scorpionbowl

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Jan 1

Left here at noon. Nice to see the machine where she belongs, outside in the snow.

Hit the trail TQ 3 Est. direction Shawinigan Sud...fresh snow loose but nice, many tags and brush still poking through here on the hydro lines. The usual thing for early on in season.   
 
Continued to Shawi Sud. Here is the Intersection for M-2 to Shawi Sud, and Shawinigan 
  
Continued on 3 est then took the 351 direction St. Severin. Trail in the swampy parts needs more snow to fill in all the uneaven terrain, alot of up and downs. But all in all not too shabby. I saw no water holes at all. Once out of the swamp and onto the Railbed section it was real sweet. I continued to Relais Station. Passed on through was maybe 6 sleds there. 

Contnued on to the intersection just after the Relais. 
continued on the 351 nord arrived at the junction of 351 and 302. Decisions, Decisions i choose 302 only one track on the fresh snow here i'm going. 
really some great conditions for Jan 1 and we do not have nearly the amount of snow around here as other areas so they have done a fine job with the snow we have. Some nice spots but nothing spectacular just yet. But very rideable. Found some nice scenery in the woods.
continued on 302 checked St. Ubalde but did not see Playhard getting a Pizza. Maybe in 2 weeks,
kept going and joined back up with TQ3 now going back ouest. The Section between St Cashmir and where my club takes over in St Prosper, was the ugliest of the day. Big bumps and needs snow to be groomed in nice. However my club is on it and looking sweet. I cruise toward the Closed down Rogers Cabin and realize that the Groomer was here not long ago. This is the best trail I've seen all day. 
yup sure enough i catch up to him just before Chez Roger

onward to St Stanislas. I stop on the river to check it out. 
Ran the TQ 3 back to St. Narcisse where i gassed up. Then back to Lac a Tortue on TQ3 and back to Relais Iceman. 
I'm quite pleased with what I've seen and things will continue to improve for sure. snow is very loose still and will get more solid with time. Passed maybe 6 sleds on my whole loop. 
So a 3 hour ride and although the I motoneige says it was 165 Km I had it at 185 Km and no it was not track spin. 
Super nice to be back in the Saddle and it feels like I just got off it just yesterday as opposed to last March. Nice. 
Now to decide where to go Tmmrw. hmmm? 
until next time. 

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Not much to get excited about from the map above but we decide to check imotoniege and head south to 3. It doesn't take long to see 16" of powder plus new drifting from the wind, so we have to backtrack. Imotoniege shows the C900 groomed half way which doesn't make sense since he doesn't turn around there, he goes to the 252 intersection. Starting out is perfectly groomed, one pan wide, so he hasn't returned. We ride on, skies are getting blue and the wind strong. We meet the groomer turning around and on the sat phone, probably updating imotoniege. Of course no one has touched th 93 or 252 from there, so we bust through drifts back to chapelle. After a quick break we expect hell to Valinouet, but lucked out because the groomer made one pass and was getting ready to turn around. 
Today was one of those brochure days where around every corner was a view you would see in an ad...

Not a good way to start the day when u r the blue dot...
 

Day 3: Woke up, it's 50f in the chalet, no heat. Nice people here, but not the place to stay. Wifi sucks, no breakfast till 8am, and a bucket of ice is $5. We hit the trail early and head to Valinouet. Groomer passes us at gas headed to chapelle, we grab breakfast. 7 miles in we pass groomer and take southern orange trails to chapelle. 2-6" softens any bumps and we top off at chapelle and get a quick wifi hit. Out the orange trail to pelchat to check it out. About 12" here and summits went toward pelchat so we think no problem. 
252 south from the pelchat turn...
These summits are crazy, zig zagging everywhere wanting to suck u off trail. Luckily one guy is fairly straight down the trail. The snow got deep quick, I say 20" anyway. Get off the lead track and snow is well over the hood. Good day for iceman to be working, we barely have the setup for this but had no problem following. After 10 miles or so, we catch the summits and I shit u not, one of them is dragging a full sized canoe. When we meet them they figured the pelchat trail was the wrong turn, and they wanted to go right to a camp or something, so they just turn off the trail and dip into a bowl toward the other road and the guy with the canoe gets stuck big, I thought this would take a long time to fix and didn't even get a picture. While they dig we look at the trail...
 

