Greetings and welcome!
From the ‘Where was this a month ago’ department.. It looks like we have a couple of snowstorms heading our way. It is snowing this morning, but it is mostly on radar, and it will change to rain later. The ones that have my attention are for about Tuesday/Wednesday and for next weekend. The GFS is showing both for 6″+ storms. The real nose rub is that it is going to get cold again, with highs in the low 30s for a lot of this week. Where was that in February and early March?
So winter is coming back, starting the day after the trails close county-wide for the season.
Speaking of closing, this came in the e-mail..
Dear Snowmobile & ATV Friends,A coupleimportant itemswent outin the mail this week from our office… as I’ve tried to do the last couple years I thought I also email them out to help spread the word…
Just wanted to be sure everyone has heard that the Annual Snowmobile/All Terrain Vehicle Meeting with Parks & Forestry & Parks Committee has been set for Monday, March 28, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wausaukee Town Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend. There will bea break in between the Snowmobile & ATV part of themeetingin casesome wish to leave at that point.
Also attached is apress releaseon the annualtemporaryclosingof the ATV Trailsthatwas sent out to the press,all ATV clubs, and law enforcement this week. All Marinette County ATV Trails will closeafter this weekend on Monday, March 21st. Please helppass this along to protect the trail surface!
Thanks much,
Erik Aleson
Assistant Parks Administrator
Marinette County Parks & Outdoor Recreation Division
I want to thank all of the people who sent e-mails and comments in regarding the end of the season. Thank you all very much for your support.
Now that it is storage time, I will offer a few tips on what I try to do for off-season storage..
First is the gas. If you are running ethanol gas, I’d siphon it out and burn it in the car. The stuff likes water, and absorbs it out of the air and when temperature changes cause condensation. I’d siphon most of it out and run Stabil in the rest of it. Make sure to start the sled and run it until you can smell the Stabil being burned assuring that it is into the carbs or injectors. Once you are pretty sure that the fuel system is treated, start on the engine. I use fogging oil, which you squirt into the carbs a little at a time while the engine runs. This sticky oil gets onto the crankshaft, bearings, and moving parts and protects them from rust. I also like to squirt some Polaris oil down the spark plug holes and spin it over for one last dose of protection.
Mice are a problem, and especially since we have environmentally friendly soy oil based wiring insulation. My answer to them is a couple of D-con packs and some mothballs, and a piece of metal screen duct taped over the exhaust pipe opening. Screen across the airbox opening is good too if you can do it. Mice love nesting in air boxes.
I am also a fan of hitting metal surfaces with some kind of corrosion protection. Fogging oil works. Two years ago I made a mix up of synthetic grease, Polaris oil, and kerosene, and shot it out of an old paint gun on stuff like the suspension, skis and spindles, and pipes. It was pretty messy but it worked ok.
Sun is your snowmobile’s enemy so it is a good idea to wax the hood and use some kind of protection on the seat. Beware of the slippery stuff on the seat though..
Storage in a low humidity building with a fairly consistent temperature is the best way. Beware of covering sleds with a plastic sheet or tarp. They trap moisture in and will corrode your sled from stem to stern. Big temperature swings with the sun rise/set are bad too, they cause condensation on metal parts.
I am also a fan of walking by it and pulling the rope a couple of times over the course of the summer to keep the oil in the engine on all of the parts. Toasting it for all of the times that it brought you home without making you do the helmet walk is optional.
Early this week I will be writing my first update on the original page. Please join me over there in the off season at http://northerndestinations.com/scindex/ .
Thank you again to everyone for your support this year. Have a good summer and thank you for visiting!
RJB