Driving a snowscoot
It is the beginning of December and the first snow fell unusually early for local conditions. For the few bikers with studded tires this is good news, but I dare say that for the remaining majority of two-wheeled fans, this period when we are forced to put down the handlebars is more of an ordeal. And that, at least in form, before the snow melts again, at least for a while.The possibility of holding the handlebars in your hands even in winter has been known in the world for a long time. However, the concept of SNOWSCOOT is getting very slowly among bikers in the Czech Republic. Not sitting at home on your ass, but going down trails even in winter, can drive away all the withdrawal symptoms of all bikers.
That´s why a couple of guys from the team didn´t hesitate and with the arrival of the first snow, which also arrived in Wallachia, we took out our SNOWSCOOTS and were already on our phones when we would go on our first freeride. Since Radhošť is our home location, it was a clear choice for us. We got a taxi driver (in the form of my wife), loaded the snowcoots into the car and set off for new experiences.
Going up to Pustevny by car is always a bit of a rally in the snow, as the entire road is located in a protected landscape area, and from the lower places it is already covered with a thick layer of driven snow. An inconvenience for some, but for us a bit of adrenaline right from the start, rather enjoyment and fun. Although in the van with the handbrake located next to the foot pedals and with the inability to turn off the ESP, corners are driven without skidding at times more of a pain than a joy. All the more so when we saw in the rearview mirror a guy in a tuned Subaru clinging to our rear window and peeking out from behind the car every now and then to see if he could finally overtake us. With his feet on the floor and a smile on his face, we saw him in the mirror all the way to the top of Pusteven.
At the top, we are already taking the SNOWSCOOTY out of the trunk and waving to the departing car, which will be waiting for us below. Feeling that we were finally ready to conquer this Beskydy hill, we set off.
The thermometer showed a pleasant -7 °C, the snow was lightly flying around and we had about an hour´s climb ahead of us. From Pusteven to Radhošť, it is up for a while and down again for a while, so we sometimes slipped a little there. Compared to the summer season, when we complete this route in the mountains, it was a more pleasant feeling to fill the downhill sections with riding.
After a few meters we met a group of men who did not hide their admiration for our SNOWSCOOTS and tried to figure out how to control it. After a short explanation, when we told them that they brake on it in the same way as on skis, i.e. by skidding, most of them started peeking with a certain longing expression that they would also like to try it. However, since they had a small plate in their hands, which looked almost empty, we said goodbye with a cheerful undertone and continued on to the top of Radhošť. At the statue of Cyril and Methodius, we made a small stop for photo documentation and we were finally standing at the beginning of the expected moment in the form of about 10 kilometers long freeride in fresh powder.
The first section of the route was a pleasant warm-up, as there is a slope about 500 m long leading from the top, which is not usually groomed and was covered with a layer of fluffy white powder. We circled the first arcs with smiles on our faces. The snow was pleasantly scraped over the front ski to the handlebars, where it dispersed to the sides through our hands. You can´t get enough of this feeling quickly. Withdrawal symptoms from the lack of time spent in the saddle of a bike were suddenly there. Adrenaline rose in the blood with every meter covered, and the snow flurries absorbed us perfectly and brought us to ecstasy.
The end of the slope turned into a steep road with blown dunes that looked like frozen surf waves on the sea. So there was plenty of entertainment here too. We were having fun with our front skis cutting through the blown snow dunes, when I noticed that one of the guys in the party, who was riding in the front, and was among the beginners so far, stuck it head-on into one of the dunes and took a beautiful flight over the handlebars . Fortunately, he fell into the deep powder, so he was a white ball, but he continued on with a smile. After a few meters he repeated it twice more, but his words "at least I´m moving a little" reassured us that nothing terrible had happened anyway and he would be able to continue driving.
The next passage was a freeride through the forest, where fortunately there was enough space between the trees, so we thoroughly enjoyed the full depth of the powder. Even my 10-year-old son had a good time despite the minor carambolas, which surprised me and the others quite a bit. For some of the participants, this passage was already a little too steep, so they preferred to use the nearby service road, which we then all connected to. Although the slope was smaller here, the speed could still be maintained at acceptable numbers. Here was the opportunity to take a few quick 360° turns, which are typical for SNOWSCOOT.
At the Mír cottage, we turned off the road and set off on the last stage. We headed down through the long meadows, where we already felt the feeling of full satiety and enjoyment from this trip. We overcame the half-meter snowdrift with our own ease and rounded the last bends to the place where the car was already waiting for us. Pleasantly tired and full of impressions, we told each other all our driving experiences and in the car on the way home we plan our next descent.
We have to wait a few more days for more snow and another freeride because of the snow, but we would like to go again now. Our enthusiasm for adrenaline experiences awakens in us the idea for another joint ride, where most of our Czech snowscoot scene should meet. And not only Czech! This year, this event is planned in the Karlov ski area in Jeseníky. So if you feel like going out with us!
