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they ordered a new front bumper for the apollo !!! jean-guy

Last Thursday morning Coyote and I left Sweet Baby St. Ray headed north to L'Anse St. Jean. Stayed at chalets sur le fjord, great meal at Chez Montagner. 250 miles by way of 23 368 383. Bill's trail was in tip top shape. Friday we went east and crossed in Tadoussac had lunch at the white birch clubhouse in Les Escoumins. The Pelchat did not disappoint, stopped at the chapple for a mandatory caffeine and chocolate fuel up at the zoo, a splash of fuel at Onatchaway and in for the night at Mont Vilain. 260 miles by way of 383 3 Pelchat 252 251 93 267 476 484. Saturday morning we headed west to Milot, north to Lac Eden back south to Dolbeau and La Dore, ending at the Nordic in Chibaugamou. The rally was in town that night, lot of cool vintage sleds running around. We had a good meal at the Royal pub. 300 miles by way of 373 local 93 Sunday we headed west to Senneterre staying at Faillon. The first 3 days had been hard packed fresh groomed, things were about to change. Once we got to Quevillon the snow started. After lunch in Senneterre the trail had a few inches of fluff, by the time we arrived Faillon we had declared it a powder day. Another great meal that night. 300 miles by way of 93 and 83. Monday morning we woke up to a fluffy blanket of fresh powder covering our sleds. The Coyote had the wisdom to hook up with the a couple guys from the Lake George area. This turned out to be the greatest idea yet, turns out we are all headed to Kanawata for the night. The open areas west of Clova were fun to play in after the Fire Chief, Coup and Coyote had plowed a path for my heavier 4 stroke. 250 miles by way of 83 345. Tuesday morning we continued southeast back to the truck at the Roquemont. We met the groomer just north of the Repos, perfect. The only segment of the trip that concerned me with trail quality due to high traffic south of the Repos was fresh. We parted ways with The Fire Chief and Coup at the intersection of 345 and 360. It was a classic moment in the woods that I think will be remembered by all 4 of us for some time. I enjoyed meeting fellow QR members and spending 2 days swapping stories about our shared passion for snowmobiling in Quebec. 250 miles by way of 345 360 M19 23 73 1627 miles was my final tally.

Well the report is in. He Had a great time and loved my sled. His normal ride is a 1200 and he liked the lighter front end. His words. Said the trails were hard and fast and all went well. I think I will get off my ass and head to Mont laurie on Friday night. Either the gouin Reservoir or Clova.

Here is a pic I this was at beginning of a gaspe loop

Day five, woke to blowing snow, big breakfast. Martine said today was her last day except for a group of ten next week. Thanked her for her hospitality and off we went. The flat light and the blowing snow made it hard to see and sometimes hard to find the trail. Pulled into wemo for gas. The boy's Machine is beeping, battery light flashing and the engine light on. Rode on to just past Halterphcape the sled dies! out with the tow straps and into Parent. Mon Bon Chum luckily had a battery. Off we go again just outside Parent we see our first group of sleds. Turned down 13 to trail 53 limped the sled into 100 lakes. Borrowed batterie charger and off to cabin. New owners have renovated the cabins, two single beds in each room as well as 3 piece renovated bathrooms. A couple of stiff shots and off to dinner. No disrespect to any other place we stayed at but this, by far, was the best meal. Lots of shooters with the locals. Back to the cabin and off to bed.

Thanks for the heads up Bob. Its good to know where the dealers are. New in green. Former in magenta.

Mrs GT is a veteran of stuck.🤣

Brad, Mark and I arrived at RDL Saturday afternoon to begin a 5 day ride. Universal is hopping as always. Interestingly there was a security guard hanging out in the lobby, and a couple orange vest guys in the parking area, had not seen either in past years. Dinner buffet was good, quick and easy. So far the planned route is: Ride out of RDL Sunday the17th to Matane Riotel. Carlton, Baie Bleue. Perce, Table Roland (or zip up an extra 80 miles to Caribou?). St Anne, Brunante. via Murdochville and through Mt St Pierre. Matane, Riotel. With a dip down and back on the 595 to La Cache, a favorite valley trail for sure Finish back at RDL We may skip the Chic Chocs trail, but will pass through and stay at many of the usual favorites. Stay tuned

make sure about taking ferry matane-godbout-baie comeau !!! apollo hit the dock in matane....take 2 !!! like we say in pq ....shi^^y driver !!! hahaha https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2019/03/17/le-apollo-heurte-le-quai-de-matane?fbclid=IwAR3WW5uj4JulcgD3lvvrez7F1jIW43qn7QExyJMDYWPvCvF3ur6w7vxapIA jean-guy

Jim, you got your moneys worth on that winch!!

With a little help from my warn winch and a tree.

JG, we are at the club house for lunch. I left a snack for you, Florette put it in the refrigerator 👍 Trails are great around here, much more snow than the coast. We hope your cough goes away quickly. Moose

As for the 850 lasting mine is being put to the test this past weekend. Oldest son is with his group riding the LSJ area down to Quebec city and back to the truck today. Friday I got a report saying how many miles where on that old belt. Hope he cleaned up the belly pan. Something about just going past 80 or maybe 90. Haven't heard a word since. David said no new is good news. Lol

The rock wall is in a church that has been repurposed into a community center in the the town of St. Stanislas, between Milot and Girardville. The place is called restaurant au Clocher. http://st-stanislas.com/restaurant

bonjour yeti !!! normally , depending of the weather and blah...blah ...blah ....we groom into the first week of april !!! colder this morning ......-15c and grey sky !!! jean-guy

The weather is looking very good this coming week, highs in the low 20's f, cold enough to keep the trail crispy and plenty of snow. A lot of places are closing after next weekend, so this may be the last full service week of the year, !@%^#$!!, it went by way too fast this year, another incredible Quebec season is almost over, hope next year is this good!!

