We ran that sled three years and never got caught, but in 1974, Joe sold the sled to a guy who promptly seized the engine, bored it 10-thou over and went one oversize. Needless to say, the piston was a little sloppy.

Joe played it coy with denial. Anyway, the guy got the correct piston in it and kept racing it as a GP 396. You kind of have to laugh about it now as, just like in NASCAR back then, there was a lot of cheating in those early days of snowmobile oval racing.

In 1976, I bought a 1974 GPX 338 but that molded rubber, cleated track was not one of Yamaha’s better innovations. When those cleats started rattling out the back end at 75 mph, it ripped and twisted out the tunnel if the track derailed. I came out unscathed, but sled’s aluminum tunnel was bent and ripped to doll rags.

When I first started attending Minnesota’s Hay Days Grass Drags in the mid-nineties I was on the lookout for a Yamaha 440 Exciter. I found several contenders, but their aluminum belly pans and bumpers were either twisted, bent, stretched or all three.

I ended up buying a 1973 GP 292 with 765 original miles. My first thought was to race vintage ovals with it, but when I got it home and cleaned it up, I realized it was just too nice to race so I just drove it around at vintage events all winter looking like a true Yamaha collector.

A few years back I found a 440 Exciter for sale in the vintage tent at Hay Days and it looked to be in above average condition. Unfortunately, I had no room in the trailer to bring it home and not enough cash with me so I had to walk away from that deal.

That winter I went to the Waconia Ride-In event in Waconia, Minnesota and there was that very same Exciter I walked away from at Hay Days. A few moments later I was the proud owner of a 1977 440 Exciter.

As it turned out, the sled needed a piston and rings, a carb rebuild and a carb intake boot. It took three years, but the folks at Hudon’s Salvage in Barneveld, New York, tracked down an original OEM intake boot for that hateful Keihin carb.

I put more time into this project than I intended, but it was a good runner and I may have put 150 miles on the sled. Do I still own it? Nope! I met a guy looking for a 1973 292 GP to complete his collection of 1973 Yamaha sleds and he bought my Exciter and all the Yamaha parts I had collected.

I can’t even begin to guess how many sleds I’ve owned over the years, but I can tell you that every dollar spent was worth it.

Most often, we rode and repaired our sleds from Monday to Friday (mostly fiberglass repairs, which I became very adept at) and raced them on the oval track on the weekend.

Back in those days we bought and sold sleds with regularity. Did I have a few stinkers? Sure I did and I didn’t keep them very long.

In the fall of 1976 I traded my 1965 Sunbeam Tiger for a 1975 Ski-Doo TNT RV 245. I was running mostly Polaris sleds on the oval track back then and one day I laid my eyes on the 245 RV and I had to have one.

To me this was a sled I could run in A & B stock and be competitive as it was a light sled at 340-pounds, low to the ground, stable, wide ski stance, dual Mikunis, tuned exhaust and it was just a cool looking snowmobile.

It didn’t take me long to figure out why the seller was itching to unload it as this sled drove me nuts. In the hands of Pro Racers the RV did decently well, but I was certainly no Pro Racer.

Every weekend I was right in the mix in the first couple of heats of the day, but every heat the sled got slower and slower. We tried everything and couldn’t figure it out. We jetted, we clutched, and we packed snow around the Y-pipe and cylinders and heads. You name it we tried it. If, I made the finals – and I didn’t make many that year, I usually watched everyone take the checkered flag while I finished last.

I sold that sled that fall and for the life of me I cannot remember what I traded or sold it for, but I was happy to get rid of it. It was without a doubt the most frustrating sled I ever owned and would not be missed.

Several years later I was in a buddy’s race trailer and he was lapping the rotary valve out of his 250 MotoSki mod motor. Intrigued I asked why and he just smiled and replied, “When the engine gets hot the aluminum engine block and rotary valve case expands causing friction with steel rotary valve.”

Can’t say I saw that one coming, but looking back, I’m sure my buddy Dave had the answer to my frustrations. You live and learn I guess…some lessons later than others.

Now back to that 1965 Sunbeam Tiger that I traded straight-up for. I was browsing thru a classic Car trader and there was a 1965 Sunbeam Tiger listed for $75,000!

As the saying goes, It is what, it is.

