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2018 Jack & Sandi's trips


revct1
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16 hours ago, revct1 said:

Hi Rick.  Did it have any details?  We didn't see any police here this morning and we left on the sleds around 8:30 AM.

Jack & Sandi

Saw it on Quebec Riders Facebook page

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A few pics from yesterday.

Here is the new roadway in Alma at the snowmobile junction of 23 and 93.

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And here is Lac St Jean and my sled from Relais Vauvert where we didn't get to have lunch.

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Now on to today's ride.

Jack & Sandi

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Another cold day.  Even the locals and workers are saying how cold it is.

We have company today.  Chris from MA is riding with us.  The three of us leave the Sag and head to the Delta to get our other riding partners, the GutZ brothers.  We hope for the best.

We are heading to the north side.  It looks like a lot of trails have been groomed.  The groomers will probably take a day or two off for the holiday so they were out in force the past couple of days.  We cross the two bridges on 367 and head to St Ambroise.  We stay east on 93 and get out in the potato fields.  Boy these trails are good today.  93 goes off to our right and we stay straight on 367.  This will bring us to Mount Vilain.  367 is great and once again, no one is out riding.  We get to Mount Vilain and it is noon on Sunday and there are 8 sleds here.  I realize it is New Year's Eve and cold but the trails are ours for the taking.

We sit back, warm up a bit and have a wonderful lunch.  Always good food here.  While we are eating, the groomer appears from the west side of 367.  The snow gods are with us.  That is the way we are heading.  We finish up lunch and Sandi is in the lead going out the door.

367 here we come.  This is one of my favorite rides.  From Mount Vilain to L'Acension the 367 trail has nice character.  It is wide with rolling hills and gently turns.  As Bill would say, we are riding in "paradise".  Just before L'Acension, three sleds coming towards us and the first sled stops and motions us to stop.  Its Security checking passes.  We are all legal and they wave us on.  Glad to see them out checking.

We pull into the gas station in L'Acension and fill up.  367 was so good, lets go back and try 328.  U-turn Sandi and back up the trail.  Yes Security is there and they wave us thru.  Enjoy the cold guys, we are on a mission.  Sandi runs thru the blueberry fields with the snow dust kicking up behind her.  At Labrecque we go around the north side of the lac and drop down to Relais du Lac.  A few sleds here but again not as many as I would think on a day like this.  A short break to warm up and we are off again on 328 heading towards Begin.  We blow thru there and meet 367.  There is the groomer doing his thing coming from the north.  We get to the junction before him and turn right on 367 to St Ambroise.  Boy this is good stuff.  We continue on to the two bridges.  Here we stop for a few minutes.  The GutZ boys are going back to the Delta and we are going back to the Sag.  We are in just as the sun is setting.

We haven't rode too many days this season but this was a great day even looking back at last year.  Cold yes but fantastic trails and good company.

The next couple of days we will have to pick and choose because many places are closed for the holiday.  Until tomorrow, everyone have a Happy New Year tonight and be safe.  Cheers!

Jack & Sandi

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Today it is cold once again.  Even the locals are complaining about the early cold temps.

The GutZ boys come over and meet us for today's ride.  We aren't going to make it a big day.  Lets call it casual riding.  We cross the two bridges and head up 367.  Sandi has the chills and No Hair's shield keeps freezing up on him.  We decide to stop at Tim Horton's in St Ambroise to assess the situation.  A little coffee and hot chocolate over our opinions.  Sandi can't shake the cold today.  No Hair can't ride safely without a clear shield.  We decide to go back to the respective hotels.  No Hair heads for the Delta and the rest of us go over to the Sag.  Sandi is going to sit this ride out.

MrGutZ and I decide to see if we can find a relais that is open.  Jan 1st a lot of establishments are closed.  We take off on 83 west.  It is windy and the cold is going thru my jacket.  I even put the gauntlets on today.  83 is perfect and there is no one else out.  I wonder why?  The locals are smarter than us Americans.  They will sit this one out too.

83 still has a 500 yard stretch that is "closed" a few miles west of Jonquiere.  This was closed last year too.  It is not groomed and signed closed but it is passable.  Something is going on with the landowner I would suspect.  After that little washboard, it is smooth sailing again.  Crossing the tip of Kenogami it is hard to believe but there is a little slush in spots.  How can this not be frozen solid?

