February 25, 2006 Goulds Rip: (1 Photo)

 

1.  This winter season has so far been one disappointment after another with regard to the weather and its effect on snowmobiling. Earlier this week we had a great snow storm but it was followed by 20mm of rain just before the weekend. We decided to take our chances and get out for a ride anyway. Sooley, Maffer, French, Bill, Dad and I left Northern Pond Road and rode trails all around the area eventually making our way to the Goulds. We decided we would take a run in the old pole line and try to make our way to Crane's Gas bar in Witless Bay.

We made it about 6 kilometres in the pole line detouring flooded brooks and skimming small puddles when we came upon a very large flooded area over 250' across. I knew the crew would have no trouble skimming that distance, but I was unsure if Dad's 503 fan cooled Cheyenne would make it across. I took a side trail to explore a detour and broke out onto a bog that looked like the perfect place to bypass the 'pond' on the pole line. When I turned around to loop back around and get dad, my sled sunk to the top of the seat in a water/slush/snow mess. With all the rain, the brook in the middle of this bog flooded its banks and the snow cover hid this fact until my sled broke through.

It took us 2 hours to get the machine dug our, lifted, turned around and pulled up on solid ground far enough to drive it out. We were standing waist deep in water and were soaked to the bone. It was a chilly ride back to the trucks, but I was thankful to our awesome crew for helping me get the sled out!!!

Cheers, MIKE

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