I couldn’t even begin to guess how many sleds I’ve owned. Of all those sleds many have been memorable and some were just plain… let’s say, less than desirable!

To pick my favorite one is tough because I’ve had so many great ones! Right now I have a Ski-Doo 900 ACE Renegade that gets phenomenal gas mileage, has a superb ride, great handling and is sooo quite.

Okay, I would have to say my all-time favorite sled was my 1992 Indy 500 SP EFI. In 1991 I had had a chance to try an early, limited build 500 EFI and I was quick to go to my Polaris dealer and get one SnowChecked. While some SP owners had some issues with EFI starting at first (which Polaris quickly had an update for), mine was flawless.

The EFI system with two throttle bodies made for a feather-light throttle pull and gave that 488 Fuji crisp throttle response. It pulled surprisingly hard down the lakes, making this sled an absolute hoot to drive.

The first year I owned it I installed 96 studs and cut a half-inch out of the 2-into-one header for a bit more bottom end (I don’t know if it really made any difference).

The second year I went to Starting Line twin pipes and a Marv Jorgenson chip and installed a 133-inch SKS track kit. In the mid ’90s I installed a FAST M-10 suspension.

I put a lot of miles on that sled over the years and about all I did to it every year was put on a fresh belt, install new carbides and a set of plugs. After that just gas and oil.

Truth of the matter is, of all the sleds I’ve owned, I kept this sled the longest and if I had the chance, I’d buy it back in a heartbeat!

A few years ago I went to visit an acquaintance of mine, Don Richardson, who over the years had built up quite a collection of vintage sleds. He was selling off the majority of his collection and I was curious to see just what he had.

As I was looking around I noticed an unusual sled off in a corner of his property. As I walked over to it I found myself looking at a long nosed Argo Super Shark.

I was immediately intrigued and asked Don how he came to own it. I learned he’d found it in a boathouse where it had been sitting for over 30 years. I must say it was a far cry from being a pretty sled by any stretch of the imagination, yet it was in very decent shape.

My good friend Rob Rickward who is a local Polaris dealer ended up buying this Super Shark. Turns out Rob knew of these sleds and back in the 70’s when Rob and I raced, he was riding an SSX Chaparral and it had the same liquid-cooled Chaparral Xenoah engine as the Super Shark.

Long Nosed Shark

Argo produced sleds from 1973 to 1977 with the first sleds produced in 1974 called Sharks that featured two engine options – a 400 and a 440 Kioritz fan-cooled, reed valve engine.

In Argo’s first year of sled production, 500 units rolled off the line. That year Argo stated its main promotional thrust would be through race participation in stock classes. Personally, though, I can’t remember ever racing against one.

The first Super Sharks appeared in 1975 with liquid cooled Xenoah reed valve engines. The 340 produced 40 horsepower and the 440 produced over 50. Argo carried on production in 1976 and from what I’ve learned; a limited build model was produced in 1977 called the Argo/Chaparral Super Shark. It weighed in at a svelte 353-pounds and had an internal 15.5-inch track with duo-flex slide rails, tuned exhaust and dual Mikuni BNO carbs. The tag line for this model year was, “Slide in behind the long, sleek nose of the Argo/Chaparral Super Shark”.

Argo was no different than so many companies in the 70’s trying to be players in the snowmobile industry. Despite the company’s best efforts its sleds were not moneymakers and like many other brands of the day had a short life span.

How well the Argo Super Shark actually ran I couldn’t really say. I do know my buddy Rob has his running and this winter I may actually get a chance to try it. Better yet, maybe he’ll haul out his SSX Chaparral and we can have ourselves a 2-lap feature!

One question I’m often asked is, of all the places I’ve ridden, which is my favorite. Most often, my response is, “Québec’s GASPESIE has to be at the top of the list”!

This region has it all, starting snowfall measured in feet, not inches. The on-trail amenities include gas stations, restaurants and full service clubhouses. The hospitality is amazing and the trails and scenic vistas surrounding the Chic Choc Mountains are world-renowned.

Last winter we experienced a 6-day snowmobile tour that would take us through the Baie St. Laurent and Gaspesie Regions. Our ride started on the heels of another major 3-day deluge of snow with over 3 feet of accumulation.

