17.   It's now the middle of March, a scant two months since winter really got started here on the East Coast. With snow rapidly melting, it seems like spring has arrived. Weather has been a lot warmer lately, but even on cold days the ever more powerful spring sun has really cut down snow banks around town.

16.  Saturday morning Maffer and his son Gavin, Sooley, Janes, French, and I headed to the Sooley Family Cabin near Whitbourne for a day of ice fishing and Spring riding on the sleds. We were happy to find a consistent 12" of ice all over the pond, but the stress cracks in various places warned us spring was here.

15.    Sooley rode his 2009 Renegade 800r, Maffer his 2006 REV 500ss , I piloted Project Renegade while French & Janes doubled up on the Sooley Family Arctic Cat for the rip to the top of the pond.

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13.   Once we reached our ice fishing spot we set out a few lines and unloaded cooking supplies into our fire pit clearing just off the side of the pond.

12.   While the guys tended lines, I set to reaching my goal of burning a tank of gas in the sled even on sketchy late season riding conditions. With skies brightening overhead and mild 5ºC temperatures I set out in search of snow, I was surprised that there was still a fair bit around if you knew where to look.

The pole line was in good shape, snow had been quite heavy this winter and what remained was protected by the shade of the tree line. Hard packed snow loosened by the warm spring sun provided lots of traction and great cooling for the machine. The open areas were pretty bare, but taking my time and watching for rocks I had no troubles on this ride.

11.   Its a safe bet to presume that the ponds are not safe when riding in Springtime. Throughout the day I never stopped or slowed down when I crossed an unchecked pond, if I found an area to play I checked the ice with an auger. It's easier to take the time to drill a few holes then it is to swim in icy water and rescue a sled!

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9.   Sooley, Maffer and I found a couple dandy areas for skipping water which is a skill we like to keep honed, plus it's a lot of fun. We expected the ponds to be brutally slippery and hard to ride but we were surprised to find traction on the ponds was actually great.

8.  A small snow flurry the day before melted on the ice making a slushy 1" coating that just worked great.

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6.   For lunch we cooked up a mix of Bacon, onions, bologna, and beans. We finished it with a tin of corned beef and a pot of coffee.

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2.   Later for supper we cleaned the pots, fried up some hamburgers and roasted hot dogs over the fire.

1.   Throughout the afternoon we rode, found fresh snow, skipped water and enjoyed an awesome day. Most importantly we got to share what we enjoy with the next generation, represented by Gavin. He had a day learning how to set an ice fishing line, to cook on a campfire, and enjoyed a ride with his dad on snowmobile.

Hopefully the conditions hold up for another little while, there is snow in the forecast so there may be another ride or two left to this season yet.

Cheers, MIKE

Copyright © 2025 Michael Smith