Saying goodbye to an amazing athlete

Even though I didnt know him, I felt sad about the death of Jeremy Lusk yesterday. I follow freestyle motocross a bit and always watched for Lusk to take things bigger and more difficult every year. I guess, that caught up with him when a double grab backflip when wrong and the resulting crash left him with massive brain and spinal cord damage, which eventually lead to his passing on monday. 

The motorsports world is a small one and all of us involved are affected when something bad happens to someone in our community. Sometimes that means we have a chance to look at what we do for a fun or for a living and take a moment to realize what the consequences of what we do can be. 

My prayers go out to Jeremy's friends and family. 

The truth, and the "beep"in side of doin test rides

Now, I dont want to make any enemies here... but when a video clip like this one comes across your desktop you cant just ignore it. I mean, Taera and I get along great. I like traveling with her and I like shooting stories with her. But, because Ive spent a considerable amount of time with her this past winter I can say with confidence... she'd do the same to me... so here is a behind the scenes look at Taera shooting a test ride. For the finished product make sure you watch every episode of Snowtrax TV or look for the episodes online at Snowtraxtv.com

On a different note. Here is a snowman I built for this little girl while we were on the Grey Bruce trip. She liked it.

 

I just thought everyone would like to see a killer snowman... 

Untill next time...

Grey Bruce, perfect trails, perfect tails!!!

Recently I accompanied Taera on a trip to the Grey Bruce region of Ontario. She was doing a story for the show, and I was driving the truck. Really, its a sweet gig. I just drive to a location, unload the sleds and ride. Then, at the end of the week, I get paid... dang eh!This trip really turned into an adventure for a number of reasons. First, we decided to go on a groundhog hunt... seeing as how Wiarton ON, is located in the Grey Bruce region and Wiarton Willy is a groundhog. It made sense at the time anyway. Needless to say, with the help of our local contact Brian Plumstead, we found him. 

And, according to eyewitness reports, he's a big fan of Yamahas Nitro. I was not surprised to hear he did, in fact see his shadow and we'll be having 6 more weeks of winter. Apparently he wants to ride more.

Next, Taera was doing some winter camping for a night so me and the boys took off for an epic ride on some of the best trails ive ridden this year. Chris Hughes, Bill Tennison  and I all ended up at one of the many Club Houses in the area, which, on this particular evening was hosting a wing night. Now, just so were clear... this is a big deal. Id estimate over 100 sleds outside and easily 120 people inside. We came, we ate wings, we ripped it up. Thats all I have to say about that. 

Before I sign off for the night I really have to make a point of saying that I was extremely impressed with every inch of the Grey Bruce Regions trails.  Sure, we hit some bumps, I even cartwheeled my Nitro in a field. 

But the bumps were pretty small the and field incident was all my fault. Over the 3 days we were in town I put on over 300km. This is an area id go back to in a heart beat... maybe next time ill even get to ride with Willy... who knows. 

What I wear on my head... and what I think about it.

This season ive put on just about 3000km so far. Ive ridden in some of the harshest conditions (aka: COLD) ive ever ridden in. And, when so many of the guys I ride with are switching back from their open face to full face helmets on the coldest of days to avoid frost bite. Ive stuck with my setup with no problems. I was thinking about why my system works so good. Heres what I came up with.

My Helmet:

I wear a Z1R Rail. This is not what most would consider a super high end helmet. Its well priced, not cheap, but not unrealistic like so many others. But, I dont buy my helmets. So price is not a issue for me. What I do care about, after wearing every other brand of helmet you can get at one time or another, is how a helmet feels and functions. My Z1R Rail fits perfect in size XXL. (yeah, big melon, I know) It looks amazing in the blue and white color scheme I picked. It has just the right amount of ventilation for a warmer riding day, but not too much for a cold day. Its built extremely well. I take head protection seriously cause its the only one I got. Ive torn this helmet all apart and found it to be made extremely well, of high end materials and with no flaws. Ive also tested my helmet on a number of occasions I wont go into here. The end result is that I am, still here. So, im convinced this helmet is safe. 