Our trip started in Rivier-du-Loup with an overnight stay at Hotel Universal, which features heated storage, plenty of parking, 24-hour security, gas next door and Trans Québec Trail 85 out the back parking lot. Our mapped-out 275 km ride day ended up being over 300 km (200 miles) as someone missed a trail (that would be me) and because of this, we arrived a little late to our night’s lodging at Domaine Valga in Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski.

This beautiful log Auberge is a perfect example of the many hidden gems you’ll find only in Québec. It turns out this is a very popular destination for Timbersledders as well!

On the second day the sky was clear and blue and the trails were freshly groomed. Our 200 mile day had us riding 579 South, 587 South and Trans Québec 5 to Motel Baie Bleue in Carl-sur-Mer and, once again, a full parking lot of sleds.

Day 3 was our shortest, taking us on a 220 km ride to Motel Fraser in Chandler. The Fraser was packed with snowmobilers and interesting enough it was 50/50 split with folks from Eastern USA and Ontario. We had a great night with lots of good-natured banter from the snowmobile fraternity.

We changed things up a bit on Day 4 with a side trip into the village of Perce to check out the legendary Perce Rock, an incredible sight to behold. As we pulled into Murdochville the height of the snow banks from the previous week’s storm was amazing. Our night’s stay was Auberge Chic-Choc.

One of the missing pieces of this vast trail system was a link that would provide snowmobilers with a long distance loop. Knowing this, the hard working folks and businesses in Chapleau, Foleyet and Timmins invested two years and endless man-hours and developed a 200-mile super trail that linked Timmins to Chapleau.

I took part in the Grand Opening Ride and in the fall of 1999 I penned an article entitled “Chapleau Gets A New Winter Highway”. The lead-in to this editorial was a famous line from the movie Field of Dreams, “If you build it they will come” and for the better part of 10 years snowmobilers came from all over to ride this incredible loop.

The recession of 2009 really put a damper on snowmobiling in North America and eventually with dwindling permit sales and a lack of financial support to the clubs, the loop from Timmins to Chapleau was sadly shut down.

As the economy rebounded, permit sales began to rise and after several years of being closed, C101F was reopened as C101D last winter and in early March, 2017 I along with my good friends Richard Hiley, Jim Brogan and Harold McAdam had the pleasure to ride the complete loop chalking up 1,100 miles of great Northern Ontario trails and hospitality.

October, 2015 was cold and snarly and by the end of the month I was sure we were in for a long, cold, snowy winter. It just never happened and by December many traditional snowbelt areas languished in the double digits above freezing with little or no snow by Christmas.

Usually, the main ingredient for getting trails in shape is a good run of cold weather to freeze up rivers and swamps. The cold came but it was well into January before the online trail maps starting showing green.

The Abitibi-Temiscamingue region in Northwestern Québec always seems to get its trails open early and they’re often still grooming into April. Of all the riding I have done in Québec I’m quite certain the largest percentage of miles has been in the Abitibi Region. Why? The trails tend to be groomed perfectly all the time and, on a full day of riding, you might only meet 20 sleds. Despite this, at night the motels and lodges are full of snowmobilers!

For several years there had been rumors about a ghost trail running southeast of Temiscaming and, while not on the district map, I had ridden parts of it on our trips back to my buddys’ camp in this region. Now, Trans Québec Trail 43 is in place and on the map. Yes!

Last winter we were invited to experience this trail and we arrived in Temiscaming to stay at Au Bercail Motel. Temiscaming had been pounded with a foot of snow on the day of our arrival and come morning, our crew was in for an awesome ride.

When you leave Temiscaming make sure your gas tank is full: The first gas and lunch stop is at Rapides-des-Joachims, 220-kms (130-miles) to the south. Good thing for us we carried extra fuel because after busting through 200-kms of powder we had to gas up two of the four sleds (my 600 Renegade X still had a half tank of gas left. Amazing!)

We rolled into Lance’s Convenience in Rapides-des-Joachims for gas and a bowl of chili and headed up Trail 386 for another 170-km to our night’s destination, Pavillon Park LA VERENDRYE Lodge. The first 90 kms were freshly groomed with not a track in front of us. Really, does it get any better than that?

A word of caution, if you wish to visit Pavillon Park LA VERENDRYE Lodge book well in advance because while they are long on hospitality they are short on rooms! Oh yes, bring cash too, as plastic does not work here.

