I think Crazy Cal was anticipating this ride even more than I was!
But I was certainly more than eager for the trailer ride up pot-holed and frost-heaved Route 421 to Horseshoe Lake parking lot in pursuit of a great day. There was good fresh snow cover to give the total mid-winter luster under a deep blue sky – just PERFECT riding weather, and cold!
Thursday’s trek started on a very high note with a fast and flat rip on C7A to the junction with C7/Railroad. I joked to Cal that we should turn around and go back to the truck – because it could only get worse from there.
After crossing the Railroad, C7A had some roller bumps but the new snow cushioned the riding.
C7C up to the Thirsty Moose was a good to excellent run though the Boy Scout Camp.
Pressing westward from Thirsty Moose on C7C was studdery for a little while but got nice as we approached Sevey’s Point.
We crossed Route 3 and found the groomer laying down the ribbon leading to C7A:
Ummm…. Yeah, let’s hit this!!
We ran that awesomeness to Little Blue Mountain. Our sno-cross climb up the hill was rewarded with a glorious bask in the early March sun:
A bunch of people had the same idea. It was crowded at the top!
After we came down from that slice of Adirondack heaven, we pressed onto S83 and found our way to mile after mile after mile of this on C8:
Ladies and gentlemen of the ilsnow nation, this is NOT your Indian Lake C8! This was a snowmobiling supernova at its brightest…
Cal steered us down C8 down to Wanakena. Crossing the Oswegatchie River bridge is always a fun experience:
Cal gave it the thumb’s up…
And, so did I!
After crossing Route 3, there were some bumps on the way to Black Waters Cafe but nothing enough to spoil the riding.
I was game with breakfast for lunch, so I ordered this french toast bomb with sausage patties and bacon on the side:
After lunch, we decided to make a run up to South Colton, since I had never ridden that far north on the St. Lawrence County trail system before.
We backtracked through the C8 snowmobile superhighway and turned onto C8E, which kept the great times rollin:
On the couple miles approaching South Colton, trail conditions thinned as we descended into town, with snirt and corners scuffed down to dirt in places. After a brutal bare sidewalk crossing on the Route 56 bridge we found the gas station we were hoping to find there.
The way back….
With it getting late in the afternoon, we stuck with what we knew was great riding and tracked C8E, C8, S83, C7A down to Sevey’s Point where we stopped to rest and warm up a bit for the final push to the truck.
Then we ran C7A around the horn as it was getting dark. Started off good, but got worse as we went along. It become studderbumpy after we crossed Route 3 at Shurtleff. Then it was several miles of studders and rollers for a good ole fashioned country hardball ride to the railroad tracks.
Thankfully, the silky smooth ride to the Horseshoe Lake parking lot after crossing the railroad tracks ended the ride on a high note and reminded us how awesome the day was!
Loaded onto the trailer after 167 miles. What an incredible ride!
Weekend outlook
It wasn’t the binge-a-thon I put up last week. But my three-day total of 388 miles this week should tell you that we’re ridin’ here and so should you!
Mid-winter type cold will hold through the weekend. But the blowtorch won’t be denied for the following week.
JUST DO IT!
For the ilsnow nation,
Darrin
This report is brought to you by Progressive Motorsports, celebrating their 28th year. They live, eat and breathe snowmobiling. Stop in today and see for yourself! Be sure to tell Karen that Darrin @ ilsnow.com sent ya.
