MrsGTRider

31 March Thursday 
 
Woke to a dusting of snow still snowing at 6am. Knew this was not going to last. We dis breakfast and after 8am its now snow rain ice all of it. We head out to give it a try. Up 373 to Relais Buttes. Here Playhard has seen enough, well not seen enough actually as the weather is playing havoc on his Helmet shield. We split the team he is gonna meander back and NHmoose and I push on. Up 373 then local across river just past relais. Orange local up past Chute de l’ours and rejoin 93. Up we go its rain now but we push on. Orange trail up to just near Lac a Jim. Then back left on 93 back down the bump out as we call out of 93. Now a bit of freezing rain up here. Getting encapsulated by the minute. Trails still unbelievable and despite the westher we are having a blast. Back south and just rain now again. We had planned to head to Resto du Chef then loop back through La Dore but that mission was scuttled as we are really getting rained on now. The novelty has worn off. We agreed it was time to bee line it back to hotel. Back in around 11am. 88 miles. We were glad to ride a bit. 
Got gear drying in room. We regroup and decide to take truck to Du Chef for lunch. Rest of afternoon is a lazy day. We are plotting are next ride tomorrow as long as rain has gone. It will be warm here until tomorrow night so surely no purple lines tomorrow to see. But we will manage. 
 
Some riding better than none. Already talk of riding through Monday or Tuesday it’s been that good we don’t want to leave. 
 
Until next time

27 March Sunday 
West bound from RDL light flurries all night probably almost 2” new snow. Black trail is wet but not slick. Back to Quebec City over the bridge and east to 73/175 Direction Saguenay LSJ. Smooth ride uo through L’etape and across 169 by Mont Apica and then west again to St Felicien. Colder up here wind biting cold. Much colder than any day over in Gaspe. Lunch St Hubert in Roberval. We leave there last short leg to St Felicien. Taking it easy as wind is pushing the trailer around here a bit. My phone is ringing. It’s a text. Audio message. It’s Mrs. Ice telling me to hit the gas as I am holding up traffic. We have her back. She is with us for 2 days to knock the cobwebs off and embed some solid memories to get her through the long off season. Ankle not 100% but we will adjust to her level of comfort. Into hotel the convoy rolls. Mrs and I suit up we drop sleds and her and I are off to see how this ankle is doing. Full February like trails except for parking lots and by road. Hard packed but still enough lube for slides. White asphalt all the way to Relais Buttes. She is adjusting. She is not fully recovered but she is doing well. Saw 2 other sleds. Trail mint entire way. I think it’s gonna be better here as far as smooth flat trail than it was in Gaspe. 
Tomorrow we will see more. 
Very quiet here at hotel might be 2-3 other guests here besides us. 
Just the way we like it. 

😃

http://quebecrider.com/forums/uploads/monthly_2022_03/BEBDAC58-FEF6-4F2B-AB14-F4C1C9534F7C.thumb.jpeg.f1c120559e994aed3c5b4af4c5756fd2.jpeghttp://quebecrider.com/forums/uploads/monthly_2022_03/BEBDAC58-FEF6-4F2B-AB14-F4C1C9534F7C.thumb.jpeg.f1c120559e994aed3c5b4af4c5756fd2.jpegThis is my all time favorite. Gaspe 2019

Always top notch service at Andre Halle Skidoo, Friday afternoon no exception. They are much bigger than days of old, and a small chain now, went above and beyond. Many thanks!
I borrowed Icemans spare Sena S20 helmet radio for this trip, makes it much easier to make good time without needing to stop each time a simple communication is needed. 
Shell gas at Cabano is a mess, there is no longer a “trail”, you have to run the road from the Metro supermarket parking down to the Shell. Wheels down, no problem. Seems each time I deploy the wheels I say in my head…these thing pay for themselves each time you use them 👍
 
Overall another great day, no whooped out sections, no bare spots, a few dark spots here and there but all still snow/ice covered.
Even into RDL Universal, the recent snow created a layer of white all the way in.
It will deteriorate fast starting with a paved areas and South facing hills, but for now it’s still extremely rideable, even at low elevations. Of course once the grooming stops, that will be the end as well.
Today we were hauling, no stops for scenery photos so you get pics of when we were stopped trailside pit stops:
 
 

