NSHM

Nice evening at the Central. Alain hit the joker poker for $400. Great dinner. Plenty of JACK. 
outside at 9 am Alain feeling worse for wear this AM. It was a big night. Now the Grand Touring doesn’t want to turn over. Battery kaput. Pulled out mini booster cables and got him purring. 
I am pull off the plan being 63 to 33 to Auberge Lac Taureau Guy and Eric never seen it before. Eric and I are waiting in front of Reception/bar at Cental I see in my mirror Alain takes off and crosses bridge in back headed back the wrong way and he has his duckling with him Guy. Tbnk. Well I aint doing the recovery. I send Eric to burn them down and bring em back. 
 
All good he returns and band is back together. The 63 is really not bad. One washout well marked not far from town then smooth sail to 33 and it’s sweet as well sure some thin corners but overall nice. Stop for the sightseeing at Auberge Taureau then hammer it out beautiful run to 360. Then real nice to junction just south of Barrage. Traffic light seen very few sleds. 
 
We retrace our trail from yesterday diwn 360 to Mattawin it’s held up but surely some icy spots. Approaching bridge at Mattawin been riding my gas light forever it seems actually cannot believe it hasn’t quit .
i make it across bridge and the 155 road. Still not out of the woods literally. And then its over. Cannot make it gotta spill it. 180km for me I am happy and shocked it went that far. I don’t ride it for its fuel economy. 
came up 2km short of pump. 
 
360 back to St Joseph de Mekinac still sweet. From St Joseph to St Tite showing some usage. Getting not nice. After St Tite on the 23 was beautiful all the way to River. Here we split forces as Eric and I are inbound for Chez Ice.
I see a bunch of sleds ahead coming east from 23 turn and go down river tiward Grand Mere. I know this is supposed to be closed from the weekend warmup. Sure enough red tape but i see like everywhere else its all refrozen. We go. It’s doable but refrozen with big ruts. We get to Shawi all good. Typical bs trail in Shawinigan sud. Probably smother roads in Gaza than this trail. It may or may not have been us mistakenly on the VTT trail. To finish the last 10km. Slid into home 4pm. Just under 300km today 597km for the run. 
 
Need more snow . Better in the parc. 
 
i say go north. 

Waking up at Le Montagnais in Chicoutimi this a.m.
boy it was some kind of fun getting the machines in here last night
we rode around the lake yesterday and it was quite an experience. Would go on conditions ranging from 8.5-9 and back to 2-2.5 in a blink of an eye and just constantly kept changing all day. And it wasn’t t just woods were good and fields bad as some fields were mint and others long patches of snirt. In any event it was a good day. Like most places they NEED a more snow. It was nice waking up to this awhile ago. We are heading off to Windigo for the night and will update conditions at the 22

I got two words for you guys talking about booking ahead
HOCKEY TOURNAMENT
bwah…………LOL

We book in advance, got burned too many times in the past just winging it.  The outfitters in the bush have limited openings and they are FAR apart.

The club not happy with the FCMQ
 
Here is Le Petit Sentier's response to the FCMQ DG's letter of thanks following the opening of the trails
 
Hello Mr. Desroches
The team of volunteers at Le Petit Sentier snowmobile club in St-Émile would like to thank you for your kind words.
However, we would like to share with you and all our members a more-than-critical situation concerning the survival of Trans-Québec Trail #3 and Regional Trail #304, which are located on our territory (a total of 30 km of trails).
With the New Club Funding System (NSFC), your organization (FCMQ) has cut our operating budget by more than 50% (+/- $70,000), which means that our budget for safely opening and maintaining our trails is in jeopardy. As good managers, we will continue our efforts to reduce our operating costs, bearing in mind that our control over certain expenses, such as municipal taxes, insurance, etc., is more than limited.
If, in the near future, the FCMQ does not change the funding parameters included in the NSFC, our club will no longer have the financial capacity to open and maintain our 30 km of trails safely. We will be obliged to ask the FCMQ to transfer the management of our territory to one or more clubs.
We hope that this 30-km stretch of trail, located in an urban environment and giving the people of Quebec City (St-Émile, Wendake, Charlesbourg and Stoneham sectors) direct access to the FCMQ's unique trail network, will be as important to you as it is to all of us (the valiant team of volunteers, all our members and members of neighbouring clubs - Sapin d'Or, AMAP and CMJC); And let's not forget all the snowmobilers who make an obligatory stopover with us to gain access to the Charlevoix, L'Étape and/or Portneuf sectors.  As mentioned by our club at the last FCMQ convention in September, the survival of the Trans-Québec #3 trail in the Québec City area is currently in jeopardy.
Have a good season!

