SnomoGary

With this bad winter, and the reduction in $$$s spent at hotels\relays\etc.... will more of the local business communities realize the value we bring and the impact on the economy..... And just maybe embrace us more and stop closing trails and reroutes in and out of towns.
just a thought...... looking for a silver lining for the season.....
GutZ

Will  do Jack,  you know what Pat's like I'm guessing flights will be booked in 4 weeks or so .. lol   

Will  do Jack,  you know what Pat's like I'm guessing flights will be booked in 4 weeks or so .. lol   

Will  do Jack,  you know what Pat's like I'm guessing flights will be booked in 4 weeks or so .. lol   

Have a safe trip home Jack,  it was great to see you and Sandi again and swap stories.  Pat said thanks again for the fudge including the ones I've managed to eat.. have a wonderful summer and hopefully see you guys next February...
G&P 

We are back from today's ride. We went out 383 to St Bruno and then the local trails to the bridge in Alma.  From there to Relais du Lac and back to the Delta via 93.
Most of the riding was still OK but it was warm.  In the woods, it is still good but the road crossings, the fields and the south facing hills are turning from snirt to dirt.  Any road running is pretty bare.  It is forecast to stay above freezing overnight and thru tomorrow.  Then the temps are suppose to drop but still no snow or only a centimeter or two.  A storm is what is needed after this warm up.
There are still areas that have decent snow and very rideable but you may have to go thru some bad stuff to get there.
The groomers are still out and managing to do the amazing with what little snow they have to work with.  I don't think they will be out tonight since it is going to be warm but they may prove me wrong.
We are loading up and heading home tomorrow.  We were going to head home Sunday but decided not to ride tomorrow and take the black trail instead.
If we don't come back up again, we wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe year.
Jack & Sandi

Hi Jack and Sandy, for some reason I'm unable to put likes on posts. But we've been following your story and certainly appreciate being able to ride along from Ohio. Looks like you've been able to overcome your injury and make the best of a not ideal winter. You are an inspiration to us all!  Enjoy your summer, and hope to see you next year.   .. Jeff and Sandy

Yesterday we did a ride to Mt Apica.  We rode 83 east to 368.  Both of these trails were fine.  23 to Apica was getting beat up.  A lot of sleds run 23.  After lunch we ran back up 23 to Hebertville for gas.  With the sun out and the temps getting warmer, the south facing hills are showing some dirt now.  In the woods the trails are still good.  We then took 383 all the way back to the Delta.  This was fine since most of 383 is in the woods.
We are going to ride today but it is forecast to be above freezing today, tonight and tomorrow.  Tomorrow a little rain.  We are thinking of heading home Saturday instead of Sunday.
Next week the temps are back to a more normal range but still not much snow in the forecast.  A few centimeters but no big storm.  A very dry winter.
Jack & Sandi

Today we had a very nice ride.  A little short so we could get back to the Delta to visit with the new arrivals from across the pond and Michigan.
The grooming map looked excellent this morning.  We took 83 east then 368 all the way to 23.  83 was very good and 368 we haven't been on for awhile.  It has been rerouted from where it crosses autoroute 175 to 23.  It is wider and more open now.  Such a great improvement.
23 was groomed to perfection also.  We then took 83 back to the Delta.  Not much traffic on the trails today.  Probably being a Monday.
Many more trailers at the Delta now and saddle baggers coming in each night.  Starting to feel like winter.  Finally!
Jack & Sandi

Hi Jack  , we're in our room at marriott Montreal as I type this.  We are getting the 9 am flight to bagotville should be at the delta around 10.30 so we'll see you tomorrow evening,  think Dave aka michigan rev arrives tomorrow as well....

What could the conversation be?
 
I'm low on gas.  Is there a station nearby?
My son just got his first snowmobile and I'm showing him the trails!
I was out late last night at Joe's Bar & Grill.  I'm avoiding going by the Police Department!
Is this the way to Tim Horton's?
My wife is in labor and this is the shortest way to the hospital!
 
Jack & Sandi

That is true about MichRev.  Sandi and I will see you this afternoon.

Hi Jack  , we're in our room at marriott Montreal as I type this.  We are getting the 9 am flight to bagotville should be at the delta around 10.30 so we'll see you tomorrow evening,  think Dave aka michigan rev arrives tomorrow as well....

Hi Jack  , we're in our room at marriott Montreal as I type this.  We are getting the 9 am flight to bagotville should be at the delta around 10.30 so we'll see you tomorrow evening,  think Dave aka michigan rev arrives tomorrow as well....

