mccaffrey

Canadian Tire has been there for us over the years, with pro sales & service of everything from replacing a Humvee steering box, to recovery from sledding wardrobe deficiencies!
So where else would you go when you need an actual tire for your trailer?! 
With this positive history it was no surprise when Catherine took the call at the Roberval location yesterday and spoke perfect (and perfectly empathetic) English, and got the tire ordered, to be shipped to her from Latuque, and promised to call as soon at it arrives.
I said I'd need to send a note to management when this is over, about what an amazing brand-ambassedor she is.
Then the extra mile... When I went to drop off the bad tire & the deflated spare & tweaked lug nuts this afternoon. She yanked the tires out of the trunk and into their garage, and pointed me around to the front of the store, where she was waiting by the register with the shiny new replacement lugs!
She initially refused a pourboire, saying she's an owner, but finally accepted with a suggestion to drop it at her church or do some other kind of good with it, and she seemed to appreciate her new-found perspective on stubborn New Yorkers.
Anyway, they ain't just tires, but when they are... THEY ROCK IT, just sayin'.
 
Here's the morning maneuvers:
https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqDAddPnLv
 
Mrs Iceman (who introduced me to Relive) should have some eye-candy from the trails this afternoon piloting Big Blue!...
 
 
20220328_121322.mp4

so on to day 3...we are feeling pretty good about our position so far...getting thru New Brunswick and the 595 to LaCache...we got a great nights sleep and breakfast, sleds are fueled and oiled and we decide to take the interior trail east of LaCache to Murdochville. Off we go . things are still not groomed but it's day 3.....and we are still breaking trail...this trail has a lot of snow and drifting but we have become use to it after 550 miles...no big deal and we are soon at the half way point...where things are getting interesting and the snow pack is considerably more than we have yet encountered...drifts are now 10 to 15 feet high and the wind is ferocious, getting hard to pick the trail and we are climbing to the 3/4 mark....we are feeling reasonably confident we can make it to the top where it will be down hill to Murdochville. The trees are now mostly covered and the snow is approaching 15 feet or so and the closer we get to the top the harder it's blowing and the drifts are on steroids, but we make it...we look behind and you cannot see that anyone has been there...literally a couple minutes to fill in our tracks......we are trying to figure out this last half mile down a little then over the last hill.It's a very imposing half mile, a few 20 foot drifts going slightly down, then maybe a 30 footer that shows a passage on the left and we are not really sure about the last couple so we take pics and blow them up...it doesn't look good the last 2 are maybe 40 to 50 feet and the one on the top is curling back towards us and only showing a little relief on the left side...we need snow shoes now to walk in and see the density of the snow because we don't want to bury the sleds and shovel for the rest of the day...we are 3 hours in....@#$%&!!.....after careful consideration....we agree that it is beyond are ability....back to LaCache for lunch...wen arrive and tell them not to let anyone go that way...we figure the groomer will never be able to do it either...and we were right...they did not get as far as we did...we were so close!! We even got stuck a few times after we turned around...white knuckles for sure it felt good to be safely down from there.After lunch we headed up the 595 figuring we finally make it to Murdochville...3/4 of the way we hit a wall of snow, maybe 5 to 6 feet of pow....the terrain was very doable...the skis were staying on top, but even the 154 by 20 was trenching 4 to 5 feet.....too much snow!!! We took turns with the shovel and....WENT BACK TO LACACHE!! Regrouped, fuel and oil...we are not done.... back down the 595 to Hotel Francis...it's still not groomed and we help out a group that is stuck. We went into town for a 10 pm dinner...we are now specializing in 14 hour days...tomorrow we will go east and north on 597 and get to Hotel Copper for lunch...we will get to Murdochville. We got out on the trail by 8 AM and it is now open...open...maybe the tractor and blade...open not groomed...but much better than we have seen so far...we make better time today and arrive at Murdochville about 130 ish, get fuel and oil and run down to Copper...to find out they are closed for breakfast and lunch...no one will come back to work...only open for dinner limited hours...2 days to get here....@#^&*$!!...back to the gas station for junk food and coffee and juice.The day is starting to wear on us..but we have many more miles to get to Hotel-n-Cie. Off we go and the trail is pretty good maybe a 7...feels like a 10 after the last 3 days.We stop in St Louis about 4 pm for a sandwich...eating inside like normal people...does this feel right?? Now it's heading toward dark and we are use to this, almost full moon, stars are out maybe 5 degrees f....the sleds are running nice in the crisp air...and we are settled in for the ride. About 730 2 moose charge out on the right and Stan just misses hitting them as he drives by, I have to lock down sideways to stop maybe 10 feet from them and Terry pulls up./..Stan is clueless and keeps driving ...he has no idea what has happened.....Terry and I are very lucky and the moose start walking away down the trail....we wait 5 minutes and start going at clutch engagement...catching up to the moose in about a mile...they run off the trail on the left 15 feet and turn to charge us...we are in reverse flashing our lights...not good they are within 5 feet and they turn to go back down the trail...we wait again then start down the trail and find Stan sitting in the trail back to us waiting and we scream, he turns around and the moose are on top of him and he takes off...so close!!! Terry and I are watching and they charge us and at about 5 feet run off the trail to the right of us and we have a split second to get by before they come back on the trail....very scary stuff...these guys were maybe 1500 lbs. They were very aggressive and wanted to get off the trail but the snow was too deep...we coast in to Hotel-N- Cie at 845 pm...330 miles to find the restaurant closed and the store across the street closing at 9.....no dinner....3 beers only...1 each....what a day...to be continued!!

