if you want to be stuck second follow bill ciliberti

 

Floodrunner,
I totally agree with you!However,I was NOT prepared for this type of thing to happen.Even in such a small area.

I to love to challenge nature,but I make sure im prepared to do so before venturing out,this time I did'nt.Im glad this was a small area,im certain I would have made myself prepared if I had perceived venturing out into a larger riding area.

BTW,
I earlier seen the pictures of you and your wifes place and the sunset,what a beautiful place!
Bill

 

Thanks Bill, glad you enjoyed the pics.

I completely understand the temptation to occasionally ignore proper preparation. In fact it happened to me just yesterday. This new 6x6 we bought is supposed to have 100 miles on it before subjecting it to a load (like hauling the firewood we’re beginning to need desperately). So I’ve been running it up and down our snow-packed gravel roads out here in the sticks just to put some miles on it (boring). Yesterday, after seeing everything around here at least twice in a 10 mile run I decided to ride into the woods to see how it would handle the 1 ˝’ to 2’ of snow. My entrance to the woods was via a path plowed through the deep roadside snow left by the county plow but where I came out there was no path. With me dancing on the floorboards the big machine scratched and clawed its way within about 12’ of the road but there it was stuck, couldn’t go backward or forward. I had just gotten in on the Polaris winch deal before the year’s end but it had to be ordered. I didn’t have a tow rope, come-a-long or anything. Fortunately I wasn’t far from home so I hoofed it back. At first I was going to return with my SP with the blade on it and plow a path through the snowbank. But it was getting dark, so I just hooked it to the back of my F250 4x4 with a long strap and dragged it through the snowbank and home. It was pretty funny the way the truck just dragged it out of the 3 ˝’ pile of snow like it was a hundred pound toy. Hardly what you’d call a survival story though.

 

Glad you made it out ok. wow have had simialer experiences in the past. Yeah up here it is illegal to ride on the snowmobile trails with atv's. I am sort of torn on the issue myself. one hand I am an avid atver and also an avid snowmobiler. the biggest issue i see if the speed, i travel on my sport easily 55 or more. that is pushing most atv's even on solid tar. most of the people i see on the snowmobile trails cruise 35-50. On tight wooded single track trails were you have to edge off the trails to let others get around you would be difficult for atv's, go off the trails here and there can be 4 feet or more of snow. one another hand allot of people cannot afford both, so should they have to put there machines up for 4 months? The damage part i never agreed with they groom so much up here the trails hardly have time to show a ski mark before they are at it again, and i rode with a zr 800 the other day and when he took off left a huge pile of snow that i went over and was airborne!

 

He was probley trying to keep up with a polaris xc 800. :-)

 

I have had the pleasant opportunity to plow lots of snow this year in Wisconsin. Floodrunner, I live a bit north of you between Spring Green and Reedsburg. On a few occassions I have burried my 500 in 3 feet of snow, the problem arises as the result of the 60 front blade. Sometimes it drags on too much snow and you get stuck.
I have found that if I stand next to the quad, put it in reverse, WITHOUT using the over ride button, the heavy beast backs right out of the powder. Without a rider it seems to rise on top of the snow an gets free. For obvious reasons, be carefull if you do this.

 

Bill you have pointed out a basic flaw most of us have and that’s thinking it will never happen to us! If you are going to ride alone make darn sure someone “responsible” knows where you are going and when you should be back. I live in Buffalo, NY. On the news the other night they told about someone that was driving a 4-wheel drive truck on a seasonal road and it became stuck sideways on this road so they left it. Well some time later a snowmobile came over the crest of this road and slammed into it broadside. The driver was not killed but was trapped under his sled for 14 hours until another rider came upon him. He to was riding alone.

For your families sake let people know where you’re going and when you will be back, it can happen to you.

Mark

 

Mark,
you make some very good points and they should be well taken.Thank you,
Bill

 

You have pointed to why I'm having 7 894 328 492 times more fun (no recount, please) now that I ride with some friends. We still ride alone sometimes, but when we get stuck...something's missing...oh yeah, 2 arms!!
Yesterday, we went snowmobiling in a "deep" powder field. Xplor had fun jumping, and I had fun trying to turn leaning my sled (what a BLAST). I got stuck more than once (so leaned that the track couldn't push the sled anymore..eheh), and was lucky to have someone help me push the sled to get it going again. It didn't take much...but I would have never pulled it out alone...and in 2 hours, we saw 1 snowmobile, though we're 200 meters away fom the trail!!
It's simply more fun when you're two (or more), the fear of being left alone in the woods just doesn't exist!

 

Thank you for the excellent post. Reading all of these makes me think....

When I started atving, I prided myself on being prepared. I packed a sufficient amount of tools, a small air compressor(which paid for itself numerous times), tow rope, food and water...and about anything you could imagine needing in an emergency.

I guess over the years, I've gotten a little too comfortable. I haven't had any true emergencies, other than being lost once. I corrected that with a purchase of a gps. But now when I go riding, I think I take it for granted. Several years, no problems.....what could go wrong? Nothing is going to happen to me...

I am introducing my wife and son to the sport that I love so much. I think maybe I need to set a good example for my son and be prepared like I used to, when I started riding.

Anyway, thank again for the posts....I think I'm going to go and pack my tool box for the next ride.