Love your post #5. Just when I thought we were on the outs you reel me back in and shower me with the respect that I deserve. I'm not riding with anyone this year other than my kids around the yard, so don't feel slighted. I can't wait to ride with the club again. That being said here is your trip: The Straight North Expedition! Head from my barn North for four days with the goal being Quebec. Fifth day will be a travel day where I will pick you up from your most northern point and drive you back to my yard with the four place. This trip will be legendary! A good year to make it happen for two reasons: your sleds are all old so who cares how beat they get and this is a snowy year so it's actually possible. Easily the most talked about trip of all time plus the only way you will get #388 to ride with you guys because you know he will be bailing on the Gaspe any day now (mechanical problems). Good Luck!
You know I love you #99. Wow - 200 miles is a lot of laps around the house!!
I am certainly willing and able to take my hours behind the wheel so you can count on that.
I feel that #7 is making fun of the WPROTY award since he nominates the same member who doesn't ride w/ the club every year. Nothing personal, #4, but you just don't ride w/ the club. Speaking of which, isn't about time you throw out what our trip should be this year? Don't wait too long we at least need 6-11 minutes to pretend that we're thinking about it before we unanimously decide to throw all of our planning in the toilet and go with yours. We may meet to wrap up all details this Sat night so make sure you mention something to someone in passing so we can vote on it then. Thank you in advance.
I would be willing to let #3 take my sled if he thinks he can handle the power of 800 SCREAMING CC's. It might be too much sled for him but it's there if he needs it.
Thanks for the virtual bitch slap. Ok, so I only have about 200 miles this year. It's been busy and I can think of a thousand other excuses that I won't bore you with. Sorry I haven't done anything to help with the planning, but they way I see it, "if it aint broken, don't try to fix it".
I am in on the Trailer. I have my QC registration, I have a 7 pin connector, but not sure about the break connection. I would be happy to pull, but we need to work out the logistics of who is definitely in, and who is driving.
I hear, we may lose #3. Sled is finally saying "I've had enough". Trying to convince him otherwise, but we'll see. So that would bring our number down to.....7? We can do 4 on the trailer, two on the two place and then would need someone with a truck to take a sled in the bed if we want to limit us to two tow vehicles.
Riverside / Blue Moose is closed and not plowed out. Let's meet at the Dunkin Donuts 500 yards before on right. I can meet anytime for final logistics and planning.
The wind blows in #99 for maybe his second post of the season in late February and lo and behold it's to bitch slap those of us that already have over 50 miles racked up so far. Nice work #99. This club does more than just meet in bars you know.
My fingers are worn out trying to make final arrangements; I believe the Pres and #3 are the only two that have not chimed in on registering in Qc, I'm sure nobody throws $150 away like that if they're not coming so don't sweat your pretty little head that there's not a crew ready to depart. We will be at the Riverside at 5am on 3/8. There's one detail down. Make sure your truck is full and your bladder is empty and you have fresh batteries in the talkabout.
I, on the other hand, need to stop waiting for fair weather and get that 4-place back to my house so I can check those brakes. I know #10 and #5 will be on the 4-place, but who and when will we load the other 2. I know #99, #3 and #13 have all claimed a spot. #99, if you are pulling it then do you have a 7-pin connector and a brake controller? Trailer arrangements are still up in the air for sure.
I read this on Hardcoresledder.com. There is no response to meeting requests, no banter except for the 2 30 packs. Apathy has taken over this club like the eboli virus.
Are we still going to Gaspe'? Maybe this will get your thoughts on March 8th.
We pack up and headed up to camp in Columbia on Friday evening of Feb. 8th. I arrive at camp and get the wood stove going. The furnace already has the place at 65 degrees. (Thank goodness for programmable thermostats). The first adventure of the trip is Jon's question as to what the best way to unload his sled from the back of his truck? My suggestion is to back up to the snowband and just back the sled up enough to get on the top of the snowbank. The first OOOOPPPPSSSS, I guess he went too far and now the sled is pointed to the moon. We dig the snowbank out and get his sled into camp to thaw out and prep for the morning, but where is out third member?? It's now 10:30pm and he still has not arrived. Finally about 11pm he arrives and we get some sleep.
