NSHM

I don't understand the focus on 'off-trail' machines by some manufacturers. It doesn't benefit us snowmobilers in the East/mid-West markets since most of that type of riding is in the West. Why I find it particularly annoying is the damage they do to groomed trails when they exit and enter the groomed trail. (The paddle tracks generally raise hell with the main part of the trail too) Then there are the landowner issues with off-trail riding when permissions have only been granted for the marked trail -
The ads have created a culture of romanticizing off-trail riding but that hits the reality of limited off-trail riding areas in the East -

That sucks.  
Time to buy Richards place up the road.  Montagnard burned.  The Escapade becomes a rehab.  Yup - Auberge Mekinac needs to reopen & do some serious sled business. His spot just had a major increase in value!

OUCH!!, If the police wanted to enforce the speed limit it would take so long to go from lodge to lodge legally that the whole trail system would basically have to close down, it would take 3.5 weeks to tour the Gaspe. 42 mph speed limit would have me looking for another sport. I do not need to go 112 all day but 80 to 90 is reasonable here and there when traffic and conditions are good. Mostly we travel somewhere around 60 to 70 on good trails quite safely, I really feel for this guy, that is a ton of bad luck!!

Yeah this sucks, I'm all for safety but on wide open rural trails cruising at less than 70mph is boring 

If memory serves me, that section of trail is close to the 83 and is flat ,wide and very fast. Its also a rural area. 
Lets hope this doesnt become a  new money maker for the police, because except for the groomers, no one on that trail is doing less than a hunderd klicks.
this is also the 1st time Ive heard of radar way out in the boonies. Usually its near towns, Sat and Sundays.

Steamer we go the end of March every year, only once did we get skunked, usually tons of snow groomed and nobody at all riding. Last year we left RDL on 4/6 we were the only truck in the lot... The parking lots and streets are bare but who cares.

Ha, 
Me on Polaris? Too much PTSD from those days. 
No no, been there. No going back. 
Bombardier maybe. 

I've broken them all, I am an equal opportunity snowmobiler...

Yea,right up Iceman's alley. And has a 14 gallon gas tank.

The local law enforcement can be opportunistic as well. Four of us went up three weeks ago on a backpacking trip. Riding from Shawinigan heading towards St Tite on a Saturday morning we passed through a checkpoint monitored by two trail cops on two sleds. No big deal we are all legit. I'd say 3-4 miles later as we appoach an intersection I looked back and realize the last two sleds in our group just got pulled over by the same cops. Apparently they felt there was more money to be had pulling Americans over for speeding than checking for permits. What I find even better to this story is the fact that our group of four sleds where following 5 Canadian sleds, all two ups. It took them that long to get my friends going 10 km's over the speed limit. I'd say they were more confused as to why they were being pulled over than pissed at first. Then the tickets came in the mail with a fine that will exceed $300. Since when do they mail you the ticket? I got a speeding ticket years ago in Quebec actually coming off a 20 plus mile lake and it was given to me on the spot. That's a whole different story but not for today. I will always continue to go back to Quebec because to me it's the very definition of snowmobiling. I'll have to wait until next year to see if two of my buddies will be joining me? In my opinion there are all kinds of thieves!

Looking good! I went out this afternoon for a 75 mile run going SW to Explorateurs club house for lunch. About six inches of fluff just outside RDL and about under 2 inches 35 miles SW at the club relais. At times its was snowing steady with occasional blizzard like conditions for ten minute clips. I also met up   with Oilman upon his return from riding 140 miles going E to Trois Pisteles, S  and then made his way over to Cabanno. Said riding was good, and like me said less new snow to the south but still good riding. Hopefully the groomers will get out tonight and do their thing. many groomers have sat out this bad spell of weather although my route today was smooth. So it seems we are back in business, and it looks like winter again with the trees caked in snow and sleds at all the club houses, and the parking lots no longer wearing off the carbides.
mike

Even I want to know how it ends and I was there!? 
Did the team have to trade their sleds for sea-doos to get back to Mont Laurier in the pouring rain? 
If Dick blows a corner and nobody is around, did it really happen?
Will a Ski-Doo still run on diesel? 
I need closure. 