good morning !!! back from tq 5 !!! trail was still soft for the machine at many places...only -7c at 3 am ...snowing a little on my way back ....windy !!! on my way back ...climbing first hill west of st fidele cb ...right in the sharp corner with the tree stand on the left side....fell off the trail...almost looked like the driver of the apollo .....ahaha went slowly to have grip to come back on the trail !!! jean-guy

Lower elevation conditions are definitely thin around RDL and Matane. for example the field before the RDL clubhouse has a go-around since a 100+ yard stretch is all gravel. Or Matane in town the roads have no snow on them. I didnt use scrathers but had thought about it in a few places today. i think the recent weather really packed the trails, there really is no loose snow to groom. Thta would explain the lack of grooming activity on Via or iMoto. On the good side, we saw no whoops all all day, trails were quite nice, not rutted or bumpy, and very little traffic If you have the option to take a route with elevation, or inland it would be a better option. Tomorrow we head to the South shore, to Carlton. Interested to witness conditions which will determine if we need to recalculate and just head for the mountains, or cntinue to Perce the next day. If its thin in Carlton, its probably worse further out on 5 Not many pics today, was overcast all day. Here are a few from Riotel, only 2 other groups of 2-3 Seds here tonight. Not fun getting here on the bare roads, but the wheels make it very tolerable!

I coulda sworn Gutz said that means rub my belly?!

Need an express ship of some of that clear kryptonite tape?! Just say the word! That stuff fixes EVERYTHING!

Stan, you are dead on there, people come off the trail from the south end of town and if they are looking for the dealer the first place they find is the closed one, that has been that way for years now, then they turn around believing there is no longer a dealer. Who knows what they need, but now they are thinking that they are stuck, when in reality 2 more blocks down there is a very good , well stocked dealer and they are quite capable and very well stocked.This site and this kind of input can well make or break a trip for some one, this is what makes this place what it is!!

before leaving for st francois and st alexis....i asked a local at the clubhouse if there was a gas station he said there s a similar one in st francois with credit card maybe , in a near futur...micro waves with credit card along the trail for grosse poutine extra fromage !!! ahahaha...😛 jean-guy

"Mario gets a little testy if you want to eat after 7" Hi George! You can say that again, how hard is it to pour canned cream of mushroom soup over boiled chicken breast w/rice. LOL Great ride and Report! You guys were definitely boogying👍🍺

A few additional trip notes: The new polaris indy 850 really hugs the trail, as a die hard Skidoo man it pains me to admit it The owner of the faillon took his leaf blower to all the sleds in the yard so all guests started on a clean sled in the morning, never had that experience before, it was nice to not have to deal with the powder on everything 1st thing in the AM Breakfast at Montagner and Vilain does not start until 8, we deferred to the local snack bar so we could get an earlier start in ASJ. At vilain they sent us to our cabin with all the necessities to make ourselves an early breakfast in our cabin Gas was 1.29/L at the mill, and 2.00/L in Desmaraisville You can find gas at Lac Eden, head right around the lake and stop at the log cabin with the red tin roof. They leave the radio on in the heated garage at the Nordic, like cows in the barn, the sleds were happy in the morning Mario gets a little testy if you want to eat after 7 but Celine's jokes make up for it. Getting from the bottom of M19 back to St. Raymond is a PIA

Unfortunately I just so happen to have a few more.🤣

Keep few shots Jim, we will start a thread at fall of "show me your sled stuck pics" I will have a couple good ones too!

Way back in 00 on my Yamaha triple 600. We were headed to Chapelle for the first time. We left from Sacre-Coure. We were following a track and it split. I chose the wrong one to follow. No shovel no winch saddle bag newbie. I cut a tree limb and worked at it for a while. Later three guys pulled up and got me right out. They said never backup. Lesson learned. Film camera back then.

great !!! went to ste anne des monts today ....business trip !!! took a few pics !!! jean-guy

Roq sled corral was kinda snowy last week after they pulled the roof clean!...

Drakkar Windigo Saccacomi Manoir Richelieu/Fairmont Lac Taureau Table Roland Hotel i Cie Cnc's house

Stan, you are right about Bernard, and with that I will say that there are some very nice hotels to stay at but for me it is the hospitality of the folks in these smaller private places along the trail that you cannot find just anywhere. This is what brings me back over and over and what leads to a lot of friendships. Every year I get a dozen X-Mass cards from all over Quebec and when I get out on the trail the smiles, and welcoming hand shakes are what makes them the best places to stay, and if you get in trouble they help like you are part of the family!!

Auberge du Ravage, and Bernard's Safari motel Don't laugh, it was like my uncle had a motel in Shawinigan🤣

2013 west of Chapais. Thanks Mr. Snowplow driver. It was a fast shovel only escape.

And( (L' Etape) QPP with a radar gun on weekends 😳 Limit is 50k 😇

Oh oh! It just stopped running coming out of that last corner. It felt like it was firing on one cylinder for hundred meters and then came to a rolling stop. Did it run out of fuel? No it was full of fuel 40 miles ago. Blown belt. No. Boy there is a lot of steam coming out from under that right side panel. Hey Mike & Joe, I don't remember seeing the pink snow when the sled stopped. Hmm? The anti-freeze bottle is empty. We can only move the primary clutch about an inch in either direction and it makes a funny clunking sound. 13,000 miles on the 850. I thought these were going to go further than the 800 E-tecs. My last two E-tecs I had 15,000 and 13,500 no rebuilds on either. Sandi isn't with me on this trip. First time she couldn't make it in years. Her new 600R is in the trailer! Should I? Jack & no Sandi