vt_bluyamaha54

Happy New Year Groomer! I'm sure all QRs are hoping to see more of your great pics in 2012. Let's hope it snows so you don't have to 'recycle' any more of the old grooming pics too!

Guy I ride with has the GSX 1200 (1st year they came out - 2009?) and it starts fine in the cold temps although I can't say we have experienced -40F As a sort of 'side note' I believe BRP dealers are using a full synthetic when they do oil changes on the 1200. (I believe this is also the spec?) That makes a big difference. Also, the batteries in any of these sleds may or may not be good enough to start in cold temps after they are just a couple of years old. This depends allot on the care they have gotten, etc. Personally, I think many of the folks who ride 4 strokes with cold starting issues either have the wrong oil or a marginal battery - and maybe BOTH. Starting any engine when it is below -20F is tricky and requires a strong battery for sufficient crank speed, oil viscosity to allow that (4 strokes), and a fuel blended for the conditions delivered in the correct amount to combust. These days, fuel blend may be our biggest obstacle. I am a strong supporter of Mobil 1 but Amsoil and others are good too.

Jim - Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative This link from Homeland Security is definitive: Passport or enhanced drivers license required. Does you home state offer the enhanced licenses? That would be a little less $$ and easier to obtain also. Best of luck -

So sad to have this happen anytime but especially so now during the Holidays. This is not good for our sport. Let's all remember the family and friends in our prayers.

I have done the trip a few times leaving from Derby and agree w/Bill. I have actually had better riding many times on 542/521 which is a secondary trail - than on 55 many times. Low traffic until you get close to St Georges. As far as the Gaspesie piece goes, I personally like to take 595 or 597 and cut off the upper tip of going the full way around. Either of those trails are not to be missed and would be hard to also do if you go all the way around the peninsula. Just my opinion. Also, depending on the timing, 8 days could be optomistic if you get a significant snowstorm or someone has a sled issue. It doens't take long to lose most of a day trying to get a sled fixed.

So very sad for the families + friends. Only one person had the presence of mind to grab a life preserver before going in which is a shame because everyone could have survived this.

Glad to hear the injuries weren't as bad as they could have been. Certainly the fact that there weren't large trees and/or rocks saved lives that day. I am not familiar with that trail and it is hard to tell from the pics, but I wonder how they happened to hit the drag from the side since it appears to be parked parallel to the trail and well off to the side - or is that an intersection? Also looks like the drag was there awhile from the snow coverage on it. I hate to see pictures like this.

Here are two from a trip in February. Love the clear, cold sunny days - and of course the great trails and scenery of Quebec!

Translation not too bad but anywhere it shows "guitar" replace with 'drag' or 'cutter'. Good article Groomer. I know I took another snowmobiler with me who had never been in a groomer before and his eyes were opened! In Vermont, our trails can be very twisty through the woods so we are lucky to drive even 7km/h. Very true what is said about solitude and taking a "special type of person". You must like to operate machinery, be patient, and be ready for any conditions.

My thoughts and prayers are certainly with this person's family and friends. Very very sad. Doubly tragic since after reading the information in Groomer's post, it certainly sounds like this was preventable.

Thanks for sharing. Great pics. No issues riding out of RDL? Where did you stay there, Universal?

When I saw the pic + story you are the first person I thought of! Glad you enjoyed it. I remember you telling the story of your friend, brother + uncle. Very sad to go through life with that.

This picture was posted by a guy who was riding in northern Vermont. His group encountered a moose calf and when it ambled into the trail he stopped his snowmobile and tried to "pet" it on its nose when it lowered its head slighty. Amazingly he was unhurt and the sled had only a few scratches according to his story. I can't believe he didn't get a broken wrist/arm - or worse. Got to be one of the craziest things I have seen in awhile!

As far as I know, ProLine is still only selling from the single Milton, NH location. Depending on what you are seeing for cost of the unit you want to buy there in QC, it may (or may not) be worth considering Proline. I understand what you say about being a long way from them if you need a part - then again many Canadians seem to have decided to buy there. It would be 8+ hr drive? Other than things like seals like I mentioned, I cannot think of parts that would not be easily available and if not, they could ship(?) I can tell you that the way the units are made does seem very strong and it tows straight and true. I think his design of the sides tied into the well designed frame are part of that. He uses the a system like a garage door has to raise/lower the rear door. (A torsion spring around a heavy shaft to assist raising and cushion lowering) Very smooth. My riding partner has the 101" unit w/dual axels and he also added the side door. It has the full diamond plate covering - I think all Prolines do. I have not hear many positive things from owners of Mission trailers. Mission is the result of the merger of the former SnoPro (who mostly made covers/tops) and another company. They are made in Maine but have distributors as you found. The problems I have hear involve quality issues (poor workmanship, fitting, etc) A member of our club has one and says he would not buy another. It is allot of $$ so I completely understand your concerns.

I was going to suggest that also but most people just buy a Triton without much shopping. My riding partner bought a Proline a couple of years ago and it is very well made and less money. They are made right at a small factory by the owner and his son in NH. You can visit and see them being made. I know some people have done this. We see allot of them in the ME, NH, VT area as well as in our travels in QC. Many of the testimonials on their website are from folks who come down from QC so it may be worth getting some references. They seem to be less $ than Triton and the quality is at least as good - maybe better. ProLine Trailers It doesn't seem like a big deal but I would suggest considering getting it somewhere where you can return if you ever need parts. Like anything else, trailers need thing from time to time. (Door gaskets come to mind for me.) I was glad my dealer was there to order them because it wasn't something you can find on any street corner. Good Luck whichever one you choose!

