PLAYHARD

A small but good thermos or insulated water bottle, buried inside the saddlebag so it lasts longer, fill with HOT tap or coffee pot water before leaving the hotel. Good to drink, or to thaw the ice from Bombardier helmet ports. Still wet at the end of a cold day.
1.2mil garbage bag to line your saddlebag, 2 gallon zip lock Freezer bags (those are heavier duty than the storage bags)  inside with your dry stuff, don't overstuff, they flatten and pack nice. Never had one open or fail. Couple candy or energy bars, the light airy ones are easier on the teeth when frozen compared to the heavy solid ones. Put one in an inside pocket a half hour before eating. A couple dog treats or jerky for the friendly dogs you meet along the way. Change the belt before the trip if it's remotely used, so your less likely to need your spare, because then you'll have no spare. 5 or 6 foot security chain and good lock for sled-to-sled lockup to make your stuff look less attractive than the unlocked sleds nearby. Thin gloves and gauntlets for comfort and dexterity. Rain-x your shield before the trip to make freezing rain easier to clear off. At least 1 person should have a shovel, folding saw, fuse assortment, big and small ty-wraps and fresh duct tape for MacGuyvering, spare gas for whoever needs it. A volt meter is sometimes handy.  Motorcycle compact jumper cables, they always work compared to the wizbang lithium jumper packs that are hit or miss.  Flashlight with spare battery. I prefer the Fenix E12 since it's pocket size and takes 1 AA battery which is 2x capacity of AAA and it's the same battery my GPS can use in a pinch. Spare balaclava, sometimes to swap, sometimes to double up on the thin ones when it's -30, with Windblock fabric in the neck is much warmer than airy fleece, yet still thin and not bulky. Some plan in case a heated grip fails. 1 spare carbide. Bonus cinch strap ( not a bungee, they don't work good in the cold) over the saddlebags to prevent bouncing which can easily rip the factory straps out of the bags, eye bolts in the tunnel to attach. A spare strap for "that" guy that didn't plan ahead and now has torn his luggage strap out and it's really flopping around. A motorcycle cargo net is also awesome insurance! I like a combo cable bike lock to lock my jerry and permanent bag to the rear bumper, again just to add a layer of inconvenience to me or thieves. Small Leatherman for cutting belt fragments that wound up behind the primary. Spare fuses, and if Skidoo....spare relays, and know where all of them are ahead of time, on the trail in the dark when it's -30 is no time to dig out the manual. Spare helmet cord for that rare occasion you may need to plug in. Copies or PDF of all your paperwork, passport, and credit cards front and back, email to yourself. Earplugs if you're a light sleeper. Ice scratchers for those few occasional just wrong morning hours where it was groomed like concrete the night before, and it takes a couple hours to loosen up. When stopping, peek under for bent carbides or loose studs, even the pre-studded Studs pull out or can partially pull out and flap into a heat exchanger. Name and email address labels on stuff like keys, phones, bags, gps, etc.  Email always works, your phone number may not. Nice to haves include an axe, sat phone, bus schedule. Must haves are a lot of money and a good sense of humor for the inevitabilities Murphy throws your way. That's it for now ;<)
 

Kinda makes the heart go pitter-patter...

Just FYI, Heads up out there for extra Patrols of Police and club Security. Extra Radar for speed checks.
 
A national operation organized by the Sûreté du Québec with the Quebec Federation of Snowmobile Clubs will be deployed from January 6 to 8 throughout the territory.
This will increase the number of patrollers and trail supervisors in order to increase safety.
For more information: http://bit.ly/securitemotoneige
Good season for all snowmobilers!

hi playhard !!!
 
thx...few pics from today ....-25 c around 6 am ...just checked...- 26 c right now !!!
lots of moose tracks on my way up to lake !!!
before i forget , no grooming yet on local trail for ste marguerite...they are hauling woods !!!
 
jean-guy

Well you participated in this thread for 2 months now and just now you think it's unfair cause a thread from 2 years ago was deleted? That should have been your first and only post in this thread. Sorry but this is what is wrong with this world today everybody's so sensitive and gets their feelings hurt over a conversation. If we can't discuss things in the General Discussion forum other than snowmobiling than I don't want to see one more Happy Birthday post either. Seems only fair. Birthdays have nothing to do with snowmobiling so if we are gonna become all strict on what can and can not be posted, it's just crazy that we need to be censored. No one attacked anyone in this thread or bashed anyone so I am sorry i see no problem with an adult conversation. Those who care to be a part of it can be but no one is forcing anyone to be in it if they do not want. Does not say Politics is not allowed. And like I said before who has been offended? Sorry JG I just do not agree with your view on this. And that's ok you are entitled to your opinion and me to mine. That's Life. See you on the trail.


