Scranton1

few pics from my ride with lindasledgirl + friends !!!
up to my camp again ...on and off the trail !!!
great to meet snowfarmer + wife again in amqui for supper !!!
 
jean-guy
 

bonjour mustang !!!
 
first glance...yours looks better than mine !!!
rock'n roll last week and weekend!!! woke up late this morning  ..... 3 30 am instead 1 30 am !!!beside drifts ....trail was still a-1 !!!
took my second ride yesterday since 2 years !!! pucké a matin !!! ahahha
great day  for riding ...
on my way back ...met 2 friends from buffalo ...while talking to them ......2 more sleds coming.....ns predator from ns ...stopped by  to say hello ...btw ...found a glove by the green school bus in ste marguerite.....only 4 sleds after you !!!
 
hi artsled !!!
not funny when cold and windy like last saturday....made a u-turn and went back to gas station ...half an hr away !!!
 
 
jean-guy

Day 2 Sunday
Breakfast at Roquemont and out to load up and head out. Still cold this am but not as bad as yesterday. Scrspe out the parking lot and north on 23. Flat and fast certainly more ice closer to St Raymond. Once out the 12-15 miles from town back to full on winter trail conditions. Big snowdust today as the cold is just right for it. It kinda hangs there as the sleds pass. 
As expected not too many southbound until we get near L'Etape. Then its 11:00am and it stsrts, one after another. Headed down. Well it's Sunday and the end of school vacation week. Lots of action headed the opposite way. Most are all well behaved some really flying but on their sides. Trail is big . Into L'Etape too early for lunch here. Gas and a break to warm up. Trails have been super. Out and back to 23 north. Now its rush hour seriously saw more sleds pass me going opposite way then i have seen all season. Crazy. Playhard is ahead and gets to Mount Apica and runs in to order lunch so I had to stop. Too funny. He knew i would take one look at the madness just to try and park and want to ride on by. Glad we did stop as i had never been here (inside) and it was missing a sticker. Warm up and eat. A guy is there doing a survey for tourism and asks us questions about our trip and riding habits. Glad to help out. Leave there and most everyone is going south still had no one behind us all day going north. 
Another bonus ride, I just love riding with Playhard cause he takes me all the places i always ride right by. Next up the lookout up there by Mount Apica. Pretty sweet view even on a not so blue sky day. Wind wicked up there. But got the sticker on it. Down out of there and back to 23. Now the gremlins start. 
I ride with my highbeams on all day, now i notice i got no indicator light for high beams on my dash pod? Huh? Stop to check and sure enough got no headlights hi or low. I got hid lights. I have had bulbs fail(lose one light) lost a balast too same thing one light out. Never have lost both. Stop at intersection of 368 and check fuses......yup fuse is toast. Change fuse and it lasts maybe 5 miles then lights out. Screw it I aint playing with it here, too windy and cold and is running fine. Just pisses me off. I will look it over in the morning but not gonna spend too much time on this. 368 is just great and up thru Laterierre and on to 83 all in great shape. Up and into Chicoutimi just over 200 miles in at 4:30. 
Tomorrow is another day. Our newbies are quick learners and doing just great. 

Trails were great. A little slidey, depending on velocity. 

Normally 5 east is smooth. I am guessing so many people headed to the Gaspe the past couple weeks that the trail was used and
abused. Plus it does get the drifts.  But I agree, it was not groomed as often as usual the past couple weeks.
And Tom, I agree my memory is fading, but as long as the truck remembers the way to RDL, and the bartender remembers what I drink, I'm good for a couple more years.
mike

great thx bruce !!!
very appreciated !!!!
all pics this morning ...mostly around st alexandre !!!
 
merci !!!
 
jean-guy
 

finally , after so many times i missed them ...went to meet mrs gt rider and gt rider at the clubhouse !!!
great to meet and talk to you both !!!
thx for bringing back cold temps !!!.....-9c right now and very windy up the hills !!!
took a few pics on my way back from clubhouse !!!
 
jean-guy
 

few pics from last sunday riding with linda and others from ontario !!!
a mix of groomed trails and off the trail riding at my camp !!!
stopped at clubhouse a few mins in the morning  and lucky to meet wulsock and shore 1066 !!!
 
 
jean-guy

for the respect and memory of that guy from nova scotia and his 3 friends !!!
condolences to family and friends !!!
 