Day 1
We get suited up and decide to head to Pittsburg to top off before going over the border. A quick breakfast and camp and were off. We get to the border and the customs agent decides he likes us and takes about half an hour to check us out. Finally, we are off to our first destination. We decide to take a shorter route up to St. George and head out on 580 east over to 25 and up to 75. We stop at the clubhouse in St. George for lunch without incident. We headed north on TQ75 up to TQ35 and find out first issue. The trail is marked with detour and the river has about 10' of open water. We look at each other and the next thing we know, our first member has crossed and is waving us on. We cross over without incident and I look back and see about a 15' peice of the ice that we just crossed now floating down the river. I look over and think, we aren't going back this way. Well, it's now just afternoon and we only have 200 miles on. We need to get crackin'. We get out onto the TQ35 and set out cruise controls on 70. We get to Pohenemook at 7pm and meet up with the Pioneers from Bow. 9 guys out on a few day ride. They have aready met up with the trail police and have realized that mirrors are essential in Quebec. Two of them recieved $150.00 tickets for not having mirrors. We get unpacked and have a great meal at the Auberge La Villa Des Frontieres. 392 miles logged in, day one complete.
Day 2
It's up early and off to ride. But first, J has been concerned about his 8.5 miles per gallon and decides to change the helix and spring in his sled. Well, maybe trying to get back to the stock configuration will help. We head northeast and get to our first fillup in Cabano. The weather is great and the trails are wonderful. We continue on to Mt. Joli and reach TQ 5. Our trail for the next few days. We fill up again and J is still wondering what's going on??? His Yamaha just is not keeping up with the fuel mileage of the rev's that Jon and I are riding. We head east on TQ 5 and arrive in Matane. Our encounter with the trail police. Registrations checked and all is in order. We get to the motel Riotel in Matane and settle in for the night. We are all impressed with the hotel and enjoy the food.
Day 3
It's up at 7am and we are all ready to get riding. We head over for breakfast and hear the guy next to us is having an issue with his brand new sled. Jon, being the good tech that he is, decides to have him us the hotel computer and google up some answers. A few minutes later and we are all discussing what the issue might be. Jon offer's to look at his sled after we eat. J decides that he still doesn't like the mileage on his sled and decides to change the spring again and try a different combination and wrap. The hotel clerk then tells us that the trails are all closed due to the snow from last night and the predicted 90 kpm winds coming in later that night. Jon finds that the issue is a wire rubbing on the jack shaft and he can't reach it to remove the grounding issue, but assures the guy that it won't damage the sled to ride. We hit the trail. First stop, Groomers clubhouse for lunch. We arrive and meet a couple of guys from Ontario that used to live near Perce. We talk about conditions and the scenery on the way. The three guys from PA arrive and we all talk for a while. Time to hit the trail again. We head out and get about 35 miles down the trail and the wind is blowing and drifted snow has covered the trail. J spots a turn arrow way down to our left and heads down to check it out. The second OOOPPPPSSS of the trip. Sled is buried in 4' of fresh powder. As we are digging it out, we see the two guys from Ontario head down in the other direction and we now know where the trail is. We get turned around and follow their tracks. It's now 2:30pm and we start up this huge mountain. The snow has drifted and there are signs on the trail warning of how steep it is. We get to the top and wish that we could see more that 10 feet in front of us. We head down the other side and get to Mont Saint Pierre. We get to the town and see a hotel and the two guys from Ontario's sleds. We decide that it's only 3:30pm, but with the snow and wind, we don't want to get cout out in that after dark. We get our room and the guys from PA come out of the trial head. Hey, are you guy's stopping, it's only 3:30pm. Yep, well we are going to continue on. We meet up with the guys from Ontario and have dinner. After which, J decides that he is going to change springs again and wrap to improve the mileage that is now up to 11mpg.
