iceman

Team Iceman has operatives currently on Gaspe. The Iceman is at home on break. Over 11K km so far this year. Maybe one last run around March 15 if things hold up.

Nice glad to hear you guys are on the move. Enjoy, conditions are perfect i know you will have a great run.

Sorry to hear this. My condolences.

lol.

We were running nights and was -28 they were not sticking to nothing. I failed in that. Maybe next time.

18 speed on those but also 4 different ranges of gearing to choose from for extra pulling power. I'm gonna do some trucking but not going into that up there just yet. Someday maybe, but for now i am going to stick to asphalt.

Yeah I saw that too. He did not make it. Killed.

Just a stones throw from me. I really do not get how this happened perfectly straight trail and near the road crossing. http://www.lapresse.ca/le-nouvelliste/justice-et-faits-divers/201403/01/01-4743772-grave-face-a-face-en-motoneige-a-notre-dame-du-mont-carmel.php

some pictures Trust me its massive. got wood? note the fullsize pickup in front of the truck on top of the radio is the warning device with flashing lights Danny is 6'7" and the truck is alot taller then him I'm 6'3" tall so this thing is giant Solid green all clear Flashing yellow means if empty find a pull off to park now Flashing red oncoming very close

Well its not exactly a snowmobile story but I wanted to share my recent experience from this past week. I drove to Chapais Tues. to visit my buddy Danny and check out the winter road trucking from the Sawmill there the Barrette Mill. About a 6.5 hr drive from home to Chapais. The operation there takes place 24hrs a day 5 days a week.12-15 off road trucks run non stop hauling wood to the mill on the network of winter roads that stretch hundreds of miles from the mill. This week they were hauling from near Obedjiwan back to Chapais. These runs were about 8hrs round trip. Earlier they were hauling from the north and making runs of almost 15 hrs round trip. These rigs are strictly for off-road as they are over 14 ft wide and about 18-20 ft tall when loaded and average about 350,000 lbs. Very impressive. Quite alot of skill is required to handle these massive rigs. You have got to be on top of your game all the time. there are other trucks coming at you and communication is key.They call out at intervals and announce themselves to be sure everyone knows they are coming. Loaded trucks have priority and do not stop for nothing. Along the road there are pull offs plowed out for the empty rigs to give way to the loaded ones. So besides using the two radios (they have a CB and a shortwave) CB to chat and Shortwave to announce their positions at what KM they are at and what direction they roll. Each truck also has a small unit on the dash (you will see in the pics) this has indicator lights on it. When its green then no trucks are nearby, then it will begin to flash yellow when a truck is a few KM's out(i think its 5KM) then it changes to red and that means the guy is close like less then a KM and you better watch it. Now with the radio the empty trucks are stopped usually before get to them and pulled off in a pull off. Between the Radio and the device with the blinking lights you got alot of warning to get out the way. Like I said the empty trucks must give way to the Loaded ones. There is also a flashing blue light on the device to Indicate a sander or a grader is nearby. they also use the same radios and all communicate together. The wildcard in the MIx is the Natives in the Pickup trucks as they use this section I was on this week to access Obedjiwan. Most have CB but it gets a bit hairy cause they do not all announce their presence on the road. I gave it a go and must say I have driven alot of stuff but this is quite a challenge. I have alot of respect for these winter warriors hauling day and night nonstop. Braking is all done with engine Brakes and special electro-magnetic brakes on the driveline to slow momentum. You hit the regular air brakes hard on these and it does nothing but make you slide and its game over. Quite a puckering experience and while not as fun as sleds it was very cool to try it and learn what they got goin on up there. This operation will go on about three more weeks then when the Breakup begins the roads are too dangerous to haul on they shut down about 2 months then they will begin again to feed the mill. The difference being in Summer they run these giant trucks and they are GIANT with a second Trailer with another stack of logs. So Tandem trailers. WOW. Right now they say there is enough wood stacked at the mill that if you laid it end to end it would stretch clear across to British Columbia on the west coast. I believe it. You think you can drive? You need mad skills to wheel one of these beasts. Each truck has 2 drivers. One works days one works nights for a week then they switch for the following week.

Thanks to Playhard for the delivery to Groomer.

What is oil?

That looks good. Is that a private relais? Relais Trailblazer maybe. Reservation for one please.

"been there stickered that" lol. Keep looking there's more......... If the powers that be here send me a stack of QR stickers I will see they get distrubuted throughout the Province as well, no charge for installation.

Everywhere was great for sure it was perfect timing.

I hear ya JG (quote name="mikerider" post="39806" timestamp="1393206601"]Enjoyed reading your daily trip journal and glad you enjoyed the area.I just returned to Riviere du Loup for another vacation. This area is a well guarded secret.mike Enjoy Mike Yes certainly quite a honey hole of trails to be had there.

"Looks like Tom is taking phil 1's place in off trail antics! Lol!" Still smiling. Well he's keeping right. Hey Scorp get the winch.

My trail of the trip award goes to the 580 leaving Lac Megantic. One of the nicest i have ridden all season. The green and orange are always better then the Trans Quebec but don't tell everyone ok? Sure its fun to go fast on the railbed trails but sorry I find it Boring. My thumb hurts. Give me the twistys baby. I want something with some skill involved. Anyone can hold her to the bars and point it straight. Keeping right and riding the twisty stuff i like best. I will say i seen more deer then sleds about 3 days on this trip near the maine border. That is a little bit of a problem but riding is taking chances and with the amount of deer down in that area its a big chance. Overall lots of great trails. We hit it just right because now after this warmup fri/sat i am sure alot of what we rode south is beat up bad. I am talking way south say Drummondville and sherbrooke to thetford mines etc.

Today did 103 miles before our pickup to get back across the river. looking bleak to the south the rain killed it bad and what a difference a week makes. near Drumondville was snirt and Ice. Wiped out. Just over 1600 miles this week. Mileage/KM this year............started at zero now.............................

some pics from the week trail Bingo on the Chaudiere Map

PassionQc Looking good got it.

What user name for the camera? I don't get it?

X2 on Vincent and Lise two great people there with a friendly stafff that will go out of their way to make your stay perfect. Nice job Ian.

The SPOT tracking thing is pretty cool. I likey.