sledjunk

Sad, but understandable. I particularly like the "No Washers"

Big question is, do they groom the trails? Last experience there was dismal! Maybe from these 'out of town' motels the trails are better maintained?

All I can say is, Thank God! There is no way I would be going this year!

Another hub location that I like is Kapuskasing. It is a further drive, but from there you can easily ride the many Moonbeam loops, day ride to Cochrane for lunch, day ride to Hearst for lunch via L123 and L151? and return on A. I have based there a few times, particularly at end of season.. Kap also has a number of restaurants that deliver or are cab accessible. The delivery might be more important this year with the reduced seating in the restaurants. When I go to a hub, I always have a set of plates and cutlery in the truck for take out foods. Like I said, it is a longer drive, 1.5 hours past Cochrane, but well worth it. IMO.

I enjoy this type of riding best. You can come back 'home' to a known location. Big question in my mind is how will motels fare with the new regulations and how many restaurants will be available. New normal but we have to get used to it.

Happy Birthday!!!

Not really interested in being cheek to jowl with a bunch of strangers.

Just saw that the Novi snowmobile show is cancelled. Not totally unexpected, but we had already decided that we were not going to attend due to the virus. Haven't heard about the Toronto show yet, but I can't see it happening either.

PA should have them. That is where I sourced them for my car hauler when I rebuilt it.

Looking good Dave. A couple of points, though. First off, make sure the insulator between the axle and the chassis is in place and in good condition. My trailer mechanic said that they often use a couple of layers of duct tape for that insulation. The second point is to verify that the SS bolts are as strong as the steel bolts they are replacing, I would suggest that you might be better off to use new bolts of the same grade as you are removing (likely Gr 8 judging by the way they resisted rusting) with a generous coat of antiseize. JMO, but you are obviously doing a great job.

You might be right, but I am on the fence WRT this year. While there may be more people not going south, there may also still be a lot of job security anxiety and at times like that, toys are the first to go. Also, the hospitality industry will need time and $$$ to adjust to what might be the new normal for the foreseeable future, ie: more cleaning, less capacity. Those will likely result in higher prices per night, or per meal as businesses struggle to maintain a profit margin with reduced customer base. Some probably won't make it. On a side note, I heard yesterday that RV sales are up ~1000%. That might be the alternative to accommodations, if you find somewhere to park it

Not much chance that the TO show will go on, IMO

Dexter Axles are set up that way. There may be another brand as well, but I'm not sure.

Bleeding is not usually the issue. With the salt and slop, the calipers and pins can seize and need replacing. Regular servicing helps. The idea when braking, is to NOT lock the wheels because once they lose traction, the CoF is reduced. The surge brakes are equally strong, but are proportioned according to how much brake is required. I understand what you are saying, and that was my thinking of going with electric brakes with my new trailer. Over the years with my surge brake trailer, I have not come across a situation where they were an issue, but I can see the advantage of being able to manually activate the brakes. Still hope I don't need it, though

As far as the initial topic is concerned, I think sledding may be very different this year. Are restaurants really going to want our dripping helmets, gloves and, eww, balaclavas draped on their surfaces. Sometimes, it is hard enough to get a cleaned table and now they will have a lot more surfaces to disinfect. Plus, with social distancing rules, there will be fewer tables available. As SF mentioned, what will the rules for hotels / motels be with regard to cleaning after each guest? Probably a lot more stringent than in the past. Wouldn't surprise me if saddle bagging is not possible this year.

Panther340, I absolutely agree with you. Ski, I agree about a rushed vaccine. I would want a well tested, and peer reviewed solution. Also, I know you would do everything properly, however, as is always the case, the rules have to take the 'others' into account. If someone comes in at the Sault, for example, stops for gas, has lunch, then drives to Dub. What will the cost be to 1) ensure they are self isolating, and 2) if they happen to be infected, do the contact tracing just for the few stops that I mentioned. Then multiply that by the number of Americans that have cottages all across Ontario. Sorry, just not worth it.

I had the surge disc brakes on my previous trailer. They have needed replacing a couple of times over the course of the 10 years I used it. Electric brakes will need to be serviced and likely have parts replaced every year. The disc brakes are more money up front, but, IMO, a better way to go.

Actually, having chicken pox as a kid, does not immunize you from getting shingles. Ask me how I know!!! Secondly, the current findings seem to point to the immunity from being infected by COVID-19 is not very long lasting. Apparently, the scientists are not sure if there will be herd immunity with this.

Once you get there, you can do aerial tours via either BlackFly Air, or Mosquito Air Tours

Except when she went through the doorway to the kitchen, she would have gone to the washrooms / shower area. Also, the outside view of the sawmill looks like the view from the back rooms of the Companion.

So sad, and frustrating as well. Wishing all the best to Sadie and her whole family.

Pootalk.com has a lot of new parents on it.

Don't count on that. If those trails close, I suspect that there will be a large number of permit sales that will be lost as well. That lost revenue will severely impact operations across the province.

More pictures from the last ride.

Too bad we couldn't have met in person. Next year, maybe.