Winter 2004 Logbook

Recollections of Large's Winter

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December

Another year off to a slow start. We had cold weather in mid December which froze most of the lakes, and Ottawa built up a base of about 15 cm on the ground.... but then it got warm again over the holidays and rained in Ottawa, with some snow in Sudbury, but nothing much. Black Lake froze Dec. 9th, if I recall and it was safe to go on around Christmas, but I left the sled in Ottawa as there was no time to ride betweeen work and holiday visiting. Christmas dinner at Connie and Craig's on Black Lake and I made it down to Barry and Marlene's for a night cap. Very foggy night!! 

January

We ushered in January with very little snow, and then bitterly cold weather, -30/31C for a week with winds pushing temps to -45C, not very nice! Finally got out for a ride in the trusty old 2001 XC 600 on Jan. 18th out of Stittsville. Put on 47 miles as I went out to Carleton Place, mainly on the old rail line. Snow was minimal with the odd trail groomer packed, others untouched.

Did 67 miles on the next Sunday with Carl, the next door neighbour. Trails are getting better, but still a lack of snow. We had a couple at the Old Mill in Ashton and called it an evening after finding that the trail to Arnprior is closed due to a road bridge being out.

Ran up to Val Des Bois, Quebec on Saturday the 31st with Al and Scott from Nortel. It is about 1.5 hour truck drive up. We met at Tim's in Kanata and were on the snow by 9am. We ran east through the Papineau Park to Labelle, Duhamel and into Mount Laurier for lunch. Then headed south back to the truck about 5 pm. All the trails were great to excellent. 228 miles in all, a solid day under mainly sunny skies. Confirmed that the XC 600 is an absolute pig on gas. Al's 700 VIper took 27 L, Scott 2003 MX REV 600 SDI was 23 L, I was 33L !! This is all over 95 miles of groomed trails.

Ran the local trails on Super Bowl Sunday for an hour or so as it was sooo nice out. Then had to pick up the neighbour Carl with my truck as his 2003 MX-Z 600 self destructed from the crank up. One new motor please. Had the lads over for a Super Bowl party and a few of us (well myself and Curly) fired'er up pretty good. Was a great end to the game!!

 

February .

 Daren 

Ran up to Sudbury on the weekend of Feb. 7/8th. The plan was to hit the Killarney  Festival, but things fell through. Tictac and I picked up her brother's sled in Beaver Lake Friday night, and I had to replace a ski shock on it first thing Saturday morning( in -20C weather outside dammit!). On the snow by 11am from Pistol Pete's, and we met a wack of sledders at Villgren's camp on Penage. Long Lake trail was freshly groomed, probably for the first time of the year. There was a whole crew waiting for us, and we hit Bell Lake road on our way for a day trip to Killarney. Trails were groomed but it had snowed on Friday about 10cm so they were sloppy and filled the air with snow dust. The snow got very slim near Killarney, with no base on the trails. There was also a nice 300 foot streach of water right on the trail just outside of Killarney... would be a real test for a small two up sled! Lunch @ the KBI and the 13 sleds started back about 2pm under bright sunny skies and about -12C, does it get any better?.  Back to Penage. Stopped at The Lodge for a couple and the groups started to split. Tictac, I, Nick and Katie then headed to the Vildis' for a visit, and we headed home to Black Lake via the Reserve Rd. about midnight. Was -23C when we got in. 125 miles for the day.

I headed out on my own on Sunday via La Vasse. Visited the ice hut for an hour or so, the usual partners in crime killing a case and a big plastic bottle of clear stuff. Quiet overcast day, not too nice. Stopped in @ Jake's hut but I missed them... they were out visiting.. wonder if their lines were still in? No, they wouldn't do that!

Tictac was down V-day weekend to pick up her new Honda Civic, so I didn't get any miles on that weekend. Weather was all over the map anyhow.. snow squalls, sun, you name it. 

 Now time for the main event of the winter. Mike and I left Stittsville on Thursday Feb. 18th @ 8pm bound for Sudbury with three sleds in tow behind Mike's Chevy. We got stopped in spot check in Verner at 12 am!!. What the hell? This is no mans land. Being semi-law abieding citizens we made it through, and arrived at Rod's pad on Little Penage about 2am.

