The Good ol Days

[95rxl650]

Every new season comes around and I cant help thinking about all the great times from the past. The 80's werent good for much, but sledding was a blast.

We had a group of seasonal contractors that spent 6-7 nights a week banging around the trails. Every clubhouse had the wood stove stoked with plenty of folks rolling through and some friendly banter.

The ol' 440"s would kill me now but we had wayyyy more fun back then. Go out for hours but never really get to far. More cocktails at clubhouses and trailside than riding as I recall. A 60 mile night was a good ride on the old sleds and always full of mishaps. They were like riding a pogo stick.  A 2lb sledge and a block of wood were the tools we used the most I think. Straighten them out, top up the tank for about 8 bucks and do it all again. Alot of fond memories.

[Strong Farmer]

1 hour ago, 95rxl650 said:

Every new season comes around and I cant help thinking about all the great times from the past. The 80's werent good for much, but sledding was a blast.

We had a group of seasonal contractors that spent 6-7 nights a week banging around the trails. Every clubhouse had the wood stove stoked with plenty of folks rolling through and some friendly banter.

The ol' 440"s would kill me now but we had wayyyy more fun back then. Go out for hours but never really get to far. More cocktails at clubhouses and trailside than riding as I recall. A 60 mile night was a good ride on the old sleds and always full of mishaps. They were like riding a pogo stick.  A 2lb sledge and a block of wood were the tools we used the most I think. Straighten them out, top up the tank for about 8 bucks and do it all again. Alot of fond memories.

Seemed more locals snowmobiled back then. Almost everyone on street in small towns had a snowmobile. Today this isn't case anymore. Opposite lucky if you see one snowmobile on street now. 
It was much easier to find a nieghbour or a friend to ride with for a few hours too. Things are changing no doubt and it isn't locals riding in local area's no more, which doesn't help trail system and land owner respect issue. You can do big miles with new sleds and ride way more area's during a single ride. Shift is away from local trails to just one link to get to next town in a straight line, fun loops are disappearing for a variety of reasons. Back to riding on my own property soon like 60's I guess. 

[Spiderman]

The weather and areas allowed for local sledding in a lot of areas of the province.

Those days are mostly gone

We lived in Smithville ( I was not born yet ).

A few neighbors rode and they were the conduit to getting my parents interested and riding

My parents bought their first sleds in 1974. They have never not owned or had one since.

One was a brand new 1974 -one was a slightly used 1972 version of the same sled.

2 sleds and a trailer - were AFFORDABLE!

 

My parents would ride locally after work and on weekends with a trailer trip or 2 north each winter

Sledding was one of the main reasons my parents bought property up north

 

We've had it sooooo good for so long - so i think that is why I struggle with dealing with the changes in weather, trails closing, ease of access etc.:

I hate change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[crispy]

TV? What tv? An antenna which most of us got CBC fuzzy and maybe a couple others. No VHS, DVD, video game stuff, no satellites and of course no internet. So it was radio, again CBC everywhere most other places lucky to have a rock channel within range. The culture was all white european peoples, at least 50% british origins in most areas. The culture was amalgamated mostly through music tastes and everyone had a passion for the outdoors it seems. Life was a lot more outdoors back then.

 

  Snowmobiles were the literal fantasy dream of freedom for so many when it came to the harsh reality of snow. Not only did sleds give us the ability to get outdoors and move across snow as easy as land they were and are so much dang fun it simply exploded in popularity. Everyone I grew up with had a sled in their home. Only the weirdos didn't and if they had kids their kids sure wanted one. Then as mentioned the 80's arrived and so many winds of change along with them. In my memory the 70's winters were arctic level and the 80's were pretty mild for the most part. Plenty of these changes put a real dent in all things snowmobile related especially the high breakdown/maintenance costs. Then all the licensing/insurance /trail passes/ policing/machine costs rising fighting a losing battle against the safe, cheap lazy entertainment trends beginning with VHS players and video games arriving in a big way. The thrill and dominance of the snowmobile as the penultimate winter toy faded for many wimps. For the die hards? Things were really just getting going. Into the late 80's and into the 90's when the machines, the trail networks, along with some epic winters and good economic times the whole thing really soared again. 92-99 or so would be my guess as peak snowmobile. The best of the sled times really although many things have improved since then especially the sleds themselves have come so far. The innovation in sleds outpaces all other motorized sports its amazing.

