vt_bluyamaha54

Awsome!

Good to hear Sandi was not injured. I'm sure the incident damaged her pride - and maybe her confidence - more than the cosmetic damage to the machine. Hope the rest of your trip is uneventful.

Thanks for sharing the translated article Markusvt. Doesn't sound like it was in any way preventable but it is still a sad and tragic occurrence - especially coming at this time of year. RIP fellow snowmobiler. Agree 100% Jackstraw. Well said.

x2 I doubled down on 1/2 w/ Pipeman so I'll say the strobes flash by your house Jan 11

Hopefully, they'll be more black and white than color in the next month!

Looks great Steven! Will you be able to use it as a base camp for snowmobiling as well as a seasonal retreat? Off-the-grid or is there power close enough to connect to? I hear you on the wood vs. pellet thing. I have friends who have access to all the wood they can use but went to pellets. I guess there is an argument for convenience and less mess but in my mind, you are making yourself reliant on a fuel source you don't control. IMHO - Merry Christmas!

I wont say I don't want it to snow but it really needs to be cold FIRST. You cannot get good grooming results with snow on an unfrozen base b/c it is like applying paint to an unprepared surface. The trail will tend to 'sag' and won't fully firm up. You'll get moguls much more quickly and grooming doesn't 'last'. Of course there are also the dangers of having a groomer become mired in an unfrozen swamp . . . I think Iceman said "Patience, Grasshopper" but the waiting is tough -

No offense meant - we've only "toughed it out" when it was our destination for the night or we would also have bailed. It has always defied logic that the trail to the most iconic destination in the Gaspésie is consistently one of the worst maintained. Hopefully this will change for the better!!

It is easy to forget that the environment we ride in is constantly changing. If you travel a trail before lunch, it can be very different after lunch. Temperatures, snow conditions, trees, grooming equipment, and wildlife on the trail can all surprise us. When my kids took the VAST safety course many years ago, a phrase has always stuck with me: "Expect the unexpected - ALWAYS" I think it is good advice.

Happy Birthday! Be sure to do something fun today!!

Jan 2nd you'll see the strobes flash by your windows.

Many thanks Groomer (and the ladies at the clubhouse). Mine came last Friday.

x2 I hope that the new route will also encourage better grooming. For the sake of wives and girlfriends, that would be great b/c it can be an ugly end to an otherwise good day of riding getting in there.

There was an AP story here in Vermont about this new class of ships being built up there at BIW. There are many naval architects that say it won't prove to be seaworthy so many are holding their breath while it undergoes its sea trials. Like anything, you get to a point where there is so much technology that failures are inevitable and expensive.

Where is the new bridge going in? I always marvel at the way Quebec and Ontario tackle "Recreation Trail" improvements! First Class!!

Dave - I am sure I speak for many here who will miss your trip reports and adventures with Sharon. I always admired your having a wife who rode along with you in all kinds of conditions all over Quebec. Hope to have you back in the future.

The ocean can be so destructive. I hope all the people and businesses are going to be OK.

Yup, that's the new solid state one and as I said, it will be a RED case. <Thanks Jack, beat me to it!>

What is killing the moose there in Quebec Groomer? Here they are saying maybe too many ticks could be the problem(?)

Back in the day, people on HCS would chat w/Bernard the way we do here with Groomer. It was a real shock to when Bernard passed away. I know his wife Jocelyn tried to keep the Safari going but he was too tough an act to follow. He also was a guide for hunting trips and I think that is where the name of the motel came from.

If you don't hear the fuel pump cycle when you turn the key to the first position (just ON; not cranking) and your battery isn't dead, the relay is frozen. This was a known problem as moisture would freeze and keep the contacts from closing. Yamaha has resolved this with a replacement relay which is readily identified b/c it is RED instead of black. For those of you carrying an extra relay, it is no longer necessary - get the new relay!

Yamaha has nothing (at the present time) that lines up with the ACE900. The Vector motor (1049cc) lines up most closely with the 1200 4TEC as their HP is close to even @135-ish. ACE900 is only 90HP - so about 2/3 the Vector output. As far as mileage, the Vector will regularly best the 1200; usually getting upper teens per gallon. ACE900 is pretty much in a class by itself as far as mileage. Always over 20 MPG is usual.

Thanks for all the comments folks. Looks like where it is headed we will need to look out for bikes on parts of State and National Forest lands barring a last minute change - (SIGH!)

Having to depend on the generator 24x7 for power has got to be a big worry and a big expense for owners. Also getting suppies and fuel delivered isn't easy. I have never stayed there - only gotten food + fuel. Would be sad to see it boarded up. Hopefully someone ambitious steps in -

Hope I don't step on any toes as this may be a bit off-topic for Quebec Rider but would like to get some feedback from my Quebec friends on the topic of multiple uses of traditional snowmobile trails. It seems that you tend to separate users (CC skiers, ATVs, etc) and place them on their own trails rather than allow shared use. Vermont is considering allowing 'fat tire' mountain bikes on traditional snowmobile trails within areas where the trail passes through State and National park land. Most of us believe this is a terrible idea for many reasons but may lose due to the politics. The attached article gives a good overview - even though it came from a mountain biker who obviously salivates when thinking about the 5000mi of groomed trails that could potentially be opened. I welcome everyone's comments - and if the moderator believes this is not appropriate I apologize in advance - https://singlespeedslog.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/a-vast-perspective/