Trailblazer

Day6
Finally blue skies and colder temps, plan is Lac Edourd for the night. Grooming shows a lot of purple! Bingo! 373 first tracks, set up like concrete. Down through Alma everything groomed up nice. Lunch in Hebertville and onto the 83 which is also mint! Onto the 355 which was a bit whooped to Lac Bruchette, fuel and onto the 355 which showed groomed last night. Yep, smooth sailing into Domaine Lac Eduard. Tried to stay at the Presbyterian but booked, also the other B&b booked. Tomorrow back to the truck in st come. 250 miles for the day

Day5
Todays plan was to completely wing it. After a stop at the ski doo dealer in the morning to replace the wire for momo’s oxygen helmet that got sucked into his track it was TQ 93 south. Freshly groomed last night, passed the groomer headed back from his 2nd pass. Perfectly set up! Sweet! Quick stop at the sawmill for fuel. No food there anymore. South of the mill not recently groomed but still in great shape. Continued up to Lac au Jim. Thought you could stay there but a no go. Quick map check and Giradville has 2 places about 25 miles out. Into town there for fuel and ask. Motel 1km away, Perfect! Small place with 6 rms. You check in at the supermarket next door which also has a SAQ which was even better! Restaurant across the st. Tomorrow up around the lake on the 373 which is an awesome new trail. 225 miles for the day.

Back in service on Sunday
 
https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2020/01/24/le-f-a-gauthier-reprend-du-service-dimanche

The F.-A.-Gauthier is back
    19
    
 OTHER
After experiencing all kinds of problems over the past year, the ferry F.-A.-Gauthier, which provides the link between Matane and Baie-Comeau, resumed service on Sunday.
Play Video
QMI AGENCY
Sunday, January 26, 2020 19:59
UPDATE Sunday, January 26, 2020 9:36 PM
After having encountered all kinds of problems during the past year, the ferry F.-A.-Gauthier, which provides the link between Matane and Baie-Comeau, resumed service on Sunday.  
The boat made the two usual crossings scheduled, that of Matane to Baie-Comeau at 2 p.m. and that of Baie-Comeau to Matane at 5 p.m.  
After work on the ship's thrusters, which lasted a year and cost nearly $ 22 million, the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) had to repair the boat's engines.  
"We noticed, in terms of certain control systems, that the two electric motors that power our entire propulsion system were not working well," says Stéphane Lafaut, of the STQ.  
At the end of December, specialists from the manufacturer General Electric even had to be called in to help find the problem on the ferry and repair it.  
“We brought in the specialists directly from Europe. They spent, in fact, most of the holiday break working with our teams, ”continues Mr. Lafaut.  
The boat was out of service since December 17, 2018.  
In the past few days, the ferry has passed sea trials.  
The STQ ensures that its staff are ready too.  
Despite its return, air links are still maintained until January 31.

I remember when you and I left RDL in the morning with some advise from Mikey and made it to the Normandin for lunch time, with a popo stop.
Enjoy yourselves and raise a glass to the mayor me. 🍷

Tadoussac/Baie Comeau...…..Baie Comeau/Sept Isles...…..Sept Isles/Havre St. Pierre      3 days up and 3 days back all very doable, if you want to add on a bonus ride you could ride to the end of the 3 in Baie Johan Beetz and back to Havre for an extra day.
Good luck and tell us how it went.

Day 4
Plan was Amos to Chapis for the night.
tq 93 was fantastic! Anywhere from 4-6” of light fluff. Stellar day. Lunch in Lsq where Phil had to bury the sled riding 200 yards to get a qt of oil in the center of town. We where going to stay at the opineska but didn’t have the right rooms for 5. So after a stop at the clubhouse off to chibougamau to Motel Chibougamau for the night 288 miles. 93 south in the morning around the top of the LSJ. Plenty of 60 packs in demarisville! Beaver free as of now!

I remember when you and I left RDL in the morning with some advise from Mikey and made it to the Normandin for lunch time, with a popo stop.
Enjoy yourselves and raise a glass to the mayor me. 🍷

Tadoussac/Baie Comeau...…..Baie Comeau/Sept Isles...…..Sept Isles/Havre St. Pierre      3 days up and 3 days back all very doable, if you want to add on a bonus ride you could ride to the end of the 3 in Baie Johan Beetz and back to Havre for an extra day.
Good luck and tell us how it went.

Back in service on Sunday
 
https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2020/01/24/le-f-a-gauthier-reprend-du-service-dimanche

Very doable, I’ve ridden from Motel Godard between L'Annociation and St.Veronique on 2 occasions with a group of 6 and a group of 8 up to the Forestel. 300+ miles. Our departure times were between 8:30 and 9 am. Plan your mileage to run your tank down as far as you can before refueling, regroup breaks only, skip lunch, increase your moving average speed and you’ll be fine.
 

