NH-Moose

Perspective:
Me and Mark I rolled up on the scene about an hour after the event. I saw red tape strung across the trail just before the downhill, slowed, and passed under the tape to slow roll forward to see why the trail was “closed” so close to town.
Just over the crest I saw a groomer and a bunch of people on the right of it. I assumed it was just a groomer that broke down mid-slope and riders were simply trying to get by it in the woods to its right…..in the fluff at the treeline.
There were a lot of people standing around. 
But then i noticed sleds in orientations that were not normal, as in the rubber side was not down, one front was facing the wrong way, or on their side wedged into the tractor track or drag here and there.  
Closer, I could see a bunch of people in the “V” where the tractor and drag appeared sort of jack-knived. They were working on a person on a stretcher. There was the groomer driver, paramedics, and others in the riding party.  I could see an ATV and a side by side, thats how the first responders got there before Mark and I.
Was a confusing scene, even being right there, hard to figure out, even now.
The hill was loose show….sloppy mashed potatoes….poor traction for sure, no wonder no one could stop in a downhill “surprise” situation. Mark went up the hill to park his sled by the one strip of red tape across was was kind of hard to see and we didn’t want to be piled onto.
I first talked to Chris since he was at the rear sitting on his Enduro.  Introductions made and he said we were the first sleds to come up behind them from our direction (Squatec) in an hour. He then explained the situation. We waited for Police to arrive to document the scene before anything could be moved. Once that happened everyone involved was ferried away and firemen began to clear the damaged sleds.
While we were there, 2 other NH riders approached and eventually we all fired up and passed in the ditch on the left of the groomer.
 
We had leap frogged Chris’s group several times between Murdochville and La Cache.
All I can say is they were lucky, could have been much worse or further from a road, or 30 below, etc. just bad planetary alignment of timing, location, conditions, etc.
And a speedy recovery to Jeffrey!

Riding out of RDL today with Mark from NH.  
Hotel had no available breakfast reservations, so we were off to Cabano to shop for a new sailboat for Brad, then Degelis for gas and Tim Hortons breakfast. Not a bump in sight.
571 to 35, all amazing flat and fast very few other folks out down this way, just like we like it.
5 to 597, stopped at a couple new windmill overlooks on 597, didn’t bother to ride to the mummies or golfball, been there seen them before.
Amqui for the night. Hot tub is more like a luke warm tub, so we passed.
Only a couple brief slightly bump sections toward the end of the day, definitely some glass smooth ice hiding under a bit of show that surprise you once in a while, otherwise amazingly good trails, especially for a Sunday.
Off to Baie Bleu tomorrow with some orange secondary trails to fill the day.

Left Amqui on TQ5 down to Albertville clubhouse. What happened to the snowmobile decoration stick out of the building? Its gone. Did Groomer take as a retirement gift?
587 loop was simply amazing, wide, flat and fast.
Back onto 5, topped off gas at Matapedia since its right on the way instead of backtracing at PLX or Nouvelle.  
Took the orange loop trail (entered the loop 6 miles west of Nouvelle) that goes north to the airport, best trail of the trip so far. However on the east side of the loop, ran a plowed icy road for about 8-10 miles before jumping back into a new trail that was not on the map, was ungroomed and beat up, but we survived. That led back on the map to a smooth ride down to Carlton. 
At gas, crossed the street and went for a ride through the summer campground
on the peninsula to get to the frozen beach for,some photos before going to Baie Bleu hotel.
Crunchy salmon for dinner, great stop here.
Place is extremely busy, full os snowmobilers.
 
Tomorrow plan is through La Cache, Murcochville, then to Mt St Pierre for smoked chicken wings.

Skipped breakfast at Baie Bleu to beat the many groups to the trail. 
Off to 595 LaCache.  Great run, beautiful sunny day, smooth and fast. We were the first tracks on fresh groomed trail,for about 50 miles, sweet!
Homemade great turkey soup and a grilled cheese at La Cache. Very nice and dedicated people there, and the place is fixed up much nicer than the old days. Workers there from the reservation speak perfect English, one lady there lived in Nashua NH for a while, one was from New Brunswick, was a nice chat.
Then up 595, again first tracks on fresh groom. Manyntracks headed south, but not north, was strange. To St Paulin relay, which is closed down.  Great scenic rip, love it so much we may do it again tomorrow.  Only problem is the groomers drag in that section has a very deep and wide keel, made one heck of a rut that was hard to stay out of.
From there, 5 East was not bad, but as everyone says,starting around Cap Chat, it gets bumpy, ungroomed for way too long. 
 
