tain areas provided inclines that offered |
to play too much . |
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steep drops to the side and the average |
As the group split , we continued toward |
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group speed proved fine , with the ability to |
our destination with one final stop for gas |
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move up in the pack at stops to go faster , or |
so that the sleds would have a full tank for |
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fall back for a more relaxed ride . |
the morning . In Saint Amie des Lacs we |
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Continuing the journey we made a final |
turned onto a private path for the final 10 |
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pitstop before arriving at our lodging for |
miles or so , weaving through a former goat |
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the night . The Relais Michelieu had a beau- |
trail as big whoops tested the depths of sled |
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tiful wood design , with one wood stove in |
suspensions and back muscles . |
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the center of the building for heat and a |
Upon arrival , the Relais des Hautes |
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generator running outside for electricity . It |
Gorge was a charming place . It looked like |
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was the perfect place for a brief hot choco- |
it had been one large house at some point |
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late and to line the stove with damp or cold |
in time , but had since been repurposed |
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gloves . |
into a quant bed-and-breakfast lodge , with |
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Discussion resumed on how to best |
a reception room that led to an upstairs |
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approach the broken air box on Kristina ’ s |
hallway of rooms and a bar and restaurant |
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Arctic Cat . With a dealership only about |
area . Its owners lived onsite and you could |
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15 miles past our given destination for the |
tell there was a sense of pride in that fact . |
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night – which was only another 35 miles it- |
After the second group arrived from the |
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our first stop of the day at a trailside clubhouse run by local snowmobilers , offering a modest menu of hot foods such as burgers , soups , hot drinks and poutine . I absolutely love poutine – a French-Canadian specialty dish of fries , cheese curds and gravy , and so I was thrilled to try my first batch in its motherland . It was at this stop that I noticed its different local variations for the first time , including Italienne ( topped with a red meat sauce ) and BBQ . The stop was very inviting outside of the necessity of food |
itself , because it offered two bathrooms , a wood stove and multiple drying racks for gear . There were also two couches along the wall for those in real need of a good rest .
The next stretch of Trail 3 was in great condition . It was clear the area had been recently groomed given the snowfall , and being a Monday not a lot of traffic had utilized the great conditions yet . The wide , four-lane trails were winding enough to prove challenging , but spacious enough to provide ample foresight ahead of most turns . Cer-
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self – it was agreed that a side group would head to the dealer to consider possible options for a more permanent fix , while the other group would carry onward as originally planned .
After the stop , the trail continued as terrain became mountainous and provided beautiful rolling hills with scenic views that were spectacular despite the cloudy weather . Twists eventually gave way to more open rolling fields that had deep enough powder to allow a person to get stuck if they veered
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dealership we gathered for dinner after a few drinks by a fire in the lounge area . Due to the minimal impact on the sled ’ s performance , Chris and Kristina decided to forego the long-term air box replacement until the trip was over ( the issue wouldn ’ t arise again ).
With limited English and our guide Denis “ Denny ” Leblanc acting as a French translator – when he wasn ’ t telling jokes and could be trusted , that is – the staff spoiled us with a five-course meal , of which
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