Joliette/l'Annonciation(Laurentides)/St-MicheldesSaints ride-report 14february2015

[towing]

Since a long time this one day trail path was running through my head but I knew it was big mileage to do in wooded trails not all fast ... we said "we will try out and adjust our plans dependent on our progress". Here the final path of the yesterday ride that we did with our buddy Steph



We remained unsatiated from our last weekend ride when we had planned to spend a night at relai 22 Miles starting from Champlain area in Mauricie but as some of you already know, fate decided something else when my old Expert-X suspension gave us troubles with the top eye loop of one of the two shocks broke on the pipeline trail just past the big railroad bridge. It was pretty cold for mechanics but with some resourcefulness I managed to completely remove the defective device which allowed me to turn back and almost normally ride on a single shock but only me on the venture, Krikri did a Polaris ride with Snowcruiser. We even managed to do a 200miles+ day and a dinner at the famous Cabane à Roger in St-Prosper.



I had worked hard on this skid this past fall but it has clearly proved not enough. I redid my homework during the week and install two shocks version 2.0 reviewed and improved.

It was a very cold day, -25°C at start at 8:10 under a cloudy sky that we rode yesterday. Very cold days= beautiful trails, it’s what we got yesterday with impeccable trails. I think I never did the #63 in Ste-Emilie de l’Énergie so nice.
With this deep cold temperature, Krikri did not take many pictures while riding but some on our various stops like here at pourvoirie Bazinet

And here just a little further before leaving #63 trail and switch towards the Coin Lavigne



We took the #33 north that ride along the Mont Tremblant park toward Rouge-Mattawin relay also called the cantine



It was the first time we ride this path this year and although it is sinuous, it is groomed rather wide and is fun to ride



Apart from the last roadside miles before arriving at the relay Rouge-Mattawin. It was 11:10 and we had close to 90 miles done so it was still possible to think to cross the wildlife reserve Rouge-Mattawin up to l’Annonciation and taking a late lunch at 1:00pm The fuel-up has been somewhat laborious to do with several other sledders in front of us but we finally been able to hit back the trail at 11:30



We had not made this #63 trail section since many years, but we will for sure do it again more often. After a few miles narrower and then some open section where our trail runs along the atv one, it come to long sections of a beautiful forest road groomed very wide, beautiful and very fast. I have no other pics that do justice to these sections but it really worth to ride it.



We took a small break at the bar near the airport and then continue up to l’Annonciation. We arrived there at 1:15 p.m. with 150 miles on the dreameter. We refueled at a Petro-T and had our lunch at the motel nearby.



...

[towing]

The sky had darkened and it was under light snow that we retrace our steps on the #63 with as much pleasure as when we came. Here our friend Steph always ready



We then switch on the #33/63 towards St-Michel des Saints. It was slightly worn by the traffic of the day but still good



We refueled in St-Michel des Saints, and took the #63 and then the #23 to return south before stopping at Réal Massé for supper at 6:15 p.m.

When we leave, I made a GoPro test in darkness and the potential of this small camera is really impressive, here a small unedited sample of it. It was snowing (we see it in front the headlight) and when I switched the Hi beams we see the trail pretty good...

http://youtu.be/K8I0fhdINtU

With the falling snow the temperature had stabilized around -15°C making the end of the ride more comfortable, apart from some snow blades in the fields near home the conditions were very good, most trails were already regroomed.

We finally came home at 8:45 pm with 327 miles on the dreameter. A big ride given the kind of trails traveled but very nice.

This is really now the time to ride, conditions are at their best and time flies so…

Alain

[markusvt]

Nice ride. We used to do that ride a lot in the early 90,s. We still do it every few years, it was hard a few years ago after the ice storm. By the pictures its looking pretty nice.

[mikerider]

Video came out great.

mike

[MXZ700RIDER]

Nice video and pictures. Bazinet and Real Masse are two of our favorite food stops! I lodged at Bazinet last year and loved their cozy cottage along the lake. Convenient location along TQ trail system.

[Fozzy]

That is sweet sled tour with big miles logged on for one day.

#63 has to be one of the top five trails in all of North America... wide and fast!

You'll enjoy the GoPro, I use mainly for pictures and the quality is unreal.

[Florida Snowman]

Nice ride Steph, Alain & Krikri. You put in a full day. Not easy to put on miles like that if the trails are anything but perfect!

Thanks for sharing. Here I am in Florida dreaming of snowmobiling. I guess I am addicted!

Best,

Tom

[towing]

Nice ride. We used to do that ride a lot in the early 90,s. We still do it every few years, it was hard a few years ago after the ice storm. By the pictures its looking pretty nice.

My picture do not do justice, it was veeeeeeeery nice. Just a more narrow section in the beginning where our trail and the atv one ride side by side on the forest road and past the airport at the other end the last less than 10 miles pretty twisty but the big 3/4 in the center is really sweet.

Video came out great.

mike

I'm really impressed and the day vids are even nicers... just need to take some time to play with this data and software to edit something nice to watch.

Nice video and pictures. Bazinet and Real Masse are two of our favorite food stops! I lodged at Bazinet last year and loved their cozy cottage along the lake. Convenient location along TQ trail system.

Thank you Mxz700RIDER, I realize you already have a good knowledge of my playground! those are great spots for sure! hope your back goes better and you have recover in the last weeks

That is sweet sled tour with big miles logged on for one day.

#63 has to be one of the top five trails in all of North America... wide and fast!

You'll enjoy the GoPro, I use mainly for pictures and the quality is unreal.

I can't believed I had not ride this beautiful trail for so long, won't repeat the mistake...

For the gopro, I have to admit my jaw droped when I put on my 60" plasma tv my first 1080p film of the Gazoduc trail on a blue jay day. The details and the pause shots look so cleaned like an amazing picture, unreal is the good way to describe. I was worried by the shaky image but in superwide it is not an issue, I have tried in medium or normal but by now prefer the superwide in 720p that seems a good compromise for good quality no shake and not so huge files.

Nice ride Steph, Alain & Krikri. You put in a full day. Not easy to put on miles like that if the trails are anything but perfect!

Thanks for sharing. Here I am in Florida dreaming of snowmobiling. I guess I am addicted!

Best,

Tom

Haha! you probably get the same degres we have here in Celcius but without the minus infront! Yes I confirm you are addicted...but you're not alone!!!

there's left some weeks of good sleding ahead, hope you will have your chance to enjoy them...time flies

take care!

[Mid Range]

My picture do not do justice, it was veeeeeeeery nice. Just a more narrow section in the beginning where our trail and the atv one ride side by side on the forest road and past the airport at the other end the last less than 10 miles pretty twisty but the big 3/4 in the center is really sweet.

I agree with you Towing, major improvement trailwise on TQ 63 in the Réserve faunique Rouge-Matawin between relais rouge-matawin and the south gate (La macaza) since a few years. much faster. Like the new pub next to the gas station.This place has been thru renovations.