Jump to content

2019 Jack & Sandi's trips


revct1
 Share

Recommended Posts

Good morning Everyone,

The forecast is good.  A little warm up today and tomorrow with a high of -5C, cool Wednesday with a high -21C and then a little warmer for the rest of the week.  Nothing above freezing.  The forecast is also showing 5 cm of snow for today and tomorrow and then some light snow over the weekend and the beginning of next week, 1-3 cm each day.  No big storm in sight but a steady dusting for a few days.  We will take it.

Today with haven't decided yet but maybe Moun Vilain, the old ScoobyRaid.  Let see what the groomer map looks like.

Time to make your reservations.  Winter is here!

Jack & Sandi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where to go today?  Lets head above the river and see where we end up.  Sandi and I take off and head over to the Delta to pick up the GutZ brothers.  They are waiting in the parking lot.  Hey guys.  All Set?  Yes we are.  The four of us take off.

83 west we go.  The trail is better west of Jonquiere.  We turn right on 383.  Things are looking good.  The St Charles crossing was groomed on both sides so it must be safe to cross.  We turn right onto local trail 1.  Hmm?  This should groomed but it doesn't look it.  There are sled tracks but not much more than that.  We get to the road, route 170, and it is still bad.  383 was a lot better.  Lets u-turn and cross at Alma instead.  383 to 83 and a quick crossing on Kenogami.  We stop at Relais La Grenouillee for a Sandi break.  We get back on the sleds and continue on 383 to 562 thru St Bruno.  Its a little rough here.  Usually Alma doesn't have enough snow for Christmas week but this year they have been blessed with some snow.

We work our way over to 23 and this is nice now.  We get on the auto bridge and cross over to the north side.  Turn right on 93 and this is new.  93 has been rerouted around St Nazaire.  Typical reroute.  It has been cut thru the bush and it is a rough 5 miles or so.  We turn left onto 554 and make our way up to Relais des Lacs.   554 is real good.

Lunch time and one of our favorite stops.  The smoked meat sandwiches are great.  A few sledders and a few VTTs.  We ask about tomorrow, New Year's Day, and they are closed.  You have to check for tomorrow, the holiday, because most places are closed.

After lunch we take 328 west to L'Ascension.  The blueberry fields are super.  The trails here are always some of the best.  A lot of people stay on 93 and the major Trans-Quebec trails and miss some of these green and yellow trails that can be the hidden gems of the Quebec trails.  We fill up the sleds in L'Ascension and continue on to 93 where we turn left heading back to Alma.  93 is showing the wear.  There is snow but it is a little rough.  Thru Alma, the reroute around St Nazaire and it finally gets better.  93 is good until the where the clubs change about 8 or 10 miles before St Ambroise.  We turn right on 367 and it is still rough.  Sandi is motoring on not letting the bumps slow here down. 

This area always seems to be neglected until after New Years.  I'm not sure why but that is the way we have found it.  We cross the two bridges and we are back on the south side.  We bid farewell to the GutZ brothers for they are heading  back to the Delta via 383 and we are staying on 367 to Chicoutimi.

Overall, west of Jonquiere is pretty good.  There are thin spots here and there but again, it is still December for a few more hours.

Time to sit back, watch the TV and probably fall asleep well before the ball drops.  Happy New Year to all.  We hope everyone gets in some of their best rides this season.

Jack & Sandi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the great comments.  This morning Mother Nature is bringing in the New Year with 5 cm of snow.  It is snowing now.  It is supposed to snow thru the morning and clear this afternoon.  Mild temps are with the snow as usual.  It should be a nice day for a ride.  There won't be many places open today though.

We ride today and tomorrow and then head back to Connecticut.  We would like to get up to Mont Vilian (previously ScoobyRaid) and we haven't headed down towards Mont Apica or L'Etape.

Hmm?  The groomer map shows the groomer is coming up from L'Etape this morning.  83 was groomed and the first half of 383 last night.  That might be the ride today.  L'Etape is always open.

I didn't think anything would be groomed on New Year's Eve.  What a nice surprise.

Jack & Sandi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jack,              Tell Sandi her sled is my favorite color of all the 2019's. And tell her I can't wait to try it!!!  In the meantime I can drive Jak's new 600R for practice.

 

Happy New Year.

