towing

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

They have not open this winter, they gave up infront the covid's restriction. Fortunately just them do that and almost all others relays are in business this year.
It's why they bypass the trail. In this post in the first video at 55 seconds you see the trail closed... 
 

They have not open this winter, they gave up infront the covid's restriction. Fortunately just them do that and almost all others relays are in business this year.
It's why they bypass the trail. In this post in the first video at 55 seconds you see the trail closed... 
 

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Alain, thank you for the ride.

Yes sir, 
it is now or not till next year. 
Nice ride Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

They have not open this winter, they gave up infront the covid's restriction. Fortunately just them do that and almost all others relays are in business this year.
It's why they bypass the trail. In this post in the first video at 55 seconds you see the trail closed... 
 

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Here the ride we did this last saturday february 20, 2021

The snow accumulations of the last weeks have nicely shape up the conditions and although there are still some brownish snow near home in the south, we no longer scrape dirt on the trail base and as soon as we go up north a bit it is very white . Here near Ste-Mélanie ...

I have put together a first video of the ride between St-Ambroise de Kildare and St-Côme via #43 trail
As per covid's rules, we ate outside on #63 trailside at the Auberge du Vieux Moulin a Scie junction. My Givi has turn into a lunchbox! 😂

and here is a second video, from leaving after lunch up to the Auberge Le Cabanon
We then looped in the Mastigouche wildlife reserve  by the #350 trail and took the #23 trail to return toward home. Very good conditions, no lack of snow! Trail was more worn by the saturday traffic south from Gabriel de Brandon  but everything else before was really nice, a total of 216miles for the whole loop

We finally got some nice winter trail conditions... mid february... late is better than never!!! We now touch the best of the season, hoping for the best in the next weeks
Alain

Sunday
 
Woke up at 6:30am, checked to see if my wishes have come true. It’s looking good groomed right to the front door at home. With the exception of a very small section of TQ3 near Portneuf. It is what it is. I let the mrs sleep just a little longer she knows we are bonzai out of here by 8am the latest. I am ready to go now but it’s Sunday and very few head out very very early. Straight shot home today so we won’t be at it long. She starts to wakey wakey and I go gather up our breakfast from front desk. There are just 2 other sleds in another garage stall next to us. I see 3 or 4 other sleds slumming it next door at the Howard Johnson motel. We have some breakfast I decide on the left over pizza and a blue powerade. She has the muffins, hard boiled eggs and yougurt from hotel with orange juice. Dressed and out 7:55. Nice. Even the local trail is groomed up to airport. Arrive to TQ3 and guy on quad is doing donuts on quad trail waiting for his buddy to catch up in the Can Am SXS. Nice. We bang a left and its night and day from yesterday. Cold enough this morning to be nice and firm and we hammer it backtracking to join with 302 direction Donnacona, sweet ride this morning made all the afternoon of bad trail yesterday a distant memory.
 
Today I almost died. Cruising along at a pretty good clip maybe 85-90km nice straight section next to penitentiary in Donnacona. Last second I see something sticking out on right side. Next thing I know my handlebars turn hard left. When this happens I pin the throttle (the action of bars jerking left does this) Thankfully I am able to jerk the bars free and back to the right as I was headed right for a big fence on left side of trail. I feel something jump up and hit my right boot and ankle. Caro stops when she sees my going sideways. I stop to collect my thoughts and check my shorts. Groomer had grabbed hold of fencing on right side while passing and tore out a section and a pole but it was still attached. My right ski was tangled in fence but broke the wire causing the pole to fly up and hit my foot. Shit man that was scary. Caro threw the fence off the side as far as she could. She called and finally ended up making contact with club on FB and notified them of the problem and where. They were very thankful and said they were sending someone out to take care of it.
 
After all that we took gas in Donnacona and followed 302 to Portneuf then up to TQ3 much better than yesterday when we saw it. Retraced our run to St Anne de la Perade then to Batiscan and now the 351 to Cap de Madeline local up to TQ3 and back in our own garage by 11:30. 
 
140km today
Sweet ride with a sweet lady. 
 
Until next time

More pics
Burned sled TQ3 near QC cuty

Saturday 
Well surely not a normal season and this overnight trip fits right in. Normally you could not pay me to be anywhere near Quebec City on a Saturday afternoon but this is not a normal time we are in. Wanted to go somewhere close enough to get out early on Sunday and buzz home quickly. So decided on Super 8 near Quebec Airport. 
 
