SnowCrazed

Had a little weather today, still a great day out on the snow!

Had a little weather today, still a great day out on the snow!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Another fabulous day of riding!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Good to be back in RDL and riding with Mike!

Starting to count the hours Mike!

Today turned out pretty nice considering the original forecast of rain and snow in the early afternoon.  Got a few miles out of town and it was nice and cold, mostly fresh groomed trails that were very hard and fast. Did a big loop going west and south. Coffee at the Explorers club and later lunch at the Adventure club.  Sun out more than in and stayed cold.
After lunch went over to the loop trail by Isle Verte. Had been seeing on the map there was a section showing no grooming this winter making the loop not possible. Sure enough, grooming ends by the island where they park the helicopter. So sad to loose this great section of trail.   A favorite loop.
130 miles and back by 1:30.
Finally picked up a new map for St. Laurent. Noticed a trail that looks like it leaves Quebec into New Brunswick and connects to their trail system. Going south on #35, few miles after Chevelier Frontier Club, there is a groomed trail going straight where #35 makes a left.   This used to go to a gas station many years ago and dead end. It now appears it connects to the N.B. tails system.   There are no signs at the intersection giving any advice. And it appears it is a hop and skip to the elusive Lac Baker,  (NB),  and the excellent restaurant there.  Also looks to be a short distance to the top of Maine.
4 PM and so far five minutes of sprinkles a couple hours ago.  Patches of clear sky showing now. Calling for rain and snow showers tonight, and tomorrow rain showers turning to snow and temps falling. A little more snow for Thursday night and Friday. Couple inches total.
mike
 

Hi Mark,    It is so good to be back up here.  Wish you and Lisa were here also, you always bring good times to this special place.  Riding is fantastic. When I headed north Saturday I was unsure if I would land in northern Maine or RDL.
Today 5 of us made the loop over to Rimouski and then down around through Squatec and back.  Plenty of snow on this loop, trails mint except may a dozen mile section with some small bumps.  220 mile day. 
We ate at a Tim Horton's near Rimouski. I had forgotten how good the food is there and how reasonably priced.
Only saw one club house open today (3 Pistoles).  Someone told me there is a famous chef doing barbecue now at the RDL club house. Supposedly he won best in world barbecue sauce recently.
Some of us have rooms at the back side of the hotel. Exceptionally nice rooms and in our hallway is a day room we can use: very big screen TV, easy chairs etc.  Very cozy. And great for happy hour!
 Joe and I (me being almost 70 and Joe right behind me) were pretty proud we kept up with the young guys today.
My new PowerMadd Cobra windshield on the sled;  I couldn't be happier, very warm and much more stylish over the SkiDoo tall windshield.  Also added Shaper bars to the skis. Finally a Renegade that doesn't push in the corners when the snow is soft. Very happy!!!
mike
 
 
 
 

The trails are as good as Jack and Sandi reported.  Good to be back in Quebec and enjoying all its culture.
I saw Saguenay Bill today at the club house with the two arches (Les Chevelliers). He looks great and still as sharp as a tack. He rode up from northern Maine, thru New Brunswick and into Quebec to have lunch. He has made a lot of friends in northern Maine and appears to be greatly enjoying life. 
mike
 

Hi Mike.  I'm typing as fast as I can.  We miss you up here.
Hi George.  He apparently wasn't the one that hit the Mega Millions.  Maybe he will surprise us and show up.  RDL needs its mayor back in town.
Hi Bobler.  The season is finally looking a little better.  I hope the snow stays and gets deeper.  A lot of riders out there just itching to get some miles under them.
Jack & Sandi

Jack,  there is like 20,000 QuebecRiders waiting to hear if its good.
Sincerely,
Your son,
mike
 

One more try.  Text first then drag and drop and submit.

