All riders arrived safely at Hotel Forestel right around 4:30pm. Some gear and perhaps a sled, maybe not so well. Chip Nasty was pretty close with his estimated milage, and we clocked 191 miles today.
Last night’s dinner was another good one on the trail. Several strip steaks, some chicken dishes and the twice baked potato. The twice baked potato gave a couple riders a lost in translation moment. Steve, while trying to tell our friendly server he wanted to twice baked potato, she interpreted it as he wanted TWO twice baked potatoes. And Mail Man, right seated right next to Steve, said he would like the same. Now, I was across the table and I picked up on the conversation. She repeated the order back to them, and they all enthusiastically confirmed yes, two baked potatoes. I just shrugged it off, thinking they skipped the salad, and knew what they were doing. But they didn’t. They each got 2 of the oversized twice baked potatoes. It gave the table a good chuckle.
This morning’s breakfast was at the usual 7am call time, and the now very familiar eggs any way you like, scrambled or over easy. French toast was also an option, and there were a few of those handed out.
Skis up time was 9am, and we were gathered with warm sleds by 8:45am. But not without issue. Orange Helmet’s Yamaha had now caught the Yamaha virus, and needed a bucket of cold water to start this morning. In addition to the necessary water, it would not maintain idle after firing up. After our sled ride .2 mile down the street to the main dining lodge, for breakfast, it seemed to have shaken off the symptoms and was now performing to expectation.
My Ski Doo temperature gauge said it was -5 degrees this morning. Another overcast morning with a light snow flurry falling down on us.
Our first stop was 100 miles in a westward direction, back to Lac Faillon. We are back in the Bush, and there is only one trail east and west into/out of Clova. And for the first 85 miles of that leg, we won’t cross a road, a trail head, nor a rail crossing. You are out there, up here. There is a warming hut at around the 65 mile mark, but nothing else.
The trails were very dusty to start the day, due to the light snow flurries. It made visibility in the back of the pack difficult to say the least. It also made it difficult for the guys up front to see further than one headlight in their mirror, behind them.
And at the 65 mile mark is when the Yamaha virus jumped hosts, and Bent Bumper Dave’s 850 Ski Doo with 17,000 miles had a seizure. Not an engine seizure, just a stutter, I guess. I don’t have first hand knowledge, because he is currently at the Ski Doo dealer in Val Dor getting a further analysis. But what I believe I do know, is that he pulled the fuel filter off, it was clean, but the sled was acting like there may be moisture in the fuel/fuel line.
His sled fired back up after blowing thru the fuel filter, and the back of the pack caught up with the 3 riders that were sitting on the side of the trail about 6 miles ahead of them, waiting for either a report, or the group to show up.
While the back of the train was dealing with Bent Bumpers dilemma, The three on the side were met with a local trapper that stopped and talked to them about the 2007 forest fires in the area we were sitting in, and how it drove out the moose and they haven’t come back, and further stories of his trapping in the Bush of Quebec.
With the group back together, we had about 29 miles to our fuel and lunch spot, Lac Faillon. We warmed up our soups, and within about 40 minutes, we were back on the trail to finish out the last 90 miles for the day.
While at lunch, it was discussed that Robere’ and Mail Man may go to the local Ski Doo Dealer in Val Dor. Robere’ has been dealing with a non-working electric helmet shield since day one. It has not been a big factor for him until today. The heavy snow dust was giving him fits and it’s never a good day on the trail when your vision is obscured by a fogged-up/frosty face shield. And Mail Man, he brought his own problem upon himself. At lunch yesterday, he set his helmet a wee bit too close to the fireplace in the dining room. Fortunately, someone saw it, but just not soon enough. The face shield warped. And the helmet warped. They both need new electric heated face shields, and one may need a new helmet all together. We shall see.
Upon arrival at 4:30, Orange Helmet went to check in the group of 13 for our overnight accommodations, and Farmer plugged the directions for the Ski Doo dealer in to his GPS. Farmer led Robere’, Mail Man and Bent Bumper Dave down the trail to the Ski Doo dealer.
It’s 6:44 pm, I am sitting in the hotel bar, naturally, enjoying a cold Labatt Bleu. Dinner is at 7:30.
The guys at the Ski Doo Dealer are suggesting this option for Bent Bumper
UPDATE: Farmer just sat with me at the bar, and gave me the scoop. Robere’ got his new electric face shield. Mail Man needs a new helmet, but is not interested in purchasing one right now. Bent Bumper Dave… oh boy. He’s got issues. His 2-cylinder 2 stroke Ski Doo is running on one cylinder. It’s going to get interesting now. And possibly costly. Three Options: 1) Buy a new sled. I, personally, am encouraging this plan, naturally. Think about it, look at the money you’re saving by not buying a new rear bumper! It’s been since, I think 2017, since I saw Connecticut Jim buy a new Yamaha on the trail! 2) Pay a local to get your sled back to the trucks and trailers in Temiscaming. And option 3) Ride’r her ‘til she pukes.
Also, kudos to my Fact Checker back in Michigan, Big B. He won the “find the intentional error” in yesterday’s story. Your prize is, buy me a beer! See if you can find today’s…
We shall see
Bye for now,
Stick