Northbound

I don’t post offen usually for help planning trips.  I have been reading Quebec Rider forever and riding Quebec longer,  since 1987 to be exact,  and it’s hard to think of a trail or area I haven’t rode.  This years final trip was to do the complete figure 8 of the Gaspe,  which I have done many times.  The weather was warm but overall conditions were good,  a little snow starve around Carleton.  For this trip my grandson, Hunter was able to go over college break with over crew,  which at my age this was very special to me.  My riding crew, Dennis, Chuck and Tommy all have known Hunter before and we had a great time.  Chucks sled 900 turbo ski doo started acting up 30 miles before our stay at the Caribou hotel, but he was able to limp in with.  So this is where the other special part of this trip gets me to post.  At the Caribou we meet several Quebec rider members I have read over the years.  First we met Linda sled girl and her husband Joel and have a visit and she sends a pic to our old friend Saguenay Bill who I haven’t seen now in a few years.  Onto the restaurant after settling in and we met Iceman and NH Moose and Snohorse.  These guys were very friendly and most helpful with our sled problem.  Turns out to be exactly what NH moose though it might be,  the sock filter in the fuel pump.  Great visit with Ice and crew at dinner and breakfast then off to BRP dealer in Gaspe.  Great service here folks, took Chucks sled right in and had the fuel tank off and pump out within 45 minutes replacing a nasty looking fuel sock and very dirty in line fuel filter as well.  Probably got some bad fuel somewhere.  Price was reasonable and the folks at EM ski doo Gaspe were top shelf.  Then onto Murdochville for the night, but not before meeting Iceman and crew again on the trail,  another meeting with them the next day on local 150 north of New Richmond.   I have always had great responses to questions I have asked on Quebec rider in the past as I plan my next adventure,  but I must say it was special finally meeting some of the folks that have helped me on the site in the past.   Just when you think you have rode every trail along comes Icemans private trail the 150 which was perfect and that brings me and our crew to the end of another season.  To all have a great summer and stay healthy and safe,  Fred

Thanks for sharing Jeff,  great reports and that you had a safe and enjoyable trip.
It makes me  smile you guy's are still riding while we're sat here in +17c and taking about next February... lol .        Have a safe trip home and we'll see you both in 2024....   G&P.

I spent 28 days in 2020 and got cut short due to the Covid shut down....Great trip for you guys...and great report....spending a month touring is a blast, I really enjoyed your pics and writing...many thanks, Bob.

just wonderful reading abut your trip and getting to see your pictures.
And I agree about the Levesque Hotel.  Amazing views and amazing food.  One year I hit their ice bar on the second floor outdoor  porch.  That too was amazing and amazingly cold.   Have a wonderful summer.
mike
 

Awesome trip for you and your wife.  As much fun as we have on our annual “boys” trip, nothing beats riding with your wife.  

Lol .... we didn't even take the water crossing this year  when we rode to Ferland with you guy's  strange they were closed on a Sunday usually full of locals.... and you've got to love the "squeaky " cheese  lol.....

Sounds like you had an interesting trip.  It makes us think about saddlebagging again.  Have a wonderful summer and we hope to see you next year. 
Jack & Sandi

3-16  Day 30 Back to the Delta.  The 355 trail was perfect except for one terrible section of plowed, sun dried sand and gravel that went on for too long. Not so long as having to stop to cool sleds but still too long. Nice lunch as usual at Auberge Eva. Where we were first introduced to by no other than Saguenay Bill. Thanks for everything Bill. Along the lake the snow was very thin. Around the frog to the Delta, trails are mostly good. Of course road crossings are mid March road crossings. Wheels around the Delta make life easy. We rolled in mid afternoon, and only sleds in the compound. After dark there were almost 30 between the compound and sleds out front. 
   I hope you've enjoyed my "wordy" read. And hopefully someone will be able to use something from my info. I know I've always gotten a lot of my info from you guys.
   Enjoy your summer, 
       Jeff and Sandy
 
 

Day 29 to La Tuque. Still warm, but we've been within one day striking distance of the truck since Sacre Coeur. So the weather's not a real gamble. A section of the 3 trail closed a couple of days ago for an unsafe river. Our detour is to go further south, or we could skip La Tuque and head straight back to the Delta. We decided on the south route through Donnacona. It was actually no problem and a nice ride. Lunch and gas in St Raymond. Stayed at motel des Marineau. Nicer rooms in the back, decent restaurant
 

Day 26 to La malbaie. Took the free ferry at Tadoussac. We had no wait. Drove right on and the ferry left. Very low snow coming through Tadoussac. Nice ride today. Stayed at the Petit Manoir du Casino, our normal haunt. Can't afford the big house😳 Thanks Linda for the info on the deal, stay 2 nights get 25% off, so.....we stayed 2 nights. Went to their pool, ate one night in their restaurant, pretty good, one night next door at the st huberts in the casino.
And if you think our sleds look dirty in that pic, you should see them now
 