 

 I do pine for the good ol days too, especially how Canadian we all were. That culture, the hoser influenced period was just incredible. No crime, no hassle, bravery abundant to levels of almost insanity, laughter all the time literally all the time, always a helping hand around or to offer and for some reason we all had plenty of time to spare and eveyone owned their homes! Bring that back please

 

[95rxl650]

I recall a steep learning curve going from from the old 440's of the 70's and 80's. Our group all graduated to late 80's early 90's stuff like srv's, mach's and indy's. As mentioned, it opened up a larger base to ride and with that came fuel costs and planning for fuel stops. I remember the sticker shock of parts mostly as it took a bit to get used to the power and speed difference. Next came the tripple era and big twins like the liberty's and 800 zuk's. Suspension was starting to catch up to the performance which just seemed to add to level and frequency of "oh crap" moments. Picking the best spot to blow through a corner became an art.  I also dont recall ever getting spit of my sled going in a straight line on the old sleds. lol

Best get my azz to work. I'm sure parts arent getting any cheaper.

[95rxl650]

On 10/10/2024 at 2:00 PM, crispy said:

 I do pine for the good ol days too, especially how Canadian we all were. That culture, the hoser influenced period was just incredible. No crime, no hassle, bravery abundant to levels of almost insanity, laughter all the time literally all the time, always a helping hand around or to offer and for some reason we all had plenty of time to spare and eveyone owned their homes! Bring that back please

 

I grew up on the water around Georgian Bay and the boating community was alive and well. Even for small craft. From Owen Sound to Wiarton there were plenty of places that people gathered all summer long. Leith always had a bunch of boats at the inlet and beach. My grandfather and I frequently stopped for breakfast after trolling for rainbows. 

Jones Boathouse, Johnsons harbour, White Cloud Island, Big Bay and Wiarton docks. Just about anywhere folks could run a boat to shore. Some spots were even private property that anyone was welcome. Wiarton docks were always packed for the fall fair. 

My parents and friends all had bigger boats and we spent holidays around Honey Harbour to Parry Sound in the summer. I recall some shallow water bays being like little villages. 

Good times

 

 

 

 

[JIMMXZ]

I was born in 1980 so I only heard of the good old days of the 1970's. I got my first sled in 98 a 340 Fan Formula S which I traded the next year for a MXZ 440 Fan which I loved. From what I have read and experienced the late 90's was a decent time. We had a cottage in Haliburton so we had good access to decent snow, I remember a winter where it was waist high on our lake. I remember going up the hydro corridor to Whitney, lot's of lake running and Jan and Feb pretty much being a guarantee with sometimes a bit of March. I remember being able to drop my sled in Port Perry a couple of winters and ride all the way to Haliburton. I remember my uncle in northern Quebec taking me out in 92 for my first ride in Saguenay and being instantly hooked. The sheer number of people on the trails, the comradery, the trailside bars and burger joints full of people, deep snow fun and fast lake running. We sold our family cottage 25 years ago and I kept up sledding but it was a pain driving 2.5 hours from the city and having to go when the weather was right so back in 2013 I sold my last sled a 2 up touring after my kids were born, I needed the money and I certainly didn't have the time or money to truck it back and forth from the city. Now 11 years later I have moved to Fenelon Falls and will likely be able to ride from my yard at best or at worst be nearer to the snow. I have an ATV and it's a blast but I have been dreaming about sledding for 11 years, it never let go of me, I still have my mint condition SKI DOO riding gear which I never gave up because I knew there would come a day again when I would get a sled again. Last spring I bought a used sled for the first time ever, after the lousy winter there seemed to be a ton of mint condition used sleds being dumped on the market. I ended up buying a 2017 MXZ Sport (Carbed) with only 1,200 Km's on it and including a 1 up aluminum Triton trailer for $7.5K which seemed like a steal to me after I had looked at buying new. I couldn't justify 20K or more for something that can have such a limited season with winters being so unpredictable. So here I am super pumped about the prospect of the upcoming season, knowing I am going to be living near the trails and can just go when the weather hits. Hoping for a good winter but even if it's garbage I can still take advantage of whatever comes. 

