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Exploring new ground.


iceman
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Gonna put this report here as we covered more than one region today and so here it is. 

This ride came out of necessity as Iceman originally had all week to head out and ride, However that changed Saturday when my time off was canceled. So it is what it is. I now need to be back in Shawinigan to work Tuesday night. So with this in mind. Ideas of going up to Saguenay were squashed. We decided to take advantage of the early conditions and the three days we have to ride to just ride trail we probably would never choose to normally and boldly go where many here would never bother. So it was decided.

Day 1 Sunday. 

Pretty nippley cold this AM but hey it's winter. We are in no rush as we bag up and leave Relais Iceman at 9:30am. Snohorse and I are headed TQ3 ouest until it ends. So we are off. Trails are real nice as we head west and we make our way along not alot of traffic with the cold this AM. We are taking 3 and 3 and 3 . Through Yamachiche and Louiseville on to Maskinonge then further west to L'Assomption. Near L'Assomption was a bit of goat trail through a swamp they have not groomed yet but nothing too bad. We did pass a section of "no mans land" with trees bent over bad for several miles leaving only one sled wide to get through....Further yet and we arrive through Terrebonne then to Mirabel through Lachute then we come to the end of TQ3. This is where we join 317 and we are repeating the ride Trailblazer did yesterday. Up 317 to Lac Macdonald around and past Auberge du Chasseur. We continue on and now it's been dark and we are not sure where we are gonna go. I find on my gps Hotel Lac Carling. Sounds good to us both. We arrive and are struck by the sheer size of this place. It's enormous. Pull up in front 4 stars. Sold. In we go. It gets better. With taxes and Breakfast $150 Canadian. Giant room gotta love love love it. Oh and free heated garage under the building just like at the Manoir Casino Charlevoix. Sweet. They are just open again under new management, first season open in 6 years. They are super snowmobile friendly and soon the sports bar will be open right here in the same building. Had a great dinner and met the Director of food/beverages and events. His name is Luc and a super guy. I've got all his info as he wants to become an advertiser on QR. This place is well worth the trip over here. Indoor pool and hot tubs. Wanna play tennis? 2 indoor tennis courts. Full spa. All the winter sport activities you could want. You need to check this place out and if you get near here show them some love. You will be glad you did.

For Scorpionbowl theres plenty of free Ice and fast free Wifi. 

280 miles today. Long day but fun riding trails you never been on. 

Sorry camera dead. 

But check out

https://hotellaccarling.com/

Looks as if there will be no avoiding rain coming this week. So going back Tuesday is not such a bad thing. 

 

Edited by iceman
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Nice, I know most of those trails from lachute north quite well and certainly Carling lake, never stayed there though I don't live to far away. I heard they were openning again and looking to attract snowmobilers. Sounds like your having a good trip.

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food , bar ,  gas and rooms at Hotel Chasseur .  a second choice .  less fancy for the area . and those trails were in good shape for this time of year . trailblazer and myself  did that loop while we explored the new trail  from Lake Mcdonald to Weir to avoid that big detour on 43  to go west great job by the club  and nice 10km.  to avoid all that  trouble above lac des 16 islands

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6 hours ago, Fozzy said:

I had a round of golf there a few years back. Never even thought of sledding around there and always just seem to pass by it in the truck to go more north.

Will be a nice ride for me from Ottawa.

It would probably be a safe alternative to leave a truck and trailer and saddle bag from there. Mont Laurier would be doable from there in one day via Montcalm / st Remi/ Labelle and up the petit train de Nord, the trails are nice.

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Day 2 

Monday

internet not the greatest. Quick check in. 

Left Hotel this am and took local trail back to hotel Chasseur to get gas. Then on to local trail and south back to 3 in Mirabel. Rough going for 30km bent over trees and not groomed only broke br groomer no drag. Long. Back to 3 then up on 33 to 43 up and to St Come. Then to Glaciere. onward to Real Masse. Arrived and they were closed. No dice there. Saddled back up and on to Le Cabanon. In and happy a mere 190 miles this day. 

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Masse is usually open till 11-12 or later...  We rolled in one night truck and trailer at 11:00 and they were very helpful...  Cant beat the ability to keep your sled in a heated locked garage at night...