jean-guy

So Dad and I probably had one of if not the best year so far in Quebec!
Starting from the begining we drove to Montmagney from Northern NY the first week of February. Our goal was to make it out to the Gaspe' Pinninsula and make it around the whole loop after trying two other years and not making it one due to not enough time and the other was due to snow storms. well this year we made it. And I have to say it was a great experience! It was everything I have heard. I'm sure there was a bump or two along the way but I just can't seem to remember them! At one point Dad asked me why we would even think about going anywhere else. At that time we had been riding on the best trails we had ever been on in our lives! And that says a lot because we have riden somewhere around 12 or 13 thousand miles in Quebec by that point. A seven day trip and we put on 1521 miles.
Next trip, after a few short talks about where to go for our March trip, which included Dad and I and my three best freinds, it was no doubt we were headed back to Gaspe'. So for me a 13 hour ride from North Carolina to NY then a few hours of sleep and a 9 hour ride in the truck we are in RDL on Friday march 3. Leave RDL Saturday morning and off to Amqui. A little windy but trails a 10 for sure. Sunday a ride south and meet Groomer and Linda and company at the club house. An honor for sure! Leave club house and make the loop on 587 through Metepidia and back up 5 through Amqui up to the Sugar shack in St Paul. At this point we learn that we can stay an extra day!!! WOO HOO! So off to Murdocville via La Cache. Call ahead and learn the Copper only has one room,BUT, they have a house avallible! So we march on across the Chic Chocs. Trail had been groomed the day before and was spectacular! I think we set a time record! Get to the house in Murdocville ans it is very nice! I highly recomend it for a group. I think it had 8 beds. A very nice bathroom and shower. And of course a full kitchen. Next day we are off to Rimouski. A little bit of a long day across 5 through Mt St Piere because of the up and down and turs. And a little bit of freezing rain getting in to Rimouski. Next day back to the truck. Rain,freezing rain,sleet,snow just about everything mother nature could send our way. But every face still had a smile on it! Like Dad likes to say its going to be an Adventure! And that it was. Back to the truck by 11:30 load up and some lunch and home we go! Some where between 950 and 980 miles depending on which sled you went by! Dad and I tallied up 2470 for the year. Well at least I did he was lucky enough to get an early 2 day ride in in January for around 600 miles. Not sure how I feel about my riding partner going without me but he is my dad so I guess it's ok.
Thursday morning in NY (Clayton) dad and I decide its time to go see the dealer. A short talk with the salesmen and our 2015 800 etecs are of the trailer and in the dealers barn and the new 850s will be here in the fall! 
Now I am back in NC after another 13 hours in the truck (Broke it up into two days. Stayed in PA last night) I am sitting here writing this and thinking how great life is and how great it is to have a Dad and friends that love to to do this as much as I do! Next year is TOO far away!

after grooming around 5 pm...went up to clubhouse to meet whaler + friends !!!!
great to meet again rob !!!
-20c  right...trails are going to be '' stiff '' in the morning !!!
 
jean-guy

bonsoir jim and gemma !!!
long day ....groomed tq 5 + local trail....12 hrs...then up to clubhouse to meet a friend !!! just had supper !!!
cold and windy ....-20c right now !!!
on local trails tomorrow !!!
traffic was medium !!!
 
jean-guy

it's great that it is a long trac..........".joy"  for the whole family.

I haven't seen this mentioned here so I am going to post it up. 
 
I had cleared my schedule for a weekend to get to Quebec to put some more miles to finish off my season on my new sled. I watched the grooming delay before and after the warm-up and based on that decided to go to Saint-Donat. My last hope for having a riding partner canceled at the last minute but it's not easy for me to clear out my schedule so I went anyway by myself. The grooming delay feature turned out to be a good predictor of conditions.  The trails around SD were excellent  although the lakes were glare ice. 
I'm an admitted hotel snob and so I got a room at the new hotel Le  Suisse spa. This is a great stop to ride to if you're with the wives. You have to get here from the local trail coming from the north of town.  All of the town restaurants are walking distance from here but luckily the closest, 8e. . ., was excellent. 
I had to switch hotels so I got a room at Auberge La Cuilliere a Pot. Basic room in the rustique (original building). The place was pretty empty. They told me about a demonstration planned to implore the government to allow access through the parc once again via the Sentier Caribou. I did not attend the event and made a loop returning to an early empty bar. 
I wound up spending a lot of time talking to the owners. He speaks English perfectly, she not as much, but enough to serve us Americans to check in and give directions etc. The owner is obviously very invested in the town and they made news recently announcing how much business is down in the village since closing the parc gates to motoneigeists.  The town organized a protest of sorts which is what the video is about. 
I encouraged Gaston to try promoting to us more online including here at QR and the other popular sites - kind of a-la-Bernard. Their parking lot is across the street from the SDQ and there are cameras on the room parking. 
When vacancy is high their restaurant closes after lunch. They offered me some menus to have food delivered and ultimately they opened the kitchen and made me a meal right there. Un gros merci pour ca. This was my first time to the Saint-Donat area and I liked it. Seems like a good place to loop from and also a good relais on a tour. 
I wish them success with their struggles with the parc gates. If 317 and the parc gates opened next season that would seem to be quite a boon to them.  Hopefully they will join and keep us up to date on local conditions.  Trails around Saint-Donat were in great shape. The farther south ice and overheating was more of an issue and cast an even brighter light on good conditions around St-Donat especially in comparison to Notre dame de la Merci. I have to guess they (NDDLM) have a groomer issue as their trails were rock hard 2' - 3' rollers. 

The third picture is surreal.  The sleds in the foreground are crisp and very black and white while the background of the bluff and the river is almost grayed out.  It  looks as if they are posing in front of a Hollywood set.  Perfect shot David!
Jack & Sandi

Just arrived in Mont St Pierre for a little lunch at the Le Delice. Trails to here have been all top notch . Will continue on 5 and see how things are on the top side

Well we put it off a few times because of the weather and finally pulled the trigger and landed in RDL at the Universal Thursday night . By looking at the the grooming map  we should of waited one more day lol! Any way the 8  us of loaded up and headed out on 5 distination Cap Chat and the Grande nature Chic-Chocs.  
The trail was a mixed bag and that was to be expected with the near freezing mark and the traffic. The power lines where great with about 3 inches of new snow . Just before we reached Rimouski we lost a ski doo 800 to a blown engine( more on this later! )  It was windy with some blown drifts in fields but not bad. We took 578 to Mont Joli and hit 5 to Saint Damase . Well we got to the river and a club member was just putting up the tape to close the trail across it . The edge on the east side opened up about 4 feet . They had some wood pallets they had used but it had open up to much to be trusted . The water was about 4 foot deep he showed us . Well he said he would float them one more time for us . Nora was unsure but went along and made the crossing . We were the last , but with the cold it might tighten up in the next couple of days. In St Damase we met up with Mcstar and his crew for a nice little visit at the club house . The rest of the way was a mix of groomed and chop to Cap Chat. 252 miles and the crew was glad for the end of the day . COLD and windy this morning!

phil.... you should never give jg shit about foot prints in his pics...L.O.L..

Steamer we go the end of March every year, only once did we get skunked, usually tons of snow groomed and nobody at all riding. Last year we left RDL on 4/6 we were the only truck in the lot... The parking lots and streets are bare but who cares.

I too am amongst the ranks that headed for home and have to call it a season. What a great year with old friends and new. Trails were the best and even better when shared with friends.
We need to give Quebec nine months to get their wine inventories restocked!e
mik

hi terry and mario !!!
rough weekend !!!
started grooming at 4 am .....back at 3 20 pm....in 17 years of grooming ...i don t remember seeing tq 5 destroyed like that !!!
4 windy days in a row...week with no school...carnival in ste marguerite + the tourists ...timing was perfect for rough trails...
this where i met mario...about 4 miles west of st fidele cb !!!
met 2 guys..americans i guess..just before the drifts after the 90' corner on my way down to st fidele cb....they were happy to see me....and they still had a great sense of humor !!!
 
jean-guy
 

Everyone wanting to try this feat think BABY steps.  See if you can manage a much smaller version.  Measure your success in completing the mission, and not cracking mentally and physically.  Most will enjoy from the comfort of the couch.
To increase the realism open your windows, put your snowblower full throttle outside the window, get naked, fill your lap with buckets of ice and reread the whole adventure.
Remember 3 of 8 very capable riders and sleds made it, and the (2) Quebecois cracked also.  Bigger issue, no one died.
Congrats again RR on the trip and sharing it with us.  Thanks also for the reminder on using the rules developed back home with sane minds and sticking to it.

Wow!  Better than a Stephen King novel............

When I grow up, I would love to be able to do some adventuring like this. You guys along with the albeit minor adventure(when compared to this run) with Team Vermont has opened up my eyes as to what's next for Iceman. I see a Bombardier in my future for Adventuring and the Apex XTX for the Groom Trail trips. 
I've come to my senses on the "Sidewinder"
sorry to get off track,
Thanks for taking the time to share all this. I want in on a run with "Team Maine" I so respect the improvising and repairs on the go. I kinda like that. Yeah no one wants to break down but i live for the "Problem Solving" love it.
I'm gonna get in touch with Rob to pick his brain for my run on the Route Blanche next season.
fine job you guys. 

Snow farmer, the boys from Montreal that we met in Cartwright, made it as far as Churchill with us. The tough ride from Goose bay to Church caused to realize they were not as prepared as they needed and had the wrong sled for that type of ride. They phoned home for a transport.
Of the 8 sleds that left, we had 4 sleds that made the loop and we're ridden every day, albeit minor repairs. Those sleds were the 3 Freeride 154s and a 146 standard  back country.
Robs extreme is a beast and is probably the most capable sled, but Rob way over uses the sled for what it was probably designed for we suspect!!😉 Hence the drive train problems.
There is no perfect sled, but for this trip a long track is your friend.