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iceman
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15 minutes ago, Signfan said:

168 km and out of gas???  That's terrible.  Time to deal up.  Get a 900 ace turbo.

Not happening .when i start worrying about mileage and $$ for gas I will quit riding  

not sure what you mean deal up? 

I bleed yamaha blue 

 

 

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The  part of your report I find concerning is:  St Paulin was closed and looked like it was all winter.  I hope they will be open for business next year.  I am worried some of these small places may not survive Covid.

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1:52 when we leave La Cache down the 595, this side is nice and we run it hard. Its like its end of March mid April snow. Wet and heavy. Trail is not bad just soft as hell mushy. My man Alain is tiring out he did not sleep well last night and I am having to slow down today when I am out front to wait on him. He shot the wad yesterday running like he did. Hey 65 years young he does just fine. But tired today no doubt.

Not seen one Moose or Deer and not even much sign. No noticeable tracks or nothing very strange. Even by Pin Rouge where it’s usually loaded with tracks and at least a few deer, seeing none. (I think it’s because of covid) Trail has held up well considering even near town here not bad. When temps drop and they groom it up will be good to go a few more weeks if it stays cold enough. 

Into New Richmond and to Hotel Francis. Good dinner at restaurant (pub side closed) 

i count 25 sleds here. Was 10 total in Matane last night. 

275 km    felt like a half day to me and a 2 day ride for Alain. 

Until tomorrow.

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1 hour ago, iceman said:
1 hour ago, Signfan said:

168 km and out of gas???  That's terrible...

 I bleed yamaha blue 

More range and/or facilities closer together can be nice at times. 

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6 minutes ago, PLAYHARD said:

More range and/or facilities closer together can be nice at times. 

I am gonna ask them to move La Cache 5-6km North that should do it. Or put a long hose on pump. I would recommend a pipeline install, but those guys are all doing solar now. 

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20 hours ago, smclelan said:

The  part of your report I find concerning is:  St Paulin was closed and looked like it was all winter.  I hope they will be open for business next year.  I am worried some of these small places may not survive Covid.

Hope you are wrong, one of my favorite stops, and I can see it would be a costly year to keep it running....and it is a very strategic location as well.

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Well it’s later now or earlier,  honestly way too much of my favorite beverage after a day riding last night.

Here is the summary.

side note, talking to people at Francis they say Rivere du Loup took a big hit to snow and is questionable if you can get to Universel without several KM of Gravel Mud Riding. Alain had called Reception at Universel and news was not encouraging. She said not sure if you can get down to hotel. His wheels were spinning on this. I was not overly concerned as that is a tomorrow problem. But for him it’s throwing a wrench in his ability to enjoy today.

Woke at Hotel Francis and was looking decent outside. A bit colder but grey for sure. We load up and leave at 7:15. It’s now raining not too heavy but enough. My partner is not a happy camper. I had planned to go to La Cache then to Murdochville then through Mont St Pierre to Saint Anne des Monts a ride we have done together before. 20 minutes into the day he is not having any of my extra bonus ride. He says at La Cache we continue on the 595 direct to hotel. Not sure what we would do there at 1pm but he is determined. 

Up the 595 near Ski Pin Rouge I see 4 deer. So they are here. Couple of spots not far from Pin Rouge you can see was some serious landslides that they bulldozed through to open the trail. This is why the 597 is cut off from Murdochville from the Chandler side. Now its rain mixed with snow and wind is picking up big time. Trail still soft but riding is good. Closer to La Cache better trail, colder here and niw just snow Flurries. Into La Cache 9:15am. We are gonna hang out a while here. Alain loved his bacon cheeseburger yesterday and has another for breakfast I went for the grilled cheese with bacon. Awesome people here and very friendly. 

 

Once they knew i was the Iceman from Quebecrider, The new owners were asking me if I knew Snowmaster2112 as their native brothers and sisters apparently have written songs about his adventures in Abitibi,  Matagami and parts north to Chibougamau. Stories are being shared and passed on all throughout the Native community. I assured them he is indeed real and just like so many others unable to enter the promise land.

Gave out alot of stickers to all the staff. Very appreciative they were. I was glad to give them. We got plenty. So please don’t hate us cause you aint us.

More sleds arriving and Alain strikes up talk with two guys headed for Matane. They had friends said its a no go to Universel. Tabernac I am trying to get him to let that go for now but it ain’t happening. Big wind now outside with Snow/Rain mix. 

Time to push on. 

10:25 we leave up the 595 north. When I say wind It’s serious wind. I am watching the trees thinking at any one minute I could have one in my lap or around a corner. Lot’s more to think about. Branches down all over on trail. A few smaller trees but easily gone around or over.

to be continued....

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1 hour ago, iceman said:

Once they knew i was the Iceman from Quebecrider, The new owners were asking me if I knew Snowmaster2112 as their native brothers and sisters apparently have written songs about his adventures in Abitibi,  Matagami and parts north to Chibougamau. Stories are being shared and passed on all throughout the Native community. I assured them he is indeed real and just like so many others unable to enter the promise land.

 

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We continue 595 up to juncton TQ5 at Relais St Paulin. Talked to Keedon(bad with names) he works at La Cache he confirmed my suspicions that Relais St Paulin never opened this year. He does not know what is the plan for next season

We take a break here at intersection wind is howling fierce. There is a big sign suspended. Over trail headed east the sign is big its flapping like a piece of paper the 2 telephone poles its  hanging from are bending. We talk about bailing for Matane to lessen the distance for Saturday so we can drive home earlier  got no cell service up here to arrange anything. We turn right direction St Anne des Monts

Noticing some larger trees down now but so far able to get by.....

