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Elliot Lake Weekend Some photos I snapped while in Elliot Lake this past weekend. We did a 14 lake Cross Country run on Saturday. Weather was perfect! It was also the annual Dunlop Lake Lodge fishing derby which made for a good conversational crowd at the lodge.

Last week Friday we drove up to Searchmont and parked at Driftwood Valley which was a first this season. We rode out at 1:00pm sharp and arrived at the gas pumps in Dubreuilville at 6:05pm with the GPS saying we had gone 180.3 miles. We stopped at the warming shack where all 3 groomers come together from different directions and a few more times for breaks and once to dump our 4 gallon cans of fuel. We did not go into Wawa and saved miles and time. We took the Magpie which was perfect. After a night in Hearst we were back for a 2nd night in Dub. Then we had breakfast in Wawa the following morning and gassed up for the trip to Chapleau. We stopped at Halfway just to look around and then continued towards the Chapleau turnoff which is no longer 8.6 miles south of Halfway but rather 21 miles south at the warming shack. This is where all three groomers drive to. When Halfway suddenly left hundreds of sledders hanging last season, the Chapleau and Soo clubs changed the Chapleau run to hookup with the Soo so at least some could sled through Chapleau from points south. from this point 21 miles south of Halfway the Chapleau trail distance is 71 miles into the gas station. Moose horn Lodge is quite a bit less. I am guessing maybe 20 miles? spent the night at Valentines and shot down to Searchmont to head home Tuesday morning. The run from the gas station to the Driftwood left the gas gauge reading over a quarter tank so no extra gas needed that day with beautiful trails. We did put 1 gallon of extra fuel in to go from Wawa to Chapleau although it might not have been needed. We were on Doo 900 Turbo R Renegades which can get 15 mpg when not hammering the throttle. All those trails were fantastic and in better shape than I can ever remember. We both carried the LINQ 4 gallon extra gas tank and 2 one gallon cans in our saddle bags so we each had 6 gallons of extra gas. Depending on conditions you may need the extra, but perfect trails meant that if you stop at Wawa only the 4 gallon would ever be needed. 900 plus miles of the BEST TRAILS ever.

Ox, do you think in 5 years from now, anyone is going to care if you took a weeks holiday? Any of your customers that would begrudge you a holiday may not be worth keeping anyway. JMHO

If you take the park road out of dub 30k, you can get on Wabatongushi, then dog, then manitowik, then hawk, then wawa lakes, riding water almost the whole way. you can start even further north and come accross oba lake too. there is a heritage trapper trail route from Hearst, to wawa via the river, and those lakes. so remote, and so beautiful. one day, I will learn it all. with help, or not. Ski

That's a good ride through there!

If anyone is out in HGR area today on d103 clearwater lake stop in and say hi. Follow the trail when u see a huge skidoo banner! They'll be a whack of z120, and mxz 200's if you got kids with ya. I made a jump too. I'll have the fire rockin.

how about, the funding to make/deem snowmobile trails permanent, so logging/mining, private entities, cannot disrupt them during season, without that entity paying for use, and or rerouting? ESPECIALLY ON CROWN LAND. Our region suffers from this yearly. so much money and man hours wasted when someone decides... we need to use this now, immediately... yeah, we know we told you we didnt need to this year but... I cant imagine just in our area, how much money has been wasted/lost in the last 20 years, to this. Ski

I like the idea of identifying road running which is becoming more prevalent with continued loss of private land owner trails. Especially this winter many of want to avoid the road rash……

I have the gps coords for the inlet, and outlet on the portage between the 2 lakes. It is very difficult, from the Dog Lake side to find it, if you dont have tracks going to it, or have the gps coords. they used to stake it (DOG, to the portage) years ago. that lake is nothing but, big endless bays, very easy to get turned around. add some wind, and driven snow and fugetaboutit! Manitouwik side is easy... just keep heading north til the lake ends, and find the portage. but, as you say, if it isnt trimmed or open, it is 1-2 klicks of thick bush. we have had to cut it open before but, I would bet many locals utilize this yearly. so, if you didnt go early season (like we did when we had to open it), that portage would be trimmed as a single track portage, just about every year. Ski.

That is a cool ride. I was on Dog several yrs ago w my son doing the big loop…When it went across Dog to Chapleau. Went south on Dog and could not find trail to Manitouwik. On last day of loop went east of Hawk onto Manitouwik and met a local fishing out at far end said trail across to Dog hasn’t been cut through for few yrs. I know you know that area. I would love to get back and spend a week just exploring. Beautiful area w lots of off trail adventures.

