500 miles in Lac St Jean and the GT

[actionjack]

Trailered 880 miles from MD to Chicoutimi, QC. 920 miles home including detour to the Ice Hotel. Had a blowout on the trailer on 175 about 20 kms from Sagauney. Great place to change a flat. Caught on video radar at 80mph in upstate NY.

Although I had no issues with the stock wheels at 170 miles, I didn't feel like changing them on the trail so I installed the wheels that Richierich is selling before I left. Had no issues with them or with the track rubbing the shock.

Had shimmed the skis at around 60 miles, no real improvement. Have experimented alot with rebound and transfer adjustments using 8" carbides and stock skis. I'm 170#s no gear. All of my clicker settings are toward hard. I took 1cm of preload out of my front shocks. My transfer rod is less than a full increment towards max. Don't have the patience to adjust the rear pre-load.

The first 2 days were the first time I had ridden the GT on groomed trails. The darting was dangerous and scary even on FRESH grooming. Seemed to be a little less when I was real hard on the throttle but I was scared to pass a sled from the other direction for fear of being tossed into it. Changed to 8" Woodys Doolys and the difference was night and day. My GT rails now! There is a very slight push and the steering effort is very lightly increased. All in all a far better trade off then the crazy darting.

I don't ride with any big iron or Revs but none of my buddies can keep up. One rides a ZR800. My cousin who rides a Viper will be on an Apex next year. Switching sleds with any of the guys makes you realize what a difference the ride is. I also found like some other guys that the GT takes the bumps better the faster you go. I didn't see any Sat afternoon Tug hill type moguls, but we did ride one bumpy afternoon back from Mt. Valin. One thing better on the Viper is the guage location, the speedo is right in front of you view and you can't miss it, who cares tho. Switching sleds also confirms the inadequacy of the warmers, Yamaha has to fix this for those that made the leap.

Noticed a definite change in exhaust note and smoothness of motor around 540 miles. Sounds even better! Definitely loved not even thinking about 2 stroke oil.

Signage is really good in Lac St Jean. The snow was excellent. The grooming was good. The scenery was excellent, Every bartender was HOT, there were even some pertty landscapes. Some locals are very anti-american and anti-sledding. Most know a lot more english then they let you know. F'em. Next time I go, I am going to start in St. Raymond and saddlebag up, around the lake, and back to St Ray again. And I'll know more Francais. Great trip. The GT rocks. I hope my F'n tunnel doesn't bend.

 

[wolfie]

Good post. I did that exact trip from St. Raymond to Lac St. Jean in Alna and back. On a side trail going to St. Catherine is where I bent my tunnel.

 

[yamaslob]

Did you get a ticket in Upstate NY???? I know the speed limit is goin be into use soon up here "I cant drive 55" law.

 

[actionjack]

pics

Some pics from the trip. I DID get a ticket.

 

[snowbeast]

Nice pics action,yes the riding up in that part of the world is very good indeed,and look at the SNOW SNOW!!! Something we used to have here in maine,but as we speak its melting rapidly with all this rain...

 

[maddogjeff]

Lac St. Jean is SWEEEEET. Hooked up with Wolfie and his gang on Jan 20th on their trip to Alma. Great riders, great group. Good riding with you Wolfie. Loved it so much, got my gang to go the next week (last weekend Jan 27-30) and did 4 days of riding, 866 miles. Day 1 St. Raymond to Jonquiere. Day 2 Mt. Valins, The Chapel, back over to the lake, back to Jonquiere. Day 3 93 to the St. Lawrence, ferry over Saguenay River, 3 down to Clermont and the casino. Day 4 3 back to St. Raymond. The last day was perfect, snowing, fresh pow on the trails, if it wasn't for the red posts in the fields would have been totally lost. Maybe the best trip I ever had.

Looking to do it again this coming weekend but everyone is crying poor. As far as I'm concerned it's worth going into debt. 8)

 

[actionjack]

Thank goodness for those red sticks!

 

[favarcat]

actionjack, we rode from St.Michelle- StRaymond- Lac St.Jean 2 years ago and it was great. This year we are driving the truck to the HoilidayInn in Jonqueire this Weds. and staying 6 nights to give us more riding in just the Lac St.Jean area. Any recommendations for some good loops to ride, places to go and see.

