Freeloader Weekend

[Ox]

 

Have a chum that asked me to trail ride with him in Michigan sometime. He's been out of the game for a few years and needs new riding chum(s) I think.

 

I've only rode Michigan 2wice in the last 20 yrs, and both times were Big Bay. (up on Lake Superior) And it was decided both times that we didn't leave anything there, and had no reason to return. 

Have not rode the lower to speak of in 35 years. (I hear they have something called snirt there?)

 

So, I mentioned Freeloader weekend in The Great White North to him, and I think that I can git him to come up yonder with us instead.

 

So I went to the OFSC website to see what the rules are for that, and - I'm not finding anything.

The link about it takes you to "buy a trail pass" and even after I log in - I still don't see anything about Freeloaders.

???

I might bring 2 extra guys actually, but they need to pile up some snow first!

 

Maybe someone here can give me the score?

 

Is there a need to pre-register for this weekend?

Or is it just a free for all?

 

[02Sled]

2 minutes ago, Ox said:

 

Have a chum that asked me to trail ride with him in Michigan sometime. He's been out of the game for a few years and needs new riding chum(s) I think.

 

I've only rode Michigan 2wice in the last 20 yrs, and both times were Big Bay. (up on Lake Superior) And it was decided both times that we didn't leave anything there, and had no reason to return. 

 

So, I mentioned Freeloader weekend in The Great White North to him, and I think that I can git him to come up yonder with us instead.

 

So I went to the OFSC website to see what the rules are for that, and - I'm not finding anything.

The link about it takes you to "buy a trail pass" and even after I log in - I still don't see anything about Freeloaders.

???

I might bring 2 extra guys actually, but they need to pile up some snow first!

 

Maybe someone here can give me the score?

 

Is there a need to pre-register for this weekend?

Or is it just a free for all?

 

It is Feb 2 & 3. You need to go online and register your sled for a free permit and print it yourself for the two days. I anticipate as we get a bit closer you will find it available on the website.

[Ox]

Dare I ass_u_me (hope?) that this is a one-time offer?

Once you printed your tags this year, don't ask to free-load again next year?

Or is it available year after year?

[revrnd]

7 minutes ago, Ox said:

Dare I ass_u_me (hope?) that this is a one-time offer?

Once you printed your tags this year, don't ask to free-load again next year?

Or is it available year after year?

They offer it every year. I (along w/ others on here) have no idea if this promotion has ever resulted in sales of actual permits in subsequent seasons.

[gibson]

Available each year for the free loaders

 

[Ox]

Oh my ... that's not a good plan.

[northstar]

10 minutes ago, Ox said:

Oh my ... that's not a good plan.

I now a couple of guys who have gotten back into sledding because of it , bought new sleds and season permits after seeing how much fun it is , also see a lot of sleds from new york 3-4 days before and after the free weekend . Makes a good reason for them come and buy a 3 day pass and extend there riding a bit. If you get one freeloader to buy a season pass his buddys will at some point join him . Most of the people riding with out a permit are teenagers riding locale trails at night , at some point  they will buy permits and maybe even volunteer with there local club. I have never seen as many sleds without permits as some on here claim , maybe I going to fast .

[manotickmike]

I welcome the free weekend, especially since it's been moved.

I hooked a couple of my neighbors 2 years ago. 

They'd be bugging me to go ditch bang, I went a couple of times, and never got into it. 

Free weekend happened, and 2 guys asked me to show them around, we got a warm couple of days, but they were hooked. 

Both have trail passes now, one guy is driving a 2018 sled. He's rabid.

IMHO all that's missing in this sport to get it to prosper, is an opportunity to get new people out on modern sleds on a trial basis. 

Not all of us have a "buddy sled" insured and trail passed.

The dealers are little or no help.

I can't imagine anyone getting in when the cost of entry is so high.

And the season so sketchy. 

Just a recent returner to the sport's perspective.

[Ox]

41 minutes ago, manotickmike said:

I welcome the free weekend, especially since it's been moved.

I hooked a couple of my neighbors 2 years ago. 

They'd be bugging me to go ditch bang, I went a couple of times, and never got into it. 

Free weekend happened, and 2 guys asked me to show them around, we got a warm couple of days, but they were hooked. 

Both have trail passes now, one guy is driving a 2018 sled. He's rabid.

IMHO all that's missing in this sport to get it to prosper, is an opportunity to get new people out on modern sleds on a trial basis. 

Not all of us have a "buddy sled" insured and trail passed.

The dealers are little or no help.

I can't imagine anyone getting in when the cost of entry is so high.

And the season so sketchy. 

Just a recent returner to the sport's perspective.

 I kan't imagine starting from scratch! 

I've been in this (as many other here as well) for 40 years. 

Might upgrade one thing here, and another there, but they get ammoritised for a decade on average? So - maybe 3500 loonies a year? 

Kan't imagine ponying up $25K to git started!

 

 

.

