After owning it for over a month, I finally rode the phazer!

[biffdotorg]

I have seen the 136"x14" freeride pop up here and there. Tracks USA is showing it in stock!! Someone said they are making them again. If you already have tip up rails, then that would be the go-to track!

The Apex and Phazer are perfect stablemates. It's easy to pawn one of as the daughters/wife's sled. And when I bought the Apex, I told my wife I was getting a 4-stroke with electric start for the daughter. When in actuallity I wanted one of these trail rockets.

We switch sleds mid day many times. She likes the Apex as much as I do, but loves the phazer as we put a custom windshield and plastics on it. I'm just glad I can swap them out in less than 5 minutes.

She does love the Phazer in the fresh snow though. That 1.5" makes it haul through the drifted treelines. The Cobra track on the Apex works well too. It's just so heavy, you have to be wise with the throttle.

 

[biffdotorg]

PS: the tank bag on the phazer is perfect size for belt, tools, hat, wallet and has a nice sized map pocket. It's worth the money.

 

[DigitalFusion]

yeah they started making the freeride again. the 136" version is my first choice unless something else pops up. The Apexs' Ice Ripper might be on its last year, so dropping 1K on tracks might be hard to swallow.

 

[biffdotorg]

Biff - The title of your video says "Trail to Ice Crackin" ... as in, Ice Cracking Lake? My brother-in-law has a place there, but I've only ever visited in Summer. Nice little stretch of woods. You're making memories your daughter won't forget (I like that). Thanks for sharing.

As for this "storm", we are a bit further south than you, but so far have received a dusting only ... fingers crossed for one more dump before the trails a too far gone to ride.

DF - my apologies for hyjacking your thread.

Yup, Highway 34 runs between DL and Park Rapids. Half way between at Height of Land Lake is a bar/grill called Charlies with a huge parking lot. It's a common drop spot. The trails going North hit Ice Cracking lodge and then on to Elbow lake, which is the entry into White Earth. These are some of my favorite stretches of woods in North Central Minnesota. Lots of groomed woods and swamps with tight corners. There are just enough drops onto lakes to scratch the itchy throttle thumb, then on to the next tight twist.

It was a great place to take the girls as most of the trails don't allow for a ton of speed. We could keep the group tight and monitor how they were doing.

It's spring break here for the middle school. So I may just have to play hooky on Friday and get her out again on the phazer. She needs a full day again.

 

[OVR4D]

Haha ... My kids are on their spring break too, and of course we (I) decided to play hooky during yesterday's storm. My kids are a little younger than your daughter and not ready for a bigger sled yet, but they held their own on their little Snosports ... in several inches of powder too! We were breaking trail most of the morning.

From yesterday (about 9 AM) ... crappy cell phone pic, but it's all I had with me.

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[RIGIDONE]

Haha ... My kids are on their spring break too, and of course we (I) decided to play hooky during yesterday's storm. My kids are a little younger than your daughter and not ready for a bigger sled yet, but they held their own on their little Snosports ... in several inches of powder too! We were breaking trail most of the morning.

From yesterday (about 9 AM) ... crappy cell phone pic, but it's all I had with me.

[/img]

i cant wait to do this with my kids!!! that is sooooo freaking cool!!! good job!!!!

 

[cannondale27]

That best part of having kids....They make you act like a kid again.Keeps you young!Well done.

 

[OVR4D]

Thanks guys. We did have a lot of fun that day. One more from the trail ... recognize this stretch of woods DF? It was taken just north of Hwy 8, west of Trappers restaurant.

[/img]

 

[DigitalFusion]

sure do! Just past the winehaven field, but before the T in the trail!

how old are your kids? My oldest is 7 and she realllly wants a sled. Im just on the fence about it.

 

[biffdotorg]

That's Awesome!!

How many times did you have to pull out the snowscoots? They get stuck in a few inches of snow.

 

[OVR4D]

12, 10, 8 & 7. 3 girls and a boy (youngest). All of them ride the Snosports ... sometimes 2-up. I don't have any problems with them riding beyond their ability ... yet. I do have to help them when they get stuck, but they are learning to work together to get unstuck, and I think they'll be able to get out themselves out of most situations on their own soon. The other issue is staying warm. I am trying to teach them how to dress to stay warm (types of materials, layers, etc.), but at their age they care more about how it looks than comfort, so it can be a struggle and you gotta pick your battles, right?

when we go out, we don't venture too far. The Snosports don't have a large gas tank so the range is not great. Reliability with a 20 plus year-old sled is also a factor. I have run out of gas on more than one occasion, and broke down once also. I carry a siphon now, but most times we make it far enough to fuel up somewhere. Use to be, they were good for shorter distances only, but I've run all they way to Palmdale and back without any complaints this year.

As far as safety goes, I worry about most about a collision with another sledder. We always go over the rules beforehand, and they understand the importance of following them. I don't know if it's the best plan, but I always lead and will speed ahead whenever approaching the top a hill or crest that I cannot see whether there are any oncoming riders. My intention is to make myself visible so that hopefully there is ample forewarning for both my kids and an approaching sled. We also do our best to pick a safe places to stop when we need a break. Minnesota now allows kids under 12 to ride their own sleds as long as a parent is the one who crosses any roads. My oldest just turned 12 this year can no longer ride like this and is now required to complete snowmobile safety training. I told her I would take a course with her as a refresher... we just need to sign up for a class or do it online. The other thing I do to try to keep it safer is take them out in the morning, as there is less traffic that way. I've had no issues thus far (fingers crossed), and no regrets.

 

[OVR4D]

How many times did you have to pull out the snowscoots? They get stuck in a few inches of snow.

Haha ... There were moments when my goggles fogged so bad I could not see, but you would be surprised at what these little Snosports will go through. I think the reason they (my kids) get stuck is because they're too light (my kids, not the sled). I can jump on them (with one of them onboard) and run through 12-15 inches of fresh powder without getting stuck! They are more capable, and more fun to ride than most people know.

DF, if you ever wanna let your daughter take a spin on it ... just let me know. It'd be a great way to see how she feels about trail riding before you actually go out and buy a sled for her.

 

[biffdotorg]

The snowsports are awesome and more powerfull the the scoots! My 11 year old passed the CD course in MN last year, then learned she had to be 11 to take the in person course.

MN wants you to get the CD, finish that electronic course, then go take the other course in person. Once they turn 12, then you fill out the online form for the certificate. Or if they are 12 at the time of the course, youc an apply right away.

We did the spring break run on Friday. Trails were awesome, and the it was sunny outside. A perfect day for kids as there was nothing to complain about.

Good Times!!

 

[biffdotorg]

Since we have hyjacked the hell out of this thread (sorry) I have to share another story.

I was changing the Hyfax on my Apex and telling her about what it did and how to tell if it is burning up by it's smell when on roads etc.

Friday, we passed three sleds on a part of the trail that ran a road shoulder. You could smell the hyfax burning when they passed. I asked her, "Macy, did you smell those sleds when they went by" She says, "yup, like burnt plastic, will their hyfax be gone later?"

I told her not right away, but they lost a little there and mentioned if she could smell it, to dip her skis and track in the closest snow and not stop until she could to cool hers down. I love it when they actually listen and learn something.