Heavy snowfall warning!! That is what met us Friday morning as we had numerous coffee and Bailey's and waited for Pete Pearson to work his morning and come out to meet us. Snow started about 10am, and it was a full on blizzard by the time we(I, Special Ed, Mike, Uncle Tony, Rod and Peter) reached the big water about 2 pm. What a site! Snow going sideways, visbility about 40 yards, real nice. Of course I get to lead and find the next marker on the lake.  We get to Manitoulin Island, gas up in Little Current and then head towards our rented camps in Mindamoya. "You find the trail in the snow Large" they say, while the rest of the pannzies  stop to for a liquid recharge. Now I am stuck on a snow drift on a tight trail on the edge of a hill dropping down to a lake. Real nice guys. Anyhow, I get out on my third try, sweat and all, and we make to our destination at dusk. Shithead had driven up in the truck, in the snow storm, and brought suppies, so that was a  sweet deal. Ended up 102 tough miles to Manitoulin Island in all.

IIt kept snowing all night, and the trails were a mess Saturday. About 25cm in all, and right around 0 degrees C. We did  80 miles in the snow in Saturday, Gore Bay and back to make a circle. It cleared late in the day and was actually very fun riding, different than the normal groomed hard trials, but enjoyable. About 140 miles back on Sunday with sunny skies. Some of the trials were groomed overnight and awesome riding. Ran up Monday 108 miles to Elliot Lake. Stopped in Spanish for lunch, the trails were rough most of the day, not horrible, but not great either.  Stayed at the Fireside Inn (I think) and had a nice quiet evening since there were no option to go out. Tuesday was excellent riding, as good as it gets south out of Elliot Lake to Blind River, then east to Spanish, all freshly groomed. Was 177 miles back via Blind River to Spanish then on the big water to La Cloche Lake. All in all, a  633 mile total for the trip, a bit lower than normal but heavy snow was too blame. Turns out Mike had blown his drive shaft bearing where the speedo key goes in on Friday on the Island... but it never made much noise the whole time.

Up to about 1250 miles for the season. Exhaust values need some attention($75 for one new rubber bellow!! Can you say rip off!!), and I still can't figure out where the coolant leak is coming from. The temp. probe in the head drips coolant once and a while.. no big deal.

Tictac and I headed out Sunday morning for one last local run. 33 miles later we have concluded the trails here in Stittsville are pretty well done. The hi today was +7C with sun, this is not good for Feb. 29th.

March

Wait a minute.  The season has life. After about a 10 day warm spell, the Ottawa area is done, but there is tons of snow just a 2 hour truck drive  north west. Mike and I loaded up March 13th, 6am under sunny skies and a windy -10C. Tailer trouble on the way up to Rolphton cost us some time. On the snow at 10am. There were about 20 trucks and trailers at Rolphton, this is the place to be this time of year. Another 20 @ Stonecliffe. What a day!  Perfect trials as we headed up the A trail to Mattawa via Deux Riveries . Snow in the bush was over our knees, trails were pretty well perfect as was the weather, -5C and sunny!!! 171 miles for the day, Rolphton-Mattawa return. Back at the truck at sun down.

 

I took Friday March 19th off and headed north in the truck since Sudbury was still in mid-winter form. Met up with Rod and we road to Killarney via the big water, had lunch and came back via the Bell Lake Rd trail. Everything was in perfect shape, and we were home by 3, ahead of scheduale.  We grabbed the girls and headed to the King George in Nairn for a fish fry, and just our luck, they were packed and out of fish. We then got hit by a white out storm about 9:30 pm on the ride home. Saturday, we made it out to Pistol Pete's on Penage. Ozzy and the boys were in the back bay, so we had to visit of course.Had a few socials, some real nice steaks. Sunday, I took my dad's sled for a rip and Tamara had to head off to study and Tim and Marsha took my sled back to Ottawa so I could start to bring Tamara's belongs down to Stittsville. A 300 mile weekend in all..

The whole weekend in on camera here.

hhttp://largedaryl.topcities.com/2004/late_march/index.html

All hope ended today, Saturday, March 27th. Plus 8C and cloudy, it is over at about 1700 miles. ( Sunday was a perfect day to ride in Duex Riveriers but it did not work with our commitments). Covered the sled up on Wednesday night. All in all, a happy camper. Talked later to sledders that went up Sunday, and they had to truck to Mattawa Golf Club to get ridable snow, but it was great for one last day. 

- Large

March 27th, 2004