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iceman

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  2. Team Iceman The Last Stand 24’

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 1 Friday 

    Loaded up and trucked out. Debated long and hard and it was tough to choose. I had rooms lined up in Matane, but it’s game over there. Cancelled. Had  Escoumins too it was there or since we already been there this year, I considered going long to Forrestville. Then a run to Baie Comeau is easier for the Mrs. We aint riding a week. This is 3 days and done. 

     

    I felt Cote Nord was very safe play. But after seeing last week up here decided to pull the trigger and head right back to the “honey hole” 

     

    Ugly from Lac Bouchette right to St Felicien. The road is closer to the Lake so for sure less snow but the rain did serious damage to already non existent base of nothing. It rained quite a bit up here more than i thought. Oh well let’s see what it looks like in Girardville when we get there. 

     

    Surprised to find it not bare everywhere. Lots of ice in parking lot. Seeing sleds all along from Normandin and to Albanel.

     

    Touchdown at just before 2pm. Get in room drop the iron and suit up. Out on icy but not bad at all trails. Little more traffic and warmer temps its gonna loosen up nicely. Up to check middle orange dowm as it shows groomed after rain storms. It does not disappoint. Scratchers down not even trying without them. Quick 40 miles and back in. All alone we are here. Snohorse the mrs is loving the place. I think i will keep her. 

     

    Chez Ben for some grub and all is good. 

  3. Team Iceman The Last Stand 24’

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    4 hours ago, snowmaster2112 said:

    My guess is Ice & Mrs Ice are going to end up at Pouviere La Dore and that area

    probably a swing and a miss but we’ll find out soon 

    Exactly Chris. Right back to where was good. 
     

    42 minutes ago, Snohorse said:

    Confirm landed Girardville. Licking up the honey hole !  Go Buddy Go !

    4 hrs 25 minutes from Shawi. Door to Door. Gas n go in Lac Bouchette. 
    looks much different all around.

  10. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    7 hours ago, skidooccio said:

    Yo Ice! We were talking about maybe runnin into you out there this year , turns out we were lurking in the same trail system. Was at Buttes Thursday night coming back from Western swing. Small world…trails were great aside from the junk on 83 😎

    Yes sir, where did you run to? From Buttes?

    would have been great to see you again.

  11. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 8 Monday 


    Trucked it to chez Ice, touchdown home 3 hrs from Lac Bouchette. Snowing up there messy to La Tuque almost 3” new snow overnight there. Less as we drove south. 
     

    Yamaha off the Snohorse trailer and Freeride back in. Unloaded gear and said goodbye to the Snohorse and he headed on south. Timing is everything and the timing and planning were on. 
     

    The rest of the team had a smooth run back to USA Sunday. 
    NHmoose said he was home by 10:30. Nice

     

    until next time mes amis

  12. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 7 Sunday 

     

    Great night at Windigo, drinks, conversations, stories throw in the nosh on the wings and smoked meat sandwiches. Oh yes. 

    To Team Vermont….looking forward to next seasons rendezvous. After saying our goodbyes and loading up. 

    Everyone ready to go. 

    My sled loves it here so much it doesn’t fire off on the first go. Never good. This will take extra effort. Get coolant heater plugged in. Decided to hook up Daniel’s big jumpbox. Spins over real nice this go round and finally fires. Maybe 15 minutes of giving it attention, For what its worth by far not the coldest night out this week, but is the one night i did not cover my sled. Maybe nothing maybe something, 

     

    Up driveway out of  Windigo. TQ83 magic carpet ride back all the wsy to Relais 22 . 

    Bridge still unsafe for groomer straight out back of Relais 22 on TQ83. 83 west this year is just north of Relais 22 its 30 km longer then going out the old trail and over the bridge.

     

    Gas n go and quick conversation with Christine at 22, knowing full well that many sleds are bearing down on this place from up the TQ83 coming for lunch on Sunday. 

    Up we go and as expected busy trail. But all well behaved. Love the new Sena 50 really top shelf. Nice ride back up TQ83 then secret trail to 355 from TQ83 was a stunner. Said goodbye to our trail mates as they were headed to load uo and haul south today. Great guys NH Moose aka “bullwinkle” anytime anywhere goes without saying. Mark ditto do not get to see him enough. Great guy. Phil sr newest member of Team Iceman. Another rider. Gets it done solid. Loved spending time on and off trail with you all.. Until next time boys.

     

    Snohorse and I continue on TQ83 junk. And junk. Seriously not good. Big difference in conditions here. We suffer on to local orange to Saint Andre. Ok but best up. Went in another local trail tour then a retrace of our route back to 355 and Auberge Eva. Only people here tonight. Private hotel and restaurant. No one else. 

     

    We stitched it together as my partner in trails Snohorse says. Successful week stellar trails with excellent company. Some new discoveries and some new memories on long cherished sections of trails. Some of our favorites, 

     

    Is it the last ride? 

     

    Stay tuned

     

  16. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 6 Saturday

     

    Cold this.morning. Not sure what was the temperature but a cold start. Cold makes white asphalt. I happen to admire white asphalt quite a bit and we saw lots of it 

    Exception being the local trail from La Dore to TQ83. But the local orange was still ok. Just not perfect. 

     

    Joined up with the TQ83 and at first was not liking it. Quickly changed at intersection to local trail south. Fast run down as the top of the TQ83 they are grooming the road as the trail for a god part of it and it’s fantastic. Gas and Late lunch after the rush at Relais 22. Out of there we got places to be. 

