Jump to content

Team Iceman Running Free


iceman
 Share

Recommended Posts

i am way behind on this thread i will do my best to get us all caught up.


Friday 27 January 

Time for a little adventure and some on the fly planning. (Hence the Free part) cause we all know riding is not free. We are starting with a rough idea but nothing set solid. 
 

What we know is the players. Snohorse is back in QC, first run together since march 2020. We got NHmoose ended last season with this fine gent and mon grand chum Playhard. Missing you David. 
 

Snohorse arrived first early afternoon friday. We quickly made off for St Etienne to drop a Doo (one of his horses) off to get serviced up. The Backcountry 850 is unloaded and ready for its service appointment i set last week for Monday morning. 

We head back to the house next to arrive home is  mrs ice. She is headed to Shawinigan Cats hockey tonight to represent. We wait for NHmoose. 
he rolls in about 7:30 we spend hours bullshitting. 
Shawinigan pulls out the win over Sherbrooke GO CATS GO

We find ourselves well after midnight still going on. 
 

Tomorrow’s ride will be starting later. Oh well. Got nowhere to be and all day to get there. 
 

Very excited for mrs ice to jump in with us boys. She is very capable. Learns quickly this one does. 
 

 

 

Edited by iceman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 January 

Not too many early risers at Chez Ice, this AM. All good no stress, going out for a shakedown run for Snohorse he is taking the Freeride on his Freeride 850 as the Backcountry is at the doo. 
 

We had played with syncing these Sena radios last night but we are all ready to go and we got zero coms. After using radios now I find it to be like riding with my GPS, do i need it? No, once you get used to something that improves your gameplay then it’s hard to go without. Nice to communicate while rolling. 
 

just could not get all 4 together. Finally we went with 2 radios myself and mrs ice. It’s Saturday and we take no chances. . We will straighten this out tonight. 
 

Geared up we bust on out. For Saturday we were expecting a little bit of everything. And exactly what we got. 
3 west near home like a Ukranian Highway after being shelled. We bailed on that after no long at all to hit the local orange trail headed for St Louis de France then on to Cap de Madeline. Not too shabby. Lets keep rolling these local trails so at Junction of 351 alongside autoroute 40 we go back up the local orange trail through St Maurice and join back with TQ3 in St Narcisse. Lots of fluff but smooth run really impressed with trails here. Some traffic but not crazy. TQ3 through St Narcisse here is best some but not terrible either. I seriously consider taking another orange local back through St Luc Vincennes to join up with 351 however we will probably return that way later so onward to the juction with local trail near St Stanislas that runs up to Relais Station in St Prosper. Been alot of traffic here. Real beat up we continue on we cross river in St Stanislas. Rough down here too but onward. Big detour as trail is rerouted to avoid completely the old Rogers Cabin. We ride on and continue down to join 351 and we go east toward St Anne de Perade. Here we pull it in to Ferme du Taurieu Microbrewery for lunch. 
 

Great lunch, my first time here we shall surely return. We bail out and hammer down for home 351 it is. Mrs Ice says she thinks she is tired of following me so i tell her have at it, I will follow you. I know she loves this run and run she does. This is goid trail here and we make time back to Cap de Madeline then on up to homebase. 

80 mile ride.

Got situated at home then the boys and I headed for Shawinigan Sud to eat at Shawinigan Smoked Meat. It did not disappoint. 
 

Back home and we settle in. 
Tomorrow we ride again local Mrs Ice has other commitments and will join us for dinner. 

 

BC570A2A-A33A-4EFD-8ED5-8AAA00FC9573.jpeg

8599EFCC-9871-4195-83E3-97108A2787EE.jpeg

F869D25D-2686-4E86-A9DB-CB9441E4CE57.jpeg

14254D5E-1BDA-4A4F-9449-F4E36F400019.jpeg

2B6C692F-4F7F-4036-83E0-6EC6F7F072AF.jpeg

0B78A9E2-B8F6-42D0-A93D-AE0C463CC946.jpeg

0AC7B723-15F4-4705-AACB-7DDD98C15E11.jpeg

22AF3C5C-D4C3-44A4-AC5D-5BCD9132574E.jpeg

CC011905-9051-4E9F-8505-B819008047B8.jpeg

A2198DFE-BB47-4142-A538-E7B5F1556A78.jpeg

17966E76-DB3A-4F5E-96B8-8733F711649F.jpeg

3216574B-E746-4B34-A2CE-99EDCBB092B3.jpeg

215AF030-017A-4A0D-B4A3-DEB073E30F6A.jpeg

DC248D10-D645-451A-B8CF-C96A237381C3.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 January Sunday 

