Should PRO's come standard with a voucher for one free helicopter extraction?

[diamonddave]

Having a sled blow up in the backcountry is nothing new. In fact it was at least a once a year thing (usually more) way back when with the group I rode with. Modded sleds and stockers are way more dependable today.

Usually went like this. Someone blows up. Everyone gathers as the last curse words are spewed and the plugs go back in and the brand ribbin' really flows. Someone cuts a tall tree and sticks it in the snow beside the sled with some ribbon on the top (cause their dad taught them to do that) and you double out where you can and hike the rest.
When you got home you already knew who was "lending" an engine but it was up to you to do the R and R. Many times the "lender" didn't know because it was deemed to be a Sunday sled and today was Tuesday.

Next day was really fun because everyone was in for a rescue mission because you never know when it would be your turn and the smack talk was very one sided that day lol. Build one of those Indian things (two sticks and a superslider) at the parking lot and lash your triple garbage bagged motor on the back of your buddies sled and double in on another (you walk when needed lol). It is amazing how much s##t you can hear on the back of a sled with the older helmets.
Usually you got dropped off at your sled, did your own digging, did your own R and R, lashed up the Indian thing and motor while everyone else took off (after cutting up the hill above you lol) and had fun.
When everyone returned (you had to wait to get round three or four of the smack talk, it was good manners and let them cut up the hill above you again), you had the next bit of fun to look forward to, the ride back. Pulling a stick thing behind you with a motor dropped in by eye meant a few belt changes on the way. So again you were on your own but this time the rest would stay in sight so they could come by and offer verbal advise before they cut up the hill above you.
I've seen the same thing on National Geographic many times.

We tried the 2 or 3 even 4 sleds tied together thing a few times but in the end the motor swap way was cheaper than buying belts for everyone.

Helicopters (to my knowledge) were never used until 4 strokes came out of the closet. I mean those things were around on the trails but some wierdos decided to bring that dependability lol to the mountains. Those things were boats, long heavy boats, and you need a pretty good buddy or three to do an R and R.
So you put 20 or 30 or more grand into a sled. It pops big time in a hole. You pull your Sat phone out (that was a "thing" for a while too) and make a call and a new type of fun was invented.

Heli lifts is a fad IMO. The first guy who did it should get royalties. It's like a "badge of courage" today.
So IMO I do not think Polaris or any other brand would add to their sales with a "lift ticket" at snow check. I just think this fad like all others will just disappear eventually.

That's just one man's opinion but I've never owned a four-stroke sled.

Yep, been there done that. Backcountry R&R's suck.

And I'm not sure if it was the 4 strokers that brought on the 'fad' but I have to believe the "calling the heli on the Sat phone" fad began in BC. Thank God I don't ride with those useless, fart noise making monstrosities.

I'll tell you one thing....the heli-vac "fad" saves relationships between riding buddies....nothing P!$$es off the group more than bigman P!$$ing off ndC7M8 is the one guy in the group that doesn't doo any preventative maintenance on his sled and causes multiple 2 day sled retrieval missions, block and tackle, 350 yards of rope, etc. Anger, yelling and screaming.

A $1K plus heli bill is cheap when 5-6 guys have to give up those 2 days for the sake of that one (undeserving) guy in the group.

Should heli-vac vouchers be given out to the purchasers of new Polaris Snowmobiles? No!

They should be given out with ALL brands of mountain sleds.

 

[geo]

Lol. I thought it was a "Fun" story about the way things started around here when we tried to make trail sleds into long tracked, high HP mountain sleds DD. I have fond memories of those times. Many good "experiences". Apparently you do not lol.

Your right though, there were some back then that just did not cut it. So,,, sooner or later the phone call was not made, your bag phone had no service as soon as you left town and problem gone or stuck in a meadow somewhere with another group.

Any how it's been well over a decade since I needed to "help". Sleds off the floor are 10x the package we had and 5x more reliable plus I guess I stuck with the right group. We learned stuff that a new rider on today's monsters may never need to know.

That's why I have fond memories lol. Anybody do "night riding" today?

 

[Daggerboat]

If the dealer that I bought my '14 600 RMK from said he would pay for 1/2 the heli cost I might have gone with the 800. Hopefully they have made some reliability improvements on the '15 800... I know they can't admit that the present 800's are unreliable after a few thousand miles

 

[Jaynelson]

And I'm not sure if it was the 4 strokers that brought on the 'fad' but I have to believe the "calling the heli on the Sat phone" fad began in BC.

In BC, yes.....by people from BC, no.

 

[BigMan]

Let me just say...

