Sometimes there are pretty great benefits to my job that make up for the poor pay and long hours – such as last Saturday when I went snowmobiling for the first time ever.
The occasion was the grand-opening of the Boulder Mountain cabin and I was happy to try something new and experience a side of Revelstoke I don’t get to usually.
My riding was jerky, to say the least as I got used to the accelerator and the handling of the sled.
We zipped up the trail at a comfortable pace. Then came a hairpin turn.
I slowed down coming into it, just trying to use my best driving skills, but as I came out everything went wrong. I hit the accelerator to speed up again but instead of rounding out the bend, I shot straight into the snow bank at the side.
Fortunately local radio host Steve Smith was behind me and stopped to help. I shut off the sled and we slowly attempted to wiggle it out. Meanwhile, the rest of our group disappeared up ahead.
The snow was wet and heavy and the sled was pretty firmly jammed in the snow. We gunned it in reverse, pushed and pulled with little to show for it.
After a few minutes Herb Shaede and Kathy Burke showed up.
“Can’t you make it around a corner?” asked Shaede with a hint of sarcasm.
Apparently not.
With a few extra hands we were able to drag the sled out and back onto the trail, where Shaede noticed my snowmobile was leaking oil and was quickly running out.
And that was the end of my day snowmobiling. I rode up the rest of the way on the back of Shaede’s snowmobile and he was kind enough to give me a few thrills.
Thank you to the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club for arranging a snowmobile for me to ride. I only wish it could have lasted longer. At least I can now cross it off my Revelstoke to-do list.