My Goggles:

Like my lids, Ive had the opportunity to use pretty much every goggle brand you can get your hands on. From Dragon, to Oakley, Thor, Scott, Answer, Spy and many others. I have a collection of them in my basement. Furthermore, and I dont want to sound like im bragging, but I get to use these products for free. Yay! What im trying to get across is that at the end of the day, when I say Ive found something I like its because I HAVE tried many different option and its NOT because Ive spent my money on one or the other. Of all the choices I have, the goggle I keep coming back to is Snow Warp from Smith Optics   For some reason this goggle has managed to keep me warm and fog free on the coldest, snowiest, sweatiest, rainiest days on the snow. From the mountains to the flats, in all conditions this goggle works. Ive had Snow Warp goggles last for so long the foam has started to deteriorate. They are durable, good looking and easy to disassemble and clean. You can find lenses for them anywhere. I think the

 reason they keep your face so warm in the snow is the super wide foam. It fills in the gaps between your goggle frame and your helmet. Like a seal, that keeps out the cold. No other goggle does this good a job in this varied of conditions. To illustrate how much I like these goggles, Even though I have received a couple pairs for free from smith this season, I wanted to make sure I had enough to cover every different lighting condition. So I actually paid for a couple more pairs. I could have bought any goggle I wanted. But, I chose to buy goggles I already have, because they are so good I wanted to have more of them. Dont even think about it... just go buy them. 

Anti-Fogging:

I wear a No-Fog Mask under my helmet. I dont wear a no name brand knock off model. I bought the brand name No fog because its the best. Because no other mask protects your face from cold and your goggles from fogging like a No-Fog. When I did finally find one (they can be hard to get ahold of mid season) I bought both of the ones the dealership had in stock. I never want to be without it. I know the people at No-Fog. They sponsored me all the years I raced. They know what they are doing and make a great product that works. If your wearing an open faced lid, you should also be wearing a No-Fog.

So thats it. Thats my story. 

Until next time...

Serious E-Tec thoughts.

Yesterday I was riding the Ski-Doo MXZ 600 E-Tec Renegade and I just happened to be flipping through the digital gauge and saw that the sled has over 1700 miles on it So, I flipped through the gauges of the other 3 E-Tecs we have between Snowtrax and Supertrax and found out that each of them has between 500 and 1500 miles. Combines, they have about 4500 miles. So far not ONE has giving us even a minor problem. They all start and run perfectly every time, even at -35, which was the temp here all week last week. 

As I was riding I got thinking about how much I really like the Renegade. Most of the miles on this particular sled are mine. Throughout the day I was switching back and forth between the Renegade and the TNT, both E-Tecs and I was critiquing how I felt about each of them. Overall, Ive decided that I just, plain and simple, REALLY love the MXZ Renegade, Adrenaline Package, E-tec. I just love that sled. Its warm, its really fast, it starts and runs PERFECTLY every time. It rides amazing, handles spot on and is extremely comfortable to both sit on, and ride for 145 miles, like I did yesterday. 

Just a note: it was -24 when we left in the morning and -18 when we got home. We rode 145 miles through 4 different clubs trails. Some were great, and id like to send a big THANK YOU out to the crew and volunteers from the HCSA (Haliburton County Snowmobile Association) for the amazing trails. They were near perfect all day. Considering that we met 201 sleds in 145 miles (I kept track all day) and their trails were still perfect, they deserve alot of credit.

Some of the trails we rode were the worst ive ridden all year. This is where the Renegade really showed how comfortable it is, no matter what the conditions.

Part way through the day I stopped on the trail along side my dad, Mark, of Supertrax Magazine. We had been switching back and forth all day. My comment was something to the effect of the Renegade being a lazy mans snowmobile. He asked me what I meant and I simply explained that for me, the Renegade allowed me to ride faster, more easily, for a longer period of time while keeping me more comfortable than almost any other sled ive ever ridden. We switched off and about 40 minutes later we stopped again and he agreed. 

Now, I could choose to ride just about anything I want this season. And I have put big miles on a number of other sleds. Some ive like, some ive very much disliked. But, on this day, on these trails, the E-Tec Renegade was doin it just right.  

Do 3 E-Tec's make a 3-Tec?

So the goal for today was simple. Shoot the ride footage and component shots for a co-operative test ride between Taera and I on the 2009 Ski-Doo MXZ 600 E-Tec and E-Tec Renegade. Sounds simple right. Let me tell you my friends... nothin is simple when you've got monkeys like us doin the work. 

First, Taera decided it would be a good idea to lock the short track E-Tec in her trailer and loose the keys. Not a big deal. Just cut the lock... with no bolt cutters. Solution 2, cut the lock off with a Sawzall... not gonna happen. So, finally, I ran home, got my Makita cordless grinder and chopped that sucker into little pieces. BAM!! Trailer is open! Luke = 1, Lock = 0!!

Then, we headed out on the trail. Things were going smoothly. Lots of test ride footage was being recorded by the ever intrepid Camera Guy Doug.

Then... it happened. We passed a section of trail I have ridden by a million times and we have shot almost as many. A cliff on the side of the trail. Maybe 15 feet tall, straight down to the trail. Ive looked at that cliff so many times and though... "I bet I could drop off that" but Ive never done it. Today was different... today was the day. 

