whanker57
New member
Awile ago I read this post on another site, and it hit me pretty hard. I thought it would be a good idea for it to be posted here, winter coming and riding approaching quickly. (I did not write this, it was copied from a different post [for the record])
-Just like you-
I am not a writer. In fact, this is the first time I've written anything since college. I am, however, a snowmobiler.
My friends and I are probably just like you. We are all in our late twenties to early thirties, and single white males. We have pretty good jobs; some own their house, others rent. We hunt and fish, watch football and NASCAR, go to bars and church festivals. We have problems with women, like fast cars and Schwartzeneggar movies. We think we can dance, but look like Frankenstein having a seizure when a girl drags us onto the floor. We could probably switch places with any of you and fit right into your group.
We have owned sleds from all manufacturers over the years. Our first sleds were junkpiles and we still make fun of them. We work on our own sleds and help each other with theirs. We watch the weather forecasts waiting for snow and read all the snowmobiling magazines drooling over the new sleds. We put 600 miles on the truck to put 200 on the sled. We have all entered corners too fast, and all missed turns at night at one time or another. We laughed at slow riders that putted along at 15 mph. We rode with the feeling of invincibility that only youth can bring.
Our youth ended February 14, 2003.
In a small town about 10 miles South of Crandon, at 11:00 PM my friend Jim Smolen lost his life. He was only 28. He died within a half mile of the cabin, within half an hour of unloading the sleds off of the trailer. The reconstruction showed that he hit a stump under the snow, was thrown off, and hit a tree. At least he didn't suffer. Excessive speed was believed to have been involved, even though the sled wasn't wrecked. It looked like he just stepped off of it. He did have ONE or TWO beers, but I must say that I have seen people drink much more - I'm not condoning it, but I know you have too. Jim was riding as long as I can remember, 5+ years at least, riding the same sled he had for three years. We have all seen the articles in the papers that give little detail; letting us assume it was an inexperienced rider, totally drunk, on a brand new, huge displacement sled.
What the newspaper articles do not show is how it affects everyone else. They don't show the undescribable horror of seeing a close friend lying in the snow bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. They don't show the blank stare in his unblinking eyes as you try to remember the CPR you learned in high school. They don't show the panic felt during the longest half mile you will ever ride back to the cabin to call 911. They don't show the feeling of helplessness as you spend the longest HALF HOUR of your life waiting for an ambulance. They don't tell about men who haven't prayed in years dropping to their knees and saying a prayer. They don't show the feeling of uneasiness as you drive HIS truck to the hospital. They don't show the cold you feel as you wait until 4:30AM when the doctors give you the news you already knew but still can't bring yourself to hear. They don't tell the flood of emotions you feel as you have to call your friend's parents in the middle of the night to tell them that their son has died. They don't mention that none of his friends will get any sleep for days. They don't mention the nightmares when they do. They don't tell about the DNR showing up at 8:00AM the next day to fill out paperwork and make them relive it all again. They don't tell about grown men breaking down and crying. They don't tell about the longest, quietest drive home ever.
His roommate is the one who found him, called his parents, and drove his truck home. He has closed the kitchen window blinds so he doesn't have to see his truck. He had to close the kitchen cabinet to keep from seeing his box of corn flakes. He is now afraid of the dark. Our season is over.
The human body is so frail, so easily damaged. If you have an accident in a big city, help is only about five minutes away. If you have an accident in the north woods help could be forty miles away or more. Think about it: that's like having an accident in Milwaukee and having to wait for an ambulance from Illinois. And then having to go to a hospital back in Illinois.
I am not asking for speed limits, or other restrictions. Just please, PLEASE be careful. Slow down just a little. Skip that beer and have a soda instead. Ask yourself if it is worth the consequences to go flying through the woods. Your friends WILL wait for you. Death is forever. Think of all the good times you would miss. Take a little time and look at the beauty of nature. There are those that no longer can.
We laid Jim to rest today. If only one person is affected by this pointless loss, and a single life is saved, Jim's death would have meaning and all of us could have some closure.