Been hearing about this trip since December.The suspense is worse than it was waiting for Hillary to concede.

Ha funny, just got done washing them. Not as bad as I thought. Just a light haze of salt spray on the front. They cleaned up easily. The truck and trailer where cleaner than usual when we got home too. Her windshield on the Cat didn't much like the highway speeds. Only 2 screws left holding it on. The others pulled the rubber grommets off. Much further and it woulda flew off. 
I also gotta say good job to Klim, FXR, and the Skidoo Absolute Zero gear ( or who ever makes their stuff ). After riding through that monsoon in the mountains for the better part of 100 miles, everything stayed dry, all the electronics survived. Pockets where dry.  And everything was dry by morning, even the saddle bags. Packing everything in zip lock bags and water proof bags worked and only my tshirt was a little damp. So we where able to put on nice dry clothes for dinner. Everybody was mostly dry on the trail, only a few minor issues with water getting in. And we weren't wasting any time either. We where running 60 plus mph up 595 in a down pour. It sucked, not gonna lie. But wouldn't trade the experience for anything. It was a hell of a ride albeit a shortened one. I'll never forget this one. 

Well when you think about it, this is another indication that the story is bogus. When was the last time Honda made a 2 stroke? They have always been a 4 stroke player even back to the Japanese invasion of motorcycles in the early 60's. Most others were 2 stroke while Honda was 4 stroke.

The oil goes on top of the gas can
"Double Stack"
it takes a bit of getting used to but works out very well.

I know I should probably be on the right, but I ride the smooth side until I see another sled.

One farm field being closed could really mess up miles and miles of trail....never mind the issues the groomers will have.
 
sounds like a big mess to me
hopefully it's resolved soon

when there is NO fuel at these out of the way places is really the only issue ...

The easiest by far is this set up, hopefully it is buy it once and move from sled to sled. Less capacity has made me take less stuff never used half the stuff I use to take. On and off in a second...

Letter from a Farmer in St Maurice. This guy gets it. 

I am writing today expressing my great disappointment in the choice of the means of pressure that the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) has made recently.
Indeed, the decision to boycott the snowmobile trails on our land makes me jump a lot and this leads me to ask several questions.
I would like to share with you those that are part of my reflection.
Do you think we are targeting the right people by opting for this? Do not you think that penalized people will be our own customers?
Indeed, the snowmobile relays that serve our products will be the ones who suffer the most. Is it really on them that we have to exert that pressure? Do we really want to make them suffer?
I believe we should be loyal partners to those entrepreneurs in our regions who are dependent on our actions.
Moreover, we will tarnish our image towards the fans of this sport, who are also our customers.
Are we truly logical and true partners when making our choices?
We should make it our duty to be positive actors in the economic development of our regions.
Where has our solidarity and gratitude for our customers gone?
My goal today is simply to inspire reflection to ensure that our choice is logical and thoughtful.
Good snowmobile season, dear customers!
Mario Massicotte
Agricultural Producer
Saint-Maurice
 

Ok Hillary, I'll get my fact checkers going.
Bottom line is if they block any trailsit will significantly affect those of us who make province wide saddlebag trips. I'm not one to just go ride the same trail back and forth even if its the only one open. Imagine all the people who will be doing just that if they close trails through agricultural land. Stupid nonsense that we need to go through this every other year it seems. Farmers want their cake fine...then give it to them, and they sign agreeing to permanent passage through land. If no then give them nothing and let them suffer the financial consequences along with their fellow neighbors who will all be affected by no sleds through town. When they come back begging to negotiate then they sign for a permanent trail system or they can go kick rocks.

Enough for a half of bottle of pepper on my tongue. I recon.

The upside down helmet in your pic says it all.Did you happen to keep count of how many Tabernacs were tossed around in those 2 1/2 hours? Had to be close to a record!

You have stayed at Motel Coconut? Yes you can get the"shuttle" across there it's a flatbed(roll back) tow truck.