Jan 22 2008 Update

Home at Last

On November 20th 2007, armed only with a positive attitude and a sense of awe for the beauty of my country, I drove eastward to Quebec to enjoy another Canadian winter adventure. I had no schedule, and precious little cash. (This is my back yard).

Ten days ago, I returned from almost eight weeks of hard work in La Belle Province, writing and taking photos of the landscapes and the people I met, then upating my web site so you could follow my treck. Now I am starting to feel normal, whatever that is, though I still wake up not knowing where I am. I guess travelling and working 24/7 should be left to the young. I don't know if I'll do it again next year. Though it is exhilarating, it is also very taxing.

Here at home, my office is once again set up the way I like it, and the correspondence comes and goes with electronic efficiency. I admit that I don't get as much e-mail as before, and since I axed the 1-800 number, I get very few calls. That's just as well, because I couldn't afford it anyways. (Photo of gate at Ferme Nueve near Rabaska).

People would call me, fretful, and then ask me to convince them, promise them even, that they would have a great holiday, that the trails would be perfect, and that all would go well. I couldn't do that. "This is an adventure sport," I would say. "If you're looking for a sure thing, join the bowling league. Every Friday night, I guarantee your lanes will still be there."

There are too many variables in our sport to make hard and fast promises about 'results'. Results depend upon the expectations you had before you left home. If you are expecting an unforgettable adventure, then I guarantee you'll get it. The weather, the roads, the mechanical breakdowns, and the 'ooops' factor (that's when you run into the woods and bend your skis), are ever present. The uncontrollable factors which this sport offer, are second to none. Shoot, you may not even make it over the border!

(This is me doing a story about snowmobile theft prevention at a Locksmith shop in Shawinigan.)

When we experience the unknown, the dangers, and the joy life brings us when riding our sleds in the forests of Quebec, special human bonds are created which cannot be described. The sport, after all, is life and death.

There are dangerous icy hills, surprise twists and turns, and a deadly sub zero environment around us at all times. On the bright side, there is nothing like the feeling of finally finding our snowmobile motel, as the light fades in the arctic sky. We know we made it safe, and that there is a hot wood stove awaiting us inside. (Karl G a Motel Safari client from Havre de Grace MD.)

Snowmobiling is not learned in ten minutes. That's the beauty of the sport. It is handed down from Father to son, in a way which is rare in the sporting world. A father has so much to teach the kids about snowmobiling. How to care for the machines, how to load the trailer, where to go, how to ride safely, and on and on. It is a time for father and the kids to bond. It is something that builds a family.

This morning, I am thinking about all my sponsors, and I realize that without them, there is no way I could spend the winter writing about snowmobiling. I hope you all are visiting their web sites to see what they have to offer. (Marco - owner of Comfor Inn in Mont Laurier on Devil's Mountain.)

The readers have contributed almost nothing this year. This I don't understand. I work my ass off for months to bring you fresh content daily!

At the very least, you could send me the cost of one snowmobile magazine. Many of you have been enjoying this site for years, and never contributed a penny. Be honest. If you are reading this, and enjoying it, it has some value for you right? I guess you figure it should be free. I am paying for your pleasure! HAHAHAH. (You readers absolutely KILL me! - - 6,000 readers a day and only 6 donations this year!). Whatever. If even one tenth of the readers sent in 20 bucks a year, I would be able to cover all my expenses twice over! Would a 20 really kill you? I think not. One tank of Gas for your truck cost over 100.!

Anyways, (change topic please), this winter I have already buried myself in a tidy financial hole, and it will take a good six months to dig out. I doubt if I will drive the four day trip to Quebec next year. I will simply do all the work from home. (I say that every year.) And, I will be looking for more web site work to support myself, and spend far less time on Zenwaiter.com. (This is Bernard with me at Motel Safari.)

If you readers knew how hard I worked on that trip, the donations would flood in. Oh well. I guess you just figure that I go and have fun for eight weeks, my hands up over my head, laughing, eating, and riding. My own fault I guess, that is how I portray myself, but in fact, I am hunkered down in front of the screen, dead tired, writing till the wee hours, then I fight with the hotel Internet connection to update my site every day. The road is uncomfortable, difficult, frustrating, and damned expensive. I put 11,000 kms on my car this winter. But I do love it so.

My pneumonia is on the mend. I still have the occasional spike in fever. I am finally going to see a doctor Thursday to get antibiotics. I always avoid taking those unless I absolutely have to.

Here in south western Saskatchewan today, it is -20 C every night, and there is only 6 inches of snow on the ground with lots of bare spots on the prairie. My sled is on the trailer in the back yard. I hope to bring you a few Sask sled stories this winter. There are many antique sled rallies, cancer fund raisers, and other events, just a few hours north of me, and I hope to get up there.

In order to keep the Zenwaiter web site up to date on Quebec and Ontario activities, trail conditions and weather, I count on you the reader, to send me a few photos and text now and again, of your riding adventures. I would appreciate it. I will stick your mug on the front page!

This year, only a few have sent in donations to cover expenses. I can't change that. But perhaps I can convince you to contribute in other ways. Send me photos and stories, tell your friends about the site, and visit our sponsors when you see an ad on the page.

In the meantime, if you have a web site project that needs doing, please e-mail me for an estimate. I do a pretty good job! zen@zenwaiter.com


To DONATE please click here THANKS!

Good to be home!

zw

Snowmobiling in Quebec 2007 2008

It's a brand new season, and so far, it seems as though our sport has avoided total anihalation.

There is snow, beautiful white fluffy snow everywhere, and the temperatures are cold, darn cold. So far so good.

I landed in Quebec a few weeks ago, and I have been making the rounds. Everyone I have met is optimistic about the snowmobile business this year, and spirits are riding high. Snowmobilers however, have been tentative about booking rooms so far, and about buying the yearly snowmobile trail permit.

"They are not booking the rooms ahead of time like they used to" says one snowmobile motel owner. "I guess it will all come at one time, probably at the last minute."

Meanwhile, the full machinery of snowmobile clubs I have talked to, is in full swing. Signage is going up, trails are being groomed, and the heat has been turned up to high in all the motels and hotels, in preparation of what should be a banner year. Quebec has already recieved twice as much snow as usual for this time of year.

Snowmobile business people in Quebec are wondering about the effect of the low rate of exchange for the American dallor. Already snowmobile and ATV dealers have lost hundreds of sales to the USA as Canadian sledheads run across the border to save thousands off the cost of a Canadian dealer's best offering. This has hurt dealers, but will it dampen the enthusiasm of the riders themselves? I say it will not.
Experienced snowmobilers that have known the thrill of our trails for many years, will be here to enjoy the snow. But what if there is lots of snow in New Hampshire and Maine, New York and Vermont? Will the Americans still head north?

Yes, our snowmobile business in Quebec is still a fragile thing that depending upon many uncontrollable factors. It's an adventure sport all right, one which requires both the participants as well as the suppliers of the experience, to be more than adventurous. It'a a bloody risky industry, no matter how you slice it.

Perhaps that's exactly why this sport it so compelling, risk . Who knows. All I know is, there is a ton of snow everywhere I look and the temperature is staying at an average of ten below freezing. In the end, that's all I need to enjoy snowmobiling. Well, that's not true. It takes cash too, and alot of it. Cash for gas, equipment, food and lodging, and travel.

But everything I do requires money. I guess it comes down to a question of priorities. Where do I want to spend my hard earned bucks? Zooming around with a bunch of idiots at 20 below zero, on a trail made of ice and snow? .......... Yup!

zw







Zen's Canadian Snowmobile Blog is produced and owned by Zenwaiter Internet Services, Box 53, Mossbank Saskatchewan Canada e-mail zen@zenwaiter.com . We welcome your snowmobile stories and photos, and all your ideas.
















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Your Safety List: Read It!