From the lodge you can take Trans Quebec 63 east for a five to six-day run. We did that in 2015. If you take 386 west through Belleterre you have a three-day or you can choose the route we did through Val-d’Or.

We chose this route because one of our party, Jim, had heard us talk of trail 386 North of Kitcisakik up to Lac Simon. I’ve said it before: Although this might be one of the most fun trails I’ve ever ridden in my life, pay attention to the signs. If you don’t, you’re liable to have a repair bill!

Over the years one of my favorite riding regions has been the Upper Laurentians of Quebec. I first rode here with my buddy, Richard Hiley, in the winter of 1990. He told me I was in for a surprise and I wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked!

Hardly a winter went by I didn’t visit this region for a ride. In the winter of 2000, my wife Donna, Paul and Sue Oshell and I were invited to ride the wood runner trail. To experience the tremendous hospitality and generosity of the gracious hosts at these remote resorts and ride those world-class trails was just amazing. Since those early years, the wood runner trail (now in its 15th year) has become a bucket List ride. It has grown and now has three more loops to keep you coming back.

The longest loop is the wood runner Loop, a 653-mile (1089- km) run, which will take you through three regions: Lauren- tides (Upper Laurentians) Mauricie and Abitibi-temiscamingue. The options on where to start your ride are numerous. If you live in Southern ontario, western new york or Michigan, then the Abitibi region should be your choice.

For me, it’s a no-brainer as temiscaming is an hour and a half drive for me. we chose to start from the Forestel Motel in Val d’or.

If you live in the eastern states or eastern ontario, then I’d suggest starting from the city of Mont Laurier straight north of ottawa.

Last February, on a Monday morning, the sun was bright and it was only 39 below zero! After breakfast it had warmed up to a balmy minus 38. If the sleds had started we were definitely good to go. Yeah, they did and we were off heading south with a short run on trail 83 and then onto trail 386. We experienced typical Quebec Monday morning freshly groomed trails. Amazing!

Our overnight destination was Pavillon La Verendrye Lodge and on this day we rode a little over 120 miles. Not a long day by Quebec standards but as the daytime high was minus -26, it was just enough. I might add for the first time ever i brought handlebar muffs and I was glad I had them. Who says they’re not for men?

Our second day was a repeat of day one. It was clear and cold and at least half the sleds wouldn’t start. With a little coaxing ours did and we headed east on trans Quebec trail 63 (winding logging roads groomed to perfection) to Le Domaine where we met up with Christine Labrecque of the area’s tourism Development Department and Sebastien Lambert, owner of Theo Recreo Yamaha, who rode with us to Resort La Pointe a David (a 135-mile day). This beautiful resort is located on the Baskatong Reservoir. Again, we had a full day of riding perfectly groomed wooded trails.

On our third day out we pointed our sleds north with stops at Windigo Chutes and up to the summit of Devil’s Mountain. Both of these are must-see destinations when snowmobiling in the Mont Laurier area.

We finished our day riding on trans-Quebec trail 13 and arrived late afternoon at Pouvoirie Fer A Cheval after 230 miles of stellar riding.

Next day we parted ways and headed for Pourvoirie le Balbuzard Sauvage – a 200-plus mile day. For the most part this particular route was all new for me and we decided to take a side trip into the town of Parent just because we had never been there. For the next 120-miles we headed west on trans Quebec 83 with a lunch and gas stop in Clova (another first). this day’s trails consisted of logging roads and we discovered it is remote, to say the least.

Frankly, what really blows my mind is how they keep these remote trails so smooth. At this point of the trip we had only seen two groomers: A new Pistenbully at Pouvoir La Verendrye and a second one near Parent. That one was an old Massey tractor conversion (and I mean old) but, man, did that operator do a job on those trails!

Late in the afternoon we came into a forest fire burn area and shortly afterward we crested a hill to see a beautiful lodge sitting on the edge of a lake in the middle of nowhere.

Amazing! Only in Quebec will you find these hidden gems. Google it and you’ll see what I mean! What a night of hospitality!

Our fifth and last day was quite a day of riding. Why? Our first stop after leaving Balbuzard Sauvage is a 100-mile run to either Senneterre or Louvicourt (your choice).

