iceman

Day 7 Sacre Couer to Baie St Paul. Long day today with a little bit of everything. Snowed about 6-8" overnight and was interesting to say the least being first up the TQ93 headed for Mt. Valin. Broke trail about halway up then the first guys headed down passed us and it was much easier.(sure they felt the same) New snow decreased as we went up. Got gas at Valinouet. Headed for Shipshaw to Cross the fjord. Some ugly stuff mud snirt rocks in alt of areas headed down off the mtn. Not Pretty. Worse near Chicoutimi. Like its over there. As we got further away from Chicoutimi it got much better. 83 mostly great but we knew further toward clermont was lots of new snow. Passed groomer headed up 83 about 15 miles from Clermont. Near Clermont rough as hell. TQ3 from Clermont to Baie St Paul was the worst trail of the trip. 30 miles with 2-3ft bumps.the whole way. Like a war zone. 307 miles today. Iceman out.

Day 6 Baie Comeau to Sacre Couer Planned a shorter day today and good thing with the blowing sideways snow. Left Baie Comeau in a whiteout. This was going to be fun. From what I could see and feel the trail was really actually great. We knew that cause we rode it yesterday. Found the groomer headed halfway between Baie Comeau and Forrestville. Sweeter. Gas in Forrestville. Headed down the Trail. Took the Escoumins By-Pass and headed for Motel Coronet. Pulled in about 3:45. Snow was still blowing. 195 miles

Yes momo behind hospital. Very doable with shorttrack this year.

The hotel looks like a Nice Place up there JG. The trail to Mistassini is very deceiving to start off but a few miles in she pays off big. Both ends are not so great but the middle 85% of the trail is a winner.

That hill is Serious! No Doubt Jim. Not for the faint of heart. So far so good. Talking some serious snow at home in Shawinigan tonight and thurs. should be interesting.

Day 5 Wed. Escoumins to Baie Comeau. TQ3 surprisingly good with a few spots with bumped up corners between Escoumins and Forrestville. After Forrestville a beautiful fast ride on groomed goodness. Passed about 6 sleds all day all headed west. Got into Baie Comeau about 1pm. Went to Ski Doo for some oil for the Doo. Then had some lunch. Decided it was time to learn all there was to know about Baie Comeau an its Local Orange trails. We simply found a trail and took it. Then another and another. The pass less traveled is oh so sweet. Had a great time exploring the local trails. Beautiful day and awesome trails. 225 miles today. Happy Happy.

Day 4 Tuesday Left Auberge Dilligence on TQ93 very nicely groomed. Stayed on 93 then took the Local Orange Trail toward Milot. Orange Trail was just Ok not as good as 93 was. Got gas at Milot then continued on the Orange trail to Scooby Raid. Plan was to go on the orange all the way to Onitchaway. I say was cause we bailed on that idea at Scooby and took the 367. Very wise choice. 367 was awesome. Have not been up that way in a while and usually use the Orange trail. That is Quite a very large downhill headed out of Scooby on 367 bet more then a few have not made that one. She is a big one. Wow! 367 to 328 all very good really nice. Hardly no sleds. Saw maybe 6 sleds. 93 to Valinouet took the gas there. Few more riders up there but not many. Got to love the weekdays. Started off for the run to Escoumins. Beautiful big fast trails all the way to the Sentier Pel Chat. The Pel Chat Trail let me down first time ever. Not Groomed one sled wide about 40 miles. Well what can ya do. Go for it. TQ 3 looking great right into Escoumins. Ran out of gas at 200km on the nose. Dumped in my gas and cruised on in to the Hotel. I was 3km short of making it. All in all real sweet and you could not have nicer temps. 250 miles

I wish. I took the ice road to Mt Laurier. The Passenger train does go there. That rail line is not only a freight line VIa Rail trains(passengers) run to Seneterre to/from MTL At least I'm pretty sure that is where they start many stops in between.

That trail off 73 to the resevoir heading to Windigo is never groomed. Its a trail used by the locals to access their camps. Maybe it was groomed in the past when Duplessis was open. They are now closed in winter as far as I know. On the reservoir there are tracks going everywhere so unless you know its not easy without GPS.

Yeah the place is in the middle of the road. Between the east/west lanes. Sucks for sure.

Damn you were right at the rest area on the Highway 40 huh? Near Joiette i misread it the first time thru.

Day 3 Monday Left Chibougamau Nordic at 8:30am 93 sud not much different then the day before. Gas at sawmill the burned it south. Saw 2 sleds headed north right at sawmill. That's it. Back to intersection 93/local toward restaurant Chef. Groomed Perfect not a mark on it. Sweet! Had lunch at Restaurant Chef. Took some gas too. Continued on to get back to the 93 93 all the way to Lac a Jim then Guradville and down to Albaniel. Passed groomer near Giradville. Nice great trails. Went to Ski Doo in Dolbeau for a new belt for Snohorse all good. gas near dealer too. Arrived at Auberge Dilligence 4:30pm. Nice easy 229 miles great temps great trails, yeah and until we got to the hotel we only saw those two other sleds near the sawmill. Got to love it! Headed for Escoumins Tues vial the Pel Chat Trail. Yeah Buddy

Damn Mark so sorry for your loss. Scumbags. Townships are very bad area for thefts got to be the highest. People please learn from this. If you must stop down there on the way up leave one person in truck. Take turns using restroom or getting food. Should it have to be this way no of course not. But face facts and protect your ladies. Again Mark sorry to hear this.