Sobriety
Forget that myth that alcohol warms up chilled person. It opens the blood vessels and removes the feeling of chill, but it does nothing to increase body heat. Instead, it can increase risk of hypothermia, a dangerous lowering of the body’s core temperature, reducing your chances of survival if you have to wait long for help to arrive. With alcohol, you may only feel warmer, while your body chills dangerously.

Alcohol increases fatigue, impairs judgment, and slows reaction time. Its part of a formula for disaster and don’t forget:

• Most state and provinces have laws prohibiting the operation of a snowcraft while under the influence of alcohol. Both your driver’s license and insurability are at risk.

Speeding
Speed is not the measure of snowmobiling fun. You should always ride at a speed in which you can stop within your line of sight. Slow down and enjoy the scenery and the experience. Ease up on the throttle especially when near other machines, people, trees, animal and other objects. Its good sense – and its law!

The maximum speed limit on all marked snowmobile trails, unplowed roads, and play areas on state lands, excluding public waters, shall be 35 miles per hour.

Don’t tailgate, as with cars, tailgating puts you in a mighty bad position if the person in front has to slow down suddenly or all at once hits an obstacle. Imagine your chances of trying to avoid ramming him, or driving over his machine. If you are on a trail ride and have someone riding on your tail, pull out to the side and motion them past. A snowcraft is not designed to stop on a dime.

Night Riding
For some people, night riding is the best time to get together during the week. However many accidents occur after dark. Low light and darkness require special care so slow down and watch for others.

Make sure your lights are working well and keep them clear of snow and debris. Don’t over-drive headlights. Snowcraft headlights are adequate for reduced speed only.
Ask yourself “Am I driving slow enough to see an object in time to avoid a collision?”
Don’t blaze new trails at night. Make sure that you are on a well-known trail. The snowmobile that makes a track in the daytime might have been traveling at 5 mph and might have avoided a ditch or washout. Following his or her track at 40 mph at night can mean a trip to the hospital.

Trails
Stay on marked trails!
Beautiful trail systems and riding areas are available throughout North America. Stay safe and legal within the areas that you are permitted to ride or those for which you have obtained permission. Also treat them with respect by waiting for enough snow cover to protect vegetation. Avoid running over trees and shrubs.

It is also very important that you respect the property rights of others. Respect private and No Trespass signs. Be careful of barbed wire or electrical fences. Knowing the terrain you are going to ride is always safer. If unfamiliar to you, ask someone who has traveled over it before.

Buddy System
Among the snowmobilers who know what is going on, there is an unwritten rule, you should absolutely never, snowmobile alone for any distance at all. Even at 30 mph, a half-hour drive can put you 15 miles into the wilderness. If you run trouble in deep snow or have a mechanical failure and have to walk, you are in trouble.

So, don’t snowmobile alone. Not only is snowmobiling more fun with family or friends, it is safer too. In an emergency a buddy can make the difference between life and death. Most snowcraft accidents result in personal injury. The most dangerous situations occur when a person is injured and alone. If you must travel alone, tell someone your destination, planned route, and when you will return.

Weather
Know the weather forecast and especially the ice and snow conditions in the area you choose to snowmobile. If possible, turn back if the weather turns bad and avoid traveling in storms. If visibility is reduced or area is unfamiliar, follow your tracks back out. Remember that bad weather slows travel.

Ice
Ice can be treacherous, never take a chance. Frozen lakes and rivers often are the first place to snowmobile before snow comes. But keep in mind that no one has guaranteed ice of any thickness will hold a sled everywhere. Ice thickness may vary greatly due to currents, temperature, snow pack, soft spots, and springs – be careful and stay away from slush covered areas.

It takes a load of experience to travel very fast. If you can ride and turn in any direction, without boundaries, so can other riders. Fast stops are impossible on ice. The threat of a collision, then, can come from any direction. Those who are new at riding should use caution and slow speed.

However, if you do snowmobile on ice, make absolutely sure the ice is safely frozen. Don’t trust the judgment of other snowmobilers. You are responsible for your own safe snowmobiling. Drowning is a leading cause of snowcraft fatalities. Consider buying a buoyant snowmobile suit.
If you break through, keep calm. Remember that your snowmobile suit (even a non-buoyant one) and helmet may keep you afloat for several minutes.

• Don’t remove your gloves or mitts.• Slide back onto the ice, using anything sharp to dig in for better pull.• Kick your feet to propel you on to the ice, like a seal.• Extend your arms forward onto the unbroken ice.• Keep sliding forward.• If the ice keeps breaking:• Continue moving toward shore or the direction from which you came.• Once on the ice DO NOT STAND.• Roll well away from the break.

The safest snowmobiling rule is never to cross lakes or rivers. Besides the danger of plunging through the ice, you have far less traction for starting, turning and stopping on ice than on snow. So… Always be extremely cautious when on ice.

Clothing
Wear protective, thermal clothing designed for snowmobiling to insulate your body from snow, wind and wind chill. A windproof and water repellent outer layer is especially important, as are warm gloves or mitts, boots and a helmet. Clothing should be loose enough to permit freedom of movement. Wear layers of clothing, so that you can add or remove a layer or two to adjust for changing condition.

Avoid wearing long scarves. They may get caught in moving parts of the snowcraft. Choose a neck warmer instead.Use a full size helmet, goggles, or face shield to prevent injuries from twigs, stones, ice chips, and flying debris. Make sure your helmet is safety-certified, the right size and in good condition. A visor is essential for clear vision and wind protection and the chinstrap should be buckled. A facemask will also provide extra protection and helps to reduce the possibility of frostbite. Wear glasses or goggles that offer protection from the sun. And of course, carry extras.

Safety Equipment
You should always be prepared for an emergency and carefully plan what equipment may be needed, especially if you are taking a long trip. A good question to ask is, “Can I get back safely with the equipment I’m taking?” Keep in mind that you can store many pieces of survival equipment on your snowcraft.

They can be secured under the snowcraft cowl (properly secured away from steering components, moving parts and hot exhaust areas), carried in a small backpack or in a bag attached to the snowcraft seat.

Refer to the IMSF mini-pamphlet titled: Snowcraft Safety Equipment Checklist, to know more about some of the items you should carry on your snowcraft.

Mountain Measures

Even if we don’t live near mountains, many of us want to visit the Adirondacks, Rockies or other mountains someday. Mountain snowmobiling is spectacular but can pose extra dangers, such as avalanches. Some avalanche areas may be posted and closed. Be cautious of avalanche dangers throughout mountain country.

Avoid mountainous terrain after heavy snowfalls or prolonged periods of high wind. Avoid crossing steep side hills and entering narrow, steeply sided canyons. Riding in these areas should only be done after receiving proper mountain riding training.Mountain snowmobilers should carry avalanche beacons, shovels, and probe poles for locating people buried in snow and portable radio summon help.

Planning
Describing your planned route and your machine can be time- and life-savers. So, plan routes in advance and always notify a responsible person of your trip, route of travel, and estimated time of return. Leave copy of your plan with your family or friends.Always let your family and friends know you are back or have arrived at your destination. No one likes needless searches.

Hand Signals
Other snowmobilers and car drivers need to know what you are up to. Remember the basic hand signals:Stop: Left arm raised straight upSlowing: Left arm extended out and down, use downward flapping motionRight turn: Left arm raised at shoulder height, elbow bent at 90° angleLeft Turn: Left arm extended straight out, pointed in direction of turn
Don’t forget the best hand signal going in snowmobiling today, one particularly useful and effective called:Who’s behind? Hold up one hand showing a number of fingers to indicate how many riders are behind you. Each following rider should do the same. The last rider shows a fist meaning the line of sleds has passed.

Maintenance
Be sure your snowcraft is in topnotch mechanical condition at the beginning of the winter season and throughout the months of use. You have two good guides available for snowcraft maintenance: the owner’s guide manual that came with your machine and your dealer. Consult both to make sure your machine is kept in top form for dependable, enjoyable fun.

