Local Ride 2

[iceman]

Blue skies and near 0c today. Everything showing a fresh pass of the drag, so after 2 hours of online teaching this morning I told the Mrs to suit up its her turn today to take a spin around. Requested permission for takeoff and was cleared by the tower. All systems go. I asked her like always long or short ride. Being her first day out I already knew the response but I asked anyway. Out the driveway and TQ3 to Shawinigan is nice, still brown but nice. The new snow helped alot but I have discovered the problem that exists all around here on every trail I have been on. You know what it is? There is no base. Zero frozen base. The meltdown Christmas cost us the base we had and we never really had time to set up another. As soon as it snowed the sleds and quads were out tearing it down to nothing, sure they groom it but there is nothing solid frozen under the snow except frozen earth. Understand? Once it warms up it will be gone fast near here. 

 

Well anyway back to the ride.

Few more sleds out today on this beautiful day. She is a nervous one with her gas situation and near half of a tank is making her twitch a bit so I head for Lac a Tortue and petro canada to get her filled up. Trails much more decent than yesterday. After the gas we backtrack to TQ3 then head toward St Severin on 353 i think to Relais de Station. I got to tell you I honestly have only been inside once many years ago. It’s a great pitstop and the Mrs has used those facilities many times. They got a pretty good crowd for a Covid Thursday. 2 big trailers to go in to warm up in parking lot.(i did not go in these) Its open for food. You order on one side then pay then go to the dining room where you are sitting in litte isolated cubicles. 2 per table supposed to be from same address. They take your name and address and phone number when you order. Nice stop but time to ride some. St Severin to St Stanislas all nice great ride. In Stanislas trail no longer passes through old Rogers Cabin which is now demolished and One new private house sitting on the side of the property.

 

Local trail to St Genieveve de Batiscan I have not been on this trail in years its changed alot. But very nice. Less traffic on this section as I can still see the fresh groom trail . Interesting. Once we arrived at the River Batiscan in the village it was obvious why. The river looked great lots of tracks running down the middle but getting out there hmmm. Let’s say I had to think about it. A good five to six feet of broken ice and water (overflow is what I told her) but it was just separated from the shore. I was not sure the approach was small and steep and I knew I could hit the bottom and nail it, and lift my skis and skip it. I had to convince her and talk her through it. Once I explained it was do this or go back to St Stan to make it back home we were going for it. I told her watch what I do (hoping it was not sink my sled in this river) my instincts were correct. No worrys skipping out onto the solid ice. She handled it like a pro and now we are blasting down the Batiscan river. Lots of real slushy bits, pretty sketchy for February. I told her keep up we aint stopping on this river, I had to laugh when as I said that and looked back for her as I was railing it she was right on my bumper telling me go faster. Ok honey. Getting off the river open water there too but here was more really just overflow there was ice under the water. 

 

Now we are on the 351 and as those of you that know it will agree as it follows the Autoroute 40 its got some nice long rips. We had stopped for a break and just got rolling I am cruising at about 120kmh and damn if she don’t pass me like I am standing still, chuckling on the radio as she goes by. I must say I am more and more impressed with her skills everytime we ride. She has very limited seat time but is a great rider. So many times i speed ahead through the twisty stuff and wait to watch her cornering. She is right all the way everytime. She better be. She had a good teacher. 

She leads us back to Cap de Madeline and up through St Louis de France great run back to the house. Great first day for her.

[iceman]

My audio/visual expert was on trail today.

[PLAYHARD]

2 hours ago, iceman said:

She is right all the way everytime. She better be. She had a good teacher. 

Bravo!

Especially wise words when encountering open water!...