Rays Retreat Ramblings

Day 88 (of snowmobile season)

Its finally looking like snowmobile season!

Saturday

Mother Nature delighted us Friday by fooling the weather forecasters who had predicted we were only on the fringe of the storm coming thru Fri. It was predicted only an inch or two.

It snowed ALL day Friday, and thru the night. 

We woke up to 8 inches of fresh snow, at least. Off trail, when you step off your sled it can easily be 18 inches of snow. We have had a foot of snow in the woods for awhile now. Groomers were out last night.

We are busy and that’s just how we like it in the wintertime. The front yard is filled with trucks and trailers. The backside has sleds lined up. Snow is everywhere…..

I read a disturbing news story today. Please don’t say anything to Sparky or any other dog you love.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/25/10500874-canadian-province-responds-to-sled-dog-killings-with-new-rules

In Canada a person applied for disability because of the post traumatic stress he had after having to slaughter sled dogs!!!! .. not in any humane effort but for their own economic needs. I can certainly understand how he might be haunted by the actions he undertook for his employer. I would hope the people who gave those orders would be haunted also. I do not understand slaughter of any living creatures.  Man can be so cruel and mean spirited.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/25/10500874-canadian-province-responds-to-sled-dog-killings-with-new-rules

Paradise

I’m a Happy Dog

I have to admit it – I am spoiled. Ann came home today with a bag of my speciality dog food and a new frisbee! Farm Supply and its my favorite colors yellow and red.

That makes me happy. We took a walk over on the trail. I was able to make several spots so all the neighboring dogs know I am here.

It’s the middle of the week, halfway to another weekend. That really makes me happy. I love it when we are busy!

Sparky T. Ray

New Moon

February 21—New Moon
"To have a project prosper, start it during the new Moon."

------ Farmers Almanac

Tonight is the new moon. I have committed to myself a project. So hopefully it will prosper! I will let you know in time if this proves true.

I realized after reading the weekend wrapup that it was more of a trail report than a weekend wrapup. By Sunday night my mind becomes as weary as my body.

My satellite radio got installed. Thanks to Merrill, & the Bobs. Thanks guys. I have really enjoyed it and drive to work and back slower now so I have more time to listen.

It was a rowdy Saturday night that left many of us sleepless for several hours. Snowmobiles can be SO loud in the dead of night.

Such a contrast to tonight – when it is so quiet out here. Until Sparky got spooked. Its so funny (don’t tell him I said anything). When we are busy with people coming and going both dogs don’t say much. A quiet night, a sudden noise and Sparky jumped 6 feet, hair raised and rousing the alarm. He must have been deep into sleep to be startled like that. It was nothing.

Its hard to believe and I have been trying so hard to push those thoughts away but there is  no denying it the winter days are getting longer. Sunlight appearing earlier and staying later. Birds singing in the morning. Winter hasn’t even come to stay and already spring is  trying to make her presence.

It makes me so sad. I enjoy winter. Real winter. Days of cold and snow. Of course, we love it also because it usually means we’re making money. That has definitely not been the case this winter.

I still am hopeful that Old Man Winter will pull himself together and decide to show us all a thing or two.

Many of you know that I love and am fascinated with winter, snow, north country, Alaska. I found a beautiful blog detailing life and the beauty of Alaska. I am not the only one that will miss the winter days.

 

http://indeep-alaska.com/    The pictures are beautiful.

 

Weekend Wrapup Feb 19, 2012

We are thrilled to have finally had a busy weekend in February! .. the snow is still being very lean with its offerings. We did get a good few inches Friday morning along with another 2-3 inches on Saturday mornings. It sounds like the rides everyone enjoyed on Saturday was the best of the season.

It’s the first time that anyone has been able to ride from here up to the bridge and have snow the entire way.Best of all there were very few riders enjoying the trails north.

We have had full sunshine all today which means the trail where it is out in sun or along the roadways is worn down to dirt again. There is still dirt alongside to ride, but the trail itself has suffered from the sun.

The forecast is encouraging with Snow for Tuesday and everyday after that. Its another week of Watch and Wait. Mother Nature is making it very difficult to actually make a living this winter.

Great Trail Conditions from here to Mackinaw

Those who came up this weekend have been rewarded with fresh snow and great riding conditions!

They are enjoying the good trails with very little traffic. Just received a call from the ‘Bobs’ (and Merrill) from Mackinac City. They hit the trails early this morning. Their ride was fantastic. Good snow all the way and they only passed two other riders!

I took these pictures this morning of the trail right in front of us. We got approx. 2-3 inches of heavy snow and other areas received that and more.

This is why we love winter! Snowmobiling! and our guests at Rays Retreat.

Snow Flocked Trees

Yesterday morning along Mancelona Road. So pretty….

Beautiful Wakeup

What a beautiful surprise to walk out this morning and find everything covered in white. Two inches of the heavy white stuff. All the trees covered. I was quite excited. I knew Ann didn’t work so we could take a walk in the snow, throw snowballs and just have a fun day.

Did that happen? Nope. Did not. Gizzy and I spent the day home alone. Boring, I’m so glad tomorrow is Friday and we have people coming in. Can’t wait for some action.

Hope I’ll be seeing you tomorrow!

Sparky T. Ray

Valentines Ride

Hope you enjoyed some sweets from your love, or flowers, or a nice meal or just a really sweet day!

It’s a double star holiday at Ray’s Retreat (my birthday). Every year Mike asks me what I would like to do for my birthday. What we do depends on how busy the motel is, my work schedule and other outside things that could interfere with what I really want to do.

I say the same thing EVERY year (since living up north) so he should know the answer without asking the question. But, then again we know who we’re talking about;

You know what I want to do on my birthday, don’t you? … Go riding. Where we ride and how long we ride can also depend on the fickle weather conditions. Just getting out to ride is what I want so we planned on combining the trail with two tracks and roads wherever we found the best snow.

