Jackstraw Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Three of us left RDL on Tues. 17th after a 10hr drive, left at 4pm arrived at L'Empress in Rimouski about 7pm trails where great 110 miles. Next morning we took off at 8am for Carleton took the green trails till TQ5 in Albertville, rained the whole way. Stopped at Groomers clubhouse but they had no food, talked to Groomer on the phone and he was going to come down to see us but we where soaked to the bone and continued to Causcapal to a small Auberge for lunch. The owner was great, through all our gear in the dryer while we ate in our long johns! Made it to Carleton by dark stayed at the Baie Bleue. Next morning we where to head to Murdochville, freezing fog for the first 50 miles or so shields iceing up, finally clears beautiful blue skies. Have lunch and the first sign of troubles, my sled won't start, get it going and about 10 miles up cuts out and can't pull it to start. motor seized.After a couple trys it frees up and starts. Now it seems to run fine but look for Ski Doo dealer in Chandler which we missed the signs for and deceided to continue. Now on the 597 to Murdochville running good I mean triple digit good! Locks up and dies, limp back on one cylinder to the bottom of the 597 where we meet a couple of locals who live about a mile away. I drive down to the road and he went and got his truck and we loaded up and took me to the Doo dealer in Chandler. Wouldn't take a penny from me for the ride! That is one awesome dealer in Chandler, I got there at 4pm, by 6pm they knew the needed a short block and located one in Amqui, they put it on a bus and it got to Chandler by 1pm the next day, installed and on my way by 7pm! Not bad $50 for a new motor fo the machZ gotta luv warranties! Got to Murdochville by 9:15pm. Next 2 days where bright sunshine and beautiful trails. 994 miles for the trip all trails groomed and flat, plenty of snow. The ride from Rimouski back to RDL was real icy, if you where to start now I wouldn't start any farther West than Rimouski. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDI-HAM Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Great report and pictures. It's nice to hear about strangers helping sledders out and not asking for anything in return. I've heard stories of locals opening their home to strangers stuck in storms, helping out broke down sledders by driving them to dealers sometimes not so close. In a sport where we only get negative publicity, why can't newspapers pick up stories about people lending a hand to total strangers who are snowmobilers- Maybe because people would soon realize that 99.5% of all sledders are good people and the stereotype of swearing, drunken, chasing down wildlife "Snowmobilers" is nothing more that what the "anti sledders" want to read and hear. Sounds like you had a great trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 1 Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Good report Jim...Gald it all worked out. I am keeping my fingers crossed... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 wow !! great pics jackstraw !! the auberge ,did you stop at ''la coulée douce ''??? tdi -ham ,personnally i think a good pourcentage of gaspesians are not afraid or shy to help strangers . i heard great stories too. jackstraw ,the doo dealer in chandler ,that big guy (owner ) ,i know him since the mid 70' s .we used to go mx racing with him and his brother all around the gaspesie .i have nt seen him since a few years . great peoples !! still sunny here !! groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackstraw Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Some more pics, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkely Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Some more pics, Jim, Sorry to hear about the break down............but awesome service!!! Hope you broke it in Hard Other than the rain.......sounds like a great Trip!! Pictures look Awesome................I need to do that Trip!! Nice report!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doobraap Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Great pics. I am going back to the Gaspe for sure now. The view over Mt St Pierre alone is worth the trip. Gaspesie people have to be the friendliest people I have ever met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg du Vermont Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Thanks for the photos. The Gaspesie is definetly a do not miss experience. Always views and memories that will stay with you for your lifetime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groomer Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 jackstraw !! on your second post .first row ,last pic on the right ,mount logan is right in the middle of the pic. in 00 ,i went there on april 28 !! home is 80-90 miles on the right , depending which road i use .off the trail. great pics again. groomer !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S pump Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 I agree with the folks on the Gaspe, some of the nicest people ever. All over Quebec and NB for that matter the people are just so giving. I have been amazed at how helpful they are and it's just routine. Try driving up to a strangers house in the states and having them give you a ride to a Doo dealer. Not Likely............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfm Posted March 24, 2009 Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 Nice trip report, sorry to hear about the engine, But with people like that helping out other people is awesome to hear about. Gaspe is deffinitly on my list of places to ride next year. Thanks for the report and great pictures too. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Great Report and some fantastic pics. Sounds like you took care of the bad weather for us before we got there. All we ran into was a pesky 10" dump of snow. The people in the Gaspesie region are the friendliest people you will meet anywhere I believe. Too bad we didn't hook up, we just missed by a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live it up Rupp Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hey Jim. Great pix. sorry about your breakdown ( a lot of that going around). :wacko: That trip look's awesome.I'll have to try that sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarddawg Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Dammit, thats it....I'm going next year. Very nice pics Jack!!!!!! My buddy blew his engine on his 07 Mach this year, around 8,000 miles. I'd be getting rid of that sled if I were, from everything I've heard. dawg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackstraw Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Dammit, thats it....I'm going next year. Very nice pics Jack!!!!!!My buddy blew his engine on his 07 Mach this year, around 8,000 miles. I'd be getting rid of that sled if I were, from everything I've heard. dawg This was the last year for the mach anyway, looks like a 4tek X for next season, It's going to be tough going from 170 hp to 120, that sled got great mileage, handled great and when you wacked the flipper at 70 it took off like a missle! At least that motor only cost $50 under warranty! The people in the Gaspe' are among the best, have always felt right at home out there. Would love to head back out there but heading to Negril in Jamaica at the end of the month to thank the wife & kids for letting me spend 3 weeks a winter in Quebec. Smclelan, we missed by days, when I saw your pics, they where all the same places we where at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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