We get our 3 radios straightened out. We get out of the house not so early again. But off we go snowing lightly. TQ3 it is East this time direction Shawinigan. Trails are surprisingly very nice. Not many sleds at all so far. We cruise on up into Shawi then through Turtle Lac and try to run the local trail in St George next to the CN yard but are snookered as they are building a freight train putting the cars in order and have the crossing very blocked. Oh well, back on a near perfect trail it’s snowing for real now and we are loving every minute. I decide its 351 through Relais Station and onward to St Tite. We join with TQ23 here and so far so good light traffic and great trails. 23 to 351 and we are happy. Rolling along nicely here. Lots of evidence of all the trees they had to cut. Crazy. We love this run and today it does not disappoint. What disappoints is the condition of 355 from the 351 junction to St Joseph de Mekinac it is another Ukrainian battlefield. But gotta take the good with the bad. Barely made it to gas pump in St Joseph she sputtered on me coming into town shortcut up road to gas station did not feel like having to dump in my gas from the roto pax. I made it. Greta would love me that run just 171 km and took 36 liters. Not stellar but lots of cream cheese on trails not hatd frozen trail,

St Joseph 360 back to TQ23 has held up real well. And 23 is sweet. We catch 3 sleds near Rivere Des Envies where they had all the trouble because of it not freezing early on. They let us pass. On we roll, great run back to St Georges in shawi and this time no train blocking the track we cross and return through Turtle Lac and down through Shawi Sud. Trail very good for a Sunday headed home. New snow cushions the ride. All in with around 150 miles. 
 

Time for nice dinner at home with great friends. 
 

Tomorrow we say chow bye to Mrs Ice and the kids and head of somewhere to continue this adventure.

sorry no pics on this snowy day 

Mrs Ice is the master of photography for sure we missed her today. In more ways than one. 
 

Stay Tuned

Edited by iceman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 January 

9:30 am no rush. No stress. Patience. Bust out the driveway and swing onto TQ3 est. Trails been groomed but did not show on Imotoneige on this morning’s update. This will become a discussion for later tonight. Nice smooth ride through Shawi Sud as we retrace our path from yesterday’s end of the day. We arrive on local trail back near rail yard and no dice this morning, another train blocking the crossing. Oh well back to turtle lac then to the River trail to join with 23. River smooth too. Open to go either way on 23. Marked and still closed going north to Mattawin. 
 

TQ23 through Herouxville then to St Tite. Big improvement in trail since yesterday but none was showing up as groomed on imotoneige but was definitely groomed. All the way to St Joseph de Mekinac 360 is sweet and up to join 355. We have seen a few sleds headed south then just near Train bridge a big group we pass on the road sectiom there 12 sleds easily. Trail is holding up nice and continues to deliver. Local trail to TQ73 right turn and hammer it. 73 is a slotcar track. Join back up with. The 355 headed north to Lac Edouard. Here tge trail is switched up from last year its running the quad trail almost alll the way to near Relais Trapper trail there. We continue 355 its ripping. Trail Down to get on lake is not a groomed trail so you need some patience. But the payoff is there as the lake is a beauty and snow is flat we can run here. Having fond memories of staying at Le Goeland and all the adventures there. Good times. Bypass Le Domaine and go gas at co op. Then up shortcut by post office to join 355. 
 

355 is beautiful and we have seen 4-5 other sleds. Very peaceful today. Beautiful trail up to section where the trail is along logging road. Bit of work needed on this trail through work area. Not the best. After this section its go time ad this trail has a nice flow to it. We get near the gas at Lac Bouchette. As we head up and cross train tracks there is a loader working not far there scraping trail down to ice. Not sure but at least was not very long section torn up. 
 

