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Northern smack down 2019


snowmaster2112
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I have a couple bonus pics and trip summary report coming after dinner tonight. Here...at home south of Rochester I have to take advantage of the 50F day by getting the truck and sled back in launch condition. Then I have to get the boat out of storage. Thinking about going out on the lake.

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3 hours ago, snowmaster2112 said:

I have a couple bonus pics and trip summary report coming after dinner tonight. Here...at home south of Rochester I have to take advantage of the 50F day by getting the truck and sled back in launch condition. Then I have to get the boat out of storage. Thinking about going out on the lake.

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Jeepers, and i thought i had trouble relaxing for a moment! Whats after the boat ride? Split a cord a wood and reroof the house ! LOL!

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Than you for sharing your adventures Christ, You have all the talents to make incredible trips and to write them here like nobody else... a delight to follow!!!

thank you again to had virtually bringing us with you on your trip!

 

P.S. funny the golwing sticker!!!

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The evening with Alex, Elphonse & Samuel (other natives from other camps randomly joined too) was a night that will be etched in my mind for eternity. I was playing “music trivia” with them using my song/artist list off my IPhone to a Bluetooth speaker. You would be very surprised at how many they got (and the ones they didn’t). We were all so drunk and shouting that the next morning it took me two hours to regain my voice. The 11p.m. 30km trip with “Elphonse” up the 93 a bit then back some logging road was as fun as it gets. We had to go get extra blankets and a few extra things at one of their buddies camp. 

 

Here are my three new friends from Waswanapi. Alex Blacksmith on left, then Elphonse (he’s actually from Portugal) and Samuel Blacksmith. This pic was taken just as I was about ready to leave yesterday morning about 7:30. We were all celebrating our night together and New Years Day with a nice toast of red wine (I had enough left to share).

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A BIG THANK YOU goes out to all the folks who made my trip so memorable, comfortable and just downright FUN FUN FUN

Bobbi & Manon at Auberge Tiblemont on Lac Tiblemont- two GREAT hosts and people. I will be back for sure and would never hesitate to recommend their establishment to any snowmobilers either passing through or basing out of.

Isabelle (the Gazelle) & Pierre-Luc from Hotel Opemiska in Chapais. The place simply cannot be beat

David, David , Janelle and Pierr-Luc for showing me the cabin and how boondockers in Quebec ride

Nancy from Desmairsville for always being the sweetie she is. (Natives were telling me secret stories of Nancy from long ago)

Kenny Loon from Mistissini and his lovely wife for cooking the great native food and sharing/teaching me about native traditions

Bruce Wapachee police officer from Mistissini for not arresting me and taking me to jail

Eddy from the front desk at Auberge Mistissinni for showing me the rooms and talking with me about all things Mistissinni 

The people from Adele’s restaurant in Mistissinni (forgot to ask if Adele was there) I want to meet her

The people in Chibougamau who put on the LOVELY Christmas themed display on their property 

The Lord Savior Jesus Christ (otherwise just known as Eric) in Chibougamau for pulling me out of the ditch and saving me and my back

And a special thanks to Alex, Elphonse and Samuel for taking/inviting me in and giving me a New Year’s Eve I will never forget

BUT.........the MOST IMPORTANT thanks goes to my lovely wife Sandy who has supported (and continues to ) support all my crazy snowmobile activities over the years. Thanks honey !!!! I owe ya big time.

1539 miles on my new Enduro now from the last two northern runs. Two SPECTACULAR trips that will never be forgotten 

 

 

Edited by snowmaster2112
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7 hours ago, towing said:

Than you for sharing your adventures Christ, You have all the talents to make incredible trips and to write them here like nobody else... a delight to follow!!!

thank you again to had virtually bringing us with you on your trip!

 

P.S. funny the golwing sticker!!!

I learned from the best. Some guy and his wife up near Joliette that drive a blue Yamaha around like crazy

Edited by snowmaster2112
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On 12/31/2019 at 8:26 AM, Florida Snowman said:

Hey Chris,

Get an extra bedroom for me when you rent that house in Alma!  I want a sand floor please!

Have fun & be safe today on your ride in. 
 

Best,

Tom

Some lady was telling me that there is a nursing school in Alma and that’s why the have so many pretty young girls

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Here is a pic yesterday from the little club shack in Lebel-Sur 

ingenuous and I wish THEY ALL had one of these.

12volt lights inside. Just drive up, click on and walk in and flip the switch

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Also forgot to mention my new friends in Miquelon were telling me that they are more than seriously supposed to start laying tracks down  again on the 93 trail for a functioning railway again. I said no effin way and they were adamant it’s going to start happening soon. 

Think,they said from Lebel-sur-Quévillon to Chibougamau for logging and mining stuff

Anyone have any info on this and what would possibly happen to the “northern corridor “ trail if they do this

i was simply dumbfounded when they told me this

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13 hours ago, snowmaster2112 said:

 

Also forgot to mention my new friends in Miquelon were telling me that they are more than seriously supposed to start laying tracks down  again on the 93 trail for a functioning railway again. I said no effin way and they were adamant it’s going to start happening soon. 

Think,they said from Lebel-sur-Quévillon to Chibougamau for logging and mining stuff

 

I really do not see this coming to fruition, that said one never knows.

