towing

I hope everybody have a great summer, Kristine and I have a nice one! 1rst september today, the daylight started to shorten and the evenings are a little cooler ... good feeling!!! I had begin to edit some untouched video files I took last season and leave you this morning this one: The Isle Verte/Notre Dame des Sept Douleurs video overview It's Mr and Mrs GT Rider that talked me about this place when we met them in RDL last season. They also did put some nice pics/details in their photo report. They receiveid the hint themselves from mikerider, so I want to thank all of you for having lead us to discover this nice hidden spot! It is a small island in the St- Lawrence river approximately 20 mile east of Rivière du Loup which is connected to the south shore via a ferry in the summer, but only accessible in winter by sled via an ice bridge . They have their own groomer that surface the island road and little part of the ice bridge up to the main section of the river. Since there is no car traffic on the island, the trucks and cars are all buried in the snow and they use snowmobile as a daily transportation. Their trails are probably not federated because they are not on any trail map, it is not a well known spot for sure!. It's a small place(around 8 miles long) that comes out of the ordinary with beautiful coastal lanscape/colored houses, also their lighthouse worth the view... by the way it is the 3rd oldest in Canada and the older on the St-Laurence river, built in 1809! As usual, it's best viewed in 1080p on large screen with the sound "on"....enjoy! Alain

Yep it's right, the collected money goes to the sepac (park administration). It's not a big deal to pay $8,60 to cross the Mont-tremblant Park but I exactely know where it can lead us in a couple years. The Atv summer users had live with this problem for years before. By example doing an atv ride Shawinigan/LaTuque round trip on 2 days was $54 just in Zec acces fees. Their federation FQCQ had work hard and negotiated an agreement with the Zec to autorise Fqcq members to pass on federate trails on the Zecs without having to pay zec fees. This agreement is new from 2 years ago and have been renew again this season but no garanties it will next years... Anyway for the park we will need to wait at fall to know what will happen for the next season... If St-Faustin/Mt-Tremblant(city) new trail is done, not sure the park will be reopened.

Yes there was a green collection box at both park entrance each ends and you should put you payment in an envelop, keep the receipt that was attached to this envelop before dropping it in the green box. If you got ckecked in the park, you need to show your receipt and the agent take the number on it with your personal information and later they verify with the receipt number if your envelop contain the payment... if not, a fine is sent to you by mail. It is a similar process already used for ZEC acces( Z.E.C.= (controlled harvesting zones) ) in the summer for all users(car/atv/motorcycles...) that acces them outside cashier opening hours or by some gates without cashier. Those same ZEC that we travel for free in winter and there are many in Lanaudière that the trail network pass on: Zec des Nymphes, Zec Lavigne, Zec Chapeau de Paille just to name few and they are all independent one from the other... this is also why it's worrysome to see some park organisation starting to bill us for passing in winter, not good at all.

You are welcome actionjack! with the forecast ahead for the easter weekend, I really think it'was the last one this season. I just watch the video I took on this ride and I have some insanely good footage in there!!! I will certainely have something to post before the next one ride! It was a perfect spring ride on a blue jay day, can't ask for better! It's two season in a row that I do some late april riding, was on the 21 last year! I tried to change Kristine's camera this season with deceiving results, we finally came back to the small sony 4,1MP from 2005 that do 3 to 6000 pics/seasons since we bought it and haven't completely failed yet. I will need to do better shopping for her for the next season... The Venture end up at 20577 miles which let me just a correct gap for riding it an other season. I usually keep my sleds 25000 miles/40000kms which we were doing in 5 seasons on past sleds but will be in 6 on this one... we are getting old!

I wish I would have more loose time ahead. I have next Friday/Saturday/Sunday but have a family activity on Saturday evening that cut a bit the options... As for snow depth we got spoiled pretty much in all the province, this year will stay in our memory for that. Haha! you are welcome Playhard! I also have some great video file from this ride, more fun to come! Thanks Snowmaster2112, I'm still on sledding beat. We just begin to see some grass spot here and there at home since yesterday, but I think it will change fast in the 2 next week. We had one of the best/longer season we could have but I can't believe we are already at the end... I'm not ready to put the summer tires on the venture yet! I agree that a white sprayed scenery in crispy cold temps is hard to beat! But a blue jay day is always winner for me, all year long! Thanks grumpysanta! You have the best bunch of pics poster on a forum here, you won't find better on an other forum!

