[xcbuc]

Correct, we never opened. We went out to try the gps & pack the only marginal snow we had. I had route adjustments when logged into snars as a club admin.
Nope, it's free. Gts trails

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Phantom Rider]

My wife and I are not "Well to do" but we are not hurting either. I started riding in 1994 on borrowed sleds on trips with friends. After two trips in two years I told my wife I was buying a sled. This was in 1997. She had never been on a sled and hated winter but insisted I buy "A sled for two people" I figured it wouldn't last long and bought a Polaris Indy 500 Classic Touring from our local dealer here at home in Jersey.
Turns out she loved it and after two seasons of riding two up I told here the Touring was hers and I was buying a new sled. The new sled turned out to be a 1997 XLT Special two years old and still in the crate for a great price... This was in 1999.
Meantime she decided that we needed a place of our own on The Hill so we bought a camp in C'ville. Mind you it was a 350 mile 6 hour trip from home to camp which we did at least once a month for several years.
In 2000 she bought a new 2000 500 Classic.
In 2001 we built a new log cabin on the property...
Going up to camp in the off season we realized we needed a spring/summer/fall work around camp and whatever else machine so we bought a Polaris 500 Sportsman. After running around the hill on that two up for several years she decided she wanted an ATV of her own so I told her she could have the Sportsman and I was going back to two wheels and bought a Suzuki DRZ400 Dual Sport Bike.
I was also due for a new sled and dodged the 2005 Polaris Fusion Disaster and bought a 2004 Polaris 600 Classic knowing full well that my wife wanted the sled for herself... The following year I bought a 2005 Yamaha Rage which after 17,000 miles was to be my last sled.
All of our sleds and ATVs were paid for before they came in at the dealer and we took delivery of them.

You see it's not all about $50,000 trucks and $20,000 dollar trailers with a couple $15,000 dollar sleds inside.
It is about loving the sport no matter what it is and when you get tired and fed up with dealing with stooges out on the trails that have the $50,000 trucks, trailers, etc. and go up for the weekend just to get away from their wives so they can party it's time to go find something better to spend your time and money on.

 

[MuscleD]

10 years ago I was riding on a budget. I didnt make very much money. But God damn I was riding every winter. Home or on trips. I drove a cheap little suv, rode an older sled, stayed at the cheapest hotels. I always made it work.

The world doesnt owe me snowmobiling. I have to make it happen. Back then I didnt go to concerts, casinos, drinking events, sports games in the summer to make it happen.

These fuel prices arent going to stop me today.

But as far as grooming goes. The guys who bought those Lynx Raves are going to have fun lol.

 

[Trail Ryder]

Good to hear the NYSSA has an increase for it. What is current rate?

With a club membership, which is typically $25, a registration costs $45 per sled. The NYSSA has proposed increasing it to $65 per sled. A whopping $20 over an entire year ..... and the guys that blow $80 at the bar, in one sitting, on drinks, wings, and lottery tickets are whining about the proposed $20 increase.

You see it's not all about $50,000 trucks and $20,000 dollar trailers with a couple $15,000 dollar sleds inside.

I know that. My point is, it is often the guys with the $50,000 truck, the new sled(s), and expensive trailer that balk at a $20 annual registration increase or $30 more spent per day in fuel. These same people are usually not involved with a club and have ZERO idea of how much diesel a groomer consumes.

 

[karmaexists]

I only wish

 

[Trail Ryder]

I only wish

If hypothetically that photo was taken in the US in 1970, adjusted for inflation that would be $3.77 USD per gallon.

 

[mrbb]

OK just saying ??
I'd question how real that pic is, as in is that just made up or real?/

, as back in the 70's to mid 80's or so, the gasoline was REGULAR and then unleaded fuel came out to replace it
and you NEVER ever seen any self service station's back then they ,
were all full service or in my area and places I traveled too that;'s all you ever seen when prices were that low!

so that it maybe a doctored up funny pic for humor and not really real!
yes fuel was that cheap at one time, but the rest I question!
and I do see the humor in it
as I too wish prices were that low again, be a whole new world if they were ! HAHA!

 

[Phantom Rider]

I do not think that is a "Doctored up pic" everything in the photo matches up from the car the fuel pumps and even the clothing style and hair style.
When I started driving gas was $.42 a gallon this was just before the energy crunch of the 70s. Nixon was still president. As Trail Rider said adjusted for inflation over the years prices are close to the same. Back then I was making $3.50 an hour... less than $150.00 a week GROSS. Of course I was 17 at the time so it was good money!

