STAY ON YOUR OWN SIDE OF THE TRAIL. I don't know how many times me and a friend were almost hit today, riding in the afternoon none the less. We were riding a easy 35-40 mph pace all day long, didnt get passed by one sled, enjoyed the trails as they were fresh and smooth, and were riding our side of the trail the whole time, then here comes a pack of 3-5 sleds barreling through the corner, their side, our side of the trail, and they dont even slow down. Does this not piss anyone else off thats just out for a nice afternoon cruise taking it easy?

I was in a group of 5 that met a group of two, but we were each on the wrong side of the trail! I think it was the Tim Cory.

were any of the sleds 97 XLT specials?

that's ahppened to me a few times on the daybrook up to side lake. you get these young kids that are wannabe racers that feel they have the right to the whole trail. where were ya when ya met up with these trail hogs? friend of mine ran into a couple today. one pretty much side swiped his friend going around a corner.


*remember people the corners are icy.... you will slide further out to hit snow so.... SLOW DOWN!!!*

x2

dumb. i wanna live. save it for the lakes when no one is around at least.

this was on the taconite coming back from vermillion. corners weren't icy. freshly groomed, maybe 10 tracks down it. we kept to the far side all day long riding an easy pace scouting for wildlife and just enjoying being out. you wanna keep he trails nice? take it easy. want them to be shitty and you complain how they sucked? its your fault. it holds up to how you treat it.

Trails were in great condition yesterday. Saw four other groups of sleds. Some of those trails up in north western Itasca Co. were excellent until we got near bigfork and marcell. Then they were trash, probably have not seen a groomer in 3 weeks. It is very hard to ride when the whole trail system is stutter bumps. Shakes the shit out of you.

I rode 350 miles to Silver Bay and back. I had people come at me four times and three of them were women to busy putting their hand in the air trying to signal there is sled behind them, then they cross to the wrong side of the trail because the cant keep the sled staight... More often not its touring sleds that are on the wrong side of the corner.

I can't hand signal because I wear mitts. I know what your saying, see it all the time.

Try to make it a habit of wearing fingered gloves... So I can fly the bird if someone's on my side of the trail.

Never fails. Sunday morning 2 sleds riding side by side down the Kinney Spur. And saw like 20 deer on the way to vermilion, came within 2 feet of nailing one. Looks like there is gonna be a billion of those bastards by next fall.

waht kinda sleds were tehy? it deff was not me but just curios

I was up in Orr about three weeks ago and the guy we stayed with told us how hit a deer the weekend before. Take off on Friday night and ride about 40 miles and jump on the Ash River. He goes down the river and I am behind 40 yards and to his left. I watch a deer come across the river for about 70 yards and he hits it almost dead on. Luckily he was only going about 30 and the deer hit just right and it's hind legs took out his windshield. Deer kept going and ran up the other bank. Two weekends, two deer.

I watched it play out like it was on t.v.

The one on the wrong side was a polaris something.

black tourings?

lol - its like that everywehre. Some jackasses on f7's were on my side of trail, i took brush going off trail to avoid. The 1st dude moved, his partner behind stayed planted in the middle. I was standing up at that point waving my "Fuck you" and pointing to get over with both hands.


Leading is some scary business, thats for sure.

Seems like they don't get the message even after a close encounter... my buddy was a few turns behind me and I asked him if the first guy had slowed down when he met him, 'cuz I had barely missed the clown... He had come flyin' by him, too, and I had missed him by less than a foot. Makes you wanna chase the sumbitches down. Always debated if I should flag down the second or third rider and read them the riot act. I figger, they'll get theirs, someday- and hopefully it happens before they get someone else first. Or when they wave to ya, not knowing what a signal means, never know how many are behind 'em... Rant over now, preachin' to the choir...

No, and what does it matter anyway?

I have been known to take a swing at the offenders helmet. (Kind of a "Here's your sign" gesture) My riding partners will do it too if they see people riding down the wrong side of the trail. Heck, I even tried to tap the helmet of a gal who was coming at me at about 60 mph.....out of control. She was too busy holding up a fist to indicate that she was the last sled (of two!). The sled and snow were so loose that she couldn't control the sled as it was darting and fish-tailing using up the whole trail. Our group pulled over and nearly stopped to let her by, and she still was less than 6" from the first four sleds in our group.

Did it ever occur to slow down if you are having trouble controlling the sled?

I have been leading nearly every time for the last 10 years or so, and every time I am more gun shy than the last. It is sad that it has come to that.

Randy

You take a swing at me like that you can expect a return volley. Pulling a stunt like that instead of getting out of the way imo is a sure way to get your ass beat or cause an accident. On trails you will encounter all types of riders, from first timers to old timers. Tapping someones helmet it uncalled for and dangerous. In your zest to police the trails you are the unsafe one.

Please clarify the statement of "getting out of the way". Are you saying that if someone is coming at me on 'my' side of trail that we should just pull off the trail, get out of their way, and let them by? Do we cut them some slack and shrug it off because they might be first timers or old timers? Do we cut them some slack because they are practicing for next weekends sno cross and need to test the new sled? Do we cut them some slack because they really need to get back before last call?