We get to Relais Grenouille and it is open.  But, no food only drinks.  Coffee it is.  After a quick warm up we will try Presbytere.  Its only 10 miles.  Off we go on 83 up and over the ridge.  The groomer has his work cut out for him when he does this section.

We arrive at Presbytere and the sign on the door says "Closed for Private Party".  I didn't get my invitation so its a u-turn here.  We cruise on back to the Delta.  I bid farewell to the GutZ boys and continue on to the Sag.  Sandi is waiting for me.  I guess I made it back before curfew time.

All I can say is the trails are in great shape but it is cold.  Without the typical traffic, I would expect the trails to maintain their sidewalk like quality.  Forecast for tonight is -30C.  Tomorrow's high is forecast to be -25C.  Brrr!  Stay warm out there.

As a side note: typical gas price is 1.18 for ordinaire and 1.32 for super.

Jack & Sandi

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1 hour ago, revct1 said:

83 still has a 500 yard stretch that is "closed" a few miles west of Jonquiere.  This was closed last year too.  It is not groomed and signed closed but it is passable.  Something is going on with the landowner I would suspect.

Super weird that little stretch between the power lines poles?! With the effort it took to put up the ferme signs they could have worked out their differences. 

Watch out for that slush on Kenogami!...

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2 hours ago, revct1 said:

Today it is cold once again...Even the locals are complaining about the early cold temps...chills and shield keeps freezing up...can't shake the cold today....windy and the cold is going thru my jacket...The locals are smarter than us Americans... They will sit this one out too...it is cold...Forecast for tonight is -30C...Tomorrow's high is forecast to be -25C...Brrr! 

 

Here's a plan that may make sense:

 

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9 hours ago, PLAYHARD said:

Super weird that little stretch between the power lines poles?! With the effort it took to put up the ferme signs they could have worked out their differences. 

Watch out for that slush on Kenogami!...

IMG_0356.thumb.JPG.75240e14a740a5cff345f4acd1cd4fad.JPG

 

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A little insight on this section of 83.  Prior to last year the club use to pay the several land owners on this section of trail $600 per year for 3 months use of the land for the trail.  That amount paid their taxes on the land.  Last year the owner of this stretch of trail wanted $600 per month for 12 months.  Several years ago trail 383 was rerouted.  This was because 5 land owners, who use to get 1 seasonal trail pass each demanded 5 seasonal trail passes each.  I imagine the same thing is what happened to the section of 383  that is closed going cross the dam and goes past the hunting reserve.  I'll find out and report back.

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36 minutes ago, Saguenay Bill said:

A little insight on this section of 83.  Prior to last year the club use to pay the several land owners on this section of trail $600 per year for 3 months use of the land for the trail.  That amount paid their taxes on the land.  Last year the owner of this stretch of trail wanted $600 per month for 12 months.  Several years ago trail 383 was rerouted.  This was because 5 land owners, who use to get 1 seasonal trail pass each demanded 5 seasonal trail passes each.  I imagine the same thing is what happened to the section of 383  that is closed going cross the dam and goes past the hunting reserve.  I'll find out and report back.

Thanks for the update Bill.  I figured it was a dispute between the club and the land owner.  Going from $600 per year to $600 per month!  I wish I could get 12 times my worth overnight.  There isn't a lot of slush on Kenogami but you don't expect any at these temps.

Jack & Sandi

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10 hours ago, PLAYHARD said:

Super weird that little stretch between the power lines poles?! With the effort it took to put up the ferme signs they could have worked out their differences. 

Watch out for that slush on Kenogami!...

IMG_0356.thumb.JPG.75240e14a740a5cff345f4acd1cd4fad.JPG

Hi Playhard.  Was that this year?  The groomer didn't go to the bottom.  Maybe it is near the shore.  I wonder if the weight of the snow cracked the ice and there is a layer of water / slush between the ice and snow?  That must have been interesting to see the club get the groomer out or did it finally go under?  We didn't see anything yesterday.  Obviously we hope the operator made it out safe.