So, I fired up my Ski-Doo MXZ 600 E-Tec Renegade, picked my way through the trees to the top of the cliff... took one look and just drove off. Needless to say... it went well. Nothing broken, no problem. 

After that we continued on shooting more test ride footage. Then we hit the lake. It was all powdery and smooth... just gross. I had to do something about it. So, it was time for some pow turns. Pow turns are great... everyone love them. As Ron Burgundy would say "drink it in... it always goes down smooth" and so do pow turns. 

The rest of the day was filled with other stuff. We didnt break anything. So thats good. 

Make sure you stay tuned to Snowtrax TV to see the full review of Ski-Doos MXZ 600 E-Tec.

Until next time... 

Moms Birthday Celebrated LESTER style

They say "the family that plays together, stays together". I come from a family that plays together. And, fortunately for everyone involved. We all love to play in the snow. Especially when its on sleds. So, for Moms birthday this year, the whole family, including my brother A.J., sister in law Lindsay, mom, dad and my wife Emmy all suited up and headed for Dorset, to The Fiery Grill for a bite, which by the way was PACKED. And, just so were clear, this is THE place to go if your in Dorset. 

Now, my wife, Emmy, loves to ride sleds, as does A.J.s wife, Lindsay. But they like to go at a bit more moderate pace. My mom on the other hand can keep up with anyone. So, for this trip, A.J. and Lindsay rode the Ski-Doo GTX 1200 and Emmy and I rocked the Arctic Cat TZ1 Turbo. 

Mom rode the Ski-Doo GSX 1200 and Dad was on the Yamaha Vector. Needless to say, we all had a great time. The girls all did a superb job of either driving or riding and mom had a great B-day with her kids.  

P.S. We had to borrow the hood of the Supertrax Z1 Turbo Sno Pro for our TZ1 cause we didnt have a permit yet. But dont be fooled, the TZ1 Turbo should have a black hood on it. 

Shooting the Arctic Cat Z1 Turbo... in a Blizzard

So camera guy Kyle and I shot this epic test ride of the Arctic Cat Z1 Turbo Sno Pro a few weeks ago. The day we shot the test ride was COLD so I was wearing a number of layers I dont normally wear. What I didnt realize was that on one of the under layers I had found in my old, pre-snowtrax gear bag had a logo on it that was of a company NOT associated with the show. In TV land this is a BIG no no. Snowtrax TV is extremely proud to be associated and supported by some of the best and aftermarket companies in the industry like Arctiva, Parts Unlimited and Baffin. Having a conflicting sponsors logo getting air time isnt a good way to show appreciation for that support. So, basically, what all this boiled down to was that Kyle and I needed to reshoot the entire test ride. So, we headed back out on the trail. This time though, it was snowing like crazy. But, we got 'er done, as they say. As you can see in the last pic... kyle was pretty impressed with the whole "doing it over" thing. 

Up the lakes without a belt.

Put on 140k this afternoon. My brother A.J., dad Mark and uncle Jeff all came along for the ride. A.J. and I ripped the ditches out of Minden, then up the lakes to Dorset. The lakes were good, but the ditches were better. No powder but when the snow is frozen like it is now, everything becomes a launch ramp. 

A.J. was out on the Supertrax Magazine Project sled for the first time after bending the tunnel and skidframe after coming up short trying to clear a driveway a few weeks ago. The sled is an 09 Arctic Cat Crossfire 800. Its had some motor work done by the guys at Birch Point Cats in Bobcaygeon. It now puts out 160ish HP. Unfortunately, on the way back down the lakes I guess it got hungry and ate a belt... and not in a civilized way either. Good thing the Nitro had a tool kit cause it seems the Cat ate its tool kit also. 

500km on an 800R and a Nitro XTX

Over the past 3 days I've logged just over 500k. My season total last year was 6000k and Id really like to beat that. The 2 sleds I rode this past weekend were the Ski-Doo Rev XP 800R Renegade and the Yamaha Nitro XTX. I have to say, these were 2 sleds I really wanted to like last season, but in all honesty, didnt like very much.

After 2 long days and 340k on the Renegade I gotta say... big pat on the back to Ski-Doo. Least season all XP chassis sleds with the exception of the GSX rode like crap. This season every XP chassis sled ive thrown a leg over has been among the best riding sleds this season. The 800 Renegade is no different. It rides AMAZING. Handling is still a little twitchy on frozen snow in my opinion. But, if its rough... id ride this sled all day. 

Next, is the Nitro XTX. Man, I wanted to love last seasons Nitro so bad. I liked everything about it except its less than stellar handling. Im gonna just throw this out there... but "way to go Yamaha". The new chassis changes and suspension geometry have turned a poorly handling snowmobile into a very good handling snowmobile. One id again, be happy to ride all day. I think part of the difference can be attributed to the 144 inch skid on the XTX. A track this long gets massive traction and will numb the handling of a sled significantly. In the Nitros case, this is a good thing. Doesnt matter how it happened though, I love this sled. Ive fought and fought with jeff about it but because he's the boss he gets to do the test ride on the XTX. Know this though, when hes done testing... im stealing this thing. 