[02Sled]

As a sport there are always opportunities for improvement and attracting new riders. Look at the number of boaters who don't have trucks or trailers and keep their boats at a marina. They drive their "cars" to the marina, go boating and when the season is over let the marina store the boat for them. Like manotickmike mentioned the cost of getting into snowmobiles isn't cheap. I have worked with people who have said they think they would love to go snowmobiling BUT

1. They don't have a vehicle to pull a trailer with and aren't interested in getting one.
2. They don't have space at home to park a snowmobile trailer or snowmobile.
   1. In the GTA many of them are living in condo's as an example or driveways are minimal

In conversation they would be willing to put up the money for a decent used sled and the gear to get started in the sport. Now the marina concept comes in. If they had the equivalent of a marina for snowmobiles they would be much more inclined to try out and get into snowmobiling. Drive to where their snowmobile is in a safe secure environment in their car. They bring their suit, helmet, boots etc. with them, ride for the day and put the sled away at the end of the day. Perhaps go to a motel for the night and ride the next day or just do the one day at a time.

 

There are marinas that are on or close to the trails that are perhaps missing out on an opportunity. Perhaps they feel they work enough during the summer and want the winter off, I don't know.

[FrostyTheSnowman]

51 minutes ago, manotickmike said:

I welcome the free weekend, especially since it's been moved.

I hooked a couple of my neighbors 2 years ago. 

They'd be bugging me to go ditch bang, I went a couple of times, and never got into it. 

Free weekend happened, and 2 guys asked me to show them around, we got a warm couple of days, but they were hooked. 

Both have trail passes now, one guy is driving a 2018 sled. He's rabid.

IMHO all that's missing in this sport to get it to prosper, is an opportunity to get new people out on modern sleds on a trial basis. 

Not all of us have a "buddy sled" insured and trail passed.

The dealers are little or no help.

I can't imagine anyone getting in when the cost of entry is so high.

And the season so sketchy. 

Just a recent returner to the sport's perspective.

As per your sentence of being able to get new or returning riders back into the sport AND try it out on a modern machine is available. Rentals. There are a few places around. One in or near Haliburton I believe. Check em out. Viable option. 

[02Sled]

1 minute ago, FrostyTheSnowman said:

As per your sentence of being able to get new or returning riders back into the sport AND try it out on a modern machine is available. Rentals. There are a few places around. One in or near Haliburton I believe. Check em out. Viable option. 

For rentals Wildbill is right on the trail and rents sleds with all the gear needed. The trail actually runs through his yard.

[zoso]

53 minutes ago, 02Sled said:

As a sport there are always opportunities for improvement and attracting new riders. Look at the number of boaters who don't have trucks or trailers and keep their boats at a marina. They drive their "cars" to the marina, go boating and when the season is over let the marina store the boat for them. Like manotickmike mentioned the cost of getting into snowmobiles isn't cheap. I have worked with people who have said they think they would love to go snowmobiling BUT

1. They don't have a vehicle to pull a trailer with and aren't interested in getting one.
2. They don't have space at home to park a snowmobile trailer or snowmobile.
   1. In the GTA many of them are living in condo's as an example or driveways are minimal

In conversation they would be willing to put up the money for a decent used sled and the gear to get started in the sport. Now the marina concept comes in. If they had the equivalent of a marina for snowmobiles they would be much more inclined to try out and get into snowmobiling. Drive to where their snowmobile is in a safe secure environment in their car. They bring their suit, helmet, boots etc. with them, ride for the day and put the sled away at the end of the day. Perhaps go to a motel for the night and ride the next day or just do the one day at a time.

 

There are marinas that are on or close to the trails that are perhaps missing out on an opportunity. Perhaps they feel they work enough during the summer and want the winter off, I don't know.

There was a guy north of Barrie storing sleds on trail and it never really took off. 

[Ox]

Just a "Self Storage" unit may suffice?

These are generally on the outskirts of town.

 

I think that Gordy up in Wawa rents Polaris skidoos?

 

 

[J Feces]

Ox your an Algoma rider...take them on a 5 day tour. 2 free days and a 3 day pass. Do the big loop in the north. They will be hooked forever. Sounds like you’d make a good tour guide/host for your buddies. 

[Ox]

Not likely gunna git me "on trail" that much aggin for a cpl more decades yet.

I've done the saddlebag tours when we first started. Found where the good stuff is, and .... not ventured too far past that since. LOL!

Currently I have 3" paddles.... so ...

 

But yeah, I could doo 3 days of adventure basing from Wawa w/o problem. 

 

Get some bush rides. Take an ice tour one day... etc...

'Cept the one chum can't swim and doesn't like to doo water. 

So might leave him home if we base out of Wawa.

(Not sure how much "swimming" comes into play if you go through the ice, but ...)

 

We wouldn't be on groomed trails much anyway.

 

 

[Ox]

Well, as normal, all free-loaders backed out before show time. Was to have been just me and the kid (kid's pushin' 30, so ...) and yesterday morning my truck decided that it didn't want to go north.

 

So - here's all the pics from Freeloader Weekend trip 2019: