Well, after 13 days we are back in Kingston ON at the Boston's Pizza we have watched the Super Bowl at for the last 5 years. Fortunately, the smoke has cleared and they are open for business (if you don't get the reference, scroll down to Day 1 and start there). The gang from Michigan is here, Craig, Stinky P, Boyle, Kevin, Ron, Joe Snowmobile Jamie, Truck Driver Vinnie and Stick. Connecticut Jim and Dylan peeled out last night from Pont Rouge back to Connecticuts' place in Vermont. Chip pulled out early this morning for his entry back through northern New York and back to Pennsylvania.
Friday February 2, 2018 continued...
Picking up where we left off on Day 10, We successfuly got Vinnie to the Enterprise Car Rental in Rivere du Loop. We left him at the counter filling out paper work and we met back up with the rest of the team at the relaise we had lunch at.
Apparently the rest of the afternoon went smooth. I don;'t have any recollection of issues the rest of Friday afternoon's ride (I even confirmed with Craig, as there have been so many issues each day, I can't always recall in chronological order how they hit us!) We ran about 70 miles to Cap Martin, our Friday night over stay. The staff was extremely accomodating to the riders, bending over backwards to insure our pleasure, which was much appreciated after the last few days we have had. Maybe they were following our blog, and were aware of our plight?
That evening, dinner was at 7pm. Vinnie was able to drive the rental back to Pont Rouge, get the Darkside Rig, and meet back up with us at Cap Martin and join us for dinner. We asked for dinner to be put off until 7:30, so we could all be together, and he came in under budget as we were all seated by 7:15!
Saturday February 3, 2018
Call time was 9 bells. Vinnie peeled out at 6:30am to retrieve the broke down Ski-doo 500 klicks back up the road (about 300 miles). The day started off pretty good for the 11 riders still on the trail. But by the end of the day, there would only be 9 to finish on sleds.
The first issue, although minor, was at the 17 mile mark. The group wound to a halt on the right side of the trail, a quick look in the woods for "nature" and a visit from the front to the back for Craig to ask Stick if he could contact Vinnie in the truck. Craig had left his cell phone back at Cap Martin, still plugged into the wall, getting every bit of charge he could before departing. A quick text was sent out, confirmation by Vinnie of "ok" and off we went again.
Around the 40 mile mark we stopped at a Relaise for a quick warm up and hot choclate. The day was budgeted at around 180 miles total, and it was our last day on the trail, might as well enjoy it.
After our 20 minute warmup, hot choclate, bathroom break, we were back at it. The trails were in good condition, even though there was plenty of Saturday weekend traffic. It was cold, sunny and lots of snow dust on the trail. Caution was excerted due to the limited visibility from the full sun in certain directions and the cloud of snow dust hanging on the trail.
Somewhere in here, Chris Boyle was riding down the trail not a care in the world, when he lost his left saddle bag. Fortunately, Chip was behind him to clean up the trail and grab his saddlebag. A few bungee cords later, he was trail ready again. Good thing Chip picked up his saddlebag... The biggest concern Boyle had, "is that the saddlebag that had the 5 leftover beers" from the night before1
At the 75 mile mark, we came accross another Relaise. The group decided this would be a good place for lunch. Lunch? It's been days since we have stopped for a real lunch on the trail. This was unfamiliar to me. I didn't hesitiate to slam my kill button, and head for the door. Cheeseburgers all dressed all around is what it looked like to me, sitting at the rows of long tables we had gathered as a group at.
At lunch I was informed that we had about 30 miles to go, to get to a "restaurant" parking lot for a truck and trailer to get us accross a bridge, and back to Pont Rouge.
I'd like to refer back to how the day was budgeted for 180 miles +/-... I always ask each day before we start what the approximate number of miles are, as it gives me a goal in my head, and an inkling of an idea of how our day is going. At this point, 75 miles, I am beginning to think they are messing with me. We have already made 2 stops, 1 a long lunch break. Connecticut Jim usually needs fuel at the 90 mile mark, and I don't see any signs of gas nearby. Do we only really have a 90-100 mile day, that's why we are dragging this out? Mind games on the trail?
So we mount our sleds, and off we go. We get to the 100 mile mark, and there is a small sign for gas on the side of the trail. Action Dan, Joe Snowmobile and Craig have motored down the trail unaware. Connecticut, not wanting to have to hit my gas buddy, affectionately refered to as "bar tab", stops at the intersection, the rest of the pack behind him. Kevin shoots ahead, catchs Craig and Joe Snowmobile, but not Action, and comes back to the group waiting at the intersection. Craig waits ahead on the trail for Action to come back, and the rest of the group at the intersection heads to the gas station. Things seem like there going smooth don't they?
Everybody is fueled, and gathered in an adjoining parking lot to the gas station. Action Dan is looking at the map to plot our course, and Craigis looking at the ground under his sled. The heat exchanger leak that was fixed last Saturday, seems to have reared it's ugly head again. D-U-N. Craig parks his sled behind the gas station, pulls the key, and takes his saddlebag inside the station behind the counter for safe keeping.
In the interest of fair reporting and integrety of this blog, I must inform you that back at the intersection before heading to the gas station, my trusty Ski-Doo had started acting up again. It would run fine from 20mph to 60, but at idle it sounded like it was running on 2 cylinders. Was the lingering fuel issue of few days prior still haunting me?
At the 140 mile mark, a quick "nature" break on the right side of the trail. I pull from my last position of the train to the front and pull up next to Craig sitting on the back of Action's 2-Up and "politely" inquire "exactly where is this imaginary restaurant?" A few good belly laughs were had, and we were back in action.
Finally, around the 160 mile mark, we found the "restaurant". A quick call to the delivery service, and we moved accross the road to a hotel parking lot where there was more room for the truck/trailer and ease of loading.
I changed the fuse for my handlebar warmers and was back in action in that regard. However, the performance of my sled was deteriorating. The truck was going to have to make a 3rd trip accross, another 45 minutes, to get me. I felt it was better to call Vinnie at the Bon Aire motel, where he had already arrived back to, with the rig. We could have Vinnie pick me up, not risk a catastrophic failure on the trail, and go back up the road 30 miles to pick up Craig's sled as well. It just made more sense than to risk holding the group up, and making this a verrrryyyy long night.
It took Vinnie about 40 minutes to get to Craig and I. It was another 30 minutes up the road to Craig's sled. The rest of the group was safely accross the bridge and on their way to the Bon Aire. They got in around 7:20pm last night, they encountered some pretty beat up trails and while they tried blasting thru, it still took awhile. Vinnie, Craig & I arrived around 7:45. Vinnie put about 1100 klicks behind the windshield today (approximately 660 miles) by the time he retrieved his sled, then came and rescued Craig and I.
The evening shower was put off, as we tied our sleds down, packed our gear and needed to get to dinner. We were all gathered by 8:30 in the bar for our dinners. It would be an early night for the remaining riders, as we were pretty tuckered out from the night before and the day we had today. I saw alot of FRENCH Onion soups at the table, as Vinnie and I had been talking all week that we couldn't wait to get back to our 4 star rated FRENCH Onion soup.
A "thank you" to Etienne St Pierre at S.K. Export in Kedgwick NB. He kept Vinnies sled safe for 2 days. In appreciation, Vinnie did some shopping at his store while there retrieving his sled, and bought a couple bottles of fresh maple syrup! Wish he would of thought of me a bit, I like fresh maple syrup too.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife, Julie, following along back home. Hope you had a great day, and I thank you for allowing me to take off on these crazy adventures during your special day!
Sunday February 4, 2018
The Darkside rig had a call time of 7:30 am sharp. We had to drive 2 and 1/4 hours back to Rivere du Loope to return the rental truck. The remaining group left around 9am and got into Kingston around 3:30. The Darkside rig arrived around 6:15, just in time to fuel up for tomorrow's run home, check in to the hotel, and scurry accross the parking lot to catch the Super Bowl at our reserved tables.
We are gathered watching the game in our reserved section of the bar that we have inhabited for the last 5 years. On a sidebar, I have a $50 wager and 4.5 points on the Eagles with Snowmobile Joe Jamie... go Eagles. We are already busy plotting and discussing next years adventure.
I think I can speak for the entire Darkside Team when I say a GREAT time was had by all. We rode as a team, had laughs at each other's expense, and solved problems as a team. It was a pleasure gentlemen. Over the last 13 days, old friendships were renewed, new friendships made, and memories created that will last a life time.
As I close out this years edition of Frostbytes, any of you that have followed my prior years musings, may recall that I always reference my "7 followers and my Mom". My mother and father would gather each night in the hearth room, and my mother would open her laptop to log in and see what kind of "tom foolery" her son and the gang were up to each day. She would read aloud, to my father, and they would smile, shake their heads, and sometimes leave an inspirational note in the comments (my father's favorite reminder was "Son, don't let that string that is attached between your head and thumb snap, it'll get you in trouble). Well, they are not here this year to follow along digitally, but I know they were with me all they way. Don't worry Dad, I didn't snap that string! I dedicate this years musings to Jack & Paula. xo
Remember, you can now find us on Facebook, so if you are on that medium, click like and follow along. Should any of you 7 followers out there ever wish to inquire more about a trip on the Darkside contact Craig at 810-629-1299, we'd love to have some new victims.
Bye for now
Stick
PS. Fuck you Phil