     

    More sleds out today, but duh? It’s the weekend. Even so, we only caught uo to 2 sleds we easily got by. Only the second pair we had to deal with in front of us in 6 days. Sweet. 


    Quick burn to Windigo and wrapped up a stellar day with a stellar night reminiscing and breaking bread with our brothers Team Vermont. Always great fo be at Windigo with Martine Stephanie and Daniel….even better on a Saturday night……and even better with the plan coming together to meet up. 

     

    Lots to catch up on and that we did. Sure wish we could do this so much more often.

     

    Great times with Great people. 

  18. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 5 Friday 

     

    Woke at Pouvoirie La Dore. I like it here. Snowing again. Not super cold as my gatorade aint frozen on porch. It’s cold thought This will hold me over until getting some coffee. Boys are stirring around looking like the warm has lost the battle this go round. Wind picking up still snowing on and off. Enjoyed talking for a long time with Stephane last night. Quite interesting as I learned alot we all did asking hunting and fishing questions trying to get an understanding on how they do it all year. Great place and super hosts. Go and stay they have one big chalet with four bedrooms 

    So 8 singje beds max, only chalet insulated for clients thus winter. Next year probably 1 more. But this will remain an intimate place. More personal to stay here. For lunch they have been doing well. Many clients. They make their living May to November. 

    Like i said before there is just something about this place. 

    Stephane met us after a great breakfast and we took a ride out and up the lake and back. He took us out the back over the bridge and showed us the way to join up with the local orange trail branche ouest. Interesting.  But not as fast as the TQ93. 

    He showed us another nine mile loop around the lake by the lodge. This has Team VT written all over it as he said no problem go and explore, their are trails everywhere. We had to say goodbye for now and bailed out the backdoor to La Dore. Still snowing on and off temps already noticeably colder, wind is biting. TQ93 to Gas n go La Dore. 

    Trail mint. Been 95% all week. Very little traffic. This being the “Tour to nowhere” we got nowhere to go to. All day to do it. Now those of you that pay attention know what is next……if you guessed trail bingo = winning. 👍

     

    Stayed in the sweet spot. All around above lake. St Felicien to Dolbeau. To 373 then back across 373 searching for red sticks with wind howling in the fields. One of those days you think about where to stop for a break and finding somewhere tucked in the trees to block that wind. Temperature has plummeted and with wind not great for the hands being out of the gloves too long. Only real rough spot few KM between middle orange trail and TQ93 up near Lac a Jim. Everything else very nice. Likey likey. 

     

    Bingo card full it’s time for early happy hour. Into Girardville. Happy campers. 

     

  25. Team Iceman lurking in LSJ

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Day 3 & 4 Wednesday-Thursday 

     

    Out of St Felicien 8:30. Up 373 still good here still cold this morning. We catch group in front of us and they are using open mesh so i can hear them. The last guy in line calling up to lead guy saying stop stop and let these guys pass. Finally he listens and off we go past these three. The only three we have had to pass all week.  Nice. We take it long up 373 to TQ93 then up top where I like it through Lac Jim around and down to Gas in Girardville. Back out and i take a right down a few KM and then left onto ice, locals bush trail to TQ 93 again back North of Girardville. To the 373. First timers with us so time to show off the bridges. Not terrible this trail but showing signs of heavy use. Its the new Mont Valin this trail. Surely everyone is thinking exactly the same way the further up the better and are using the hell out of this trail. Not far past Chalet warming hut we pass groomer headed opposite way. It’s a small one with smaller drag probably due to weight restrictions on bridges. No wonder it doesn’t hold up like the others trails we been on. Definitely more traffic on here and better towards the  truck stop in St Ludger but after that just so so to last bridge and down local trail to Lamarche and then up to Otis Nature. Great stay at Otis with Melanie serving dinner and Ann on breakfast. 

    Woke to 4-5” new snow still snowing at departure. 

     

    Otis Nature to 367 then 367 it is. 4-5” new snow. Snowing and sticky on face shield. But love to see snow stick all you want. Blowing open trail. Furtber down and further west less new snow, but still flurries and new lube 1-2” into TQ93 at St Monique 367 has been stellar. 93 is so so but this new snow albeit not alot is sweet. 93 mostly great. Can tell it’s getting the use its blue. TQ93 to 367 through Peribonka . Thinner but good to go here. Ripping fast. Back to a nice TQ93 through Dolbeau, then left turn local Orange the St Felicien express. Some so so but mostly good here across and still  nice on orange trail down and across ice back to 373 through relais Buttes. Too earky for us is 12:30 loop it we come back. Down 373 showing some areas of concern but nothing defcon 4. Then through St Felicien to local orange. Up to powerlines and through back to La Dore. Very nice holding up well. Then through gas to TQ93 and back to 373 to Relais Buttes. Lunch stop here. Feed bag disconnected. Then back up 373 to TQ93 to Local orange to Resto Chef. Sweet trails up here. Gas and necessities at du Chef then bonzai. Orange out the back beautiful ride to TQ93 which is holding up beautifully, left turn and 8 miles to our private oasis at Pouvoirie La Dore. We love it here. Super folks. 8 miles in fresh groomed for our arrival.

     

    Warmer today no doubt. We will manage it is what it is. 

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