 

[SHOOT2KILL2]

Did a google search on "hemricks super thrift gas station...It's in Georgia...

 

[mile9c1]

People can carpool more. My last trip to the UP cost my buddy and I maybe $75 each in truck gas. If gas has doubled then we just find 2 more riders to go, and it'll even out.

 

[sleeping_dragon]

OK just saying ??
I'd question how real that pic is, as in is that just made up or real?/

, as back in the 70's to mid 80's or so, the gasoline was REGULAR and then unleaded fuel came out to replace it
and you NEVER ever seen any self service station's back then they ,
were all full service or in my area and places I traveled too that;'s all you ever seen when prices were that low!

so that it maybe a doctored up funny pic for humor and not really real!
yes fuel was that cheap at one time, but the rest I question!
and I do see the humor in it
as I too wish prices were that low again, be a whole new world if they were ! HAHA!

Im 50 and barely remember any full service gas stations even when I was a kid.
Evidently,it took longer for self serve to catch on in the east and I think new jersey still doesnt even allow self service.

 

[Chad M//77]

Honestly how much extra is an individual going to pay for fuel? Less than a grand for 90% of us, some far less. It’s the clubs that do the grooming that we all have to worry about.

This would be the year to join a club, but some raffle tickets, hit up some extra fund raisers… these clubs are going to need more than lastyear.

 

[fourh-ds]

I'm just a little over 40, and worked at a full service station through senior year of high school and a few years of college...it was t THAT long ago for full service 😂

 

[Rakrem]

If hypothetically that photo was taken in the US in 1970, adjusted for inflation that would be $3.77 USD per gallon.

How about your income?

 

[mrbb]

Im 50 and barely remember any full service gas stations even when I was a kid.
Evidently,it took longer for self serve to catch on in the east and I think new jersey still doesnt even allow self service.

like I said, full service stations were the norm here till about mid 90's in my area, and then self service took over,
we STILL have some full service stations, but there far and few anymore!

but mt point was when fuel was at them prices in pictures, I know ALL the places by me were full service!
and again on the fuel being REGULAR LEADED and second fuel was only UN LEADED which didn;t happen till prices here were above what shown in pic's
so?/
NOT saying pic if fake, , just something I noticed from growing up where I did, and what fuels we had to pick from!
Other area's I am sure could have had things differently!

and YES 100% I think all clubs will need extra cash this yr, and should be putting on more events, all the more so when so many people seem to be willing to go to events after being locked up with covid so much for so long,
every event in my area has been swamped with folks, just wanting to get out and using any excuse to do so, which , does help raise money!
as an example,
our local fire dept had its fund raiser picnic this past weekend, and they claim it was a record breaker on things sold and how many showed up for it this yr!
would think a club holding events would have like turn outs, to help add some extra cash to the budget! !

 

[Trail Ryder]

How about your income?

Back in the late 80s, I had to work about 2 hours (at $3.35 per hour minimum wage) to purchase enough fuel to ride my sled for about 60 miles. Today, one would have to work about 2 hours (at $13.20 per hour New York State minimum wage) to purchase enough fuel to ride a sled that gets 15 MPG for about 60 miles. And for another reference, I don't know anyone who makes minimum wage these days. I do NOT live in a high wage area, and my teenager started working at home supply store as a cashier at $15.25 hour. She turned down a summer factory job at $18.00 per hour because it was more hours than she wanted to work.

And I remember when our 1998 Yamaha VMax 600 would get 6 MPG on a good day, plus drink a lot of injector oil. My faster 600 ETECs get like 15 to 20+ MPG and my wife only rides a few hundred miles per year, so I will probably use like 2 gallons of injector oil for the entire season. My point is, yes, the price is fuel is "high" relative to what we are used to. But when you factor in increased wages (and increased minimum wages) and increases in fuel inefficiencies, the cost of fuel is not as bad as everyone thinks.

The last time fuel spiked, I was working for a Fortune 500 manufacturer, and several of our suppliers tried to jack up prices "due to the price of fuel". And then we said to them "Please show me the math how the price of fuel / transport costs equates to an increase in the price of a widget shipped to my factory." After that request, most suppliers backed off on their price increase requests. Yes, it cost more to fuel their truck but when that truck is filled with 10,000 widgets, the fuel surcharge increase per widget probably equated to less than $0.001 per widget,

I am afraid that currently a lot of businesses are just using "the price of fuel" to jack up prices while raking in record profits.

