Je me souviens

Qualipieces Trek dual runner carbides collect golfball size rocks like crazy. Probably had 20 rocks stuck in the past 2 days. 15 cleared on their own, others required prying them free.
old school Pilot 5.7 skis

Mmmm
 
 

Day 3 & 4 Wednesday-Thursday 
 
Out of St Felicien 8:30. Up 373 still good here still cold this morning. We catch group in front of us and they are using open mesh so i can hear them. The last guy in line calling up to lead guy saying stop stop and let these guys pass. Finally he listens and off we go past these three. The only three we have had to pass all week.  Nice. We take it long up 373 to TQ93 then up top where I like it through Lac Jim around and down to Gas in Girardville. Back out and i take a right down a few KM and then left onto ice, locals bush trail to TQ 93 again back North of Girardville. To the 373. First timers with us so time to show off the bridges. Not terrible this trail but showing signs of heavy use. Its the new Mont Valin this trail. Surely everyone is thinking exactly the same way the further up the better and are using the hell out of this trail. Not far past Chalet warming hut we pass groomer headed opposite way. It’s a small one with smaller drag probably due to weight restrictions on bridges. No wonder it doesn’t hold up like the others trails we been on. Definitely more traffic on here and better towards the  truck stop in St Ludger but after that just so so to last bridge and down local trail to Lamarche and then up to Otis Nature. Great stay at Otis with Melanie serving dinner and Ann on breakfast. 
Woke to 4-5” new snow still snowing at departure. 
 
Otis Nature to 367 then 367 it is. 4-5” new snow. Snowing and sticky on face shield. But love to see snow stick all you want. Blowing open trail. Furtber down and further west less new snow, but still flurries and new lube 1-2” into TQ93 at St Monique 367 has been stellar. 93 is so so but this new snow albeit not alot is sweet. 93 mostly great. Can tell it’s getting the use its blue. TQ93 to 367 through Peribonka . Thinner but good to go here. Ripping fast. Back to a nice TQ93 through Dolbeau, then left turn local Orange the St Felicien express. Some so so but mostly good here across and still  nice on orange trail down and across ice back to 373 through relais Buttes. Too earky for us is 12:30 loop it we come back. Down 373 showing some areas of concern but nothing defcon 4. Then through St Felicien to local orange. Up to powerlines and through back to La Dore. Very nice holding up well. Then through gas to TQ93 and back to 373 to Relais Buttes. Lunch stop here. Feed bag disconnected. Then back up 373 to TQ93 to Local orange to Resto Chef. Sweet trails up here. Gas and necessities at du Chef then bonzai. Orange out the back beautiful ride to TQ93 which is holding up beautifully, left turn and 8 miles to our private oasis at Pouvoirie La Dore. We love it here. Super folks. 8 miles in fresh groomed for our arrival.
 
Warmer today no doubt. We will manage it is what it is. 

The good ole ball buster… Le Balbuzzard Sauvage.  Only the second place I know of that makes you take your boots off to come inside.  Funny now that I think of it, the other place is also a log cabin.
How is the snow depth between Faillon and Clova?  Think it can survive another warm spell?

I was thinking about Lac Moreau, I had forgotten about Trout lake.  They were kinda ball busters too, but it was a sweet place.
Funny story.  About ten years ago we stopped and ate there not knowing they mostly cater to reservations with full package only, so it wasn’t cheap and the food was pretty bad.  As we left I asked about gas.  It was waaaaayyyyy over priced, and I mentioned it, but needed it so we paid….So off we go back to the trucks.  Long story short we went the wrong way for about an hour before realizing the mistake we had made.  So we ended up back at his gas pump for another round a couple hours latter.  The guy laughed a little when he said that I liked his gas so much I came back for more…lesson learned, never run your lips to the guy with the gas, no matter how bad he gouges you.

I was thinking about Lac Moreau, I had forgotten about Trout lake.  They were kinda ball busters too, but it was a sweet place.
Funny story.  About ten years ago we stopped and ate there not knowing they mostly cater to reservations with full package only, so it wasn’t cheap and the food was pretty bad.  As we left I asked about gas.  It was waaaaayyyyy over priced, and I mentioned it, but needed it so we paid….So off we go back to the trucks.  Long story short we went the wrong way for about an hour before realizing the mistake we had made.  So we ended up back at his gas pump for another round a couple hours latter.  The guy laughed a little when he said that I liked his gas so much I came back for more…lesson learned, never run your lips to the guy with the gas, no matter how bad he gouges you.

I was thinking about Lac Moreau, I had forgotten about Trout lake.  They were kinda ball busters too, but it was a sweet place.
Funny story.  About ten years ago we stopped and ate there not knowing they mostly cater to reservations with full package only, so it wasn’t cheap and the food was pretty bad.  As we left I asked about gas.  It was waaaaayyyyy over priced, and I mentioned it, but needed it so we paid….So off we go back to the trucks.  Long story short we went the wrong way for about an hour before realizing the mistake we had made.  So we ended up back at his gas pump for another round a couple hours latter.  The guy laughed a little when he said that I liked his gas so much I came back for more…lesson learned, never run your lips to the guy with the gas, no matter how bad he gouges you.