Fishing Moose Lodge has a picture of you and your wife on their website. I just googled the lodge to find out more information about their accommodations.

Just got in from Dorset area, trails were great. Lots of sleds out. Passed the groomer.

Parts of fergus were absolutely mint this morning. Managed to put on 90km. hillsburgh, Dundalk, parts of Orangeville were very good yesterday. Wife and I did 190km and it was awesome! Plenty of snow out there! There are definitely some thin areas, but no biggie considering the winter we’ve had. I know a guy that went to Durham today and he said he’s never seen it so good!

Both kids use them in their hand and feet, once they feel the need for them based on how cold the day is or their moods. Usually feet/boots first, than maybe hands. Actually it was only the last two rides this year the kids went on that they used them in their gloves, before it was strictly boots. And we also use them when we go skiing, so they come in handy often throughout the winter. Wife buys a big box of them from Costco that sit in the cupboard in the garage. You should consider them when the boy gets older and outside with you, it can really turn things around when they start to feel the cold. They put off some good heat and so easy to pack and carry with you......and snacks of course too are a must!

Thanks for the updates on your routes. It has been so long, since we have been south of Hawk, I forgot about the firesands trail, and linking back to hawk, wawa, magpie that way. I really miss the Surluga road trail, that was one of the trails I remember the most when we rode wawa a lot. Starting to feel human again Scott. we will be up but, I think by the time you get to Dub, we will be on our way back to Michigan. sorry we will miss one another again. I might take the group down the F trail, to dog lake, then to Manitouwik, and to hawk, then back the D trail, or magpie. havent been on the lake loop in years. beautiful scenery thataway. enjoy your trip! Ski

To better clear up the distance between points along a ride from Searchmont up to Dubreuilville I am going to post some more distances. If you open the ITG Map posted by the OFSC you can touch all segments of the official trails and add them together to get very accurate distances. I used the free Polaris app on my phone to monitor distances which proved to me that the ITG is good to use. My start from Searchmont was at the Driftwood Valley Lodge. D Trail north to split at the D201F Trail to Black creek 30 miles D Trail to split @ C101D to Chapleau 31 miles D Trail to Halfway 21 miles D Trail to split @ Wawa5 Trail 56 miles Wawa5 Trail to split @ D Trail 9 miles D Trail back towards Wawa to split @ Wawa7 Trail 2 miles Wawa7 Trail (continue past split @ Wawa6 Trail) to Dub5 Trail at Magpie River 6 miles Dub5 Trail on Magpie River to D Trail 19 miles D Trail to Dubreuilville via Green Lake 8 miles Just over 180 miles from Searchmont to Dub using OFSC Trails. Using the same route to Wawa Motor Inn or gas without scraping all around the city trails just stay on Wawa7 towards Wawa Lake and then across the lake to Wawa. This minimizes the street running. Just turn into the trail past the school and then turn right. It dumps you out at the Motor Inn. Part way through cut out at Wawa Retal and circle through to the Petrocan station for fuel. The total distance to Wawa gas is about 140 miles from Searchmont by these trails using Wawa Lake. We carry the LINQ 4 gallon extra can on our Doo’s which are 4-stroke Turbo Sleds plus we have and additional 2 gallons in our saddle bags for safety. Our 800 Cat only carries 3 gallons extra because the tank is much bigger. You need to know your sled and carry what gives you a safety margin. Do not plan on this if a blizzard is forecast. Watch the ITG for conditions of the trail. Spring time conditions are coming into play around towns, but that is just part of riding in warmer conditions. We plan to ride out of the Driftwood in Searchmont this coming Thursday March 16 mid-afternoon. Running up to Chapleau to start a loop around the top. Searchmont to Chapleau Thursday Chapleau to Cochrane Friday Cochrane to Hearst. Saturday Hearst to Dubreuilville Sunday Dubreuilville to Chapleau Monday Chapleau to Searchmont Tuesday

70 mph isn't right. That's only 112 km/h. Top speed I've seen on my 2014 900 ace (90 hp version) is 140 km/h. Slightly less in worse conditions. They're equivalent to a 500 cc 2 stroke all day long. Maybe a touch better.

A 900 Ace is a great motor. Its relatively cheap, quiet, smooth, stingy on fuel and has a top speed of 150kph. Its all anyone needs. Its just not what everyone wants....lol I'm not ready to drop down that far in performance just yet.

regulations and government oversight..................killed the food truck industry. Like all industries eventually.