It's after breakfast and the decision was to make a small loop and come back up thru La Baie and see the fishing village.
83 south it is.  A few miles out and 83 crosses autoroute 175.  Straight thru the intersection and the trail goes into the field.  A change here.  The trail keeps going straight instead of left into the woods.  It runs a good mile and then goes thru a couple more fields.  Nice and open.  We come to a stop sign and this is where the cul-de-sac for Chicoutimi joins.  A little easier running.  You don't go behind the houses any more.  That is part of the  cul-de-sac now.  Then we are back on the old 83.
Good running along and we turn right onto 368.  The trail has been a little bumpy but enough snow.  No trouble with dirt.  A few miles in and the groomer for Laterriere made a pass from here last night.  We turn left on 383 still following the groomer's path.  We are first tracks now.  What a nice ride this is.  Crossing back and forth over the quad trail.  The quad trail is on the old road that went to the old Relais Boullanaise.  I know I must have missplet that.  The trail gets cranky after the old Relais.  Still groomed but tugging back and forth on the handlebars.
We pull into Ferland for coffee break.  A few sleds and quads outside.  Sunny day and mild temps.  What a great day for riding.
We continue south on 383.  Just after Ferland, wow has this area been logged.  Much of it has been clear cut.  A lot of nice scenic views.  The trail has been changed around here too.  It's following the access roads for the logging operation.  Nice gentle sweeping turns.  The up and downs are too big for big trucks.  Maybe its access for the smaller equipment.
383 now cuts back up to 83 on what was the old local 22 trail.  It joins 83 near the spur to St Felix.  383 no longer goes straight south to 83 where there was a warming hut.
83 is used but in decent shape.  We haven't seen too many sleds today.  I would have thought there would have been more traffic for such a nice Sunday.  At the little bridge for the cutoff to La Baie, Trail Security is checking sleds.  They have 3 sleds stopped and the younger riders are pulling out paperwork.  Oh oh for them but good for us.  One of the Security workers motions for us to continue on.
Into La Baie and gas up the sleds.  We cross the road and get on the local trail that runs on the walking path.  Slow going here of course.  In town and it is narrow and bumpy.  We jump down onto the bay and see the fishing house scattered all around.  A lot of activity but as we approach the north side, we notice no fishing village!  The signs are up and the lot markers are here but no fishing huts.  The only thing I can think of is the bay was so late in freezing thick enough, the trucks and tractors used to pull the houses onto the ice weren't allowed on the ice.  I don't know.  A disappointment because it is really cool to see the village.
We get off the ice and back on the trail.  Oh my is this bumpy.  I don't think this has been groomed this year.  The red stakes are in the ground and the stop signs are in but no grooming.  Rough is being polite.  About 8 miles of torture and we finally join back onto 83.  The rest of the ride back to the Delta is nice once again.
We get back early enough to trailer Jason's rental back to Evasion.  Overall it was a nice weekend for them.  Tomorrow they drive back to Connecticut.  Sandi and I are here for the week.  Can't wait to see Pat and Gary.  They should be on a plane right now coming across the pond.  See you tomorrow.
Jack & Sandi

Thanks guys.  This season had such a late start, it is good to get a few really nice miles in.  We are here for a week.  No snow in the forecast and temps are OK until the end of the week.  Then it is suppose to get warmer!  Its February and we are in Quebec not Connecticut.  It should not get above freezing.  We shouldn't need the suntan lotion.
I imagine sled sales will be down this year due to the short season and lack of snow.  Maybe there will be some good deals on left over sleds next year.  I know we won't have the miles we usually put on.
Back to the Delta after breakfast today.
Jack & Sandi