25 March Friday continues 
 
We are going. John takes off to stay on beat to make the 1pm rendezvous. David is with him I finish paying for the gas and I am sweeping things up now. John can run to dealer ahead I am behind David just in case. In case came quick we could not have been 5km from Albertville. I round corner David is stopped John there pulling side cover. I arrive and tell John to beat feet. He been riding 2 days plus with poched shock he needs to make it for 1pm. Playhard aint going nowhere yet. Its stone cold dead. Out comes the tow equipment. Nice setup Playhard had. Around ski loops then two basically tie strap buckles that loop around bumper of towing service. I have done my share of towing. I been pulled into Clova once but we were close. Nonetheless thanks to NHmoose he towed my 2008 Apex into town. This is my first pull of a fellow Apex an XTX. Lincoln Town Car. We get it hooked. I pulled the belt. We go short distance then readjust our straps so they are equal lenghth. I don’t like that we are really close. One wrong move he is on top of my rear tunnel extension. But it works well. Teamwork. We are ready, its snowing and almost mixed with some rain now. We ease off. I got a serious load on. We go well but it’s apparent it will be tough in this fresh wet snow. Frozen trail February. No problems. Towing through this hmmm. Tough going. First Road we come to we stop. Playhard is instantly Navigating. Ski Doo Amqui to the right 3.2 crow miles. Road is snowy its a secondary road we decide to go for it. I know full well we can get close but for sure it means running up the 132 through town towing in taffic. No real issues on snowy road. One hill I underestimated and did not get my speed up to get a run at it but we make up.
Next one I am ready for no worries. Sure enough we arrive to fully plowed blacktop RT195 we need to go up 195 then hit 132. To reach Ski Doo. I am not a happy camper being on the 132. But we are getting there. We had wheels down now and going is nice and smooth. We blend into traffic like we belong and cruise on up had to wait in traffic at one red light. But just ahead is destination. In we roll 2:15. John being service. Stephan and Jeremy speak english in service and Playhard is already on it talking with these boys to see who they can find to truck him and tge Apex to RDL tonight or Tomorrow. John sled is all buttoned up. And jeremy is waiting for some calls back to confirm this transport. He comes out and he has Roger ready to go Sat 9am. They will load apex into Rogers truck tonight at Ski Doo and scheduled pick up is 9am for David at Selectotel. Awsome. 
 
Raining out now not pouring but steady wet. John and I bee line to Hotel shocks he said feel great. Too wet to play. Bags soaked time to get inside. 
 
Great trails really all day. Happy. We will overcome. We always do. 
 
John and I will ride to RDL thru Cabano 
Join David in RDL and keep this going. 

Woke up to 4 inches of greasy wet snow. Headed south on 83 to 303 to 63 into La Bannik, good groomed, flat, trails. As we got closer to our final destination the snow turned to rain—fitting for the last ride of the year. 
 
Surprise of the day: came around a corner to a moose sleeping on the trail, it got up and trotted down the trail for 1/2 km then went into the bush.  

Loaded up the trailer and unhooked it to go shopping in town….the local cheese factory and chocolate factory.
 
Best new finds on Spring trip, both in Nouyn-Rouanda, Hotel ALBERT and just around the corner MOULIN NOIR steak house (best meal)
overall best accommodations in 2022, Auberge la Seigneurie des Monts in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts  
Hope you enjoyed our adventures we enjoy reading everyone else’s.  Heading home to regroup and off to Mexico for some off shore fishing  

 
 

salut playhard !!!
 
yaa...just too bad...
 
when the  pm has been sent , i was having a few '' beverages ''...then supper ...and watched my favorite tv show......pekin express....
pics at the '' school bus ''....yesterday morning
 
jean-guy
 
 
 

20220325_101709.mp4

One of those great days when the speedo and tachometer got a serious and lengthy workout!
The lookout above Carleton is a must see, but don’t tell anyone or the trail in will become whooped out like the trail up to Redemption lookout :<)

What a difference a day makes when snowmobiling. All are good, all are different.
Welcomed the clear blue sky and sunshine to enjoy the awesome scenery here. And a change of visual and mental focus from just trying to find and stay on the trail in a blizzard to having fresh groomed trails with a bit of fluff on top, railing turns like being on an asphalt track the very next day.
The Skidoos stiffened rear spring settings working much better today, even with the bad center shock. Emptied the jerry can to reduce weight from the rear yesterday, and the chosen freshly groomed trails today also helped. Figured out a combination of throttle management to unload torque squat just before bigger bumps (or a small bump at speed that feels like a bigger bump :<) and sticking the right ski in the higher fluff to ride the left edge of the track adds a lot more more cushion when needed, working the suspension less. Good to go until we meet up with the new shock arriving in Amqui.
During supper, Mario (owner of Nanook) said the recent winds blew out the sea ice from where the boats are so crabbing season will commence about 2 weeks earlier than usual this year, focused off Isle De La Madelaine. Followed by Lobster.