Hello Again. Day 2 Sunday to Chibougamau Rolled out of Chateau Roberval around 8:15am. Snowed lightly all night. Took the 373 direction St Felicien. Bad near Roberval Improved greatly near St Felicien. Took one of our Favorite local(orange) trails around St Felicien to go up to La Dore. Fresh groom first tracks nice! Got the Gas at La Dore and headed up a freshly groomed 93. Groomer turned right on Orange trail at intersection, oh well. 93 to Sciere 54(sawmill) fresh snow covered but very nice. Gas at Sciere 54. Continued up 93 and took the lunch at Barriere du Nord. 93 after lunch to Chibougamau had been groomed much more recently then the rest of 93 south of there. All good. Arrived at Chibougamau 2pm. Bonus Ride Time. Decided to ride up to Mistassini. WOW super great. Unbelievable highway of a trail. Never would have thought. (About 120 miles round trip from Nordic) We had tried this trail a few years back and gave up on it as the beginning was horrible. So glad we tried again. Found the people up there super friendly and nice little town we will be back for sure. Pulled back into Nordic at 6pm. Awesome day 310 miles.

Iceman back on trail, left chez Iceman with Snohorse today to begin our nine day run. Day 1 to Roberval TQ 3 to 351 to 355 to local to TQ73 to 355 to TQ83 to 373 230 miles Left the house around 8:15am Found my TQ3 groomed and ready to rock. Made our way thru Shawinigan and on up to St. Tite all great. Cruised up the 351 which has not let me down once this Season to St. Joseph, took the gas. Continued on and headed for the Pipeline 355 and found more great trail. Took it to the end then we took the local Orange trail back to TQ73. All excellent. Burned the TQ73 to 355. Made a left(passed the gang having silver bullets at the intersection) onto 355. Glad they were headed in the opposite direction. Beautiful and nicely groomed right to Relais Trapper and beyond to Lac Edward. Jumped on the Lac and Cruised up to Domaine Lac Edward and took the gas. (gas and go) the place was Jammin. Back on the Lac and to the RR tracks(note to self No Parking On Tracks) took the left near the Depaneur and found the way very plowed and sanded for the logging, damn. Pushed on anyway and got to the 355 not to far up, very much relieved. (it was my first trip up this way this season and thought maybe things had changed) Now shhhh its a secret don't tell Scorpionbowl and NH Moose but the trail was absolutely MINT all the way to Lac Bouchette. Like they knew I was coming. Sweet. Stopped for the Gas and late lunch at Lac Bouchette. Headed off and trail was good to 83. 83 headed for Roberval not Spectacular I've seen worse for sure but not that great. There is new snow and it looks pretty good. Just bumpy in them turns. Made the turn onto 373 still good just not great. A big hello to the Moron driving up the middle of the blind hill coming at me in his Polaris Razor. Yes I Know its a shared trail but that means share equally not ride the middle you ass. Not really close just pissed me off. Stupid Moron. Arrived at Chateau Roberval at 4:15. 230 miles Chibougamau for Sunday Night. Stay Tuned.

mcstar is it a XTX 144" or a 128"? With Powersteering?

Yamaha is for you. Apex. With the Power Steering awesome. Go get you one.

No real change on 14 Apex XTX. The Riding Position is very different then the BRP if you ask me. So it would definately take some getting use to coming off the Doo. I realize the Big machine that the Apex is, is not for everyone. For me I like the Heavy Sled and it takes a licking keeps on ticking. Very Different. If you like the Position on the Doo just go for a 1200. Sorry not very schooled on the BRP exact Models. If the punch of the 4 banger in the Apex is not something you must have, then think about a Vector with the EPS. Great sled too. I ride only in Quebec and groom trail so the Apex for me is the one.

For sure lucky no one was hurt. Sleds can be replaced. Those trains haul ass, no joke.

X2 on getting repairs up here. They do not fool around. Funny Mentioning Hermans they are Polaris Dealer in Brewster, NY right next to Danbury, CT. Know the place well. I used to do business there years back. Before I saw the Light. Small world. I would still bet they had never been to Clova before. Or they took the beers in Parent at the Central. lol.

Maybe an "Assault Train Ban" is necessary.

I was thinking they pulled past the Pump then made a right and went in the door on the track side of resto maybe?

Two Quebecois couples.

The only thing I can figure is for sure they had never been there before to Clova, and maybe the tracks were covered with fresh snow? One thing for sure they know where not to park next time in town.

They should have got on the Train. Best way out of Clova. (speaking from Experience) look on the bright side...... Well if they were headed west at least they missed the crap trail heading to Balbazard.