I was thinking about Lac Moreau, I had forgotten about Trout lake.  They were kinda ball busters too, but it was a sweet place.
Funny story.  About ten years ago we stopped and ate there not knowing they mostly cater to reservations with full package only, so it wasn’t cheap and the food was pretty bad.  As we left I asked about gas.  It was waaaaayyyyy over priced, and I mentioned it, but needed it so we paid….So off we go back to the trucks.  Long story short we went the wrong way for about an hour before realizing the mistake we had made.  So we ended up back at his gas pump for another round a couple hours latter.  The guy laughed a little when he said that I liked his gas so much I came back for more…lesson learned, never run your lips to the guy with the gas, no matter how bad he gouges you.

Lac Truite ?

At least you get to wear knit slippers that thousands of others wore. At least the last time I was there.

That is another one!

The good ole ball buster… Le Balbuzzard Sauvage.  Only the second place I know of that makes you take your boots off to come inside.  Funny now that I think of it, the other place is also a log cabin.
How is the snow depth between Faillon and Clova?  Think it can survive another warm spell?

The good ole ball buster… Le Balbuzzard Sauvage.  Only the second place I know of that makes you take your boots off to come inside.  Funny now that I think of it, the other place is also a log cabin.
How is the snow depth between Faillon and Clova?  Think it can survive another warm spell?

Just under 400k of carpet yesterday with the exception of a few k of logging road between Sennetterre and lac fillion and plowed road near the b blizzard (sp) outfitter place that is closed.

One of my favorite traits of all time 

Today rode West on 83 to Auberge Presbytere for breakfast.  83 West was awesome.  Spent the day just riding 83, 23 and especially 383.  Stopped at Relais La Genouille, pretty good sled club. All trials awesome.  Unfortunately, when we got back to the Dela it was 35 degrees.  Snow getting soft and bare spots worse, Calling for rain on Friday.  Not sure I'd rec coming up this weekend.  Was 4 days riding worth 2000 miles drive from Pittsburgh?  YES.  Heading home tomorrow.

Day 3, left Grand Vallee and backtracked on 5 to 597 down to Murdochville. Trails in really nice shape! This part of the Gaspe wins for the most snow award. Lunch in Murdochville then continue down 597 and Piston Alley, all groomed up nicely to 5 again.

Day 5. Today we started our way back to our starting point. It’s going to take four days and another 720 miles to get back. Woke up to 5° below zero and finished the day 25° with sunshine all day. We took a beautiful side trail today to add another 15 miles to the ride so it was 190 miles today. 

It was an awesome ride and great meeting you and riding together hopefully we will cross paths again !!

Day 1: today went from Amos up to Matagami total miles 253. Great trails the whole way fast running made the miles go by very quickly. Had lunch up there at a nice little restaurant. Met a couple from Ontario heading up to Matagami as well so we all rode up together got to love the snowmobiling community! 

14 hrs one way…that’s no joke.
I am sure you will be rewarded accordingly by the groomers and trail conditions  in that neck of the woods.  Post some pics of the run to Matagami.  It’s been too long since I laid eyes on that west side of 396.  Pretty sweet through there as I recall  
 

Day 2 Tuesday 
 
Woke to beautiful cold morning after awesome night at Pouvoirie La Dore. Great stay had great conversation with Owner Stephane super nice guy. Big chalet with four bedrooms nice fun. Terrain here is big i think their territory stretches 20 miles. 18 chalets and big fishing and hunting for bear, moose and caribou. Lake trout and brook trout. 8 miles out trail to TQ93 trail groomed into pouvoirie with small drag but real good. TQ93 has been groomed north he has not returned south. It’s beautiful all the way to local trail to Resto du Chef.  Saw 2 sleds north bound direction Chibougamau. Been very little traffic few here and there but very spread out. 
 
Bingo that is the plan. Good old fashioned trail bingo. Here in the honey hole. I got all day to go nowhere. Destination St Felicien tonight and we will be in the vincinty all day. 
 
And now please stand by for a
Public service announcement. 
 
Everyone please continue to circulate only on the Blue federal trails as you are now. 
We thank you all for you continued cooperation in helping us enjoy the other trails privately without undue, unnecessary, excessive traffic. Thank you for the support. 
 
 
Say it with me or even better sing it out loud.  B I N G O……B I N G O 
 
Up down over back up down over up back around all that. And is awesome. 
One after the other  
Please sir may i have another? Yes you can. 
 
Late lunch Resto du Chef then then another 80 miles into hotel the BINGO way. 
 
Saw Mother Lynx with kitten. On TQ93 west of Lac a Jim. Leisurely strolling together right off side of trail. 
 
We will keep on going. One day at a time. Headed for Otis Nature via 373 and some bonus honey hole action. 
 
Well oiled machine here. Great bunch of riders. 
 
206 miles of
8/10 to 10/10 all damn day (r.i.p. Big) 
 
Corral full and overflowing here at Du Jardin. Hotel full tonight. 
Ordered dinner from Restaurant Mikes.