I’m not talking about the impressive advancements that the snowmobile industry has undergone in the areas of comfort, handling, suspension, performance, fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly technologies. I’m talking about the revolutionary way in which we are using the latest technology to enhance the snowmobile experience both as we travel and when we arrive at our destination.
I’m not the tech guy of our group, I’m far from it. I’m a snowmobile purest, experienced raised and blessed by Quebec trails since 1984. I still enjoy a minimalist approach to the adventure of destinations slightly uncertain. The challenges of the unknown, the uncertainty, the mystery, the improvisation and random discoveries have given me some of my most treasured snowmobiling memories. A 1989 trip from St Ann de Beaupre around Lac St Jean with the machinery and fuel range of that era, come easily to my mind. Five friends with only a direction in mind, it was awesome.
The infiltration of image and information technology began slowly. It started with cameras that were good enough and small enough to put in our pocket and handheld GPS units that were basic and difficult to see.
We are not young techies, we are a group of 50 something’s and we are now armed with an arsenal of technologies that were difficult to imagine just a short time ago.
Easily visible wide screen GPS’s loaded with the most current routable trail maps, points of interest information and a crazy amount of trip detail and data. Average speed, top speed, which sections of trail were at what average speed, distance point to point, elevation, estimated time of arrival………….. We have it all.
Gone are the days of our intersection “meeting of the minds” discussions. We now have advance notification markers programmed to let us know which way is the correct way to go.
Total confusion seems to be a thing of the past. Extensive POI information reveals all service offerings and options in any area that we may travel.
We mount the latest in high resolution, extended battery life, digital video cameras to our helmets. We position them pointing forward or backwards or forward and backwards with 2 cameras, so that no viewpoint escapes possible capture. It is now common to see these cameras on helmets everywhere you go.
We pack rugged, thin profile, light weight, lap top computers in our sled luggage and smart phones in our pockets.
At the end of our day’s journey, we look for accommodations which offer us free wifi and flat screen TV’s with video inputs.
We replay the day’s video and review the GPS track and data, matching each to the other. We play our favorite tunes from our phones through an awesome sounding “twinkie size” Bluetooth speaker as we relive the information packed adventure of our day. We could pull this little speaker out on the trail and have a dance if we wanted.
We laugh, we reminisce and we share unbelievable friendship, just like we always have, but with extraordinary technology by our side.
We check our emails, do business, Skype family members, order a new suspension spring and get updates on anything we can think of.
We posts updates to share information with others, upload photos and videos to facebook, youtube and our favorite snowmobile forums.
We use a smart phone App to determine the GPS locations of groomers in the areas we wish to travel as we plot our final itinerary for the following day.
Is it better? I don’t know, as I said I’m 50+ and an old school purest. The fact is that the game has changed in ways that we could have never imagined just 5 years ago.
We now have the almost unlimited ability to receive and transmit information. We use technology like never before and we are not alone, It is truly amazing. Snowmobiling has changed………again!
As the GPS disclaimer says “life or death decisions’ should not be based solely on the information provided by this device”
Ride smart, stay safe.
