Ontario 2009 Roll call and now summary

[Crewchief47]

Well, I like to have an idea of how many guys to look for next week-end so here's your chance to chime in.

How many, which days, about when you may be there.

I will likely be in the area by 9AM Friday morning and will probably head out to the hyrdo line north of Sturgeon to play around. This will allow me to come back to the hotel and round anyone up around lunch if you are there, or you can head out on your own and we can have some social hour back at the hotel later.

On Saturday, my fluid like plans are to head to Rocky's for lunch and around that lake(whanapa something or other, ! ) back to Sturgeon, depending on what the group wants. That loop will have a nice mix of rail/lake and tighter woods trail, so eveyone should be 'happy'. Saturday is not written in stone and may be adjusted for guys that are trailering over.

If you are trailering over for Saturday, I'd like to know when you figure you'll be there and if you need to get out of there by a certain time. I'd like to be on the trail by 9AM, preferably 8-8:30 after continental breakfast at the hotel.

 

[maim]

kirkswim posted our reply on the 2 smoke side. but i will btt for you here.

 

[Crewchief47]

Boy, it's looking like we're going to be pretty lonely. Hope we make the 'Official' TY Ride minimum rider number.

 

[maim]

me too.

 

[maim]

tomorrow is the day for me boys. see you there.

 

[apltx08]

I was planning to go up but the weather is NOT cooperating at all, its FREEZING rain here with wind gust of 60 to 80 kph, its a 5hr +/- drive for us...

 

[maim]

that sucks. we will miss meeting and riding with you.


i drove home in that windstorm we had in december between christmas and new years from my sisters in ottawa. took 8hrs for me to get home and could not use the cruise at all. good thing for books on cd.

 

[Crewchief47]

We're back but I have a GD cold now so I'll post a summary and pics this week. Thanks to all the guys who decided to make it out! Hopefully this is the start of something for Ontario TY members.

 

[Daranello]

sorry didnt see this post or I would have came

 

[maim]

ill post pics up later tonight. it was a good ride other than the cold.

ian must have been sharing as i have a cold now.

we should have went towards rockys. no crust at all at this end. went for a ride with betsy on sunday and pounded drifts all over the lakes and feilds. even got stuck in a drift and snow was over my waist. oh well.

 

[Crewchief47]

2009 Ontario TY Ride

First off, I had a great time (I usually do when I’m sledding!) and I think the rest of the group did as well. Not sure if we’ll make official ride status, we’ll have to wait and see if MrSled calls it ‘Official’.

The OG’s (Dad and Uncle) and I headed for Sturgeon Falls around Lunch on Thursday. We had left the trailer and sleds in the area three weeks before so we made good time and saved some coin. We crashed at Ken’s place that night (dude supplying the garage if needed) and were surprised to see three other former riding buddies there as well (friendly split, group just got too big for them). They helped boost our numbers for the weekend (one of them was with us at the TY ride in Muni in January).

Friday:

The three of us woke up, had some breakfast and headed over to fetch the trailer. We then headed over to the Comfort Inn where they graciously allowed us access to the room to change. Not sure how many extremely early arrivals they could have handled, but it was good for us. We got changed and unloaded after checking to see if anyone else had booked in the TY group. Sadly, we were the only ones but it meant we wouldn’t have to come back to pick any arrivals up. I knew Maim and his posse would be in from Sudbury/North Bay on Saturday.

We had planned to meet our buddies at the gas station in town and that happened as expected. What wasn’t planned was the 03 RX-1 puking a battery at the pumps. To its credit, it was six years and 20,000KM old. We boosted it and he ran the roads back to his garage. The rest of us broke a different trail from the hotel to the main trail for Saturday (the signed one follows a lot of roads) which resulted in a tank slapper incident for yours truly within sight of the hotel. A big tear in my bibs from the running board edge was the extent of the damage. We then headed over to pick the RX-1 up after he ran to the nearby dealer to get a battery, putting him back in the game.

We headed to the trails and took the WN400 out of Sturgeon Falls to the D, then through Crystal Falls and across Tomiko Lake to the A trail. The trails had a crust on them from the light rain the night before but had some fresh snow under and above the crust. We took the A trail north to the Rock Pine Motel and Restaurant for some lunch and Nytro/2-stroke gas. There was a fairly serious rollover accident on the highway (vehicle not sled) within sight of the restaurant, so it was pretty busy with emergency people and what not.

I took the first pictures at this point: 94 Phazer II, 2000 VMax 600 DLX, 08 FX Nytro MTX, 03 RX-1, 06 Vector GT, 07 Vector GT


1994 Phazer II , oldest sled in the group


1994 Phazer II Odometer


04 RX-1 and a better shot of the 03 RX-1 and Vectors


After lunch we took the A104D from the Rock Pine back towards the D trail. The snow was much less crusty up here but the crust came back as we got closer to the D. Took the D into Field and then headed down the WN403 to the Hydro line.
The Following picture is from there.


