mikerider

So great to run into you and Andy. Hoping one of you post pics and report of your trip. Mike

Nice report! We probably passed each other over the weekend. I'm still in Montmagny, Monday and Tuesday riding were sweet, except for the cold and wind on Tuesday. mike

Just a quick update. 2,500 miles on the 900 ACE. Always more than 20 mpg. High speeds don't hurt gas mileage. Just lovin this sled. mike

Your pictures are so clear! Do you use an advanced (SLR) camera or just a point and shoot digital camera? mike

I've stayed at Chiboug Hotel a few times. Rooms as I recall are nice as was restaurant and convenience of being in the middle of downtown. However, on weekends it was very, very rowdy. Seems one local person would rent a room and have many friends over to party all night. I even complained once and the hotel receptionist said it was just a given, nothing they could do. Could hear the partying all night, beer cans in hallway etc mike

Thanks Gary. We keep missing meeting up by a day or two so far this winter. Hopefully be up this way all week and thru next weekend. mike

Anyone been over RDL way this week? Wondering if any new snowfall this week. Trails there a week and a half ago needed some new snow over the hard as a rock trails. I'm in Montmagny right now, riding is very good but typical of this area, constant winds and lots of fields make for lots of drifts. Need to change hotels Sunday and wondering whether to stay in Montmagny or move to RDL. RDL needed several inches of snow to make it good again. Any reports welcome. Thanks. Mike

Classic picture, Gary! I think we will all want prints. mike

Great pics Trailblazer! My first sled was just like the first one your father bought. Some of the old sleds were problem childs for sure, but I put 4,000 miles on a '71 Puma 440 Sachs and never had a problem. Some of the new sleds can't match that. Mike

The ACE 9 has 1,500 trouble free miles so far, always getting over 20 mpg (trails have been fairly hard and fast). Never have found I need more top end. Only on a really big wide RR bed like west of Chibougaumou I might need more top speed. Assuming the Renegade has less top end, don't think that model would be quite enough for some, even me. Ran into Andyman and Smclean today and they tried the sled, (both have 1200s). Don't know if they were being polite, but both were grinning ear to ear and said they loved it. I think Andy said he wanted one. One person in their group had a Cat with the Yammi engine and said his gas range was only about 125 miles. mike

Went east today from Montmagny along Trail 5 for about 80 miles before heading south and looping around. About 20 miles east of Montmagny trails are much harder as it appears they received less snow this week. Just takes more steering effort/strength. A handful of small ice patches in fields/power lines, all were on straight aways so not too hazardous. Next headed south to St. Pamphille. Once I got south of the RR bed/trail 35, all was very nice. Trail 55 coming back westerly was very nice as was 551 coming north back into Montmagny. mike

All the spinning of tracks some riders do, that can ruin the trails quick. I wish the sled federation would do a campaign to educate people about trenching out the holes the groomer just filled in. I think some don't have a clue mike

For those thinking of riding in this area: Been riding out of Montmagny and going west each day. Couple quick snow storms earlier in the week dumped a total of about 6 inches of snow, followed by very high winds causing lots of drifting. Some fields were blown clean of the new snow, but all in all very nice riding. Groomers have taken care of most of the drifts. Gone 100 miles to the west on trail 5 and it is excellent. Looping south is good except for a few miles of icy fields on the west side of St. Marie. Coming back east on trail 35 is very good but the RR bed does have a few icy spots here and there, along with many, many deer so be careful. Back up trail 551 to Montmagny is excellent. mike

Really nice, thanks for sharing. mike

Hi Gary, At Montmagny L'Oiseiliere Hotel, room 125 at least til Thursday, maybe til Saturday. Driving yellow TNT ACE 900 should we pass on the trail. Welcome to stop by. mike

Where are you leaving from?

Offer goes for you too Steve! Sorry for the late reply, Haven't been able to get on Quebecrider for a couple days, don't know why. I'm at L'Oiseirere til at least Thursday, maybe??? longer. Snowing like crazy right now. mike

Just got reservations starting tonight (Saturday) for two nights at L'Oisiere Hotel, will stay longer if riding is good. On another note, looks like the Montmagny Cat dealer now has Polaris sleds; big sign and looks like new Polaris sleds in showroom, haven't been inside. SkiDoo dealer has Yamaha sign out front now, maybe has Yamaha sleds also? mike

That would be great Andy. U can try the ACE 900! Would be great to see you again. mike

I'm at Econolodge right now, haven't ridden in Montgagmy yet, hopefully get out today and see if any good. Hope to switch today or tomorrow to O'Leisiere (spelling) Hotel in Montmagny, will only stay a couple days and go home unless riding is good. If good will stay rest of week til Friday or so. mike

Thanks for the report. I just landed in Montmagny and hope to ride tomorrow. Trying to get the best riding in with least icy corners, so I am asking if any one area is better. Should I ride close to the St. Lawrence or make my way and ride more down towards Lac Etchemin and St. George. Thanks. mike

John, will try to post tonight if I ride in Montgamy today. At least that is the game plan right now. mike

Arrived in RDL late afternoon today and went for a 75 mile spin, mostly in the dark, going south down 85 RR Bed and looping over 526 to Explorers Club house and back around to trail 5. First several miles out of the hotel were icy. A few small ice patches on the RR bed. Not sure how to describe the next 65 miles. Only a couple icy corners, but the trails felt hard as a brick. A little dusting on top so plenty of lube. Almost too much ski and track traction. A few sections had small bumps, not sure but I think the bumps were so hard the groomer couldn't level them and like the groomer couldn't break through the top layer and bring up fresh snow from below. A lot of the time it felt like the ski carbides were riding on ice, but there was almost too much carbide bite. A couple times I got off the sled and tried kicking my boots into the trail and it is harder than a brick. Sorry, hard to describe the conditions, but definitely much different than the hard conditions a couple weeks ago (those hard conditions were excellent riding). Going to leave RDL in the morning and truck to Montmagmy as it looked like a little more snow over there when I drove through this afternoon. If that is not good, it's either off to Jonquiere or home. Some of you may find the conditions here fine, don't want to give bad info, but for me it just wasn't that good. mike

Specte, thanks for the report. I have no specific plans, no reservations, just driving up and either making camp at Montmagmy or driving over to RDL, in which case I'll be at the Universal. Hopefully will leave early tomorrow morning if the service job on my sled is done. If I am at the Universal, look for my black Dodge P/U and yellow/blk 900 ACE. If Montmagny, probably the o'Leisure Hotel. mike

Hi Spectre, How did your trip around the Gaspe turn out? I am heading somewhere, probably tomorrow, Thursday. Once away from the Universal Hotel, were the trails pretty good in that area? Thinking of Montmagmy or RDL, have about ten days off. What day you heading up? Mike