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Picking the ski vehicle



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 9th 03, 01:43 AM
bdubya
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Default Picking the ski vehicle

I've got a great vehicle for getting to the slopes; I just have to
figure out which one it is.

Since before the dawn of time, my ski conveyance has been an old Civic
Si with a roof rack and a good set of snow tires. With the exception
of the low ground clearance (4"), it's been outstanding. The only
failings have been once when the last five miles of road to the cabin
had about eight inches of new, unplowed and drifted (with more coming
down, at about 2 AM) leading discretion to trump valor (i.e. we
grabbed a motel room), and several occasions when friends with
pickemups (2wd) or SUVs (4x4) have done 180s or nearly gone in the
ditch trying to keep up with me. I've been able to compare it
back-to-back it with an Exploder of the same vintage, and ground
clearance aside, the Civic tracks, stops and turns so much better in
the snow that there's no comparison at all.

But this summer has seen the addition of a nice late-model pickup
(4-liter Ranger with the entry-level offroad package). It's got over
twice the ground clearance of the Civic, plus 4wd, but it's got
all-season tires, inferior handling (I'd even call it truck-like), and
a lot more mass in motion.

So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....

bw

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  #2  
Old October 9th 03, 01:23 PM
Kneale Brownson
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Default

bdubya wrote in message . ..
I've got a great vehicle for getting to the slopes; I just have to
figure out which one it is.

Since before the dawn of time, my ski conveyance has been an old Civic
Si with a roof rack and a good set of snow tires. With the exception
of the low ground clearance (4"), it's been outstanding. The only
failings have been once when the last five miles of road to the cabin
had about eight inches of new, unplowed and drifted (with more coming
down, at about 2 AM) leading discretion to trump valor (i.e. we
grabbed a motel room), and several occasions when friends with
pickemups (2wd) or SUVs (4x4) have done 180s or nearly gone in the
ditch trying to keep up with me. I've been able to compare it
back-to-back it with an Exploder of the same vintage, and ground
clearance aside, the Civic tracks, stops and turns so much better in
the snow that there's no comparison at all.

But this summer has seen the addition of a nice late-model pickup
(4-liter Ranger with the entry-level offroad package). It's got over
twice the ground clearance of the Civic, plus 4wd, but it's got
all-season tires, inferior handling (I'd even call it truck-like), and
a lot more mass in motion.

So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....

bw



Before the dawn of time? I can remember before there ever was a
Civic.

Anyway, some dedicated snow tires would improve your go chances with
the truck, and you could use that vehicle whenever you're heading out
in the face of expected snowfalls. Otherwise, I'd opt for the comfort
and handling of the Honda.

  #3  
Old October 9th 03, 02:16 PM
F. Plant
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Posts: n/a
Default


"bdubya" wrote in message
...
I've got a great vehicle for getting to the slopes; I just have to
figure out which one it is.

Since before the dawn of time, my ski conveyance has been an old Civic
Si with a roof rack and a good set of snow tires. With


snip
or

But this summer has seen the addition of a nice late-model pickup
(4-liter Ranger with the entry-level offroad package). It's got over
twice the ground clearance of the Civic, plus 4wd, but it's got
all-season tires, inferior handling (I'd even call it truck-like), and


snip

IMHO, since you are really familiar with the civics handling I'd personally
go with it and risk hitting the hotel if the snow is too deep, assuming the
last 5 miles are a tiny portion of the trip. Truck is top heavy whch dosn't
help the handling either. If the truck had great snows and you were
familiar with taking it out of a skid, I might say different.

I have driven a civic with Nokian snows, it handled great and would plow
snow over the hood and up the windshield.

I've also driven a similar class of 4x4 pickups with all season and with
real snows. with the all season 4x4
the civic would probably win out except for busting thru snowbanks and maybe
going uphill in deep snow. With REAL snows and weight in the back, the 4x4
would beat the civic except in emergency handling -though in certain ice
situations the 4x4 will be better.

My 2 cents
F.plant


  #4  
Old October 9th 03, 04:33 PM
lal_truckee
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Default

bdubya wrote:



So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....



Pickup - but only after throwing a yd^2 of sand in the bed. Thing tracks
badly because it's nowhere near design weight. Add some overall weight
to move compress the suspension and some rear weight to even out the
traction and you're set, even without speciality tires.

(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand to
rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


  #5  
Old October 9th 03, 05:05 PM
Chester Bullock
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Default

lal_truckee wrote:


(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand to
rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


Amen to that. I got to rescue some cute grrls on Loveland Pass last
year. Had my towstrap in my Jeep, pulled them off the dge of the road
and certain doom. Had I not been in a hurry to get home to go out with
my fiance, I am sure I could have received lots of appreciation. I
think they were boarder-grrls though...


