Day 3 Saturday
Light dusting of snow overnight in Amqui. Out of town we retrace the run to Groomers clubhouse. TQ5 is very nice. Groomed overnight from Amqui to where Groomer takes over. Trail to clubhouse still excellent, we get the gas just next to clubhouse. Quick stop to beautify the clubhouse. We are off. 587 is the choice. It does not disappoint. Although not groomed for a long time it did not need it. Giddy up here. Love this run one of my favorites for sure in all of QC. Down to Matapedia and more gas. Then onward on 587 to JCT 5. We go left on TQ5 back west. 5 is good but everyone uses it and it shows with the hills a bit chewed up and the corners a bit bumped up but nothing serious just you can tell how many more sleds run the 5 compared to the regional or local trails. Good stay on 5 everyone. It's the best way to go. No doubt. Disregard whatever I say stay on 5. Merci.
Up to local orange trail we turn right toward the clubhouse in L'Alverne. Ahhh this trail. Let's just say we have history here. Last year it was mint like it is now absolutely amazing but don't take it, no no no. Stay on 5 merci.
This trail was quite a bit different 2 years ago on our march run. We arrive at clubhouse on other end it's snowing like a bitch and blowing. We are headed to Caupsacal. Through Pointe a la Croix much longer. The guys take off over the road and i'm wondering what the giant snowbank is all about? Well this trail was closed. No grooming deep deep snow. Two weeks earlier it was perfect but not so now. Well i did not learn it was closed till we reached the 5 (which everyone needs to stay on please, merci) there i see the Sentier Ferme' sign. That was quite a workout, but we made it.
Today none of that, blue sky and big sun and white asphalt. Sweet.
To JCT5 and we stop for lunch in L'Alverne. Nice break and we are off. Surprisingly very few sleds out even though its saturday. Very light traffic that we have seen. Hey perfect. East on TQ5 through the hilly parts here. Trails are super. Pinch me is it really almost April? Somebody stop me! We run to the suspension bridge in Nouvelle and turn left to go get gas. Then its time to backtrack. We run back a few miles and take a hard right onto the local trail, through town a bit on the bare pavement. These other guys have wheels. I am not into that. I can do just fine without. We find ourselves another gem here. This trail is a goer and despite dodging the scattered remains of a deer or three, I'm guessing torn up by coyotes? This is awesome it runs us up north of Carleton where we arrive at a warming hut and find tge Trail to La Cache but its marked as a quad trail says 87 km to La Cache. Also just through the woods there up a short trail we find what we believe was a dragstrip groomed six groomers or more wide, but it's really an airstrip i believe. Whatever it was boys will be boys so lets race. We have a ball running back and forth and the head back down the Local Orange checking out the windmills near Carleton on the way in. Into Baie Blue in Carleton
240 miles i think.
Full house here. Many sleds. But sure did not see them on the trails.
Want wish Mrs. Ice and her hockey team luck tonight in the Coupe Burrows tournament in Trois Riveres. So far 2 wins 3-0 and 4-0. Going for win number 3 tonight. To move on to Sunday. To win it all.
Let's go Ladies kick some ass.
Tomorrow to Murdochville.
I would go with Gaspe, they seem to have the most amount of snow and long range forecast looks great!
Check out the link below to see snow depth in both areas:
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive/html/map.html?ql=obs_overlay&zoom=&loc=45.67+N%2C+63.47+W&var=ssm_depth&dy=2017&dm=3&dd=24&dh=18&snap=1&o5=1&o6=1&o9=1&o12=1&o13=1&lbl=m&o7=1&mode=pan&extents=us&min_x=-74.625000000002&min_y=42.908333333329&max_x=-59.29166666667&max_y=51.533333333329&coord_x=++-63.47&coord_y=+++45.67&zbox_n=50.603749999995664&zbox_s=45.639583333329&zbox_e=-63.383750000002976&zbox_w=-74.57708333333534&metric=0&bgvar=dem&shdvar=shading&width=800&height=450&nw=800&nh=450&h_o=0&font=0&js=1&uc=0