Mike

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are posting late but -

Its Tuesday morning New Year's Day.  Sandi is feeling the break in period on her body.  We like to think we are in great shape after 10 months away from the sleds but our aches and pains tell us the truth.  I can ride with the GutZ brothers so Sandi decides that today is truly a vacation day and she is staying in the hotel with her feet up.

It started snowing overnight.  The forecast is for 5 cm but there has to be 10 cm already.  The temp is around -10 C, mild.

I give Don (GutZ) a call.  Hi Jack.  We would like to get back earlier than later.  We have to get everything situated because we are heading home tomorrow.

OK.  Lets not do L'Etape.  We will head across the river and see if we can find anything open.  I know the gas stations on the roads will be open so gas shouldn't be a problem.  The relais will probably be closed.

I'm suited up, say bye to Sandi and head out on the 850.  83 west it is to the junction with 367.  I've got too many clothes on.  I'm roasting.  I dressed for -30 C.  I stop at the intersection and take the Dentek shirt off and throw it in the tunnel bag.  Ah, that is better.  I hear sleds.  Yep.  Here come the GutZ boys from the Delta.  Dave takes the lead and we continue on 367 to the two bridges.  This new fluff has covered up the bad stuff.  Across the bridges and right onto 134, Pickle Park.  We get to 93 and like someone else had posted, it is closed here heading west to St Ambroise.  Heading east to St Honore is open.

We continue north on 134.  It is drifted in some but Dave likes that as he powers thru the deeper fluff.  The snow flies up over his windshield and helmet.  Don and I stay more conservative and follow along.  We get to 328 and turn left.  None of this has been groomed but there are tracks from yesterday.  We cross the steel bridge and blast thru the fields until we get to the junction with 367.  We turn right with the thought of going up to Mont Vilain.  About 10 miles in we come to a fork.  It doesn't look familiar.  No red stakes, no signs on the trees and the tracks on both trails are about equal.  We decide to go to the right.  Still no red stakes.  A few more miles and we come to an intersection at a fork.  The trail u-turns to our right and goes straight ahead in the other direction.  The trail we are on has no red stakes but this intersection has stakes and arrow signs with one that says detour.  Hmm?  We missed something back there but I don't know where.  Once the groomer makes a pass, it should make sense.  We continue straight ahead.  That was the correct choice because as we push on, this is familiar.   We are back on 367.

We pull into Mont Vilain and it is closed.  The sign is on the door "Ferme".  The snow has stopped and the sun is breaking thru the clouds.  We get back on the sleds and jump down on the lake instead of staying on 367 thru the woods.  At the end of the lake we get back on 367.  Our plan is to gas up at L'Ascension.  367 isn't groomed but we can still make good time on it.  We make the little jog into Relais Jos Bonka and hey there are cars and a few sleds here.  I've never stopped here because it is so close to Mont Vilain.  Today we will give Bonka a try.

Its a nice place inside.  The relais sits right on the water where the river opens up to almost a lake.  This must be a great fishing area.  No wonder they put a relais here.  The waitress (I think she may have been the owner) speaks enough English for us to get by.  We order up and sit back.  The food comes out and the cheeseburgers are on nice Kaiser rolls.  These are all dressed with the addition of bacon.  Bacon compliments everything.  Of course the heaping pile of fries are on each plate.  A good lunch.  I'm glad we stopped.

Back on the sleds and head to L'Ascension.  Fill up the sleds and u-turn.  We were on 93 yesterday and it was showing some wear so we opted for 328 to go back.  Thru the blueberry fields and we are making time.  We get to Relais des Lacs and turn left staying on 328.  Oh oh.  This doesn't look so good.  Only one sled track and brush and small trees on the trail lets turn around.  Hey Don.  Do you need some help. 

In past years, Sandi and I have tried this part of 328 at Christmas and it has a couple of swampy areas so the groomer leaves this one til later.  Instead we run down 554 to 93 where we turn left.  This still pretty good.  Dave is still in the lead and then Don and myself. We pass Relais Montegard.  Its closed.  This relais has been sporadic the past few seasons. 