I know you think that this only happens to "the other guy". So did we. Just like you.
-Just like you-
I am not a writer. In fact, this is the first time I've written anything since college. I am, however, a snowmobiler.
My friends and I are probably just like you. We are all in our late twenties to early thirties, and single white males. We have pretty good jobs; some own their house, others rent. We hunt and fish, watch football and NASCAR, go to bars and church festivals. We have problems with women, like fast cars and Schwartzeneggar movies. We think we can dance, but look like Frankenstein having a seizure when a girl drags us onto the floor. We could probably switch places with any of you and fit right into your group.
We have owned sleds from all manufacturers over the years. Our first sleds were junkpiles and we still make fun of them. We work on our own sleds and help each other with theirs. We watch the weather forecasts waiting for snow and read all the snowmobiling magazines drooling over the new sleds. We put 600 miles on the truck to put 200 on the sled. We have all entered corners too fast, and all missed turns at night at one time or another. We laughed at slow riders that putted along at 15 mph. We rode with the feeling of invincibility that only youth can bring.
Our youth ended February 14, 2003.
In a small town about 10 miles South of Crandon, at 11:00 PM my friend Jim Smolen lost his life. He was only 28. He died within a half mile of the cabin, within half an hour of unloading the sleds off of the trailer. The reconstruction showed that he hit a stump under the snow, was thrown off, and hit a tree. At least he didn't suffer. Excessive speed was believed to have been involved, even though the sled wasn't wrecked. It looked like he just stepped off of it. He did have ONE or TWO beers, but I must say that I have seen people drink much more - I'm not condoning it, but I know you have too. Jim was riding as long as I can remember, 5+ years at least, riding the same sled he had for three years. We have all seen the articles in the papers that give little detail; letting us assume it was an inexperienced rider, totally drunk, on a brand new, huge displacement sled.
What the newspaper articles do not show is how it affects everyone else. They don't show the undescribable horror of seeing a close friend lying in the snow bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. They don't show the blank stare in his unblinking eyes as you try to remember the CPR you learned in high school. They don't show the panic felt during the longest half mile you will ever ride back to the cabin to call 911. They don't show the feeling of helplessness as you spend the longest HALF HOUR of your life waiting for an ambulance. They don't tell about men who haven't prayed in years dropping to their knees and saying a prayer. They don't show the feeling of uneasiness as you drive HIS truck to the hospital. They don't show the cold you feel as you wait until 4:30AM when the doctors give you the news you already knew but still can't bring yourself to hear. They don't tell the flood of emotions you feel as you have to call your friend's parents in the middle of the night to tell them that their son has died. They don't mention that none of his friends will get any sleep for days. They don't mention the nightmares when they do. They don't tell about the DNR showing up at 8:00AM the next day to fill out paperwork and make them relive it all again. They don't tell about grown men breaking down and crying. They don't tell about the longest, quietest drive home ever.
His roommate is the one who found him, called his parents, and drove his truck home. He has closed the kitchen window blinds so he doesn't have to see his truck. He had to close the kitchen cabinet to keep from seeing his box of corn flakes. He is now afraid of the dark. Our season is over.
The human body is so frail, so easily damaged. If you have an accident in a big city, help is only about five minutes away. If you have an accident in the north woods help could be forty miles away or more. Think about it: that's like having an accident in Milwaukee and having to wait for an ambulance from Illinois. And then having to go to a hospital back in Illinois.
I am not asking for speed limits, or other restrictions. Just please, PLEASE be careful. Slow down just a little. Skip that beer and have a soda instead. Ask yourself if it is worth the consequences to go flying through the woods. Your friends WILL wait for you. Death is forever. Think of all the good times you would miss. Take a little time and look at the beauty of nature. There are those that no longer can.
We laid Jim to rest today. If only one person is affected by this pointless loss, and a single life is saved, Jim's death would have meaning and all of us could have some closure.
