We had some nice trails, some poopy trails and some great trails and some really poopy trails today.
Well, dinner went from plan A to plan B pretty quickly last night. We had high expectations all day of going to the recommended Brew Pub next to the Quality Inn last evening. Dinner was planned for 7pm, and Stick finished the blog around 6:15pm. I told the Orange Helmet I was taking my work tools back to the room, and then I was heading over to the brew pub, I’m hungry. I would take care of making the table arrangements for our group of 16. I walked the concrete sidewalk next door, and on approach to parking lot, I start thinking to myself, “this doesn’t look very promising, there’s only 3 cars in the parking lot, on a Friday night”. How good can it be, with only 3 cars. As walked past the big picture windows on the front, I can see inside that the chairs are stacked on top of the tables, all shoved against the back wall. And the floor is tore up. Doesn’t take a genius to see there is a remodel going on. I laugh out loud to myself, and can’t wait to call Orange Helmet to give him the news.
I go back to the upstairs bar at the Quality Inn, where I had left all the other jokers. I walk up to the bar, and buy a round for our group, you know, kinda smooth over the news I am about to break. As news filters around the horseshoe bar, and conversation quickly turns to what are we doing for dinner now.
Someone had better vision than I, because someone pointed out there’s a Boston Pizza on the other side of the brew pub. Ok, Boston Pizza, again, it is.
We had some pretty good fire cracker shwimp (I know I spelled it wrong, inside joke) appetizers, as well as chicken quesidllas ’ and nachos before our sandwiches and pizzas main course made it to the table.
During dinner, snow showers had begun, and it was falling pretty good. The concrete sidewalks, on my walk home, had probably 3 inches of fresh snow on the sidewalks. Good news, the area could use it.
A few after dinner adult beverages were had, back above the Quality Inn, and I believe it was an early night for the group. I really wouldn’t know, I had a beer with Orange Helmet, went to my room and put my ear buds, eye patches and life support machine on, while Robere’ and The Wanderer entertained themselves in our room.
Breakfast was get it when you get it, no hard schedule has been set. As I’ve said before, this group is generally on their sleds and ready to ski doo by 8:30/45am each day. We had about 8 inches of fresh snow overnight, and the sleds were covered, except for the guys that bring their trip overnight covers, that basically just cover the dash, handle bars and seat. It must be nice, I don’t have one, and I had to wipe my own sled off this morning.
I was feeling pretty good starting out this morning. Morning rituals were maintained, the fresh snow was going to make the ride much better than the ride in yesterday afternoon.
As we left the hotel parking lot, I was feeling a little gurgle, but thought, no, your fine. Until mile maker 6 came about, and I pulled over on the trail, told Robere’ to take the group ahead, I’ve got business right now. He understood, and the group passed by me, heads nodding as they passed by, many chuckling at my predicament as I was taking off my snow jacket and prepping for the task at hand.
Business complete, I quickly caught up with the stopped group a couple miles down the trail. Naturally wise cracks were made, but, hey, everybody has done it at some time on the trail.
The trails were fun and snow packed, and as our old bullet catcher Ole used to say, we were crushing snow.
We stopped at a warming station on the trail, and accross from the warming hut, where a few had gone in to check out, there was a good old fashioned outhouse. It wasn’t long before ole Hedgie was stripping off his snow jacket and making a walk of shame across the path.
The freshly covered trails were fun to ride, grooming wasn’t necessary when our group went thru breaking trail. At one point we passed a groomer, making them that much better.
Trails were great until we got about 15 miles out from Pourvoirie Meeko’s. They turned to crap pretty fast. Washboard rough.
Meekos is a snow lovers hot spot in the frozen tundra. A LOT of snowmobile activity here, with families of all ages, as well as immature adult males on a snow mobile saddlebag adventure.
Meekos is a favorite for many in the group. We got our usual overnight residence, the large bunk house with an open community room and kitchen, with a long corridor with bedrooms with either 2 twin beds in each or a single full bed. At the far end of the hall are the two bathrooms with shower facilities for the 14 overnight residents in our bunk house.
At the moment, we are gathered in the main lodge building where there is a bar and lounge areas on one side, and the main dining room on the back side. I’m clicking away on this tablet, that I kept encouraging Action Dan to lose on the trail, sitting at a table, fireside, with Connecticut Jim, Wiki Rob and NFG Steve with a cold thought provoker, anticipating another fine dinner tonight. Club Meeko’s has never disappointed us.
I have interjected myself into their conversation periodically, and the last interjection consisted of, while we are glad this is day 11 of 12 on the trail, in about a week we will be looking forward to next year’s Darkside Adventure. We are definitely enjoying being back in our old stomping grounds. Hint, hint Orange Helmet, come July when you start thinking/planning Quebec, our request is in…
Tomorrow is the last day on the trail, and rumor is it’s only about 60 miles away to our trucks and trailers. Of course we will take local trails to get us our day in. We shall see.
P.S. I again have some pretty good pictures but the wifi is taking too long for my patience, I’ll try and post them to the Darkside Facebook page.
Bye for now,
Cheers,
Stick