For the first hour or so you ride this massive forest fire burn that consumed 50,000 hectares (12,500 acres). It is unbelievable. What made this experience extra special is that it was a clear, sunny day and you could easily see a mile ahead. I’d never experienced that before!

We chose Senneterre and yes, it added more miles to our ride but we just didn’t want to cut the riding short. We rolled into Val-d’or in the early afternoon with a little over 800 miles on the sleds.

I always ask myself: “would i do this ride again?” Most certainly I would but I think next time I’ll change it up and run it clockwise.

Every night’s stay on this ride was unique and with the
hospitality extended to us it was simply the best! I never get tired of riding in Quebec!

For information on this loop of the wood runner trail call: 1-888-560-9988 or visit: woodrunnertrail.ca

This part of Québec has become one of North America’s premier riding destinations and the simple fact is, it’s all about their great trails! We’ve always been amazed at how the trails never seem overly busy yet, strangely, at the end of the day, every motel is full of sledders.

North of Abitibi, Eeyou-Istchee Baie-James has quietly become a favorite destination for snowmobile enthusiasts addicted to riding big miles. Abitibi has a trail network of 3700 km (2299 miles) linking its towns together. Baie James, has 1100km (683 miles) of awe-inspiring, remote trails where you can ride for hours with no interruptions and just mile after mile of white ribbon rolling out in front of you.

Last winter we were invited back to tour the region during the first week of March and expanded the trip itinerary to make a complete loop tour through several tourism regions : Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Eeyou Istchee Baie-James, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Mauricie.

We started our trip in Abitibi from the Hotel in Val-d’Or. As usual, the parking lot was packed with trucks, trailers and snowmobiles were parked everywhere. We awoke to a real fresh -25°C (-13°F) morning (hey, you’re a long ways north) and we pointed our sleds north on Trail 83 with a lunch stop in Senneterre, our overnight in Lebel-sur-Quévillon.

On this trip we were accompanied by Baie James Marketing Director, Anne Nguyen. Anne had minimal snowmobiling experience but in true Québec fashion was quickly riding like she had done it all her life!

On our second day we headed to Chibougamau on Trans Québec Trail 93 on about 6-inches of fresh powder with a lunch and gas stop in Waswanipi. By mid-morning we met a groomer and our ride into Waswanipi was as good as it gets. In late afternoon we rolled into the sled compound at Motel Nordic in Chibougamau and could hardly believe we had ridden over 322 km (200 miles). Along the way we had made numerous stops and met only about a dozen sleds!

Our third day had us heading south again on Trans Québec 93 with Auberge des Berges in Saint-Félicien our night’s destination. On this sunny -15°C (5°F ) day, trails were tabletop but as the day wore on the thermometer started to climb. By the time we reached Saint-Félicien it had warmed to plus -13°C (9°F). It turns out nearby Roberval was the second warmest spot in Canada that day.

At that point we had to make a decision on whether to continue or backtrack through Baie-James. We chose the latter and were glad we did. There’s nothing better than seeing TQ93 going in the opposite direction!

One thing to remember in this northern area is that credit cards are not as commonly accepted as they are in the south. By the last day we were digging through our pockets to find enough cash to buy our lunch.

Both regions offer hundreds of miles of the most scenic, meticulously groomed riding you’ll find anywhere. Cold weather and snow come early here allowing Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Baie-James to fine-tune their trail systems before the traffic arrives.

By the time winter has set in, the trails are smoothly groomed and well set up to handle the out-of-province herds of snowmobilers arriving from the USA and neighboring Ontario. It’s about a 7-hour drive from the US states bordering Ontario and Québec. Most southern Ontario drives would be about five hours or less.

I like to start my ride out of the town of Témiscaming, the most southern tip of these two regions. Also, Rouyn-Noranda is another excellent place to start. Trust me, I’ve never seen a shortage of snow here. On the tail end of the season, I’ve experienced some awesome riding in late March and often into early April. Those who have ridden here know it’s one of snowmobiling’s best-kept secrets. You need to put it on your bucket list.

For more information visit: www.tourismebaiejames.com or call 1-866-922-4492. For Abitibi call 1-800-808-0706 or visit the website at www.snowwild.com.

THERE’S MORE…WAY MORE!