Four of us drove up from Vermont to Levi yesterday morning for a short 3 day run. Parked trucks at the Normandin and on the sleds around 10:30am. As Jack mentioned, trail has been rerouted leaving the parking lot, but all was good. Took the 75 to the 35 and headed east on the rocket trail, everything groomed recently and in great shape. We are three cats and a Doo, and one of the kitties didn't care for the high MPH pace of the 35 railbed and coughed up a belt just short of the Tourville relais. Spare was installed and away we went, trails as smooth as they come. Took the 557 crossover trail to 5 and continued on all the way to the Universal in RDL where we are roomed next door to none other than Mayor Mikerider himself. Great to see Mike again, and a big shout out to him for offering up his truck in the morning for us to locate a belt for the ailing kitty. Mike is a class act and a great asset to the sport, thank you again! Ended up with 230 miles for the day. This morning, after breakfast and the belt locating mission, we loaded up at a very late 9:30 starting time and headed for Moose Valley. We took 85 to the 44 short cut (Mike's advice) and onto the 544. Every time on this trail is nothing short of amazing! All groomed perfectly with hardly a scratch all the way to 571, then jump on the 35 to Biencourt to top off the fuel before entering New Brunswick. The 135 all the way to Moose Valley had been groomed last night and we were first tracking on most of it, just an incredible run. Lots of fresh moose activity, so beware. Lunch at Moose and then retrace our way back to Quebec. Pulled back into RDL with 245 perfect miles for the day. Will head back to the trucks tomorrow morning and then on the black trail home. Low light last 2 days, so only a few pics. As others have reported, very low traffic, we're not complaining a bit about that.

Backcountry's eat that stuff up ! 

Yesterday ,  Sunday west of Relais 22 on the 83 .  No rain,  lots of fresh all the way from Barrage Gouin to La Tuque  . 

Well we were up for 4 days of riding and to break in the new sled with 1100 km.  Only one off trail adventure and no one was injured in that unexpected  experience.. As for trail condition  23 was bumpy to l'tape  but good north to hebertville , all lower LSJ  is just passable  . L'tuque. north to is ok not great  and the trail from relais   22  to  hedgewick has the first 20 km torn up by bulldozer for some logging.  You have to go more north of LSJ. to get good snow,we stuck mostly to the west side and did the tour of the 49 th. passere // e  du ,  big push on this year to promote this side of Mt. valin area. and definitely worth it.. MT. vilain was good and met some nice people.. Not the same crowd that you get on the west side.. GOOD to get out for the first time this year  and meet CT rider to do the trip together .They are expecting  30 plus cm of new snow in next couple days ..We headed out before the freezing rain , just got a touch friday morning leaving hebertville .All is good can't wait to go again after this weather settles down..

Without pics You could have just said  
“and a wonderful time was had by all”, but the cats out of the bag now.!😁

Dooright and Playhard, oh the Beaver that snow master had looked like a treat, we were tempted!  And yes Dooright, we had time to get to Misstassini today, but didn’t,  what a fast, flawless run today.  The trail was perfect all the way, and traffic was heavy😳....we met 2.....sleds all day long!  The traffic hasn’t picked up any snowmaster from your trip.
We did get to encounter a “registration” check at the road crossing coming into Chibougamo, huh, he must have gotten a call that 3 strange sleds were in town lol.  While waiting for the check, one of our riders turned and was doing a normal nature call, when the officer came back he said he could right him a ticket for that, we said seriously, and he said with no humor, yes
😳yeah I guess I get it but we are in Chibougamo! and not even in town

We cleared the check and on we went.
As Snowmaster documented last week, for those looking for mid winter riding conditions, it’s here!
A perfect trail day today,
Happy trials
RR
 

Snuck out for a last minute decided 3 day ride with the hopes of completing the break in process on the new Extreme. Friday am we drive to Labelle for a 9 am departure, plan was to ride to Mt.Laurier visit the mountain sleep in town then ride north.
The Petit Train du Nord is not open yet officially as per say but many tracks riding it. We meet the club director leading the groomer in Lac Saguay and says to us they got the permission from the MRC to groom and started this morning from Barrette. Around Mt.Laurier was thin as expected, the mountain was plentiful.
Sat morning we see the trails north of Ferme-Neuve are showing groomed, this where we’re heading. As stipulated it was well worth the ride up to Lunic. One incident with the Sidewinder and the ZR 9000 steering is freezing up. Nicknamed buddy Arnold. After a little snack and receiving some trail info in Lunic we learn trail heading south to Mekoos is in dire straits, I suggest an alternative off trail route down to Mekoos. 3 outta 4 is a yea 1 a nea, not so spirited so he solos down to Mekoos while the rest of us bust through a foot and half of powder 80 k down to Mekoos. We arrive 10 minutes after our solo buddy.
Sunday we head for the trucks looping the west side of the Kiamika reservoir crossing a couple dikes and a dam, little rough for about 20 k out of Mekoos some bypass trails around the reservoir but all in great shape back to Labelle.
Break in complete.

