gkw
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Posts posted by gkw
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Rode with mikerider and Joe from RDL to St Pamphile last Thursday. Coldest day of the year. Started off at -10F and droppped to -19F soon when we got in the woods.
I had my O2 helmet on high the entire trip. Was a little too warm in the sun at times, but zero fogging. Temp never got above zero. The tinted shield did fog a bit after a stop, but it cleared within 2-3 minutes. Pretty amazing. Joe had his on also and he says it is the best $600 he ever spent!
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kmkw -
Glad you posted about the freezing up with the shield cracked open. I noticed the same issue. Also agree that it is almost too warm on high setting. I think this is due to too much moisture/breath getting trapped in the helmet because there is really no place for it to go.
Did any of you notice moisture (ala Bv2S) getting on the protective collar? Mine is pretty soaked at the end of the day. I am considering removing it and just relying on my balaclava to keep my neck warm.
GW
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Thought I would copy a post that I put on DooTalk a couple weeks ago after my first 300 miles with my O2...
Vision and comfort is amazing vs Bv2S (I have had 3 since 2006)
Size runs big (I use L vs XL on Bv2S)
Smoke visor that comes std is only good in bright sun (purchased amber). Super easy to change
Visor doesn’t come down far enough
Will be adding one strip of electrical tape to top edge of visor for sun shielding
Tried sunglasses but couldn’t get them to not fog (more attempts coming)
Visor fogged periodically and didn’t quickly de-fog in the up position
Shield never fogged
Helmet very warm, especially on high (too warm unless cruising along at 50+mph. (temps +10F - +20F)
Fit is excellent, but takes some trial and error (haven’t tried clava yet)
Drinking from a thermos is a challenge
Feels lighter and easier on your neck
Power cord fits great down through Klim jacket between the coat and the liner and attaches to the tether clip.
Biggest concern - too much moisture builds up in the helmet. If you ride with it cracked open for a while (15 minutes) when you just want to cool down, ice can form on the seal and the shield will not close. I think BRP needs to find a way to let more fresh air in. Or exhaust more spent air. (I am 5ft10” and 155 lbs so i am not one of these sweaty mouth-breathers that other threads have joked about). At the end of the day (or even at lunch) there is considerable moisture trapped in the protective collar. Pretty much soaked at the end.
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Re cancellations -
I cancelled two weeks ago during that Sunday storm when I got to Montmagny and didn’t want to drive the last 80 miles. At 8PM!!
They have always been good with that.
GW
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Legend -
We are leaving from Beauceville on Monday and would love to hear your report on the trip from Jackman. There appear to be some issues on 55.
Thanks.
GW
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Jack - we haven't met, but I enjoy all your posts and hope to cross paths in RDL next year. I, too, have a CT plate, but mine is from 1971!
Anyway, when they put that sled back together, do yourself a favor and put an IceRipper track on it. I am on my 3rd 1200 w IceRipper track and have put over 20K miles on them. No holes in track (or my driveway) and smooth road crossings!
Good luck!!
GW
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12 minutes ago, EastMark said:
Into Universel for dinner and there 4 nites. First trip. Pretty gassed up with these reports and great pics.
Any of you bothered with the heated units for the sleds ? Seems unneccesary but at these temps might be nice way to start.
The security aspect feels like a bonus as well. We leave our saddle bags fairly stocked.
I use them most every time up there. There is no charge unless you want the heat on. Just a $15 deposit for the key. If you leave your bags on the sled, it is a good option. But book ahead as they fill up faster than the hotel!
GW
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Just re-read my posting. Hope not to discourage anyone from taking the trail to RDL. Even if you park at the new Club du Golf hotel, you can still leave from there and ride awesome trails all the way through Lac Etchemin, St Magliore, St Pamphile, over the mountain on 557, etc. Those trails are all mint! Much more fun that riding in the truck!!
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Tardy report here on conditions to GET to RDL via 55. We left RDL on Thurs am after the rain to head back to 55/75 in Beauceville. Trails were very hard and smooth with just enough snow cover to have great traction and plenty of steering. 35 was mostly excellent. While also allowing the sleds to coast when you let off the gas! The two 1200s got 18MPG and the 900 got 23!
When we left Beauceville on Monday, the trail was closed for a bridge that was out. That bridge is only a couple miles from the clubhouse and is not fully repaired. It is also where the fresh snow cover disappeared. So only the last 2 miles into the clubhouse is icy. (There is still a massive base there, but they need more new snow.). That said, the parking lot is pure mud and we were the only truck there and the clubhouse was closed at 2 on a Thursday. Very spotty looking trails south of there and bare fields down through Armstrong.
GW
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Tardy report here on conditions to GET to RDL via 55. We left RDL on Thurs am after the rain to head back to 55/75 in Beauceville. Trails were very hard and smooth with just enough snow cover to have great traction and plenty of steering. 35 was mostly excellent. While also allowing the sleds to coast when you let off the gas! The two 1200s got 18MPG and the 900 got 23!