Day4
The weather has broken and we can now see the huge mountains that we went over yesterday afternoon. We also see the ones that we have to continue over for today. We finish up breakfast. We get onto the trial and J is having a helmet malfuncion. Hey guys, look at me, it's like a snow globe inside his helmet. We offer to duck tape the shield in place, he declines and says it doesn't bother his. We arrive at the top of the mountain, and decide to stay on TQ5 heading east. We pass the junction to Murdockville and find a big group of sleds all sitting at a shack on the trail. Here we go, it's the three guys from PA. They got just a few Kilometers past the shack last night and ran into a 8' high snow drift straight up. With the snow coming down, the 90 KPM winds and low on gas, they turn around and stay at the shack. They proceed to tell us that the other group of 8 guys from Ontario came past the shack last night and disapeared. They drove back down to the snow drift in the morning and saw no tracks or trace of them, but did not hear them turn around. The guys from Ontario immediatly start telling them about the Shrimp Alfredo dinner last night and the wonderful breakfast. We hear the story of boiling water and the granola bars that the three had for dinner. Well there is another couple there and her sled is out of gas. Jon breaks out the spare tank on the back of his sled and SUPERMAN to the rescure again. We gather the group together and head back to TQ597 to Murdockville. We get there fill up on food and fuel and decide to ride as a group of 8 down to Perce.
We head out after lunch and the trail is in fair shape down about 45 miles. We get down to a junction, see no trial signs but a 4 wheeler trail sign. One of the guys from Ontario remembers the trail from riding last summer and heads us down the trail. Two and half feet of fresh power and we are off. The banks on the side of the trail at 10' high and we head down the shute. Nobody gets stuck and we make it all the way to TQ 5 on the south side. We gas up and head up to the Rock. We thank Clyde and his partner for the tour and head down to find a room for the night. We get checked in and unloaded and Jon heads next door to ask the guys from PA want to walk down to the bar and have a drink before dinner. They decline and Jon comes back and tells up that the room smells like ben gay and they have declined the offer. We get down to the bar and find a few of the guys from the 8 Ontario group. I ask them what happened last night, he stated that they all got off their sleds, found a soft route over the snow drift and packed it down by walking back and forth. They then drove the sleds over and went on their way. They stayed the night in the following town. But, they ran into issues today and had to run the road as the trail was unpassable. Four had the chase truck pick them up and trailer them to Perce. The others were still on the trail at 6pm and had not arrived. We decide it's time for dinner and walk back up the street. We find the guys from PA eating dinner and join them. We finish up and head back to the rooms. Jon open our door and we smell smoke. The guys from PA open their door next door and the smoke alarm is raging and the security lights are on. Their room is on fire. Jon is first to grab snow and J heads to get help. Jon and I start grabbing handfuls of snow and putting it on the fire. J arrives with shovels and we douse the fire. Jon grabs the door mat and pulls the smoldering travel bag off the stove. The fire department arrives and we pull the stuff out of our room and put it by our sleds. The firemen come in with an IR gun and start in on our closet door with the AXE. I guess we aren't staying in that room tonight. The owner relocated us and thanks us for the help.
Day 5
We get up early and decide that we want to put a few miles between us and the guys from PA. We get to breakfast and are half way done with the guys from PA join us. We finish up and they tell us that they are going to be a little late getting on the trail due to having to go over insurance information with the owner. We suit up, and get out of town as fast as we can. We take a few photo's and head west down TQ5 on the south side. We decide to do 320 miles and get to Amqui for the night.
Day 6
We head out from Amqui to Mt. Joli and the trails have just been groomed. What a pleasure. Just prior to Mt. Joli we experience a couple riding a two up and have a few issues getting around them. Jon and I get around, but J is having an issue. J finally gets around the guy and nails the gas. The guy now speeds up and starts waving at J, He wants no part of this and speeds up. We arrive in Mt. Joli 60 miles down the trail and find that J's bag is bouncing on the snow on a bungy cord. I ask J if maybe that's what the guy was concerned about, and he says I don't think so. We gas up in Mt. Joli and head down to 548 to Cabano. We stop for fuel and lunch at the clubhouse. In walks the couple and J is very quiet. Jon says, hey, I think that is the couple that we passed about 160 miles ago. No way! We finish up and head south down TQ35 to TQ55 back to St. George. 420 miles for the day and we are beat.
Day 7
We have breakfast at the comfort inn in St. George and head south on TQ75. We take the turn off back onto TQ580 and the deer are everywhere. There must have been 60 deer on that route just off the trail. We arrive back at camp by 1:30pm and Jon and J decide to head home.
What a trip, 1800 miles in 7 days, and yes we did have time for photo's. 135 gallons of gas and just over 3 gallons of oil. Best part, we are headed back next year to finish doing the remaining trails
