snowmaster2112

I blistered the heavenly trail back to Chibougamau and it was just as good as the day before albeit two boondocker guys came up about halfway from Chibougamau and did their typical on trail/off trail excursions and left some piles of snow here and there. This was also the first time since I left south of Senneterre that I had two other sleds cross me head on. At this point that’s like 3.5 days and over 500 miles. Yeah, I would see people buzzing the streets in towns, at the depanneurs in town or a straggler or two at intersections but never would have had to use a hand signal until yesterday. Oh....forgot to mention I was back at the community tent and decided I couldn’t actually stay for the dinner as it would be too late. So they insisted I take a plate of food with me and some fresh donuts Kenny’s wife was frying up.Bear, moose & BEAVER.

Ha....ha....ha...I knew you guys were all thinking I was in jail or in big trouble.... i didn’t do it on purpose but was beat last night and was gonna post this morning..... but the epic ness continued right out of the gates this a.m. and I didn’t have time before we left. so.....I will start with where we left off yesterday. This’s is my new Policeman friend in Mistissini....Bruce Wapachee. he was at the end of the road where the trail leaves town assisting a tow truck operator getting some guys car out of the ditch. we chatted for quite a bit and he’s at real cool dude. 27 yrs old and 1 of about 10 on the Mistissinni Police force. He grew up there.

O.k........I can’t resist before I go to sleepy sleep. even though 99% of the journey has been “most epic” there have been there pitfalls anyome know what it’s like to be at the jailhouse in Mistissini for a “somewhat major” snowmobile infraction ???

The “epic ness” continues......I’m just to shot to download all my pics (and the rest of today’s/ tonight’s” craziness right now. rest assured there is “more to today’s stories/travels” i got into Chapais a little later than I expected (actually not I have been polishing off a 6 pack down by my sled and watching the locals and gas station area) and I just ate and laying on the bed. I promise I’ll get up (maybe a little later than usual) and post more AWESOMENESS of the rest of today’s adventures for the inquiring minds. sleep tight my fellow trail shredders

So.......I gotta go eat some beaver...... stay tuned later as there is bound to be some more crazy s*&t in my day as it’s not even dark yet i leave you with a picture of Kenny showing me the bear and moose meat cooking away

View from them room

My new friend “Eddy” who works the front desk here at the Auberge Mistissinni showing me one of their rooms. All newly renovated this year rooms all overlooking the mighty Mistissini

Here is Kenny holding up the beaver tail

I’ve been over at the beautiful Auberge Mistissinni again for about an hour getting domesticated with internet access and only HALF a club sandwich as I have to go back and try moose, bear & beaver for the first time. Kenny tells me it’s amlomg standing native tradition that when the eat these 3 particular animals the women eat all the meat that came from the waist of the animal down and the men eat waist up to and including the head. hmmmmm.....I’m thinking there is lots more I’m gonna learn in the next few hours.....

I get into Mistissini after another epic trail thrashing much earlier than yesterday. At the depanneur I’m talking to the guy inside about how I have more time to spend here today and would love to learn more about the community (about 4000 people) and he says..... see that tent type building pointing out the window. “That’s a little community gathering place and they are having a get together over there preparing Native food. Told me to go over and not be shy. Well......anyone who knows me knows I’m far from shy....LOL so I spent about 1.5 hrs talking with the only 3 people in there at the time. Kenny (last name Loon), his wife and another friendly guy “Charlie” they are preparing the food for this evenings gathering. And what’s on the menu you ask......... beaver, bear & moose with a couple little salad thingies they have invited me to stay for dinner. Here Kenny and I holding up the beaver that is cooking beside a wood stove that is hotter than the “Hubs of hell”

Now......I was the only track on this trail going up yesterday and back. I probably was in Chibougamau right around full dark time (5 o’clock ish or earlier) Not only did no locals decide to take a ride on this trail but it snowed another couple 3 inches since I came off it late yesterday afternoon here is a part where you can see my tracks from yesterday but most (90%) I couldn’t even see them.

So I go to the depannaneur to top off and start heading north again towards Mistissini. Wondering if the trail will have any use since I was on it yesterday. Surely some local Chibougamau riders were out last night as I saw a bunch of them gearing up as I was passing thru town last evening. So after I get off the local trail to where this particular trail heads north........this is what I see.......

At exactly 8:32 just before I’m ready to start digging in this local guy “Eric” (I now refer to him as the Lord Savioir Jesus Christ) comes around the corner. At 8:39 she was back on the trail and Eric with his 165 Liter storage box (also has another 25 liter one) was gone.

I left Chapais much earlier this morning at exactly 7 a.m. (still dark) got to Chibougamau area and decided to loop around the long trail that loops around the west side of town. At exactly 8:29 this happened. Now I knew I was only a couple miles from the middle of town and it’s a Saturday so shouldn’t be much of a problem. I’m fully blaming this on fellow QR member doo4adoo as he told me yesterday to “stay right” so surely it’s all his fault. At exactly 8:31 I’m standing on the trail (helmet and jacket off lighting a smoke) thinking how could you possibly have done this and what a PITA (and time consuming) getting this boat anchor back on the trail is gonna be.

The report is about to......get even better.....today (so far) might just be one of the most interesting snowmobile days I have ever had

Spoke to the groomer guy in Chibougamau about that yesterday here is the scoop........ i guess you can ride up,from LSJ to the Scerie54 but not the rest of the way north he said they have a deal with some people hunting the area and don’t open the trail till after January 6th I believe

Better pic of kitchen area

Just made myself 3 nice sunny side up’s as I said earlier I have the entire top floor of the Opemiska to myself for the last two days. You really can’t beat this place.

I’m thinking I’m going to Mistissini again today for another club sandwich gonna leave Chapais here a lot earlier than yesterday which should let me beat any Saturday morning trail traffic around Chibougamau and get north where I will have more time to chit chat with the locals there to learn more about the area. stay tuned......

Here’s one for all you “thrill seekers” .....tell your wives they still have time to enter. Isabelle from the Hotel Opemiska here in Chapais is joining her best friend (also from Chapais) to go enter a 10 day 2500km desert race in the Sahara desert in Morocco. It is not a who’s the fastest but who gets to the end by the shortest passage. They are allowed NO gps of anykind. It cost 25,000 to enter this two women only per team (I think 118 teams). It costs another 25000 in expenses like getting there and renting a special Jeep.They have been doing fund raisers for 2 years and have reached their goal with much of the support coming from the local Chapais community. She said it’s really hot over there in the day and really cold at night. Her biggest concern is they have to wear a helmet at all times. i wish her well and will be following the race along on the internet come March

They will have a blast.

I knew as soon as I saw GutZ replied to this thread ....it was gonna be a good one. you never disappoint mon ami

Ouje bigamau