With the new snow fallen during this last week, we went for another last ride with our friend Luc yesterday, April 13, 2019 in Lanaudière On this exceptionally snowy season the trails of northern Lanaudière were still surprisingly good, here on #23 trail south of Cabanon The temperature was very mild since a few days, no freezing during the night so we got very soft trail. Here passing at Cabanon in the morning We left in dam direction. The whole reservoir loop had been groomed during the week! The conditions were nice for an April 13th but very good from the dam trail junction(on the # 345) and for all the reservoir loop up to St-Michel des Saints It's not visible on the pictures but it was so windy there that I had hard time to stay still the time of the pic, I almost went with the wind! The #360 around the reservoir was candy to ride, just superb. We did very good tempo on this stretch... The reservoir is always impressive to see once emptied ... I read from a buddy that the emptied reservoir shortcut was still ok on Friday, so with the good visibility we had, we tested our luck despite the wet conditions It was not for the fearful ones, alot of surface water on the ice. It looks worse than it realy was because even if there was water, we ride on ice already leaning on the bottom of the reservoir on more than 90% of the way but the rivers(yes there are rivers in there) where worrisome. I would suggest every body to go around by the trail, I personally would not do it again this season! Luc learned the risks associated by following us too closely ... he arrived on the shore a little wet! We arrived for lunch at the Central in St-Michel around 12:15 After a good lunch and a great talk with Luc we headed south on #63. The strong sunshine combined with good winds at 10C made the trails tender and juicy ! Without surprises, we found some dirt spots near St-Michel village on the larges south-facing hills But a little further it was still very snowy Back in the Cabanon courtyard, we could see how much it had melted compared to the morning pic We switched into the Mastigouche Reserve on trail #345 to loop back. As I expected beautiful conditions, very snowy ,almost no traffic and not a single bump Among the best conditions of the day. We also saw some fresh moose tracks on the trail. A nice spring ride for us at its best! We stopped a few minutes at Koubec (which was closed) And we came back on #350 trail which was also in very good condition In sum a beautiful spring ride of 170miles for the three of us. With the reservoir loop groomed during the week, it was definitely a record in the area to ride recently groomed trails on a April 13th. A big thank you to the clubs involved! It could close our season with 4830 miles on the venture dreameter...unless Kristine twist my arm for another last one somewhere !!! Alain

Happy belated birthday Jean-Guy! Enjoy your off-grooming season and thank you so much for all the outstanding pics you share all year long 🏆🏆🏆 Alain

For information, St-Michel des Saints snowmobile club change their mind and went back in the trail, they groom tonight for the week-end! they just announced it on their facebook page and removed the closed message. Winter continue!!! updated here as well https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/

For sure impressive mileage will lead to very impressive expenses, it's a fact. You know many people outside snowmobile world would tell the exact samething when looking at your own sledding bill that you tell when looking at his!!! But each own situation is very different and personnaly, I admire those that fully follow their passions and push the boundaries of what we would think possible... even if my own situation is different and it would not be my goal. I Like in the expression "they don't know it was impossible... so they did it!!!" like smclelan wrote, imagine the sledding knowledge this guy have!

And even more interesting: https://www.dootalk.com/forums/topic/1564369-jamison-20000-mile-season-wifes-point-of-view/

Just found out great information on him. For CnC, he have a wife...that ride with him!! and a kind of job...take a look here: https://snoriderswest.com/article/general/travelling_up_north

A dealer of Dolbeau post this yesterday... Congratulations to our loyal customer for more than 20 years in New York State, Mr. Jamison who has reached 20,000 miles (32187km) in one season with his Enduro 900 Turbo We were the 1st april, no odometer pics... looks like a joke at first. 20 000 miles already done since the beginning of the season! it's some serious milage!!! But with a bit of search the odometer pop up and this name really seems to link with an high miler guy... seems credible. Can't believe nobody know him on here??? from the post on FaceBook the dealer post this in answer to a disbeleiver poster: Chris Kline: I am sitting with him with right now in my office. I sell him a new sled every year. To answer your question he rode 96 days with an average of 211 miles a day. He used 4,367 liters of fuel. So doubt away. I have seen his sleds with 17,000 miles plus in prior years.

You got just the perfect timing!!! They got pretty much freezing rain in St-Michel des Saints area. Somes peoples were in power outage for more than 24hrs... many trees/branches down. St-Michel snowmobile club announce today that they won't groom anymore this season...it give them a bad slap. Too bad, a bit norther they received it all in snow for more than a foot of new stuff Repos/Manawan/cents lacs and it is not an april fool 😄

no, no we are not addicted!!! 😁 You are welcome Jim! Hahaha yes for he gopro! it have been in fact a real torture test and my set-up is not ready for those conditions, it freeze up/snow-ice and fog in the lens! in final no real good output. I will continu to work on the set-up!!! Thanks Chris! Not much traffic for sure, the weather had scared some(like me at first). There also was a sled drag event on the Taureau Lake Saturday that had attract many sledders. As for the trucks in the Cabanon yard, hard to tell but I extract those 2 pics from my camera video...there was some... As Playhard wrote me lately: "So close, but no Cigar!" Maybe we will be more lucky next time! seems you did a real nice big ride in very good company, even it cost money it is priceless...

