Dan-Senior Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 (edited) Vintage Photos Since we are waiting for snow, how about we share some vintage photos from years gone by. I was going through my collection this morning and it certainly brings back some great memories. Here's one; my 1st XLT - a 1993 580 SKS. Had great results with this sled. Triples were hot in the 90's. I even bought the matching helmet and jacket. Have no idea why I sold the sled? Looking forward to seeing other rider photos. Edited November 24, 2019 by Dan-Senior 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan-Senior Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 (edited) Vintage Photos A few more vintage photos I dug up. My buddy Dan and I crossing Lake Huron from Spanish to Gore Bay. It was 33 kilometres across open ice, and some years the wind blows the snow and leaves a glaze only. Dan melted his sliders and overheated the engine. He too was running an XLT. Pressure cracks were and are still normal on Lake Huron and for the many years we have crossed, have always encountered at least one per trip, typically closer to the Gore Bay side. Another time I crossed at nighttime with one of my regular riding partners, Brent. He was running a beautiful Polaris 1997 XC 600 White Wedge Triple. We made it across 33 kms of ice to Gore Bay, had a late night dinner at one of the local bars, then as we prepared to leave, got caught up in a horrible blizzard in pure darkness of white fluff. We started out across Lake Huron heading north back to Spanish, as we followed the ice markers, but soon lost them and now we too were lost. It was a guessing game from that point forward. We didn't own any GPS's or cellphones back then, nor did we carry a compass. We could not see anything but whiteness of snow in all directions. We stopped, turned off the sleds, then glanced the horizon in all direction for any sign of lights from Spanish, Massey or Sagamok. It was a pretty scary situation as you don't want to be heading into open water including Little Detroit Pass. Eventually, there was a break in the clouds and in the far distance, we spotted some dim lights on the horizon. As we fired up the sleds and headed towards the lights, we lucked out and came across one of the ice stakes and then from there it was safe, but slow travel to land. Edited November 24, 2019 by Dan-Senior 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) When me and my buddy came up over The First/Fourth weekend in '96 to scout out riding in The Great White North, we stopped downtown Soo for the first night. Talked to a gurl werking there. She was prolly mid 20's? She told us of crossing over to a US island that would give 1/1 exchange for Loonies, and said that they would ride over with a 100 Loonie bill, and get drinks for the night and go home with nearly 100 Loonies worth of Yankee change. Also told us that it was on the other side of the shipping lanes, and that they couldn't cross if a freighter went through recently, and it was common that an official on the US side would come to the bar(s) and let all Canucks know that it was time to head home. But at least one time they waited too long, and the boat was already through, and they had to ride way out to cross ahead of the freighter, and then double back to home. It sounds like you know this chick, and that maybe you rode with her. She was werking in a motel on the north side of the main street right down town. We was within walking distance to that big tent, and we got supper at a Subway shoppe on the south side. The parking was under the building, but I am having troubles finding that building now. ??? I haven't frequented the downtown in many years, and I don't see the building that I am visioning. I almost wonder if it wasn't this building before some renovations? https://www.google.com/maps/@46.5113685,-84.3353204,3a,75y,87.34h,92.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sw6DgPkYl4ysa54LyOKj8LA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Again - I'd guess she's about your age... ??? . Edited November 25, 2019 by Ox Loonie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan-Senior Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 Great write-up OX. Sounds like you had some good times in Sault Ste. Marie. In the past 20 years or so, many old buildings along Bay Street have been torn down, making way for newer developments and extra parking. I am not sure which hotel that one could have been as there were many. Peachys restaurant used to be in that area, but has been torn down. The New American hotel still stands, and it is along Bay Street with a Tim Hortons right across the street. Thanks for sharing OX. Sounds like you spent alot time in Algoma many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sledjunk Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 I think the building might have been the Woolco store at one time. Can't recollect the hotel name, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) This pic was back in the years we rode Yamaha lol Edited November 25, 2019 by Nunz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) When I was looking through the pics of the buildings in that area, I was kind of wondering if it had possibly been torn down as there seems to be a lot of empty lots on that side of the street. I considered buying a 97 xlt sks, but I bought a used Doo Grand Touring 580 in stead. I was shopping for a 600 long track for riding in Canada. I wanted a 600 so's not to drink as much gas, and a long track for breaking trails. Turns out that the 800's doo better on gas when breaking trail than the 600's doo! Over the next several years I learned that the small trippples were not so good at digging out as a twin. My twin would trq out of a hole, while my chums xlt would try to spin out assoon as the clutch engaged. So, kinda glad I ended up with the Doo in the end. Edited November 25, 2019 by Ox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 What's the time stamp on that Yamahaha pic? Some of those faces may seem familiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 51 minutes ago, Ox said: What's the time stamp on that Yamahaha pic? Some of those faces may seem familiar. Late 80’s if I remember correctly, I’m the guy at the back left, bunch of our friends from the Richmond hill Markham area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowTouringGuy Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 There were no cameras when I started snowmobiling. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 28 minutes ago, SlowTouringGuy said: There were no cameras when I started snowmobiling. As George Carlin would say, you had to make an oil painting... Dan, I can't imagine riding in whiteout conditions on the North Channel. One night I rode into one on a lake down here & it was sketchy... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinderFab Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 11 hours ago, Nunz said: This pic was back in the years we rode Yamaha lol The good old day’s lol.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yamaha Fan Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 Rode to Beausoliel Island alone back in 2012 from Midland. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigfish Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 The old 93 AC 550 EXT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, revrnd said: As George Carlin would say, you had to make an oil painting... Dan, I can't imagine riding in whiteout conditions on the North Channel. One night I rode into one on a lake down here & it was sketchy... The ? is, did they have a compass the next time? Or did Chris Kuvey have to come fetch them? Edited November 25, 2019 by Ox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Pussy Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 1995 Arctic Cat Wildcat 700 EFI at the North Adventure Inn in 2001. Note the low rider look. Many years later and it's my mod sled with lots more travel front and back and a 43" front ski stance. Still running today. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) Paradise, Mich (hop/skip from The Soo) 1995 Chum with the XLT taking pic Me on the Deere and 1970's Rupp coat/toque Chum on the end now known as "Lefty" and runs a burger joint in Naubinway. Feb (?) 1998 @ north end of Whitefish Lake, Wawa. Edited November 25, 2019 by Ox 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan-Senior Posted November 28, 2019 Author Share Posted November 28, 2019 (edited) North of Aubrey Falls - Vintage Trip This trip was a rescue mission. My friend and his wife had gone snowmobiling a week earlier and they got into some bad slush on a remote lake north of Aubrey Falls. After close to an hour of exhaustion, they managed to get one of the sleds out of the slush and to shore. My friend then went back out onto the lake walking through the deep slush in an attempt to retrieve the 2nd sled. His feet were so frozen that he didn't realize one of his boots and socks came off way back behind him as he just kept walking in his bare foot without knowing. They worked for another hour into the dark, making minimal progress as the under-powered 340 crept forward a few feet, only to get stuck again. Thank goodness they had one free sled on shore to get back out of the remote area and to their truck. Upon their return to Sault Ste. Marie, he started calling friends, including myself, for a future sled rescue mission. We all had to work during the upcoming week, so the sled was going to stay frozen in the wilderness for 7 days. We had a crew assembled for the following weekend and off we went. It was a 2 hour drive to Aubrey Falls, then another hour by sled to get to the lake. When we arrived at the lake, the slush was still as nasty as the weekend before. The 340 Polaris was frozen rock-solid and buried in the ice. It took us some good chopping work with axes and pics. We managed to free the sled, fire it up, clear out the track, then get it to shore. Attached are a few photos. Was a productive day and good bonding of friends. There were 6 of us on this rescue mission. Edited November 28, 2019 by Dan-Senior 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupkids Posted November 28, 2019 Share Posted November 28, 2019 12 minutes ago, Dan-Senior said: North of Aubrey Falls - Vintage Trip This trip was a rescue mission. My friend and his wife had gone snowmobiling a week earlier and they got into some bad slush on a remote lake north of Aubrey Falls. After close to an hour of exhaustion, they managed to get one of the sleds out of the slush and to shore. My friend then went back out onto the lake walking through the deep slush in an attempt to retrieve the 2nd sled. His feet were so frozen that he didn't realize one of his boots and socks came off way back behind him as he just kept walking in his bare foot without knowing. They worked for another hour into the dark, making minimal progress as the under-powered 340 crept forward a few feet, only to get stuck again. Thank goodness they had one free sled on shore to get back out of the remote area and to their truck. Upon their return to Sault Ste. Marie, he started calling friends, including myself, for a future sled rescue mission. We all had to work during the upcoming week, so the sled was going to stay frozen in the wilderness for 7 days. We had a crew assembled for the following weekend and off we went. It was a 2 hour drive to Aubrey Falls, then another hour by sled to get to the lake. When we arrived at the lake, the slush was still as nasty as the weekend before. The 340 Polaris was frozen rock-solid and buried in the ice. It took us some good chopping work with axes and pics. We managed to free the sled, fire it up, clear out the track, then get it to shore. Attached are a few photos. Was a productive day and good bonding of friends. There were 6 of us on this rescue mission. I know that feeling all to well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) That classic Doo looks to be the "vintage" part of the post eh? Rick (?) @ Stop 129 (Johnny's) prolly didn't like you puting tracks on his lakes! I've never lost one in the slush before. All indications (story's) that I have heard always point to under powered to be the main theme. I'm sure that short track is also a main player here too.... However - I did leave a machine prolly 50 klicks or so from there for 2 or 3 weeks with a broken chain. Came back with the kids to fetch. It was far enough in the bush that only a cpl of fishermen had tracks around it. I was really surprised that anyone else was that deep in the bush that time of year. Edited November 29, 2019 by Ox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 If these pics constitute vintage? The pics I have buried are historic Good grief time flies 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan-Senior Posted November 29, 2019 Author Share Posted November 29, 2019 1 hour ago, crispy said: If these pics constitute vintage? The pics I have buried are historic Good grief time flies Yours must be Smithsonian. Lol. Can't wait to see some when you have a chance someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irv Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 Old photos from a friend at the old Oshawa Snowmobile club. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowchopper Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) Great pictures IRV. Edited November 29, 2019 by snowchopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillysnapper Posted November 29, 2019 Share Posted November 29, 2019 My daughter and our 81 exciter 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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