Day 25 to Sacre Coeur nice ride today. Too warm 32f. Lunch and gas in forestville. The area that last year we got transported around is now open. Hard to tell where it begins or ends. We passed an area that looked like hadn't been groomed recently, but still good and a couple of 50kph signs. I guess that was the area. We stayed at the coronet. Another place unchanged for years. But they have a restaurant, gas, a little store and the rooms are clean. Unfortunately they no longer offer the package.😕http://quebecrider.com/forums/uploads/monthly_2023_03/PXL_20230311_160510357.thumb.jpg.98b7a1c971bac390fbc15be68dbb06ba.jpg

Day 24 to Baie Comeau. I'm sure we looked ridiculous riding our snowmobiles out of town across grass and dirt, but once in the woods everything was fine. (Part of the adventure) We did have one little puddle jump in the morning. Sandy's sled once in NB, once on the way to Sept isle and now about 3 times today. Sometimes when she would stop at road crossing or something her engine light would come on and she'd get a message something like "press start to go". The engine would not die but she had no throttle. She'd shut it off, restart and it would be fine. We stopped at bay eternity for gas and a snack. I called the doo dealer in Baie Comeau with low expectations, after all, this was noon on a Friday. They said if we could get there by 4, they could look at it. We did and they did. It was the electronic throttle. I was pretty thrilled they diagnosed it so easily and even more thrilled they had the part. We were on our way within an hour. GREAT DEALER. We stayed at Hotel Le Manoir. Sort of a quirky place but our room had a great view and we had a really good meal.

Day 21 to Sept isle. Caught the 8:00 ferry to Godbout. Breakfast onboard. Gas and lunch stop in port Cartier. Stayed at Quality inn in Sept isle. Good free breakfast, free laundry, good Chinese restaurant, mikes restaurant, st Huberts, Tim's, McDonald's, a mall, Walmart all nearby. We had planned 3 nights there, because that is also a stop we like. The day there had a little rain. Next day high of 50F next day 45 ish. So we watched the already low snow around town melt. I was nervous. Called a friend who lives in Baie Comeau. He assured me don't worry, may be some puddles in the woods but once away from the coast it was ok. He was right. Thanks Harold

Day 19 to Matane. Short ride so went through amqui for lunch. Back at the Quality inn for 2 nights because we were a day ahead of schedule now. Also close to the quality inn is gas, a skidoo dealer, a st Hubert express, a Walmart and cdn tire.

Day 18 to st-anne-des-monts. We left Gaspe after only 2 nights. Watching the weather as I always do it looked like some snow and wind was coming, so we wanted to get through the mountains beforehand. I'm just an old guy with his wife to help of we get stuck😞 We found a good lunch spot in mont Louis called Chester Chez Louise. Sandwiches, chicken, simple but good. Very nice lady, not much English but very friendly. The place is pretty easy to get to. And is big inside, room for helmets ect. Us snowmobilers seem to take alot of space. BTW neither of the motels restaurants in Mt st Pierre where we sometimes stop were open for lunch, I had called the day before. In MSA we stayed at motel and cie. Although they have a good restaurant we were full from lunch so walked to subway for light supper.

Day 16 to Gaspe. Got gas and lunch in Chandler. Took the 597 up to the cutoff for Gaspe. We stay at hotel plante. It's easy to get to, has a laundry and now a pool in the new section. We like Gaspe and had reservations for 3 nights. Nice restaurants and nice town to walk around in. We made reservations wks before our trip, but the new section was suppose full so we booked another room. All their rooms are nice, but the new section has a great view. A couple of days before arrival I went online and now they had availability. I think Jack may be on to something. He said he wonders if these booking sites buy up and block rooms, and then if they don't sell them, they throw them back. 🤨. Anyway Steven and Kelly came into town and we had a nice dinner and visit. The old Adams motel is now Rodeway and their restaurant is now st Hubert. There are a couple of other good restaurants in town along with a little mall, a Tim's, Mcdonalds, Dixie Lee and a grocery

Day 15 to bonoventure. Headed east on the 5 to the 597 to murdockville for gas, then to L cache for lunch. We've stayed in New rich but usually head to Bonaventure to the grande pre. 20 yrs ago it was nice, unfortunately it hadn't been improved since. There used to be a nice restaurant nearby, been closed for at least 5 or 6 yrs. We walk to a nearby subway for supper. New Rich is getting pricey and they  were full. (Lucky for me) As far as the ride today, unfortunately visibility wasn't great. But we caught up to the groomer just before L cache that we had been following😀

Day 14 to mont Louis.  Lunch in st- Anne- des- monts. Stayed at Auberge L Amarre. They bought the house next door to the west. So this year and last we got a room over there. The room we now get is bigger than on the original side. The place is very simple, but spotless, and good food. Trails were good today

Day 12 to Amqui. Took trailer transport across river. They pick you up at the hotel. $40 a sled. Mundles towing. Stayed at the Ambassador Got the honor of dinner with groomer. A very good time with a good friend.

