Me too, all the way from northern Newfoundland. Takes me back 45 plus years except our sleighs were handmade before the ones in this video came along. Picture this; 2 pieces of wood cut and carved for the sides. A piece of hard rubber hose split down the middle and tacked on running along the bottom of each piece. This would allow to glide over the snow and quick. 4 pieces of wood held it together on top, nailed in. If it held together after the first few runs, it was ok. If not, made another with slightly bigger wood. We would go so far to tack on a 5 gallon bucket, upside down dead centre. Removed the bucket handle, we tacked on a piece of wood to mimic snowmobile steering, just somewhere to put our hands. Found an old blanket or something like it to secure behind the bucket, easier on the knees. We mimicked starting our sleighs, the way snowmobilers actually do it. Good times! Thank you for that positive flashback.
Same here. I grew up in the Bitterroot Valley in Montana 40 years ago and my dad and several of his friends had nice runner sleds. There were a couple roads that would get packed down like that and were good for at least a 1+ mile run. Think we usually had a couple vehicles to use as shuttles and to block traffic (which there never was any) at the bottom. I still own a couple of those runner sleds (runners waxed and ready) but haven't ridden them in like.. 30 years. (last time was under a full moon on a twisty half mile run in Boulder CO). The problem these days is the roads are either plowed, or sanded or both so quickly there just is never a good time to ride em.
We do that sledding hill every year, been a family tradition for 30+ years. We have a bonfire at the bottom , roast 🌭 hotdogs, marshmallows, drink hot chocolate. TONS of fun Maria !! 😁 😃
I'm 61 and use to love sleigh riding over at my neighbor's. They had a perfect spot were snowmobiles went down a small hill and turned at the bottom between some brushes. I would ride them today if I had a chance but snow is hard to come by in Florida. LOL
My dad has sleds just like those ones they were made in 1906 and one in 1913. He always tells me how proud he is to see that I bring my friends along to do things that kids these days don’t do anymore. And to this day my dads sled is still the fastest.
That is awesome bud !! The older sleds are definitely the BEST sleds to ride down the hill on 👍 😁❄️ , glad ya enjoyed the ride down the hill with us bud 🙂
I haven't seen a sled of this design in years, in Colorado we used to ride these down single track paths down the mountain head first dodging the trees.....really miss those days
Thanx man, ya, great fun !! I'm a baby boomer as well. Tons of fun on there old sleds for the past 50+ years . glad you enjoyed the ride down the hill with us !!
God I had so much fun as a kid on my Flexible Flyer. I always rode Skeleton style. When the conditions were right, it was an amazing ride! Our driveway in Wisconsin was perfect slope down and around the back of the house. My Lab mix used to run along side and one day, he just jumped on my back. Couldn’t sled without him after that! He loved it too. Thanks for posting.
Never rode a sled on a hill that long but when we were kids we stayed out on our sleds all day long. Took you ten minutes to walk up the hill side and 1 minute to go down. You don't see a lot of sleds around anymore.
Oh it's just a family thing. We live about 5 miles from there. It's been a family tradition for 30 + years, real close to home. It's about 12 miles North West of Butte MT. Anyone can do it, tons of mountain roads out here to ride down. We have a bonfire at the bottom, roast hotdogs and marshmallows. Drink hot chocolate, have tons of fun 👍 😁
Dang! That brings back a lot of great memories from up in Lincoln County, up beyond Troy, Montana. My Dad was the biggest and heaviest, so he always went the fastest!
Do you know August Brieder? He was one of my cousins dad in Troy. I sure miss hainging out and fishing up there. I only ask cause most people around tpwn knew him. We took our sleds up Yaak River Rd and find a to sled on.