We are two guys with marginal sleds for these conditions. There's a 6' wide base in the middle, get off that and it sucks u in. Where's RR when you need him.  Meanwhile the guys empty the snow in the canoe, take the tension off the rope and stomp around sled. I think these guys are high. The guy gets on it, starts moving slowly, then the canoe turns upside down, I figure he's done, but he rocks the sled side to side full throttle and gets onto a flat, flips the canoe and off they go. Looks like they have problems a little later, but we turn around and head back to the 252. By now  two sleds are on the 252, so it's easy going in 12" powder to 93. Here someone else has gone to sacre couer already so it's and easy run with 12-16" of fresh powder, get off the lead track and the conditions weren't nearly as deep as  Pelchat.

Once 93 is off the c900, it's impossible to follow the trail with this snow and wind but finally make our way to the road and check in. Now we figure out what to do tomorrow...

Running off satellite, so a bare bones update today, no firestick tonight that's for sure.
Day 2: We are operating on plan B (out of plan A-D). We drive to Valinouet, lock up and head out bras Louis (267), it's perfect. We meet 477, it's perfect, we take it. We hit 476, it's perfect, we don't take it. Gas and snack at onatchiway and out the 484, better than perfect. We hit the 482, it's perfect, we don't take it. The 484 dead ends at the Peribonka, we take the bush trail the few miles to the river, nice, but dodging downed trees. We hit the river, no stakes, we cross and hit the 367, groomed but rough. We skip scooby, at the lamarche trail, 367 says danger so we head to lamarche on orange, it's not open we get gas, little English but he said no circuit so we guess it's all junk. Back to the 367, it's not open a few miles in the swamp, then it's groomed but sucks. We know the 482 is good, we take it and return. Snow started around 3pm, nothing major yet, 165 miles today.

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Summarizing what happens on this trip. Taking it day by day, no real plan...
Day 1: Leave trail 16 to 83. Head east on mostly garbage...rough and low snow until the ski area (aka relais spandex). There it is freshly groomed but still low snow. Local 21 looks great, didn't  take it. Groomer comes out from St Felix and I'm second tracks and it's perfect. Local 22 looks good, didn't  take it. Perfection to 383 (eternity), it is freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued perfection to 383 west, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down 83 to the 301, it's freshly groomed, didn't take it. Continued down the Claremont express, the south side was groomed the day before, 4" powder, but smooth. Just made it to Claremont for first gas at 103 miles, light was on for a while. Noticed the skidoo dealer moved, maybe this isn't news? Snow is thinner here, but fine. Doubled back to 383 west. On the 383, groomer stopped quick, but it was smooth with 6" powder. Took the 22, same conditions, then gassed at St Felix. Took 83 west to 21, but didn't take it. Back at relais spandex the groomer came through most of the way back to the city. Nice easy run, 200 miles. Heading to Valinouet tomorrow, by truck.
 

Went for a 95 klm ride this afternoon. 
Railbed from the lake to Duhamel lots of snow but witha crust, like carving through ice. 
Duhamel south via 43 to Mulet short cut a little rough, from the 43 to Mulet via shortcut was plowed for logging but has plenty of snow for riding.

Mulet into the Parc via 43, I only went to route 3 cut off, trail was wide and groomed with the exception of a couple early season expentantces and an idiot with a side by side who made ruts to dance around with. 



Mulet back to the 43/323 inter was really nice, big group there pounding back some wobbly pops. Railbed 43. back to the Mulet shortcut was really nice as well, saw some triple digits there.

 
43 east of Duhamel I only went up to Club de Douze after that no grooming up the 323 to La Minerve, took the road back to the railbed lake trail. Came across an unhappy BRP owner.

 

Snow is starting to cover the Gaspesie Park   I was up for a little exploring over the weekend. Saw some snow and some moose. Had supper with Jean Guy and spent the evening catching up on stories.  
 
 
 
 
 

Yep stayed here last year. Good place to get a nights sleep and free breakfast in the morning is nice. Hotel is nothing to write home about but you stay warm and dry. The bartender had a set that made me wonder how she stands up straight. Never felt like there would be a problem leaving truck and trailer there. 

I will pay for groomers first year upgrade as a sign of appreciation from the QR community. 
Unofficially, any upgraded members I meet at the bar after riding, will get a beer on me*
 
* quebecrider functions excluded, lol.

I will pay for groomers first year upgrade as a sign of appreciation from the QR community. 
Unofficially, any upgraded members I meet at the bar after riding, will get a beer on me*
 
* quebecrider functions excluded, lol.

Here's one from this afternoon from the drone.

Some may have seen the story about this building on the news this summer. It was moved from one part of town to the other using oxen...

Tw
 
 
 
The view in front of my cabin this past Saturday  

So far, so good, on the upgrade John...