Nice to hear RR and crew are back in Qc riding again, love following along their trail adventures. Let’s hope this fuel pump event will be least of your worries. Ride safe have fun.
Always an adventure TB

We left the Gouin this morning under blue skys and heading west, where snowmaster has said all the snow is, oh man was he right. The  83 west Was awesome, the Parent to Clova was the best trail ride we have had all year. It’s was an 11 out of the scale of 1/10! Absolutely perfect. From Clova to Lac Fallon, was in good condition, as the groomers had just passed once so far this year, rideable but not perfect, From Fallon into Senneterre. Again very good.  A nice 300 mile ride, our first for this winter season. Happy trails! RR

TB and Dooright, lots of activity on the Gouin express with logging operations on both ends so this is being used more than normal, Sawmill expressway is also being used commercially this year too☹️
 
still lots of good going!!

Relais 22 express is in good shape I presume 🤗

Bobler , we are doing the same thing only counterclockwise! that’s awesome. Trailblazer, sure does feel good to be back to Quebec for a run. 
 
Today we left St Raymond and rode to The Barrage Gouin.  A nice run as everyone has reported , the further north we came, , the better the riding got!

Saw plenty of Icemans stickers and Corrinna at the Barrage is also anticipating MarkUS and Dooright this weekend.
 
Always a great stop here, Walleye or Pork tonight!
 
Happy trail RR

Snuck out for a last minute decided 3 day ride with the hopes of completing the break in process on the new Extreme. Friday am we drive to Labelle for a 9 am departure, plan was to ride to Mt.Laurier visit the mountain sleep in town then ride north.
The Petit Train du Nord is not open yet officially as per say but many tracks riding it. We meet the club director leading the groomer in Lac Saguay and says to us they got the permission from the MRC to groom and started this morning from Barrette. Around Mt.Laurier was thin as expected, the mountain was plentiful.
Sat morning we see the trails north of Ferme-Neuve are showing groomed, this where we’re heading. As stipulated it was well worth the ride up to Lunic. One incident with the Sidewinder and the ZR 9000 steering is freezing up. Nicknamed buddy Arnold. After a little snack and receiving some trail info in Lunic we learn trail heading south to Mekoos is in dire straits, I suggest an alternative off trail route down to Mekoos. 3 outta 4 is a yea 1 a nea, not so spirited so he solos down to Mekoos while the rest of us bust through a foot and half of powder 80 k down to Mekoos. We arrive 10 minutes after our solo buddy.
Sunday we head for the trucks looping the west side of the Kiamika reservoir crossing a couple dikes and a dam, little rough for about 20 k out of Mekoos some bypass trails around the reservoir but all in great shape back to Labelle.
Break in complete.

Snuck out for a last minute decided 3 day ride with the hopes of completing the break in process on the new Extreme. Friday am we drive to Labelle for a 9 am departure, plan was to ride to Mt.Laurier visit the mountain sleep in town then ride north.
The Petit Train du Nord is not open yet officially as per say but many tracks riding it. We meet the club director leading the groomer in Lac Saguay and says to us they got the permission from the MRC to groom and started this morning from Barrette. Around Mt.Laurier was thin as expected, the mountain was plentiful.
Sat morning we see the trails north of Ferme-Neuve are showing groomed, this where we’re heading. As stipulated it was well worth the ride up to Lunic. One incident with the Sidewinder and the ZR 9000 steering is freezing up. Nicknamed buddy Arnold. After a little snack and receiving some trail info in Lunic we learn trail heading south to Mekoos is in dire straits, I suggest an alternative off trail route down to Mekoos. 3 outta 4 is a yea 1 a nea, not so spirited so he solos down to Mekoos while the rest of us bust through a foot and half of powder 80 k down to Mekoos. We arrive 10 minutes after our solo buddy.
Sunday we head for the trucks looping the west side of the Kiamika reservoir crossing a couple dikes and a dam, little rough for about 20 k out of Mekoos some bypass trails around the reservoir but all in great shape back to Labelle.
Break in complete.