Obviously I’ve caused some of you considerable stress. Admittedly, I was under the impression and assumption that every man is entitled to an opinion; apparently I was wrong to assume. It’s alarming the degree of bigotry and spite that some brandish over one man’s opinion. I try to hold myself to a higher standard, even feeling almost a bit the failure having referred to some as simply, “Nancy’s”, even though a far cry from the pure nasty slew of insults and innuendos directed my way. And although we haven’t proven all are created equal, it boggles my mind in attempting to understand how some succumb to such a level of bigotry and reprisal over such trivial issues. It really doesn’t have to be this way. I sincerely hope you would seek professional help before harming yourself, or another, as I wish you all the best. As has been said, don’t take life too serious, no one gets out alive anyway. For those of you able to take away from this thread nothing more than a bit of humor, I’m happy that at least a few had the depth of character to come away with something positive. And finally, with that said, I would like to wish every one of you a good rest of the season with miles of bottomless powder and happy trails.
Peace to all

 

[Slick]

Let me just say...

Obviously I’ve caused some of you considerable stress. Admittedly, I was under the impression and assumption that every man is entitled to an opinion; apparently I was wrong to assume. It’s alarming the degree of bigotry and spite that some brandish over one man’s opinion. I try to hold myself to a higher standard, even feeling almost a bit the failure having referred to some as simply, “Nancy’s”, even though a far cry from the pure nasty slew of insults and innuendos directed my way. And although we haven’t proven all are created equal, it boggles my mind in attempting to understand how some succumb to such a level of bigotry and reprisal over such trivial issues. It really doesn’t have to be this way. I sincerely hope you would seek professional help before harming yourself, or another, as I wish you all the best. As has been said, don’t take life too serious, no one gets out alive anyway. For those of you able to take away from this thread nothing more than a bit of humor, I’m happy that at least a few had the depth of character to come away with something positive. And finally, with that said, I would like to wish every one of you a good rest of the season with miles of bottomless powder and happy trails.
Peace to all

Backpedal much ?? LOL

 

[snowmobiler]

guess the threatening pm was pretty bad.LOL

 

[BigMan]

Backpedal much ?? LOL

No doubt, it’s never fun having to apologize on behalf of someone else, but what do you do. Someone had to step up to the plate and stop this trainwreck before some of the super sensitive ended up scarred for life...

And for ndC7m8 and some of the others that judging from the nature of their posts on this thread I suspect may be having a difficult time understanding my last post, maybe this http://www.merriam-webster.com/ will help.

Later all...

 

[Jaynelson]

Hey if you're gonna dish it you're gonna take it is my stance.

That said, if people are pm'in ya and cursing you out (or whatever, I don't know the situation)....that's gay. It's just an Internet forum....no reason for anyone to get that bent out of shape.

 

[rmscustom]

Classy as always BM

 

[BigMan]

Classy as always BM

You want to talk about class?? I started this thread with a novel idea that could benefit us all, and one that insulted no one. Let me refresh your memory...

I'm thinking this would help ease concerns over broken skirts, scored pistons, exploding cases, etc. that could leave a guy stranded in the backcountry.

And some of the replies include...

dumb a$$

Summer's Eve SkiDouche vagina

BigDouche, Real loser. Real jackasss.

So before you start talking to me about class, you might want to talk to your buddies.

 

[K2]

 

[TimG]

I think helicopters should come standard with a voucher for one free Pro RMK extraction. I'm sure they break down sometimes and could use a tow back to civilization.

 

[rmscustom]

You want to talk about class?? I started this thread with a novel idea that could benefit us all, and one that insulted no one. Let me refresh your memory...

And some of the replies include...

So before you start talking to me about class, you might want to talk to your buddies.

I see now... Your actually serious... Wow!!!

Some would consider that when you put a few big words in a post and then later post a link for a dictionary directed to a few members as a insult... Maybe a "classy" one in your eyes. lol

Anyways dream on bud, maybe a heli service will honor a golden ticket.

 

[Scott]

BWAAHAHAHA

 

[Scott]

I guess I'll read this thread now.

 

[Scott]

Point made, point missed, opinions given.


This thread appears to have run it's course. LOL

 

[geo]

What about night riding???

 

[Jaynelson]

^ They send up like 2 dozen cross country skiers with some headlamps and a few hundred feet of rope....tie em together like a dog sled team to pull dead RMK. You sit on sled, occasionally yell "mush" and get mildly to moderately twisted on schnapps.

Snowcheck option only, I think

 

[geo]

That's something like it was except sleds were just breaking into the 130"ers so it only took a dozen skiers and headlamps were still in the mines so candles were used and candles on the tail of the dead sled so your buddies didn't wump you as they pinned it to get some speed up to pass the ski team in the fresh on the side of the trail.
The emergency Schnapps was used to motivate the skiers because they always only brought hot chocolate??. Luckily every one had emergency Schnapps. you just had to hope that there had not been any other emergencies that night.

Those were fun times. Lot's of late nights because of breakdowns with no whining but in reflection I have to wonder if we did wrong. Is this the reason cross-country skiers hate us today?
We used all run the same trails. We made them better for them. Was it the fact that we introduced them to Schnapps? Was it because we had to pin it in the fresh to get by them? Was it verbal abuse when we used the term "mush"? Could it have been our comments on how good the ladies look in those tight cross country pants? Maybe it was just that we called on them too often.
I don't know but with all the changes in political correctiveness since then I'll apologise now. But they did hang out with us at the "wienny roast til dawn",,,??