All snowcrafts must have, in good working order, all of the following: one or more headlights, red rear light, fully functional brakes and an efficient muffler. No by-pass of a muffler system is allowed so don’t remove the factory-installs air box or muffler to install one that makes more noise. This would lessen the performance of your snowcraft. The manufacturer is trying hard for the betterment of the environment, to develop a quieter machine. Also, don’t forget to check the throttle; a frozen throttle can make your snowcraft as dangerous as a loaded gun.

Rules
On a snowcraft the same rules of the road and penalties apply as for driving a car, including possible fines, losses of driver’s license, criminal record, and/or imprisonment.

You and your passenger must wear a helmet while riding a snowcraft.
On most of the trails a valid trail use permit must appear on the windshield of your sled. Permits can be purchased from your local snowmobile club.

The Off Highway Vehicle Act requires that all snowmobiles and snow machines be registered and insured. Therefore, you must have a license plate affixed in a visible manner and you are required to carry your driver’s license, snowmobile registration, and proof of insurance at all times.

Remember that your snowcraft is not covered by your home owners or auto policies.

Don’ts
Never ask your friend to pull on the front end of a stuck snowcraft while you work the throttle. And never do it yourself if you don’t savor the thought of being run over. One way to pull the snowcraft out is to attach a rope to the bumper or a ski and pull on the rope. If you are traveling in deep snow and get helpless mired in, turn your machine off and pack the snow down around the sides and front of your machine. Then start your engine and rock the snowcraft back and forth and ride out slowly. Don’t panic. Even deep snow can be hand scooped or packed down until you are back on the trail.

Long trailing scarves invite being caught in moving parts or by low hanging branches.
As with any machine, if you remove protective parts like clutch guards, you are flirting with painful experiences.

To check gas levels, never light a match – even a stiff breeze and an empty tank won’t make this practice safe. Also remember that the fumes of an open battery are as explosive as gasoline when exposed to open flame.

Don’t tow without a solid hitch. Towing skiers or sleds behind a snowcraft can be fun, but if you do, remember it also can be dangerous. Ropes for towing are not recommended if you want to avoid injuries. Tangling of slack ropes in the track or drive, inexperience, and various snow or ice conditions can make rope towing more dangerous than fun. The best bet is always to use a rigid-mount or “stiff” hitch sled for extra passengers.

Accident?
If causing or involved in an accident resulting in injury to any person, death or property damage, you shall immediately stop and render such assistance as may be reasonably necessary. You must provide the victim with your name, and address (or the snowcraft owner’s one) and registration number.

Any damages exceeding $500.00 shall immediately be notified to an enforcement officer. Further, you are required to file a written report of the accident with the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles within 72 hours on prescribed forms.

If you are involved in an accident which results in only damage to your property no report is required.

Buying Snowmobile Insurance? Click Here.

More info here... http://www.zenwaiter.com/

Zen's Canadian Snowmobile Blog is produced and owned by Zenwaiter Internet Services, Box 53, Mossbank Saskatchewan Canada e-mail zen@zenwaiter.com We welcome your snowmobile stories and photos, and all your ideas.

zw

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Snowmobile Accommodation for Sledheads

Our Sponsors Make it all Possible
07-08 Snowmobiling Season Quebec
Zen Snowmobile Quebec Tour

2007 - 08

If you need a list of very solid snowmobile accommodations to go to this winter, here they are. Why not ride from one to the other. These folks will look after you with snowmobile maps, gas, food, comfortable clean rooms, and communications - everything your sledding group will need.
Our snowmobile motel sponsors are the greatest. Be sure to tell the people at the motel that you are doing the Zen Tour, and who knows, you may get something special. I know Bernard at the Motel Safari will have one free cold beer waiting for you!

The Zen-Tour CircuitOur Zenwaiter sponsors have always been a small group, this year is no exception. We have eight motels / hotels that help to support this web site. Each of them has the right stuff to make your snowmobile holiday the best it can be. Anowmobile services that you need, like for example, secure truck and trailer parking, clean affordable rooms, good meals, fuel, and repair facilities available for your sled - these are the basics. Add to that, a knowledgeable and friendly staff, a spirit of hospitality, and knowledge of Quebec snowmobiling, and you have it all!

The sledding fun can begin anywhere along the route - wherever you want to leave your truck and trailer. You could start up at Motel Safari in South Shawinigan, and park your truck and trailer in Bernards ‘fortress’ to keep them safe while you are gone. Or, start at the Esterel in the fabulous Laurentian mountains, Whatever suits your needs. Make your favorite motel your base camp. Then, ride north to see the beauty of Pourvoirie 100 Lacs. Be sure to try the ice fishing before breakfast. They always pull the biggest fish out in the winter - even some twenty pounders - Can you say Walleye?

Then ride your snowmobiles over to visit Dom at Rabaska on the lake. Dom has the tourism savy to look after you in style. Next, ride over to meet Jean Beaulieu and his wife Dianne at Auberge Beaulieu in Mékinac, and meet all their staff in their down home bar! This is a must see. The music, the characters, and the atmosphere - Take it from Doctor ‘C’ - “It’s Great!. Meet the friendliest people on earth. Many say it has the warmth of the old Auberge le Refuge. Physically, it is totally different, but the friendships you make there may remind you of Crazy Al’s place in St-Zenon.

Afterwards, ride over east to St-Michel-des Saints to visit Map Man Denny and his wife Carol at the Pied de la Chute. Extraordinary food in a family dining room, where they prepare it all themselves. Charming, clean and everything is brand new - beds, bedding, carpets paint… even the bathroom fixtures! It is very quiet and located right on the shores of big lake Taurau. You can walk to the Central. Ask Denny to be your guide to Off Trail Adventure.

Now, take the short ride back over to see Bernard at Motel Safari, or Denny at the Escapade Inn, in Shawinigan. Don’t forget the famous sizzling steak available only at that 57 Chevy restaurant. Bernard will take you! These two bon vivant Quebecs will look after whatever ails you. Fully secure with steel fences, and right on the trail.

Don’t miss meeting our new friend Pierre at Hotel Esterel.Get spoiled and enjoy the formal dining room, and the ultimate 5 Star treatment in the Laurentian mountains. Swimming pool, hot tubs, rentals, skiing, something for every member of the family. Very Unique, with a hundred year tradition of excellence. Ask for Pierre, he will look after your every need. A snowmobile holiday has never been better. They even have a basketball court up on the third floor - REALLY!

If you head north to Monts Vallin, be sure to stay at Jack’s Outback (Auberge Au Toit Vert), he will feed you and his friendly gals will keep you toasty warm. He has gas and everything you need.

As always, we ask you to remember our other ‘non- motel’ sponsors as well, Location Haute Matawinie for all your snowmobile rental needs. They also sell used snowmobiles from their rental fleet with very low miles. These are great people that can help find solutions to repairs, storage, and sales.

In Connecticut, we have two other sponsors… Accurate Wire has supported us for years, and also Shark Cycle they have two stores full of motorcycles and snowmobile deals for everyone.
Last but not least, let’s remember Adman Marketing and Online Auction Services, and big Pyro Dave from Pyromate Firing Systems and SledQuebec.Com in New Hampshire. And… let’s not foget the award winning web site that got me started in this crazy work… TrailConditions.Com.
There are so many others over the years that have kept this thing going.. guys like Crazy Al. Let’s remember them as well.

