Trois-Rivieres area/La Tuque/Riviere a Pierre photo ride-report January21, 2023

[towing]

Here is our last ride path

It is under a very cloudy sky and a little snow that we left Saturday morning around 9:00 am from Champlain (east of Trois-Rivières) to go having a lunch at La Tuque accompanied by our friend Snowcruiser.

The trails were very nice at start, here in the very long straight stretch on trail #3

Once near Grand-Mère we got on the St-Maurice river...

Because of the temperatures that have been too mild so far, the 28kms marked trail on the St-Maurice River north of #23 trail has not been done yet, not safe. So we made it on land through #23+#360 trails towards St-Joseph de Mekinac.

For those who doesn't know, this bridge we pass under is on the #155 (road between Trois-Rivières and La Tuque) and have been closed last year during 7month after being inspected and realized it was not safe anymore!.  Here we can clearly see the steel pillars and reinforcement cables that have been installed on the bridge(had just concrete before) to reopen it at the end of last summer. It is a temporary fix and a new bridge construction is supposed to start at spring 2023 and last 3 years!

We passed through St-Tite

The famous Rivière des Envies which took a long time to freeze is now crossable and safe

just before switching onto #360 trail at the junction there was an SQ police checkpoint. I thought I would have to dig off in my pants to get all my papers out but no, we mustn't look too suspicious, we passed through in less than a minute with only a visual license plate check and a brief chat.

Here just leaving, my partner Snowcruiser on his new Enduro

The #360 was superb and very fast

The #355 on the Gazoduc section was a little bumpy but it still ride well

The next section of #355 between the junction with #351 and Lake Wayagamac was very ruff, good snow cover but just really due to be re-regroomed, Kristine had not liked it. We notice that the lack of deep cold and the general mild weather+ frequent new snow since the beginning of the season affect the grooming efficiency and trail toughness compare to what we are used to in january.

We took a break under the Railway Bridge of Riviere du Milieu

Past the junction south of Wayagamac lake the conditions came back correct and it was riding well

Arriving in La Tuque, the trail is on the pedestrian bridge instead of the river which is not safe yet...

We stopped to eat at Marineau auberge at the entrance of the city around 1:00 p.m. with 180 km on the meter

It was our first ride with Snowcruiser this season and the lunch break pass like flash by chatting in very good company! We then went to refuel in town, here along the endless 30km/h zone along the airport.

And here in town...

We had 2 options for the return, either to retrace our steps on the #355 and then take the #351 in the Zec Tawachiche or take the #73 and do the Zec Jeannotte / Rivière à Pierre which is longer run. It is my back seat passenger who made the decision and we set off for La Jeannotte around 2:30 p.m. Here along Lake Wayagamac

The jeannotte did not disappoint us even if the detour in the center was a little more bumpy, very beautiful and fast

It was beautiful up to the ZEC entrance

Then, the traffic of this Saturday had done its job and it was getting more rought as we went down

Like an oasis in the desert, we crossed our first dozer just before Rivière à Pierre

The track towards St-Raymond was ok

But #353 was very rought. We took a little break at the #23 trail junction which we then took east towards St-Alban and it was really better. We had a couple more rought stretches  but were also lucky enough to cross 2 more dozers on the way back.

We crossed St Anne and Batiscan rivers which are both staked and safe and finally returned to our starting point around 7:30 p.m. with just over 220kms in the afternoon for a total of just over 400kms for the day. I admit that we slept very well that next night!!!

So another great ride for us this season, the trail network is almost complete and the snow is here, I hope for even more cold in the next few weeks to optimize the quality/solidity of the trails. The weather forecast is really promising, hoping they will be right.

Bye Alain

[P Hardy]

Great report, Thanks Alain!