Trailblazer Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 Keep it up Tom and your daily average is gonna 300+ Ride'm like ya stole'm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowfarmer Posted March 7, 2016 Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 420 miles , a parade , lunch , are you carrying a pee bottle like the truckers ! Lol. Nice going Tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Day 4: Woke up to 6" of new snow overnight +30*F & snowing lightly. Had a great breakfast then loaded the sleds & hit the trail at 8:00am. Took TQ93 west to TQ83 south & headed towards Ville-Marie. Today was a full day of what I call "middle age stutter bumps". 40-55 mph & choppy in all the turns. The weekends traffic had deteriorated the trails somewhat in most of the turns. Just like when you're boating in choppy waters you need to hit the gas & go faster to ride over the crests of the waves, so to was today's sled ride. Hit the throttle, hold on tighter & stay with your right ski hard right in the untouched smooth snow next to the birm. Today was arm & shoulder workout day. Game on. Don't cross the imaginary yellow line & get it done. Took 303 shortcut down to TQ63 west. Took gas in Latulipe & got on 309 north. I've always wanted to run this trail up thru Rapide-Sept & today was my turn. Took a few liters of fuel after passing the dam & headed in to Val-d'Or & the Forestel for the night. 267 miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcstar Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Nice run Tom! We are at the Quality inn in Val Dor due to Artic Cat dealer otherwise we would of met there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowfarmer Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 The fresh snow always helps softens things up ! Beautiful ride up 309 when it's not to rough. Enjoy today cause tomorrow the rain suits come out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 What a trip! Late season riding can be great when everything falls in place. Keep those horses running. Jack & Sandi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Day 5: Left Val-d'Or at 8:00am under cloudy skies and a threat of afternoon rain. Decided to make a run north to avoid any rain. Took TQ83 east to Louvicort & filled gas tanks. Continued north to Senneterre & jumped on TQ93 west for another run at my favorite trail. Took gas in Amos & headed north on 396. This western leg was closed these last few years I believe. I've always loved the run up to Matagami. The 7" of snow from the night before last made today's ride due north extremely fun, smooth & cushioned. Very little sled traffic since new snow. Topped off tanks in Saint-Felix & continued to the Relais Club Matagami & hung out for a while & snacked. Stoked the wood stove fire. Yo Iceman----No sticker! It's been snowing for the last 4 hours. Continued north to Hotel Matagami for the night. Fun, easy, effortless day today! 251 miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Pretty certain there is one at that Relais Matagami. or was one. Nice run fella's. That western 396 has been open, from above Amos, the trail 396 used to go over and end near La Sarre. That part was/has been closed several years now. Nice run fellas. Ride on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
im4snow Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Pretty certain there is one at that Relais Matagami. or was one. Nice run fella's. That western 396 has been open, from above Amos, the trail 396 used to go over and end near La Sarre. That part was/has been closed several years now. Nice run fellas. Ride on. Was there last Fri and the first thing we noticed was no Team Iceman sticker. You have work to do!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Was there last Fri and the first thing we noticed was no Team Iceman sticker. You have work to do!!!! So many trails so little time. I'll get on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT Rider Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Great run Tom. Keep it going. I think there is a QuebecRider sticker on the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Day 6: One of the great things about Hotel Matagami is they open for breakfast at 5:00am due to all the mine & lumber employees in the area. Had breakfast early then cleaned off & loaded the sleds & pulled out at 6:30am. It had snowed 3" overnight & then rained creating an ice layer on top of everything including the new snow. Given the warmup & rain predictions we decided to stay north & head back east. There was a light fog but no precipitation. Took the eastern spur of 396 down to LSQ & got gas. 396 was quick & smooth but the crusty layer created some darting issues. Continued on TQ93 east & took fuel in Desmaraisville, Chibougamau, Scierie 54 & La Dore. The fog continued on & off all day. After passing Chibougamau it started misting & shortly thereafter light rain on & off the rest of the ride. Pulled in to Hotel du Jardin in Saint-Felicien at 5:30pm. Unloaded & hung up everything to dry out. Just had a great dinner & time to sleep! 