Who leads , and who doesn't get too, and WHY?

[CRASH!!!]

In my group, usually me, dad, and brother, I lead. I am the most experienced in our group and most attentive. I have the best sense of direction and keep my eye on all of our riders. If we are with friends, we switch it up. I like leading but feel it can be stressful as I am responsible for the whole group. My biggest fear is losing 1 rider. I hope I never have that day.

Crash!!!

 

[APEXed West]

In our group which consists of my two brothers, our Pops, me and whomever joins us, usually a group of 4-10 riders total, one of the two brothers lead, Pops and I paly Tail End Charlie. We have three radios in the group, one brother, Pops and me, so front to back are in touch if trouble crops up. I am on an APEX, so am logical choice for clean-up, reliability counts !!!

 

[Puff_N_AK]

That's the worst part about leading. "where did everybody go?"

I hate it when I lead and everyone else screws around so I need to go back to round 'em back up.

Oh, how i can relate to that.

my knees!

But when with groups I am all over the place giving everybody a chance to lead.

When I was a Twoski I was definitely a follower and a sitter in the early days!

I have to respect that, because i was there back in the day.

 

[MARV1]

I lead most of the time going through the deep and through the timber just because I know the area better and can make it without getting stuck! I try to let others lead but most of the time they go too slow and end up making wrong decisions and get into trouble/stuck. Plus my buddies know if I can't make, they won't either.

 

[Reeb]

I'm not allowed to lead...usually end up in a creekbed or across a ridiculous sidehill and get people pizzed at me.....I usually hang in 2nd or 3rd and when I see a draw or line I can hit it and get back in line before the group is out of sight.

 

[Weekday Warrior]

I'm a terrible leader


I blow out all the snow in the trees, never leave a straight line breaking trail and typically up on the banks rather than down in the road. I'll take a pull off the road and leave everybody stacked up in the trail until I get back down


don't take long and I'll find myself regelated to the back of the pack lol

 

[Snow Fox]

Who leads , and who... 03-03-2009 08:13 PM Just how hard is it to read FLAT Terrain?

Hey Cowardly Red Repper next time leave your name. As far as the question you asked when leaving me the red rep. Go find a dictionary and look up the definition of SARCASM you ignorant Moron.

 

[spomey]

I usually lead, I think it started early on to make sure I didnt kill myself, then later so that all could watch my antics, and that I was fearless and would try anything, especially the first year. Then I got to know the areas pretty well.

Leading is better and worst at the same time, I feel responsible for everyone behind me, you have to think of where you are and the route and run the whole thing in your head for "traps". You know the 100 foot section of trail that you usually dont think anything of then you spend 2 hours digging sleds out of it. so I try and taylor the ride for them, then at times I forget and see something that I have to hit, which sometimes leads to big trouble. most people start to recognize the signs. but it never ceases to amaze me that people will see me up on a major steep side hill and think they are supposed to follow!

another problem with leading that alot of people dont think about is you have to ride smooth, its just plain rude to trench the hell out of things when your in a tight sport or leave piles of snow at every corner.

spomey

 

[rednecksledder]

90% of the time it is me leading and my friend Jimmie in the rear(he can't break trail) But last year i was breaking trail in about 2ft of pow and stopped to wait for everyone to catch-up and my girfriend blows right by me and broke trail the rest of the way in, it was very cool and i was proud Now she wants to break trail and tells me she "kinda" feels bad because i like to be in the front in the fresh powder.

 

[big E]

I usually lead because I know the area and everyone treats me as the guide.He!! most of the time I'm lost too.

 

[jlebrun_05]

Just how hard is it to read FLAT Terrain?

Is there a thread in the mountain section where something about flatlanders doesnt come up?

 

[14longshot]

I usually lead because I know the area and everyone treats me as the guide.He!! most of the time I'm lost too.

had a good lol cause that's me

 

[farmboy84]

i also lead our groups, especially out west. it is usually me (24), brother (22) my dad, and 2 uncles. well my brother has no sense of direction so he is out. my dad is a pretty good leader but he likes to stay behind my brother and i so he can keep an eye on us and chew us out if we are doing something too stupid. my uncles are just not adventurous enough. if either of them lead we wouldn't ever get more than 100 yards off the trail. this has slowly developed over the last few years and i think everyone is happy.

 

[ArticDoo]

Is there a thread in the mountain section where something about flatlanders doesnt come up?

I lead because I used to be a flatlander and still have the skills to go in a straight line, until no one is behind me, then I go looking.

 

[CO 2.0]

In DEEP powder and breaking new trail in up the mountain in tight trees or sidehills this is how it's worked best for us if there are 4 of us riding:

Leader = best rider
2nd = 2nd best rider
3rd = worst rider
4th = 3rd best rider

The 2nd line can be just as difficult if not more so than the leaders line in when we break trail in under the conditions I posted above. The leader needs to keep his line as straight as possible as to not jack up the trail or trench out the trail for the riders behind him (even though it's tempting to just go wild)

 

[NoSecondChances]

I'm not allowed to lead...usually end up in a creekbed or across a ridiculous sidehill and get people pizzed at me.....I usually hang in 2nd or 3rd and when I see a draw or line I can hit it and get back in line before the group is out of sight.

LOL - so true for me 2! My buddies usually let me cut the sidehill cuz I'm the only one crazy enough to do it! My old man will let me lead if we are in open areas, but when we get to the trees he usually jumps in front. A few years back we went through this little opening in the trees from one bowl to another and he couldn't keep up to my mod, he got stuck 3 times in about 200 ft. He wasn't too happy with me for that, but now he is a little more cautious when following me in the tight spots. LOL

 

[sledheadd]

I lead most of the time going through the deep and through the timber just because I know the area better and can make it without getting stuck! I try to let others lead but most of the time they go too slow and end up making wrong decisions and get into trouble/stuck. Plus my buddies know if I can't make, they won't either.

Same for me

 

[XFIRE800]

either me or my uncle lead, my cousin is in back w/ a paddle track on his F7 that throws a ton of snow. We just go by whoever wants to go first and we switch on and off frequently.

 

[polarisIQmn]

Is there a thread in the mountain section where something about flatlanders doesnt come up?

Thanks Jeff,
I'd like to see some of the mountain riders deal with flat light situations in the ditches. I realize that flat light happens in the mountains too, but mountain ridin vs. ditch riding are two totally different things. Ditch riding is all about speed, mountain riding is about who can climb the highest. Big difference in riding styles. I would love to take anybody who has rode nothing but mountains their whole life to the ditches and see what happens. I'm not expecting to win the battle in the hills, but a day in flat light going as fast as possible in the ditches is challenging, especially with the weird drift formations that happen due to winds.

Chad

 

[AkHockey10]

Depending on where we ride. Im usually the second to third rider behind the leader. Sometimes the last. I lead a good 20-30% of the time, if that..