledding. I think snowmobiling is more of life style and once you get addicted you're suck for life. I don't think there's day in my life I don't think about snowmobiles.

YES I AM AN ADDICT

 

[R J]

If I had to move to a location that didn't have the place for sleds I'm sure they would be sold (pending location and drive/distance stuff) but I'm sure I would rent and go once a year to the good stuff. It means a lot to me and it's be a part of my life since I was born and it's been something in my blood, job, and life.

I don't think I would ever give up on it, just curtail it a bit more then likely.

 

[Wade]

Heck, I'm FROM Tennessee. Got a good education, and happen to be in Idaho on a ski trip, and tried sledding. Within no time, I found a job in Idaho, and moved here, and have been sledding ever since.

Now I do lots to help keep sledding open. And, I've grown to absolutely hate the liberal idea of closing lands. Sledding is important to me.

 

[PGTDragon]

I grew up on a sled in Grand Lake, and the thought of not being able to ride would be similar to having my unit removed. In other words it would seriously detract from the quality of my life and therefore I would be forced into a life that would resemble Michael Douglas in "Falling Down". But right now I am currently working on a plan to bring about the next ice age thus the only reasonable transportation would be my Giant Malamutes or my sleds and since my dogs are getting lazy it looks like the smell of Two Strokes will fill the air.

 

[slash]

Kind of like fly fishing,I spend as much on fly rods as I do my mod sled,and if the wife wants me to quit one of them I will miss her!!!

 

[Polar Express]

I think it's a fair question. Maybe we should all take a careful look inside our souls once in a while, just to make sure we like where we are going.

I love sledding, but I have only had a sled for 4 years, and 2 of them were virtually eliminated due to injuries. I'm not a lifelong sledder. I consider myself blessed to have been raised in a mountainous area, (foothills of Cascade mountains in WA) with close access to salt water and fresh water activities, as well as high desert regions 2 hours away.

I have thought it over many times, that if I was forced to choose, mountains or waterfront, I would pick mountains in a heartbeat. Fortunately, I am not forced to make that choice, and can enjoy easy access to both.

So to answer the question directly, if I HAD to move someplace with no snow, would I find a new hobby to pursue, yes. I might buy dirt bikes again, or get quads, or maybe horses, or do more SCUBA diving, I don't know, I enjoy all of those things. I would consider trying new things too.

My wife likes to sled, but I think she would choose the beach over the mountains if forced to pick. So, I need to make sure that wherever we make our home, it better have sun. Her family was military, so they moved a lot, and ended up settling here in the PNW, and I can see a definite change in her personality when our gray winters bring the 'gloomies'. So our long term plan includes a move to an area with nice sunny summers, and cold snowy winters, (hopefully an area that has lots of snow and sunny days too)

So, yes there are things that are more important to me than sledding: My faith, my marriage, my values, family, financial security to name a few. We all have to have our priorities.

We'll see how that works out. Make your plan, then work your plan!

PE

 

[duke1n]

Yes it is.
I gave up an opportunity to make approx 4 times what I do now.
Problem. It was in Florida.

Sledding is my way of relaxing, it keeps me from going postal on people that REALLY deserve it.

4 times? 4 times what? If I could make 4 times what I make here I would move to Timbuktu. You can't be serious? If I lived in FLA I could play golf year around. I could drive my car year around. I could hit the beach year around. What is wrong with you lol?

 

[Berg570FE]

I have lived Dirtbikes for 28 years. It has consumed me for many of those years. I have owned 32 different bikes. I have ridden in Baja, AZ, Utah, Colorado 500, Oregon, much of Idaho and all of Washington.

I own and compete off of a great horse, we are a great team and the sport is truely a big rush!

And none of this can compare to an epic day of 2ft of new on Mt. Baker for me! Snowmobiling is it. All other hobbies must take a back seat when there is snow!

 

[Tree Boss]

I agree on the 2-3 feet of powder. There is something about the feeling when you carve, sidehill, climb, and boondock in that untouched snow that tatoos your soul and memory!! I am sure alot of people suffer from this but when I drive I can still "feel" the sled when I day dream in mid July driving down the road, all the way from the sidehills to the boondocking in the trees I can still feel and long to get back to winter!!!

When the sleds get put away in May I wonder how soon it will be before I can ride again!! All summer long I dream of the white mountains and truly long for snow in Oct and Nov. The sooner it shows up the better and guess what snow is here and may get a road ride tomorrow on Halloween!! here's to hoping for tomorrow!!

 

[backcountryislife]

I've done the complete opposite of the situation you gave.
I moved to the west, took a pay cut and don't have nearly as many luxaries in town as I did back home. Realized how bad the closing of riding areas is and became a memeber of every org. and club I could, write letters and do as much as I can to help......and I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'd say it's a lifestyle for me.

Ditto here.

I make about 1/2 of what I used to make doing a job that should pay about 1.5X what I was getting paid before.

I commonly drive 200+ miles a day for work so I can make the 5 min drive to go riding. It's not JUST sledding, it's the mtn lifestyle & all the other things we do (kayak, dh mtb, snowboard, climb, 4x4.....)

I will NEVER move somewhere flat, I'd work at mcdonalds first.

 

[turboless terry]

Ditto here.

I make about 1/2 of what I used to make doing a job that should pay about 1.5X what I was getting paid before.

I commonly drive 200+ miles a day for work so I can make the 5 min drive to go riding. It's not JUST sledding, it's the mtn lifestyle & all the other things we do (kayak, dh mtb, snowboard, climb, 4x4.....)

I will NEVER move somewhere flat, I'd work at mcdonalds first.

If you are going to work at Mcdonalds you are going to have to give up the turbo!

 

[Turtlehead]

I was stuck in Miami for 4 years. I would fly in once or twice a month to Oregon just to go ride! I guess to me it's a food group!

 

[ARMYSLEDER]

As alot of you already know im active duty military and was stationed in the south for 4 years before I got stationed outwest where I could ride more. When in the south i would use my leave days and 4 day holliday passes to fly home and ride. People thinks its stupid and crazy but its my life its what makes me happy outside my family. Its what brings family and friends close to each other. I ride dirtbike in summer 3 nights a week and weekends to hold me over till winter comes but its just not enough or nothing like the real thing. I even bought a new sled this year and wont get to ride much do to work and I still happy about it and most people call me an idiot for it but all I have to say is its my life and its what makes me happy and there is nothing in this world like it. When I lived in the south and would go out with the boys I would be wearing slednecks or some sort or sled brand and everyone would look at me like who this wierdo but I must say one thing when the chics saw my videos they said its hot with that being said no matter where you live, If you ride sleds the chics dig it!!!

 

[LPIdaho]

yes it is, and all of my friends that think I'm crazy would testify to the fact.
Snowmobiling is way too important to me

 

[H2SNOW]

can't really say ..have never gone with out a sled since I was 4-5 years old ..it's just life

 

[rotax]

Q: Is riding really that important to you?

A: Yes.