I will do my best to support all my sponsors by writing some good content on this site this winter - especially stories about YOU the riders! Be sure to keep in touch by e-mail… send me your adventure stories and photos, and you’ll see them on the front page this winter! zen@zenwaiter.com

zw

Zen Motel Sponsors for 2007 - 08
Rabaska near Mont Laurier QC
Au Pied de la Chute (S-M-d-Saints) QC
Estérel Hotel (St-Margeurite)QC
100 Lacs Outfitter (Parent)QC
Motel Safari (Shawinigan S.) QC
L’Escapade (Shawinigan)QC
Auberge Beaulieu (30 mi N. of Shawinigan)QC
Auberge Au Toit Vert QC

Other Full Sponsors
Accurate Wire in CT
Shark Cycle and Snowmobile sales in CT
SnoSuit.Com
Sled Freaks.Com
Location Haute Matawinie Bombardier Rentals
Adman Marketing & Online Auction Services
Double Xtreme Snowmobile Calendars
Snow Trails TV.Com
Rawdon QC Weather Channel
The Mauricie Tourism Region





Zen's Canadian Snowmobile Blog is produced and owned by Zenwaiter Internet Services, Box 53, Mossbank Saskatchewan Canada e-mail zen@zenwaiter.com We welcome your snowmobile stories and photos, and all your ideas. zw

Regina SK Snowmobile Show

I really enjoyed the snowmobile show this past weekend in Regina Saskatchewan. I missed the Toronto Shows and New York this fall, I had too much going on, and not enough money to spend on the trip.

In Regina, I met a bunch of interesting people, and I want to rattle off a few names today in this blog. It never ceases to amaze me; all these business people keep trying to make a living on the sport of snowmobiling. I think the majority are involved, because like me, they love the sport.

http://www.riverrider.ca/ This guy James, was selling hovercrafts! REALLY! They start at around 27.000 cnd. A very nice man. I guess he figured, if people liked floating on snow, they would love riding his machine on a cussion of air. I was tempted, and he said he would call me the next time he does an actual demonstration in Regina.

http://www.townofhudsonbay.com/ I met a small dedicated team of town promoters, and boy, were they organized and enthusiastic. I have to drive up there this winter to go sledding. They were the best, and their photos were terrific.

http://www.northern.sask.info/ These people promote the wilds of all points north of PA Saskatchewan, and man, is there ever a lot going on!

http://www.abilitiescouncil.sk.ca/ Trudy, a beautiful twenty something, was volounteering at the booth to promote the 2008 Easter Seals snowmobile fund raiser for snowmobilers, which will take place Feb 16, 2008. She did a great job explaining the event, and if I was 30 years younger... never mind.

http://www.rockytours.com/ Met two fellas from the Valhalla Inn, up on top of the mountain in New Denver, one of my absolute favorite places in BC. They are working together, the motel owner and the guide, to bring people up to ride the mountains of the Slocan Valley.

http://www.krazycanadian.com/ Dan Davidoff from Rossland BC, home of the famous skier Nancy Greene, had a booth and was selling the new extreeme snowmobile flick called Thunderstruck Six. He is one of the stars in the film. Dan had a huge grin, and after watching the incredible video, I could see why.

More in a few days!

Zenwaiter

http://www.zenwaiter.com/

Zen's Canadian Snowmobile Blog is produced and owned by Zenwaiter Internet Services, Box 53, Mossbank Saskatchewan Canada e-mail zen@zenwaiter.com We welcome your snowmobile stories and photos, and all your ideas. zw

Wanna Win Snowmobile Prizes?

Online Snowmobile News, Sites, and Blogs

It's October 15th 2007. I am sitting in my home in Mossbank Saskatchewan, pouring over all my old Zenwaiter.com pages, and pursing the new snowmobile web sites on the net.

It seems there are dozens of new arrivals. Snowmobilers appear to love the Internet. But most of what I find is garbage. I have reported dozens of fake snowmobile blogs to Google, hoping they will pull them from their blog and news delivery systems.

What we need is more actual REAL CONTENT about REAL SNOWMOBILING. Fake web sites filled with Google ads and little more, are clogging the net with trash sites that just waste the reader's time.

After slogging through dozens of these crap sites and blogs, I have a new found desire to prepare and create original, new snowmobile articles, stories and other content for the readers of Zenwaiter.com. I feel this is what has set ZW apart from the start almost 8 years ago.

So, enough talk - I'm off to dig and find the best, most interesting snowmobile stories and news items I can. I would appreciate your help along the way. Please remember to send me your snowmobile tales and photos and videos this fall, even if they are from years past, and I will place them front and centre (that's Canadian for center).

My spell check is busted, and you know me by now, I can't spell much.

Have a great day, and PLEASE keep in touch. E-mail me today and you can be on my front page with your family or friends - you could be the next voice on my Zen Talk Radio Podcast, or be my next snowmobile video clip on my Zenwaiter YouTube site.

Get that sled ready, and check our site daily to find out what's going on.

Wanna win a sexy Double X-treme Calendar? Be the first to send me a story about your favorite snowmobiling trip from last year - and I will MAIL you the fabulous calendar!

Also, don't forget to go and check out Video Mike, and his PBS award winning snowmobile TV show called Snow Trails TV. For only 20 bucks, you can view over 50 episodes of his tv show, right on your computer screen at home!

Cheers! Happy Fall!

XOXOXO
zw

Touring the Quebec Countryside on Canada’s White Highways
(Story is 'borrowed' from The New York Times)

(Photo) François Létourneau, right, leads
a tour from a relais in Valcourt, Quebec.
THEIR speed. The acrid stench of their two-cycle engines. And their whine, louder than a hundred chainsaws, shattering the white silence of winter.

As a lifelong cross-country skier, I have always seen snowmobiles as the enemy.

But if you travel to rural Quebec in winter, conversion to la motoneige, as the snowmobile is known there, is de rigueur. Crisscrossing the province are 20,000 miles of trails linked to a trans-Canada system. If you don’t motoneige, you miss out.

In the Eastern Townships and Montérégie regions, the faintly rolling plains an hour and a half east of Montreal, most snowmobile activity centers in Valcourt, which calls itself the world capital of the sport. A quintessential company town, Valcourt, population 3,400, is a wind-blown clump of ranch-style homes huddled around the factory complex of Bombardier Recreational Products, maker of Ski-Doo snowmobiles, currently the top-selling brand. About 80 percent of the town’s workers are employed by Bombardier, their fates intertwined with the company’s success.

This year is an auspicious one for Valcourt: the town celebrates its 150th anniversary; the Grand Prix Ski-Doo de Valcourt, a top-level snocross and oval snowmobile competition, has its 25th; and Joseph-Armand Bombardier, the Valcourt man who invented the snowmobile, would have celebrated his 100th birthday.

“We are called Bombardierville,” said François Létourneau, president of Les Pionniers de Valcourt, the local snowmobiling club, and my guide for the weekend. Big and baby-faced, Mr. Létourneau, 31, is an electrical systems debugger at Bombardier. He has been snowmobiling since he was a boy.

“It’s your first experience on a snowmobile?” Mr. Létourneau asked on a pure azure Saturday morning with the temperature around 7. We stood like spacemen in our insulated suits and helmets outside the Centre de la Motoneige, the one Bombardier dealer in town.

“Oui,” I acknowledged. I had ridden scooters but was hoping not to repeat the experience of nearly wiping out a cafe table of tourists on a Greek island.

I sat astride my rental: a 118-horsepower Ski-Doo MX-Z X 600HO SDI. Odd yellow plastic shields over the hand grips made it look like a bumblebee. So did the bee logo emblazoned on its side.

IN twangy Québécois French, Mr. Létourneau gave me a crash course. By the handlebar’s right grip, the throttle lever. By the left grip, the brake. As on a lawn mower, the starter is a pull cord. An electronic key, a tether switch, is connected by a cord to the driver. Get thrown off and the key pops out, the engine stops, and the driver won’t be run down by his own vehicle. Oh, and heated grips keep hands warm.

The technology has leaped since 1922, when Mr. Bombardier built his first snow machine, a big propeller-driven sled powered by a Ford Model T motor — a kind of primitive airboat for snow. For Mr. Bombardier, 1959 was the turning point, when he rolled out the Ski-Doo, the first mass-produced, open-cockpit snowmobile for recreation. (Both vehicles are on display at the J.-Armand Bombardier Museum, where a centennial exhibition opened last week.).