I know you think that this only happens to "the other guy". So did we. Just like you.
srx70024
New member
That puts things in a different perspective, huh ?
S
srx_eh
Guest
Sometime we forget our fragile mortality no matter what age we may be, ...good reality check!
That is something to remember every time you get on a sled. I have ridden for many years with very few incidents, but just about bought it twice in the last 2 years.
BlueIronRanger
New member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2003
- Messages
- 315
No matter how much "experiance" you think you have there will always be that Hidden stump/rock, Animals, or other sleds that can put an end to your life real quick. I love my group of people I sled with, we keep civil speeds on the trails, repsect others, NEVER drink booze while riding(we save that for the campfire afterwords), and keep to our side of the trail. Have I done stupid things in the past on a sled, Yes, will I do stupid things in the Future, probibly as it is human nature and everyone is guilty of "stupid things" but I try to minimize the "stupidness".
Harvey
New member
I can relate to that in away,5 years ago this feb,I got a second chance.I was new to snowmobileing,had a new 99sx700,probably had about 700 miles under my belt.I had just got done studding it late that night and decided I needed to go try it out.Well my inexperience and sleds top speed damn near killed me. It happened on the sacandaga lake in edinburg NY.I had no idea what a pressure ridge was and was flying down the lake heading for sinclair point and there it was,a wall of ice,no time to react I hit it at over 100mph,sled shot straight up and I was unconsious.When I awoke I was in unimaginable pain,my leg was broke completly in 2 at the femer bone,I left the house at 1:30 am so it must have happened around 2:00 am,any way,I was bleeding badly and was quite scared,I was out in the middle of the lake and saw no other snowmobiles or house lights,I started screaming for help but no one could hear me.next thing I notice on that moon lit night are 3 coyotes laying out on the ice probably 20 feet away,well that scared the hell out of me and I noticed some how the sled was still running and about 300ft away,(still cant figure out how it stayed running,if you saw it you would know what I mean)adrenilin got the best of me and I dragged myself to the sled hopeing I could pull myself up on it and get to a house on shore.When I got to it and got myself on it the throttle was broke off,no way I could get it to go.I didnt have anything left in me and gave up and passed out again.Next thing I remember I am hearing a voice,turns out a local guys(Joe Herba)wife heard something outside and woke him up to check it out,the headlight was busted but he saw the tail light faintly from his window,he walked part way out and then called 911,they came and I was hover crafted off the ice after they put mask pants on me to push the little remaining blood back up into my chest.I was airlifted to albany medical with concusion,broken femer,broken back,broken pelvis,broken knee. I now have a permanant plate in my leg to remind me how lucky I was.I healed up fine,only a few aches and pains now and then but was very thankfull for my second chance.All I could think about laying out there for appox. 2 1/2 hours was my wife and kids and what they were going to do without me.Want to add,support your local vol. fire and ambulance,you dont relise how important they are untill you need them.Thanks-Harvey
mdkuni
New member
It really makes you think. Let's all take it easy and ride safe. Save the drinking till you are done for day.Dfunkdf
New member
Things do cahange when your made to look at things a different way 
WOW,
Thank You!
Should be a sticky
Thank You!
Should be a sticky
yamahagirl
Check your hyfax ...
I read that a while back ... something we all need to read every year! We all know an accident can happen. Until it really happens a lot of people think there invensible.
I end up seeing at least 1 or 2 accidents on the trails each year ... although it is very sad to see these it really makes you think twice about pushing it around the next corner!
It may sounds a bit harsh or morbid, but every one should experience an accident scene ... its very sad to see friends/family gathered around someone who is hanging on to their life and not knowing if or when medical help will find them!
I end up seeing at least 1 or 2 accidents on the trails each year ... although it is very sad to see these it really makes you think twice about pushing it around the next corner!
It may sounds a bit harsh or morbid, but every one should experience an accident scene ... its very sad to see friends/family gathered around someone who is hanging on to their life and not knowing if or when medical help will find them!