We have returned from supper. 
So this morning, we wake up and look out the window from the tenth floor of the Delta.  Sandi, all of the vehicles out in the parking lot have snow on them.  Maybe an inch or two.  Not a lot but we will take anything Mother Nature will give us.   A good breakfast and we load up the sleds and head out.  Sandi's son, Jason, and his wife, Yushen , are with us.  Not a lot of snow, a few inches, but the trail has been groomed and really not much snirt.  Just a little at the top of a rise or in a corner but better than what we were expecting.
We head for the two dams.  Just before the two dams is the scale house by the gravel pit.  The trail did go straight to the dams and 383 went off to the left towards Spence Ski Doo.  The trail no longer goes straight.  You have to turn left and about 1/4 mile there is a hard right, signed, to go to the two dams.  Easy enough to follow but it made me think for a second.  Be careful of the hard right.  There is a good drop off to the side.
The trail to the dams hasn't been groomed in a few days but is in decent shape.  We are heading to St Felicien so after the dams we go left on 367 instead of taking Pickle Park.  The trail is good.  Thru what were the scrubby pines which are now really tall, the trail is very good.  Cross by Geant Trailer and we turn left on 93.  Oops, detour around the Crevier station.  It is closed and there is the temporary construction fence around it and an excavator in the parking lot.  Looks like that station is coming down.
Not too far into 93 and it bears off the old trail and heads south.  I remember this from last year.  10 miles of a still young new trail and it is twisty, narrow and bumpy.  This is not what Quebec is known for.  Finally we get to road crossing.  I see a sign that says St Charles 2 km.  We cross the road and get on the old St Charles trail heading back to the warming hut where 93 used to join in.  The trail is much better now.  Sit back and enjoy the ride Sandi.  The further we go the better it gets.  The new section of 93 around Alma where the auto road was expanded is nice.  No more bumpity bump in Alma.  That is history now.
Time to tank up at St Henri.  The Petrocan is an easy in and easy out.  Good bathroom break for the ladies.  Now the trail is really getting to feel like Quebec.  The trail thru the fields is wide, flat and fast.  The sun is out bright and it is a beautiful day to be riding.  A fair number of sleds are out.  Everybody is behaving and staying on their side of the trail.  Cruising down the 8 mile stretch of power line after St Monique.  A little bit of chatter in the trail but still a beautiful ride.
We turn left on 367, the Peribonka trail I like to call it.  All of this is just gorgeous riding.  We have found where all the snow is in Quebec.  Maybe it isn't as deep as it usually is but it is smooth.  We pull into Relais Vouvert for lunch.  Only 3 other sleds here.  What a beautiful day.  My phone rings at lunch.  Who could this be?  Oh, I won't say my "friend's name" but he was scheduled to be with us but changed his mind at the last minute thinking the trails would be bad.  I tell him how bad the trails are so he won't feel like he is missing a really good ride.  More snow for us.
Back on the sleds and ride on.  We cross the river at Dolbeau.  Turn left on 901, local trail to St Felicien.  We catch up to 3 slower sleds.  I take my time thru the woods here and stay behind them.  We get to a nice open stretch and we carefully pass and give a thank you wave.  Making good time thru here.  These yellow trails are always well kept.  We cross the river at Relais des Buttes.  Boy is this place packed.  There has to be 30 sleds here or more.  No need for a break now.
We run down 373 and pull into Hotel du Jardin.  It has been awhile since we have been here.  A lot of businesses along the road.  The first time we were here, this was all empty fields.  We came in from the back side of the hotel back then.  What a difference but I'm dating myself now.  That was a time when snowmobiles had pull ropes to start them and reverse was tuggin' on the rear bumper.
It looks like no snow in the forecast but the temps are going to stay below freezing.  We head back to the Delta tomorrow.  See you then.
Jack & Sandi

We are here at the Delta.  It was a nice drive up.  An easy border crossing.  As we approach Drummondville, a little rain sprinkles on the windshield.  Temperature, 37F.  Not good but there is snow.  All the way up route 20 the temperature fluctuates but always above freezing.  The highway is wet but not frozen.  Not much for traffic and I don't see many snowmobile trailers in either direction.
In Quebec, we get on route 175.  As we climb in elevation, the snow off to the side of the road gets deeper.  The temperature is now below freezing.  Not the typical February snow depth but so much more than what we had at RDL last week.  We pass L'Etape and where the trail runs along side of the road, we can see the red stakes.  Looks like a good 2' of snow here.  The sprinkles before Quebec City have turned into a light snow now.  I'm smiling.  I wasn't sure of what to expect but this looks promising.
We pull into the Delta and the parking lot has snow.  Not deep but there is a couple of inches here.  That is all were hoping for.  All we need is enough to get out of town.  From the FCMQ trail map, it is showing decent snow north of the river.  3 other sleds in the lock up when I park ours.
A lot of hockey kids here tonight.  A tournament in town.  As far as snowmobilers, 1 two place trailer and 4 four larger trailers.  Ours being one of them.  There is a grey Proline that looks like the Gutz entourage but I don't see them.
We ate in at Boston Pizza.  I had the "Big Dipper" sandwich in honor of one of my QR buddies.  It was just as good as I remembered.  Sandi had the smoked meat sandwich.  I never ordered one for years until recently because I didn't know what it was.  Now I have learned it is a Rueben and they are always good.
That is it for now.  A ride to St Felician tomorrow.  We will report back.  Happy trails to all.
Jack & Sandi

Looking forward to your reports Jack,  and we'll see you on Monday...