I spun my 2007 Ski-Doo in a circle, getting a feel for the accelerator. The sled, as Mr. Létourneau called it (Quebecers use a number of terms: sled, the brand name Ski-Doo for any snowmobile, as well as the French motoneige), was easy to drive. No gears.

“If we find a lot of moguls, it will be tough on your arms,” he said. “Stay right on the trails always. They’re not very wide.” Those were his final words of advice before we sped away.

Immediately, I found myself fighting with the machine. Finesse was required to manage the turns. I soon learned that accelerating slightly into a turn, while braking, kept the Ski-Doo from fishtailing.

We began by taking a local unnumbered trail northwest out of town some 15 miles toward Roxton Falls, where we’d merge with the 1,200-mile Circuit J.-Armand Bombardier trail.

The trails resembled highways. Club members install signs at the beginning of each season: trail markers, route numbers, stops and speed limits. Capitalizing on the traffic, locals build makeshift snack bars and post rustic messages advertising toilets, coffee and frites ahead.

The route right-angled at property lines and corners of fields, dipped into birch stands and sugarbush, crossed brooks and railroad tracks and skirted secondary roads and sand pits. Every farm we passed had its deer stand, hunting blind and jumble of junked cars and tractors decorated with epaulets of snow. Earlier in the week, Mr. Létourneau had sent me an e-mail message saying we’d be eating on the road. “One of the pleasures of snowmobiling,” he wrote, “is to stop by ‘les relais,’ ” the snowmobiling equivalent of truck stops. After an hour and a half, we arrived at our lunch pit stop, le Relais 139 in Roxton Falls.

Inside, Marcel and Anna Dufort ate poutine (French fries drenched in gravy and topped with meat and cheese curds) and drank coffee. Mr. Dufort was the volunteer driver of the trail groomer. Now retired, Mr. Dufort, who worked at Bombardier for 36 years, talked about the grand prix. (The race starts today.)

“Ski-Doos go 100 miles per hour at that thing,” he said.

I asked Ms. Dufort, who rode as a passenger behind her husband, about the sport’s male dominance. “There’s more men,” she said, “but a fair number of women, too.”

After I had my own bowl of poutine du chef, Mr. Létourneau and I headed back across the snow. We connected with another trail, Trans-Quebec 45 north to Acton-Vale, where we picked up regional trail 521 south, making a long wide loop back to Valcourt.

Because of winds, snow cover varied considerably. One stretch, protected by a hedgerow, might be fluffy with drifts. Turn a corner, and the same field might yield six inches or less. Most of the time we rode on a good foot and a half. Signs admonished us to “Stay on the trail.” The temptation to plow through virgin powder and do doughnuts was hard to resist.

“Often in Quebec, when we have fatalities it’s off trail. People go across ice, and it’s not frozen,” Mr. Létourneau said. “The safest place to snowmobile is on a trail.” As president of the club, he patrolled the trails, stopping speeders and checking permits.

“We look out for the ‘big thumb,’ ” Serge Martin, the club’s security director, told me later, squeezing his hand on an imaginary throttle. But, he added, “We are not the police.”

As I lagged behind Mr. Létourneau, who wore an orange “SÉCURITÉ” vest, I couldn’t help feeling like a trail abuser whose sled had been impounded.

We drove mostly at 25 to 30 m.p.h. Blasting out of groves of cedars and firs, I would cut loose across flat open fields. A few times, I almost hit 55 m.p.h. I waited for my 479-pound chainsaw to take flight. I came to meditate on the Zen of the buzz.

But the five-hour ride began to take its toll. My back muscles and shoulders became sore. The final hour passed slowly. By the end, I was beat.

Back at the Centre de la Motoneige, the sky had grown dull gray. Snowmobiles hovered around the gas pumps. Inside, folks ogled the new models and tried on Ski-Doo jackets. Zipping out of my snowsuit, I felt, almost, like one of them.

“We did 60 miles today,” Mr. Létourneau said later at Le Brandy Creek, Valcourt’s popular watering hole. “Sometimes we can do this for 12 hours. I know some who can go as much as 700 kilometers a day.” That would be 435 miles.

My ears still thrummed. I wanted to know if noise ever bothered him. “I’m used to it,” he said, noting that my sled had one of the cleanest two-stroke engines available. This assuaged my guilt, for about 10 seconds.

I thought back to a moment earlier in the day. We had crossed paths with a lone cross-country skier. We slowed down. He braced himself as we passed.

I gave a wave. With his head down, he meekly returned the greeting.

He was a ghost, a doppelgänger, a pre-snowmobile version of myself. I knew what he was feeling.

Then, I revved the engine and, with a plume of snow-spray, exhaust and whine, left him behind.

To read all the excellent travel writings of the NY TIMES, go to their web site:www.newyorktimes.com

Quebec Snowmobile Accommodations Motels Hotels

Quebec Snowmobile Accommodations Motels Hotels

Selecting a snowmobile resort in Quebec Canada requires a certain amount of thought, planning, and research. Here are a few things you want to keep in mind whilst making your selection.

First off, your snowmobile accommodations are often in flux due to the weather, trail conditions, the health of your buddies travelling with you, the mechanical state of your snowmobiles, or even the alignment of the planets (or so it seems).

I feel sorry for snowmobile motel and hotel owners, especially those that are located at the ends of the earth, deep in the bush. What seemed to be a solid motel booking for 4 rooms for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, can easily turn into a total no show - the reservations are left empty, and so is the pocketbook of the motel owner.

The four snowmobilers were indeed heading towards their motel, but then one of the bearings in the axel of the snowmobile trailer burned up and the trailer and sleds flipped into the highway along the New Jersey turn pike.

Once the potential guests got going again, they got delayed at the Canada USA border because one of the boys forgot that he had a DWI back in 1989. He has to go home.

Then, the weather drops a high wind on the south side of Montreal and the rain turns into freezing rain; all traffic is now delayed.

When the boy finally arrive at the motel, it is Sunday aftenoon, but there are only three left. They all take off for a quick ride before dinner, but the Arctic Cat sled blow up 50 miles out. The three can't make it back to sleep, they have to sleep somewhere else.

And on and on it goes. The snowmobile accommodations business is a tough one. Just ask Bernard at Motel Safari in Shawinigan Quebec, who has been at it for over twenty years.

"Frankly Zen, you never know who or how many are actually gonna turn up... it has nothing to do with the reservations in the book, or the Visa slip deposits that you have taken. You get what you get, and you just have to roll with it."

Then there is the question of snow. Will we have enough snow on the trails to groom this winter? Last winter the answer was a resounding "NO" right up till mid February. The winter was an untitigated disaster for motel and hotel owners, due to repeated cancellations.

Those that own snowmobile hotels, B&B'S, motels, and resorts or cabins, have a right to be edgey and frustrated at times, so be nice to them!

Zen

2007 - 2008 : A New Snowmobile Season

Here we go again!

This will be season number eight for me, writing and promoting our sport of sledding on the Internet, using blogs, video clips, podcasting, video blogs, posting snowmobile news stories, updating the zenwaiter interactive snowmobile site, posting photos on our snowmobile photo albums, participating in our snowmobile rider chat room, posting videos on youtube.com, bantering with trouble makers on snowmobile bulletin boards like Trailconditions.com and Hardcoresledder, sending out constant contact newsletters from time to time, answering your e-mails, conducting interviews on Zen Talk radio talkshows, and writing good old fashioned snowmobile articles about snowmobile theft, crossing the Canada US border, snowmobile safety, snowmobile destinations in Quebec and Ontario, and occasionally, penning my various rants on Zen's Comments.

When I look at it this way, I think I can safely say that I am keeping up with the technology. Above and beyond all this of course, I actually visit snowmobile resorts, interview riders and motel owners, take photos, and provide updates on weather reports and snowmobile trail conditions when I can. I also post YOUR comments, your letters, and your photos that you send in.

Most years, I also attend and participate in the big snowmobile expos like Syracuse New York's Big East snowmobile Show, and the annual Toronto Snowmobile Show.