Couple reasons why im posting. First to bring this thread back to the top of the list. We are all getting geared up to ride and there are alot of us already riding. And I think it very important that all snowmobilers need to read this and have a reality check.
I also know of a couple people that have been killed on sleds. Fortunately I guess for me I wasnt there to see them happen. I have came up on accidence but its just not the same when its not someone you know.
I remember the sinking feeling in my chest when I heard about someone I knew had just died on a snowmobile in the middle of the summer, on a friday night, in a hayfield just miles from my house on a 800 storm. It was a party at his girlfriends house and after a few beers a couple unexperienced riders decided it was time to get the snowmobiles they just bought from the garage. Running close to 100mph one breaks in time. The other bails before hitting the roadway that came up way to fast. Well you leave a sled at 100mph without a helmet chances are good your going to die!
I am a fast rider, and I love jumping. And there has been plenty of times I lied in the snow wondering why im not hurt worse. But I know if I added beer to my riding I would have died. All Im saying if your like me, dont order up that beer at lunch, supper...whenever you stop. Because its going to make objects come faster and you might be "the other guy!"
My opinion. Brent
I also know of a couple people that have been killed on sleds. Fortunately I guess for me I wasnt there to see them happen. I have came up on accidence but its just not the same when its not someone you know.
I remember the sinking feeling in my chest when I heard about someone I knew had just died on a snowmobile in the middle of the summer, on a friday night, in a hayfield just miles from my house on a 800 storm. It was a party at his girlfriends house and after a few beers a couple unexperienced riders decided it was time to get the snowmobiles they just bought from the garage. Running close to 100mph one breaks in time. The other bails before hitting the roadway that came up way to fast. Well you leave a sled at 100mph without a helmet chances are good your going to die!
I am a fast rider, and I love jumping. And there has been plenty of times I lied in the snow wondering why im not hurt worse. But I know if I added beer to my riding I would have died. All Im saying if your like me, dont order up that beer at lunch, supper...whenever you stop. Because its going to make objects come faster and you might be "the other guy!"
My opinion. Brent
One other story!
My cousin and I loaded up and headed to eagle river to ride for the weekend. We have been riding since we have been 4-5yrs old. He was on a srv and I was on a exciter....both mid 80's.
Anyway, we finally saved up enough money to go north for the first time. We both being teenagers we were really excited. We spend the day and night riding. Then the next day we are out its about lunch time and we are riding as hard as we could on those sleds 40-50 in and out of corners. This guy "blows" past us in a blind corner, missing my front ski within inches, shooting snow on both of us. It wasnt but 3-4 more corners and we pull up to a bar/gas station and we pull right up next to him and after all three of us took our helmets off we realized this guy im guessing around 70yrs old started bragging how fast his sled is, blood shot eyes and smelling like liquor and stumbling into the bar. Goes inside and orders up another beer, skipping lunch to get back on the trail he just about killed my best friend/cousin just minutes before that! Thanks for letting us live one more day...to whoever you are. Brent
My cousin and I loaded up and headed to eagle river to ride for the weekend. We have been riding since we have been 4-5yrs old. He was on a srv and I was on a exciter....both mid 80's.