I highly doubt that you would be one of the riders who rides on the wrong side of the trail or out of control, so no worries about us ever meeting on the trail. However, if you do ride like you own the whole trail and like to run others off the trail, please post your trip itinerary so that if we do cross paths, I will know to pull way off the trail and let you by (or I will just avoid the area completely).

Reread my post. I am one to always be on the right side and in the case of the gal coming at me, I was pulled over with a ski off the trail and also basically parked on a very straight section of trail. My intent is never to harm anyone, just get their attention if they are endangering my life or the lives of my friends or family. Please don't read into anything that I am some trail vigilante.

I have been lucky (so far) with the 'getting out of the way' method, but luck sometimes runs out. My preference is to have all sledders understand the regulations and etiquette of snowmobiling, so I guess that I will have to change my tactic before I cause an accident or upset someone who is out of control or unaware of trail safety. Maybe it is just easier to have a little chat on the trail over a Snickers while everyone is duct taping the sleds back together?

If you have any ideas for keeping oncoming riders on the right side of the trail and always in full control of their machines, please share them. I am always open minded to suggestions for making the trails safer. You have made me rethink my trail manners and I apologize if you were offended.

Randy

I see it alot and most of the time it's guys on Mach Z's. J/K John!!! Years past riding in Michigan it's almost ALWAYS riders with Illinois stickers. Hand signals are great, but if you are having a hard time contolling the sled it's just better to have both hands on the handlebars.

If I meet someone on the trail in my "lane", they are either young, or inexperienced, or we meet on a sharp corner. Most fast or good riders are well aware that they should be on their side of the trail and they get there in a hurry if we meet on a corner, or on a straignt stretch. I ride on the opposite side sometimes and so do you. But, we are aware that we need to get to our side if traffic is encountered. Slapping a young rider, or an inexperinced rider is flat out dangerous. When I see them, I get out of their way. And when we do meet, say on a sharp corner, and we are both pushing the center line, the last thing I want is someone trying to reach out and touch me, because I am doing whatever I can to get safe.

Very true. It's equivalent to trying to run someone off the road in my book. It's dangerous to both you and (especially) the other driver. If the other driver is on the wrong side then shame on them. No one deserves to be killed because of it, young, old, experienced or not.

Slapping someones helmet?

Sounds made up to me.

I do agree that certain individuals don't know any better. On my last trip everyone had to remind a friends 15 year old son that he had to stay right. It took a good part of the day for him to understand, but he finally got it after seeing how fast some oncoming sleds were approaching us. I don't even get upset in corners, especially with the way many corners are bermed with the icy inside line. I've come to expect a sled in the center line and have both hands on the bars ready to avoid someone if necessary. Hopefully, those of us riding with the inexperienced riders will try to help them rather than just turn them loose on a 100 hp sled and hope they can keep up.

What irks me is the Ricky Racers who have such blatant disregard for other sleds. There have been many times that a group of young guys are running so fast and tight that when they see me they get sideways on the brake out of fear and the others go off into the rhubarb. Like I said, I have been very lucky. If someone is going so fast that they lose control of their sled just by the sight of an oncoming sled....there is a problem.


There is a time and place for riding on the left and it isn't hills or corners. I guess common sense isn't that common.



On a related note:
Has anyone ever had a chat with Joe Snocross and his buddies on the trail? Has anyone actually been in an accident with someone who was blatantly at fault? That would be an interesting conversation I bet!

I've explained it before like this:

Keep in mind that there could be a drunk guy coming at you at 60 MPH, wrong side of the trail, and totally out of control. You may not see him until the last second in an icy corner. You need to be prepared for that.

In truth you can't prepare for anything, but the more that you can the better.

My arms are too short to ever connect.

It is merely a gesture to imply "please move over". I have read where some guys use the middle finger, but I don't know how effective that is.


I guess I will try not to get aggravated over sleds in the wrong side of the trail anymore and just let it slide. I apologize for getting anyone riled up here and will not endanger other riders anymore.



Randy

Hey Randy , I know what ya mean.........when I have been out there and I've got a sled com'n at me on my side I'll slow down and almost stop and hope he get's out of the way . And so far they have ...knock on wood ! , and then I will shake the head and most cases the other rider will motion a sorry gesture of some sort. Have not seen the middle finger flashed at me yet !!........LOL .And I have raised up the arm like many others doo to say ..WTF are ya doing ..dumb ass....on the ones that are going way too fast at me , that they have the sled sliding all over the place trying to slow down..... and now I am saving some cash for my helmet radio which will help out alittle with knowing what's coming my way , when someone else is leading. any ways that's what I've done . .....later . We get some snow I'll have ta meet up for a ride ....maybe ....

smart. i would like some but they are too spendy for our family unfortunately and we have tried and they arent quite up to par yet but have ridden with a group who has them and they work just awesome!! pretty good range (3 or 4 miles i htink i've seen) and thats big for a sled