Day 11 to Campbellton 248k Very nice ride today, trails all smooth, mostly railbed, last section following very pretty river. Tim's for lunch, Quality inn for the night. Heard sobering story the next morning. The day before we passed on the same trail a man was killed hitting a tree. It was a group within 15 minutes of finishing their 5 day loop. RIP
 
 

Day 10 short day to Edmundston. 148k Woke up to fresh snow for a nice change. Short hop to Grand Falls. Dealer put on my scratchers and I talked then into servicing our clutches. Very good dealer! When we were waiting we saw that they had the new improved skidoo muffs. (Thanks Linda) We carry old Katahdin muffs that look like elephant ears for cold days. Not real good to get your hands into but they fold nicely in the saddlebags. I really like wearing muffs with real light gloves, so tried the old style skidoo muffs last year but felt too restrictive. Sandy didn't like them either for the same reason. The new ones are much better so guess who got them. Now I need a pair. The dealer we were at had only one pair. Every dealer we've been to since don't even know about the new style. The old style is #860201144 The new ones are #860202207. The new ones are yellow on the inside. We stayed at the Quality suites next to the casino in Edmundston. Nice hotel. No sled parking in front. dammit!

Day 9 to Bristol 160k another short day. We had planned to go to plaster Rock then Fredericton, miramichi then Campbellton. But snow was thin and getting icier south so we headed north. My crippled scratcher broke off yesterday. We had heard about a cool rail car room in Bristol (again thanks slomo trail) It was called Shamrock suites, very nice, but no food nearby. We again stopped at a grocery enroute and picked up frozen dinners and salads. On the way,  to avoid going any further south than required we took the 405 trail approx 60 km long, showed green on map.😳 About half way in we came to a completely open river, I mean no ice. No signs, no detours. We knew the groomer had stopped at last road crossing. Usually you can see scratches on the road, marks along side and find your way. Nothing here. Checked phone found bridge in town not too far, flipped down the wheels and headed that way. After one cool down stop got to Stanley and a bridge. Went into a little store and a nice, we'll intentioned guy gave me directions. It went something like this....go down this road until you come to a barn with a red roof, go behind it and you'll find a trail, follow it until you come to a steep uphill on your left, go up it........anyway, we made it back. Many of the trails we were on were rail trails, but they were not boring or monotonous. Many followed pretty rivers and went through interesting towns. The rest of the day was great. When we got to the rail car early, I called the doo dealer in Grand falls to see if they had my scratchers in stock and could swap it for me tomorrow when we pass through, they said sure
 

Day 8, to McNamee 236k a short day because we had planned a longer route through the park, but after yesterday took a direct route. Lunch at Tim's in Doaktown. Got some M&M meals in the gas station and a salad at the grocery for supper. We stayed at Wilson's Lodge, ate in our cabin which was very nice. We got there early afternoon and really enjoyed our stay.

Day 7 to Bathurst. 280k Rode through the Christmas mountains, very pretty scenery, nice lunch at Mont Carlton lodge. Most of the trails were good but inside the park they needed groomed. We later heard that inside the park the grooming is performed by park staff, 8 hrs a day M-F. Not nearly  the same attention most clubs give. Once again this is what "we were told" not substantiated fact. I know others have had different experiences, just reporting what we saw. One day may have made all the difference. I have the NB app on my phone but the grooming info is not nearly as good as PQ. They show trails in 4 colors groomed 1-2 days ago, 3-4 days ago, then I think 5-7 days then over 7. I know green is usually good, yellow is sometimes ok either of the browns are usually bad. At least in our experience. In Bathurst we stayed at Atlantic Host. The good, right on the trail, decent restaurant, good fish dinner. The bad, the room smelled like wet carpet. Next time I'd try Danny's to compare.

Day 6 to New Brunswick. I know this is a Quebec forum, so if this offends you skip ahead 5 or 6 days, but I know some Quebec Riders that do venture south, so this is for you.
This was only our 3rd trip into NB, so I'm no expert at all. We rode from RDL to Grand falls about 220 easy kms. We stopped for a lobster roll, passing by the casino in Edmonton (thanks slomo trail). We stayed at a Best Western, dinner at Tim's across the road, good free breakfast in the am.