Our first time on the snow mobile

Our snow mobile was delivered on Wednesday after New Year Eve, it's a 2008 Yamaha Venture.  It is four stroke, three cylinder, 1000cc two up machine.  It came with a couple of extras like a cover and Yamaha saddlebags.  We weren't sure where to put it so I told Steve to park it around the back, he drove a few metres and bogged it in the snow!!  A quick call to Brendon up the street had it out of the deep snow and parked beside the driveway, cover on.

Saturday afternoon, Brendon and Matt called to say they would be over in 20 minutes to take us for our first snow mobile ride.  After 30 minutes we were still stuffing around, getting dressed, adjusting our helmets and trying to get all six of us ready for the cold.



Alyssa and Kristy, geared up ready to go.

 I offered to go first while Steve drove the boys to Tanya Lake to meet up with us.  Taylor went with Matt while Alyssa sat on the back of mine.  Matt asked me if I have ridden a motorbike before, "No", I said, so Brendon showed me the brake and the accelerator.  I got on and followed Mat down the street and up behind our place.  Steve was laughing at how I just jumped on and drove off.  I did feel a bit scared but I thought I am not going to learn how to do this by talking about it.  I needed to get a feel for the accelerator as it didn't go until it was depressed a fair way but then it just took off.  I probably used the brake too much and I felt like I was going so fast when I only got to 35 km/h.  We drove down the sledding hill we were on last weekend, I was so careful as I didn't want to hit anyone, we had to cross over a road then along a ridge before we were on Tanya Lake.  The lake was frozen over and is a good place to practice, Alyssa had a turn and then we spotted Steve with the boys so we zoomed over to meet them.


Alyssa driving, Taylor on the back

 Cooper had all of his new gear on and was so excited to have a turn, he sat in front of Steve wearing his hockey helmet.  It was getting late (and cold), Steve drove Cooper and Taylor home the same way I had come.  Given the large amount of snowfall we had over Christmas and New Year, grooming of the snow mobile trails will be done this week so hopefully next weekend we can have a scenic ride along a trail.  Maybe pizza at Fermont, Quebec?

Cooper on the front, Steve driving, Taylor on the back.