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Just a bit uncomfy over the guilt of so much daylight left we figure we'll go into town to top the gas and do a local loop. But the neighborhood trails are (ever so slightly) rippley. Spoiled?! Us?! We bring a fresh supply of JD & snacks back to the A-frame and have a proper afternoon tea then back to the lodge for dinner. DJ/waitress/bear hunter guide plays Country set: "God is great, beer is good, people are cra... zy"... Rickards Red in the Coors pitcher, a fine dinner, and Anik & pappa-bear are happy to adorn the register with a mini sticker:

597 from New Richmond to LaCache was just Groomed, so it was awesome, like a super highway. The renovated LaCache looks great, friendly new owners, I’d consider staying here overnight now thats it’s been modernized. Chic Chocks were gorgeous on this sunny warm day to Murdochville. Lunch at Copper, was hoping to see the snowmobile museum downstairs, but it’s only open during and after supper, I assume to encourage people to eat, see the hundreds of sleds, and then stay over night, all under one roof. 5 on the north shore from MSP to St Anne needs grooming, it’s beat up, and drifts, made a last 50 miles bummer to an otherwise perfect day. Hopefully we’ll see some green on the map for our last 2 days riding, but we are fortunate to be riding late March with so much snow it’s hard to complain about one stretch. Very light traffic today, many people from Ontario are riding in this region this week. Tomorrow we may go down 597 to LaCache and u-turn back up the opposite direction since that’s my favorite trail through the valley I don’t mind riding it twice. Then maybe Matane for the night.

We knew the 93 over the top toward Girardville is heavily groomed & lightly ridden:

Staged in Matane. 5 hrs door to door in truck. Boss is a wheel man. 6 others here from Ottawa arrived tonight. 5 of them first trip ever in Quebec. They surely picked the best for their first go in Quebec. Off to Carleton sur Mer tmmrw. For us. Stay tuned. Will it be the last ride this trip this year? Not sure. Maybe maybe not. We have not even started yet and Alain is talking about going for another run after Easter, Maybe Cote Nord. We shall see. One day at a time. Ice out.

We get to the ND De Lorette clubhouse and Julie pumps the gas and serves the cafe & choc chaud, says she'll hold onto the Team Ice sticker until after they renovate the whole place. We say we don't remember this trail or relais, she says we shouldn't it's new! What about the FERME sign exiting the lot here? It's just a few k of plowed logging road around Lac Eden. Onward!...

Just a bit onward down the trail to town to top the gas, and we stop at the sign for the G'ville gas, but what's that up to the left? A 373 sign and a gas & resto sign for Notre Dame De Lorette in 48k? We can make that! Check the GPS nope. Check the map - YUP! This is our plan A! And it looks groomed! Good thing we stopped there to look around! Not just to stay on plan, but because this is the trail section we dream about:

Hi JG, passed through your Domaine today. Quick stop at clubhouse and we had a chat with Victor? Director of the club? Anyway sorry had no time to visit. Thanks for the great trails. don

I smell who rides the longest season contest.

NYC, that is a good reason to escape to Quebec as much as possible!!

Yes I fabricated the casework for that facility in Pittsfield . It features NINE cash registers !!!

Not complaining here, actually the opposite, we know we're riding late into the season when a few k's of maple grove around St Ubalde has the sap plumbing going across the trail too low for a groomer to pass. Lumpy enough to remind us how it could be if we were riding back home! Dropped onto a local river and had a trail meeting: 40'ish to the barn, or 90'ish and loop up to St Joseph & Mekinak & down the river to Grande Mere. Nope! Once more enjoying the guilt of doing our planned ride and getting in early! Rode the girls right to the shop & trucked to Chez Ice to see the 3 is still very rideable, then back to Drakkar to hose off, and out to Shawini for final demi-poulet at St Hubert w/Mr. & Mrs. Ice.

Roquemont for break & grub. Lot has zero snow BUT IT'S FREAKING FREEZING FROZEN COLD! Out of there to the railbed in 8/10 condition, at the picnic shelter down the 353 that's never been groomed this flat & wide in the past. Wow wow wow.

