Gaspe Trip🏔️
Day 4
Need to go back and give extra credit for best meal on this trip to restaurant next to Motel Mont St Pierre,
Motel owner and restaurant owner are cousins.
Food was excellent and service outstanding. Restaurant au Grain Blanc. Honestly had tried to book Motel Delice but was not meant to be, things happen for a reason.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming……
Awoke to wind still howling but a little less. The other sledders were leaving as we went to breakfast. Mrs Ice had a conversation with one woman waiting on her sled for the others. Confirmed they are heading west. The gang of nine there will break any drifted parts before we arrive if needed.
Had the breakfast and mmm coffee.
Back to dress and load sleds pull out 9:20.
Fresh groom out the back first tracks? Hmmm
Out we ride join at TQ5 and groomer has come from Mont Louis and returned. Not groomed west but its lovely. Just as we wind up and out of MSP the sun ☀️ breaks through. The wind is still strong very cold for sure. We stop to take advantage of the conditions for some pictures. We check out all the spots. Time to moto west.
Mrs Ice is out there pacing the field. Trail boss is calling out traffic and obstacles on point. Drifts not an issue, have seen much much much much worse. Only a few drifts of real size. She getting some good experience today. Surely not a true Gaspe storm baptism, but we don’t want that. Just a taste is perfect.
Sweet conditions. Sky is getting bluer. We skip the gas in La Marte. Decided that it will be Cap Chat the fuel stop. We run. Moving along at a constant rate. Few sleds headed east. Traffic all week has been minimal. We catch no one, trail is super all the way to Relais Vieux Moulin Club Mont Logan. Right at noon. We decided its time to warmup. Soup is Tomato Barley and it’s grilled cheese and some hotdogs here and there. Get here just in time as one group arrives from the east and another from the west. We are eating as they order. We finished up and got on the trail west.
Mrs is setting a great pace. We are about 5km from Cap Chat gas trail and I see ahead of our trail boss some snow dust hanging in the distance. Sure enough two corners later we got the tail of a group of 5. She wants by badly, (don’t know where she gets it from) they are much slower then us. We are just consistent and our speed doesn’t vary a whole lot. We would easily leave them behind without trying. She wants to be turned loose to pass. But as we discuss on radio our gas turn is coming up, and if they turn to gas Cap Chat, we burn them down there. not necessary as they continue west, and we turn right for gas. Gas and go.
From this point on after Cap Chat there has been big changes on TQ5 route. To St Adelme. Some much more direct running and several new views the trail has been meticulously laid out to get the views of the Chic Chocs here. I know trails change every year sometimes a bit. But it’s been 2 years since I’ve been here and it’s a very different route. One point you turn left and the mountains ⛰️ are framed up right straight ahead big as life. Never did see that before. New route. Several new places to take photos. And to top it off a lookout 👀 3 km up off TQ5 groomed up and back with unbelievable views. Never been here never seen it. Not one mention of it I’ve seen anywhere. Probably just going too fast to see the sign at each end. Well worth 6km (up and back)
All right enough with the sights, lets bring it home. More trail changes big time from Relais St Paulin to St Adelme major reroute since I seen it in 23’. Love it seemed faster. Could have been our leader.
Arrived St Adelme. Mrs says it is bathroom time here.
Cest bon ca. We wait patiently outside. Very good crowd with guys getting ready to leave. One group of 5 leaves westbound and I just knew we would see them soon.
Trail has been 9/10 all day after drifted small sections after leaving MSP.
No exceptions here trail awesome. Mrs exits and rejoins the team. Off we go. Its not far we got the last two of the group of 5. The three others are faster but we see them. There’s just no safe places here to get it done and lots of snow dust. Lets settle in here and ride it in. Not how we like it being held back, finally reach intersection for Riotel, and it’s what they want. We are by. At least the last few KM its just us again. We turn left and leave TQ5 behind until another year.
Into Quality Inn. Super run with spectacular trail mates and friends. The mrs has improved so much and it’s been impressive to see. Great experience is just continuing to accumulate.
Thats a wrap for the mrs this season. Time to start thinking SUP (paddle board) season for her.
For the rest of Team Ice currently active. Its a repositioning 2 days to come. Back to Trois Rivieres to change trailers and switch out my Apex. NHMoose will be convoying with us. Tomorrow night at Chez Ice then Saturday drive to Cote Nord.
3 strong back northbound.
Stay Tuned
By
iceman ·