A couple miles further and the 850's hot engine light comes on!  Not a good sign.  I pull over and shut it off.  Is this a replay of Sandi putting a stud thru the heat exchanger on her 1200 last year?  The dealer told us these new one ply tracks typically go after two years.  This is the beginning of the third season on the 850.  How long before the GutZ boys realize the tail gunner is missing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, mikerider said:

Jack,              Tell Sandi her sled is my favorite color of all the 2019's. And tell her I can't wait to try it!!!  In the meantime I can drive Jak's new 600R for practice.

 

Happy New Year.

Mike

 

You got it Mike, anytime. Looks like may be up mid January. BTW, mine is all black, my favorite color.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hear sleds.  Yes it is Don and Dave.  I tell them what happened.  Lets tip the sled and Dave you look underneath.  Hey Jack there is a lot of pink snow at the front of the tunnel.  Ugh!  That is what I thought.  What's our plan.  We could tow it back but it is 30-40 miles.  The next road crossing is just a mile down the trail and the road is route 172.  That would make it easy to get to with the truck.  We decide on that.  On the opposite side of route 172 the trail bears to the right and there is a driveway straight ahead.  We will put the 850 over there tuck in behind the pile of snow.

I jump on the back of Don's sled and off we go.  This is going to be a long ride.  Don pumps up the air suspension to compensate for that cheeseburger and fries I just had.

We get to 93 in St Ambroise and turn right.  I can appreciate all those early years when Sandi rode passenger on those old sleds.  How do those Canadians go flying by us with the girlfriend on the back?  Well, I'm paying my dues today.

We go to the Delta.  It saves 10 miles of two upping.  I know Sandi is getting concerned by now.  It is later than my scheduled return time.  The GutZ brothers go to their room and get rid of the extra clothes.  I see Bill and JD in the lobby.  Cindy and her Bill are also there.  We chat for a few minutes.  Don and Dave come back down and the three of us get in their SUV.  Over to the Sag and Sandi is looking out the exterior door of the room.  She looks concerned.  Jack is here in the car?  No sleds.

I explain what happened.  No  one is hurt.  The sled isn't crashed but we have to go play fetch.  Don and Dave offer to go with us but the sled should start once it has cooled down and I can just drive it into the trailer.  I thank them and tell them if I get stuck, I'll call.  They agree and head to the Delta.

Sandi and I get in our truck and run down route 172.  It is almost 30 miles by truck.  As we get closer to where the snowmobile is, I get a little anxious thinking, what if the sled is gone?  We always have these bad thoughts.  Ah!  There is the 850.  Relief.  We pull in.  I try the 850 and it starts right up.  I spin it around and get it in the trailer.  I tie it down and we head back. 

On the way back we stop at the Delta and update everyone and thank the GutZ boys once more.  Looks like our first trip is one day short of what we had planned.  Time to go to the Sag and decide what's next.

Like we say, snowmobiling is always an adventure and you never know what it is going to bring.

Jack & Sandi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, revct1 said:

Hey Jack there is a lot of pink snow at the front of the tunnel.  Ugh!  That is what I thought. 

Hi, Great reports as always.

Just curious, but was it a conventional stud that took out the heat exchanger or a pre-studded track? How many miles on the track?

Always a plus when it dies near or at a road crossing. I never seem to be that lucky........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well that sucks Jack. I guess I wonder about the single ply tracks. If they Are strong enough to hold up to regular studs or is there something else.  

I have a friend who had a 850 in the 129 track last year with the prestuded track and the lugs pulled off the belts. He said ski doo said it was from too aggressive riding and wouldn't help in anyway.  I believe he was a little hard on it. Maybe too much power for a short track. I don't know.  He traded for a renegade 900 turbo. 

 Back to the tracks, we have 850 renegades with 137 track that are the same as are 800 2015 sleds and we had problems with wheels coming apart.  The wheels that came apart were the ones running over the push though studs. Now on our 2018 sleds I bought the screw in type from a guy at the Syracuse show that I installed myself. First I didn't put nearly as many studs in as the pre studded tracks. Any way after one season, all in Quebec mostly, I don't believe we lost a single stud and our wheels look like new.. They don't grab on sheer ice like a push though but they do keep you straight on a Quebec trail.  Now David thinks we have a 2 ply track on our sleds and I'm not sure.  The specs don't say 1 or 2 ply on our adrenalines.  

 I guess I didn't ask but do you have a pre studded track or push though Jack. And of course how many miles are on your track. I believe this is your 3rd year. 

  End of my questions.  Be safe all and happy new year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...