 

[Rakrem]

Back in the late 80s, I had to work about 2 hours (at $3.35 per hour minimum wage) to purchase enough fuel to ride my sled for about 60 miles. Today, one would have to work about 2 hours (at $13.20 per hour New York State minimum wage) to purchase enough fuel to ride a sled that gets 15 MPG for about 60 miles. And for another reference, I don't know anyone who makes minimum wage these days. I do NOT live in a high wage area, and my teenager started working at home supply store as a cashier at $15.25 hour. She turned down a summer factory job at $18.00 per hour because it was more hours than she wanted to work.

And I remember when our 1998 Yamaha VMax 600 would get 6 MPG on a good day, plus drink a lot of injector oil. My faster 600 ETECs get like 15 to 20 MPG and my wife only rides a few hundred miles per year, so I will probably use like 2 gallons of injector oil for the entire season. My point is, yes, the price is fuel is "high" relative to what we are used to. But when you factor in increased wages (and increased minimum wages) and increases in fuel inefficiencies, the cost of fuel is not as bad as everyone thinks.

The last time fuel spiked, I was working for a Fortune 500 manufacturer, and several of our suppliers tried to jack up prices "due to the price of fuel". And then we said to them "Please show me the math how the price of fuel / transport costs equates to an increase in the price of a widget shipped to my factory." After that request, most suppliers backed off on their price increase requests. Yes, it cost more to fuel their truck but when that truck is filled with 10,000 widgets, the fuel surcharge increase per widget probably equated to less than $0.001 per widget,

I am afraid that currently a lot of businesses are just using "the price of fuel" to jack up prices while raking in record profits.

It’s all out of control, you can think everything is normal if you want to make yourself feel better I guess. It’s not just gas giving the excuse it’s everything you need to have and the trend is not going to stop. You don’t recover from the decisions being made right now. This is different than anything of the past. I can explain but it would hurt someone’s feelings on this sight I’m sure. That in itself is the bigger issue.

 

[sleepybrew]

well since gas will be high expect a killer winter. we are going regardless, and there may be less people out there. well worth the extra dollars. i haven't been on the river yet but i hear it's quiet out there. gas doesn't stop me from boating either. and again , less boats will make it better. i do my cruising late afternoon and evening so it's not an issue usually. now maybe i can do some mid day ripping

 

[Liggett]

And I remember when our 1998 Yamaha VMax 600 would get 6 MPG on a good day, plus drink a lot of injector oil. My faster 600 ETECs get like 15 to 20+ MPG and my wife only rides a few hundred miles per year, so I will probably use like 2 gallons of injector oil for the entire season. My point is, yes, the price is fuel is "high" relative to what we are used to. But when you factor in increased wages (and increased minimum wages) and increases in fuel inefficiencies, the cost of fuel is not as bad as everyone thinks.

I'm retired and 71. My wife is still working just for the health insurance her job cost shares until she turns 65 in Feb, I filled my 1/2 ton diesel truck from 1/2 tank yesterday and it cost $87.00. 14 gallons!
People like us, retired folks, even living where we can ride from the back yard are going to need to cut back on sledding like we're cutting back on everything else. Increased wages aren't an option. Maybe I'll go find a new job. Should be easy since so many people aren't working today due to govt. handouts.

 

[Phantom Rider]

And I remember when our 1998 Yamaha VMax 600 would get 6 MPG on a good day, plus drink a lot of injector oil. My faster 600 ETECs get like 15 to 20+ MPG and my wife only rides a few hundred miles per year, so I will probably use like 2 gallons of injector oil for the entire season. My point is, yes, the price is fuel is "high" relative to what we are used to. But when you factor in increased wages (and increased minimum wages) and increases in fuel inefficiencies, the cost of fuel is not as bad as everyone thinks.

I'm retired and 71. My wife is still working just for the health insurance her job cost shares until she turns 65 in Feb, I filled my 1/2 ton diesel truck from 1/2 tank yesterday and it cost $87.00. 14 gallons!
People like us, retired folks, even living where we can ride from the back yard are going to need to cut back on sledding like we're cutting back on everything else. Increased wages aren't an option. Maybe I'll go find a new job. Should be easy since so many people aren't working today due to govt. handouts.

We are in the same boat...
I am 65 and semi retired. My business is an LLC and I am an employee as is my wife (bookkeeper) I am collecting SS and my wife is employed elsewhere and works from home just for her benefits (I am on Medicare) She has 14 months until she will retire @ 65 but has enough money set aside to pay for COBRA benefits so she can quit whenever her employer gets on her nerves enough to do so.
Being 350 miles and 6 hours from sled country we now ride motorcycles most every weekend after selling out sleds and camp. Once she stops working we will just travel either on the bikes or bringing the bikes with us until we can't ride any longer.