LSJ Trip Day 5
Ordered food last night delivered to room. Easy painless. Nice evening living the rockstar lifestyle! Sing it…cause we’re moving on from town to town.
This extended adventure is winding down with today being one of two short days with lots of extra sleep if wanted. Got all day the next two days to go not far. Well that was the idea but we changed it up just a bit late in the day. More on that later.
We were up by 8:30 so as we had no plans to go to breakfast I fueled up on gatorade took my vitamins (thank you mrs ice) and I am good to go. We are outside at 10:16 I started my inreach track.
Lonely here now. Only about 9 sleds about to be 7…chow bye.
Back out to 373 trail is very nice and it’s another blue sky, big sunshine ☀️ day. We work our way to the 373-TQ83 junction. Here we are met by four nice gentlemen in fluorescent green Club Security Agent jackets. Checking stickers at the intersection. Only looking at stickers, do not want any paperwork. Awesome. One comes over and is admiring my exhaust turnouts on my Apex and says in perfect English “the real Yamaha’s have the exhaust under the seat.” Too funny. We sat laughing tonight how them out there as quiet as it is they heard us wailing it toward them for sure.
We say are bonne journees and roll off. TQ83 stellar just wicked good.
We stop in St Hedgewick to provision up for tonight not many other depaneurs on our run down TQ83 to Relais 22. Continuing on we arrive at the next intersection with Orange trail (used to be the La dore to St Hedgewidge short cut but is now cut in half with a section missing this year in the middle.
Anyway
Hello there officers. Real SQ, guns and all. Once Again sitting here tonight laughing about what we must sound like approaching.
Two more nice officers
Looking for stickers and mirrors and for me quebec plate placement on sled
No paperwork needed.
Quick conversation one talking to me and one to Snohorse.
He asked him where did you ride this trip.
Poor him as Snohorse told him everywhere. Shawinigan 3 nights then Baie St Paul then Lamarche, then La Tuque, then back to Shawinigan then to Ste Agathe de Mont then St Michel des Saints back to Shawinigan, then Alma, then Dolbeau, then La Dore, then Roberval now here.
He was very impressed.
We explained we been doing this forever checking out our setups they were liking the Garmin with Inreach, smart guys. Extra gas ✅ all things they like to see. As we were leaving I asked if i could take their picture quick and they said sure. Should have gave them some stickers. LOL. 😂
We go, this TQ83 is nice. Has gotten all grown up for the most part. Still early on before first warming hut headed down along road here has somw sketch parts that you need to pay extra attention. Trail gets bigger as you go here, then we have our first group headed north,
first guy showing red? Warning light, second was yellow, third was flashing yellow? Last gave me the green light all clear no one else. Love this uselessness. Sorry but it is useless. What does it change for you? Does it make you, as an oncoming rider feel safer to see a green light at the end? Because it should not. It shouldn’t change anything.
You need to ride on it ..at all times …thinking….someone is coming at all times. Then ride accordingly within your abilities.
That’s it. Lights do what? oh sorry, they do keep hands on handle bars. So that is a win. 2026 no need for hands or lights. Ride right all times. Not complicated.
Late night rant over, if you have a light or still hand signal that’s what makes living free so great as each person is entitled to their choices.
Not only that, but we can disagree and still be friends. Please don’t be offended anyone.
Not far from first hut, after we see the light brigade, the trail is groomed? Fresh no tracks. Up ahead groomer headed down…We finally figured the groomer came up road to first hut. Then took trail. Did not try to do small part up down with poor visibility in places during the day. Very smart move, love to see grooming a perfect trail. Did not need it, but not being a grooming expert, i know if this is what it takes to keep it like this so be it.
Down over River Tranche, it’s here club La Tuque take it over and its sweeeet all the way to Relais 22. Snowmobile super highway. 10-15km out i see the dust ahead. I just keep pace as if I catch them fine and if not Relais coming.
Doesn’t take long, its two sleds. Women sees us waits for good place then waves us by, merci Madame, catch the man now he eventually found somewhere safe and waved us by. Only two we had to deal with all day.
I have to admit I do believe our delayed departure was, in the end strategically speaking brilliant without even trying. We caught no one all the way till 10-15km from Relais 22
Into Relais 22 alot of sleds but less than I imagined. 1:11pm
We gas and head inside. See quite a few sleds for sure that were in Roberval last night. We got time to kill. We fuel up on cheeseburgers and soup. Here we get some internet 🛜 and see for first time about a storm in the northeast.
Realized this will directly impact Snohorse’s return to 🇺🇸 on Monday. We still are not sure. Really must go to Windigo and visit and talk to Martine in person not call. So off like a prom dress we take the closed trail over the condemned bridge back to TQ83 west as it’s a long reroute around the new trail. I will deal with bumps to cut that corner.
Fast much shorter run to Windigo trail has changed since last year now the TQ83 is back to passing right by Windigo ….its been different past few years. IYKYK.
Roll into Windigo. 3pm
Small afternoon crowd in bar. Dan is holding court. Super reception here everytime. Martine is here and some locals from Wemo. With a few locals from their chalet.
We pull Martine aside and I explain what is going on with big storm for Phil to get home and ask her if she’s is ok if we don’t stay? and ride further south saving 2 hours tomorrow. She said she was fully booked and gave us the cottage so no problem at all she understands. Felt bad and now going to miss wings and smoked meat, but going in person was the only way. As we say our goodbyes headed for the door I hear another voice call my name? I turned around and its Alex he is a guy I know from Trois Rivieres we have done alot of business together, talked alot of sleds together and he has my stickers. He says “it is Iceman” in his broken English. Small world. I told him how could you not see my stickers here before. (The bar could be the answer.) Dan is smiling ear to ear while pointing out the sticker right at the bar. And one on the door. We had a good laugh took a selfie. Damn, am I, getting to be a real photographer type?
Quick verification of track over reservoir
Need to be vigilant here as Hydro Quebec has dropped water significantly. Sorry no pictures as not screwing around out on ice all heaved up like it was in places. Yup say whatever you want. I know it’s probably feet thick but unnerving to see it all heaved and dropped. Not for night riding out there.
We cross and its exciting to say the least. Then we bush trail it…to a plowed not sanded road and join TQ73 bypassing Rapid Blanc and getting us closer to La Tuque. This trail as good as the rest all the way to town. Into the gas at 4:30 I think. I check online and Book room at Marineau at gas station. We gas and go. Arrive at Marineau to lots of french chatter on the open mesh. Group is discussing if this is right hotel or not and who is going first. Well must be 8 of them maybe 10. I get between them we pass and while they decide things we cross road and get to reception, which is a busy place. Four guys in front of me but all together, when its my turn i show confirmation number he makes two keys and out I go. The big group just walked in.
Settled into our last night for this run. Gonna wrap this tour up tomorrow.
We got a few more irons in the fire 🔥. It’s Not over by any means.
Bonzai
By
iceman ·
