smclelan Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) Three of us took a little Gaspesie Loop and contrary to popular belief the trail conditions were spectacular!! I have a short report and a very few pictures, I apologize for the pictures but once you have done this area as many times as I have you don't take as many, Day 1 We left from Pointe a la Croix, it was a little scratchy out in front of the motel but by the time we went 1 kilometer or to the first look-out the trails were great. We traveled the TQ 5 till we got to the local trail that leads to Albertville, we went and had a coffee with Groomer (nope he didn't have wine!!! LOL) We left there taveled into Causapscal where we took the local trails up through Saint Alexandre, Saint Tharcius, and Saint Vianney coming out on the east side of Matane. We continued east and had lunch at the St Paulin Relais, then to Mont Saint Pierre for the night 285 miles. The trails were perfect all day. Day 2 Took off early from MSP, stopped at the look-out for a picture or two then south on the 597 to Murdochville. After a call to Patsy we decided against Perce. We continued south on the 597 for about 50 miles till we got to the local trail that goes east out to the coast just south of the town of Gaspe. The trails to this point were some of the best I have ever ridden on. We then turned North on the TQ5 the trails here were great as well, however there were two sections one around Sunny Bank and the other a few miles north of there again ( both right around the town of Gaspe) they were scratchy and bare by spots both around 3/4 of a mile in length then back to great snow. We continued around the tip through Riviere Renaud, Petiete Vallee, etc... We stopped in one spot and took a picture of a guy that had shoveled the eves out on his camp to get at it ( over 9' of snow on the level!!). Great trails all day. We ended the day back in Murdochville giving us a 305 mile day. Day 3 Left Murdochville and headed to La Cache, again great trails. The last 10 mile going into La Cache is rerouted and the scenery is spectacular to say then least. The last mile going into La Cache was a bit scratchy as well with a few bare spots, not the end of the world. Going out of La Cache toward St Paulin you have about 7 miles that have been plowed and you have to travel on a hard ice base. I put the ice scratchers down on my sled and there was no issues, one of the other guys had to duck off into the edge every now and then for a little loose snow and lubrication, none of us had any issues. We stopped for lunch at St Paulin again, then on toward Matane. We went west of Matane and onto the 591 stopping at the Abrupte in Sainte Paule for a coolie. We parked for the night at Pastili in Amqui. 175 miles. Another day of great trails. Day 4 After drinking too much the night before, we left Amqui and headed down to the Albertville Club for breakfast (no sign of Groomer, I suspect he drank too much the night before too). We then took the 587 back toward Pointe a la Croix, this trail has also been rerouted and is now very scenic. It was very bare for about 3/4 of a mile going through the town of Matepedia other than that this trail was fabulous. 140 miles for the morning. We got back to the truck by noon on Sunday and very regretably headed for home. Trip total was 904 miles and maybe 3 miles of poor trail. Everything was groomed to perfection, no traffic, great weather and great people all along the route. Edited March 10, 2010 by smclelan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 ha !! ha !! ha !! well!! your right !! i had the chance to go sledding on the thursday ,friday and saturday .great supper at the lake thursday and friday night with friends and a bottle of wine of course.came back saturday around 10 pm. woke up at 7 am sunday morning to be early at the clubhouse to meet you .did nt check ,posted pics sunday morning ,looks like i ve been ''absorbed '' by the internet or i was in the '' moon '' .completly forgot to check my e mails,ha !! ha !! saw your e mail at 8 38 am and i knew i was already late by half an hour !! :wacko: sorry for that one !! the pic of the camp reminds me back in the yesteryears ,when we were shoveling my camp,the old one .we had no room to shovel the snow.back in 77 ,went shoveling the camp with 2 of my brothers.at the lowest point of the roof ,there was 7 ' of snow !! groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quebec bob Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 Three of us took a little Gaspesie Loop and contrary to popular belief the trail conditions were spectacular!! I have a short report and a very few pictures, I apologize for the pictures but once you have done this area as many times as I have you don't take as many,Day 1 We left from Pointe a la Croix, it was a little scratchy out in front of the motel but by the time we went 1 kilometer or to the first look-out the trails were great. We traveled the TQ 5 till we got to the local trail that leads to Albertville, we went and had a coffee with Groomer (nope he didn't have wine!!! LOL) We left there taveled into Causapscal where we took the local trails up through Saint Alexandre, Saint Tharcius, and Saint Vianney coming out on the east side of Matane. We continued east and had lunch at the St Paulin Relais, then to Mont Saint Pierre for the night 285 miles. The trails were perfect all day. Day 2 Took off early from MSP, stopped at the look-out for a picture or two then south on the 597 to Murdochville. After a call to Patsy we decided against Perce. We continued south on the 597 for about 50 miles till we got to the local trail that goes east out to the coast just south of the town of Gaspe. The trails to this point were some of the best I have ever ridden on. We then turned North on the TQ5 the trails here were great as well, however there were two sections one around Sunny Bank and the other a few miles north of there again ( both right around the town of Gaspe) they were scratchy and bare by spots both around 3/4 of a mile in length then back to great snow. We continued around the tip through Riviere Renaud, Petiete Vallee, etc... We stopped in one spot and took a picture of a guy that had shoveled the eves out on his camp to get at it ( over 9' of snow on the level!!). Great trails all day. We ended the day back in Murdochville giving us a 305 mile day. Day 3 Left Murdochville and headed to La Cache, again great trails. The last 10 mile going into La Cache is rerouted and the scenery is spectacular to say then least. The last mile going into La Cache was a bit scratchy as well with a few bare spots, not the end of the world. Going out of La Cache toward St Paulin you have about 7 miles that have been plowed and you have to travel on a hard ice base. I put the ice scratchers down on my sled and there was no issues, one of the other guys had to duck off into the edge every now and then for a little loose snow and lubrication, none of us had any issues. We stopped for lunch at St Paulin again, then on toward Matane. We went west of Matane and onto the 591 stopping at the Abrupte in Sainte Paule for a coolie. We parked for the night at Pastili in Amqui. 175 miles. Another day of great trails. Day 4 After drinking too much the night before, we left Amqui and headed down to the Albertville Club for breakfast (no sign of Groomer, I suspect he drank too much the night before too). We then took the 587 back toward Pointe a la Croix, this trail has also been rerouted and is now very scenic. It was very bare for about 3/4 of a mile going through the town of Matepedia other than that this trail was fabulous. 140 miles for the morning. We got back to the truck by noon on Sunday and very regretably headed for home. Trip total was 904 miles and maybe 3 miles of poor trail. Everything was groomed to perfection, no traffic, great weather and great people all along the route. Sorry for the size of the pictures, I have a new Photo Editing program and haven't mastered it yet. I have a hard time reading your post here in Mass. where it is 50 and I know all too well that I am done for the year....really sucks knowing it is over for 10 months....you will probably get in 2 more weeks there, great post just the same!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldsmoke1 Posted March 11, 2010 Report Share Posted March 11, 2010 uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggg i new i should of went riding last week shame on me anyway glad you had a great trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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