Someone posted that the rip on 83 between Relais 22 & LSJ needed grooming Sunday, but the westbound lane was swwweeeet. So much so that we were selfish and didn't stop for many pics. (Sorry) Got the Relais burgers at 22 and onward to Odanak. Still in early but a more respectable 248mi of mint mint mintness.

Some folks add lights for bling, we don't judge, but we prefer the ones that are more utilitarian!

Then on up the 93 toward Lac a Jim to the new bump out, under clear blue skies: (THANKS NH MOOSE! YOUR WRITE UP OF THIS INFLUENCED OUR ROUTE SELECTION!)

Day 3, Sat 3/17) Out the back of Chambord onto the ice shortcut to Roberval Winter Fest "Village", and first taste of of the very tasty 373:

bonjour gt rider !!! almost the same here...very quiet ...2 sunny days in a row....few clouds on my way back ... monday or tuesday morning on the news...they said it was too early to say if it was going to be snow or rain.....finally ...very quiet ...sunshine !!! snow was started to be sticky in the drag on my way up to lake....not too bad...saw only 2 sleds...3 all day !!! back on tq 5 later tonight ... on my way back from st alexandre .....i met my '' cousin ''' .....( hahhaa ) stuck in the middle of the road !!! bonjour to mrs gt rider !!! nice building !!!...and great shot !!! jean-guy

April 6th last year in Amqui. Will be iceman country next Thursday through Sunday. Thinking maybe 1 more after that....

No they would't barter. Paid me in cash. Another job I low bid I am guessing ..

Complete:

Need help telling his story some time! (There's a brand new dispensary in Pittsfield MA!)

Impressive! Looks like you made it thru last call!

Love the smiling monkey! mike

Glad to see you Berkshire Boys had real nice run at it !!

This is how it looked when I left The Mont Vilain not long ago. 😜

He's smiling but you can tell he's ready to roll back up at a moment's notice.

And over a nicely signed rise & curve, uh oh... Looks like 2 tracks miss this gentle sweeper to the left. One VERY wide around a tree. The other not so fortunate and hit head on. Fairly fresh boot marks all over the area. Not the time for speculating on speed or booze or nut-to-butt following. Just hoping this pilot punched out before the sudden deceleration and they're OK.

Great ride, super trails and great weather, does not get any better than that for a last ride...still hard to come back though, the season is too short!!

Is there a lot of snow, or is this an outhouse for very-short-people?...

Groomer secteur south of Jeannette warming shack had "texture" to keep us honest & humble. But it got back to magic-carpet well before the turn off for SR3, which is AMAZING. Seriously, it's all I'd need, even without the gobs of offshoots. Sorry got in the zone so no pics.

Day 5, Mon 3/19) Destination Cap de la Madeline. Plan is scenic route down almost to Riviere Pierre on the 73 to the orange east into St Ray, then railbed west and drop down the 353 and locals to the toy shed. Did I mention is was COLD all 4 days & nights! Wind thru La Tuque must have been blowing south, because we didn't get the rotten eggs smell from the pulp mill until we were below their parking lot. On the south side of town after the gas there's that tracked up left that we KNOW goes straight to the 73 ripper, but we weren't in a rush, and it's not official, and it's not groomed, and the legit trail has the airport run (103mph) & the moose & 9 freaking perfect miles of twisties!

Day 4, Sun 3/18) Destination Club Odanak, La Tuque Big respect goes to the Backcountry Boondockers. And GPS! Well, we were Urban Boondockers and once or twice before, during and/or after Alma the GPS saved our butts! We set the thing to take us back to Chambord and looking back we beelined down some orange plus some 23 plus 383. All good, wheels helpful thru the city, a bit drafty & drifty down around the bottom of the lac. Back to those perfectly groomed trails and got off the 83 for the local 617 to redo the ice shortcut to Roberval (the only backtracking for the loop). But first cafe & choco chaud break & helmet wire surgery. (THANKS AGAIN SCORPION BOWL FOR THAT CLEAR NYLON/KEVLAR REINFORCED DUCT TAPE! NO THANKS TO BPS FOR THE BVS RCA'S THAT BREAK OFF AT THE WIRES!)

Last leg on 373 was an original trail to nowhere from St Ludger de Milot. Just as awesome. Drops us right onto the river by Mt Valain (Scooby) La Marche. In early again?

