Having "The Talk" with loved ones

[MOMMA]

How many of you have to go to great lengths to reassure your loved ones that you'll be ok out there when riding?
Do you have wives or children that worry, and feel you're taking a risk when you go out riding? What makes them worry? What do you do to reassure them?

I try to include my kids in every ounce of planning I do to keep them assured of my safety. They participate in avy classes, and help me pack my bag.

At the Meteor Mine Hill climb, everyone was giving me the gears about wearing my Avy pack. Many urged me to loose my bag and save some weight. It was a closed course, and by all means, a very very low risk of sliding, but I kept my bag on. My kids would be devastated if I wasn't wearing my bag. They expect me to take every precaution possible to stay safe. I also want to set a good example for them. So I wore it. As I do, even on "low risk" type rides.

What do you do to keep your family peaceful?

Trish

 

[maxwell]

most of my family and friends are FAR more concerned about getting to the hill than my safe practices on the hill. they already know that i have the best gear and am as safe as possible. its just the 1200km of driving every weekend all winter that worries them most.

 

[catinthehat]

My family has been riding with me forever so they are familiar with the safety precautions and thought that goes into preparation for every ride.
They also have been there to see some of the dumbass things I do so maybe I haven't set their minds all that much at ease.
Like you when we ride we wear all our safety gear no matter how low the risk at the time, It will NEVER do you any good if it isn't there.
Speaking of which, better get mine together and go out to enjoy a blue bird day off.

 

[mareshow]

Yeah I dont even talk to non-sledders about avalanche conditions anymore. It seems that most people dont seem to understand that even if the avy conditions are bad that you can still ride safely. Plus the possibility of death in the hills is no where close to the possibility on the roads to and from them. My friend said it best when we loaded up in mcbride and were about to drive out of the parking lot and he said, "now for the most dangerous part of the trip."

 

[Weirboondocking]

My wife rides with me very often so she doesn't worry anymore. When I first got her into the backcountry she didn't trust lots of places we go, but I spent the time to show her the reasoning behind some of the line choices and as well as not avoiding spots that make her concernd. My wife had a resonable amount of time backcounty sking and has done her AVI. training, so a lot of the things I do she could prove to herself that it safe, we always stop and spend time going over potential risks. We always wear all our safty gear, I even put my AVI. bag and beacon on for just a blast up and down the power line.

To put it simple show your loved ones why they can trust that you make good choices by involving them. Let them know where you are going and when you should be home, teach them about the saftey gear.

Better yet get them sledding....

 

[jtilley]

I use the SPOT this way my wife can see i'm ok and where I am. Also send here messages through it to let her know im ok. Just got to remeber to shut it off before i go the bar

 

[moyiesledhead]

Speaking of which, better get mine together and go out to enjoy a blue bird day off.

You suck!


Anyway.....It's the other way around for me these days. I'm constantly worried about the choices my son may or may not be making while he's riding. Trish knows exactly the kind of stuff he's doing with the Hickshow crew! He's smart.....but damn it, he's young. We all know what that means!

And while we're on the subject of avy packs.....what's up with that. My nephew was telling me about some guys he was riding with last week that were taking theirs off so they had more "control" climbing chutes. WTF!!!!
Then the one guy sticks his sled on a steep slope.......and his shovels at the bottom of the hill in his pack!


I carry an extra shovel on my tunnel just so I don't have to take off my "avy pack that I payed a lot of money for to save my life and hopefully never have to use", further risking my life on a steep slope just to get at my damn shovel! What's with these idiots?

 

[ferniesnow]

You suck!


Anyway.....It's the other way around for me these days. I'm constantly worried about the choices my son may or may not be making while he's riding. Trish knows exactly the kind of stuff he's doing with the Hickshow crew! He's smart.....but damn it, he's young. We all know what that means!

And while we're on the subject of avy packs.....what's up with that. My nephew was telling me about some guys he was riding with last week that were taking theirs off so they had more "control" climbing chutes. WTF!!!!
Then the one guy sticks his sled on a steep slope.......and his shovels at the bottom of the hill in his pack!

I carry an extra shovel on my tunnel just so I don't have to take off my "avy pack that I payed a lot of money for to save my life and hopefully never have to use", further risking my life on a steep slope just to get at my damn shovel! What's with these idiots?

Once again (and I'm not inferring your son is stupid), it is hard to fix stupid!

