Last weekend we decided to take the sleds out both days. We decided it would probably be our last chance before the trails became mud and I wanted to try out my new (to me) sled.
We trailered to the Deering Fish and Game, where the trails had already been closed off. No matter, we could get around the barriers (the trails were closed to 4-wheelers, sleds were okay). We dropped off and headed toward Antrim. The Antrim trails were beat (they are mostly in the sun), so after about 20 minutes, we turned around and hit the trail to run the power lines in Deering. Deering had plenty of snow (even though the power lines are in the sun too) and we had a good run up the hill that is along the same ridge our house is on. We were following a couple of sleds, although they were quiete aways ahead. We crested the ridge and found two guys had stopped - and the trail had too. The were looking for directions, and WS was unsure of landmarks to guide them the way they wanted to go. After about 10 minutes, it was decided WS would lead them back to Henniker thru Crane's Farm.
Once we got them to a familiar place, we turned around and decided to call it a day. Sunday we trailered to the High Tide in Hillsboro (they are closed for the winter but allow snowmobilers to use their parking lot as a drop off point). We caught a trail to Henniker and rode for quite a while before getting to the Weare town line, shortly after we hit a wash out that went quite a ways.
We decided to turn around at that point as the trails were getting pretty beat and the sun was really warm. WS took us on a couple of side trails and we rode along the river for a while.
Then we had to cross the river, on a suspension bridge. Have I ever mentioned my less-than-fondness for heights. not only was is a suspension bridge, but it was just wide enough for a sled.
Suprisingly I didn't have any trouble with it - but it is always easier if I am following someone and can concentrate on them instead of what is NOT to either side. And, WS had told me about it earlier in the day, and asked if I wanted to try it or not.
After the bridge, WS took me behind a business in Hillsboro. Not just any business, Livingston's Arctic Cat (the largest Cat dealer in the Northeas). Now this is not really exciting in itself (Unless you are in the market for a new/used sled), but behind the shop they have the "runway"; a very long flat section that is fairly smooth. This is an area that they use to test sleds after they have assembled them, or when they have serviced/repaired them. On the way toward the buildings, I got up to 60 MPH. On the way, I got a bit over 65 MPH. WS was over 90 when he caught me coming back (he had let me go first). THAT was really, really fun!
After that we called it a day and loaded up to go home. I sould have gotten pictures of the sleds - they were still pretty muddy from some of the washouts we had gone around and thru. So in the end, I spent last weekend testing out the sled, which performed well. I even had to use reverse 6-7 times on Sunday. I think after being in NH for 25 years, I'm finally going to start hoping for lots of snow during the winter.
You barely got in on this snow season. Better late than never? Pretty scenery (anyone expected less?)
Posted by: Cop Car | April 01, 2013 at 10:00 AM
I did pretty good by getting in 5 rides; 3 on the borrowed sled and 2 on my Polaris. I actually got in twice as many rides on "my" sled as WS got on his sled all of last season (he only got to go out once because we had so little snow last winter).
I think WS only got in 2, maybe 3, more rides than I did this year.
Posted by: bogie | April 06, 2013 at 03:36 PM