It is Saturday, it is sunny, trails are perfect, so where is everybody?... Three generations hanging around the Girardville clubhouse! Totally cool a community vibe. Young'uns on the brap-brap, parents on the sporties, and the more senior on the two ups.

Mmm-kay, picking up where the crud wifi left us dangling... Wrap up on Chambord: Iceman buys a JD for whoever captures this one in the spa locker!

Looks like the groomer was driving beyond his skill level and blew the corner! Happens with those high speed groomers! LOL

I think this topic is very important and maybe harsh penalties are needed. If $$ dosnt change things maybe suspended trail passes will. I mean who wears a scarf.

Wow, beautiful day, great trails. Left Mt Joli heading south on 5 and 587. Stopped by the Redemption look out tower to see the mummies, but it was too overcast to see much, observation tower is plastered with ice, we have no in interest in climbing. So much show in this interior region!! Lots of cool looking drifts creeping across the trails. Stopped at Groomers clubhouse for a smoked meat sandwich, waitress asked if we were the group from New Richmond, she was to call JG to summon him for a visit. We said we know JG, but had no arrangements. Great food, friendly service, and we were off to the south coast on 5. Was sweet, fast, and we made good time. Later, on the orange bypass above PLX, we saw a rotopax gas can in the trail, just past a huge drift, looks like someone slammed the drift and didn’t realize they dropped the can. I put it off to the side of the trail so no one would run it over. Hope they came back for it, looked expensive ;<) adjacent/above a road, we passed a couple sleds with NH stickers, should have stopped to say high, but we were all rolling. Maybe the group from New Richmond? Gas in Nouvelle, and settled in to Baie Blue in Carleton. Pub is closed this week for renovations, ate at the upstairs in the main dining room. Tomorrow we’re off to LaCache, Murdochville, and then up to the north shore. No telling what the Chic Chic mountains will bring, and we want to see the sled museum at a Copper, Steve likes to have a lunch, so we have short, medium, and stretch goal destinations in mind. Murdochville, Mt St Pierre, St Anne Du Monts. The only thin spots were on the south shore, south facing hills were slushy, the one long driveway is down to the mud...see picture....it’s going to go fast soon, but this week is awesome!! Saw a groomer that missed a turn and was stuck in a drift, must have walked out last night. Marty rides so fast he rode an inner idler wheel down to its hub. At Carleton, we rode out by the docks and the lighthouse. A lot of moving sea ice near the shoreline. Marty preferred to have cocktails in his room, so he missued out on the best part of the trips scenery so far. We all have our priorities I guess.

Day 1 Left Le Cabanon and up 345 to Repos for gas. 345 was great. Past Pourvoirie Kanawata it was freshly groomed to 83. 83 was freshly groomed also. Wemotaci for gas. then to Pourvoirie Windigo for the night. Had a great time at Windigo and would stay there again. 238 miles. Repos Kanawata 345/83 intersection. 83 Windigo Day 2 . left Windigo and trail 83 was freshly groomed. Stopped at Relais 22. Then to Rober val. only had 115 miles on figured we would ride some where for lunch. headed north. Stopped at Club De Motoneige Relais Des Buttes club house. headed back to roberval on new trail that goes down to 83. Stayed at hotel chateau roberval. 200 miles total for the day. 83 Day 3 Left Roberval and went down 355 to 360. stopped in lac edouard for lunch. 360 on top of park was great. then down 345 to 23 and back to Cabanon. 278 miles for the day. 705 miles total for the tip.

Last ride of the season: Was only appropriate the ACE hit the 15,000 mile mark on the Mikerider bypass. That would sound more impressive in Kilometers! Sled goes just like it came off the showroom floor. Saw a black cat for several seconds in a field today before he disappeared into the woods. Looked 25 to 30 pounds, no idea what it was. And, best of all, the mice story did not get me kicked off QR, thanks for all the positive feedback on the story. mike