--
Chester Bullock,
Ethical, custom website hosting, design and programming
Tenxible Solutions,
http://www.tenxible.com
Web Based Autoresponder and DRIP system, http://www.toolsre.com
AIM: tenxible YahooIM: ccb247


  #6  
Old October 9th 03, 08:39 PM
pigo
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Default


"Chester Bullock" wrote in message
...
lal_truckee wrote:


(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand

to
rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


Amen to that. I got to rescue some cute grrls on Loveland Pass last
year. Had my towstrap in my Jeep, pulled them off the dge of the road
and certain doom. Had I not been in a hurry to get home to go out

with
my fiance, I am sure I could have received lots of appreciation. I
think they were boarder-grrls though...


Thank your luck stars that you had something to do then. Your dick would
have most likely fallen off by now otherwise.



  #7  
Old October 10th 03, 03:14 PM
bdubya
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:33:11 CST, lal_truckee
wrote:

bdubya wrote:



So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....



Pickup - but only after throwing a yd^2 of sand in the bed. Thing tracks
badly because it's nowhere near design weight. Add some overall weight
to move compress the suspension and some rear weight to even out the
traction and you're set, even without speciality tires.

(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand to
rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


I travel with a grrl (a certified two-planker!) so there's no special
benefit to rescuing grrls vs. anybody else who's stuck (I already have
the recovery strap). Weighting the rear would help, of course, but
I'd like to do it with something more useful than the sand (if I can't
yank'em outta the ditch, I doubt the sand will help much).
Hmmm....mebbe if I weight the rear end down with a used-but-functional
snowmobobble? Then I'm REALLY set. What's a used sled go for these
days?

bw

  #8  
Old October 10th 03, 03:35 PM
MoonMan
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Posts: n/a
Default

In , bdubya typed:
On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:33:11 CST, lal_truckee
wrote:

bdubya wrote:



So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....



Pickup - but only after throwing a yd^2 of sand in the bed. Thing
tracks badly because it's nowhere near design weight. Add some
overall weight to move compress the suspension and some rear weight
to even out the traction and you're set, even without speciality
tires.

(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand
to rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


I travel with a grrl (a certified two-planker!) so there's no special
benefit to rescuing grrls vs. anybody else who's stuck (I already have
the recovery strap). Weighting the rear would help, of course, but
I'd like to do it with something more useful than the sand (if I can't
yank'em outta the ditch, I doubt the sand will help much).
Hmmm....mebbe if I weight the rear end down with a used-but-functional
snowmobobble? Then I'm REALLY set. What's a used sled go for these
days?

bw


Why not weigh it down with beer


--
Chris *:-)

Downhill Good, Uphill BAD!

www.suffolkvikings.org.uk



  #9  
Old October 10th 03, 06:08 PM
bdubya
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Posts: n/a
Default

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:30:06 CST, "MoonMan"
wrote:

In , bdubya typed:
On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 10:33:11 CST, lal_truckee
wrote:

bdubya wrote:



So when heading north for a few days on the hills, which should I
take? Or should I take one and my girlfriend takes the other, so as
to cover all our bases? Decisions, decisions.....


Pickup - but only after throwing a yd^2 of sand in the bed. Thing
tracks badly because it's nowhere near design weight. Add some
overall weight to move compress the suspension and some rear weight
to even out the traction and you're set, even without speciality
tires.

(Throw a tow rope and a shovel in the bed, and you can use that sand
to rescue cute grrls who are stuck in the snow.)


I travel with a grrl (a certified two-planker!) so there's no special
benefit to rescuing grrls vs. anybody else who's stuck (I already have
the recovery strap). Weighting the rear would help, of course, but
I'd like to do it with something more useful than the sand (if I can't
yank'em outta the ditch, I doubt the sand will help much).
Hmmm....mebbe if I weight the rear end down with a used-but-functional
snowmobobble? Then I'm REALLY set. What's a used sled go for these
days?

bw


Why not weigh it down with beer


Good idea, but the beer rides in the cab, where it won't freeze and
blow the caps off the bottles. I guess I could rig an exhaust bypass
to heat the bed, though. Hmmm....

bw

bw


  #10  
Old October 11th 03, 01:56 AM
Kneale Brownson
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Posts: n/a
Default

bdubya wrote in message . ..

Good idea, but the beer rides in the cab, where it won't freeze and
blow the caps off the bottles. I guess I could rig an exhaust bypass
to heat the bed, though. Hmmm....



A capper and one of those plug-in cooler/warmer devices would let you
keep your skis out of the weather and your beer however you wanted it.

 




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