towing

**** Day#5****

When we pass near we always try to encourage the Pelchat, they do a lot for the snowmobile in the area. They have beautiful facilities, not super luxurious but well above average and  all focused on service/functionality.



The lounge where we had our included breakfast



With view on the pool that we did not tried this time 



You can even buy snacks on the spot next to their breakfast bar which is very good




Plan A was to cross at Tadoussac to follow #3 trail and then go up  on #83 trail to spend the night at Ville de la Baie in Saguenay which was around 180miles but we suspected that in after storm trail conditions and with our tiredness of the previous day we should probably adjust our plan, which we had to do despite the fact that we had a lot more fresh groomed trails than we hoped for. What was groomed was extremely soft and the portion of #3 trail  from Baie Ste-Catherine to the Charlevoix area is very narrow and winding and therefore  we switched to plan B: sleep at la Malbaie

Here a first video summerizing the first of day#5: Escoumins/la Malbaie 141 miles
 

And the 2nd video for the 2nd half to La Malbaie
 
The pavillons du petit manoir du Casino are obviously a little more luxurious and therefore more expensive. Only disappointment, unlike previous times, there was no shuttle available for supper at the Petit manoir du Casino, we had to take the snowmobiles. However, a shuttle was available on the next morning for the breakfast, but it was a bit unpleasant to have to travel to eat each time. Next time I will try to stay directly at the Petit Manoir which would be more convenient with all the services on site.
Our room



And spa relaxing in the evening 



even outside!



Anecdote: we had a fireplace in our room corner and when we went to bed and turning off the lights we found the switch to turn it on and the lighting made an incredible atmosphere in the room so we left it on but we didn't think it was heating for real ... we woke up sweating in the middle of the night it must have been above 80F in the room !!!


 
day # 6 to follow soon ...

***** day4*****
 
Another gray day for us with mild weather and snow (fortunately the last gray day of the trip) but plan A which was to spend the day visiting the peaks of the Valins Mountains has become much less interesting by not having visibility. So go with plan B, we leave and go down to Les Escoumins to sleep via the Pelchat trail. The last time we did it was in 2003 or 2004 even before it was a federated trail so we were due for a refresh!
Because of the sticky snow, impossible to film while riding in the morning but the snow was less sticky on the Valins mountains so I brought out the camera after lunch and cleaning the lens from time to time I could capture some good images. Here on #93 to Monts Valin



 #31 Auberge



Here a short video summerizing day#4: Mont-Vilain(Lamarche)/Escoumins 180 miles



Day 5 coming soon...under the sun!

*****Day#3******

We started our day ride from Roberval and stopped at the Mont-Vilain outdoor center in Lamarche for the night via the 49e Parallèle trail. Being in the area of a good friend, I had wrote to him a couple day before that we would be in his part of the country and not having seen him since near 10 years, I was hoping that we could meet somewhere during my trip. Well, he came to have breakfast with us at Château Roberval on Tuesday morning ... on his  20" Bearcat, a near 100miles run to come to join us, he left home at 4:10 in the morning !!! this is a real one! He then accompanied us by sled all the day and we had supper with him and his wife who came to join us at Mont-Vilain after her work . Thank you very much Michel and Louise for having came with us, we had a real great time all together!



The day was mostly cloudy but we also had some  sunshine.

Here is my video summarizing day #3: Roberval/Mont-Vilain, Lamarche 201 miles
 



And for the night after Chateau Roberval, the Mont-Vilain teepee! I had booked the evening before and my wife was sure it was a canvas teepee with the closets outside ... she was angry at me!!! In the end it is very small but double bed, toilets and showers inside, warm and nice. We had a great night in there



4th day coming soon ...

Super ride Alain, you guys surely covered some great areas on this week long ride. 
Great report. 
Merci.

I will pm you soon Jim to share some hints...
Thank you zeusand! I had underestimate the time it would take do to that with the workload I had actually and adding some computer issues complicated the puzzle some more but you should see the following in the next days...

*****Day#2******
We left the Kanawata and rode north east to go sleep on the shore of Lac St-Jean in Roberval. It was a very gray/cloudy day so not the best rendering for the video / photos but still interesting!
Here is a short video summarizing day # 2: Kanawata/ Roberval 217 miles
Spending the night at Chateau Roberval


Kristine enjoying the hot tub in the evening...

Thanks Cobra! Ya you are right! we forgot the mascot of the Kanawata! those 2 guys work hard to keep our sleds running...

It's a very nice loop, many nice sections. Not many we had not did before but many we had not did since a long time... like the Pelchat trail down the escoumins that I had only did once  in 2004 before it was a federated trail... 
Thanks Mike! As for the picture, I would say they were both enjoying the moment alot! 😄

We did last week, starting sunday march 1st and ending saturday 7th our annual trip. We started our tour directly from home with goal to loop around  lac St-Jean and coming back by sled, a week trip without trailer. Here what's finally look like our St-Jean Lake loop

I will use a different format as for my report with video and pics and will post by segment of a day ay a time. You can come back here and see regularly for more content...
Here is a short video summarizing our day #1: Joliette / Kanawata 217miles
Spending the night at Auberge Kanawata

Kristine enjoying the fireplace in the evening...

More to come soon, stay tuned!

We did last week, starting sunday march 1st and ending saturday 7th our annual trip. We started our tour directly from home with goal to loop around  lac St-Jean and coming back by sled, a week trip without trailer. Here what's finally look like our St-Jean Lake loop

I will use a different format as for my report with video and pics and will post by segment of a day ay a time. You can come back here and see regularly for more content...
Here is a short video summarizing our day #1: Joliette / Kanawata 217miles
Spending the night at Auberge Kanawata

Kristine enjoying the fireplace in the evening...

More to come soon, stay tuned!