[signfan]

5 hours ago, JIMMXZ said:

I was born in 1980 so I only heard of the good old days of the 1970's. I got my first sled in 98 a 340 Fan Formula S which I traded the next year for a MXZ 440 Fan which I loved. From what I have read and experienced the late 90's was a decent time. We had a cottage in Haliburton so we had good access to decent snow, I remember a winter where it was waist high on our lake. I remember going up the hydro corridor to Whitney, lot's of lake running and Jan and Feb pretty much being a guarantee with sometimes a bit of March. I remember being able to drop my sled in Port Perry a couple of winters and ride all the way to Haliburton. I remember my uncle in northern Quebec taking me out in 92 for my first ride in Saguenay and being instantly hooked. The sheer number of people on the trails, the comradery, the trailside bars and burger joints full of people, deep snow fun and fast lake running. We sold our family cottage 25 years ago and I kept up sledding but it was a pain driving 2.5 hours from the city and having to go when the weather was right so back in 2013 I sold my last sled a 2 up touring after my kids were born, I needed the money and I certainly didn't have the time or money to truck it back and forth from the city. Now 11 years later I have moved to Fenelon Falls and will likely be able to ride from my yard at best or at worst be nearer to the snow. I have an ATV and it's a blast but I have been dreaming about sledding for 11 years, it never let go of me, I still have my mint condition SKI DOO riding gear which I never gave up because I knew there would come a day again when I would get a sled again. Last spring I bought a used sled for the first time ever, after the lousy winter there seemed to be a ton of mint condition used sleds being dumped on the market. I ended up buying a 2017 MXZ Sport (Carbed) with only 1,200 Km's on it and including a 1 up aluminum Triton trailer for $7.5K which seemed like a steal to me after I had looked at buying new. I couldn't justify 20K or more for something that can have such a limited season with winters being so unpredictable. So here I am super pumped about the prospect of the upcoming season, knowing I am going to be living near the trails and can just go when the weather hits. Hoping for a good winter but even if it's garbage I can still take advantage of whatever comes. 

Congrats!!!  Welcome to the forum.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

5 hours ago, JIMMXZ said:

I was born in 1980 so I only heard of the good old days of the 1970's. I got my first sled in 98 a 340 Fan Formula S which I traded the next year for a MXZ 440 Fan which I loved. From what I have read and experienced the late 90's was a decent time. We had a cottage in Haliburton so we had good access to decent snow, I remember a winter where it was waist high on our lake. I remember going up the hydro corridor to Whitney, lot's of lake running and Jan and Feb pretty much being a guarantee with sometimes a bit of March. I remember being able to drop my sled in Port Perry a couple of winters and ride all the way to Haliburton. I remember my uncle in northern Quebec taking me out in 92 for my first ride in Saguenay and being instantly hooked. The sheer number of people on the trails, the comradery, the trailside bars and burger joints full of people, deep snow fun and fast lake running. We sold our family cottage 25 years ago and I kept up sledding but it was a pain driving 2.5 hours from the city and having to go when the weather was right so back in 2013 I sold my last sled a 2 up touring after my kids were born, I needed the money and I certainly didn't have the time or money to truck it back and forth from the city. Now 11 years later I have moved to Fenelon Falls and will likely be able to ride from my yard at best or at worst be nearer to the snow. I have an ATV and it's a blast but I have been dreaming about sledding for 11 years, it never let go of me, I still have my mint condition SKI DOO riding gear which I never gave up because I knew there would come a day again when I would get a sled again. Last spring I bought a used sled for the first time ever, after the lousy winter there seemed to be a ton of mint condition used sleds being dumped on the market. I ended up buying a 2017 MXZ Sport (Carbed) with only 1,200 Km's on it and including a 1 up aluminum Triton trailer for $7.5K which seemed like a steal to me after I had looked at buying new. I couldn't justify 20K or more for something that can have such a limited season with winters being so unpredictable. So here I am super pumped about the prospect of the upcoming season, knowing I am going to be living near the trails and can just go when the weather hits. Hoping for a good winter but even if it's garbage I can still take advantage of whatever comes. 

Welcome to the forum JIMMXZ! I'm sure you'll get a few chucles and some knowledge from the crew around here.

