rene2015

looks like when I ride with Snowfarmer.
 

This where the adventure begins

A lot of this going on today


I have to officially rate this portion of the 3 EXPERT. 

Day 2 
Left Sept Isles at 8am. Had nice breakfast at Comfort Inn. Loaded up and off we go. Trail much like we left it yesterday no grooming and fresh snow, No tracks headed east. We will change that. We make good time to River Moise as expected. From here the adventure really just is beginning. The snow is deep and Randy and Mark are taking turns finding the way for us. This day was quite challenging. Perhaps the most challenging day I ever spent on a sled in Quebec. 
They say "you learn something new everyday" well today I learned alot. Several things in fact. 
1 This Team from VT don't play and they are pro's. Big respect for the teamwork and the skill showed today. Words here will not duly do justice to what we achieved today. I can tell you but unless you lived it, You just won't understand. Big thanks to them Mark, Randy, Greg and Dave. Would not be here without them. 
2 I know now why the amount of people who have actually been to Havre St. Pierre by snowmobile is not very many. The trail is not a trail, its there, but not really. Especially now after 12" plus of snow and winds that created drifts throughout the powelines(which is the main route for most of the way) the size of Peterbilt trucks. Hairy shit. 
3 My sled is quite capable of making its way in deep snow. just don't hesitate. 
Ok now seriously you may want to go to Havre St Pierre. Great. Think again. Cause unless you got a GPS track and a solid crew of at least 4 experts. You are being foolish. There is no sticks, not many signs and you are on your own for more than 40 miles. Thats alot of decisions to make is it up there to the left? Down to the right? Up thst hill? Choose carefully cause your  life depends on it. There are cliffs and drop offs that are so beautifully hidden with the drifts it's not for beginners. 
Today was a long long day. I have never worked so hard for 100 miles ever. 8am-2:30pm to get to Rivere Tonnerre for gas and snacks. Yeah, check that moving average. Do the math. Not easy. Did I mention bring strong guys to help you out? Cause when you get stuck it's deep. I rode 5 or 6 today. Best place for me. We got 4 Doo's 3 1200's and one 900, one Sidewinder and my XTX. I needed to back down one big hill one cause the others dug such a trench they left me nothing to work with. One other time saw me just thrown too far right on a big climb.  But just a pull on my ski loops and i was out. The same can not be said for our leaders they are making decisions on the fly and encountering drits that are incredible. We did alot of digging and studying to find where was the best way to get through. After Rivere Tonnerre there was more sticks to guide us, trail was in woods, but still powerlines here and there. Still drifted bad, but we make better time. 25 miles from Havre St Pierre we find fresh groom trail we are delighted. We exploit this for all it's worth and hammer down. Into Hotel Havre at 6:15. 
Thanks to The Team Vermont and Trailblazer. I made it to Havre St Pierre. Mission Accomplished "failure was not an option"
Talks are aleady in the works for next years ride. Probably starting in Baie Comeau and shooting east of here as far as trail will let us go. I can't wait.
We were hoping to go 50 miles east of here then back but time will leave that as unfinished business for another time. But the objective has been reached. 
Tomorrow back west to Port Cartier. Should be a different game now that we broke a trail through "no mans land" 
in Rivere Tonnerre we chatted with some guys in the store they said last group to come through was last week. Thinking for sure was none other than Roadrunner. So no one else been through since them last week. 
Big respect also to GT Rider who I know made this run 2 up with Mrs GT. You are so lucky it was not drifted like this was today my friend. 
Tired. 



 
I need to make a withdrawl. Ice needs a new Apex....

 

 
Wanna get to Havre St Pierre? Look for these and good luck!

 
 

Until Next Time. Bonne Nuit

All of the communities between Kegaska and Vieux fort have no road access from outside, they are isolated and have only local roads in their communities. In the winter, the roads are not plowed and the snowmobile becomes the normal mode of transportation, These people are very accomadating, friendly and glad to see you. Winter is their time to be able to move around and socialize. The Quebec transport ministries contracts for the white road to be groomed by large snowmobiles and rear drags, also the stakes and signage is done under this contract. An amazing process to experience and see in operation.
RR

More pics from Harrington harbor this am

Harrington Harbor Quebec this morning, it is actually an island we had to ride across the sea ice from the mainland to and from.

Yes Markus, that sled was in a hole for sure😗
 

All of us who ride with our special ladies know the motto " happy wife happy life " 

And what a difference a few hours makes on the way back down
 

 
Tons of great riding up here! And it's beaucoup cold now!

Pushed some twigs n snow n stuff out da way for lunch with Josie & Anick @ Vilain...