Here is the ride Kristine and I made yesterday Saturday, March 30, 2019 On friday night the weather forecast was really bad announcing a mix of snow ice/rain even for the north of our area from the beginning of the afternoon Saturday, so we canceled our sled ride plans and decided to stay at home. Having nothing on plans for early saturday we had gone to bed late after midnight, and on Saturday morning, looking at the forecast, the weather cocktail was delayed to the end of the afternoon to 4or 5 pm ... Ok change plans again, hook on the trailer and go to St-Zenon! We managed to hit the trail around 9:45 It started to snow just as we started our ride. Freshly groomed trails from the beginning, not brought back perfect but it ride very well. We passed by the Cabanon The #345 trail was beautiful up to the intersection with the #23 east toward the Mastigouche reserve. Then pretty bumby up to the junction to the Dam that we took. The trails after this point were all nice with only few bumps in some curves here and there Sorry for the white spots in the pics, we had forgotten to turn off the camera flash that reflects on the falling snow flakes... it gives some style! The Taureau reservoir is already lowered to its lowest, ready to receive spring water. Water goes near the base of trees at its summer level The #360 was nice and fast as usual And the river's views are even nice under this snowy weather We arrived for lunch at Marineau around 12:45 with 102 miles on the dreammeter. Learned today that we just missed a part of the 6 amigos crew by just few minutes...too bad it would have been so nice to meet them completely unplanned over the trail, sometimes the world is really small!!! . After a very good meal, we left and retraced our steps up to the M20 trail that we took to loop on The M20 was beautiful, as nice as usual to do. There was already about 4-5 inches of new snow over the trail and it was snowing hard some moments At the end of the M20 we took the #345 trail toward St-Zénon And then went back on the #360 as on our morning path It was starting to fall something other than snow that was begin to freeze in my windshield Halfway on the #345 the rain became more present. It must have been very close to the freezing point because it was freezing on the sled but my heated visor was ok, just had to wipe it every 10 seconds! We did a last refuel at Le Cabanon and passed through #63 trail (village of St-Zenon) to return to La Glacière. Apart from the very bigs hills that were deep bumpy, the rest was nice Here we see the ice in the branches and the clouds hitting the mountain We got back to the trailer around 5:40 PM with 220miles on the dreammeter Very happy with our ride but a little wet and icy! The Venture pass the 20 000miles mark during this ride, still running strong! Grumpy Santa asked on my last report what would be the next one ? no decision taken yet other than the venture should be strong enough to give me one more season... as for new touring sled choices, not much options other than taking a turbo or not! [/URL] So we were really happy with our final decision to having went for it, despite the not perfect weather because at this time of the season the remaining riding opportunities are on the low side... In summary still a lot of snow in the area but we board in April tomorrow ... some clubs will close, some others will leave the signs in place but stop grooming: in sum we really arrive at the end of the season. It will still be possible for die hard one to do some miles but you will need to do your homework before leaving because it can change quickly depending on the weather. The snowmobile country trail conditions site is always a good place to have last informations on snowmobile clubs: https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/ happy season's ending! Alain

OH!!!! wasn't knowing I was so near to meet you gang!!! 😲 We arrived there around 12:50, very sorry to have miss you. We had at first cancelled our saturdays plans on friday evening because of the wheather forecast and kick back in on saturday morning, a bit late. We hit the trail from La Glaciere around 9:45... We should not look at wheather forecast!!! 😄 It was very nice to virtually following you gang on this long trip through your pictures and write up. happy season ending!

👍 You are welcome NHTOM! as for mileage, we ride a little less overall as we get older but it is around 4000miles/year. It's my fifth season with the venture that I bought new and it will turn on the 20000 miles mark (32 180kms) on the next ride... My 2 last venture were at 40 000kms after 5 season's I will have to try the walleye there!!! I really like the ambience/decor there with all the antiquities, old newspapers and calenders, really unique and we always eat very well. I had not forget you about NB, I will comeback to you with details in the next weeks...

You were in fire PlAYHARD!!! soooooooooo nice pics!!! Have a good trip continuation...

You are welcome Steven! Thanks PLAYHARD! I guess a part of the emotions came from the nice trail pictures!!! 😄 You are Welcome Mike! By the way, I have in backlog some beautiful video files from l'Ile Verte that I visit on the last day of my trip before going back home in the first week of march. It's Jim and Gemma that had briefed me about this nice spot after you had briefed them yourself, so it's a bit because of you that we visit this very nice place that we had really enjoyed, thank you! I will certainly put those images together when I find the time and will post here 👍

I was knowing you would had a blast!!! hoping the black trail travel up there/from there wasn't too hard... the wet snow storm forecasted for last friday never happened but just enough snow there to put a bit of cream on the cake. Thank you for the good report and take care!