Anyway, we finally saved up enough money to go north for the first time. We both being teenagers we were really excited. We spend the day and night riding. Then the next day we are out its about lunch time and we are riding as hard as we could on those sleds 40-50 in and out of corners. This guy "blows" past us in a blind corner, missing my front ski within inches, shooting snow on both of us. It wasnt but 3-4 more corners and we pull up to a bar/gas station and we pull right up next to him and after all three of us took our helmets off we realized this guy im guessing around 70yrs old started bragging how fast his sled is, blood shot eyes and smelling like liquor and stumbling into the bar. Goes inside and orders up another beer, skipping lunch to get back on the trail he just about killed my best friend/cousin just minutes before that! Thanks for letting us live one more day...to whoever you are. Brent
2ooosrx
VIP Member
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- 34
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I just heard a story from one of my frineds in Wisconsin out on boom lake, it happened monday night. This may not relate to the thread completly but I will tell you anyway. On monday night, two guys had there girl friends over one night and they wanted to go snowmobiling. So they went outside and started riding around the lake, girlfriends on back. There is 6" of ice on that lake when this happened. One of the sleds was a F5 and the other was a brand new ski-doo, 2005. Anyway, it was about 9 PM that night and they were fine for a while. Then one of the brilliant friends decided to go on one end of the lake by a bridge. I believe they knew that there wouldn't be that much ice but they went anyway. The firecat was leading and the ski-doo was behind. The saw that open water was coming up so the firecat hit the brakes and tried to pull a "U" but it was to late and the sled went right in. The ski-doo was following and it saw the brake lights go on and saw the open water. He had enough time to make a "U" but what happened was, while he was going to gun it across and get out, his girlfriend on back jumped off because she saw open water. Anyway, there was a large ice chunk ahead of the ski-doo so he just hit the kill switch because he thought that if he gunned it acrosss, he would have shot the ice chunk at his girlfriend and killed her. The kid on the ski-doo almost didn't make it because his helmet wouldn't come off and he was struggling. It was hard for him to swim also because his boots and everything was on. Everyone ended up okay and there are two sleds in the bottom of the lake. BTW, the ski-doo only had 21 miles on it. 
Hopefully they got those sleds out of the water, or they will be paying for pollution for every day they are down there!
Hebi
New member
I apologize upfront for what I am about to say. It is not my intention to hurt anyone's feeling or speak poorly of the deceased.
People die every day. No matter what you do or where you go you face death every moment of every day.
However, I think that we all would agree that doing what we love and experiencing new things is what makes life worth living. Living life inside of a shell is much the same as not living at all.
I for one would rathar continue to do the things I love: snowmobiling and and trail riding as well as racing my ATV. I like to ride fast, but I also know the limitations of the conditions, my machine and my own abilites. I am willing to accept the fact that something may happen at some point that could take my life or even worse, leave me crippled for life. That is what courage and living life is all about. It is dangerous, it is risky but it is also life at its fullest and most beautifull. It is the only life I would want to live...
Hebi
People die every day. No matter what you do or where you go you face death every moment of every day.
However, I think that we all would agree that doing what we love and experiencing new things is what makes life worth living. Living life inside of a shell is much the same as not living at all.
I for one would rathar continue to do the things I love: snowmobiling and and trail riding as well as racing my ATV. I like to ride fast, but I also know the limitations of the conditions, my machine and my own abilites. I am willing to accept the fact that something may happen at some point that could take my life or even worse, leave me crippled for life. That is what courage and living life is all about. It is dangerous, it is risky but it is also life at its fullest and most beautifull. It is the only life I would want to live...
Hebi
Harvey
New member
I think the idea of the post is to get people to ride more responsibly,not saying to not have any fun,just to relize what can happen to an inexperienced rider like I was when I got in my accident that I explained in the above post.and also for the experienced riders to set a good example for the rest.-Harvey
Even the very experienced riders can still be stupid. This I know from personal experience, in Munising, in 2002, on a 1 year old sled that I had already put 3000 miles on. Just be sure to know the difference between living life to the fullest, and being stupid.
The other point to remember is the other people that may be involved in ones poor judgement may not share your zest for life. Riding fast is fun and can be done with relative safety. Riding intoxicated or too fast on narrow and busy trails is a recipe for disasterous consequences. No one wants to see a family and/or friends in a casket. My 2 cents!
yamyrider
Active member
We all like to have fun, that is why we all own sleds. But we do need to ride and be aware. I have had a close call with my 8 year old son on the machine because of someone who wanted to be a daredevil on the trail. We both ended up in the deep snow and bush (lucky) there were trees all around us and could have been much more serious. If people want to be hotdogs when they ride get off the trail and go to a safer area. All accidents can be prevented, it is usually somebodies fault (driving to fast, drinking, not paying attention) when this occurs. Have fun but ride safe. Pick safe areas to ride like a daredevil.