Elige. I do not know August, but the Troy area and the Yak is a beautiful area for sure. The Ross Creek Cedars are awesome, beautiful country for sure 👍 😃
Thanks for posting this, brings back many memories from the early 70s. We had some similar hills we used all meet up on and stay well into the night, some were in a city park and the roads were closed to all traffic. I still have my flexible flyer from when I was 8 or 9 years old. I'm 59 now and the sled is still in decent and rideable shape. Once again, thank you for the video. God Speed ✌
i have actually tried that and yes its so much fun. sometimes there were sharp turns where you can drift and spin around multiple times and roll around..... it is so much fun.
you come around the corner and there’s a BEAR standing in the middle of the road!!😳😳 oh no!! shit shit shit!!!!!! The possibilities are endless😁 please keep the camera running!!!
@@paulgutermann8413 well we kind of cheat. We throw the sleds on the back of that flatbed truck parked at the bottom, and ride back up to the top. Make 10 or 12 runs a day, roast hotdogs and marshmallows over a campfire. Tons of fun my friend 😁
This was an awesome ride...I think the kid riding on his stomach is using the best position to ride the sled...He can easily steer with his hands and use his feet to slow down...Thanks, this brought me back quite a few years...
Thanks for posting! I live in Vermont, and do rodel sledding (looks like an Olympic luge, but with wooden steel-bottomed runners) on mountain roads that the state closes in the winter. There are four here in VT that I sled on regularly that are between 1.3 miles and 2 miles long that provide a super fun run, so it was fun to watch someone else doing the same thing in Montana. I abruptly stopped being able to ski a few years ago due to one of my knees and starting doing this, and find that I actually love it just as much. Especially steering around hairpin turns, and just being in the mountains again including even the long walks up to the top. In Europe "rodel" runs are done on switchbacking mountain roads that are integrated into ski resorts, and are sometimes really long-- like up to 9 miles--at the end of which sledders can take a gondola or chairlift back up to the top. Would love to go over there sometime to do it. I imagine there must be more than a few people in the Northeastern and Western U.S. who are sledding on runs like we are, but I guess it takes some figuring out where to go. You need a road or run that's smooth that has some pitch to it, but not too much. One of the places I go to gets me up to about 50 mph, which is really faster than I would like to be going, so I only head there when conditions are perfect. Would love to try Mount Washington's groomed toll road (in the White Mountains of New Hampshire), about 4,500 vertical feet over 7 plus miles. I saw from one of your replies that you filmed this around Butte. I have family moving to Bozeman, so may end up being there at some point in the winter. Would be great if there are some roads around there I could try out.... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x1B_cA81KBo.html
I'm glad ya liked the ride down the hill with us. It sounds like a ton of fun there in VT as well ! Ya, I understand the knee and skiing thing. My knees hurt after a skiing day as well. I have to go slower, maybe miss some of the moguls, and only take the short numbs now. It's kind of a hard pill to swallow. Bozeman is a great town, it's growing into 1 of the largest city's in Montana. They get lots of snow there as well. Well thanks for reaching out and take care 🙂
In Ohio we just used a candle too . Used to go down cow hill . They were in the barn , we'd hit their frozen pattys though . If you made it that far , have to bail b4 the creek . 10ft drop b4 the water .
Jackyc. I'm glad the cow pattys were frozen 😃 , the abrupt stop wouldn't be fun if they were thawed out .. A 10' drop into a creek at the end ?? Kind of adds a degree of difficulty 😁, glad you enjoyed the vid 👍
@@DWalsh-ws2xs I would also consider putting the GoPro on your head, facing backwards, and have your kid follow you down. You would get a great shot of him coming all the way down the hill, from off out front of the sled.
Saw the sled types and had to watch... as a child in the 60’s, it sure brought back memories! What fun we had! No hills like that, however. Wish we had!
Thank you, ya, it's tons of fun. We have a bonfire at the bottom, roast hotdogs and marshmallows, , have hot chili, and hot chocolate. We do it EVERY year, kind of like a reunion. It's a blast. The more the merrier 😁
some of these back roads in the mountains of Montana are the best to sled on. ive lived in montana for 30 years had some of the best sledding as a kid.