Well Bob just remember it could be worse, at least you have a favorable exchange rate on US dollars.
Snowmobiling is becoming an expensive hobby, but it is addictive as hell!

25 March Friday continues 
 
We are going. John takes off to stay on beat to make the 1pm rendezvous. David is with him I finish paying for the gas and I am sweeping things up now. John can run to dealer ahead I am behind David just in case. In case came quick we could not have been 5km from Albertville. I round corner David is stopped John there pulling side cover. I arrive and tell John to beat feet. He been riding 2 days plus with poched shock he needs to make it for 1pm. Playhard aint going nowhere yet. Its stone cold dead. Out comes the tow equipment. Nice setup Playhard had. Around ski loops then two basically tie strap buckles that loop around bumper of towing service. I have done my share of towing. I been pulled into Clova once but we were close. Nonetheless thanks to NHmoose he towed my 2008 Apex into town. This is my first pull of a fellow Apex an XTX. Lincoln Town Car. We get it hooked. I pulled the belt. We go short distance then readjust our straps so they are equal lenghth. I don’t like that we are really close. One wrong move he is on top of my rear tunnel extension. But it works well. Teamwork. We are ready, its snowing and almost mixed with some rain now. We ease off. I got a serious load on. We go well but it’s apparent it will be tough in this fresh wet snow. Frozen trail February. No problems. Towing through this hmmm. Tough going. First Road we come to we stop. Playhard is instantly Navigating. Ski Doo Amqui to the right 3.2 crow miles. Road is snowy its a secondary road we decide to go for it. I know full well we can get close but for sure it means running up the 132 through town towing in taffic. No real issues on snowy road. One hill I underestimated and did not get my speed up to get a run at it but we make up.
Next one I am ready for no worries. Sure enough we arrive to fully plowed blacktop RT195 we need to go up 195 then hit 132. To reach Ski Doo. I am not a happy camper being on the 132. But we are getting there. We had wheels down now and going is nice and smooth. We blend into traffic like we belong and cruise on up had to wait in traffic at one red light. But just ahead is destination. In we roll 2:15. John being service. Stephan and Jeremy speak english in service and Playhard is already on it talking with these boys to see who they can find to truck him and tge Apex to RDL tonight or Tomorrow. John sled is all buttoned up. And jeremy is waiting for some calls back to confirm this transport. He comes out and he has Roger ready to go Sat 9am. They will load apex into Rogers truck tonight at Ski Doo and scheduled pick up is 9am for David at Selectotel. Awsome. 
 
Raining out now not pouring but steady wet. John and I bee line to Hotel shocks he said feel great. Too wet to play. Bags soaked time to get inside. 
 
Great trails really all day. Happy. We will overcome. We always do. 
 
John and I will ride to RDL thru Cabano 
Join David in RDL and keep this going. 