 

[wolfie]

Lac St. Jean is SWEEEEET. Hooked up with Wolfie and his gang on Jan 20th on their trip to Alma. Great riders, great group. Good riding with you Wolfie. Loved it so much, got my gang to go the next week (last weekend Jan 27-30) and did 4 days of riding, 866 miles. Day 1 St. Raymond to Jonquiere. Day 2 Mt. Valins, The Chapel, back over to the lake, back to Jonquiere. Day 3 93 to the St. Lawrence, ferry over Saguenay River, 3 down to Clermont and the casino. Day 4 3 back to St. Raymond. The last day was perfect, snowing, fresh pow on the trails, if it wasn't for the red posts in the fields would have been totally lost. Maybe the best trip I ever had.

Looking to do it again this coming weekend but everyone is crying poor. As far as I'm concerned it's worth going into debt. 8)

Likewise Jeff, we had a good time. Buds are still talking about how you can manhandle that big Venture like you do. BTW, when you went to the casino, is the castle in fact closed? I love that place, and want to put in a loop with my wife later this winter.

 

[actionjack]

Lac St Jean was a last minute decision for us due to no snow in Greenville, Me. I think we really only scratched the surface since we have some slower riders in the group. #1 You need to go to Mt. Valin and get there in time to get to the lookout during the day. We overnighted in Alma at the Hotel Universal and that was fun, 3+ bars within walking distance (LOUD and young). Another reason for our low mileage, late starts from late nights. I would suggest going around the lake too. Really there is beautiful scenery most everywhere once you get into the country. Every town is dotted with smoke billowing factories, that's a strange contrast. You can't really go wrong by staying mostly on the TC trails, you wont get lost due to the signage and every so often you'll see breathtaking natural scenery. TC83 between Lac Kenogami and Chicoutimi is a great high speed roller coaster like trail. I really wanted to go from Chicoutimi to St Raymond but we wouldn't have made it due to one of the slow riders. That trail is in the nature preserve that you drive 175 through, 90miles between gas pumps. Most places are full serve. I suggest not leaving your sled when the gas is being pumped, (no probs, just instinct).
My camcorder crapped out (happens every freakin trip) but I did get about 60mins of helmet cam video. It'll take some time but I'll produce something. Gotta work sometime. I definitely want to do a town to town trip next time, trying to figure out how to make that happen this year, (wife, work). Due to lack of snow in most places we ran into guys from PA, NY, NH, and Me. Best trip my group of goofballs has ever had. Wolfie might be familiar with area. Also check in with Saquenay Bill on the Quebec forum at HCS, he's at the Saguenay Holiday Inn every morning and evening.

 

[favarcat]

Thanks, I'll be checking with Saquenay Bill when we arrive Weds. We have 5 full days to ride the area. One loop will be down 93, across the ferry, and back up the other side. Around the lake another day and a couple days in the MtValin area. We've already rode 23 from StRaymond, and it was great.

 

[wolfie]

When I rode with MaddogJeff a few weeks back, we were commenting on how awesome a helmet cam video would be of the trail coming back from Jonquiere, to L'etape to St. Raymond. Oh my god, what an awesome trail. Fast, but technical, uphills, downhills, curves, and awesome conditions. It just doesn't get any better. I'd also have to agree about the trails around Mt. Valin, also Devils Mtn, is another "10" area to ride in. Next season, I'm gonna have a helmet cam for sure.

 

[mikeyZ06]

Thanks for sharing, good stuff!

 

[maddogjeff]

Wolfie, the Castle wasn't closed but they weren't taking any new reservations either, so they wouldn't let us stay there. The hotel workers are on strike. Try calling ahead of time, maybe the strike will end or maybe they are taking limited reservations. It was really cool pulling up to that place (5star hotel) on the sleds, I was hoping for valet service. We ended up at the le Petite Manor, just a mile away. The river side rooms were really nice and the food wasn't bad.

St. Raymond / L'ETape, my favorite run anywhere. 75 miles no road crossing, no stop sign, if you don't want to stop you don't have to. And it's got it all except super long straights which you can find everywhere else up there.

Saguenay Bill is THE MAN to talk to. He's got a stand right in the lobby of the Holiday Inn in Jonquiere which he mans in the evening. He steared us right. Thanks Bill.

 

[favarcat]

The trail coming back from Jonquiere, to L'etape to St. Raymond.

The three of us, 2-firecats and a Rev, now have 2 Attaks and an RTX.