Thanx man, glad you enjoyed the ride. No walking though. That's what the truck at the bottom is for. We cheat and ride back up ☝ 👍 😃 . good fun my friend !
OMG...we have a hill in our town that was always full of kids after it had snowed during the late 60’s- early 70’s, we went all winter long, especially cuz we had snow all winter long in CNY!!!! My Dad gave me a toboggan when I was 13, I still have it and two flexible flyers, too!!! No kidding!! When my kids were young in the early 90’s we would go to the same hill, took the sleds we have!!! We had a BLAST!!
You wax wood, not steel runners. Steel runners need to be cleaned to a shine once in a while, other than that they go like scared rabbits on good crusty snow.
Awesome road, seemed the perfect grade, and lots of ride time, this brings back memories from the 70s as kids, honest wholesome fun, you didn't need to buy a ticket to ride, hell give me a sled id love to join you.
Yes sir my friend, tons of fun, no ticket required 😁, the truck at the bottom gives us a ride to the top, and down we go again 😁, make 10 or so trips up and down. Fun for kids AND adults 😁
I'm glad you enjoyed the trip both down the hill, and down memory lane Larrry 😁, 👍. Riding those flexible flyers makes ya feel like you're 10 years old again 😃 😃
Way cool. I'm in Oregon and there's a few graded hills that the state closes. Couple buddies with snow machines, couple snowboards..... Good times. Hey, thanks for sharing. Looks like an absolute blast!!!
I bought my kids Flyers when they were growing up 30-40 years ago and they still have them! Now my grandkids use them. Had to reinforce some of the cross members of those sleds with hardwood but after that, they last forever.
Absolutely, the older sleds are the best, the newer ones are too flimsy. Glad generations are getting use from them, and making great memories with them too 👍 😃
Reminded me of 1975 me and some buddies climbing to top of deserted ski resort with a toboggan. Six of us on it. A tree got between us and the bottom😆😆😆. It wasn’t pretty: but fun. I still have that toboggan with the crack we put in it.😄
Oh ya, that truck at the bottom of the hill, we throw the sleds on the back of the flatbed, climb on, and ride back to the top. Lots of fun, thanks. Happy New Year to you 😃
We took 55 and 57 chevy bel air hoods off my brothers cars and used them as sleds they had the perfect shape could get everyone on. Didn't know what they would be worth today. I went to visit the place and found one, told my brother he could have his hood back and where it was.. Growing up on the Navajo nation😁👍
@@DWalsh-ws2xs after all the years I think he understands, that 55 Chevy Bel air hood is the best part of the car, since it brought so much fun for years and memories to cherish.
@@DWalsh-ws2xs a seven year old flick and they still think it's worthy to play..which it is. Next time see if you can find a snowcat to put down some corduroy for the racers 👍👍
Looks like a lot of fun. I live in Southeast North Carolina. When we get enough snow to slide ( average # every 10 years + or - ) we head to the only hills we have, highway overpasses and slide on makeshift sleds. Boogie boards, water skis with fins removed, inner tubes or pieces of cardboard boxes ect. It used to snow every year or every other year it seemed when I was much younger. Our schools would close just on the threat of snow. Seen two " blizzards" here in my 62 years. 1972 we got 6 inches of sleet and before that could fully melt it was covered by 15 or so inches of snow. Missed 2 weeks of school and had to make it up on Saturdays. ( Real bummer) 1989 we got another 15 inches that started on the 23 rd of December and continued thru Christmas Day. Our only white Christmas. Usually it s 60 ish and more green than white. Have fun.