Felt really strange to be just putting on my saddlebags for the first time being 20 of February. Got out fairly early for us at around 8:10am. Knew if I went directly to hotel we would be there before noon so that was denied. We decided to make a day of it knowing fair well that by this afternoon we would probably regret that. Off we go.
 
TQ3 from home up through Shawinigan. Freshly groomed up for the weekend and we take full advantage up to Lac a Tortue and then through Herouxville to TQ23 to St Tite. Rough on the gas line heading toward St Tite, not groomed last night. Took gas in St Tite on the 351 nice trail here and we continue on to St Severin. Left on Local orange trail to St Stanislas all groomed. Join back with TQ3 in St Stanislas than to Local Orange trail through St Luc de Vincent and back to rejoin 351 along Autoroute 40. 351 not groomed last night but acceptable. Through Batiscan and on to St Anne de la Perade. Quick tour through the ice fishing village, much smaller than normal years due to the Covid restrictions. We roll into the Shell Station in town to take a break, (bathroom stop for monamour) it’s noon now and we decided to continue on before eating somewhere a bit closer to our destination. Off we go and as temperatures increase the trail quality is decreasing. Temps combined with heavy weekend traffic are using it up fast. We knew the afternoon would be not so good but we were in no real hurry and just beat along. 351 not that bad really but as we arrive in St Marc des Carriers and join with TQ3/TQ23 is getting obvious all the goody is gone for today. We slog on TQ3 all the way to St Basile where trail passes right through the relais in town. (TQ3 is detoured) says Rivere Portneuf crossing not secure. Relais has fire going outside with some tables. You can go in order and use bathrooms but 30 minutes max inside. Must eat and drink outside. Today was perfect for that not too cold at all. Been grey with on and off flurries. One poutine some Ailes and a Cheeseburger later. We head off again. Now the farther we go its looking like a warzone. Nothing I have not seen before for sure but let’s just say the Mrs got a real education on what it’s like. She was prepared and did not complain one bit (I did all the complaining for both of us). We are getting close now and I know where the turn off is for the local to Hotel. But I just knew something was not adding up. Passed an intersection a few KM back and went left now my spidey senses are tingling telling me, I screwed up. I see TQ3 going where I want to go on the GPS but I am on an Orange that is actually not in bad shape. Way too nice to be the right trail. 
Back we go and sure enough the TQ3 is there on my left. Big section of shared trail here and with all the ruts from the VTT and SXS I just did not even notice it looked like only a VTT trail but it’s both. Literally just around the bend and down local next to Airport to Super 8. Great stop, With garage heated for sleds $10 for up to four sleds. They got 6 garage doors (its one big garage but they use 2 bays for storage and maintenance supplies) At front desk I check in and they gave me remote control for garage door 3. Around to back push button back sleds in. (Tight fit for four but would be doable) unload and right through inside door and our room is right there. Nice setup.  Nice room close to garage and clean. Ordered up some Pizza to be delivered to us and we’re chillin like villains. They gave us a paper to choose simple things for breakfast (again covid issue) juice, muffins, energy bars, yogurt, coffee , tea hot chocolate, oatmel etc. You choose what you want and they put it together for you and you bring it to your room and eat. Nice, surely better than nothing. 
 
245Km day a big one for the mrs.







 

The end.



 

And....




 
 

Encore




 

Few more






 

I would not assume that... I love the venture platform linked with the AD Boivin Expert-x rear skid that was giving a fantastik package but it is an outdated skid and parts are begin to be hard to get..(my actual expert-x have around 70 000kms and received alot love!). It is not an impossible option but I think it would be more reasonable to look elsewhere... my eyes and my mind are wide open!
I ride my first season on the original track, ride the 3 next seasons with a used pre-studded track I had from my precedent venture and the last 3 seasons on an other pre-studded track. I usually get between 16 and 22000kms out of my tracks before seeing worrying  signs of fatigue. I still have home my low miles original track that I keep as a spare in case of emergency but it's hard to ride unstudded when you taste a studded one. I had ride for 20years unstudded and almost never feel the need of it... before I tryied it once!