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Iceman's Season Ender part deux


iceman
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Ice Ender part deux.

day 1 Friday

This chapter began Friday Morning, After going to bed at 1am after doing my laundry, The boys were up before me and downstairs chatting with Mrs Ice before she went to school. I got up at 7:30 then went down to join the fun. It was time for Caro to go to school. I kiss her goodbye after my short visit 8hrs home with her 6 hrs of them asleep. She knows it's what i do, it's winter. We had a set plan for today. But now with the snow storm there was added items to the list. Had to clean up the rest of the snow so we could get some firewood out of the shed for the Mrs. Can't have Mrs. Ice be cold. Bad idea. I snowblowed my way to the woodshed. Kwiknick shoveled the snow at the front and kitchen doors. All this while Snohorse was unloading my parts I ordered and shipped to him in Mass. Better than fed ex these deliveries. Next I turn my attention to Snohorse's trailer, not buried but needs a bit to free her. While i do this, the guys load wood into the house. Trailer is free, wood is in, done. I go in house to finish packing and take a quick shower. Guys hook up trailer and load my white Apex in the trailer. Done here, time to move on. I take the wheel of the rig, black trail or white trail I get it done. We are off to Louiseville to pick up a pair of Ski Doo's. We arrive there just around 10:45am. We put the Enduro 12 hundy next to the Apex in the trailer. Then unhook trailer to load Kwiknick's MXZ with the new heart in the bed of the truck. Pin the trailer and back on the road. Stop at Porte de la Mauricie in Yamachiche for lunch at AW burger. Then we leave .Yamachiche at 12:15 destination Chicoutimi. Smooth trip up to La Saguenee in lobby of Hotel at 3:45. Check in load gear into room. I take time to go to restaurant to say hello to Sylvie. Been too long since I have seen her. Such a sweetheart. Spoiled when she waits on us. We get suited up and drop sleds. Time for a shakedown run. Out of hotel down 83 to 368 to Latierre then 383 toward Ferland-et-Boilleau, then up local 21 back to 83 and return to hotel with 80 miles on. Time for a dinner with Sylvie and a few drinks. Sleds great and trails are awesome. Unreal conditions. Pinch me i'm dreaming.
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day 2 Saturday 

 
No urgency this morning. Lot's of sleds here at hotel. Let's give the circus some time to leave town. We roll out past bankers hours at 10:15am. Saturday, uhhhh the horror. Not long and i'm behind 3 they are moving well so not terrible still in town so need to behave. On 83 we come to the road crossing at the Molson Beer building 4 lane road. 6 sleds waiting to cross plus the 3 in front of me, gonna be a while. Finally we get across. We catch right up not far up as the group of 6 is impeding progress badly. I remind myself that it's saturday and gonna be busy with conditions what they are and the beautiful blue skies. Finally just before the 83/367(shipshaw) split the six give way, now just the three in front of me. I'm betting they go right on 367, bingo c-ya have fun up on the mountain. Not going up there today. 83 it is and we roll trails are perfect. Temp is just right. Big sun. Happy. Down my trail 83 sector Sentier Donald, does not let me down. We roll all the way to Hebertville then head up and into Alma big loop all around town. Tons of sleds at Ski Bee Doo relais. Not us. We tour around the Ville in Alma just to kill time. Then back to 383 and direction Metabetchouan. We disperse with the occasional 2 uppers. They all think they are as fast as GT Rider and the Mrs. But they aint even close. Back to 83 this is great also. 83 west to Desbiens for gas. Next we back track ad go local orange trail up toward St Andre and on to St Francois. Some traffic here but all headed the opposite way. We been lucky. Back onto 83 and we head toward Roberval at the 355/83 they put in a new bridge on 83 just past the parking area there. We are still doing great with traffic our way. Here there is no new snow storm did not reach over here. From Roberval up on 373 is nice showing some signs of Saturday traffic in the corners but i seen much worse. To just after St. Prime and we go Local Orange right turn and up to Normandin. Take some gas here. Then back up the orange to 373 we go east and run over to 93. Left turn and direction Girardville 93 choppy here (i see now no groom there for long time) up past Girardville and left turn down the Orange local that goes down the middle. This trail is mint. We love this, it's one of our go to trails. So much so we reach 373 and I loop it around and point it right back up the same trail. It's not the same at all cause now the lefts are rights and vice versa. Whatever cause its ripping. We reach back to the top and 93 now left toward Lac a Jim. This side of 93 from the top over back west has been groomed more recently. Its very nice. Down this section of 93 to 373 then back to Normandin for more gas. Home stretch now boys, across 373 to 93 to Dolbeau. 93 into Dolbeau is groomed nicely we cruise in into the Auberge Diligence at 6:45pm. 
 