When we left Beauceville on Monday, the trail was closed for a bridge that was out. That bridge is only a couple miles from the clubhouse and is not fully repaired. It is also where the fresh snow cover disappeared. So only the last 2 miles into the clubhouse is icy. (There is still a massive base there, but they need more new snow.). That said, the parking lot is pure mud and we were the only truck there and the clubhouse was closed at 2 on a Thursday. Very spotty looking trails south of there and bare fields down through Armstrong.
GW
- vt_bluyamaha54 and revct1
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8 hours ago, mikerider said:
It is only my guess, but it would not take much rain to turn the trails from a hard base to an ice base. Again, only my opinion.
mike
We leaving from Beauceville this am (but 55 is closed somewhere with a bridge out). If we can get around the closure, we should be to RDL later today. Mike - can meet in St Pamphile for lunch if you like. I think that is where we will end up with the closure and the fact that the Restaraunt that opens at 6 here is not open yet.
As for phones, I found out last night after an hour on the phone w Verizon, that Canada made a change on 1/1/17 that changed their system and certain older phones will no longer work at all. Like my beloved Palm Centro. And I figured out how to get my iPhone working. No idea about charges, but it is working now.
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2 minutes ago, attacker said:
Does anybody if the same maps that are good for the Garmin montana will work for the Garmin Zumo 660.
Yes, they will work, but if you haven't bought the Zumo yet, I would suggest stick with the Montana.
Chk out the threads on Dootalk.
GW
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Mike - checked into Beauceville. Leaving in the AM. Can meet at St Pamphile or the clubhouse at 5 and 553???
GW
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Conditions are awesome down here too!! RDL Thursday and Naples today!! Hopefully there is one more trip in a week! Mike - hope you have a great week...
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Update - Hwy 20 closed from Levis to La Pocatiere. Can you say Blizzard??
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Perfect yesterday to Squatec (almost too much soft snow as there has been very little traffic). Ditto for north toward Rt5. The further north, the bigger the problem with drifting. You can tell in some spots that there was icing underneath, but powder is the only problem getting around sharp corners. Power line back to RDL awesome (just a bit narrow). All areas will need grooming, especially after this storm, but should be fantastic here until the weather warms up or rain comes.
Also from yesterday... Drifts bounced me just over the edge of the hardpack...
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Gary, is that the little tunnel under the highway near Universal that you have to duck your head because it is so low? I remember that from years ago. It wasn't fun then either.
We will be at Universal Saturday night for one night if you are still there.
Jack & Sandi
Nope. We also went through that tunnel which is still open! The one we went through (almost) was closed according to Mike a couple years ago. We are hanging around the hotel and riding local tomorrow and hope to get back to Montmagny Thursday AM.
I think the trails will be the best all season by this weekend!
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Trail conditions are brutal unless you can stand this:
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Closed?? Really??? I was wondering when we were water skipping through the middle of it... Fresh snow hid any tracks and all I could do was follow the GPS. Coulda used ya yesterday, Mike. Russ wanted to take the short route to RDL and save 10 miles. But the rest of the day was pretty epic.
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Rode Montmagny to RDL via 5E to 55S to St Pamphile to 557 to 5 to the northern route by the river on 526. Lots of new snow overnight last night. 6-12 inches. Most of the trails today were awesome. Huge storm coming Wed. Decided to stay and ride from RDL rather than head to Amqui tomorrow. But did have one mishap near 526. That right ski is under water!! An hour later (and two wet feet) we were back on the trail. Met two sleds all day, but met them twice so that equals 4 - in 180 miles!!!
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Big snow forecast from Montmagny to RDL and east. I am headed up to Montmagny and trudge through the storm to RDL tomorrow. Can someone give me info on the hotel in Amqui? I am hoping to stay there Tuesday night and then find a loop back to RDL Wednesday and another loop to Montmagny for Thursday.
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Just talked to Hotel Brunante in St Anne des Monts and he told me he just got word that the trails have been closed. At least around there.
Yuk.
GW
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I am bringing a couple from VT who have never ridden up there to RDL on Sunday to leave Monday on the loop. Think there will be snow left around there???
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Gary - Thanks for the recent conditions update. Did you ride over from ME or take the 'black trail' to Beauceville and start from there?
The trails are closed around the border according to the websites. Very sparse around Armstrong and St George. It is often bare through there in good winters.
Took nice loop today to Squatec and back to RDL. 200 or so. Some trails in the south excellent. Some areas on Rt 5 could use some snow, but they are getting it.
Saw lots of sleds today.
GW
Oxygen Helmets
in General Discussion
Posted
Mr Gutz - are you sure there isn't some other heat source? It is hard to believe that the shield generates enough heat on its own to make the inside of the helmet that hot on the high setting.