...3 R's, Please ?...

Why ?. Read on, Friends...

Took a trip up to Tug Hill for 4 days/3 nights at Crossroads Inn at Redfield, NY. Took us 3 hours to our cabin in an somewhat awkward wintry weather. Got there safe and sound. Spend the afternoon resting up and eating dinner. Drank a few beers and chatting with friends. 6 of us together in "a sleep 9 cabin". Small kitchen, living room with TV and Fireplace. Slept great and...

Woke up in the morning, Ate breakfast and got ready to ride snowmobiles. Planned out a route known as lumberyard route, Salmon Run Road. Ran great in the woods and open trails. 45 minutes into riding....I got Charlie's Horses and stopped to stretch out my legs. Eventually heard Linda drive by me with her MBRP race can. Pretty loud and watched her disappear over crest of the road.

My guts tells me that she was riding a little too fast for the first ride of the year, Ya know. Leg stretch came out OK. Started riding my sled down the road approximately 40 MPH on the very right and noticed there were glare spots on the road. At the corner of my eye, I saw an overturned sled with no body present. Kept going until about 300-400 feet, I felt guilty and turned around to check if the accident was alright or not. As soon as I got to the site of the accident...Man, I was shocked to see Linda in a lifeless position being knocked out unconsciously on her back 5 feet short of the 30" tree and realized that it was her in the accident. My mind was losing it. Tears streak down my face. I walked slowly, saw snow all over in her face helmet with the shield wide open and in her jacket/gloves. Helmet was misplaced a bit where I couldn't see Linda's eyes. My hands shaking wobbly. Had to correct her helmet where it's supposed to be. Then I tapped on her shoulders...No response, Tapped on her shoulders again and she responded. Eyes Bloodshot. First thing she said, "How and What happened ?". I was in a total shock. As she wanted to get up right away. I immediately stopped her and asked her several questions such as "Are you OK ?. How are you feeling ?. Any pain ?". She was signing in somewhat slobby and recognized her that she was disorganized. Asked her to move her arms and legs slow one at a time. Arm's great. Left leg was bruised. Picked her right leg up seeing that her boots was directed 180 degrees thinking she's got a broken leg. Asked her if she felt any pain which she replied No. Good news there and helped her get her boots put back on the proper way.

Pulled her up where she couldn't see the snowmobile. Asked her the same previous questions. She wasn't herself. Completely whacked and out of her mind. She said something like she was hitting the flipper a little hard and Boom...I flew and remembered the Blue Skies then I immediately blacked out. What really happened ?. Then I turned her around slowly and showed her beloved Nightfire sled sitting an upside position. Skis up in the air. Cowl Hood and Windshield Pieces shattered all over. Linda bawled which I had to hold her up cuz her knees shaking wobbly and almost gave out. Had to comfort her.

5 minutes or more later, 4 friends came back looking and found us. I gave them a piece of my angry mind based on "Speeding Issues" on the very first day of riding. All friends helped out as much as they could. All's well. Talked a bit and hugged eachother. Picked her sled up upright and came to a point of understanding that cowl hood's junk. Placed it where it's supposed to be. Then realized that the HandleBars of the sled were bent at the Steering Shaft. Friend and I tried to bent it back upwards as much as we could. Started it up and ran fine. Asked Linda if she wanted to ride her sled. She replied, "No...You ride it and let me know how it runs. I agreed and told her I'd help her in any direction. She bawled again cuz she was afraid to ride my sled with performance enchancements on. She knew it was a fast sled. I had explained her that she had to ride my sled back to the cabin while I ride hers. She was visibly shaken. Nightfire's Lights/Digital Speedo worked and sled ran flawlessly on the way back, Thank God for that.

Rode back to the cabin like it took us eternity of the night. Linda had stopped quite a few times because she was cold from the snow in her helmet and snowmobile suit. Got to the cabin safe which we all hugged eachother. Linda looked like she was a Barbie with no words. Obviously numb and reality hadn't sunked in her yet.We all sat down and gathered ourselves. Talked openly about the accident then she bawled again. We all gave her our support and said the most important thing today was that you're alive. Your sled can always be repaired.

I told Butch Meeks, Our long time friend/group leader that we are going home tomorrow. Linda disagreed and told me we're going snowmobiling. Butch offered her his Arctic Cat ZL500 sled. We all gave her our OK. Next day, Linda was obviously shaken from the accident, but sporting her positive attitude which lifted the rest of us...Let's go. We went to Sportsman's Bar approximately 40 miles. Had lunch there. Dusty and I wanted to ride more while the other 3 and Linda wanted to go back to the cabin. We split. Nice trails much better than the previous ones we were on. Up North at Flat Rock...someone relieved the news that there was head on accident involving two. One dead and one critical. We had a soda and went on home before it got dark. Nice ride back home. Felt great when we got back. Linda gave me her smile/a wink of her eyes and said, "Thank you for everything". I had to hold myself up...Man, It was hard !...

We went home a day early to recuperate and heal our minds before returning to work. All's well with Linda now. Took a few pictures of the sled. :boohoo:

Stick with 3 R's, Please ?.

Ride safe
Respect the trails
Responsibility of handling the sled.

T'care...Friends,

AB

P.S. Butch, Thanks again for loaning your sled to Linda. We appreciate your generosity. We'll eventually ride again.