The great thing you do for the Ladies David is create Quality on the trips and don't worry about Quantity (miles) on these trips to make it a perfect week! With that said Thank you for another perfect week.

So Wednesday night we are Sante Plein -Air in Pohengamook . We all forgot to take photos of this place but it's very nice. They have three and five bedroom log houses to rent . Well equipped and very nice. We have dinner in the dining room it's just us. Well the food was outstanding. The duck pizza and wings were fantastic! So we had to ride our sleds up to the dining room I never gave it much thought but my sled temp reach 125 degrees on that 1500 foot ride. Well it does the same thing back. I never really looked all day at the temp gauge because we were riding powder . So Thursday I go to load up Nora's sled the battery's dead and I've lost the tool package along the way so I have to find the maintenance shed to see what I can get for tools to get the seat off. I also check my overflow bottle on the 850 and it's empty so off to the store to get antifreeze. I get the tools and the antifreeze and get Nora going next me. Well , crap fill the bottle but antifreeze is leaking out the bottom of the sled but where? This is where Sans Plein Air shined . There was a language problem but they got on the phone and started to make calls but unfortunately no dearler had time or a free trailer to pick me up. Also no one could guarantee that they could even look at it. So we are at 10 o'clock and they don't have the kitchen open today but they call call in the cook to make us breakfast while we plan out what to do. Funny thing is while I'm eating breakfast I get a call from BPR and I think holy Sh@" what great service . How do they know I'm broke down! Well it was a lady from head office and I say wow this is great service what dealer called you? She says what do you mean im calling doing a survey on how you like your new 850 and what other accessories could we offer you. Well I said you are not calling on a good day to ask me that!!! Any way she try's to help but we have already called all the dealers she suggests. 
So I don't want to get trailered back and I know our next stop looks really nice and it has a steak house and I don't want to miss that! So I figure let's go for it and if it over heats in the first five minutes I'll head back and the rest goes on. I lower the scratchers and put Nora ahead of me to chew up the trail because she is fresh groomed and hard packed .I pay attention attention to the temp gauge the first ten miles she stays below 150 has long has o keep it under 50 mph . We are on the 35 railroad bed so it's hard to do . When she reaches 175 I pull over and add coolant. I do this all day and the next day too. About every 15 miles I do this . This sled ran on Ram antifreeze, no name what ever I could buy and store in my saddle bags. We got to our destination on Thursday and it was a good place. The sister hotel to the new one in Thetford Mines . The hotel was in Scott near Saint Marie . Beautiful place large rooms,  king beds and a great steak house. They also have 2 bedroom cottages with a pull out sofa you can rent. Dinner was in the steakhouse and the cook over wood charcoal . 

The third day was to RDL and this area would be a first for me. It was an IB day as Bill would say . Clear, cold , sunny and every groomed to perfection. Took 5 all the way . Made a quick trip of it to RDL so Nora and I took a little tour around . I can see why Mike loves this area! Wide trails , nice relais and great grooming! On Wednesday we woke to fresh snow and knew we would have a great ride to our next destination of Lake Pohenegamook. We took the side trails made a nice loop and pretty much broke trail all day . It was perfect!

The first day we headed to Montmagny on a variety of trails all good , fast and well groomed. We stayed at a place on trail 5 just east of Montmagny that we had past on our first trip and thought it would be a good place to try. It's called Auberge Le Petit Manoir ( its on the iMotoneige17 map) . The place is a two hundred year old house that was dismantled and moved twenty miles to its new home on the golf course by its owner Gino . Gino is a great guy and try's to make your stay the best he can! He sold his first beer in 2013. There are four bedrooms , dining area with a wood stove and a bar. The food is homemade , delicious and plentiful! The place is very reasonably priced at like 65$ a night per person with all meals! You can't beat it.

This trip was one of the more stressful trips that I've put together due to The impending farmers strike . It was then it was off , places canceled , area change , then we ended up staying with our first plan and I'm glad that I did. We are home now , I was sick for the first part of the trip and almost bailed but didn't. So daily reports weren't an option because I just wanted to eat and go to bed. It was well worth sticking out ! I will tell you that all the trail conditions were great ! So with that being said this will be mainly a picture sriryvwith a little commentary. This trip is with three couples  , Nora and myself , Rob and Sherri who did the Quebec trip last year with us and Giff and Gail . When planning this trip mileage wasn't much  of a concern but we wanted good food and nice accommodations. We arrived early on Sunday at Lac William and decided to take a little tour around the area for lunch. All the trails had pretty much been groomed the night before so we made a quick trip of it and got back to the hotel to enjoy what it had to offer.
to be cont

Lac William here we come!:)

Thank Mid range !!