Another factor putting the squeeze on us, along with changing weather patterns, and high cost.

Welcome to QuebecRider.  One of the best sites you will find for Quebec info.
Sandi had read about a truck stolen on Facebook too.  I don't have any more details.  Theft isn't as bad as it was many years ago but it can happen anywhere anytime.  Take precautions so your equipment isn't the easiest to steal.
It does take awhile to get the passes so order them as soon as you can if you haven't already.  Caveat, the snow this season is not as good as it normally is.
You may already have found this link but if not https://fcmq.fcmqapi.ca/carte-motoneige/indexen.html#map has a wealth of info for the trails.  Click on the snowflake in the top right.  It will show snow depth, trail conditions, grooming info, etc.
The area you are looking at is very popular.  Two other areas that we like to ride are Lac St Jean and the Riviere du Loup.  Take your time and enjoy the sights.  The trails are much different than anywhere else in the USA or Canada.  Get trail maps from where you are staying or download the app.  You will find snowmobilers at most hotels and most will be glad to assist you.  Be safe.
Jack & Sandi

That picture gives a whole new meaning to high miler 😁

My buddy and I just returned from there this past weekend. Scratchy is a bit of an understatement. We launched from Montpellier Saturday AM and thought heading north would be safe. Everything showed green. We should have just stayed around Montpellier as conditions there were generally mint compared to what we encountered. We headed west on 43 to Notre Dame du-Laus. First hour was good but quickly deteriorated. A lot of shared trails with 4 wheelers combined with lack of snow created miles of pain. North on 53 improved some but definitely not the white ribbons we all seek. But Mont Laurier was pretty much negative numbers on a scale of 1 to 10. I wish I had pictures for you. My buddy and I were going to try the loop up to Fer A Cheval and 100 lacs, but after trying to get out of town, we were shot and went back to the Comfort in and got drunk at the La Cage. Trails within a 5 to 10 mile radius of Mont Laurier should all be at least yellow if not red. I would recommend studying the snow map https://www.weather.gov/nerfc/snow and go where there is snow. It's not Mont Laurier.   

Indeed they were the Good old Days! I would start the day after Christmas. A nice room was $70 Canadian, gaz and oil were about a quarter of what they are now, and were more available. Sleds were about a third of the co$t. I am glad I got some 5k-7k mile seasons in then. Not giving up yet though.😀

The exchange rate was at times more then too. I remember getting over $160 cdn for )00 usd,

Yes indeed. Two guys could have a nice hotel room for about $20 each U.S. Also at that time, if you saved your receipts, U.S. citizens could subit a form and get the Federal and Provincial taxes refunded on goods and services. 

Maybe these are stolen cars?? Who would bring their own car out there...somebody could get killed riding over the hill from the other direction...should have the car impounded and license revoked...at a minimum...we are trying to keep people on the trail...and we can't keep people on the road...WTF!!

yes, you can buy votes for usually 20$ canadian

What's in the water up there?

Obviously, these drivers didn't take the pledge?

Ballet?  They have voting issues there too?🤣

Ballet?  They have voting issues there too?🤣

Ballet?  They have voting issues there too?🤣