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Sept 3rd, 2005 - 14th of 16 days - in Quebec
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ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT??

 

Kinda coolish this morning, but not quite enough to freeze the fying vampires.

Curiosity wins us over. We just have to go and check out that hunter camp the guys were telling us about.

Wow! Nice place! Right by the lake and open doors...

The owners left a note on the table:

"This camp is the property of Bob .... and Tom.... and is used as a hunt camp.
If you use the camp, please leave it as you found it.
Thanks for respecting our property."

Well, we thank YOU! Breakfast inside, away from the bugs, nice!

 

After a big breakfast, a bit of cleaning (inside, please!), we hit the road (the forest road actually).

After a while, Marc notices that France is following from far back, very far, very very far...Simonac, What's going on??

"...Hey Marc...heu...think you should come and take a look a this...something does'nt sound good".

Oh! Oh!...

The Sportsman 500, wich as already ridden over 8000 miles, and wich as worked pretty hard in some of the previous trips is showing signs of cltch problems. Of course, the said clutch has never been opened or maintained before (not too proud of that...). Oh! It's been cleaned often but, I guess...

What's happening really is that the clutch simply does'nt release the drive belt anymore. That means that, if you want to stop, you gotta shut the engine off! But even worst, when you drive, it acts as if it was stuck in 3rd or something, that means about 10 m/h min and 20 m/h max!!

Now that the engine is shut, it won't start again! Just as with a manual clutch quad, when you hit the starter while in gear (without holding the clutch), the quad moves forward. No more neutral! It better start, we're in the middle of the woods...about 300 miles from the truck...Ouch!

Just like with a manual clutch, we try pushing it while we hit the starter...and it starts!

Marc jumps right on it and off we go...Euh, slow,we go slow...

Funny how France never wanted to run the quad that hauls the trailer.
Even funnier that now, she absolutely wants to ride it!!

And so, we just exchanged machines:

France takes the 800 and the trailer.

Marc takes the 500 and the problems.

 

Yeah ! Fine folks...
Yeah ! Folks that are willing to share their belongings and property as long as people respect it.Thanks!
Bof... Major problem on the 500!
Bof... Are we going to make it??

 

We pit stop in Manawan for food and fuel. Manawan is an indian reservation...and it's easy to see that she's different from the other towns we've been to. The young Atikamekws are curious and gather around us.

The fuel pumps and the food store windows are decorated with heavy metal bars...that leaves us feeling a tiny bit unsafe, like we should be elsewhere... Yet, the people are very nice and friendly.

The native people of Manawan

Atikamekw

 Atikamekws In Quebec there are no less than 14 indian nations spreaded in 55 different communities. The Atikamekw are inland natives. They live in the "heart of Quebec". They're people of big lakes and long rivers. Manawan is one of 3 Atikamekw communities. It is the northernmost one.

Access to Manawan is sometimes tricky, you don't drive thru it, you drive to it...

 

Our clutch problem is getting worst and we still have a long way to go to get back to our starting point where we left the truck 14 days ago.

The quad still pulls itself...Marc notices that at a certain speed, it's easier for it.

The rest of the ride between Manawan and LaTuque is partly forest roads, partly narrow technical trail.

We just keep going slowly...we'll see where that will take us. One thing is for sure, each mile behind us brings us closer to the truck.

Since the begining of this ride, everyday, we ask ourselves "Where will we sleep tonight?", "Where will this day take us?", today even more.

It's an adventure!

We hit a very nice place, near the water, close to a small dam (Gilardo).
All right we've had enough for today!

 

We relax while we look at the beavers swimming across the lake. A blue heron flies right over our heads. Wow!

 

Of course there's also the wolves (or the coyotes??) that howl a lullaby...

 

 

The comfort of self-inflatable mats is undeniable.

Even on rocky or hard surfaced grounds, we get a good night sleep.

Don't forget the "tie-together" strap though!

A must if you wish to sleep close your other half without sleeping between the mats!!

Self inflating mats and "tie-togethers"

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  • 1st major breakdown
  • 105 miles...in 3rd gear...
  • 1078 miles total

 

 

 

 

 
  115
 
  90
 
  70
 
  50
 
  32F
 
  15

  
Coldest day of the trip
demi_bas_blanc.gif (169 octets)

 

 

 

 

Meals:  

Brkfst: eggs + baloney

Lunch: cucumbers + peperroni + cheese

Diner: 3/4 inch steaks grilled on soft wood fire complete with ant nest and...oh yes, the return of the potatoes + bacon + oinons + syrup...(It's the last time, I can't eat them anymore!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RM Motosport

 


Easy

Moderate

Difficult  

Forest roads and casual trail riding.

 

 

 

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