PLAYHARD

Just got back from Saguenay. It's all set for the next 2 weeks. Hopefully St Ray holds up so folks don't have to trailer all the way up like we did?

And what a difference a few hours makes on the way back down Tons of great riding up here! And it's beaucoup cold now!

Pushed some twigs n snow n stuff out da way for lunch with Josie & Anick @ Vilain...

Ba! But I like the hooked-on-phonics translation!

Drakkar is hot breakfast every day. Not the Fairmont buffet, but totally what you want & need. With full doses of sled-friendly hospitality. Unhitch your rigs & drive to the Devil's Hole, or taxi if you're having the 9%'ers!

Du Jardin in St Felician, Dilligence in Dolbeau, Chateau in Roberval, set up your base camp @ Delta in Jonquiere for easy in & out with everything you'd need across the parking lot, Passion Quebec in Mt Valin is a must. They have chalets with lots of rooms & gas & resto & trail support...

By the way, IT SNOWING @ THE DELTA RIGHT NOW!

Nope. More traction would have delivered more carnage. This experienced rider had zero visibility at that time and hit something with his right ski that made his right hand go "death-grip". The hard berm bounced him off trail to break the ribs & wrist. When his crew came back for him at first they couldn't see him, just a few feet away. We were out at that time too, but luckily without incident. It can happen to anyone...

Off-trail shot: Hot chicken

Check Vince's TOTALLY badass beard!...

Around Mt Valin & Onatchiway Tues before Wed big dump:

True story the base is icy. But also true are the snow forecasts! Heavy n wet all day today! Needed auto-visor-wipers! Soaked to the bone but NO COMPLAINTS! All over Saguenay & LSJ will be excellent for this weekend.

Lucky indeed. News says "blessed"...

Just for the record!... Mr. Bill hasn't been riding while on the mend from a cold, but he and the Mrs. & pooch are holding court indeed!

Started light snow today: Then white-out! Then deelish!... Existing hard base with today's half-inch made the carbides extra-grippy! Coulda used more of that in La Baie... Come n get it Ladies & Gents! Tons more neige forecast!

LOTS of best wishes for Krikri's speedy recovery!

I don't like it. But I liked it. Good to know. Danka!

Might have to go over the lake, maybe Roberval - Lac a Jim - Dolbeau, to dodge some rain/mix Wednesday.

Looked like white carpet along and crossing the black trail. Came up the 175 tonight into the Delta. And it's nice & cold.

Momma always said, life was like a box of chocolates...

Is this old news, that soon folks will be able to get their Cushman golf carts at their AC shop?... https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/02/07/what-textrons-arctic-cat-acquisition-means-for-the.aspx

Hey Bill, You've been pretty quiet. Hoping you're hanging in there. If the doc says no go, that's what second opinions are for!

For real, why are we not all serious about art right there?!... http://www.pause-sport.com/top-32-beaux-body-painting-sport/?utm_campaign=top-32-beaux-body-painting-sport&utm_term=Actualite.co+-+Mobile&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=contentza

Thanks! 10-4! The 23 all the way up from St Ray is a long-time fav, so is Roquemont. My 2 motor'vations to start in Bill's Paradise is that I've got 2 freshmen with me on this ride. So lots of miles & bumps could be tough on day-1. And if we launch from down south we still have to deal with whatever havoc next Wednesday's rain does on the way back down Thursday. "Always an adventure!"

We did the tour listed below last week and it turned out great, skirted the storm as planned/hoped. The base was big, and the dump on top should mean lots left after this week's warm-up. Also, we were pleasantly reminded that "white" on the grooming web updates sometimes means it just didn't need it. Don't miss the sled museum in the basement at Hotel Copper in Murdochville! We went over these miles by a bit each day, but all days were pretty easy: ...Weather forecasts from different sources varied throughout the week, so i made the move to drive a few more hours east of RDL Saturday and set ourselves up in Amqui, so we'll have more flexibility later in the week if we need it, and we’re looping around back west at the end of the week to catch a night at the original place we were going to launch from. Here’s our story, locked & loaded!... HQ, Sat 2/11) 11hr-10min/677mi from Hinsdale, MA Sélectôtel, 340 Saint-Benoît Boul O, Amqui, QC G5J 2G2 www.selectotelamqui.com 418-629-2241 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=49.126876&lng=-66.933766&zoom=7&force=1&ewaypoints=4847549,-6742737,-51108,16413,1552,33206,12206,81353,14652,-961,3114,42380,37645,-45538,30992,66439,-57824,97532,13340,30445,31654,-26930,17144,8789,21304,-141045,-10573,-68219,-27575,-103091,-38188,-97627,-63921,-106507,5827,84754,54424,92285,4919,30487&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 1, Sun 2/12) 180mi, Trails: 5e, 587se, gas in Matapedia, 5e HOSTELLERIE BAIE BLEUE, 482 boulevard Perron, Carleton-sur-Mer G0C 1J0 http://baiebleue.com/hostellerie/ (800) 463-9099 (418) 364-3355 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=48.304211&lng=-66.770302&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4847173,-6743784,-48342,14164,-471,35540,11609,82247,963,-1579&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 2, Mon 2/13) 180mi, Trails: Local to tour windmills, 5e, 595n, gas @ Relais De La Cache, local e, 597s Hôtel Copper, 700 5e Rue, Murdochville, QC G0E 1W0 www.hotel-copper.ca 418-784-2566 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?unit=mi&lat=48.661889&lng=-65.956970&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4810928,-6613388,13192,-230,1846,44673,39826,-46704,30100,66532&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 3, Tues 2/14) 190mi, Trails: 597s, gas in Grande-Rivière, 5e, local to Perce Rock, gas in Gaspe, 5ne Auberge Le Caribou, 82 Boul Renard O, Gaspé, QC G4X5H1 www.aubergelecaribou.ca (877) 260-3344 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=mi&lat=48.791914&lng=-64.811012&zoom=9&force=1&ewaypoints=4897492,-6549609,-58668,97626,13198,30430,48453,-18275&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 4, Wed 2/15) 180mi, Trails: 5w, gas in Mont-Saint-Pierre Hôtel & Cie, 90 Boulevard Sainte Anne O, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC G4V 1R3 www.hoteletcie.com 418-763-3321 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=mi&lat=49.407878&lng=-65.533762&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4900686,-6439622,21916,-138954,-10714,-70473,541,205&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 5, Thurs 2/16) 250mi, Trails: 5w, gas in Matane & Rimouski Hôtel Universel, 311 Boulevard de l'hôtel de ville O, Rivière-du-Loup, QC G5R 5S4 www.hoteluniverselrdl.com 418-862-9520 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=H&unit=mi&lat=48.702718&lng=-68.003481&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4911818,-6648816,-27830,-103464,-38151,-97355,-63828,-106324&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000 Day 6, Fri 2/17) 190mi, Trails: 576se, 85se, local to 544se, 571se, gas in Squatec, 546, 35ne, 5e, 579se, gas in Saint Gabriel, 579se to 587se Radar/Mummies in La Redemption/Ste Irene Sélectôtel, 340 Saint-Benoît Boul O, Amqui, QC G5J 2G2www.selectotelamqui.com 418-629-2241 http://www.viaexplora.com/snowmobile/index.html?attraits=&unit=km&lat=48.419208&lng=-68.480255&zoom=8&force=1&ewaypoints=4781976,-6956066,7059,84241,53122,55660,-234,36447,5307,35805&cst=1.0,1.01,1.05&csts=1.0&cstr=1.01&spd=50000,50000,50000