So much riding, so little time!

Yesterday dad called and wanted to go for a ride. Kyle and I had a bit of shooting to do first thing in the morning so we couldn't head out early. We were wrapped up by 10 am but dad, a.j. and jordan had already left. Id blown a belt on our Renegade and it was the only sled with a permit so kyle went to get his Polaris Shift and I went to get a new belt.

By the time we got on the trail it was 11 am. We figured we go for a short rip down to Fenlon Falls have a bite and come back. Few hours tops. 

Once we got south of Kinmount we came across one of the sweetest trails in our area called the 3rd of sommerville. Well, thats what we call it anyway. Its perfectly straight and hilly like a roller coaster. Perfect for lofting 60mph... "ahem" 50kmh (heh) floaters. It has just been groomed. We couldnt say no... especially when it feels so good to say yes.

Half way down we came to an intersection and decided to head to Bobcaygeon. Its only 18k from where we were. So off we went. Half way down that trail we saw a sign to Gooderham... only 30k, so we headed out there. Figuring we'd get some lunch and gas in Gooderham and head back home. 

About an hour and a half and 40 miles later we found ourselves way down a trail at a washed out bridge with no way to cross, at leat 40 more miles to the nearest gas and a whole bunch of ungroomed trails to get there. Going back was too far, getting to gas was a stretch. But, there was no other choice. I think we were sitting at about 60 miles at this point. I figured my Renegade 800R would go over 100 miles on a tank but I wasent sure about kyles Shift. 

Now we were headed for Wilberforce. The closest gas stop. We watched our gauges drop mile after mile until finally we saw a sign that said 17 k. At this point I knew we'd make it. But I didnt tell kyle, I figured id let him sweat a bit. 

About 7k farther down the trail we ran into a group of 3 who were also super low on gas, also hungry and also had no idea how theyd gotten to where they were. But they didnt know where they were going either. I told them to follow us in and they did. 

We made it to Wilberforce, 87 miles from home, with the shift running on fumes. When we gassed up the shift took 34 liters and the 800R took 26. We grabbed a bit at the Crossroads Cafe and headed another 63 miles back through Haliburton to home. 

Our little ride to fenlon, maybe 70 miles tops, had turned into an epic adventure across 4 clubs, through swamps, river crossings and ungroomed/unmarked trails. But we made it. 

When we got back home at about 5:30 PM dad came out to see where we'd been. It turns out they put on 220k and kyle and I had put on 240k. So much for our little ride. 

Thanks Taera

Id just like to say a big THANKS (all capitals means its serious) to Taera for setting up this blog for me. I have no idea what im doing here so bear with me while I get this blog thing sorted out. I hope it doesnt suck. If it does tell me. 

L.

Luke in action

Although this really isn't fair (who said life is fair.. and i'm suuuuure i'll get it right back )i'm going to post for Luke.... I'm quite thankful that we do not wear communicators while riding.. because the trip to Quebec all I would have heard was.. "knarly, needs to be ripped.... how far can i go."

and finally Luke couldn't hold back any longer.....

thank goodness I had the camera.. ;)

T :)

All About Luke

This is Luke’s second season hosting with Snow Trax Television. (He obviously survived the initiation)Starting out with his riding career at the very young age of 2 months, when his dad bun-gee corded him to the seat of a sled, Luke certainly got an early start in the snowmobiling world. He received his very own sled when he was 5 so that calculates out as a lot of experience under his belt when it comes to riding.
Luke loves the deep powder experience and in his opinion by far, the most breathtaking destination is right in his own back yard on the Haliburton County trail system
He brings a different perspective to the show, some new opinions and thoughts and some different angles on things, after all – we all have different things that we like about our ride – why shouldn’t things be built for comfort AND speed?
Through his association with Supertrax Magazine and growing up in a family that loves the great outdoors – Luke is knowledgeable about what he says about a snowmobile, and this can be seen through his on camera confidence. He not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. Viewers appreciate that candid honest approach. They want real information so they can make an educated decision when they make a purchase or are taking advice on a Quick Tip.
“I love being out in the wilderness. I love being sideways at 70MPH, I love that feeling you get in your gut when all 144 studs hook up and all 150 horses hit the ground full bite. I love being tucked in behind the windshield at 110MPH, 8 sleds wide on Kevlar Lake.”
Luke also advises the new rider to do their research and get the gear and sled that is good for them, not to just purchase something solely based on someone else’s opinion.