powerclown

Had a chance to get away from the city and visit my grandparents in the northern part of Michigan. Since they had just received 10 inches of fresh snow, I decided to rent a sled and go snowmobiling. Snowmobiles are ingenious contraptions that are as at home on snow as motorcycles are on (or off) the road.




My ride was a 2005 SkiDoo Legend 380. Powered by a 380cc, fan cooled engine. Not considered a hotrod, but I found it reliable, nice handling and fast enough for me. I saw 50mph on the straights, which was plenty fast for me. They tell me there are sleds that top out at over 120mph. I can't even begin to fathom how fast that would be out on the trail. Electric start and reverse, and the handgrips are heated and kept my hands hot.




Did they make it look like a duck on purpose I wonder?




I don't know much about snowmobile suspension/steering systems, but the sled steered fine and would hold a nice edge through the turns at any speed.




The tread that provides traction and drives the sled through the white stuff. Note the aftermarket, pointed studs on the tread, put there one by one by the owner of the sled to enhance traction even further. Try not to get run over by a snowmobile with sharp studs on it if you see one.







Did 70 miles in about 5.5 hours. Every muscle between my chin and kneecaps was aching the next day.




Snow.




This part of Michigan used to be a logging area, and so has a network of trails throughout the forest that were once used by the loggers. I passed ENORMOUS fields of young, waist high trees that the loggers re-plant after they leave the area.










Quiet beyond belief...


































Snirt. You figure it out.




Surprised to come upon this deeeep in the middle of the forest. Not sure what it was pumping. In keeping with its surroundings, it hardly made a sound.




Inspired by abel and his Magnificent Golden Orb.




Fun with Mirrors, Pt. 2




Worms for sale at the corner gas station. Yep, good to be away from the big city.

Billy Ocean

Awesome pix.. I especially like the old country roads covered in snow. The oil drill is kind of random.

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tropicdiver

A very enjoyable set of photos to view, even if I do hate the cold.

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Life is short. Break some rules.

paddyjoe

Great story powerclown. Your pics almost made me feel as if I were there. Wish I were.

Thanks, man.

The Prophet

I am and it is great! Good pics, powerclown.

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powerclown

Thanks for the kind words, guys...

Fly

great freakin' shot........man do i so wanna play there.

been alot of years since i rode a sled......good times and thanx for the trip through the snow.

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BASTARD

SterlingStudios

God of Thunder

There are oil refineries all over the place up there. We used to hunt near St. Helen and Sunoco owns quite a bit of the land up there.

Our local council of the Boy Scouts own 2 squre miles in Kalkaska, not that far from where you took those pics, and we are the 2nd largest tax payer in that county, besides the Sunoco.



Great pics BTW. I will be getting up ther in February for our Winterfest.

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Half Life

Man that looks like fun. thanks for the GREAT PIX

powerclown

Fun while it lasted. It was 60 degrees yesterday and most of the snow is now gone. The weather in Michigan is funny like that. It will come back again, once or twice, before the Spring.