We gas up and decided to stop at Auberge Eva to see what they had to offer. 
We have never stayed here. I never even stopped before. Always driving on through to Roberval. Or further. 
today we said we are stopping here. 
 

scored sweet cabin great view down to Lac and free heated garage. Homerun and super well received. We will be back. Surely. 

3090C11D-57F5-46AE-B4A1-1DF70EED2CFC.jpeg

F3349271-AAD6-409A-B837-31649BFE3589.jpeg

9A5E5F8A-78E3-4829-BB7A-B8AA784C8D95.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, PLAYHARD said:

Hmm?...

Yes indeed, a small Mom and Pop sandwich shop. Quite tasty!  Kinda like thin sliced smoked corned beef, or pastrami.
Restaurant Shawinigan Smoked Meat

http://quebecrider.com/forums/uploads/monthly_2023_02/9B4F7EF4-760A-42E4-9EE5-F2054087C70F.thumb.jpeg.925598237ca08569e848a97d79113307.jpeg

Edited by NH-Moose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, NH-Moose said:

I knew it

god damn those things look good

Edited by snowmaster2112
Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 January

 

Left Auberge Eva on 355 beautiful trail. We continue on to TQ83 junction and continue passing the former Green Roof Auberge and start our run under the Lake. Some good and some boney and thin areas.  Need more snow obviously. We are just lucky to be riding there is enough for the areas thin on snow for the clubs to work with.  Through Chambord and we continue on TQ83 we run it to junction with TQ23. We run up through Alma then through the orange trails to get back out to TQ23 and up to the TQ93. This is a great trail up here this 93 it very rarely disappoints. It is nice today. Against my better judgment and strictly for seeking bonus miles from this relatively short day. I leave my beloved TQ93 and drop her for her little sister turns out in the beginning this trail is nice and pretty but one we bail off this local and hit the 328 we are seeing a bit of a junk fest with these conditions. However the motto this week has been patience and we stick and stay hoping to make it pay sure enough maybe further along then we would have hoped. The groomer is heading at us. He has nice snow here to work with not typical depths for this time of year but enough he is using his blade and cutting the bumps beatiful site to see. This one is a Piston Bully. As a gear head this is one beautiful machine and the newer Surfacers are seriously incredible pieces of engineering. I love it.  328 to 367 said hello to the cattle that live there at that end of 328 on our way by.  If you been by there you can’t miss the herd. Down 367 to TQ93 very nice trail. Have seen some sleds passing other direction now on TQ93 i catch up to 4 two ups.  We eventually work it out and they let us all through. Nice to have the radios and get the “all good here” from our excellent tailgunner. He got our six. NHmoose. 

Snohorse is Freeriding his way along and its so funny to hear him rap on that 850 and it sings through the radio. Braaaaaaaappppp he is like “let me play you the music of my people” . Cruise on down the orange park trail to cross at Shipshaw. We head through Jonquiere and grab TQ83 run this to the Bec Scie then turn around. We motor back to Chicoutimi on TQ83 and into Hotel la Sagueneenne.  Great day not crazy miles. 

 

Restaurant at hotel used to be independent. Now has been 

purchased by hotel as have been the conference rooms as they were also separate from hotel ownership before. Now the hotel owns it all. That said we were told major renovations are coming to restaurant. Big changes. We shall see. 

 

Our 3 sleds here along with about 10 others. 

 

 

4DF8D0BF-C87B-4CEE-A766-D058E81D2655.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 February 

This morning we are a well oiled machine. We roll out of hotel just after 8am. Fresh groomed right from hotel. We run TQ83 to 367 over and continue on 367 very fresh groom white asphalt for s good part. Up to TQ93 and we head for the start of the 373 as we will grab it there by Valinouet and run ti Onitchaway for lunch. 93 good until the junction with 328 after this its so so. Lots of rocks been pulled in or up by the groomer and some are not little. First section of 373 junk pure junk. I hammered it out just putting the flipper down and literally pounding through it. It got much better and when we turned to head for Onitchaway all beautiful. Been a few moons since i last put skiis on snow here. This trail has growed up and matured into a fine one. Big and fast and we spank it to Onitchaway. Not too many sleds here. And its 12:00. Gas and lunch . As we are eating the groomer arrived from the other local trail that arrives here from 328. The operator came in to have a coffee and the place started to clear out. Its like they waited for the machine to arrive and now are bailing out to run down that groomed trail back after their early lunch. I think they had a plan. Great lunch here nice to see Daniel still at it. Nice up here, i could disappear into that ZEC living in a chalet there and be very happy. I would have to go alone as that speed of life is not for the Mrs. For sure. 