Shortly after breakfast we got a phone call asking if Mike would guide a group that was renting sleds. After negotiations it was agreed so that was the determining factor on where and how we rode this birthday.

They arrived via their tour bus. They were enjoying a winter tour in Northern Michigan from South Carolina. Everyone suited up, received the basic instructions on how to operate the sled.. Mike asked if any had been on a snowmobile before, just one or two raised their hands. A few said they went four wheeling in their southern homeland. …. hmm, maybe kind of the same…

So the wagon train got underway. Mike in the lead, ten sleds behind him and me following behind to keep our gaggle of sledders together.

We crossed the highway and we were off! .. slowly, ever so slowly. I had to turn my sled off and get off within the first two minutes… at Dodge Lake where several of the sleds were timid (we were going to ride Dodge Lake Road) About crossing the railroad tracks. So jerkily, slowly … some staring them down. One sled got way off the road and over onto the track so I helped them and directed the remaining sleds over the tracks. Off we went (one sled crawling after the next sled crawling along). Snail’s Pace for sure.

Mike headed down a two track. We had discussed briefly routes to avoid hills and other things that inexperienced riders might find fearsome. Within the first 1.6 miles Mike leads the snails UP a hill. Not a little hill. A nice steep hill. Not on any angles or anything but it is a very steep hill.

It was not the track he thought, and as the line of snails followed ‘their leader’ they wound up in a very tight spot. If they were ants following thier leader on a flat world they would have all ridden right off the edge!

Only the last two sleds stayed on the path circling the oil pump. Unbelievable. They are at the bottom of a hill, that is slanting with trees along the top and boulders along the bottom. It is not possible to drive thru the trees to go straight out.

Don’t tell me there isn’t much snow. In the woods, off the trail there is plenty of snow to get sleds buried and stuck.

Three sleds were stuck right away. Others got stuck as they attempted to either back up or go up the hill. Being new riders, being timid on their sleds as they started up the hill they let off to slow down which you cannot do on a sliding hill unless you want to slide, or bury it. The two ups found it especially easy to bury it. No one remembered about leaning the opposite way gravity was pulling. This sled in the pic above was the last one to get out. ..

I had gotten off my sled and went up to ride sleds up and around. I must say, I wish Mike would have had a camera on him. I jumped on one of the sleds, knee on the seat half standing and zipped it up and around. Truthfully as I started I thought good grief I’m going to end up rolling it myself in front of everyone but I did not.

Both of us were huffing and puffing by the time we got the procession back on flat ground. While we were doing this it gave the rest of them a chance to view the oil rig. Another tourist attraction often neglected.I understand that when it is the first time you have ever ridden a snowmobile it can be scary and take awhile to get ‘the feel of it’ enough to feel comfortable to ride at a faster pace. We both knew we would be riding at a slower pace than our normal. My being on the back meant if I wanted to feel any wind I would need to hang waaaaaaaaaaaaay back and then zip up to the line.

Our cruising speed was a brisk 10-15 mph. I am NOT exaggerating when I say that. I quickly began to feel a little bored. Tried singing songs in my head, tried some mental exercises like remembering exact details of the sleds in front of me, counting trees.

I relived my daring moments on the hillslide and thought about stunt riding. I stood up on my sled and rode. I rode one hand, off, one hand and one foot off. Standing on the seat. Ahhhh… a head stand on the handlebars would be amazing. Turn into a somersault back onto the seat.

My grandchildren will all vouch that my imagination is the most fun thing about me!

Trail 4 in this section was absolutely beautiful. It was pure torture crawling along… slow agonizing torture. Mike turned off on a two track. I was so tempted to just keep going on the trail for a ways to blow the slow out of my sled and my brains. I could easily catch up.

I realized I had a responsibility to tag behind for any potential problems. It’s a good thing I did, because a sled turning a corner with just a wee bit of an incline rolled it over. So ran up, made sure everyone was okay, reloaded them onto the sled and assured them that they were doing just fine and ‘anyone’ could have done the same thing.

We rode 22 miles. It seemed like 72 miles. I am sure they thought they had taken a long ride. It took about two hours which is what they had asked.

Piles and piles of gear was shed when we returned. Bathroom break and they got into their chariot to continue their winter adventure in northern Michigan.

We had a discussion afterwards on what we would do different if the opportunity presents itself.

#1. Do a test ride prior to review the route that will be best. (in Mike’s defense we had no idea we would be guiding until an hour or so before they were here)

#2. Avoid tricky more difficult riding challenges.

#3. We should have communicators. It really is a necessity with a group this size. Anyone that knows Mike and I understand that I have

not wanted communicators because well I enjoy not having to listen to anything except my sled. I am trying to be polite but hey he never reads the blog so I can just say it. I don’t want to have to listen to him talking to me constantly.

When we got back I heard Mike talking on the phone telling someone of our days adventure. He’s telling them about the rough start we got. I enjoyed hearing him say how he was impressed when he saw me go and rescue that sled, jumping on with knee on the seat, foot on the side rail, leaning to the left and zip up around and down.

When he got off, I told him I had felt rather pleased with myself too. He says..”you are a good rider. I’ve taught you how to ride that well.” oh, pulllllllllllleeeze I think there are a few of you that have seen me when I was new to riding and thru the past few years. Really?! I am sure I can find someone who would vouch that I am self taught with lots of advice from all the old timers (Bob and Bob and others along with that old man of mine)

Overall it was a successful first time guiding experience. Three rollovers, at least 6 – 7 stuck that we had to ride out, no injuries to sleds or bodies.

A good days work. A birthday I’ll remember.