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Iceman’s shakedown run


iceman
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Well here we sit in Escoumins, not exactly the place I had planned to be during this Christmas break. Plan A was much different. 

Originally we should have been much further south visiting with my Mom and familyin NY who I have no seen in person in over 2 years. Omicron had other plans. As my wife is a teacher it was highly recomended that no travel outside Quebec should be taken if not absolutely essential, not forbidden but just better to be safe than sorry, 

from New York I had booked flights to the one happy island of Aruba where we were to ring in the new year with Playhard and the Mrs. this was also not to be. 
 

So with things advancing nicely here trailwise, for sure near Shawinigan we are one good storm away from seeing trails open. 
 

We went with plan B a quick shakedown ride nothing crazy just 2 days as we need to get back to business by thursday morning maybe even wed afternoon. 
 

Big Bossman Alain and Josee decided to come along so we are 4. 
 

Got a new HY-Gear coil over to dial in on my sled in the rear and just want to take a nice easy run for Mrs Ice to dust off the cobwebs and get back in the grove. 
 

No crazy big ride here. First time in probably 10 years I will be riding before January. 
 

Tomorrow we will head for Forestville and see where the trails take us, sometimes no plan is the best plan,

25-30 sleds here. 6-7 truck and trailers, 

Reception was closed today but when we reserved last week they told us room would be unlocked and waiting for us. Sure enough all good both rooms ready and unlocked when we arrived. 
 

will post more tomorrow.

on a side note kind of sad to be here without my partner Snohorse. We ended 2020 here March 13 with an awesomw ride.. left here thinking we would hit it again in a week my how we were oh so wrong. 

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Great first day on the sleds this season. Trails super here. 

One problem but no worries. The restaurant Bouleau is closed. Apparently the chef has covid. So no breakfast this am. Hotel has no continental breakfast either due to covid restrictions they told us. 

We hit the trail at 8am. This is a no stress trip. Got all day to go not far and come back. Not what I am used to but it is a nice change. Loving seeing the wife enjoy riding her sled and learning more each time we ride. I wish it was much simpler to just give her a few years of my experience but it does not work that way. 

That said she is a rider and though she probably will never see a 500km day does she really need to? No. 

Got to build her up slowly so she can get to the 300 plus KM per day. So we can cover some ground. 

Great conditions for December. Not cold but cold enough. Beautiful trail flat and fast. The usual early conditions with lots of sticks poking through on the right and the occasional place needing to be filled in as they will groom in more snow. 

2 hrs 45 minutes to Forrestville today. Gas Lunch and 2 hrs and 20 minutes to return. The horses always run faster when heading to the barn.

Club grooming an already perfect trail near Longue-Rive and crossed 5 sleds headed west just before Forestville and about 8 headed east on the ride back after lunch. 

Sleds running great and new rear shock did not work hard today on these trails. Very flat. 

Tout va bien. 

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Another spectacular outing today. Made a run to the grocery store last night so we were all stocked up with some breakfast. Out the door 8am. Again no giant itinerary today. From Hotel Pel Chat TQ3 west  First 15km a bit ordinary still need more snow here to groom in. Part of trail after the Hydo Quebec station when you enter the ZEC is plowed with the trail along the side for maybe 5km. After that its white asphalt all the way to the relais and beyond. Relais not open yet but they let the ladies in to use the bathroom. Very nice of them. 

 

After that it was pure awesomeness. Full on perfect trail. The next 50km give or take. We headed up in the direction for the Sentier Pel Chat. Absolutely great. Not sure if this trail is new this year or was here last year(cause I never made it up here last season) but there is a connection now you arrive at a T Intersection and Mont Valin Chapelle is to the right. To the left is marked Sacre Couere 50 km. This trail connects with 93 at the very bottom. All I can say is thank you sir may I have another. This is a full on ripping good ride. If you aint into this then you need change your hobby kind of trail here. Up there on my list of all time. And that is saying alot. I felt guilty almost and sad a bit cause this will be the trail to beat now all season. 

 

93 lacking the snow into Hotel Coronet but still very passable. Arrived at Coronet some gas and coffee and hot choclate. Nice break. Plan was to continue down and take TQ3 back up to Escoumins but no way was I not going back tge exact same way we just came down. Way to excellent to not ride it back. Pure joy. 

 

Arriving back near the Relais the Escoumins bypass is open the river is frozen. So I take the left and we cross the river. This is actually super nice and is virtually the same distance to get back to hotel. At the intersection of Local/bypass trail and TQ3 Alain and Josee head for hotel. I stay with Caro and we are off to bonus ride up the TQ3 and about 10-15km there is a left turn up a local orange trail. I have been up this trail with Snohorse in the past and it follows a little river up to a bunch of chalets and camps nice ride for sure. We do the up and back rejoin TQ3 and it’s snowing pretty damn good now. Another good experience for the Mrs. We burn it on down and into hotel at 3pm. 

 

Another great day together riding Quebec. 

 

Back to reality tomorrow, my office awaits. 

 

Until next time.

 

Calling for plus 4 with rain in Shawinigan Saturday lets hope they are wrong.

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45 minutes ago, iceman said:

Up there on my list of all time. And that is saying alot. I felt guilty almost and sad a bit cause this will be the trail to beat now all season. 

Thinking that's what they call: "A 1st Class Problem!"

Super proud of you'ze for getting it done!

 

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Disaster strikes tabernac

enjoying world junior hockey sipping on my drink and damn if i did not drop my entire bag of pistachios all over the dam floor.

she says I cannot eat them now. 
i claimed 3 second rule she said no dice.

 

 

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14 hours ago, iceman said:

For sure taking time to explore orange/ local trails in any region you ride turn to be the most memorable of any sled trip.

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