Sandi and I are planning on heading to the Delta Feb 1st via truck.  We are doing a one nighter to St Felician for Friday night and then will be back at the Delta Saturday night.  I'll report on conditions.
From what I see on the FCMQ site is most trails are OK.  The exception is in Saguenay which of course is around the Hotel.  Fingers crossed!
Jack & Sandi

Thanks Alain great report as usual...   looking forward to your next one .

Hey
Just wanted to let everyone know about conditions.
We rode out of the Delta with no problems.
Trails were thin in spots at first or Whooped Out in others.
Everyday things got better, little snow, little time, little more grooming.
I know a lot of riders were pissed that it is not 100%..... well the relays told us there was no snow a week ago.....
If you go into the ride thinking it is Dec and Not Jan.... you'll be happy.
It'll be better in 2 weeks!
Later
GutZ

Obviously, these drivers didn't take the pledge?

Thanks Alain great report as usual...   looking forward to your next one .

Finally, here's the report of our first ride of the season did yesterday January 20, 2024

We could have ridden last Sunday but it was an after a foot snow storm day with mild weather and we knew well that the trail conditions would not hold and be hard for us 2up so we waited until yesterday and were not disappointed . The cold of the last few days has been very good for the trails and the ice... it's about time!
We were able to start directly from home in St-Thomas near Joliette, the trails are open and there is more than 2 feets of snow and it increases over 3 feets in some spots on the route that we did. Here in the fields near St-Norbert. The sky was very gray with a little snow at times which makes the pics less attractive but it still allows you to see what it looked like.

We strategically chose to do the wooded northern section to start the ride and to return via the fields to the south which remain nice for longer under the effect of traffic. Here north of St-Gabriel de Brandon.

And here at #23/#63 junction in St-Damien

5 km north of the Renard Bleu outfitter, the trail turns 90 and takes a new route to connect to #350 this year due to logging in this area.

there are a couple of kms to go on a plowed road but it ride very well

Then we are on the road path which is snowy for a long section it ride really great, I really appreciated this new path groomed wide

After the #350 west junction there is 1km where the trail passes either next to the plowed road or a new path in the woods that the club is at finishing but it is very short

then we return to the usual #350 path which was really very nice and fast

We quickly passed in front of the Koubec

And we went up #345 towards the north which was as nice and fast

And we continued on #23 towards the east which was just as beautiful, just the last 2km which goes up the mountain before reaching intersection #350 which seemed to still be on the first dozer pass...
This #23/#350 junction(Gaston's trail towards Lac Blanc) was our expected meeting point with our friend Snowcruiser who was leaving from Trois-Rivières airport to meet us with the plan to eat together at Lac Blanc. It's a bit ambitious to arrange meetings in the middle of the woods like that... especially on the first season's ride. We had 140km to go and he had around 70km to get there but we had agree that we would wait a little and at worse we would crossed each other while riding, but we were lucky with our estimates that were spot on. I was stopped for less than a minute when he showed up! After a bit of chatting we got back in the saddle to try to get at Lac Blanc before noon to beat a bit the lunch crowd.
The #350 going back down to Lac Blanc was still very beautiful, just a little worn in its big hills and very panoramic in terms of snow, it's impressive


We arrived at the Lac Blanc Auberge at 11:40 a.m. with 165km done from the morning. We obviously weren't the only ones who had this idea!

Given the size of the crowd we wondered how things would go for the meal inside but I have to take my hat off to their extremely quick and efficient organization which was ready. We didn't wait a second to be seated in the dining room and we had our meals in front of us less than 15 minutes later! I was impressed.
After this good meal break and a refueling we left under the snow a little after 1:00 p.m. towards the southeast on trail #350. The view from the lake when we left!

This trail was starting to get pretty beaten up by traffic but was not that bad on our side of the trail heading south. We tested our suspensions up to the #63 junction where we took a break. I was able to chat a little with Jonathan Doucet from Randonnée Motoneige au Québec on Facebook, whom I had recognized and briefly meet as I left Lac Blanc auberge

The trail condition came back nice on the #63 and we were able to ride good trail all the way back home. Snowcruiser left us to return to his trailer via St-Léon/St-Sévère and we continued on #63 and #3 for the return


The Bayonne River is already solid and the trail passes over it without problem near Berthier

We got back home early around 3:45 p.m. with 272 km for the ride, very happy with this season's opener which had been a long time coming.
The trail network is pretty much open and connected in Lanaudiere and Mauricie minus some rivers that are not ready yet. The cold we just had in the last days helped alot for this and I hope that mother nature will continue to cooperate in the next days to complete the puzzle.
Have a  great riding season!
Alain