I hope they get all the necessary permissions and signatures before they do the work. And spend all the $$$$$ unlike some other projects. Might be a moose or two who object to having trains pass their driveways. Very unsafe. 

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7 hours ago, iceman said:

I really do not see this coming to fruition, that said one never knows.

I hope they get all the necessary permissions and signatures before they do the work. And spend all the $$$$$ unlike some other projects. Might be a moose or two who object to having trains pass their driveways. Very unsafe. 

Now that’s funny and not at the same time.😁

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1 hour ago, iceman said:

I am sorry, but not really sorry, I just couldn’t resist. 

I think some Team Iceman stickers on their mail boxes would really help!😁

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On 1/2/2020 at 6:50 PM, towing said:

Than you for sharing your adventures Christ, You have all the talents to make incredible trips and to write them here like nobody else... a delight to follow!!!

thank you again to had virtually bringing us with you on your trip!

 

P.S. funny the golwing sticker!!!

Winner winner ....chicken dinner. I was wondering how I got through this whole trip and thread without someone commenting on the Goldwing sticker. It’s just a parody to the Skidoo 1200 Enduro. What I consider the closest machine to resemble a “Golwing for the snow trails”

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On 1/3/2020 at 8:39 AM, ChrisWright said:

Hats of to you Snowmaster!  First off, a trip like this solo takes some serious guts, but IMO your willingness to meet new people in take risks to create adventure is amazing!!  I have totally enjoyed reading this entire thread and look forward to your next adventure.

Thanks Chris. I don’t consider it “guts” though. My first Quebec adventures began 98 or 99. I connected with some fellow NY riders on the then new thing called the internet...LOL. I was instantly blown away and captivated beyond comprehension. I couldn’t get enough of it. So much so that I was wanting to go more than I could connect with people. At the beginning I would stay around more populated areas but that didn’t last long as my love for the “bush” (and beaver) took me deeper and deeper into the Quebec wilderness. It was around 2001 or 2002 that I walked into the Relais 22 one evening for the night solo. As I’m eating in the common area at a table by myself I see these two Quebecers looking my way with a little bit of bewilderment. Finally the one tall guy gets up and comes over and says “you all alone my friend” ? I said ya....kinda crazy huh. His name was André and that meeting has literary changed my life. I wound up riding with him and his cousin Pierre around LSJ for a couple days before we departed but not without exchanging our contact info. Fast forward 18 years and Andre is one of my dearest and best friends in life. A finer individual you WILL NOT meet. Andre, (lives In Sherbrooke) his parents in St Jean de Matha and brother in L’ephinie have treated me like family ever since. They have a nice camp up on Lac Chapeau de Paille at the end of the M21 trail that we all go to winter and summer. It’s a very, very special place. 

Shortly after meeting André my confidence level increased as well as my experience and familiarity with how Quebec touring works. I would go at times with André but he only had limited opportunities to go. That’s when I met fellow QR member “Easyrider” on the net who also loved coming to Quebec and needed a riding partner. He’s from Vermont and lives 2.5 hrs south from André in Sherbrooke. Well it wasn’t long before all 3 of us were BFF”s. In the early and mid 2000”s Easy and I took many a bag trip around Quebec but he too only had a finite amount of time. It was about this time that in between trips with him and Andre I would fill the void with solo trips around the Gaspe, the 83/93 loop (1125 mi.) and Abitibi into northern Ontario and back runs.  I averaged over 5000 miles a season for over a decade.

In the last 5-6 years now my dear friend Jeff from NY (lives near me) has joined the “team” and he too has been inducted into the “Lac Chapeau de Paille” Hall of Fame. All four of us (I absolutely REFUSE to ride with more than three others) are heading up to André’s parents this Thursday for a nice 5 day trip. Two nights (first and last) will undoubtably be at the camp up on M21 and a couple others probably in Parent and maybe 100 Lacs.

Besides these last two trips I can’t remember when my last solo trip was. Probably at least 7,8 or 9 years ago now. But for me to throw the sled in the back of the truck and take off alone isn’t even a second consideration. I’m more confident than I’ve ever been with my riding abilities. My machines are always newer and top notch condition. I’m more mature and level headed than when I was younger. I’m more prepared (albeit a sat phone or SpotX) as my true feelings are that it would take some of the thrill out of it for me. I make constant mental notes in my head while riding remote areas alone like where the last structure I could take refuge in was. I carry enough food to get my fat ass by for days if needed. Yes I guess that there is some very slim remote chance I could have an accident but if anything ever does happen I d be willing to bet that won’t be the cause. Like I said above this wasn’t my “first rodeo” riding alone. And not having done it in a lot of years I loved many of the benefits it does have. Friends and family back home know my whereabouts and we keep in constant touch. Plus I have found that doing these long trip threads about the travels actually helps me in some way deal with the solitude. At least one more big trip alone will be done this season. I missed and enjoyed it that much.

several fellow QR members have recently reached out to me with offers to go riding. I really appreciate that and wish I had the time and money to ride at least once with everyone on this site but here’s the reality. There is myself and the above three mentioned individuals that make up my core group. If it ain’t all four it’s some combination of either two or three. I have spent years breaking in/ training these guys on how to deal with me...LOL...I’m a different kind of dude. That and my rekindled love of taking long solo journeys probably doesn’t allow much time for new riding partners, at least this year. But we’ll be sure to see each other on the trail.

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