RoadRunner

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...

RDL area looks really good for this early in the season.  We know you will make the best of it.  Happy trails RR.
Jack & Sandi

Nice run RR
Can't wait to get out east.

Headed to RDL for Thursday night ourselves!
 

A fun day,  for what we thought was going to be a wet day by the weatherman!

A fun day,  for what we thought was going to be a wet day by the weatherman!

A fun day,  for what we thought was going to be a wet day by the weatherman!

A fun day,  for what we thought was going to be a wet day by the weatherman!

Pulling front and ice man,  yes it does seem like we are getting a bonus in the riding conditions, maybe after last years not so good winter, we are getting a return on investment lol..
The sidewinder goes awesome. The owner let each one of us turn it loose on the rail bed..  We all felt like it had crazy torque and it pulled hard well into triple digits, felt like it was actually hooked to a railbed, even though there are no rails left on the bed.  We did somehow manage to burn a tank of gas out of it between st pamphile and st Antonin.  Probably not the best gas mileage of the day lol!
Best regards RR

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

Hi RR,    It is hard to be sitting home and then see pictures of such good conditions. Have fun.
mike
 

Greetings RR enjoy the fantastic December conditions there. All the best. 
How is that Sidewinder? 

Been a member since 2007 but haven't ridden Quebec since 2009 haha.  Good to be back, boy have I missed these trails.  

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

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

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

OK JG
We are home :( Good shakedown... Sitting on the trailer in the sun relaxing and drying off for the next adventure.
I am very pleased with big orange so far, stay tuned.
RR
We think it will be around 1/15 going to wait to see what area receives more to snow to choose a destination. Had a fun three days, the 23 from Herbertville to St Ray   was exceptional yesterday 4 - 6 + new snow on a good base some places it was wind blown and a lot deeper.

RR it's like Christmas a few days early. Struggling to upload pix. 😢

Early season conditions.  Armagh area
Some of this.
 
and some of this.

I have one almost identical to that made by Stihl  An awesome tool to have onboard!

Now that's one nasty looking saw!!!  I can see why you don't need the "chainer" anymore.

FS, we did the first 2 days on the my 1200 expedition, but I bought this hand saw last year, everyone should have one, they cut stuff like I have never seen. That's what I carry on the freeride

FS, we did the first 2 days on the my 1200 expedition, but I bought this hand saw last year, everyone should have one, they cut stuff like I have never seen. That's what I carry on the freeride

Some minor early season obstacles

Thanks for the reports it is greatly appreciated !