Last winter, I was waiting for the snow before heading to Quebec to collect more new stories and photos, but the snow and cold never came. When the winter arrived in February, I was too sick to travel, so I stayed in my home and nursed my walking pneumonia through the rest of what can only be called, the worst winter ever for all snowmobilers. I was sick through April, with a lung problem that just wouldn't let go. Strangely enough, it seems to be starting up again right now after a cool late night motor bike ride, and it worries me.

This winter snowmobile season, 07- 08, begins for me now in late August. Most of my writing and web site re-vamping work starts now and runs hard through November. At that time, I have to work hard to get the sponsors to pay up, and I solicit for donations. I spend hours every week on the phone with YOU, and go to the post office every day to mail out Zen Hats and thank you letters for donations received.

This year there will be no toll free number - last year it cost me over 1,200. and was a big drain on my time. The main topic of discussion, was 'How do I get to Mont Vallins?' I created a page for everyone to visit, but the calls still came in. You were too lazy to read what I had spent hours preparing for you on the web site. I pulled the 1-800 line in February.







The other topic was, "Where is the damn snow". I had few answers. If this year is a repeat performance of Global Warming, the snowmobile industry is in trouble. Even the far north had no snow. It was eerie, and it was disconcerting. It cost everyone millions. My income dropped even lower than usual (hard to believe eh? HAHAH!).

But, on the bright side, I have to say that over the years, my web site business has slowly built up a few new clients annually, so, there is always hope that a small check will be in the mail box for services I have rendered to someone, no matter how small. Coupled with my money saving move to more affordable housing and living in Saskatchewan, I will be more resilient on the financial front.

I do not know if I will attend any snowmobile shows this year, I have my doubts, but I will have reports from them trickling in from contacts and good sources. I do not know if a trip down east will be in the cards for me either, but again, my reporters out there have really stepped up to the plate in recent years, and Zenwaiter.com manages to offer damn good info even when I remain in the office here. In fact, last year the site had more info than usual.

That's my latest update. Stay Tuned. THANKS for listening!


Go to my main web site now!

www.zenwaiter.com

A Tough Snowmobile Year

WHITE GOLD
by Dom Coquel; Esterel Hotel

Every hotel, inn, or motel , restaurants, bars, as well as the snowmobile rentals,and the Clubs in Québec were expecting to have the best winter in the last 10 years. All the stars was pointing in that direction, the response at the snowmobile shows were positive and alot of us had been able to convince the riders that had never crossed the border before to do so this year, all our regulars were raring to come back. Dealers had informed me that they were anticipating increased sales of new machines, and the guys wanted to try out their new babies on long and exciting trails!

Mother Nature however, decided to put a hold on all of that. My snowmobile trail base was the best I had ever had in the last 25 years, 3 days of rain beginning of December is what I needed, then 4 days of cold cold freeze over, then 6 inches of snow on top of that, I was rolling around laughing my head off, just imagining what kind of wonderful and fun winter we were all going to have. Then nothing! Everything came to a halt!

Hard work always pay off they say. I Really wanted to thank my boss for having believed in me all these years, I had a dream to fill up this place with American riders and give them the best security and mapping service they could find in Québec. It took a larger budget, and alot of hours of hard work, not to mention personal sacrifices.

In the last 3 weeks I have had all my rooms cancelled due to lack of snow, and closed snowmobile trails. I refunded every single one of my guys, knowing that it was the only honest and loyal thing to do. Yes, it hurt, yes I sent home my security guards after promising them a good winter job, and I could of used that money to compensate. But I owed my guys that respect, it is not their fault if they could not ride, so why penalize them or force them to come back at an other moment when we do have snow.

So what do we say to guys that have no more vacation at a later date? What do we say to a group of guys that all have businesses and cannot know in advance if they will make it back another time this year? I hope that my honesty and loyalty will pay off, and that if the guys have the time to come up, they will come back to me. I hope that the advice I gave to others like me will pay off for them too. I will never take one of my guys as a hostage. Yes snow is white gold to me, but not at any cost!

I was very depressed these last few week, being a rider myself, I miss my guys, I miss hearing their stories at the end of the day in the bar, I miss looking out my window and seeing all the sleds in front of my office. I miss taking my walk in my 200 place truck and trailer parking lot that is empty right now; I still walk the parking lot but feel even more lonely when it is empty.

I miss the smell of the steak and fries that my guys order in the bar, I miss the sound of the wine corks that the guys who decided to try a finer dining experience have popped off in my dining room. I miss the sounds of the engines arriving at night from their run, I miss the smell of two stroke engines,I miss my guys waving good bye, leaving in the morning for their new adventure.

The 6 1/2 inches that I received last night has at last opened up all the trails, everyone is scrambling to get organized by Friday, all club presidents are calling each other up to connect all the trails, all the club volunteers are calling the maximum hours to get everything ready for our American riders.

What fell last night was indeed white gold, and I believe it will bring my guys back to me.

Dom

Executive Director, Snowmobile Market;
Esterel Hotel
1-888-378-3735

2007 Snowmobile Season: Slow Start

Quebec Winter Tourism Groans

On the right we see the always effervescent 'Dom' from the Esterel,
looking after her snowmobile clients, no matter what!

Snow in Nevada?

Global Warming Changes Things.

All my sponsors are scrambling to find places for you to ride, with mixed results. Bernard at Motel Safari has been checking out snow covered logging roads, Gille up in Val D’Or has been guiding slow paced trips through the bush off trail, and now our own little Dom from Esterel in the Laurentians has found some trails for you ro ride on, even if it means a bit of trailering.

These are the efforts of your Quebec hosts, and I am sure there are hundreds of others doing the same all over this great Province.

The 4 billion dallor snowmobile industry is groaning right now because of loss of snow and cold. It has been getting more and more difficult for motels, bars and restaurants to stay open with each passing snowless day.

In the Mauricie region alone, over 800 good workers rely directly on snowmobile tourism for their jobs through the winter. Many have already been laid off.

Mother Nature is a bitch. Well, that’s not really true, industry and emmissions from cars haven’t exactly helped her with continuing pollution of the planet.

The writing appears to be on the wall. We have screwed up Mother earth with our selfish pursuits. I know that on the plus side, I 'recycle', I don’t drive an SUV, but I do promote a fossil fuel based industry.. snowmobiling. Perhaps I should do a web site for sail boats or whale watching.

One thing is for sure - I’ll be looking for a job too if it don’t start to snow pretty soon. Who needs a snowmobile web site if there’s no snow eh??

Cheers
zw


(PS: send me your home remedies for curing my cold.)

Snowmobile Safety Tips

Defensive Driving

Never ride alone. Always be on the alert for potential danger. Your helmet and engine noise will impair your hearing. Your visibility will be reduced during a snowfall, with snow gusts and in the darkness of the night. When approaching an intersection, come to a complete stop, raise in your seat and look for traffic. Keep headlights and tail lights on at all times. Never ride on a street or highway. Stay on marked trails or ride where permitted, on the right shoulder of the road. Never make assumptions about what other snowmobilers will do. Do all that you can to ensure your safety and that of other riders. Expect the unexpected! Ride at a reasonable speed and watch out for: Thin ice and open water Grooming equipment Oncoming snowmobiles Unforeseen obstacles beneath snow (look for depressions in the snow) Unexpected corners, intersections and stops Road and railway crossings Logging and forestry operations Snow banks and drifting snow Trees and branches on the trail Bridges and approaches Fences and low strung wires Wildlife and domestic animals Other trail users (skiers, hikers)

Don’t Drink and Ride

Alcohol is a factor in more than 70 per cent of snowmobiling fatalities. It increases your susceptibility to cold and hypothermia. Your reaction time, perception, ability to control your sled and response to unexpected situations can be drastically affected as well.
Snowmobilers may be riding in remote locations miles away from help. If a situation should occur where help is needed, chances of survival and treatment of injury are at risk. Don't let alcohol be a contributing factor to your fate.

