Hills make Long Island easy sledding

BY JONATHAN McCARTHY
Newsday.com

People dislike snowplows. That is a pretty harsh fact, but growing up on Long Island, in the city or just about anywhere, snow enthusiasts learn early in life to have disdain for the snowplow. The root of this is clear: Plows remove fun.

For a child, it's a machine that clears the way for the school bus; adults see their good excuse to skip work swept to the side of the road. Sure, plows help make the roads safe, but most snow mavens watch in horror as powder that would have been perfect for sleigh riding is removed from the paved hills.

In fact, some winter enthusiasts believe snow is dropped specifically for sleigh riding. Everyone remembers his or her first time sleigh riding and, like riding a bike, once you learn how, you never forget.

With that in mind, here is a look at some key factors in enjoying sleigh riding in our area:

Will it snow?

The problem with Long Island is that the winds are against us, says Brian Colle, who teaches Weather Analysis and Forecasting at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

"Most significant snow events on the Island usually turn to rain at some point," Colle says. "This is due to the southern wind associated with nor'easters, the most common type of snow storm on Long Island, which takes the warmer air off the surface of the ocean and mixes it with the snow, causing sleet or freezing rain."

This is not good news for sleigh riding enthusiasts.

But in recent years, Long Island has experienced quite a few major snowfalls that brought the sleigh-riders out to the hills. Good sleigh riding can be had with just three inches of snow, and since the ground temperature gets cooler every day throughout the winter, sticking should not be a problem until it rains.

Will any sled do?

You can use a garbage bag, trash can lid or even a shovel to get down a hill, but new technologies have led to the development of sleds that look and function like rockets. Your local toy store, or even a ski shop, should have some of the funky new byproducts of new technology.

Bored with your local hill?

Are you the more adventurous type? If so, here are some tips on making your local hill more exciting.

Create slalom. If there is enough snow, build little snowmen and stagger them down the hill. Compete with your friends to see who can get down the hill fastest without hitting any. For best control, lie on your stomach and cover the tips of your boots with electrical tape. This will allow you to steer with your arms, see where you are going and use your feet as rudders. The tape will keep your feet warm and boots together.

More bumps, more fun. Anyone can make a jump, but a mogul course will provide more fun. First, take the snow from the bottom or top of the hill and create small piles (you should never remove snow from the slope of a hill). Then, one at a time, move the piles strategically down the hill. On the way down, try to hit as many piles as you can without falling off your sled.

Copyright 2008 Newsday Inc.