I will pm you soon Jim to share some hints...
Thank you zeusand! I had underestimate the time it would take do to that with the workload I had actually and adding some computer issues complicated the puzzle some more but you should see the following in the next days...

I will pm you soon Jim to share some hints...
Thank you zeusand! I had underestimate the time it would take do to that with the workload I had actually and adding some computer issues complicated the puzzle some more but you should see the following in the next days...

Awesome Alain, awesome video. Thanks for taking the time to do all the editing for us to enjoy.

Hi Alain,
Just wondering how the GoPro 7 is working.
I had mine plugged into a USB on my sled.  It worked great the first 4 days (warm). Then it got a little cooler and I couldn't keep it on. I switched to a GP5 and no problem.
Thanks

*****Day#2******
We left the Kanawata and rode north east to go sleep on the shore of Lac St-Jean in Roberval. It was a very gray/cloudy day so not the best rendering for the video / photos but still interesting!
Here is a short video summarizing day # 2: Kanawata/ Roberval 217 miles
Spending the night at Chateau Roberval


Kristine enjoying the hot tub in the evening...

We did last week, starting sunday march 1st and ending saturday 7th our annual trip. We started our tour directly from home with goal to loop around  lac St-Jean and coming back by sled, a week trip without trailer. Here what's finally look like our St-Jean Lake loop

I will use a different format as for my report with video and pics and will post by segment of a day ay a time. You can come back here and see regularly for more content...
Here is a short video summarizing our day #1: Joliette / Kanawata 217miles
Spending the night at Auberge Kanawata

Kristine enjoying the fireplace in the evening...

More to come soon, stay tuned!

*****Day#2******
We left the Kanawata and rode north east to go sleep on the shore of Lac St-Jean in Roberval. It was a very gray/cloudy day so not the best rendering for the video / photos but still interesting!
Here is a short video summarizing day # 2: Kanawata/ Roberval 217 miles
Spending the night at Chateau Roberval


Kristine enjoying the hot tub in the evening...

*****Day#2******
We left the Kanawata and rode north east to go sleep on the shore of Lac St-Jean in Roberval. It was a very gray/cloudy day so not the best rendering for the video / photos but still interesting!
Here is a short video summarizing day # 2: Kanawata/ Roberval 217 miles
Spending the night at Chateau Roberval


Kristine enjoying the hot tub in the evening...

We did last week, starting sunday march 1st and ending saturday 7th our annual trip. We started our tour directly from home with goal to loop around  lac St-Jean and coming back by sled, a week trip without trailer. Here what's finally look like our St-Jean Lake loop

I will use a different format as for my report with video and pics and will post by segment of a day ay a time. You can come back here and see regularly for more content...
Here is a short video summarizing our day #1: Joliette / Kanawata 217miles
Spending the night at Auberge Kanawata

Kristine enjoying the fireplace in the evening...

More to come soon, stay tuned!

Mon 3/9, Drakkar to Relais 22, a bit colder, flat light, 6"-8" coming (can feel it the bones).  Plenty of time to do the 180mi, so we get right off the river at Grande Mere‎ (more on that another time).  We take the 23 east and go up the 360 thru St "Joseph" to top off. Trails are good and snow starts.                     

Onward! Sun disappears & reappears a few times. Mild cold but nice. What's a Super Moon? Snow is definitely on it's way. 
Set destination St Ann to see if the ice fishing river village is still operating. Nope!
Drop down further to run 351 powerline highway back west to Shawini Sud. It really is a highway trail and Joseph gets a kick out of riding the same pace as the cars & trucks on Autoroute 40. 
Back to Drakkar at a decent hour. Somewhere between 173mi on the Montana & 296km on the odo.
It's a FINE 1st ride for Joseph! He's got natural talent and just needs seat time. This is gonna be a great tour Mon-Thurs. 
We hose off & Reggie makes us a reservation, and we get our chow & brew on at the Devil's Hole.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Gotta scout gaz for future reference, since the Yammi shop by the Roq stopped providing. Weird.
We know there's a station over by Dion Doo, but we see the "1k" trail sign right at the club's groomer barn plain as day so we go. 
Woo hoo!  It's center-ville!  2 full gas stations, Mickie-D's, a Metro supermarket, and an SAQ! When one door closes many new doors surely open! 
 


 

Too late to go up 73 and loop down 355 & 360 thru St Joseph, and maybe criss-cross with our CT buddies also staying at Drakkar?
We'll be up this way tomorrow. So east toward St Raymond.
This was the only bit that wasn't 9 out of 10 the whole day, it's a bit lumpy, but it's Sunday, and Joseph thinks it's the way it's supposed to be, so who am I to bitch?

 

 

 

Oops's becomes opps, as Joseph and I both figured the other threw his riding jacket & bibs into the truck, so we get to show him Canadian Tire for the first time! You always remember your first!
So a bit of a late start stylin' the new apparel, or is it not late... BECAUSE DAYLIGHT SAVING SNUCK UP ON US LIKE IT DID TO OTHERS?!
Just as well, we have a Sled QC Orientation #101 day of free play to get this fine young MacGyver offroader acclimated. 
So off we go on the interior trails out 351 & 302, up 353 to the St Ray railbed...
 
 

 


 

 

 

 


 
Hmm, which way to go?
 

Grabbed nephew/newbie-rider Joseph and (most of) the gear.
Got the requisite Sunoco station chicken at the Champlain Northway border. 
And on to Winter-HQ Auberge-Motel Drakkar Saturday night. Sleds are here, warm & dry & under-ridden. 
It always feels frickin awesome to be here! Nancy's & Reggie's & Pascal's mission for everyone for sure!
Monkers is humming reunited, and is grinning about having done TONS more miles than me, with his Uncle Iceman.