Night Riding

A disproportionate number of snowmobiling incidents, including nine out of ten fatalities, occur after dark. Forward visibility is reduced by darkness and it is much more difficult to spot and identify potential hazards in time. Overdriving headlights can also be a serious problem, so slow down when snowmobiling after dark. Becoming disoriented or lost is much more likely at night. Ride with individuals familiar with the area. Always wear outer clothing with reflective trim on the arms, back and helmet. Never ride alone at night. Always dress in your full snowmobiling outfit even if your intended destination is just next door. Many accidents happen close to home. Be certain that all lights are operational and keep in mind that hand signals become increasingly more difficult to see as darkness sets in.

Ice Riding

Drowning is one of the leading causes of snowmobile fatalities. Wherever possible, avoid riding on frozen lakes and rivers because ice conditions are never guaranteed. Ice conditions can change in a period of several hours. If you must cross ice, stay on the packed or marked trail. Don't stop until you reach shore. If you hit slush, don't let off the throttle. If you are following someone who hits slush, veer off to make your own path. It’s best never to operate in a single file when crossing frozen bodies of water.

If you must travel over lakes and rivers then consider using a buoyant snowmobile suit which will assist you to reach the closest ice surface. Also consider carrying a set of picks which will help you grip the edge of the ice more easily. As a rule of thumb, "If you don't know, don't go."
If you do break through the ice, don't panic. Follow these tips:

Kick vigorously into a horizontal position and swim to the nearest ice edge. Place hands or arms on unbroken ice while kicking hard to propel your body onto the ice, like a seal. Once clear, stay flat and roll away to stronger ice. Stand, keep moving and find shelter fast.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia, the lowering of the body’s core temperature, can happen in water or on land. It does not require extreme cold and accelerates with wind and wetness. Dressing warmly in water-resistant layers helps, but if immersed, quickly replace wet clothes, keep moving to generate body heat, and find immediate shelter and warmth.

Snow Blindness

This occurs when direct and reflecting sun glare are too bright for the eyes. Riding without good quality, UV-protected sunglasses, goggles or a visor can cause permanent damage.

Frostbite

Frostbite results from freezing temperatures and poor circulation and mostly affects extremities and exposed skin. Watch out for unnaturally white and numb skin surrounded by extreme redness. Cover up and dress in layers, making sure that socks fit loosely within your boots. Mitts with liners are warmer than gloves. Always check the weather conditions before you depart.

Wind Chill

Wind chill is a lower temperature caused by wind and/or the forward momentum of a fast moving sled. Wind chill exposes you to severe cold that can cause hypothermia. Wind-proof outer garments, extra layers and a balaclava will offer some protection, but keep your face shield down to prevent wind burn and to protect your skin and eyes.

What to Wear

With high-tech winter wear and proper layering, winter comfort is easy. Start with polypropylene and thermal under layers that release moisture while retaining heat. Add other heat retentive layers depending on the temperature. Avoid cottons and sweat shirts which retain moisture, making you cold and clammy and can lead to hypothermia.
Good snowmobile wear contains materials that retain heat, release moisture and resist both water and wind. Try to find suits that are water and windproof. Wear a buoyant snowmobile suit if you are travelling across ice.

Snowmobile suits should have reflective trim for night riding. Carry extra clothing, socks and mitts for layering. A helmet and face shield combat cold and hazards, while waterproof, insulated boots and leather snowmobile mitts provide warmth and protection.

Snowmobile Care

Always keep your snowmobile in top mechanical condition. When snowmobiling, you may be in remote areas and far from immediate help so it’s essential to bring along a basic repair and emergency kit. The kit should contain these items:

spare belt
spare spark plugs
manufacturer's tool kit
extra wrenches nuts and bolts sized for your sled
tow rope
pry bar
duct tape
wire
jack-knife or pocket knife
flare
flashlight
matches
first aid kit
cell phone (although it may have limited service range in some areas)

Sledder May Loose 600.usd Deposit! Ripp Off?

Time to wake up and smell the Internet people!
Dec 22 -Letter of the week!


Hi Zen.

I've been a fan of your web site, and a hard core sledder for 5 year's. Just wanted to inform you & your following about a problem I had with the La Glacier. ( not sure how you spell it but the place on the left before you get to St. Zenon). I've been in contact with them several times over the last week about refunding my deposit on our rooms over the Christmas/ New Year's week. Due to the lack of snow ( which were all praying about) I asked them what there cancellation policy is and they pretty much told me if I don't come I loose it. I'm not a big fan of the place any how but the crabonnon was booked & so was Real Masse ( sorry I no you don't care for Dennis).

Hopefully everything with the weather will work out but if not, I stand to loose almost $600.00 and I will never eat there sleep there or fuel up there ever again. Just thought others should know. I guess that's why they're never booked up.

Thanks for all the hard work you do. I know you don't live in St. Zenon anymore but if I happen to see you at the Saw Mill in St. Michele You will have another fantastic dinner on me. Please help me warn the others. Thanks again, keep praying for snow and I hope to see you soon.
Jason


Thanks for the head's up.

Many readers that still go to this area may be interested in seeing your letter. The deposit issue is important to note. You must be clear on the hotel policy before you agree to pay a deposit. I hope it is only a misunderstanding, it must be! Perhaps because you speak English?

I cannot believe they would try f*%$k you out of 600.! This is NOT the way 99.9% of Quebec snowmobile motels do business! Remember, there are always two sides to every story. Marcel Auger is a very reasonable man... be sure to talk to him personally. If they do insist on taking your 600. bucks, call Visa and they will help you to reverse the charges. As for the other, he is anathema to me.

It is hard to believe any hotel now a days would try to mislead any snowmobilers, because they must be aware of the power of the Internet. Go only knows what they would do to a place that would do such a thing on purpose, once the news hits Hard Core Sledder.com. or Trail Conditions.com. It could destroy a reputation in a heart beat.

Too bad you couldn't get into Real's place - you would have love that place- be sure to call Gilles at the last minute for an honest weather update. Who knows, he may be able to squeeze you in at the last minuite!

BTW - if you still need a place in St-Michel area, check out Auberge au Pied de la Chut here... I'll be watching for you at the Saw Mill old buddy! You are very generous, like so many of our US guests!

As for the snow - I think it will come soon! Read my opinions here...


zw




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New TRAIL CONDITIONS Page

New Trail Conditions Page on ZW.COM

The most difficult thing to do is to try to provide honest and accurate trail conditions for this sport. It's damn near impossible. Plus, you always make enemies. That is why I largely moved away from that a few years ago and just tried to make an entertaining web site full of cool stuff.

Well, I have thrown my hat back into the ring, hoping it will increase traffic on my web site, and it has already done just that. A few days ago I created this page, and already it has had over 1,000 viewers.

This is an adventure sport, and we all need adventure, but we also want to know what the hell is going on - we need to know where the snow is to enjoy our sport.

As you know, I am paying large (15 cents a minute) for a TOLL FREE phone number, 1-877-zen-trip. You have been calling all day long! Thanks!

By calling all my French speaking sponsors daily, I keep in touch with what is happening, and then I can get the info you need, and translate it into English. I thought perhaps I would do a BOOKING thing, but that is too difficult in reality. One lady from Ontario called me five times last week, asking more and more qns about a possible snowmobile holiday with her lover - she wasted my money and my time ALL DAY LONG, then didn't book a damn thing.

I am gonna keep the phone line, and pay for it myself - just to try and make myself useful to my sled friends. That is what I have always been about. AND I will try to keep my pages updated for you. In a week or two I will be in Quebec, then I will have trouble keeping all this going. I will stay for a month or more and try to report from the road. I will tell you all about these cool places and provide photos, audio, video clips, and photo albums.

My budget for that trip is 3,070.00. I need donations to cover that. So far I have collected about 600. Thanks to those who have contributed (about 10 people). There are 3,000 a day that visit my pages each day right now, and 8 have helped me. Hmmm. Always the same dilemma every year. Oh well.

