Other Winter Sports

SLEDDING
Sledding is an activity for all ages to enjoy and can be done on any slope with snow on it and with anything that one can sit on and slide. Although children account for a vast majority of the people on any given hill, their parents and elders also manage to have a good time on the sledding hill. Sledding is simply a good time for all involved. Just about anything can be used as a sled. One of the more primitive is the use of a garbage bag that is fitted so that the person's head and arms are sticking out and their feet hang out of the original opening. When using a garbage bag as a sled all you have to do is dive down the hill as is you had no sled at all. Other more common sleds that can be used are toboggans, plain plastic sleds, rudder sl eds, tubes and disks. All of these sleds can be used simply by sitting or laying on them and getting an initial push down a hill. The reason why sledding is so popular may be because of the fact that it takes very little equipment to participate. Obstac les can be incorporated into a hill to increase the difficulty and danger involved in sledding. This is usually done by children who grow tired of simply gliding straight down a hill. A jump can start a competition on who can jump the farthest or who can go off the biggest jump. These obstacles can be built so big that it can be very dangerous to go off some of these jumps, some can knock the wind out of you and some can even break bones or cause neck or back injures, but the adrenaline rush that results is what keeps sledders coming back for more. There are many popular places to go sledding in Syracuse. One of the best is up near the water tower in Thorndon Park, this venue offers a very long and steep hill with plenty of snow at its high elevation. Other hills can be found on South Campus or even on the hilly streets of Syracuse which repeatedly ice over all winter.

SNOWMOBILING
See snowmobiles in action
Snowmobiling is one of the enjoyable winter activities traditional to the north. One can always catch a glimpse of the s nowmabiles or their tracks in the middle of large fields and long strips of road. It is often used as transportation, however, in the heavy winters when driving a car is not all that sensible with the road and weather conditions. When they are not used for transportation, snowmobiles are being raced around on trails and fields. Some snowmobiles reach speeds up near 60 mph. Snowmobiling can also be a very dangerous activity. With the high speeds that many snowmobiles race at the risk of crashing or losing control of the vehicle increases dramatically. A helmet should be worn at all times when using a snowmobile to ensure that the operator does not suffer any severe head injures. Another danger that goes with snowmobiling is the fact that most of the grou nd is usually covered with a sheet of snow and it is nearly impossible to see any ditches, rocks or ice that may lay beneath the cover of snow. The operator can very easily run across a large rock or ditch which would give the vehicle a considerable jolt and may induce a crash. When a snowmobile runs upon ice it can either fall through the ice, depending on the thickness, or start skidding and once again the operator can lose control of the vehicle. With this high degree of danger when participating in th e activity of snowmobiling it is imperative that the operator and all passengers wear protective gear to ensure everybodyÕs safety. Snowmobiling is a very popular hobby in the Syracuse area for there are many snowmobile dealerships in the area, especially down on Erie Boulevard. In heavy snow areas snowmobiles are as common as the snowfalls, therefore, with all these snowmobiles games and activities are invented that utilize the attributes of the machine. The most common is snowmobile races, these race s can be done in one's backyard or on a snowmobile racing circuit that can be seen on television. These races can grow to be very competitive for the speeds of snowmobiles get faster every year. Other activities include going hunting and reaching areas th at can not be reached by any other means, attaching sleds or tow hitches and getting towed around behind the snowmobile. There are many inventive activities that can be conjured up when dealing with sowmobiles and all seem to be equally fun. For more info click here to go to the Snowmobile Home Page.