Winter 2005

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First snow arrived in Ottawa on Dec. 1st, just in time to help with a last minute push to sell trail permits. We got out working on the local trials Nov. 27th and the first two weekends of Dec. As of Dec. 9th, there is about 10cm on the ground and freezing rain and ice pellets has been the norm. Guys are off to St. Zenon(3.5 hours from Ottawa) this weekend, and some have been riding in Mt. Valins, 100 miles north-east of Quebec City for some time now.

Got a good 18cm dump on Friday the 10th, and then another 10 cm on the Sunday night. Made it out for my first run on Sunday the 12th, a full month earlier than last year! Just a quick 15 miles to make sure everything is in working shape on the new to me 03 XC 6. Cory and I were cutting trails on Saturday by Hwy 7/Dwyer Hill road after the Friday storm... the swamp has grown in pretty bad. Grooming started in Deep River on the 13th, may head there this weekend? Heard that Black Lk froze on the 15th back up at my parents place, that is only a few days later than avg.

More light snow Sat, the 18th as John Young and I put up trail signs for 5 hours. Put 33 miles on our sleds doing this. The Stittsville system is pretty well ready to groom. We only found one bad creek. Woke up to a blizzard Sunday @ 6 am, and trucked to Arnprior to meet Roger and Paul from Carleton Place. Met them on the sled boards on the net. Rode the A trail to Renfrew and then B105A to Calabogie and back. All was groomed. 70 miles return, and a very blistery ride, but great for this time of year. Only Pembroke is listed as limited, others clubs are still officially closed, but grooming should commence any day now. Calling for -30C tonight.... it is -22 right now! Hard to believe, but southern Ont. is open before the north this year, as Timmins and TATA are both still closed. Wawa is now pretty well open.

Rain hit Dec. 24th, with 20+cm of snow north of Renfrew. Ran local trails to Almonte and back Dec. 28th, took a few old style signs down. Groomer is out today, but not where I was. Trucked to Pembroke on the 29th with Darrell. Ran to Deep River via the A, then back via 136/132 to Petawawa. Everything groomed but for some sections of the back 13x series. Ran towards Deacon and back via 122.. very rugged back to Pembroke. 150 miles in all. Great early season day. Rain and +6C on New Year's Eve day.. then rain.. killed the local snow, but Pembroke area is all right as they had about 2 feet on the ground to start with.

Ottawa got about 12/15cm on Jan. 6th to put us back in grooming mode. Trucked up with Chris (and Darrell, John, Sean, Peter and Mike) to outside Renfrew on Jan. 8th. Ran the A/108/117 to Killaloe, lunch in Wilno, back for gas then across Golden Lake and the B into Pembroke. Then down the A, back at the trucks at 6:30. 172 miles for the day. 95% of the trails have been groomed, but some were chewed from the day. Snow is much better north-west of Renfrew towards Pembroke then Renfrew area.. few rough spots in the fields. . Lots of deer.. had two near incidents with deer near Killaloe

Arnprior and back on Sunday with Tictac. Cloudy, near 0. Trails need snow and a grooming. 82 miles return.

Tamara and I trucked up to Sudbury the first weekend of Feb, and tried to head to Killarney. NO snow on the lakes, but the trail to Killarney was perfect. Unfortunately, Ashton bushed Daren's F7, was shaken and we had to turn back. Stopped at Vilgren's camp, and visited for a while. All in all, a great sunny day.

Mike, Ed and I headed out of Ottawa on Friday, Feb. 25th under sunny skies and -19C. Smooth sailing into Rimouski

No rush to get on the snow Sat. as is was cool, and our plan was only for 170 miles to St. Anne De Mont via Matane. Trails were generally perfect. Rolling fields and a slight glimpse of some Chic-Choc mountains near St Paulins. Tons of traffic on the trails, must have met 200 sleds. Had lunch in Matane, then into St-Anne Des Monts around 4 pm, had a beer and checked into the hotel called Brunette.. 166 miles for the day. Great dinner, and forecast called for flurries.

Awoke to a wild storm, 15 cm on the ground, high winds, WTF! Headed up the hill trying to get to St-Pierre. The first two groups on the trail turned back within 5 miles. Snow in the hills was between 8" and 16" inches, this is not good. Sleds keep filling up with snow and could not get air, thus run like shit. Special Ed broke trail with his 500 XC for 15 miles up some large hills. Said he had to hold it to the bar for miles, else it would die. Ed and Mike both got stuck on a road with about 3 feet of snow blown in on it. That kept us busy for a while. We were ready to turn around since the snow was just too much, when the guy from the gas station in the next little town came through on his Bearcat 660 breaking trail... he must have had two feet of snow on his cab, trucking through with his 20" inch long track.. thank God! He turned around and we headed behind him, must have been 18" of snow in the sides of our tracks downhill... don't know how he ever made it up the hills! Gassed up, and were told to run the main coastal highway 27 km to St Pierre. Winds were wild along the coast here. In St Pierre we were told the trails were closed because of all the snow, so we debated what to do, and ended up turning back to St Anne des Mont since we knew the trail was opened, plus there was another storm due in a day and a half and did not want to be near Gaspe ( the far end of the Peninsula ) when that hit. Met a few other groups doing the same as us... everyone wondering what direction to turn to next. Nice ride back over out same tracks after another 27 km run down the highway. Met up with 4 lads from Northern Nova Scotia, Macdave, 2004mxz, Smclelan all from HCS.com and one other lad on a new XC 7. Good guys, ended up sharing a few beers that night and crossed paths each of the next two days.

Monday was our best day by far. On the snow by 7:50 am, and heading east on the 5 to St. Pauline. Then took the 595 south towards Relais La Cache. Gassed at the lumber camp and stopped at Relais La Cache... place was not near as bad as reports I have read... was just fine for a 30 minute pitstop. Scenery was amazing, although the trails need a visit by a groomer north of La Cache. Were perfect though to the south into New Richmond. Gassed up, and took the 5 west from New Richmond into Point a la Croix for the night. Since it was Monday, the ladies were not entertaining (which sucks as the hotel is 200 yards away) and we had no beer left in our stash. Watched the weather channel say we are in for a real storm Tuesday am, so figured we would play it by ear on the am.

Ended up sledding until noon Tuesday under overcast skies. Meet the four lads from NS on their way home, and we made it to Amqui by 11, and then the snow started. Last 15 miles into Mont Joli were crazy, like driving on clouds... all you could see was white, with stakes just enough to stay on the trail. We found the Mount Joli hotel after a few dead ends and getting turned around in a field ( or wherever the heck we were.. you could not see a damn thing, and of course this is when my electric visor stopped working!)

The storm cleared Wed. am and we plugged the last 30 miles into Rimouski. Was actually fun riding in the fresh snow, but Special Ed's xc 5 did not like the snow and was on and off one cylinder. Saw an owl on a field snow picket.. been years since I saw one. Made it to the truck and trailer, loaded up and trucked about 4 hours to Quebec City. Stopped @ Polaris dealer for a map and suggested place to stay. Took in the night life, and a great breakfast next door at the Quebec Hotel. Bit of trouble finding a staging area to unload(should have unloaded right at the hotel in retrospect), but under sunny cool skies we were on the snow by 10:30 am. Headed west intending to hit Mount St. Anne area, but decided this was in error. Back tracked and hit the Ice Hotel, after first stumbling upon a wildlife preserve. Moose, deer and caribou all within 30 yards, and only 10 yards off of our sleds, behind a chained fence. There are 4 wheeler trails all over here as well. Saw many more 4 wheelers today then sleds. Trails were all pretty darn good. Real nice near the ice hotel. Also had a great late lunch 1 mile from the ice hotel at an Irish Pub, real good food, and Kilkenny beer to boot! Trucked home that night.. in Ottawa by 11 pm.

Logged 117 miles Saturday, March 12th. Tictac and I left Stittsville, met Tim, then to CP, out to Lanark, around to Clayton Lake, back to CP and Stittsville. 95% of the trails were freshly groomed and smooth, as good as they can get given their tight, narrow conditions. Played hockey on Cranston's rink, and the two of us sledded home at sun down.. a real nice evening. Not be negative, but most of the CP to Lanark and Clayton trails need to be doubled in width... they are dangerous at 8 feet wide on average in the bush and the groomer must take a beating going through them as there are limbs hanging everywhere. I know this takes volunteer time or $, I spent 40 hours doing this myself in Stittsville last fall.

The spring sun is getting much stronger, and eats the trail up as soon as something dark shows through..... our season is down to days... unless you have a truck and trailer.

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Sunday am, March 13th

Just ran 61 miles. Stittsville down Hwy 7 to Almonte, West Carleton trails near Almonte are wash board, Stittsville trails are pretty good,
groomed on Friday. Over to CP, then south towards Franktown, and back up to Ashton. Ashton groomer was out overnight,,,, makes for a great
base as it firms up during the overnight, so nice to see overnight weekend grooming.... in a perfect world every groomer would be running
Friday and Saturday night.. Ashton back into Stittsville... got my run in before the trails soften up too much.. Saw 9 sleds and 3 deer. Happy
to be riding here March 12/13th weekend!

Monday evening, met up with Fife and Carl at 5pm under sunny skies. Headed down Hwy 7 towards Almonte on the E103. Trail was as bumpy as I have seen it all year(met the groomer on the way home) and on to Arnprior. The fields near Arnprior were 30% mud, the end is near. The Prior was very busy for a Monday, no sledders, but lots of business. 79 mile return trip, home by 9pm, nice end to the season riding from home.

Early start Saturday March 20th. Met Special Ed and Fife at the Ottawa Yacht Club off Carling Ave, and on the snow by 7am. Up the river to Quyon. Looped up to Kazabaza and lunch in Lake St. Marie, nice place there to eat, but no gas in town. Solid day, 265 miles. Back at the truck in the dark at 8 pm. Lots of snow on the river and in the bush. Starting to thin around Quyon area near town... was the last weekend near Ottawa as it was sunny and +3 every day of the week, so the sun eats the snow up this time of year.

On the road Easter Friday at 6 am with Tictac, the truck and trailer loaded. Met up with a crew in Arnprior and we trucked up to Rolphton. Sunny skies and rock hard trails greeted use. Rode to Mattawa Golf Club for lunch, gassed and did a little loop south of Mattawa and back to Duex Riveries. Then took the 195 east which was a mistake. 3 miles of mud where the logging had begun. There were about 12 sleds in all as the day ended, one group racing bumper to bumper to end the day, the other(us) a few paces behind. 163 mile day. Great day to wrap up the year! No troubles, and 3000 miles later, I have to have a smile on my face for the season. Where are my golf clubs?