Every year I load my credit card to the max on the road, and pay it off till July. All that to get good info for you. At least I have slowly built up more sponsors over the seven years I have done this!

zw





.

Prayer for Snowmobile Christans

A Christian Sledder's PRAYER for SNOW

Dear God, we thank you for your goodness towards us, and for sending us your Son Jesus. Thank you for my brand new sled sitting in the garage, and for my new four place enclosed aluminum trailer. Thank you for the week off you have provided from my job. Thanks for allowing me to get away with the family (and or the boys), thank you for your loving kindness.

Ahem. Now, Lord .... about the lack of snow and lack of cold temperatures. We humbly ask that you wouldst smite the entire North Eastern corner of the United States and all of Canada, with a horrific snow storm, the likes of which we have not seen in fifty years, accompanied by extreme and devastating low temperatures.

Freeze up thy lakes oh God, and all thy waterways. Spare the cities from harm dear Lord, but blast the countryside into next Tuesday with your fury. Pour out your wrath in a mighty display of howling wind and deep fresh snow.

We thank you in advance oh God, for your mercies. We all promise, and covenant with you oh God, to be better husbands, and better fathers. We promise to be more generous, drink a little less beer, and be more forgiving with our friends and neighbours.

We also promise God, to ride safe and sober this winter... for real ... Thank you for your love.

Amen.

PS: God, if you got it started on this storm right away, they would be able to groom it for us by the day after Christmas.

Thanks.

Snowmobilers in Danger

Are YOU Ready For Death Too?


Newspapers & Internet is full of tradgedy this past week.

This is the coffin of somebody's uncle Bob. He died on a snowmobile. He left his children and his wife, and his mom and dad to get along without him. He's in the box now, and the party is definitely over... for everyone.It could just as easily be you or me in this box.

This past week alone, many sledders were killed. Drinking, speeding, hitting trees, not wearing helmets, drowning. I guess it's time for sober reflection again folks, time to think about safety, BEFORE we do something stupid, and cause huge heart ache to those we love at Christmas.

Do your buddies run too fast, and beyond your abilities, but you don't have the balls to say anything? Here's a news flash... It's YOUR ass, not theirs!

It's YOUR wife and children that will suffer without you, not theirs. It's YOUR Mom and Dad that will be devastated. It's YOUR business that will fall apart without you. Screw them If they want to drink, and ride stupid onto a lake at night and endanger themselves, be a man - just say NO! Let them go.


This Year, MANY SNOWMOBILERS ARE DYING Needlessly
in North Dakota, Saskatchewan, Michigan, Ontario..

Are you ready to die? Is your family prepared to loose you? Is driving drunk that important? Is the thrill speed more important than your children? Is hitting a tree with your sled an option? The answer is - absolutely not.

Driving drunk, driving too fast, driving off trail without being careful, riding on water ways that are unsafe, riding with no helmet, stunting, and performing stupid acts. It's not funny. IF you think about your son, or your daughter, you won't see the fun in behaving like an ass on your snowmobile. Please read these reports of four deaths in the past few days. Do you want to be the next person to abandon your family?

Here are this week's news stories about others who have been killed.

HOOPLE, N.D. A man was killed in a snowmobile crash near this city, the Pembina County Sheriff's Department said.Joshua Lee Buchwitz, 27, of Hoople, died on Saturday after his snowmobile struck a tree in a field northeast of the city.The sheriff's department received a call shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday reporting the accident.Buchwitz suffered head and upper body injuries and was transported to a hospital in Cavalier where he was pronounced dead, authorities said

Rosseau man killed in early-morning snowmobile accident News Update, News, posted Dec 11, 2006 at 10:10 AM Darrell Ronald Ainsbury, 21, of Rosseau, was pronounced dead at the scene after hitting a tree sometime after 5 a.m. Sunday morning, according to Huntsville OPP officers. Mr. Ainsbury's common-law spouse found the accident site and Mr. Ainsbury's body on Bear Cave Road after friends called her expressing concern for the man's safety when he left a nearby home at 5 a.m., police said. Mr. Ainsbury was not wearing a helmet. Police are waiting for results of a post-mortem examination to determine whether alcohol was a factor. See Wednesday's North Star for more information.

2 men killed in separate snowmobile accidents; By The Associated Press.Two men died in separate snowmobile accidents in northern Lower Michigan, police said Saturday. A 38-year-old Muskegon man was found dead about 12:50 a.m. Saturday in Lake County's Newkirk Township, sheriff's deputies said. NEWKIRK TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A 38-year-old Muskegon man was killed in a snowmobiling accident, the Lake County Sheriff's Department said Saturday. Police discovered the man, whose name was not immediately released, after two Ohio residents snowmobiling near Luther came upon a sled that had struck a tree. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said speed might have been a factor, but wasn't clear whether alcohol played a role. Two snowmobilers notified dispatchers that they had come upon a sled that had struck a tree near Luther, about 70 miles north of Grand Rapids. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Thomas W. Williamson, 70, of St. Helen, died after the snowmobile he was driving crashed about 5:45 p.m. Saturday in Ogemaw County's Foster Township, about 130 miles north of Lansing, state police at the West Branch post said. Both crashes remained under investigation.

How Do We Die?

Over the past seven years, I have heard of many deaths on snomobiles, not just in Quebec where I lived, but all over the snowmobiling world. Here are a few that pop into my mind. Please think about this. Think hard. It could save your life, or that of your sled buddy. (My sincere apologies to the victim's families).

1. A young trio head out, a couple and one male pal. She has never ridden. The guys run hot and fast, she doesn't have a clue. They are showing off. (Have to be macho). The couple who are seeing each other takes off. Boyfriend is running hard. She has trouble keeping up. She finally stops - in a stupid place. Why? Because she has not learned to stop in a safe stretch where all can see. Boy number two, trying to catch up, flies around the curve, and you guessed it. He slams right into the girlfriend. Her little body is mangled by his 700 pound sled. She is DEAD.

2. A seasoned snowmobiler (and a cop as well), is stopped with his pals. Off on the flats he sees a train comings. He has a brand new Cat with a tripple. He says, watch this guys! Without another moment of though, the brain in his penis engages. Away he goes, full throttle. He is gonna beat the train. Guess what happens. Yup. He hits the rise at 80 or 90 mph, goes right into the window of the locomotive, and dies instantly. There is nothing left of the sled that is larger than a Kleenex box. The rider is DEAD.

3. Two men, early thirties, ride to the Titty Bar at noon. it's a beautiful day and the trails are fantastic. They drink till about 4 pm. They ride back to their hotel, way too fast. They ride on the edge of their abilities. The guy in the back is trying desperately to keep up. He is riding in the dust and sees nothing. He backs off a little. The leader spots a real Stop sign up ahead at the end of a perfectly straight 300 feet of trail. He tries to slow down, but the trail is icy. He begins to loose control. He locks her up. Then BAM, he slams into a family in a Mini van. He seems to be okay. He gets up, talks a little, then drops in pain. At the hospital that night, he succumbs to internal bleeding and injuries, HE'S DEAD.

4. Two young family guys fly down the winding trail, side by side. In the corners, they stay side by side. It's early season, and they think they can take that risk. They whip around one corner, and meet the groomer head on at about 50 mph. They slow to 40. The guy on the left shoots over the side of the trail and miraculously blows through the trees and hits nothing. His pal on the right who has two children, hits the blade of the groomer. His belly is sliced open like when you clean a fish. His organs remain, clean like meat in a delli, on the snow. HE IS STONE DEAD.

If I have upset some of my readers, I am glad. I would rather tell a few true stories, and have you hate me, than you go out and speed, drink, and ride like an idiot, endangering yourself, and someone else's life. Think how the man in the groomer must have felt.


Remember this....

A) You are not bullet proof.
B) There is a God, and You ain't it.
C) Alco