That would change and so would the plan again

to be continued

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10 minutes ago, NHTOM said:

Yikes!! Maybe some business with a trailer or ramp truck can pick you up on the edge of town beyond the fields?

I will explain it all later, we made a great new friend today.

Almost in Qubec City in truck headed to chez Iceman

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5 hours ago, iceman said:

 

 

Once they knew i was the Iceman from Quebecrider, The new owners were asking me if I knew Snowmaster2112 as their native brothers and sisters apparently have written songs about his adventures in Abitibi,  Matagami and parts north to Chibougamau. Stories are being shared and passed on all throughout the Native community. I assured them he is indeed real and just like so many others unable to enter the promise land. 

 

The Promise Land....truer words were never spoken on this site!....As for Snowmaster, truly great guy, a lot of fun and I look forward to the next ride with him. Only thing that could add to adventures would be if Bernard at Safari was still with us singing these songs while playing his guitar.

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Headed east now TQ5. Very nice here to Cap Chat. Throwing caution to the wind (literally) and trying not to think about the possible repercussions should a tree fall in front of me. YOLO. We stop at intersection for Village of Cap Chat. Have seen no sleds since La Cache. We are moving on. 2km further and now we got a big tree. All the way across trail. No going around. There is barely room to get under way on the left. Someone has already broke branches off to squeeze under.

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i pull down on my tall windshield and squeeze under. My Alain gets close but he cannot get under. I was just about to tell him, let me do it, we can make it. When another group arrived from the east. As it turns out it was them who broke the branches to get under this tree. They tell us forget going east right now cause just a bit further is a bigger tree down and they could not get under, around or over it. 

That was all Alain needed to hear, we would not be going further east and not eating that Tomahawk steak at Hotel Cie. Well we need to arrange things now and my friend his wheels are doing à burnout. He is very worried about being able to get to the truck, with the possibility of more trees blocking trail west and then the news of trail all gone near RDL. 

We need gas either way so down to Cap Chat. Now those who have been to Petro Canada there know it’s literally right next to the River and the wind is crazy strong here with nothing to block it. Huge whitecaps and waves breaking across the street. We get the gas and go hide behind building from wind and start making calls. 

Quality Inn Matane has 2 rooms for us in back by pool, first floor. Perfect. Now we cancel St Anne. They are super understanding as usual very awesome place. So now we need to get to Matane. 

No issues getting to Matane but noticeably lots of snow gone from just a day ago. Lots of bald spots and the uphills and corners some wiped right out to mud. Big difference. I am thinking to myself if it’s like that up here in the hills I am gonna be abusing my sled bad to reach gas and hotel in Matane. Oh well it’s all part of the game. Sure enough just out of the woods through industrial park there toward Quality Inn is down to earth. A patch of slush here and there, but ain’t nothing to groom here by town even when it refreezes. It is killing me to run in this shit. But is what it is. 

To put the cherry on top while at the gas station I bust one of the springs on my Rouski wheels, now that is lovely. Nothing a rubber bungee cannot cure but just more work. Bare asphalt mud and more asphalt, cannot believe have not seen temp light yet, waiting to cross road to hotel it comes on. Later than I expected. 

Grind it across and around back to rooms after checking in. Not how I wanted to end the day. But snowmobiling has a way of thwarting even the best made plans. And I love it. Keeps you sharp and makes you be a problem solver. 

Well we are in Matane now. Truck in RDL. I have Rimouski booked for Saturday night as that was on original plan, that will change too. Mister Alain is hell bent on being in his truck tomorrow after what he has seen and I am starting to think it’s what needs to happen,

The question now is, how do we make it so?

To be continued..

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Despite what I have seen here in Matane, I want to ride to Rimouski at least on Saturday.  The gang in the rooms next to me here in Matane live in RDL. They confirm not gonna get back to Universel easily by trail as there is a trail but its a 4 wheeler trail now with no snow on it. Basically from junction of TQ5 and TQ85 outside RDL to hotel....thats a long ride in mud/gravel.

i have come back late season many times and had to ride some ugliness here but usually still patches of snow on trail to skip from one to another. Again goes back to no real base under the snow on trail. 

The wind is forecast to continue all night and into tomorrow. I almost had Alain convinced to try for Rimouski. Not doing it. I go to get another drink and talk to my wife on phone. 15 minutes later he is calling me telling me he needs me so we can arrange with the driver for his truck he found. OK then. 

He is slick boy, let me tell you. He calls taxi service in RDL explains everything to the dispatcher. This poor lady her head must have been spinning with all he told her. She says let me call the owner and he will call you direct. Perfect. Few minutes later and its Steve the owner of taxi company. Alain again explains entire situation. Says what we need is someone who can go to Universel use number keypad to get in truck, keys are in it, bring it to Matane. Tomorrow morning. 

Steve says I got 3 different guys in mind let me call you back in 5 minutes. 

To be Continued....

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4 hours ago, quebec bob said:

The Promise Land....truer words were never spoken on this site!....As for Snowmaster, truly great guy, a lot of fun and I look forward to the next ride with him. Only thing that could add to adventures would be if Bernard at Safari was still with us singing these songs while playing his guitar.

 

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