So here it is Thursday morning.  A little snow last night and the forecast is for light snow for most of the day.
Lets not try riding around town again.  That wasn't fun yesterday.  The sleds are in the trailer and ready to go.  Sandi and I jump in the truck and head across the river to the north shore.  What do you think Sandi, should we truck to Valinouet or unload in St Honore?  The snow is a little deeper s we approach St Honore.  Not as much grass sticking up thru.  I pull into the Nutrinor gas station.  The old Sconic that the trail goes thru.
A few trucks already here.  Lets give this a try.  Unload the sleds and top them off with fuel.  A better price here than on the mountain.  More trucks pulling in as we head out on the trail.  The snow cover is better here but still there are bumps in the trail.  It sure feels good to be back on the sleds.  Some good trail some bad trail.  The woods are pretty bumpy but the more open areas that are probably on summer roads are better.
We get to the big junction of 93 and 328.  More snow here but the trail still has some bumps.  Keep heading up 93 Sandi.  When we get to the groomers garage a little ways before Valinouet, the groomer was out last night.  It is better.  Pick up speed and on we go.  A few miles before Vilanouet where the detour around the broken bridge has been, the trail branches to the left and crosses the road.  It picks up the power lines and bypasses Valinouet.  Where the trail comes out on the old 93, Valinouet is 0.5 km to the right.
Keep going Sandi.  Muscle out the bumps.  As we get further away from Valinouet, the trail improves a lot.  This is more like Quebec.  Good trail all the way to the La Chapelle.  Boy is this place packed.  Every mountain sled and trail sled must be here.
We order and the food comes out pretty quick.  Our go to lunch, we split a club sandwich.  Of course there are fries.  The food was good but trying to pay was slow.  The waitress took our order from the table but now everyone is standing in line placing orders and the customers that are finished like me, are trying to pay.  Suggestion:  Ask the waitress if you can pay when you place your order.
Back on the trail and we head down 93 the same way we came up.  Typical trail 93, it is always worse in the afternoon.  Today is no exception.  What was good on the way up is now bumpy heading  back.  There were a lot of sleds at lunch but not much traffic on the trail.
It snowed lightly all day.  A few more inches.  The rough sections are going to need a good dump to fill in all the holes.
The forecast is for above freezing Friday and Saturday here in town with some rain on Friday, tomorrow.  Not sure what we are going to do.  Here it is 5:30 pm and only one other trailer in the lot.  Is it too early or did everyone else head home?
We will talk tomorrow.
Jack & Sandi
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Hello all snowmobilers and arm chair riders!  Another snowmobile season is here.  I thought it would never come.  It was a busy year at work for Sandi and I but now it is time to enjoy the Quebec winter.
We drove up yesterday, Tuesday the 27th, as we normally do.  A little snow on the ground in St Johnsbury and the further north we went the coverage got better.  A good drive except for 20 miles before Quebec City.  The traffic was very heavy there.  It took an hour to get from St Apollinaire thru Quebec City which would normally be 20 minutes.  After that, the drive thru the Park was nice.  We are at Hotel Sagueneenne for the week.  A few trailers here and a foot ± of snow on the ground.  Maybe I should say less snow than more.
So it is Wednesday morning and a couple that we spoke with rode Mount Valin yesterday and said the mountain was good.  The parking lot at Valinuet is not plowed but you can park there.  They are heading there today.  Sandi and I are going to try riding out of the hotel.  Nothing big today.  Lets go out and stretch our legs a little and get back into the feel of things.
We are on the sleds and out the back of the hotel.  The trail hasn't  been broke but that is typical right after Christmas.  We are expecting 83 to be OK.  On the spur going to 83 by La Cage and behind the businesses, doesn't even have a sled track on it.  We poke thru the parking lots and the sidewalk by Route 175 working our way to the Ultramar station.  We tank up with some fresh fuel and follow the sidewalk behind the tire shop.  A big pine tree fell across the trail.  Turn around and go thru the parking lot behind the tire shop and by pass the tree.  Now we should be all set.  Cross the railroad tracks and we get to 83.  Yuk!  One sled track and nothing else.  Sticks and hay growing up thru the little bit of snow that is here.  This isn't looking good Sandi.  Lets turn around and take the truck and trailer somewhere.
So we are back at the Sagueneenne and loaded up.  In the truck we head to the Delta.  Yes the groomer that lives just down the street from the Delta has been out.  Lets unload here and give it a try.  The Delta is the same as last year with truck parking in the big lot and the fenced in area between the buildings for the sleds.
On the sleds and off we go on 83 west.  The trail has been broke.  Sled tracks on it and the groomer may have made a pass but probably without the drag.  I'll say it is rideable but not good.  No dirt areas but the snow is thin and there is snirt and sticks in the trail.  We turn right on the first local trail that heads up towards Spence SkiDoo.  Some parts are OK but most of it is marginal.  There are other sleds out taking a shot at the early riding.  We loop back to the Delta on 383.
Not our kind of riding.  No sense in beating ourselves up when there maybe better trails across the river on Mount Valin.
Short day today.  Tomorrow we will drive to Valinuet and ride from there.  As much as I would prefer riding out of the hotel, a short trip in the truck to what should be better riding is worth it.
Be safe and ride safe.
Jack & Sandi