 
The primary goal of this website is to increase understanding and communication between French and English speaking snowmobilers in the United States and Canada. Too often a different language can create an artificial barrier between individuals that otherwise would share many common interests. With that in mind, please be considerate of others when posting to our forums. Free speech is observed, but conversations involving politics should be carefully guarded so as to not offend others that hold different viewpoints. "Country-bashing" will not be tolerated here under any circumstances. Failure to observe this rule will lead to post deletion and/or limitations of your posting ability.

Looks like it was a Grouse, also known as natures grenades. These little birds have been know to explode during the winter, due to a build up of digestive gases and the constant shivering. Many a hunter/trapper have lost a finger or two trying to grab one of these little guys, and is the origin of the phrase "Giving them the Bird".
GutZ

hi anysledwilldo !!!
 
bienvenue !!!
i was 10-12 years back then...my oldest brother was bringing me to the races !!!
 
jean-guy

hi doonali !!
 
absolutely right !! old technology always interesting to look at and bring back memories !!!
and thx  , i won t forget to tell dad !!!
losing sunshine...more grey sky now...still -17c !!!
 
jean-guy

hi jg !!!
 
back from the signage run in town !!! great day ..not too cold !!!
sport car ....tough on my legs when you spend too many hrs without moving...just lucky i go out time to time for pics !!!
great if you come in the area !!!
 
jean-guy

hi shane and jackstraw !!!
back from my first one on tq 5 !!!
rock'n roll day !!! woke up at 5 am..-14c...started at 7 am......once on main street near auberge.....-8c at city hall...then exiting long straight ste marguerite....mini rain drop ...tiny
ones...then ,on the other side of long hill ,east of ste marguerite....i could say , heavy rain ...then after 90' corner...time to time...with drizzle...right after 90' corner ...good snow there !!!
last hill before cb ,snow up to the knee...drizzle at the bridge !!! ....then after climbing long hill west st fidele cb ....back to snow !!! then got colder....-11c right now...look like not much rain in town..just crusty a bit !!!
rideable ...yes....but need another 4-5-6 '' ...specially in town ...still a bit of debris ,bad stuff on trail..need more snow to fill ditch , windmills area....saw only 2 sleds.....1 deer !!!
 
jean-guy
 

Jan 2 -4°c
I decided to wait no longer, big time rain coming in tomorrow 35mm, that'll wipe out everything around here and no snow in the 14 day forecast so out the back yard I go, head for the lake, get to the lake and tracks are going left and right but none across the road onto the lake and no tracks to be seen on the lake, dam I hate to be the first. I go right 100' later there's a ramp and sled tracks going down and out to the abiss, I follow, only 2 tracks I'm the third. Stakes you see on the lake are markers for the ice fishing village roads, they've started to pump the lake.





Once on the other side the hydro line trail was well covered but watch out for the ditches between the fields, not quite filled up yet. Cross a few fields and I'm in Rigaud.




Rigaud river has got an oval track groomed, maybe some races coming up. Further on the railbed is nicely groomed to the Ontario border, gotta take the last exit, no Ontarion pass. Last exit jumps on the Dalhousie club trails which have the best reputation for grooming in this area. You be the judge.








Took a little peek at the Ontario border, trail leading to it was well groomed, lots of snow in this area, these guys know what they're doing. JG you been giving lessons that we don't know about. Lol.

On the way back took a little detour to visit a Relais that's bee open for a couple years but never took the time to visit, had a peak inside and met the owner, every Saturday night they put on theatre acts, the owner raves about. Will have to stop in and check it out one week end.

196 Klms for my afternoon run, probably have to wait a couple weeks for the next backyard departure with hopes the Valleyfield crossing will be ready so I can get to the south shore.
 

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.

 

From news story. Club motoneige Mauricie, La Tuque and Mattawin and Alliance du Nord Parent etc.
 