With over 33,000 km (20,000 miles) of trails to choose from, the decision of which region to ride in Québec is often the most difficult thing about planning a trip here.

Thankfully, for anyone interested in riding this spectacular network of trails, the Québec Tourism website (www.QuebecOriginal.com/snowmobile) is the perfect ambassador to the region. This website is an important tool to use when planning your winter adventure.

With seven regions to choose from, endless touring opportunities await. Whether you’d like to ride through meandering sugar bush trails or witness the majestic views of the Saint Lawrence River, when you ride in Québec you’re always greeted with freshly groomed trails and an unforgettable, warm welcome.

One of our most recent trips to Québec was to the “Authentic” regions of Lanaudiere and Mauricie where we were treated to those districts’ legendary hospitality and beautiful scenery. This trip was showcased in Episode #2 of the 2014 season of SnowTrax Television.

To view the segment: log onto www.snowtraxtv.com and click Episode #2 in the video portal to watch.

We were in the land of the Upper Laurentian Mountains and I felt like I was in some kind of snowmobiling paradise. Never before had I experienced trails like this and to visit the famous Montagne du Diable (Devil’s Mountain) was the highlight of my trip.

I recall it was a big boost to my snowmobiling bragging rights list as this was a destination many of my riding cronies had read about but few had had the opportunity to visit at the time.

I was absolutely stunned by the quality of these amazing trails and until then I’d never been anywhere where there were so many sleds. Quebec was definitely living up to its billing.

Last winter when we visited the region, hotel parking lots were full of trailers and sleds were parked everywhere. There was a welcome mat out to snowmobilers and everywhere we went we were met with first-class hospitality.

For me, the ride to the top and the view when you get the summit of Devil’s Mountain is a must-visit and should be one of your primary destinations in this area. Visitors scaling the elevation this year will experience a new trail to its summit and now, a new restaurant atop the mountain.

Last winter we learned there’s a second Devil’s Mountain being developed in the region. The second location is in its development stages for catering to both snowmobile and ATV enthusiasts and will be a tremendous attraction when it’s ready.

Wood Runner Trail

Mont Laurier Region’s famous Wood Runner Trail has evolved and expanded over the years and now offers five self-guided tours on over 2,500 miles (4,000 kms) of trails taking in four regions: Upper Laurentians, Lanaudiere, Abitibi and Outaouais.

The five tours range from 222 miles (370 km) to 800 miles (1,350 kms) and the Woodrunner Trail features many great places to stay and eat – everything from major luxury hotels in the towns and villages along the way to the remote backcountry inns and lodges that are both quaint and rustic and feature incredibly cozy Quebec hospitality and some of the est dining in the world.

During the Wood Runner adventure you absolutely must take in the beauty of Windigo Chutes, an unforgettable waterfall experience.

Fly & Ride

The Fly & Ride Snowmobile Vacation offers direct flights from Newark and Toronto (less than two hours) to Mont-Tremblant International airport.

You can start your holiday right from the airport because your guide will be waiting with your rental sleds and, if you need riding gear, it’s available, too.

Your choices are two, three and four-day tours into the rugged backcountry of the Upper Laurentains. The outfitters and lodges you’ll stay at will blow you away as they are totally committed to catering to snowmobilers.

Riding in the Upper Laurentains is typical Quebec: Awesome trails, fabulous accommodations, delicious French cuisine and most of all, a warmth and friendliness you’ll only find in Quebec.

For information on the region call 888-560-9988 or visit www.woodrunnertrail.ca.

Special thanks to our guide Gino Di Palma.

PLACES YOU SHOULD VISIT:

Mont Laurier:
Quality Inn: www.qualityinn-ml.ca
Comfort Inn: www.comfortinn-ml.ca

Notre-Dame-de-Pontmain:
Auberge Presqu’ile – 819-597-2166

Notre-Dame-du-Laus:
Bar Salon Chez Punch – 819-767-2695
Domaine de la Presqu’ile – 819-767-2832

Ferme-Nevue:
Relais de la Montagne du Diable (Devils Mtn.) – 819-440-6365
Club Fontbrune – www.club-fontbrune.qc.ca
Rabaska Lodge – www.lerabaska.com

Sainte-Anne-du-Lac
Club Mekoos – www.mekoos.com