Harlie Osmond (ZR 200) – Enjoying Winter

By Jamie Osmond

Father and son time take on a whole new meaning during the winter months for my son Harlie, who’s seven years old. This time of year, means we get to spend more time together and the winter toys come out.

 

Hanging out in Grand Bay Brook (South West Portion of Newfoundland); snowshoeing with the whole family, ice fishing with Pops, cabin kitchen parties and nighttime bonfires roasting marshmallows are just some of the ways we enjoy the long cold winter. Of course, our number one winter pass time involves starting up the sleds and playing in the snow!

 

We as a family firmly believe in spending as much time outdoors as possible.  In a time were electronics seem to rule kids’ lives, it’s a wonderful thing to see your kid outdoors – whether it’s on a snowmobile, snowshoes, or just digging out a snow camp.

Hanging out at the family cabin “Roosters Tonsils” during all the stormy nights we get in Port Aux Basques makes life in this windy town a little more bearable. We get to wake up to fresh pow often, but the blue-sky days are far and few between.

“Braap” has taken on a whole different meaning these days. Last year, Harlie got a brand new ZR 200 for his seventh birthday. This little snowmobile is an amazing machine. We don’t stop and he has no problem chasing our full sized machines around the trails. Stepping up to this size of sled has made Harlies play area much bigger and he can now access parts of the mountain he never could before.

The ZR 200 is a step up from the 120cc and was a much-needed addition to the sleds available for kids on the market. He just loves it. Keeping Harlie safe on the trails is my number one priority. Teaching him basic snowmobile safety fundamentals in hopes of turning him into a future leader on the trails.

 

A few basic safety rules we follow;

• Eyes on the trail at all times. Sometimes Harlie needs a little reminder as he likes to show off if any newcomers come and join us for a ride.
• Always follow an adult. Even though Harlie is perfectly capable of getting himself into our cabin – he’s been riding that trail since he was three years old. He always follows behind an adult, as the trail can change overnight and an unexpected hazard may be hard to see before you are right on top of it.
• Gear. Harlie doesn’t always enjoy wearing all his gear, it can feel a bit cumbersome to a seven-year-old, but he is not allowed on his sled without his helmet, goggles, good stiff snowboard boots and his chest protector.
• High visibility flag. We installed a flag on his sled so he is easily seen on the trail.

Harlie has progressed so much since this upgrade to the ZR 200. It was worth every penny. We have been working on bull turns and side hilling, but he still says busting big drifts is his favourite! The squeals and giggles coming from behind the helmet say it all.  This is enjoyable for both of us and this is awesome father and son time.