We're ready! Are you ready?

We're off...at last...after months of getting ready. It's unbelievable how much time was put into building the trailer, installing accessories and gathering all the stuff we need.

This was the last time we saw our machines clean!

We start off from Sainte-Thècle, Québec and head for Barrage Gouin (Gouin Dam) and from there ??? We here to test our equipment (and ourselves) so we can make necessary modifications (on the equipment...not on ourselves!) to be ready for the Big One in 2007.

Personnaly, I (France) get to try my new quad. After just a few miles of easy trail, we hit the pipeline (gaz) trail, known in the area as one of the toughest trails around. The real test begins...I'm more than pleasantly surprised by the general handling of the machiine and by how easy it is for me to manoeuvre it despite it's size.

BEAVER DAM Check out the size of this dam. Can you imagine what happens if it breaks...

Yeah ! Thank God for vacations ''Pchtt...'' first beer of this vacation....ahh.... Bof... Our first lunch out...in the rain

Tonight, we sleep near Wyagamac Lake. First night in the wild, out in the middle of nowhere. Sleep does'nt come easy...

Coincidence: this is the exact same spot we were in 2002 when we were asking ourselves if we'de like to live outdoors for 10 months.

TRICKS AND INFOS In order to keep food and drinks cold (warm beer tastes awful...) we have a 12V cooler. Marc installed a 12V outlet under the rear rack of the quad. IMPORTANT: the outlet is connected directly onto the battery and the cooler draws a fair amount of current, so if we turn the engine off, we must absolutly unplug it. Since the cooler can't be plugged in all the time, we only carry non-perishable food or food to be eaten shortly or things that may be kept at a moderatly warm temperature.

12V cooler

MAPS

detailed map

 

general view

>> Click to enlarge

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WEATHER
115     90     70     50     32F     15	Scattered showers Wind 5 m/h Hey! There's no dust when it rains!

TRAILS

Most of the trail was easy.

A small portion on the pipeline trail. A lot more technical.

We go up, we go down, we go up again, the views are incredible.

STATS:

• A short day: 60 miles
• Meals eaten in the rain:2
• Nombre of obstacles over come by France: all
•     
• Nombre of times when France said that her new quad is sooo much smoother than her old one: 10 (at least)

Meals:   Lunch: potato salad, tomatoes, bacon, hard boiled eggs, black olives, onions. Dinner: Chicken stew (canned) + instant mashed potatoes