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37 minutes ago, Teet F8SP said:

Masse is usually open till 11-12 or later...  We rolled in one night truck and trailer at 11:00 and they were very helpful...  Cant beat the ability to keep your sled in a heated locked garage at night...

Was 6:00 pm. 

Pulled up lights out in restaurant. We stopped and Gilles comes to door and let's us in. He said they closed restaurant cause only had 2 sledders in last 4 hours since the afternoon. We could have stayed but there was no food. Iceman need food. So on to Le Cabanon. No worries 23 was a racetrack to Cabanon. Awesome.

more good news my boss called me and told me keep riding he will handle things without me. So we stay up here near St. Michelle to ride out this weather coming. 

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9 hours ago, NH-Moose said:

Wow, Carling looks like a great find. I see some squiggles on your map, Iceman no likely squiggles ;<)

Ride on!

Awesome place. And Squiggles not bad at all is the bent over trees that suck.

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9 hours ago, NH-Moose said:

Wow, Carling looks like a great find. I see some squiggles on your map, Iceman no likely squiggles ;<)

Ride on!

Awesome place. And Squiggles not bad at all is the bent over trees that suck.

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46 minutes ago, Trailblazer said:

Carling a nice place for sure, I drove by that place a few times heading to the cottage, too early for me to stop on my way riding north though.

So you were in my backyard and at my watering hole too!

Yes we were following you around.

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Day 3 Tues. 

Today was a "back to our roots" loop. Riding the backyard playground. We are hiding up north from any rain we will see how it works out. 

Left Cabanon on 345 and it was excellent as my wife would say "it was more than good" hard and frozen we are railing it. We fly down to river crossing and on to join the 360/345 we go right and run down another perfect trail to make the left on 345 to get to M-20. Quick stop at intersection of M-20/345 then right on the best kept secret in the region M20. Wow she was a stunner today. Fast and hard. We burned it. Back to 360 and its just as nice. Just 10 from the bridge we catch a group of 6 in the tight part before the bridge at Mattawin. Tabernac hey at least they are doing the speed limit. But if i had to ride like that all day I would hang up my helmet. Too slow for Iceman and crew. At the bridge we make short work of the gang and pass them up to best em to the gas. Stop at Gas in Mattawin for a soda and candybar. Left Cabanon at 9:30 at Gas in Mattawin at 12:00pm with 93 miles via the M-20. Do the math. 

Ok off we go 360 to St Joseph de Mekinac. Nice trail here tighter then the others today but that is life. 2 sleds coming at me using it all. I just don't get how these guys ride nose to butt and right up the middle with zero regard for others. I may ride fast but I am in the weeds on the right always. Never up the middle. Just stupid. On a small tight trail like that. Passed trail to River it's not open yet. Continued on to St Joseph there is a small change coming into town but nothing major. Now we decline the gas here and trail 360 now becomes just so-so compared to trails we seen in St Zenon and to Mattawin. There's lots of snow but it's bumped up and I don't get it. Lazy efforts by the club here. No other excuse. Lack of grooming period. It's like they thought Scorpionbowl was coming today not Iceman, come on now. This trail has changed too. near the end where it joins 23. It arrives a bit further east on 23 then before. We join 23 and it's no better than 360. Don't get me wrong it's ok just not great like others we saw. We are picky. 23 to Grand Mere and onto the river. Quick stop to look at river direction north. There are sticks going up but i am certain it probably goes just to St Jean des Piles and no further yet. 

We continue on 23 and take gas in St. Flore at Petro T. 23 was just so so all hills bumped up bad and all the corners. Was junk all the way to 349 then like night and day. White Asphalt was back. The club here grooms right. Absolute bliss all the way back on 23 to join 345 and just super all the way back to Cabanon. 

240 miles 9:30-4:30 door to door 

snowing here lightly calling for 4 inches. 

Met snappyhank and combat super nice gentlemen here.

Also ran into dave. df1013 and his gang from Jersey  nice to meet them and talk trail.

Tommorrow to Barrage Gouin. Then Thurs at Windigo. Friday St. Raymond.

will try a few pics but internet tough here

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Pics

end of TQ 3 West end. Someday I will see the East end

 

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Pics from Hotel Du Lac Carling 

Waterfall near front entrance 

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First Team sticker ever placed in QC

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River looking north

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Edited by iceman
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