Clova by Batmobile

[Je me souviens]

Took a trip up to paradise this weekend, we were blessed with great weather.  Saturday morning headed north out of town, skipped by Meekoos on the way through the Manzana and Normandie ZECs.  Pit stop at Lunic’s for petrol. We did not hit either of 100 lacs or Fer a Cheval because it was opening morning of moose by bow, so they are not really interested in hosting the SxS crew at this time, which I completely understand.  Took a shortcut up the road to Parent, back way onto 13 that follows the Bazin river.  Late lunch at the central in town.  You see more weird shit in Parent in the summer than you can imagine….We pushed onto Clova. In for the night by 4:30 with 220 miles for the day. Now let’s have some drinks and laughs over a great meal.  
Sunday morning we hit the dusty trail down Lepine road.  I have not rode it from top to bottom since pre covid, holy shit they have built it up!   All new bridges and signage, not to mention the extra width, it’s basically a super highway almost all the way to Clova.  Petrol at the Pensive then back into the woods at the Petawaga.  Trailside snack at snake falls, then back to the truck before 3:30 with 160 miles on the dream-o-meter. Here are some pics.

 

[Je me souviens]

[Je me souviens]

[Je me souviens]

[Je me souviens]

[Je me souviens]

[Je me souviens]

[smclelan]

Nice pictures.  Looks like good going, I suspect it is mostly differdnt areas then sledding.  Are you running any trail system or all the forestry road network.  220 miles and in by 4.30pm you must have been smoking along or had good open roads all day.  GF and I would really like to run that area next summer stopping at a couple of the outfitters.  When is the best time to do that to you avoid their early bear hunts and spring fishing?  Would early mid June be the right time?

[Je me souviens]

Hi Steve.  Saturday was light on the trail side of things because I wanted to make sure to stay out of the hunters territory, so we stayed on the main roads through the ZECs, no side trail.  I like to have breakfast at 6 and be in the trail moving by 7, the early start gives you a chance. Once we were north of the substation near fer a cheval we dipped back into the woods to Parent. I stayed on the Clova express to close the afternoon out.  Let me know when you want to Doo it and I will be your guide for the weekend.  Mid June sounds perfect to me.   
 

[smclelan]

That would be great, always good to have a guide.

[William Gaf Gaffney]

Do you see much down the lines of dirt bikes /enduros riding up there?Been doing a few BDR rides in the states thinking of putting a ride together up there.

[Je me souviens]

Yes most definitely.  I see a lot of sport touring bikes on the main roads,  and I have crossed paths with full on dirt bikes on the trails.  I try to yield to the two wheelers in the bush so they don’t have to stop.  Last time I spoke to a group on the touring bikes it was at relais 22, they were headed around the Gouin.  The first time up this year we met a guy cruising solo at the Repos.  He said he was headed to the reservoir as well.  We all agreed it was pretty ballsy to be cruising that far out solo, but hey more power to him.

 

[PLAYHARD]

Thanks for the eye-candy!

Good for the soul!

[William Gaf Gaffney]

Any talk on grooming the Lepine Rd this winter.Dominik use to groom  a portion of it yrs ago.Is it marked well enough to Pensive even if it is not groomed.

[Je me souviens]

I did not ask Dom about that.  Sad to say but I doubt we will see that happen in the near future.  Someone would have to take the initiative to meet him from the south, no funding from the FCMQ, and increased logging activity make it just about impossible to pull that one off again.