310 miles.

 

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I have to publish this disclaimer.

prepare to be underwhelmed with the photos i will probably get on this run. 

The "Team Iceman" photographers namely Playhard, NHmoose and Scorpionbowl are not with us and i very rarely stop to take pictures with this gang as we are busy riding. 

 

Lots of Sleds in the good tent and the half burnt tent. I prefer not to be dealing with that nonsense

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8 hours ago, Pipemaster said:

New 600 SDI in the ole' Girl ??

6 hundy

29 minutes ago, mcstar said:

I think that is an 800.

No she is a 6 hundy

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Day 3 Sunday

up and out of Auberge Dilligence a full hour earlier then yesterday. Nice fresh groom on the 93. We head back west and take the Local 901/701 back over the Lake and to the Local 715? Back to 373 and up to 93 and over to La Dore. We are filling in the bingo card. One trail at a time. Top gas in La Dore. Then we head out on 93 and I make a stop at the Snow Cross track so Kwiknick can take a few laps. Big mistake as its hard to get him off the thing. He is loving it. Races were friday and saturday and there was no one there this am. So it was all fun and games. I thought about going to get a case of beer and just sitting in the bleachers to watch him do his 300 miles on this track. If left to it he most certainly would have done it. Enough of this we are off. Traffic has been heavy coming from Dolbeau. Nothing worse than Sunday. Well no where better to get away than up to the Sawmill we hit 93 and burn on up to the sawmill. This trail not groomed in many days but in great shape. Into sawmill at noon. We have a discussion as we were planning to run to Chibougamau and back. But we decided to veto that and was a good choice I just was not into it. Back down the 93 and we take Local Orange 716 to Restaurant Chef for gas and a quick break water and candy bars. 15 sleds here eating. Beautiful sunny day blue skies and sun is warm everyone is out riding. We return to 93 and complete the Bingo card back and retrace our route from this AM. Back to Dolbeau then 93 to 367 still in nice shape here. Down a bit and we take the Local Orange back up to 93 in Sainte Jeanne d'Arc east on 93 and its choppy here not terrible but showing effects of all day traffic and warmth. To 900 local then 902 gas in St. Ludger and then we roll on trail is real nice. Soft but nice. Back to 367 at Relais Mt Vilain then we fly south to 328. Lots of folks out today. Can not believe how many are stopped right on sides of trail all over just drinking beers. Nuts. 

Down to 93 and into Alma. Very melty in town. Sun is doing the damage. Cruise on into to Universal Hotel at 6pm. 

319 miles. 

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Nick feeding his addiction. I think once he has to pay for the next time bomb out his own pocket he might get it. Not sure. 

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Nick's first trip to Sawmill but not that sleds first for sure. 

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giant trucks at mill for wood pulp

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Nicks sled looks like a toyDSC04942.JPG.70379bc2eaeddb04cc033dbc8d89eea7.JPGDSC04943.JPG.c3b51a0cf7d2a516899ae5423c2a422c.JPG

 

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Crazy amount of people towing the kids in the pods behind the sleds. Temps nice for the kids. Saw 2 different families with kids riding in the kid carrier with the family dog too. Very cool. Love the family time. You got to know these kids gonna grow up wanting to ride. I bet most want to ride their own sled too. After you get bounced around back there long enough and the novelty wears off I am certain they are wanting to ride their own. Good training tool. Break em in right

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5 minutes ago, PLAYHARD said:

Snohorse is the modest sort, BUT HOW FRICKIN PROUD HE MUST BE OF THE LAD?!

Absolutely, he is truly a chip off the old block. This apple did not far fall. If ya feel me. 