No snow days here, we have snow 6 to 8 months of the year. Dang, makeup days on Saturdays, that would be a bummer for sure bud. Glad you enjoyed the trip down the sledding hill, TONS of FUN bud 😃 👍
@@DWalsh-ws2xs When we got the 6 inches of sleet, ( that was a first) my friend and I made a bobsled course down a long hill in my back yard.( well it was a hill as hills around here go) We took rakes and made banked corners and worked it with the contoures of the yard and slope then sprayed it with water before dark. Next morning it had all frozen and had a layer of ice on top. I had some pieces of lamanated plastic counter material ( formica). This being very slick slid over the icy track. We took pics of us flying up and over the banked corners and the local paper put us on front page. We were 15 at the time. The next week as I said , it snowed 15 or so inches on top of that ice. ( the sleet would melt some during the day and freeze back to solid ice each night. I m sure it made hazardous driving. We can t negotiate snow and ice on roads here when we get normal amounts. I didn t have my D.L. at time and can only imagine the accidents that came during these 2 weeks. We had never had even close weather like that before in my time. Then we had to make up , I believe 5 Saturdays in spring. When we do have a couple inches, our normal once every ten years, the over passes on a 4 lane bypass close by are lined up with cars and people using the man made hills for sledding. The Highway Patrol are usually accomadating and help with traffic and parked vehicles for a couple hours while the kids enjoy a rare treat. It s sometimes funny to see what spur of the moment sliding implements people bring.
Dang,that sounds like a lot of hard work, but payed off in fun though 😃, sounds like a rare treat that you made the most of 👍. Great memories for sure 👌. I'm glad the video brought you back to some great memories my friend 👍. Very cool bud 👍 😃
Right ??? And again, and again, and again :-) , we make 10 or 12 trips up & down that hill in a day. We throw the sleds on the back of a truck, drive back up, and sled down again :-)
Reminds me of my youth and going up on the Blue Ridge Parkway to sleigh ride. The best was at night with a good layer of sleet or freezing rain, the runners hitting the very little highway gravel and causing sparks. And if we got lucky and no Parkway Rangers caught us, we’d head up the higher altitudes, longer roads for riding. The rides could go for 2-3 miles. Much fun, more fun, and happy times!
Born in Missoula and traveled/lived a lot in the mountains from Glacier to Deer Lodge, Kalispell, Bozeman ... but most of my family is in Helena. My high school and college buddies also used to barrel down these roads on x-country skis too! That was a thrill. Be well and thanks for the memories.
From the UK 🇬🇧, very cool. We did a bit of traveling around there a couple years back. London, Northeren England, Scotland, loved the scenery and the people. 👍 😃 😉
Maybe the longest for you. Zzzzzz We used to walk to the top of the mountain and sled down the ski slopes at night at Wisp Ski Resort in Deep Creek Lake Md. The longest run was about 2 miles and a lot steeper than you just went down. In the spring that slope turned into basically an ice trough. We sledded down all but the steepest slopes on the mountain, they were covered in moguls which don't go with most sleds especially runner sleds. Remember this was at night with nothing but moonlight. This was in the mid to late 1970s. Fun times. No one got hurt. The kids back home in Bethesda had no idea what sledding was in comparison.
Helmets? Sledging? Are you having a laugh? Here in Scotland we use all parts of our body to slow us down, including our heads🤣. There were no helmets for us when we were wee. Many a panicked day seeing the barbed wire fence at the bottom of Corstorphine Hill at Clerwood, Edinburgh come rushing towards you as you dug your foot in desperately trying to stop before going crashing into it at the bottom, and sometimes even onto the road if the gate was open and you judged it right.🤣 Happy days... Brilliant video by the way. 🤣🙏👍🏴
Aahhhh. Scotland. We've visited there several years back. Beautiful country you have there. Much of it reminds me of Montana. Green rolling hills and mountains, trees, farms. Beautiful. Visited the castle 🏰 in Edinburgh. Wow, awesome ! Helmets, ya, we're panseys here 😃. I'm glad you enjoyed the video my friend !
I remember riding sleds like that growing up on the farm. The most fun we had was when there were at least a few inches of snow and a half inch crust of ice on top of that.