We took the Hydro line back to the WN400. The line used to be a trail that was groomed but the locals are still using it to connect the WN403 and 400, plus it gives you a chance to do some playing. We headed back to the garage, had dinner and hung out with the guys till around 9pm, when we went back to the hotel. I tried the pool, but I found it a wee bit chilly for my tastes.

Shot down the hall of the hotel:


Approximate Mileage: 160Km
Total riders for the day: 7
TY Members for the Day: 1
TY Ride Veterans for the Day: 4

Saturday:

Well, -26C isn’t that bad, is it?!?! We hit the parking lot at around 8:30 to wait for Maim and the boys. Maim and Kirkswim showed first with Cory not too far behind. They got unloaded and suited up while the three of us headed out for gas. We had made the same arrangements with the other group as the day before but they took a little longer and we didn’t leave the hotel parking lot until around 10AM.

Maim’s Rig


Both Rigs


January TY Muni Ride reenactment of the Canukians towing the SXR500. This is for you guys that missed the original incident on the trail in Muni, enjoy!


6 TY Ride Veterans


7 TY Ride Veterans, 11 total




We had decided the day before to change the target destination to Temiscaming, QC as very few of us had made the run into La Belle province. We took the same route out of Sturgeon Falls as Friday only we took the A/D trail south to the A102Q.
Here we are stopped at the A102Q intersection:




The A102Q is a fairly straight shot into QC but there are some good hills thrown in to the mix with a variety of heights. These shots are of a short one but it had a steep drop off on this side that would have been interesting at speed were it not for the SLOW sign on the other sign.










The hill going down towards the Ottawa River was nothing short of amazing and I should have stopped to get a shot from the top. Oh well, I guess you all will have to come out next year to see it.
We hit the ESSO for gas when we arrived


Large plant spewing lots of steam can be seem coming down the large hill I mentioned


The following pictures are one of the strangest yet simplest ways I’ve seen for a water crossing. It was very cool to see.










And a Google Maps shot of the Tube can be seen here. It’s just south of the road Montee Letang.

We had lunch in Temiscaming and then headed back down the A102Q to the NB308. The North Bay club trails are a blast and you should try them if you’re ever in the area. We followed the 308 to the 300 then on to the 301 which dumped us out at McCoys (AKA the Portage). We gassed up along the trail a bit farther then stopped at McCoys for a warm up and Cory got to finish his lunch (the guy can eat).
We left there and headed back to the nearby lake for a group shot but as you can see, it was getting a little dark by then.

Left to right: bold are TY Ride Veterans
Maim, Uncle, Ken, Kirkswim, Scott, Crewchief’s sled, Cory, Dad, Tim, Dean, Darren

We then started back to Sturgeon Falls via the A/D. Nearly at the turn off for the D, Dad blew a belt that took us around a half hour to clean up. The cords were wrapped around the secondary to the point it wouldn’t close. What a mess. This was right after him carrying on about his belt having 9600 KM’s on it of course. Now we know it needs changing at 9500!

The groomer had hit the D trail east of Tomiko since the morning and it was in great shape. Then back to the hotel via the WN400. We arrived back at the hotel around 9PM, loaded the sleds, changed and headed over to the garage again. Since there were only three extra mouths to feed, we had leftovers (BBQ Chicken and Ribs) at Ken’s house. I had planned to hit one of the local restaurants but it seemed a little much considering the volume of leftovers he had from Thursday and Friday night. Maim’s group left around 11PM and we got back to the hotel around 11:30ish.
Approximate Mileage: 350Km
Total riders for the day: 11
TY Members for the Day: 3
TY Ride Veterans for the Day: 7

Sunday:

We had considered going for a ride but I woke up with a cold and was in no mood to go for a short hop. We packed up and checked out. The room worked out to $72.60 each (3) after taxes total for both nights. We then stopped at Ken’s for a goodbye and to pick up some stuff he needed us to drop off at home (Ken’s originally from our home town and still has family here).

Once again, thanks to the guys who came out! The group was small but it has to start somewhere. Hopefully it only grows from here!

 

[BenderSRX]

Crewchief47 wish i could have went, my sled was broke. Based on the pictures and the write up this should be an Official TY ride, Good Job

 

[apltx08]

Crewchief47 wish i could have went, my sled was broke. Based on the pictures and the write up this should be an Official TY ride, Good Job

This is a very good! idea "BenderSRX" next year we should all get together from the Ottawa region and head up, I ride with 10 or so different sledders and I'm sure they'd all be interested...make it a ANNUAL TY ride!, they're not all YAM'S but who cares, will keep the 2 SMOKERS out back LOL...

 

[Tirebuster]

Count me in.

 

[Crewchief47]

I will be trying to firm up a date right after MrSled gets his stuff scheduled next fall, maybe get on his list.....or a separate thread. Have a look around the time he posts.