Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Hey folks,

Big Jim here.....

You know, Wild, Woolly and Wonderful West Virginia is known for it's vivid four colorful seasons and dramatic weather.
I remember when I was a kid, growing up in the hills and hollers of Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky when the old timers would tell visitors, -"you don't like the weather? Well, stick around and it will change in 5 minutes."
That didn't strike me as a particularly funny joke, because the thing is, it is true.
For some time now, I have noticed in the spring and summer at Bearwallow that it can rain for an hour or two, then the sun comes out and within a half an hour the ground is so dry you could never guess it had rained for days!
Most riders enjoy fall riding the best , primarily for two reasons. For one thing, they get some relief from the summer heat, and for the other thing, the hills, hollers and valleys are particularly beautiful when the leaves turn bright red and yellow. Of course the "sere and yellow leaf" season is brief, as the weather gets colder in October and November the leaves begin to fall faster. Last year, the leaves turned around October 11. This year, I was a bit concerned that by October 11 they would be gone! LOL...
But fortunately the weather got warm again- ironically the week of Trailfest- and our visitors who time their visits to come during the Sere and Yellow Leaf Season were happy.
We had some unseasonably warm weather recently which made this week a major surprise...
You see, yesterday, Nov. 17 it got bitterly cold and began snowing!
That's right, it was snowing heavily yesterday morning around 8 a.m. and it was snowing heavy again around lunchtime. And today it was bitterly cold with white hoar-frost covering everything in HMT land. I honestly would not be surprised if we actually get some snow accumulation around Thanksgiving if this cold front sticks around. It happened a few years ago actually.
Anyway, I got to thinking, it might be a good idea to post some snow riding tips early thsi year. Not so much about clothing and gear, but in how you deal with snow.
First of all, of course, when their is snow on the ground, its not a bad idea to sign in on the visitors sheet at the trailheads and let the CSR know when you leave, if they are still on duty.
If you get in deep snow on an ATV one of the better ways to get unstuck is simple- Just stand up and rock your ride side by side and this can help get you a bit of traction.
Don't think Snow Ridin is the same as muddin' cuz it aint. That does not even take into account the problem of hypothermia by the way. There is a new device on the market to give cars and trucks some traction in snow. It basically looks like a rubber rumble ridge that you put under the front of the tire and roll over it. I dunno if it works on ATVs or not, but it looks like it should. For those of you who eschew "high tech" the traditional method should work as well as ever. When riding in winter wonderland, its always a good idea to pack a small shovel or military style "entrenchmant tool" which can be used in a last ditch effort to either shovel out of deep snow, or if you are as lazy as I am, to shovel some rocks and dirt in front of and behind your tires.
I always wear three layers of clothes which works well to keep me warm. One time I did have to use a heavy woolen muffler or scarf, to put in front of tires to get some traction. Those things are good to keep around even if you ride with a full face mask. Its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it- when you are out in the deep woods!

I haven't ridden a dirtbike since I was a kid and had a bad spill on one (which is why I love ATVS! Less worry when riding for klutzes like me!) so I poked around to find some tips for dealing with snow in the winter on dirbtikes and found an interesting article at Dirtrider.com

They had some good advice about getting out of the freezing rut you may wind up stuck by.
The article noted you should shut off the throttle before you bury yourself any deeper. Then dismount and start breaking the snow in front of your bike with your boots.The author noted that usually pushing the front wheel through deep, crusted snow is what stopped you in the first place.

When you get about 15 feet of a good line, fire up your bike and click second or third-like sand, snow is easier if you're a gear or even two higher. Ease the throttle on and try to make the rear end hook up with a controlled spin. Whatever you do, do not abuse the clutch.

Keep your body weight neutral, and try to rock the bike a bit to get it free while you paddle with your feet. Once you get going and actually build some momentum, put your feet on the pegs, lean back and try to aim for shallower snow. If you pick your lines well and let the bike move underneath you, you should now be free and clear. And if you get stuck again, go back to step one and repeat the process.
Remember in the Immortal Words of the late great Douglas Smith - "DON'T PANIC"!!! (That's a favorite line of mine from the classic "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" novels and TV series...) A little common sense and imagination will serve you a LOT BETTER in a bad situation in the wilderness than anything else.
Have fun, ride safe and tell all your friends about HMT!
Big Jim Charles