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Joliette/St-Zénon loop around Taureau reservoir photo-ride report 4march2017


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Our last ride was on February 12th at Relais 22. Since this, busy with the job+ the bad weather but especially my life partner who was knock out because of pneumonia have thrown away all opportunities of riding. My Krikri, who was now a little better, was very frustrated to not being able to follow but she just begin to feel better and riding back on a snowmobile as a passenger at this time with the current cold would have simply ruined the gains she had managed to make In the last week.

So it was solo on my venture accompanied by our partner Snowcruiser that I saddle up. Having lost my official photographer, I had to managed to take some pics myself. It's why I have much less beautiful stuff to show you but still some decent pics.

Here is the path of our ride.

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Saturday morning, beautiful sunny blue jay day -21C at start

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It was very dry at start, the dozer of Carcamps snowmobile club of Berthierville had not groomed since the rain few days ago. With the scratchers down and going moderately we had did well.


A few miles later we entered the Joliette snowmobile club territory  who have made a pass since the thaw, it already ride much better.


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At the next intersection we seen the dozer of Joliette finishing his run and have just put some ice on the cake for us

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Further along on the trails of St-Felix de Valois, the dozers also passed

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Not alot loose stuff over the hard base but was ok. We did not raise the scratchers but it would ride without.


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We chatted a bit with a couple of nice guys from Joliette before heading up toward Saint-Jean de Matha

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The Black River north of Matha near the BRP dealer Géro was still very solid and easy to cross


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The good thing in those conditions is that there are no bumps. Just beautiful, hard and very fast trails, here just south of Ste-Émilie de l'Energie


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North of Ste-Émilie the big hills were beautiful, no ice at all

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The altitude makes a big difference and at the top of the hills the conditions become winter one

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Here passing in front of the Pourvoirie Bazinet

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We followed the #63 and made a small detour on the local trail that goes to the Auberge du Vieux Moulin, starting point for the dozer of the area and which allows to make a loop and to take back the #63 farther. Very nice trail/point of view especially in the southern part

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Here during a break on the #63 between La Glacière and St-Zénon village. Beautiful conditions and much loose stuff on the trail

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With our late start it was already noon so we stopped eating at the Relais St-Zenon in front of Lake St-Louis


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After a good meal we continued on the # 63 north

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We passed the Auberge Le Cabanon and continued towards St-Michel des Saints, very nice trail


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Here just before before arriving at St-Michel, we see the village in the distance

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We stopped to refuel at the Harnois gas station near the Central. We took a moment to re-evaluate the initial plan, already 2:20pm  and we were just about to loop around the reservoir ... we won't be back home soon! After consulting, we agree to keep the initial plan and took the lake shortcut to quickly reach the Auberge du Lac Taureau.

The level is already well down and yes, it is the summer docks you see in the air in front of the chalets

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The level is not yet at its lowest and even it is necessary to be careful there are not too many big slopes to pass, it ride well.

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We see better here the level once passed the Auberge while the trail passes on the beach shore ...

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The section from there to the junction with the #33 to the Repos had a bit of ripple, nothing big but a little less beautiful. Then the #360 eastward  was really nice. This year it takes another route than usual because of wood transport . I loved this new trail a very beautiful and pretty fast path. We stopped at the dam for a few pictures but we did not stayed there long because the wind was whipping!


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The rest of the #360 was just beautiful, at its best. Let's say we caught up some time there! Very quickly, we arrived at the bridge of the Mattawin river where we took a break  away from the wind. I was able to heat up the kodak who was freeze and take some good shots

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The #345 was perfect, I think this is best conditions I had seen there on a Saturday at the end of the day. In addition, a little further south we cross the dozer who was at making it another pass!

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We stopped at the Cabanon to make a last fill up before taking the #23 south. Beautiful at first but we passed the dozer who was not grooming for nothing on that one! We stopped eating at Réal Massé around 6 pm. When parking,  enduro reverse of my partner  refused again to engaged ... He's been already twice  to the dealer for that, the last time relays replaced. Maybe a gear problem like Iceman pointed in an other post? if anyone have more info on this issue, do not hesitate to comment because apart from that it is a whole nice machine but this irritant is intermittently there since the beginning of the season and he will have to go now for a third visit at the dealer.

After a good hot and comforting meal we left around 7:15pm for the last segment of our ride. The #23 was just a little worn out by the day's traffic and we crossed the dozer that was going up about midway to St-Gabriel's Brandon. We arrived at 8:15pm in front of an ambush south of the village of St-Gabriel. A small stream that was overflowing on the trail in between two hills. We saw that there were several sleds that have crossed it but we do not know the deepness of  the water nor if it is mined below, at darkness is not evident. I was not really stressed to cross it on the throttle but my partner did not feel it, the prospect of a bath, even unlikely, left it ... cold! So why having to stress, we left in the morning to ride and a detour mean even more riding !!!

So we turned back and headed back to St-Damien of Brandon than headed west on #63 to join our morning path just north of the St-Jean de Matha slides site. We then followed our morning route integrally. We were pleasantly surprised to meet the Dozer of Berhtierville who was grooming the #43 trail near home in St-Thomas. We were finally back to our starting point at 10:00 pm with 285 mile on the dreammeter.

In summary still very nice winter conditions everywhere north of Ste-Émilie de l'Énergie. The last thaw left harder base that give outstanding trail conditions and very solids trails that are strong over traffic. Still plenty of snow up there. I know that there is again some rain/freezing rain on the forecast for the next days but feel it won't hurt so much, especially with the cold wave that it is also forecast after. We are already in march, season's is well advanced but not done for sure, still very good riding to do, in the best of what this winter have to offer to us, it is to you to enjoy it!

Alain

 

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