Gas at La Martre unattended gas pump with 137 miles on the odo since La Cache gas and still had 2 bars on the 900 Ace gas gauge ;<)
The last 20 or so miles into MSP got better, and the hills in this area are not icy like we expected, so easy going.  The previous 40 miles beat us up badly, we needed that break!
As we rolled into Mr St Pierre around 4:30 the big groomer was just rolling out of town, hopefully heading west since we plan to re-ride that route on our way back westward.
 
We plan to stop at LaCache again tomorrow since we need some bonus miles because Matane is so close, only question is which way is better groomed? 5 West and down+back 595, or maybe we get lucky and Chic Chocs gets groomed tonight.
Will know more in the morning when the map is updated.
 
La Delice motel in MSP is the best, owner/operators Patrick and Julie will do anything for you, and their food is amazing!
They ended up joking that we got the “central NH” snowmobile package. Rooms, Smoked Chicken Wings, Smoked meat, soup. So good I asked and was granted 2 dozen wings and some smoked meat will be frozen and packaged for my saddlebags by morning to bring back home to NH.
 
If you go there, jokingly ask for the Central NH package, they’ll get a laugh out of that!

Hardy, thats half the sandwich, halfway through eating the sandwich I remembered I didn’t get the picture yet 🤣

Awesomeness to go too!
 

Looking at the app this morning showed the groomer had left Murdochville around 3AM and was already 20 miles west by 5:30, perfect timing! So we were off Eastward on 5, great trail all the way to Murdochville. Gassed up.
Then toward La Cache. Trail was very good, not perfect, hard to groom a solid base. Up in the peaks was like another planet, everything covered in white, quite a bit fluffier and no ice.
Was overcast and flurries, so not great for pictures up there.
Through La Cache, parking lot had a ton of sleds, sleds, so we blew past and up 595 again. Awesome rip. Stopped at a couple slopes that had natural snow wheels (big white snow dough its) that rolled themselves down the hills.
Gas at Saint Adelme with 150 miles on the tank, running on the low fuel light for 30 miles. Took 30 liters, so still had a gallon in there.
Then off to Matane, when rolling in to Quality Inn met up with Ice and Mrs Ice who just rolled and in too!  They were loading their sleds at the end of their trip. Will have supper with them later.
 
Not sure where tomorrows destination will be, will start plotting. Want to stay away from TQ5 as much as possible since its icier near the coast and everyone seems to take 5 :<)
 

Left Matane to head around Amqui. Rode the smoothest fastest fresh groomed trail for several miles NW of Amqui along Lac Matapedia on 5.  Just like a paved road, just as wide too, with only a couple small ripples in 1 corner.  900 Skidoo squirrels running the crankshaft as fast as they could under my hood.
Through 587 to see the snow Mummies, but was light snow and very foggy so,visibility was only a couple hundred feet, but a smooth trail up and back so it was fun anyway.
windmills were neat today since the cloud layer covered the top blades as they were rotating in and out of the clouds.
5 to 35 to 571 was well used, but very passable. Better groomed near Degelis.
In Degelis tonight at Hotel 1212. Restaurant here is closed for renovations here. Supermarket across the street or Pizza delivery, or they will give you a car ride to their sister restaurant nearby.
Tomorrow is a quick run to RDL to the truck and drive home to NH.
Great partial Gaspe trip so far with Mark, will probably end up around 1200 miles for the 5.25 days.
Someone told me the Swartz brand of Montreal Smoked Meat in the grocery stores (IGA) is pretty good so we will stop for some to bring home






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Best trail ever near Amqui
 

Some pics from Mark
 

A breakfast stop at Tim Hortons in Degelis, then a quick 65 mikes to the truck by 9:20. Time to take the black trail and trailer home before tonights 8” snow due in NH tonight.  
Was a great ride, as always!
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.
 
 

Few pics of the last riding day, Mt St Pierre to the trucks in Matane.