 

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Submerged pic was last year 1/18/17, heard there was a pro extrication with long rails spanning the FUBAR'd section of ice and some kind of monster lift built on top of the rails, and 2 weeks later we took this shot on 2/1/17 and the ice was totally refrozen:

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Another cold one this morning but the sun is shinning.  I don't think we have had a clear day since we arrived.  There hasn't been any significant snowfall either but the trails are great.

Today is our last day so a short ride is in store so we can get organized tonight for the trip home tomorrow.

Sandi and I today.  SkippyDoo left the other day and the GutZ boys left this morning.  Not much showing on the grooming map this morning because of the holiday.  Lets take a ride to Bouleauniere.  We head out on 83 east smooth it is.  Turn right on 368 and there is minimal drifting in the fields.  We get to 383 south and I see tire tracks on the road and the trail looks good.  This piece of 383 is almost always rough and today it is silky smooth.  This crisscrosses the car road back and forth to Bouleauniere.  Oops Sandi, thats the road side your on.  Oh the road is rougher than the trail.  That is a first.  We get back on the trail.  Much better.  This was groomed two days ago according to the grooming  map but you would think is was groomed two hours ago.  Boy this is smooth.

We arrive at Bouleauniere and not a sled in sight.  I go up and tug on the door and it is open.  There is a lady inside and she said that they are open.  We go in and relax with a cup of coffee.

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We leave Bouleauniere and continue east on 383.  A couple of sleds coming at us.  First sleds we have seen all morning.  We get to the junction with local trail 21 to cut back up to La Baie and there is a sign stating logging activities.  The junction is further down 383 from where it was in prior years.  We take the local and it is nice.  There are a lot of stacks of wood ready to be hauled out but no workers today.  A few miles in and we pick up the old junction.  Just keep on riding. 

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We join with 83 and turn left.  The trail is still fine.  We stop at Bec Scie and there are a few sleds here and the cross country skiers.  The inside of this place is nice.  First time we have been in it since the rebuild.  Here is a shaky pic from me.

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A club sandwich for two and chocolate chaud.  We watch a couple of little kids out playing in the snow.  It is so easy for them to amuse themselves.

Time to head back to the hotel.  On our sleds and off we go for one last time.  83 is groomed all the way back to Chicoutimi.  Not a big day but a nice relaxing "smooth" ride.  It is a good way to end the trip.

I turned 6,000 miles on the 850 yesterday so I looked at how many hours on the sled.  Wouldn't you know, 200 hours.  Hmm, 30 miles per hour average.  We are not the fastest and we are not the slowest.  I guess we are just a couple of average riders.

Where do you want to go on our next trip Sandi?  Maybe RDL?  Is anybody going to be out there say the weekend of Jan 13th & 14th?

Good riding to all and be safe.

Jack & Sandi

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Thanks Jack and Sandi for all the reports! Really appreciate the info and pics while we're waiting for our first trip! Molly and I just might be up in that neck of the woods that weekend, we'll let you know. Waiting for Mayor Mikes reports first to figure out a game plan!

Have a safe trip back Sud, and thanks again, we'll see you soon

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9 minutes ago, neksledr said:

Thanks Jack and Sandi for all the reports! Really appreciate the info and pics while we're waiting for our first trip! Molly and I just might be up in that neck of the woods that weekend, we'll let you know. Waiting for Mayor Mikes reports first to figure out a game plan!

Have a safe trip back Sud, and thanks again, we'll see you soon

Hi guys,

We are waiting for a report on that new sled!

I think Mike is heading out that way in a few days.  Lets see what he is up to.

Jack & Sandi

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30 minutes ago, revct1 said:

Hi guys,

We are waiting for a report on that new sled!

I think Mike is heading out that way in a few days.  Lets see what he is up to.

Jack & Sandi

Still less than 100 miles on it right now! I took it out Friday afternoon to burn the paint off the pipe and ran off 35 miles. The first thing I did after was let Molly know what a difference she should expect! Going from a '12 600 to this thing is going to be an eye opener for her. She rode it about 60 miles on Sat and was shell shocked in the beginning, but ear to ear smiles when she shut it down! I'm going to have a hard time prying her fingers off the bars. It will be quite a change for her, but she'll be just fine. Biggest challenge will be keeping her behind me!

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