It looks like winter was not over! I did not think with the mild temperatures of the last weeks being still able to leave directly from home but this last week's snowfall combined with cold temperatures allowed the groomers to work and give us wonderful trail conditions for the weekend. After having looked at the map for a long time, we finally decided to go for an ambitious ride that we had not done for a few years: starting from home to l'Annonciation in Laurentides area round trip via trail #63. Here is the final ride path that Krikri and I traveled last Saturday which totaled 321 miles Starting from home a little past 8:15 Saturday morning, -11C under a clear sky with very few clouds. The #43 was freshly groomed near home, very nice in full winter condition. A few miles from the start, an undeniable spring sign: trail partially broken over a small ditch that the dozer has filled again to allow the passage. It turned out to be the only place like that on the whole rideThe Joliette snowmobile club trails were also freshly groomed like the majority of the trails we did in the day Here towards St-Jean de Matha villageThe Black river north of the village is still in winter conditions, no spring sign thereA beautiful sunny dayJust past the Pourvoirie Bazinet there were some good snow blades near the lake. We can see that the snowfall has been more generous here in the north than in the south of the area at homeA little further north we fork to the west on the #343 and then on a local trailTo take the #33 trail northThe small river that flows to right of the trail on the first miles gives several beautiful views We continue on the #33 and arrived at the relay Rouge-Mattawin around 11:20, we took there a short break. During the fuel-up, the gentleman there confirmed to me that they would continue to operate 7 days a week as long as there was grooming that he planned to be until just after Easter, around April 3 if conditions allow. We then take #63 trail to cross the Rouge-Mattawin Wildlife reserve. It was already a couple of years since we had not done it but what a nice wide trail to ride!A little ripple in the curves on the first half but nothing to stop us from cruising in the reserve at high speed. This trail that is running along the limit of Mont-Tremblant Park is really similar to the trails that used to be found in the park: Wide, good visibility and fast Here a beautiful river in winter dress that I took better with the Gopro on the return. We arrived at La Macaza on the other side of the reserve around 1:00 PM and stopped at the restaurant/ bar at the airport. A first time there for us: good fast service and good food, we left around 1:50. I felt it was a bit more chilly up north, -15C at noon there! The trail was so nice and flat that it had formed a big ice horn in the back pad going down near scraping the trail when we were sit on...Maybe my venture is a male?... or a unicorn? ok the corn is not on the right spot for a unicorn We then continued on #63. Here just behind the restaurantAnd continued up to l'Annonciation where we refueledWe then turned back and retrace our steps on the #63 trail. Really not a punishment !!! Here another view of the beautiful little river seen earlierWe crossed again the Rouge-Mattawin Wildlife Reserve and then took the #33 trail but toward St-Michel des Saints.The trail was still in very good conditionWe fuel-up up at St-Michel and took the trail towards CabanonHere on the bridge at the foot of Mont-Trinité monutain just behind the villageWe stopped there, up the first hill where we used to have a nive view of St-Michel village years ago but now that the vegetation had grown up it is no longer a view pointThe #63 was a bit bumby but very nice for a Saturday end of the day, not to mention the event at Cabanon: Cabanon spring party It was already 5:20 pm when we arrivied and the outdoor activities of the Cabanon party were pretty well done but still a lot of people and the corral ahead was full of snowmobiles.Having a good run back home to do, we took the #23 trail heading south. We briefly had a freshly groomed trail but quickly pass the Dozer who had just left the CabanonThe trail was still a bit rought but rideable at good speed north of the #350 trailSouth of the #350 however it was really rought up to club transition a little north of pourvoirie St-Damien. It was then very acceptable and in the fields down the mountains the conditions were good and fast. We even crossed the dozer of St-Gabriel who started his run The trails were all beautiful afterwards and we rested when finishing the ride. On the #3 down south in the St-Cuthbert sector, we saw a couple dirts spots otherwise the fields were beautiful and fast. We came back home a little past 8:00 PM with 321 miles on the dreammeter. In summary, except for the few spring signs mentioned in the extreme south, we were in full winter conditions on the whole ride. We have a winter surge that has put the season back on track for some more time. According to long-term forecasts, cold temperatures will still going on and the nights will be quite cold so I expect to have at least another nice sledding weekend to come for near the whole area and more in the north of the area. It was not sounding like that when it started to get warm more than a month ago, maybe we're going to touch the April month this year for riding in our areas! For those who preview to ride here, keep an eye on the conditions there: https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/ Alain

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