A snowmobile is a motorized sled or a modified stock chassis that carries one or two people over snow. Often called a snow scooter or a snow machine, it is usually powered by a two or four-stroke engine. Though snowmobiles originated to ride people across distances covered with snow, it is now a popular winter sport in Canada, North America and the colder regions of Europe. However, even now snowmobiles are used for travel in the Arctic areas, though the major attraction of snowmobiles is for recreation only, especially in areas where snow cover is stable in winter. In fact, snowmobile enthusiasts love to drag race on grass and asphalt strips in summers as well.
The standard snowmobile measures from 5 to 8 feet in length and 2? to 3 feet in width. It rides on two short skis in the front and a wide track at the rear. It has an engine of up to 150 horsepower that moves the track, propelling the snowmobile. You can steer the snowmobile with handlebars and go at the speed of 0 to over 100 miles per hour. Snowmobiling was once considered an environmental hazard, mainly because of the two-stroke engines which have since graduated to four-strokes, reducing the pollution levels considerably.
The earliest snowmobiles were used for mail delivery. But, the Ford Model Ts that were modified for the purpose, replacing tracks and skis for the undercarriage, could not be operated in more humid areas. The modern snowmobile in its open-cockpit one-or two-person form came as late as 1970 when many competitors sprang up and nearly two million snowmobiles were sold in three years from 1970 to 1973.
These days we have the industrial-type snowmobiles that are large enclosed vehicles. They are powered by strong 4 to 8 cylinder diesel or petrol engines and are completely tracked with no skis in the front. They can carry passengers and cargo, and are meant for grooming cross-country ski trails.
Snowmobiling is an exciting sport that can make some operators reckless. Many accidents happen due to snowmobiling in the dark and speeding. People die every year in snowmobile accidents. When you go snowmobiling, you should make safety your chief concern because careless snowmobiling has often resulted in death or serious injury. You should never attempt to snowmobile while drinking. Also, watch out for obstacles and be very careful when crossing roads.
Snowmobiling is a major source of income for people in the small towns of Canada and the United States where tourism is the only activity during winter and summer months. Every year, Americans and Canadians spend over $27 billion on snowmobiling including expenditures on equipment, clothing, accessories and snowmobiling vacations. This goes to prove how popular snowmobiling is in these regions!
As a Marriage, Family Therapist for 26 years, I have heard the cry for alone time from many clients. Especially in these busy times, it is very important to have a way to satisfy that need, and not at the expense of others or your body.
For example, Dean and Kathy, who were in my office for marriage counseling, were complaining to me about their frequent yelling bouts. When I asked them the time of the day that most of their arguments occurred, they replied, "We have a fight practically every evening when Dean comes home from work."
In their common scenario, Dean would arrive home around 6:30 pm., after what he described as a stressful day at the office and on the road in rush hour traffic. Kathy would greet him at the door, stressed from a full day of looking after their two active young children, and their dog and cat.
Fiasco is a good way to describe what happens when two stressful people meet with different pressing needs. Dean, exhausted and drained, desires time alone to decompress from the pressures of his day. Kathy was also burned out by that time of the day from the many demands from her family, and she wants Dean to help her with the children. She also desperately wants to speak to an adult, but is frustrated because Dean is not listening.
To help them resolve their problem, I suggested to Kathy that she take at least twenty minutes for herself before Dean comes home. Then she would be better able to be relaxed and undemanding at that crucial time.
Then I told Dean that it would be a good idea for him to briefly greet his family and then to spend at least twenty minutes alone to regain his composure. Dean loved the idea and decided to hide in the bedroom, to change his clothes and to stretch out on his bed while listening to soothing music.
Both Kathy and Dean were able to hear how each other felt during the twilight hours. With understanding and compassion, they were ready to solve their problem. By the end of the counseling session Kathy and Dean felt acknowledged and satisfied with the plan.
When the couple returned the following week they were very excited with the results. Kathy and Dean realized that they both mistakenly believed that the other person did not care about them. Now they accepted the truth that they deeply cared about each other and just needed some space.
The loving couple were experiencing smooth transitions during what was previously a "witching hour." Dean was able to switch gears and be the loving father and husband he wanted to be. Kathy succeeded in shifting into becoming the patient, loving wife she truly was.
Dean and Kathy also followed my suggestion of putting a sign on the closed bedroom doorknob that said, "I Love You and I Need Space." They agreed to display that clearly communicating sign whenever they felt the need to be alone in order to relax and re-group. The children also had their signs ready when they needed them.
At the next session, the couple reported fewer arguments, accidents, and illness. The family, including the dog and the cat, were much more harmonious.
No matter what age you are, it is a wonderful gift to yourself and others to explain what you need so that you can be supported. To make sure that they get the clear message, post your sign, "I Love You and I Need Space."
Both Sledhead & Helene Rothschild are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Sledhead has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports. Visit our site . Sledhead's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Helene Rothschild has sinced written about articles on various topics from Essential Oils, Alternative Medicine and Mothers Day. Copyright 2006 by Helene Rothschild, MS, MA, MFT, a Marriage, Family Therapist, intuitive counselor, speaker, and author. Her new book is, "ALL YOU NEED IS HART!?. She offers phone sessions, teleclasses, books, e-books, MP3 audios, tapes, posters, indepen. Helene Rothschild's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.