Gotta ask: What are you riding now Greg and what have you owned over the years?

The warranty for sleds purchased in the US with respect to coverage in Canada is I believe the same for all brands: NO COVERAGE. BRP is the exception which has coverage within North America. So beware, even the extended policies offered by some manufacturers don't cover outside the US which in my opinion IS RIDICULOUS considering the amount of technology (things can go really wrong) and the prices we pay for these things.

Thanks Groomer! You are such a great resource for all of us that ride throughout Quebec 'relaying' this kind of information. Wow a 2006 Husky w1800hrs "ate" an intake valve?? Very expensive problem!! I hope Prinoth is going to help out the club w/those repairs=@ :angry:

So sorry to hear. Best wishes to your girlfriend for a full recovery. It seems any accident is a bad accident because we forget how far we really are from help when we ride and something happens.

We went up 5 through RDL + Rimouski last week. Maybe not as much snow as some years but no bare areas - except some fields where the wind has blown it off.

We rode up 5 through RDL + Rimouski then over to Amqui last week. Plenty of snow so you should have no issues on the north and west sides.

We were there last week. 5, 35 and 55 were all good except for about a 40mi section of 5 on either side of Montmagny. Brian's mileage estimate is pretty close. We have left outside St Georges and gone to RDL in a day and it was about 260mi. It is another another 40mi+ to TM and then 80-100 to Rimouski from RDL from so depending on what time you left TM, you would be several hours after dark. Could it be done? Maybe. Should you really do it? Probably not - and here's why: 1) You have no idea what conditions you are going to find. I have seen all of the trails discussed in this thread vary from tabletop to truly awful at various times - and that includes TQ35. To say you can easily average 75 miles per hour - even on the RR beds - (in my opinion) is crazy because to average that speed you will have to go even faster. There are road crossings and bridges on 35 and (my opinion again) going that fast is an accident waiting to happen. I have seen both deer and moose on 35 too so call me a sissy but I think if you are going over 60 I'll just pray for you and leave it at that. You also will likely encounter radar on TQ5 anywhere between RDL + Rimouski. We have seen them almost everytime we've come through there and that seems to be a favorite for them. 2) Many gas stations in the smaller towns close around 6PM and you are going to need to stop at one or more of these to be able to make this trip. Also, FYI some of the clubhouses are closing early and may not be serving food during the week - or only serving for reduced hours. Good luck. Be safe

Nice report and great pictures Andy! Definitely beautiful Feb 22-24 (Tue - Thu) with some of the bluest skies of the winter. We were riding on the south side of the St. Lawrence 2/19 - 2/24 and also found low traffic and some signage issues. Not sure if it is due to the late start to the season, the uncertainty caused by the farmers issue or a combination but most of the (few) sleds we did see had Quebec registrations - very few US. Most of the places we stopped commented that business was way off also. Many of the clubhouses close early and/or stopped serving food earlier than in previous years. (Albertville's hours changed to close @1600 during the week) Some have stopped serving food at all during the week. Secondary trail signs were generally missing from intersections so if you weren't familiar, knew for sure from looking at your map what it was, or had GPS, it was sometimes a bit of a craps shoot. Like you, I absolutely want to support the clubs and business and sincerely hope the businesses come out whole on the other side of this. It is absolutely the BEST trail system in the world and we are all incredably lucky to have the privalege of using it.

I am always sad when I read something like this. February is "high season" in Gaspesie - typically w/lots of traffic. I know the weather was almost perfect during the time mentioned because I was there too. I don't think there was ALLOT of traffic because I didn't see it and everyone we talked to said it is down. The fact that you traveled with a guide makes me think you probably traveled the typical Sun - Sat times and may be some of the issue. We have always found that starting later in the week and/or going the other direction from the groups that leave RDL, Rimouski, or Matane is better. The idea is to be far enough behind that the trails get groomed after the traffic passes. I certainly understand your disappointment but encourage you to try again another year! I must add that we had a very different experience. Two of us left Feb 19 (Sat) from the C-A region (Beauceville), travelled through BSL and into Gaspesie. We stayed in Amqui so we could explore the lower end and some of the trails in Groomer's area. (We've done the Gaspe several times and weren't interested in going around again) The worst section of trail was TQ5 on either side of Montmagny. There were a few areas where it was a bit choppier in the corners than we are used to but I would still give our 1000 miles 9.6+/10. (Groomer's section of TQ5 and any of the local trails we took in the Albertville area were 10/10) On the return, we dropped down to TQ55 outside Tourville for a different route back. We left Thu before the storm. The attached picture is typical of what we found Feb 22-24 and was taken about 70km from Amqui on TQ5W

Sorry Groomer, we decided to ride beyond the FCB and when we got back to the clubhouse it was almost 1540, Didn't realize they close @1600 so decided not to disturb your nap - haha! I know about sleep when grooming! Keep up the good work and thank you for the hospitality. Au revoir for now.