after almost 2 seasons on the side lines having last left Quebec in late March at the start of the lock down, facing the possibility of not riding Quebec trails for the first time in decades, I get a call from Zeusand (Stan) with an offer to pick me up on his way from just outside NYC, mad dash to get tested, registered, and 2 15 hour days at the shop, I got into his suburban with my trailer and our sleds in tow , now a mad rush to RDL Universal...to meet Terry from Plattsburg NY. What could possibly go wrong...how about a monster snow storm starting at 12 noon...many accidents and slow going on Q20....we finally landed at our rooms ay 11:20 pm...this is going to be tough...we want to be on the trail early after our 12 hour ride in. We managed to get on the trail at 8 am...maybe 8 to 10 inches on the ground and snowing...but we are going for it, off to Moose Valley...for lunch!! Well the foot of snow we left behind us is considerably more when we got there.....trail are drifting ..some places are 2 ft deep but we have an expy extreme 850...and we will continue on breaking trail!!! It's starting to get serious , the weather, and no sign of letting up, and the wind is tough....so we take our first big chance...everyone is sitting tight...we leave Moose Valley headed toward Cambleton...FEARLESS...we decide to take a local one track wide trail inside Moose Valley interior woods towards Kedgewick with the thoughts that there would be a lot less wind in the woods...there was but we were now breaking trail in 2 ft of pow...pretty cool ,albiet Stan wasn't so sure...we had 3 different GPS and all had features the others did not...it looked to be about 50 miles....now the fun starts as trees are hanging low and we are constantly going around them. A couple hours later the trail ends at a parking spot at the end of a road.....OK.....all is good...a few miles and we hook up with the trail...see Stan..these GPS'S are great..it's dark and he isn't laughing...anybody can go on the groomed trails!! Soon we are on the normal passage headed for Cambleton where we have reservations at the Quality at the bridge, it's still snowing!! We come over the mountain top to the beautiful glow of the night lights, get fuel and oil...and wonder where to get the trail to the hotel....it's 11 PM...we decide to drive it in on the empty city street...pretty cool...there is a lot of snow on them , it's late...and it looks like complete lock down..except for us, we obeyed the signs and lights..landed at the hotel at 11:15 pm...310 miles of breaking trail...no dinner...we are tired...everyone sleeps well and we meet for breakfast at 7:30am.....still very intent in not letting this storm change out trip plan......epic day in the books...to be continued!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Breakfast is marginal continental...but coffee and juice are good...all of us are a bit tired but on schedule , off to Murdochville for our next night...we call Mundles towing to get us over the bridge...it's Sunday morning...we tip the driver...he is a nice guy who works a long hard week...and drops us off in a parking lot right at the trail...we have no idea what is in front of us and didn't even check the map for grooming...what does it matter...not like we have a lot of choices...off we go. Heading toward Carelton and New Richmond....lots of snow...no groomed trails...a few moose and deer...things are going pretty good and we land in New Richmond for lunch and fuel...we are all feeling really good about our progress given the weather....and the wind is going pretty good....so off we go to LaCache ...3 minutes out we have to cross a sloped field.....not good...maybe a 25 foot drift all the way across the field...Stan goes first and gets burried ....we spend the next 35 minutes getting him out....conveniently the ski doo 1200 reverse decides it's done working....really great...I break a trail across the field and come back then all 3 of us continue on towards the 595...the going is getting very tough...we are absolutely the only one riding at this point...as a matter of fact we are on our 2 day and have only passed a sled or two...we are breaking trail to LaCache on the 595....alone for sure...we now are starting to realize this is getting a little serious. The conditions have now taken a major turn for the worse and this area has received a lot of snow and the wind is howling...drifts are now commonly well over 10 ft and when the sled in front of you goes over one he disappears...we are now being careful and actually trying to pick the trail and where we are going...most of the stakes are burried and some of the drifts are 2 and 300 yards long. I'm trying to think we are not in trouble and things are ok...we are doing plenty of getting stuck , digging and towing...we now realize we couldn't make it without the expedition extreme...we are double and once triple on the running board side hilling sleds over drifts...becoming very technical....one soft spot there goes the ski...and sled is tipped over or tumbling down...but we continue on.We arrive at Lacache about 4:20 pm...it looks closed...WTF....Houston we have a problem. I walk over and the door is unlocked...but no vehicles around...nobody...a guy comes out ...Ryan...and asked where I came from.....I said we are riding...we came up the 595....he cannot believe it....we are THE ONLY CUSTOMERS ALL DAY......he cannot believe we made it all the local roads are closed from drifting...he said AN AVERAGE DAY IS 6 TO 7 THOUSAND AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THE ONLY ONES HE HAS SEEN SINCE YESTERDAY AM, 2 FULL DAYS....we know we are done for the day and we end up staying...he shows us the generator and battery set up that runs the place and the solar system in the cellar....we use the laundry...he's just watching the place and giving the regulars a break....he's not a cook but we get burgers and dogs and eggs and bacon in the morning...we sleep well.....another epic day...all is good....these folks are some of the very nicest people I have ever met in Quebec...like family...we tip them well....to be continued...2 incredible days in the books....

20220314_135835_99.mp4

We ran into that moose yesterday,  were held up for almost an hour. 
 
 

Not sure how much browse/ food they can actually reach from the trail. If there was no trail at all they most likely still would have died with all that snow, but no one would even know. Sad fact of nature.