I too have the extra shovel in a bag on the tunnel. Some of the "friends I take snowmobiling" get stuck at the bottom of a run-out or in an un-safe area and I do not take off my pack anymore. With all the precautions, it is not always possible to get everyone in a group on the same page so we deal with it the best we can.

 

[SidewaysInto3rd]

1200km of driving every weekend all winter

Time to move Maxwell !

I drive 5 minutes from my house to the best coastal riding and sometimes I bitch about that too and just stay at the cabin

 

[LUCKY 7]

My son is now going to get into the sport of sledding and we will be getting into more avi training in the fall. My wife trusts and likes who I ride with which makes it easier on her.Before next season my son will have the gear and the training BEFORE the season starts.

 

[Bnorth]

Time to move Maxwell !

I drive 5 minutes from my house to the best coastal riding and sometimes I bitch about that too and just stay at the cabin

Damn you got me beat, I have to drive 10 minutes.

 

[0neoldfart]

Touchy subject, and it depends whom you are reassuring. My wife and kids are never worried when I go riding, as usually they are with me, when not they are simply jealous. But for other family members who have never ridden (and will never try) - it is a difficult task to reassure them. No matter how much training and experience one has - there is always the "what if" scenario in the back of thier minds, and they are not afraid to voice an opinion. I work in a dangerous envoirnment, drive on dangerous roads, eat dangerous food (especially at my age lol). My reasoning usually ends up being that there is a difference between simply existing, or living. I've no desire to be "safe" if it means that I have to live in a "bubble" and not do anything fun. If I was to "check out" tomorrow, I would have no regrets, and I feel my immediate family (wife & kids) feel much the same way...can't go through life worried that everything is hazardous to your heath, cause frankly, everything can be...

 

[Jesse_01]

I had to sell my avi bag. It was too heavy and causing an old separated shoulder to hurt to the point I couldn't hold on. I prefer to pack everything on the tunnel less beacon and probe.

I use a spot and gps all the time.

 

[ferniesnow]

I had to sell my avi bag...........

So now you ride just a little smarter?

 

[T-team]

I wasnt aware there WAS a better way to reassure your family you are going to be ok then to have all the proper gear and the proper amount of training! I can tell my mom I'm going to be fine before I leave..... But I usually tell her that before I go out on saturday night too without the proper supervision..... and by sunday moring about 10am ... she is well aware that I in fact lied to her lol.

 

[TylerG]

I wasnt aware there WAS a better way to reassure your family you are going to be ok then to have all the proper gear and the proper amount of training! I can tell my mom I'm going to be fine before I leave..... But I usually tell her that before I go out on saturday night too without the proper supervision..... and by sunday moring about 10am ... she is well aware that I in fact lied to her lol.

it takes that long?

 

[white6]

For my immediate family, they've all been up to the mountains. Like others said they are often more concerned about the highways getting there than each day riding (I think). We always touch base with each other every day we got off the hill and in the morning as to where we're going. They trust my core group and know I have the right equipment with a sensible head. We check avy conditions, always scope out areas to best of our ability to ensure no harm. My dad and brother were in the Turbo avy a few years ago and that really put the power of the mountains into perspective (not saying they didn't respect it before). Communication is a big factor for my family, and when I take my solo trips there is a lot of communication which helps. Its when my other half goes without me that the re-assurance chain is weak lol but we're working on it and getting better. I know he's a very strong rider, very mechanically inclined, resourceful & a good woodsmen. He knows dangers and how to read the terrain well. He has all the gear (less a spot) and I trust him, and know what he's like on the mtn. That doesn't change whether I'm there or not, but there is always the 'chit happens' factor that not being there can make me nervous. And it's going to be that way for everyone. Knowing where he plans to ride and when he gets back down to the truck is the best peace of mind he can give me.

 

[Jesse_01]

So now you ride just a little smarter?

Yeah sold my 174" turbo, took the turbo off of my 155. Stick to the tree's, better snow in creek ravines and draws anyways.

Got tired of everyone sitting at the bottom of a mtn watching each other go up and down saying look at me.

 

[rsaint]

Gee thought it was the other talk thread sex and drugs.

 

[neilsleder]

As for my family for some reason they trust my judgment on me playing safe. As for my wife she is my main riding partner so we have the talk a few times a day, she always thinks I am going to do something stupid or crazy lol. And like said a few times most people I know and know how I ride they worry more about the roads.