viper2 Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 (edited) Arrived at LeCabanon Sun. 1/22 for a saddlebag trip to western Quebec. We planned on leaving from there because of the secure area for the truck/trailer and also because we figured if need be we could easily modify our plans. Little did we know Sun. night but this was going to be one crazy trip. I guess I should have taken my first clue Sun. night when I realized I forgot my camera charger so this will not be a photo ride report. The first day we head down toward SMDS and onto Lac Toro across to Auberge Taureau then 33 to the road and out past Canadaventure to pick up 33 north. We couldn't get gas at Repos as they were out so we went to Manwan. so far the trails were not great but not terrible maybe a typical Monday morning. We took 33 to 13 up to 100 Lacs for a late lunch. While inside it started raining and they were calling for it to continue most of the night so we stayed there 170 miles. Tues. morning and it was still rain but mixed with snow so after breakfast off we go. 2 miles out and the spring broke on the secondary cluch on my wife's Vector (sound familiar Alain?) We decide to try to continue until we can get to a dealer. Meanwhile the trails are improving and the rain really had little affect on them. At the 83/13 intersection we decide to continue to Clova rather than go into Parent for fuel and this actually was an alright choice. About 35 miles before Clova my wife stops with a bad vibration. We determine the chain is severely loose in the case and adjust it, at this point there still is gear oil in there. Just a few miles down the trail we have another sled break the shaft on the drive axle, now we have a major problem. We tow the sled into Clova and start making arrangements to get it out of there. We only have about 122 miles on at this point but are def. staying the night. We got rooms at the schoolhouse and the owner Domenic said he would get the sled to Mont Laurier the next day. When we go to drive up to the schoolhouse my wife's sled won't move the track is locked so we check the chaincase and there is no oil now we have 2 sleds going to Mont Laurier. Wed. morning we load the sleds up and make sure they are good to go then the remaining five of us start back toward the truck. We take 83 to Parent and the trails are pretty good just a couple ruts because of the soft conditions tues. then the hard freeze up. From Parent east the trail has been groomed the night before and is as smooth and as hard as glass. Anywhere that wasn't run in was very slick (If you didn't have studs) the trail was very good and from Halteparche to the 369 the trail is on what used to be the road. Oh and the break off to go to Barrage Gouin is very well marked as of now and can't really be missed. The 369 to Casey is now also by road and is very good as always. Gassed at Casey then onto Kanawata for the night. Thurs. morning we head out of Kanawata by road because the loggers are not in that area this year at least not yet. The first 25 miles goes smooth and fast until we stop at the turn in the road for Reposwhen we discover the last guy in our group forgot to strap his saddlebags completely and has been dragging them all the way from Kanawata. You could literally look through them and there was not a thing inside. All the way back to Kanawata's driveway picking up pieces of clothing on the way, meanwhile one guy in our group thinks he sees something and stops. In the process of backing up he gets the sled sideways and rolls over breaking the side of the windshield and bending the aluminum handlebar riser. I'm not kidding you can't make this stuff up, this is a group of seasoned snowmobilers not a bunch of rookies but man we could not catch a break this week. We continue to Repos for gas then 345 to LeCabanon which was very nice. We load up the sleds and make the 3 1/2 hour drive to Mt. Laurier where we meet up with the women and stay the night at the Comfort Inn. Leave Fri. morning for home in the middle of a snowstorm and put an end to the longest 600 mile Quebec trip of my life. While we didn't have the best of luck we had a great time and really could do nothing but laugh at it all. Like has been said before it's smiles not miles and this will be one of the most memorable trips ever. It helps when you have a good group like we did, everybody came home safe and lots of laughs. Hopefully we got all the bad things out on this trip. Anyone looking to head up snow conditions are good this is the time to go, also want to thank Domenic and everyone at Clova for all the help and by the way it seemed a bad day for others in Clova as there was another guy with a pretty new sled that wouldn't start and had to get hauled to Mt. Laurier that same morning. Edited February 1, 2012 by viper2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sled Dog Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Wow!! Good point about the smiles and not the miles! hopefully you got your bad luck out of the way for a while!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Must have been the hex on Clova cause the Iceman took the black trail to MT Laurier on the real ice road trucker show. WOW. Got fixed up in Mt Laurier first thing thurs morn at the Yamaha. Thanks Jean Noel and gang at Mt Laurier Sport. And my dealer Moto Thibault paving the way for the repairs so Quickly. Pierre is the man. I heard i Was the 3rd sled out of clova by truck that day left at 3pm in mt laurier 8pm. Still managed over 1400 miles for the ride. Clova is good people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Must have been the hex on Clova cause the Iceman took the black trail to MT Laurier on the real ice road trucker show. WOW. Got fixed up in Mt Laurier first thing thurs morn at the Yamaha. Thanks Jean Noel and gang at Mt Laurier Sport. And my dealer Moto Thibault paving the way for the repairs so Quickly. Pierre is the man. I heard i Was the 3rd sled out of clova by truck that day left at 3pm in mt laurier 8pm. Still managed over 1400 miles for the ride. Clova is good people. Well you were the fourth then 2 Vectors one on truck one on trailer and the other was I think a pretty new ?800 e-tec what happened to your sled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 well... seems to be a trip you won't forget :blink: statistically, after being so unlucky you should be ok for a while ;) finally, nobody hurt and you had fun... managing the unexpected is part a trip... by curiosity, how much mileage had your wife vector and the other one that broke his drive axle ??? Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Got one off my bucket list well two actually this trip. Rode the ice road from clova thru parent and to mt laurier, and rode on the Gouin reservoir never been up there. Will go back. A bit slushy eh boys. The road to parent and south from there i am sure is a lovely road when its not glare ice from the rains that fell monday. Wicked slippery is being kind. Sideways action. I love snowmobiling. All of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 well... seems to be a trip you won't forget :blink: statistically, after being so unlucky you should be ok for a while ;) finally, nobody hurt and you had fun... managing the unexpected is part a trip... by curiosity, how much mileage had your wife vector and the other one that broke his drive axle ??? Alain About 8,000 mi. on the '06 that broke the axle and 10,500 on my wife's '05 but something def. was not right on the '05 because it only has 300 moles on it (this trip only) since the chaincase was apart at the dealer for a new track, front heat exchanger and front axle bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Had the power to my fuel pump just go missing. We stopped to gather and make the run down to rabaska, at 83 and lepine rd trail. Sled was fine.Got on all set i turn key it cranks and cranks but no start. I hear relay click but no fuel pump. We switch relays i knew was not that but you need to try. Then check fuses all good. No start. Ground issue they got it going in mt laurier to get me back. It is on the operating table at my dealer. Dropped it today. Yes sunday. He knows i leave again wed. It will be fixed proper starting in the morning. Got just shy of 38,000km first time on rope ever. Yamaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Got one off my bucket list well two actually this trip. Rode the ice road from clova thru parent and to mt laurier, and rode on the Gouin reservoir never been up there. Will go back. A bit slushy eh boys. The road to parent and south from there i am sure is a lovely road when its not glare ice from the rains that fell monday. Wicked slippery is being kind. Sideways action. I love snowmobiling. All of it. Yea iceman that iceroad sounds like fun my wife said the guy was going over 70 mph and had the truck sideways a couple times. Then is would lock up the brakes for the "speed bumps" They left Clova 2 hours after the groomer operator did with his pickup and the ski doo but got there only a few min. after they did. Oh and I forgot we have a nickname for Domenic "no problem" because no matter what new problem we threw at him he said "no problem" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 The 05 chain case o-ring is tricky i've seen two on a gaspe trip go down just after dealer service. Oil leaked out and game over. Yes i rode with Ubalde my new friend for life the groomer operator. Sideways. Dealer needs make good on that 300 mile chain case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 The 05 chain case o-ring is tricky i've seen two on a gaspe trip go down just after dealer service. Oil leaked out and game over. Yes i rode with Ubalde my new friend for life the groomer operator. Sideways. Dealer needs make good on that 300 mile chain case. Yes I think that is exactly what happened I was cleaning the sled up a week before our trip and found a leak in the chaincase. I took it back to the dealer who I am very good friends with and have never had a problem and they cleaned it up and said it didn't seem to be leaking they thought they must have just not cleaned it all up after working on it but evidently that was not the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snobeeler Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Wow what a story, sounds all too familar You mentioned you stayed at the schoolhouse. Is Tamarac near there? Do you know whats different between the 2? Schoolhouse phone #. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Snowmobiling is always an adventure, we would have nothing to talk about if it was always peaches'n cream. That's what i tell everyone i ride with, you never know what's going to happen. Good to see you guys laughed it all off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 hi viper !! craziest trips are the most memorable !! groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 If you want vacation go to the beach this is adventures for sure. Its all snowmobiling.Side note, my sled will be done this afternoon, bad connection at starter solenoid sending power to fuel pump. Terminal connector on solenoid.Fixed up inspected and greased, ready to run on. Leaving thursday. 4 days over Lac St Jean and back. Giddy up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sorry, on the good side no one got hurt, you didn't spend much on fuel, and now is a perfect time to look at new iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSHM Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sorry, on the good side no one got hurt, you didn't spend much on fuel, and now is a perfect time to look at new iron. Yeah, but I bet fuel for the sled would have been cheaper than the ride to the dealer. Been there done that. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Clova is far from anywhere no brainer on the fuel cost vs truck ride. Faster by sled too, not many places in Quebec where trail is faster then road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmk Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 well at least you had a good time. I/we all have had trips like that. When I lived near you I used to be happy if I road the same miles that it took to get to the hotel and back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
600IQHO Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sorry to hear about all of the bad luck! The saddle bag deal was over the top. It is just good to hear everbody made it home safe and at the end you got to laugh it off. I know the last time I had to tow, we rode back 90 miles riding two up on a one person sled after a 35 mile tow. That sucked! I agree with Alain your next trip is going to be a good one! Keep me updated on your plans for the end of Feb. March maybe we will cross paths! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Several years back buddy had to be towed from Clova, 175 miles one way, we still talk about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dooright Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) Several years back buddy had to be towed from Clova, 175 miles one way, we still talk about it! I remember that well.. My 2005 800 rev was the tow truck (sled) the whole way ! 1 belt , 1 rear bumper ... no problem Edited January 31, 2012 by dooright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Yeah ah, no on being towed that far. Get me to a road. To each their own. Towing that far you will be fixing 2 sleds and not just belts. Anyway. Certainly nothing you will ever forget doing. Hardcore there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Wow what a story, sounds all too familar You mentioned you stayed at the schoolhouse. Is Tamarac near there? Do you know whats different between the 2? Schoolhouse phone #. Thanks in advance. The schoolhouse is up on the hill as you come into town and is owned by the same guy as the gas station. You make your reservations there and eat your meals there if you take the package. It is only a few hundred yards from Tamarac on opposite sides of railroad track. I have stayed at both nicer rooms at schoolhouse but it is more conveinent at Tamarac as you can eat in house and they have a nice bar there. I think this link will take you there it is called Auberge Clova http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/accommodation-directory/hotel/auberge-clova_14954260.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper2 Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Sorry, on the good side no one got hurt, you didn't spend much on fuel, and now is a perfect time to look at new iron. Problem is she likes the sled and not the new ones, they sit up too high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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