Mont-Apica

3 day run for the 4 of us . Doubletree Quebec to the Delta on day 1 . 304, 369 , 23 , 83 .. all perfect into the Delta . Had a great dinner after meeting up with a couple of fellow Vermont guys at the Pizza joint.  
Day 2 Freezing rain action in the morning,  oh well , head to the mountains ! ..  Delta to Auberge du Ravage , Lac Moreau. We took 367 out of town across the bridges to the local trail on the right  . Hit the 93 , total snow globe from the ski area  for the next 50 miles  . We did a quick stop at La Chappel to day hi to everyone  .  Lunch at the truck stop then off to the the boat ride  on the 3 . First time ever I think we hit it just right with a last second ride straight on the boat a minute before shoving off shore  .  3 to 383 north,  to 83 south to the Ravage turn  .  Awesome lodge with even more awesome food ! And the home of Borris 🐕 too . 
Day 3  Back to the Doubletree,  83 to 3 .. simple enough  . Mix of conditions this day from smooth concrete to bumpy mashed potatoes but we'll take it as a 10 of 10 ! 
Get out and "get it now"was the the theme of our tour 😁

All trails this trip? Must be because of the old guy on the Polaris.😃

After 4000 miles this season mostly in the bush, this was the old man luxury trip.  640 miles of mostly fresh groomed and hotels with showers, heat controlled by a thermostat, TV's, lights that work and comfy beds.  Nice to see how the other half lives 😉

Just got back from four day trip up in Lac St Jon, and Mt Valin area.
Stayed in Lac Bouchette our last night, truck was in Matawin, checking Thursday night noticed Trail CLOSED from La Tuque to Matawin, we had to add 70 miles to our run before our four hour ride home, not a big deal the trails were very good.
Watch the trail reports, that gave us time to go to plan B to get back to the truck.
I don't know what the heck they are going to do with all the snow they have.
Easter in Mt Valin, sound pretty good!
Stay Safe

Thanks for the fun at the Delta Wednesday night, but at breakfast that morning I was not sure, and I don't think you guys were convinced which route you were going to take, you went east, we went west Mt Valin.

Thanks for the fun at the Delta Wednesday night, but at breakfast that morning I was not sure, and I don't think you guys were convinced which route you were going to take, you went east, we went west Mt Valin.

Double up on the socks?

Looks like it's plowed to the ground from the train trestle north 

Pat, you got lucky. 355 from Lac Brouchette to Lac Edourd shows closed this morning? Cant be a snow issue.

Just got back from four day trip up in Lac St Jon, and Mt Valin area.
Stayed in Lac Bouchette our last night, truck was in Matawin, checking Thursday night noticed Trail CLOSED from La Tuque to Matawin, we had to add 70 miles to our run before our four hour ride home, not a big deal the trails were very good.
Watch the trail reports, that gave us time to go to plan B to get back to the truck.
I don't know what the heck they are going to do with all the snow they have.
Easter in Mt Valin, sound pretty good!
Stay Safe

Just got back from four day trip up in Lac St Jon, and Mt Valin area.
Stayed in Lac Bouchette our last night, truck was in Matawin, checking Thursday night noticed Trail CLOSED from La Tuque to Matawin, we had to add 70 miles to our run before our four hour ride home, not a big deal the trails were very good.
Watch the trail reports, that gave us time to go to plan B to get back to the truck.
I don't know what the heck they are going to do with all the snow they have.
Easter in Mt Valin, sound pretty good!
Stay Safe

Just got back from four day trip up in Lac St Jon, and Mt Valin area.
Stayed in Lac Bouchette our last night, truck was in Matawin, checking Thursday night noticed Trail CLOSED from La Tuque to Matawin, we had to add 70 miles to our run before our four hour ride home, not a big deal the trails were very good.
Watch the trail reports, that gave us time to go to plan B to get back to the truck.
I don't know what the heck they are going to do with all the snow they have.
Easter in Mt Valin, sound pretty good!
Stay Safe

The Mrs. said she wanted to get out on the trails one more time.  She didn’t have to twist my arm too hard…😎.  We hit the road Monday night after work and headed back to Sainte Anne du Lac.  We are usually stuck riding weekends, so it was nice to take a mid week ride.  Tuesday morning we took 319 over to Mekoos, up 53 to 100 Lacs for brunch then back down to SADL by way of JB Scott.  160 miles.  Wednesday morning we did the exact same thing in reverse order.  The scenery was just as nice the opposite way.  Plenty of snow left.  Here are the pics.