427 miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northbound Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Snowman, You' re doing two days of riding in one day, and still find time to dig out? You're my hero. I've been following but have not had a chance to post. Earlier you talked about the connector Ontario trail between Cochrane and LeReine. I read on HCS this year that the Ont. club responsible for grooming it is down a groomer this year, so could not open it. It seems like it is often a late trail to open. Last year we rode it from Cochrane to Amos on a trip when we saw it was open, its a rail trail. About 10 or 20 miles out of Cochrane over freshly groomed trail we came across a stuck groomer. I helped him dig out, unhook and rehook his drag. Talking to the very nice man he told me that that the trail takes 12 hours to groom each way. he grooms to Lereine, spends the night and then grooms for another 12 hrs. the next day home to Cochrane. The amazing thing about the story was that the man was a volunteer. His paying job was as a dairy farmer. I hope the trail will be open in the future. It just made me think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neksledr Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Tom, that's unbelievable! Nearly every sled in Canada was parked yesterday, and you tick off 427!!! What are you drinking tomorrow night, first ones on me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 Calling it quits at 5:30 Tom...you getting old, you still had time to rip down to the Delta, say hello to Bill and enter the 500 mile club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 (edited) Day 7: Woke up to +22F & cloudy skies. Saddled up the ponies & pulled out of Saint-Felicien at 8:45am. Today's plan was to circle Lac Saint-Jean clockwise making sure to hit as many orange trails as possible. Took 373 / 815 / 715 / 701 / TQ93 / 367 / crossed Saguenay in Shipshaw / 383 / 563 / TQ23. After taking gas in Saint-Bruno we checked all weather forecasts. Not wanting to have our last 2 days riding in to Shawinigan be lousy trail conditions given the high temps forecast we made the game time decision to head down TQ23 all the way to Saint-Raymond. TQ23 above Relais Mont-Apica needs a grooming. The gas attendant said the groomer will be coming tonight from the north. Doesn't help us today. I was worried going south from there would only be worse. We were pleasantly surprised that it was much better yet softer as the day got warmer in the afternoon. Took gas in L'Etape and continued south. Pulled in to Hotel Roquemont in Saint-Raymond for the night at 7:00pm. Melting hard here. Currently still 34*F. Lots of trucks & trailers in parking lot. Trails will get trashed if the sled traffic is high this weekend with the forecast temps. 344 miles Edited March 11, 2016 by Florida Snowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowfarmer Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 A wise decision! Saw a lot of trucks on the 401 with trailers heading to Quebec yesterday on the way home . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT Rider Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Tom, You are really getting the most out of your days on this run. What a trip. Wow that waist deep snow looks like a 2 hour speed bump for me. Looks like barely a blip for you with the 4xx mile days you guys are doing. We hope the weather holds up for you guys. Thanks, Jim & Gemma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Day 8: Woke up to clear sunny skies & a temp of +30*F. Loaded sleds & pulled out of Saint-Raymond at 8:00am. Took TQ73 / 353 / TQ23 / LT & arrived at truck in Shawinigan at 10:00am. Trails were crusty & lumpy from yesterday's melt/thaw & last nights refreeze. Loaded sleds, changed clothes & hit the black trail to my favorite dealer Pierre Parent @ Motos Thibault in Trois-Rivieres. Continued on the black trail & arrived home in NJ at 7:30pm. All in all another fantastic trip to Quebec with very good to excellent trail conditions thruout. I'm already getting itchy to ride my sled tomorrow! It's a LONG time to wait until next winter for sure! I was very lucky to get two trips in this winter with very good conditions for both of them considering the low snow, rain, El Niño etc......... Today: 90 miles on white trail 505 miles on black trail Overall trip total on sleds: 2365 miles in 7.25 days of riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 All's well when it ends well! Glad to hear the details about your trip. Another epic adventure for sure. Have a good off season Tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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