revrnd Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Talking to 1 of my sledding buddies today who I did the RAP Tour w/ last winter. He's up for another trip this winter. I suggested that we'd head over to the big bridges. It's been quite a few years since we've done a "boys weekend" of riding in the Parry Sound/Port Loring/Still River area. None of us have ridden west of Nippissing. We have ridden D from Coniston to North Bay in less than optimum conditions. I haven't done any mileage calculations yet, so I don't know exactly what I'm biting off. The 4th & 5th days are probably shorter. Not sure if there's a way to split it up into a 4 day trip. Hopefully 4 riders in the group. Day 1: Apsley – Port Sydney (Pine Lodge?) (All the way to Parry Sound might be a stretch. Where to ride to on 2nd day, is North Bay doable?) Day 2: Port Sydney – Britt (stay @ St. Amant’s?) Day 3: Britt – North Bay area via St. Charles (D104) avoiding the Sudbury area. Day 4: North Bay - Dwight (several choices) Day 5: Dwight - Apsley I realize that the pace will be slower than that of northern Ontario. High mileage days up on the Corridor are easier than "down here." Any suggestions or ideas are welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildbill Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 In Parry Sound you might want to try the Whitfield I have heard good reports there. In Britt River Haven is owned by the Lockhart family that is involved in the club and PSSD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 Does anyone know if the HCSA has any intentions on opening trail 9 from Gooderham to the railbed this season? I don't think it was yellow or green last winter. I'd rather go that way rather than go all the way up TOP E to the Peterson Road then west towards Haliburton. I wish Quimby was still around, he'd be all over that w/ a quick answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 7, 2014 Author Share Posted February 7, 2014 Well our trip is next week. Couldn't wait to see what was going to happen w/ TOP C south of Key River, so we made some changes. Monday: Apsley - Huntsville via Gooderham & Minden Tuesday: Huntsville - Port Loring via Dunchurch Wednesday: Port Loring - Sturgeon Falls via St. Charles Thursday: Sturgeon Falls - Sand Lake via Tilden Lake & North Bay Friday: Sand Lake - Apsley via Dorset, Haliburton & Gooderham Some new trails, some familiar trails & some we haven't seen in a long time. If you see a black/yellow REV, blue Phazer & white 40th Ann' Apex, that's us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbakernbay Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Please post your reports, the RAN is not a loop that many do any more. This will probably be the best year to do it. Have fun, please post what you encountered. This site should have a forum for each of the best Ontario Loops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 This site should have a forum for each of the best Ontario Loops. That sounds like a good idea. Probably would eliminate some repetitive threads. Due to technical difficulties beyond my control, we're down to 2 sleds (minus the Phazer). I've got a new phone so I'll try to post reports where we have WiFi. You're right about the weather, no issues planning loops "down here". Some years we're up north enjoying ourselves while the weather in the south sucks. Pretty hard to plan a trip when you don't know if the weather or trails will co-operate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Rolled into Huntsville at 5:10, 157 miles for the day. E107, E and HCSA 9 were in good shape. B112 between Minden and B needs grooming. Log hauling from the old MSR 43 west on TOP B. D101B and D102B were in great shape. D102B is toast north of Deerhurst (Kelly Shires run). Short day, 100 miles to Port Loring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Into Wright Point Resort at 3 yesterday, 103 miles. Made it thru Huntsville OK. 88 & TOP D were in good shape. Signage on 88 around Hwy 11 overpass a bit sparse. Met DunAhmic groomer on C101\ Heading for Sturgeon Falls today via French River. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mossy Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Into Wright Point Resort at 3 yesterday, 103 miles. Made it thru Huntsville OK. 88 & TOP D were in good shape. Signage on 88 around Hwy 11 overpass a bit sparse. Met DunAhmic groomer on C101\ Heading for Sturgeon Falls today via French River. Love that place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Into Wright Point Resort at 3 yesterday, 103 miles. Made it thru Huntsville OK. 88 & TOP D were in good shape. Signage on 88 around Hwy 11 overpass a bit sparse. Met DunAhmic groomer on C101\ Heading for Sturgeon Falls today via French River. Huntsville really needs to get something figured out with the 88 around hwy 11 overpass, we ride under the tracks and it always make me nervous as hell even for that 30 seconds.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 In Sturgeon Falls now. Groomed trails all the way. Met one groomer south of the Pickerel River. Bridge. No gas in Alban, gassed up in St. Charles (food market). Only 3 other groups of tourists today. 423 miles covered in 3 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue er Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Sounds awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 Wrapped up the trip this afternoon. Left the Edgewater on Sand Lake at 9:25 AM & got into Apsley @ 5 for a total of 167 miles. Gassed up @ Big Hawk Lake (almost the halfway point). A fair bit of traffic north of Dorset in the morning. A bit near Haliburton, but not terrible. Trails groomed nicely. Be aware of a mile or so of nasty logging road running south of the Tall Pines shelter. Plowed down to dirt w/ a bit of snow on the side. Our total for the week was 726 miles. I'll post pic later in the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Day 1 Apsley to Huntsville On HCSA #9 between Gooderham & Donald (the railbed). I'd never seen the trail this good. Taking a break on D101B north of TOP B. Is MSR #43 permanently closed? It wasn't open when I rode thru this area 4 years ago & looked the same last week. Stopped @ the Port Sydney turnoff between Baysville and Huntsville, nice fast trail south of here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Day 2 Huntsville to Port Loring TOP D south of the Seguin Trail. A chilly morning @ -23* C. My sled wouldn't start, warmed up the relays & we were good to go. Time for new ones Stopped for a snack on C101 north of the Seguin Trail, heading for Dunchurch. Trail was rough, but we met the Dun Ahmic groomer about 15 minutes later so the majority of the trail to C104D was good. Osprey nests on PSSD 600 south of Port Loring. There was a third nest north out of camera range. I've never seen them this low. Later on the trip we saw a nest on top of a hydro tower. Wright Point Resort on Wilson Lake south of Port Loring. Nice room & friendly hosts. Rode into Roxie's Diner for dinner. Rather that get suited up, stop for breaky & continue, we just had some granola bars on the trail @ our 1st stop west on the C105D. For those of you that need a breakfast in the morning, staying @ the Northland Motel (behind Roxie's) might be a better option. Jake's place was closed early on Tues' afternoons. Not sure what their hours are like the rest of the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Day 3 Port Loring to Sturgeon Falls Breaky stop west of Dollars Lake Talking to the groomer ops on TOP C (north of the Grundy Lake/Key River area) about a couple of hazards on C105D west of Dollars Lake. TOP C north of the previous pic. Met some azzhats a few minutes later that were chewing up the trails in the corners. Pickerel River bridge. My grandfather (& 30cal4me's) drove logs on the river 1 winter in the early 20s. He'd probably be pretty amazed @ the sight of the 2 big bridges. Stopped at the north end of the French River. Looking west at the French River Ice formation on the north side "Lunchtime" on D104 between West Arm & St. Charles. McRae Lumber truck out of Whitney. You pass their mill on TOP B. The driver was just arriving as we got to the Comfort Inn @ Sturgeon Falls. He said he was on his way to the Soo. On the road before we left in the morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Day 4 Sturgeon Falls to Sand Lake Parked @ the Comfort Inn in Sturgeon Falls Comfort Inn Sturgeon Falls TOP D east of Tomiko Lake TOP A/D intersection near Tilden Lake. The group in the background had passed us earlier on TOP D. We passed them later @ The Portage on Trout Lake. TOP A/D east of the Hwy. 11 road crossing TOP A/D east of Hwy. 11 On TOP D just south of Trout Lake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Day 4 continued On the railbed south of Astorville (TOP D). TOP D in the Almaguin area. Stopped on TOP D in the Almaguin Highlands. Edgewater Park Lodge on Sand Lake Groomer at Sand Lake Cabin @ Edgewater Parked @ Sand Lake Cabin interior Cabin interior Tomiko Lake was a fairly easy ride across, roughly 50 mph as the visibility was good & no drifting. We fueled up @ the Mr Gas on TOP D @ the Hwy 17 crossing. Gas is also available in Astorville right on the trail @ the grocery store. Also a LCBO agency store there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white dragon Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 great pics & report...thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Day 5 Sand Lake to Apsley Stopped on D101B north of Billie Bear Lodge Tall Pines shelter, quite a few sleds passed thru while we had a snack. Grabbing a bite @ the shelter Checking out the cliffs along Raven Lake south of Dorset. Looking north on Raven Lake A few more HP than the REV HCSA groomer heading south on B103 Anyone know what model of jet this is? No mention other than the date it was put on the pedestal. The future state of Canada Post? Actually the "bus shelter" has been beside the trail for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barberch Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Day 4 continued 081 TOP D South of Astorville.JPG On the railbed south of Astorville (TOP D). 084 TOP D North of D11 303.JPG TOP D in the Almaguin area. 085 TOP D North of D11 303 - RESIZED.JPG Stopped on TOP D in the Almaguin Highlands. 088 Edgewater Park Lodge.JPG Edgewater Park Lodge on Sand Lake 090 Groomer at Edgewater Park Lodge - RESIZED.JPG Groomer at Sand Lake 098 Cabin at Edgewater Park Lodge - REVISED.JPG Cabin @ Edgewater 100 Cabin at Edgewater Park Lodge.JPG Parked @ Sand Lake 095 Cabin at Edgewater Park Lodge.JPG Cabin interior 097 Cabin at Edgewater Park Lodge - REVISED.JPG Cabin interior Tomiko Lake was a fairly easy ride across, roughly 50 mph as the visibility was good & no drifting. We fueled up @ the Mr Gas on TOP D @ the Hwy 17 crossing. Gas is also available in Astorville right on the trail @ the grocery store. Also a LCBO agency store there. Was Tomiko staked? Came across there a couple weeks ago in the blowing snow and it wasn't staked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Was Tomiko staked? Came across there a couple weeks ago in the blowing snow and it wasn't staked! Yes it was & Okimot Lodge had a sign out @ the stake line pointing towards the lodge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barberch Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Yes it was & Okimot Lodge had a sign out @ the stake line pointing towards the lodge. It was showing green, but when we went there, there was only stakes on the western part. Thank goodness for my GPS! Looks like you had a great trip, pictures are awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme600 Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Nice pics and thanks for the report. Neat to see pics of areas that you haven't been to in a few years (quite a few). For example that bridge over the pickerel river and french river wasn't built last time I made my trip from Gravenhurst to the Sault and back. We had to pay $10 each and have the guy with his truck and trailer take us across the bridges. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Re:Leaf Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Thanks for sharing your pics Revrnd. Looks like a great trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.