AUDREY TREMBLAY

(La Tuque) Mother Nature had put the patience of snowmobilers to the test last year. The snowmobile season took a long time to take off. If all goes well, it should be different this year, even though some trails are already open in the Mattawin area.
Across the region, you can feel the enthusiasm for the approaching snowmobile season. Everywhere, we hasten to work the paths where there is sufficient snow.
"Work has begun in some areas. Quietly not quickly, one begins the work of surfacing. This is obviously better than last year. We started the season on January 21 ... ", commented Kevin Vézina, Communications Manager for the Mauricie Snowmobile Club.
"We have also started surfacing in some areas, but our trails are not considered open now," said Claude Gagnon, President of the Snowmobile Club of La Tuque.
It must be said that there is still a lack of snow in some places and there is still hope of the cold so that the bodies of water can freeze adequately.
"The Saint-Maurice River is not yet frozen, it restricts a little access to trails," confirms Mr. Vézina.
Even if we are confident for a full start of the season towards the end of the month, we know that the mild temperature could play the spoils and we prefer not to advance on a specific date.
"One is ahead, if one does not have bad temperature. It depends a lot on that. We need snow. If it does not rain, we're going to be okay.
Besides, we do not want there to be rain because we do not want to start all over again. We have many hours of work and we still have a lot to do. We have 520 kilometers of trail, we are the paradise of snowmobiling, "said Mr. Gagnon.
Moreover, the Snowmobile Club of La Tuque is looking for volunteers. These are becoming more and more rare, which complicates things a little. "When they are there, it gives us a huge helping hand. It goes much faster when they answer the call. We really need it, "said Claude Gagnon.
The Club alliance du Nord in the area of Parent and Clova in Haute-Mauricie indicated through its website that teams were working to clear the trails due to several fallen trees.
"We will begin this Wednesday, December 21, the surfacing of our trails. We are also working on thickening the ice of the Bazin River. We will return shortly with the official opening of the trails, "reads.
If the trails are currently closed in the majority of clubs in the area, in Mattawin some trails are open to the snowmobilers' greatest pleasure. Trail 360 West towards Saint-Michel-des-Saints and trail 360 towards Saint-Joseph-de-Mékinac are open according to the website of the Snowmobile Club of Mattawin.

The Sticks are up on the river to get to Comfort Inn and over to Auberge Gouverneur. Also Saw that the trail to/from Drakaar (Safari) and the Esso station has been opened i. Shawinigan Sud. 

I knew I had a similar picture. It was back in 2007. Not exactly the same section of the trail, but in the same area.

Another summer has gone by and here we are at the Sagueneenne.  Vacation is good!
Sandi woke up at 3:30 AM to check the truck and sleds.  She likes to look outside a few times a night to make sure nothing is going on.  This time she yells to me "FIRE".  Oh no.  I jump out of bed and there are two tents to park the snowmobiles in.  The tent next to the one our sleds are in is on fire.  Black smoke billowing out from the rear corner.  I call the front desk and jump into my clothes.  I go to the front desk for the key to the tent our sleds are in.  The night manager is on the phone with the fire department.  He hands me the key.  As I come back thru our room, Sandi hands me the snowmobile keys and keys for the locks.
Our tent is not burning but the one next to it is flaming.  The smell of burning gasoline and plastic is in the air.  Inside our tent is lit up by the flames.  There is only about five feet between the tents.  I get the door open and our two sleds out safely.  The fire trucks roll in and the firemen get into the burning tent.  I look in and see what is left to one snowmobile in the back corner.  Just a pile of rubble on the ground.  Next to it are two more sleds fully engulfed in the fire.  It looks like there is one more sled and a ski-boose at the other end off the tent that are OK.  The firemen put out the fire.  The police are also here.
A big thanks to the firemen.  Very quick response.  If the fire spread to the second tent, there were ten sleds in it but those are not touched.  What a way to start the season.
We are going out for our first ride in  a few hours.  We will post back later.
Jack & Sandi
 

We left this morning from Lac Etchemin. We found great mid season riding conditions for 90 percent of the ride to RDL.  Can't believe it is Dec 26.  Club houses are open, ,any local sleds out and we met a couple from Maine on the trails.  Trail 55 to 35 to 526 to 5.  All great going!!
 
think snow!  RR

Rode out of Jackman on Friday the 23th and Saturday 24th.   Got to try out the new sled Yahama Sidewinder. 
 
Rode to Lac Etchemin via 75 to 55 on Friday.  Mostly very good, a little thin in a few spots.
Then on Saturday did 25 to 55 to 535 to 540 to 35, Stopped in St. Marie for fuel and a bite to eat.  Then back down 75 to Jackman.  Trails were very good up around St. Marie great trails overall for early season riding.

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...

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...

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.
 

Randy,  just doesn't get any better.  That sure was fun yesterday. Hope to see you guys on the trail again this winter!
A few of our boys got to get some excersise on a bundle of snowdrifts yesterday😁
Happy New Years!
 
RR

The jackpot was down near lac of the east on the way into St Pamphile on trail 557, gorgeous powder!!