[LuvMyViper]

Welcome to the forum JIMMXZ. Happy Trails

[95rxl650]

15 hours ago, JIMMXZ said:

I was born in 1980 so I only heard of the good old days of the 1970's. I got my first sled in 98 a 340 Fan Formula S which I traded the next year for a MXZ 440 Fan which I loved. From what I have read and experienced the late 90's was a decent time. We had a cottage in Haliburton so we had good access to decent snow, I remember a winter where it was waist high on our lake. I remember going up the hydro corridor to Whitney, lot's of lake running and Jan and Feb pretty much being a guarantee with sometimes a bit of March. I remember being able to drop my sled in Port Perry a couple of winters and ride all the way to Haliburton. I remember my uncle in northern Quebec taking me out in 92 for my first ride in Saguenay and being instantly hooked. The sheer number of people on the trails, the comradery, the trailside bars and burger joints full of people, deep snow fun and fast lake running. We sold our family cottage 25 years ago and I kept up sledding but it was a pain driving 2.5 hours from the city and having to go when the weather was right so back in 2013 I sold my last sled a 2 up touring after my kids were born, I needed the money and I certainly didn't have the time or money to truck it back and forth from the city. Now 11 years later I have moved to Fenelon Falls and will likely be able to ride from my yard at best or at worst be nearer to the snow. I have an ATV and it's a blast but I have been dreaming about sledding for 11 years, it never let go of me, I still have my mint condition SKI DOO riding gear which I never gave up because I knew there would come a day again when I would get a sled again. Last spring I bought a used sled for the first time ever, after the lousy winter there seemed to be a ton of mint condition used sleds being dumped on the market. I ended up buying a 2017 MXZ Sport (Carbed) with only 1,200 Km's on it and including a 1 up aluminum Triton trailer for $7.5K which seemed like a steal to me after I had looked at buying new. I couldn't justify 20K or more for something that can have such a limited season with winters being so unpredictable. So here I am super pumped about the prospect of the upcoming season, knowing I am going to be living near the trails and can just go when the weather hits. Hoping for a good winter but even if it's garbage I can still take advantage of whatever comes. 

Welcome aboard and congrats on your re entry to the sport. One of the most reliable sled's/motor's in the industry right there. Take care of air and fuel systems and they go forever it seems. People may call bs on my following statement but it's a true story. 

My buddy bought one new from Colborne's in Shallow Lake Ontario and traded it in with 25 thousand kms the same year. He lived on it. The second one he kept for many years and finally retired it at about 35 thousand kms. Still ran, but had been wrecked so many times it was like riding an egg beater. lol

My wifes Blizzard 600 was recently sold with about 12,000k on the clock and still runs like a top today.

[stoney]

19 hours ago, JIMMXZ said:

I was born in 1980 so I only heard of the good old days of the 1970's. I got my first sled in 98 a 340 Fan Formula S which I traded the next year for a MXZ 440 Fan which I loved. From what I have read and experienced the late 90's was a decent time. We had a cottage in Haliburton so we had good access to decent snow, I remember a winter where it was waist high on our lake. I remember going up the hydro corridor to Whitney, lot's of lake running and Jan and Feb pretty much being a guarantee with sometimes a bit of March. I remember being able to drop my sled in Port Perry a couple of winters and ride all the way to Haliburton. I remember my uncle in northern Quebec taking me out in 92 for my first ride in Saguenay and being instantly hooked. The sheer number of people on the trails, the comradery, the trailside bars and burger joints full of people, deep snow fun and fast lake running. We sold our family cottage 25 years ago and I kept up sledding but it was a pain driving 2.5 hours from the city and having to go when the weather was right so back in 2013 I sold my last sled a 2 up touring after my kids were born, I needed the money and I certainly didn't have the time or money to truck it back and forth from the city. Now 11 years later I have moved to Fenelon Falls and will likely be able to ride from my yard at best or at worst be nearer to the snow. I have an ATV and it's a blast but I have been dreaming about sledding for 11 years, it never let go of me, I still have my mint condition SKI DOO riding gear which I never gave up because I knew there would come a day again when I would get a sled again. Last spring I bought a used sled for the first time ever, after the lousy winter there seemed to be a ton of mint condition used sleds being dumped on the market. I ended up buying a 2017 MXZ Sport (Carbed) with only 1,200 Km's on it and including a 1 up aluminum Triton trailer for $7.5K which seemed like a steal to me after I had looked at buying new. I couldn't justify 20K or more for something that can have such a limited season with winters being so unpredictable. So here I am super pumped about the prospect of the upcoming season, knowing I am going to be living near the trails and can just go when the weather hits. Hoping for a good winter but even if it's garbage I can still take advantage of whatever comes. 

 

Great to hear some people, or a person  returning to the sport!

The rail line from Fenelon seems to open quickly enough when there is snow, so hopefully treats you well living there over the winter months......and with the trailer, it is only 1.5hrs to Dorset, most years a great place to start from with usually more consistent good conditions.

And Kudos to you that your gear from 11 years ago still fits...lol.