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Lots of folks out today. Can not believe how many are stopped right on sides of trail all over just drinking beers. Nuts. 

That's something i don't think you'll ever understand being an American. That's considered our trail side candy bars. This is as common with Quebecers as sledding in Quebec is to the Americans.

In moderation of course.

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Day 4 Monday.

 
Out of Alma Universal at 10am. Tropical up here I am overdressed. Figuring today is gonna be a mixed bag, judging by the grooming reports it's not pretty. Knowing how much traffic was out yesterday and with the temps super mild. It's gonna be not the best. Out on local groomed and at 23 is fresh groomed. I knew this part was done from the App. Now it 93 time. Zero traffic saw one local on a New VK540 and one two up all morning. It's warm bit trail is decent here. As we move closer to Mont Valin I am amazed that the shared trails are better than the dedicated Snowmobile trail, i have never seen it like this. 93 is chopped up. Kwiknick loves it but he's a motocross rider and 17 years old. Me not so much. At 93 and 328, I decide to go rogue. I'm off script, too bad. From the 93 i seen so far no way in hell I am taking 93 any further especially from here to Chapelle. Momma didn't raise no fool. I seen enough to imagine the horrors. 
 
Been years since I've been on this part of 328 we run this down and my she is a twisty one huh? Up, down, big left, then right, uphill, turn left down hill. Repeat and then then again 100 times. But its not terrible and in much better shape than 93 without a doubt. We go to the gas just past the 264 on 328. Pretty barren the store there. Was not sure gas was even open, but pump turned on when i tried it. Good to go. Gassed up and back on 328 and up 264. This trail was not looking promising. It runs along side the road to acess KM31 and Chapelle. A short ways up just as I am thinking I made a very bad decision coming this way. We arrive at a parking area there along the road and trail is now 2 big groomers wide and very nicely groomed. Feeling better about this choice now its a trail I never been on. i like it. 264 is a winner today. Still aint seen much traffic, that was yesterday. I love mondays. Happy Spring by the way, to everyone. 
We run 262 to 261 and rejoin 93 just at the road near Chapelle. 93 is very acceptable here not great but acceptable. It gets worse as we go chopped up bad with lots of mounds frozen from off trail guys going on and off trail, all corners bumpy as hell. It's like this all the way to what I call the big 93. The big road to Sacre Couer. This part is much better, the fact its so big and fast makes a big difference. We run fast here to Sacre Couer and to Coronet to gas up. 
 
From Coronet we head for the junction with tq3. Take 3 east here and it's been groomed but frozen and is kind of rough for a fresh groomed trail. Seriously it's wonky. Rough but groomed. We go to Escoumins and reach junction near club house and go left to burn some miles up the pel chat trail. We go 10 miles and turn back. It's ok but not mint, seen it much nicer. Back to relais on 3 and down a so so trail we go right on the 314 old trail to Tadoussac. Its a cul de sac now.  I never been on this trail so that's 2 more trails off the bucket list today. Not far in on the 314 from 3 we stop. I radio Phil as i see plenty of tracks here all over. We decide to turn kwiknick loose to go to town off trail on thr powerlines here. We park so we can enjoy the show. He is loving it. He would burn a full tank here if we let him. Back on task. Down the 314 pretty awesome run here and trail is great, we run it to the end. We spin around and back up to TQ3. Into jct for complexe pel chat. Its 5:15pm. A bit too early so up 3 toward Forestville at the Escoumins bypass its groomed headed east. We run 30 km and turn back to Escoumins. To the gas at Pel Chat and into Hotel at 6pm. Happy to be here today. 
Did not make it to 300 miles today.
 
 Only 285. The streak is over. Oh well we tried. 
 
There is mutiny afoot as snohorse is done with the 1200 enduro he is going back to an 850. He has had enough. 
 
Kwicnick is pushing for a package deal on 2  850's stay tuned. Not sure how this will go. 
 
We rap it up tmmrw with a run back to Chicoutimi TQ3 to TQ83 to the truck. 
 
 
Edited by iceman
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Just wanting more punch. Coming off the E-Tec 800 the 1200 is a dog. Had valve issue with it, has blown 2 belts in 2000 miles and reverse issue. He is over it.

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