Joliette/St-Donat Black Mountain photo ride report 4february2017

[towing]

The weather is not much cooperative these last days, and on our side everything seems to align to keep us out of riding. In addition to the temperature, I was not able to get my week of vacation this year to make a snowmobile trip as by years ago. Negotiating with my boss I finally get to have 2 days of vacation to make me with a weekend a 4 days trip possibility but last Sunday I had to take my Krikri that was feeling sick since a while to the hospital and degrading fast, diagnosis: pneumonia. She is on medication since a week and still have hard time just to walk at home and it's painful when she cough so I think we can forget the snowmobile trip this season... seems it was our destiny

To encourage us a little, I put here the report of our February 4th ride that I was too busy to put online before. This is the beautiful loop of 230 miles from home in the area of Joliette towards the Black Mountain of St-Donat

Leaving home in St-Thomas de Joliette



The trails were very nice on this cold morning. We went toward Rawdon



A small pic break near the Ouareau river along the trail





Here a little further past the village of Rawdon, the Pontbriand lake which was beautiful and fast



At our side our friend Steph who was with us

Here along the #125 road



We passed Chertsey



And continued north.





Here arriving at Notre-Dame de la Merci

We continued our progress on the trail #310north



And seeing that it was still early we decided to go to the Black Mountain before lunch by looping through the trail #317 to pass on the south west side of the Mountain



The Montagne Noire had really donned his white coat for us, very snowy and beautiful.



Only the sun had sulked us, it snowed all the way we were there. Here my Krikri who was still in good shape at the time



The Gray Jays were there to the delight of the youngs ...



And the olders...





There were even other specimens that were hoping some food from us, very cute



We then continue and loop on the other side of the mountain

Even more snowy on this side











We went toward St-Donat by the Archambault Lake.



The visibility was limited by the snow that was still falling



We stopped to à la Cuillère à Pot around 12:15 but the place was already more than full capacity with a line-up at the door. So we continued to St-Donat downtown ...



And stopped at the Montagnard which was about half full when we arrived. We ate well with good service



After we were well filled as well as our sleds, we continued our loop taking the #33 towards St-Zénon



The weather stayed cold all day and the trails were beautiful




 

We went through the Coin Lavigne ...



On the trail just in front Coin Lavigne there was transport of wood but just a couple miles on the #33. The local trail which link with the #63 was closed because of this wood transport (in red on the map)


 

So we continued on the #33 north


 

Up to the next intersection that we took east which brought us back to #63, just north of the Glacière.



It was already too dark for other pictures. We followed the #63 south up to St-Jean de Matha where we refilled and had our supper at the small pizzeria next to the McDonald's.

The return went well and we finally been home around 7pm with a 230 miles on the dreammeter, which concluded the report of our 4th February ride, a beautiful winter ride.

Returning to the current conditions, with the cold being back and some snow expected this week the trails will surely be nice on the majority of the trail network around. Some rivers or lakes maybe to be checked especially in the very south of our area but still plenty of snow even at home. Take a look at the updated details on the trail conditions website Snowmobile trails conditions Lanaudière Mauricie - Snowmobile Country in Quebec (Maps, Trails and Snow conditions) - Tourisme Lanaudière for Lanaudière and Mauricie.

Hoping to ride again soon...

Alain

[iceman]

Hoping Krikri is feeling better soon. Make sure she is getting lots of rest. The pneumonia can be tough if you don't take the time to rest and not try to do too much. 

Sorry to hear. 

Hang in there Alain and take good care of Krikri. 

[PLAYHARD]

LOTS of best wishes for Krikri's speedy recovery!

 

[vt_bluyamaha54]

A nice report as always Alain. Do take care with Krikri's pneumonia as Iceman said, extra bed rest seems to be as important as medicine to conquer it. 

[Cnc]

Nice report and hope your wife gets well soon.  Your pics of Notre-dame de la Merci and St Donat brings back summer memories, We road through there on bikes several times on motorcycles from here in Mt Tremblant. Not that far by road but a long way by trail in winter. I am hoping this new trail connection from Tremblant to St Agathe promised for next season will make it easier to get there from here.

[grumpysanta]

Hope you guys get some more good rides in this winter ,get well soon  Krikri .

[towing]

On 2017-02-26 at 10:26 PM, iceman said:

Hoping Krikri is feeling better soon. Make sure she is getting lots of rest. The pneumonia can be tough if you don't take the time to rest and not try to do too much. 

Sorry to hear. 

Hang in there Alain and take good care of Krikri. 

With a strong medication it's bearable for her but she's in bad shape. She will need alot of rest, really more that she first expected. I anticipate that she will try to restart too early but by now she had so little energy that it is not a problem! Hoping for the best

On 2017-02-26 at 11:12 PM, PLAYHARD said:

LOTS of best wishes for Krikri's speedy recovery!

 

Thanks Playhard , you make her laugh a bit !

On 2017-02-26 at 11:45 PM, vt_bluyamaha54 said:

A nice report as always Alain. Do take care with Krikri's pneumonia as Iceman said, extra bed rest seems to be as important as medicine to conquer it. 

Thanks vt_bluyamamaha54! Yes a have the doctor recommendation list and apply it to the letter. Pretty sure her sled season is done.

 

On 2017-02-27 at 9:40 AM, Cnc said:

Nice report and hope your wife gets well soon.  Your pics of Notre-dame de la Merci and St Donat brings back summer memories, We road through there on bikes several times on motorcycles from here in Mt Tremblant. Not that far by road but a long way by trail in winter. I am hoping this new trail connection from Tremblant to St Agathe promised for next season will make it easier to get there from here.

thanks Cnc! I hope too to see this new trail connection one day but since the time they promise it to us I really wonder if we will ever see it, really hard develop trail in this area.

On 2017-02-27 at 11:48 AM, grumpysanta said:

Hope you guys get some more good rides in this winter ,get well soon  Krikri .

I surely will hit the trails myself but I doubt Kristine will do... I know she will sob to see me going sledding and not being able to follow.

[Cnc]

36 minutes ago, towing said:

thanks Cnc! I hope too to see this new trail connection one day but since the time they promise it to us I really wonder if we will ever see it, really hard develop trail in this area.

 

Hi Towing,

I know we hear rumours and promises, but I think this time it is for real! There was a big press conference  held by the FCMQ at the comfort inn in Tremblant in January to announce it.