Good Morning and thanks for dropping in to our weekend coffee share! Make yourself comfy. I’m moving a bit slow today as I normally do after a day of snowmobiling. You use muscles you didn’t know you had!
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you all about our adventure yesterday. We were hoping to make it a snowmobile weekend, but the place we wanted to go received a ton of snow from the last storm and is right near Crystal Mountain, in northern lower Michigan, meaning, all hotels in the area were booked. We decided to make a day of it instead and drive the three hours there and back. That meant going to Meijer at 10pm on a Friday night to purchase the trail permits.
Bill had fired up our sleds a few days prior and everything seemed fine. Saturday morning after arriving at the staging area in Thompsonville, he unloaded both snowmobiles, but mine then refused to start again. Pull after pull, nothing and the electric start made no difference. My MacGuyver had brought along a propane torch and cleaned the spark plugs, and after about 30 minutes, mine came to life, but it was not running great.
We made our way down the busy trails, me following him on his sled. With more riders behind us, he pulls to the side to let them pass. In very deep snow. He accelerates once the trail had cleared, and I watched the entire sled sink into the snow. We try lifting the back end, moving the skis, but it continued to sink once you gave it any gas. I wanted to take a pic at this point, but I thought Bill might divorce me.
Out comes the tow strap and I try to pull him out. Nope. The back end just skidded to the side and then one of hooks flew off. Nice. Luckily, more riders came by and stopped to help us. Five guys took hold of the skis and back end, lifted and carried it out. That was the first time we’d be saved.
We continue down the trail and I do my best to hang on. It was very, very bumpy with lots of moguls so it was like trying to drive 40 mph over speed bumps. The seat on Bill’s sled is a smooth shiny vinyl so I was sliding all over the place. Bill kept stopping and opening the hood on my sled. When we reached out destination in Buelah, I would learn that he was shutting the gas off and letting it run out. The carburetor was getting way too much gas (running rich). That was the problem with my sled.
So we make it to Buelah and park in our usual spot. We make our way down the hill from the parking area to the Corner Pub. After lunch, we decide to leave my sled, ride two up on Bill’s and go get the truck and trailer. We made it here with my sled, but we’d be pushing our luck making it back. So I climb on to Bill’s sled, (no handles, will have to hang on to him as we bounce our way back) and try not to smack helmets too much.
About 3 miles into the woods, the sled is overheating. We wait a while to let it cool and then head back to Buelah. Steam is now pouring out from under the hood as we join my sled in its resting place. So much for our day trip! Both sleds are now down.
I have a sister not too terribly far away but was unable to reach her. Back to the Corner Pub we go to ask if they have a cab service. Nope. It was then that two, wonderful kind bar patrons, hearing of our plight, offer to drive us back to our truck and trailer. After thanking them profusely and making them take some money for their time and gas, we drive back to our sleds with the trailer and load up, cold and tired.
Heading home, we hit a patch of ice and watch the car ahead of us go sideways as we also try not to go sideways, me digging my fingernails into the console and armrest. Bill was able to drive out of the momentary fishtailing horror and we continue to drive a few miles with the four ways on. What a day.
They say a bad day makes for a good story. It was definitely a weekend to remember and although I’m not done snowmobiling, I’m afraid our sleds might be, or very close to it. First trip of the season and $160 in registration and permits later, I pray we can go at least one more time. We will see.
I hope your Saturday was better! More coffee?
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Grab a beverage and join us over at Eclectic Ali’s for the #WeekendCoffeeShare!
Talk about the best laid plans! Well, you were right–it did make for a good story!
mydangblog recently posted…My Week 228: Dishing It Out
One that we’ll talk about for years to come! LOL
Snowmobiles sound like that my boat deep money pit and nail biting adventures. Glad you’re safe and sound and have a fun story to tell.
Yes, they are money pits! It was a memory-making day for sure..
Ah Kathleen, what an adventure! I’m so glad there was some real life angels out there to assist you in your time of need.
Yes, they were angels indeed! Someone was watching over us.
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