With thaws on Thursday/Friday, it is not easy for snowmobile clubs to shape up the trails for us. It was the second consecutive week with essentially the same scenario: too hot and too wet Friday night to be able to groom. Although it was riding up north, we waited for Sunday to try it out. We left from home in St-Thomas around 8:00 Sunday morning under a temperature of -6C. Very spring conditions with hard as concrete trail. Scratchers were mandatory not an option. Another sign of spring: here on the picture near home, we can see that the trail that crosses a ditch has begun to drop a bit ... I personnaly really like hard trails, my venture ride on it like a train on rails. You just touch the throttle to ride at very good speeds and the track hangs so nicely... Here in the fields towards St-Norbert. Joliette had not groomed after the thaw but with the 2 scratchers down, it was a race track! And here in the maple grove just north of St-Norbert Farther, the snowmobile club of St-Gabriel Brandon had groomed all its territory in the night giving us perfect trails. The best ones of all the ride in fact My intention was to go to Mandeville so we went to take a look at Lake Maskinongé shortcut. Pretty much water over the ice that has wear through snow so the club had closed it So we continued on #63 trail And then took #345 trail to Mandeville Mandeville had not groomed after the mild weather but it was riding well, the trails were in good condition. We took the trail # 349. There are some sections on forest road, just enought snow on the edge and it was fine. The snow banks are still impressive! We stop at 10:00 at the Lac Blanc outfitter to refuel before going in the Mastigouche reserve The lake infront had pretty much water on the ice... We then came back a bit and took the #350(trail a Gaston) toward the Reserve. Freshly groomed trail with some new snow over gave real nice winter conditions We continued to #23 trail in the Mastigouche Reserve that we took to the west to go to St-Zenon. Not groomed recently but a beautiful layer of new snow on a hard base, ride nicely even with a bit of ripples in the curves We rode it all the way to the junction with #345 trail (Cabanon/Taureau Dam) that we took south We then took the #63 to go to St-Michel des Saints. We arrived for lunch at the Vieux Moulin à Scie around 12:30 with 134miles on the venture dreameter After a very good meal and a fuelup for the venture we left on #33 trail toward the west Had a small tear on my cheek when passing infront the Rouge-Mattawin relay closed this winter Just across the new trail to Mont-Tremblant Park We continued on the #33. The 2.5 miles of road side was on limit to be good, they should trace us a sidewalk on the edge because the dirt was very near on some spots We then took the 1st local trail (orange on the map) to go on the #63. We pass at La Glacière We then took the #350 trail in front And catch the #23 trail down south to St-Gabriel and took the same route as in the morning. Here at the Hut at the top of the hill at St-Damien. It was impressive the difference just 1mile further down the hill. The trail went from winter condition to advanced spring condition, very very soft. It rode well but have to hang on the bars tight! We followed our morning path and came back home around 6:00 PM with 255 miles on the venture dreameter. Surely the last one starting directly from the home, the trailer will have to take back service to stretch the season a little more. Riding will still be possible in the weeks coming but not everywhere, some clubs south of Lanaudière have started to close mainly because of rivers but the north is still strong. The weather will play a big part for the next, in anyway the trail condition web site is always a good place to have details on the clubs: https://www.snowmobilecountry.ca/en/conditions/ Good end of season everybody! Alain

I regret a bit to had stayed home today but I had prefered to wait a day hoping for better grooming... from what I seen today I will try to start directly from home tomorroy morning... Hoping you have a blast for your season ender...or one of your season ender!!!

You are welcome Pipeman! surely a couple more images from me to come this season, I stayed home today saturday but will hit the trail tomorroy morning 🤩 I doubt I can use this one, my wife is sitting closer to the exhaust tips... Thanks Mike! if you do you will just have too much choice, rivers and lake everywhere!!! She tell me the same, I usually replied her that my body adapts to my environement by not hearing well the high pitch sound... her voice ...😄

haha! I'm not so skilled with Shakespeare's language but yeah, this last one was nicely describing the situation! Those yammies sound so nice on high rpm, yours even better than mine with one more hole! You are welcome Gaf! Thanks grumpysanta! from what I just seen, St-Zénon had a bit of snow last night and pretty mild today...Not the storm that was forecasted. I wonder if it will be cold enough for them to groom tonight?

You will probably have another new snow layer over what they had if the forecast is right... Heard that it will be this weekend the last one of full operation for the Repos. After this weekend they will continue to sell fuel but no food or lodging... plan accordingly. Have a nice safe season ending!! Thank you! 👍