 

Anyway we got a ride going here so we continue on we follow the groomer out of here on 373 he lets us by after barrage bridge ther. He has inches to spare on either side. Tight fit getting across he has to raise the blade in front over guardrails to fit across.

After we pass him is a real nice trail i love when they groom a perfect trail thats why they stay that way. We rocket out 373 we run to the new bridge over rivere Peribonka.

Take a small break to admire this project it is truly amazing. We spin around and head back on 373 as the rest will have to wait until tomorrow we will be back here to continue our 373 end to end. Now its back to local orange trail off 373 drops down to 367 all mint up here. We run to 328 and retrace a bit of yesterday’s run much nicer now after receiving the grooming. Local orange up to Lamarche. Visit to the gas for go juice, snacks and Jack. Last run up to join 367 and into Otis Nature. 

 

I have never stayed here. We were well received and had a great cabin and great dinner. Nice people great hosts great food. Nice stop,

 

Broke 200 miles today. Yay 👏👍

B01621B2-8868-4180-BD64-F1A94D1005B8.png

Edited by iceman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 Feb

Up bright and early by our standards. By 8:30 tracks are turning. First part today no brainer. Up out of Otis on 367 then orange up to 373. Completing another bingo on the card here. Left on 373. Hammer down beautifully done with the layour of the flow of this new section of 373 the entire trail for the most part is well laid out. Smooth ride. Feeling lonely out here see very few sleds until after the Chalet 49 Relais. Its nearing lunch time and lots headed up. We continue and catch the groomer who lets us pass. Trail is again perfect in front of drag. Grooming a welll groomed trail. Lovely.

Zoom through the 373 and join up with the TQ93. We head toward the relais Lac There by Girardville. Almost get taken out first turn on TQ93 here by a frigging Bozo who cannot corner i was not going fast at all and way over Snohorse seen it all. First guy black doo blows corner bad, i am right there. He turns so hard he almost rolls it. In comes light blue Yamaha Sidewinder. These two both need lessons. Riding nuts to buts and cannot stay right. Ok rant over. People ride during the week see very few sleds all day and get lazy. At least i like to think its lazy it could be simple lack of talent. Lunch at the Relais lots of local folks. Started talking with one guy he has a cottage up here but is from near Montreal. He has been up here since December 28 he has onky had to take out his snowblower twice. He said its crazy. But at least we have enough to “circulate” he said. Circulate we shall lets go. After great lunch of relais burgers and a Hot Chicken. We continue on TQ93 then take orange midlle as we call it. Down ti gas in Nirmandin. Sweet run down it’s tough to see in fields a bit with the flat light my Eyes are a year older. To 373 briefly then over to continue orange local to gas then onward through Chute L’Ours then back to join with TQ93. Now its on like donkey kong rolling the 93 here its big and fast nice and smooth. Fun level maxed. Up through Lac a Jim then return on TQ93 to close the loop and drop it down into Dolbeau. Rough coming into Dolbeau less snow here they are doing what they can but not stellar. 4 agents FCMQ checking stickers right as your arrive at TQ93 and local orange trail near town

All good. Into Auberge Dilligence we are the onky sleds here. Gas right down the road here. Nice. Ni resto but we called the big red chicken head. St Hubert. Theo at front desk let us into clised restaurant (now just two tables there) to eat our dinner. 

 

Another great day. Awesome trails, great trail mates, very low traffic. 

 

243 miles in at 4:10

 

 

66162143-F20B-4D73-8DB0-7AFA5C42DA03.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...