Saturday, January 25, 2014

At last.  It was -8 at 7 o'clock and -7 at 8 o'clock.  So things are defiantly warming up.  It is also snowing.  Do you know how I know it is snowing.  Well that is because the phone rang at 4 am this morning for the big guy so he could go to work.  He plows the highways through the Whitney area.  I guess it is snowing in Whitney also. 

Being roused at that time it is hard to go back to sleep.  I  rolled around like a rotisserie chicken for 3 more hours and finally got up to go to work.  Damn I hate when that happens.

It is mid morning now and the snow has not stopped so that will be good for the trails that were frozen so solid.

Well if you can't get out for a ride today I sure hope you can get out tomorrow. It should be awesome.

Back Monday or Tuesday.
Cheers
Nancy

Friday, January 24, 2014

Wow.  All I have to do is whine and sledders show up.  I wish I had thought of that sooner.  Having said that a couple of them should have stayed in the city and not been let out. I don't want to get started on that.

We had a few in yesterday and no complaints from anyone about conditions.  It was still quite cold as on lady pointed out when she arrived.  I'm not sure how she though I got to work in the morning or that I hadn't noticed the temperature.

We are on day 2 of the outside hound being kept in the house because of the cold temperatures.  He is quite enjoying he new home.  The inside pets on the other hand, not so much.  The cat has turned into one of the flying Walendas leaping from everything high and low trying to attack or play with him.  But he just ignores it all. The big dog is just cheesed off that there is competition in the house.  He usually ignores his dog bed, but not today.  By the weekend his house will be reinsulated and the  weather will be warmer so he will be outside at least during the daytime and peace will reign again.

The groomer just went by.  That's every day this week except for Tuesday that they have been out.  The trails are excellent.  We had a little skiff this morning which is odd when it's this cold.

I know it's colder than normal but I hope that doesn't stop you from enjoying the mint conditions.

See you this weekend.
Cheers
Nancy

Thursday, January 23, 2014

I thought that sledders were the hale and hearty type, but you guys have disappointed me this week.

I know that it is minus something really stupid but where are you people.  It is eerily quiet around here.

The trails are in excellent shape and they continue to groom even though they haven't been used much.  There is not a lot of fresh snow on the trails so they are a little hard almost like when it is really icy. But it isn't ice just snow frozen stiff.  A little skiff of snow will fix that or maybe a temperature not in double digits with a minus in front of it. No complaints from the few that have been in this week though. 

Rumor has it that it is going to warm up for the weekend and that should make things even better.

No touching stories or bone head plays to report this week.  I wish someone would do something stupid so there would be something interesting to report.  Oh I miss the days when Brian and Jim sledded together.  They always had great adventures and did really stupid things. Alas I have lost my source of amusement.

Oh well back to work or maybe I'll just take some time and do the crossword first.

Back later if anything exciting happens.
Cheers
Nancy

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

While living in my electronic hell my yesterdays post did not get published.  Crap.  It was full of whimsy and good info, none of which I can remember now.  Oh well they say there is nothing older than yesterday's news.  So I will start over again.

I didn't know where the groomers went yesterday and I still don't.  However the little red one was spotted in Madawaska, the two blue ones returned last night at about 5:00 so I'm guessing  red one that I didn't see went north.  Now if that isn't an info packed trail report I don't know what is. 

Last weekend was a great sledding weekend.  Perfect temperatures and perfect conditions you couldn't ask for anything more than that.

The Snow Skimmers fundraiser went really well.  So well in fact that we ran out of wings by 3:00.  The winner of the 50/50 draw was Steve somebody (or his wife).  They had two really cute young sons with them and by the look of what those kids ate they needed the money to keep them in groceries for the rest of the weekend!!!  The split was $338.00.  It was awesome to see so many club members and non members out to support the club. 

I think that we have the best customers in the world.  I apologize for the slow service on Saturday.  You are all so patient when it hits the fan around here.  We do try our best to keep up but sometimes it just gets nuts.  It's a good thing that we are all so damn charming and often entertaining!!!

There was about four inches of new snow on Sunday night, none last night.  The temperature isn't as cold as it was supposed to be.  Still cold enough that we cancelled our walk this morning.  I draw the line at -20. 

Well that's it for today.  I had to open up this morning so I have kitchen stuff to do before the cook gets in and gives me grief for not pulling my weight.  And let me tell you that is some weight to pull.

Back soon.
Cheers
Nancy

Friday, January 17, 2014

Unbelievable. They were the first words out of a sledders mouth this morning.  Two guys in for breakfast had ridden up from Gilmore said that the trails were excellent. 

True to their word all the groomers were out yesterday and they were doing Bancroft and Baptiste Lake again today.

This should be a perfect weekend to sled.  We got about 4 inches of snow overnight and it is still snowing now.  Keep in mind the ice under the snow.  It is still there.

I can't decide which noise I like to wake up to in the morning.  Either the dishwasher being unloaded  (just stay in bed until the rattling stops) or the sound of the snow being shoveled off the back deck.  I guess in January and February it is the deck one for sure.  He can always do the dishwasher later!

All the news is good for this weekend, with no bad news so I should not be cranky at all.  Oh unless some idiot really ticks me off which has been know to happen.

Happy trails and I hope you can all make it out sledding somewhere and enjoy this awesome weekend.

Back next week.  I won't have time Saturday or Sunday so unless something really bad happens that's it for now.

Cheers
Nancy

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Woo hoo.  I finally had some sledders in today.  I was beginning to think that there was a by-law in Hastings Highlands prohibiting sledders from entering.

Today I have good news and better news.  We are getting snow.  Not lots but it looks like it will be enough.  We only needed a few centimetres. 

Riders in today said that all the trails were okay.  Some were icy where they hadn't been groomed but still okay.  One couple had to stop to remove a tree from the trail that a beaver had taken down and was munching away on.  He didn't stick around long and the tree was too big for them to move out of the way.  They could just move it enough to get the sleds under. 

The head groomer guy Lionel was in today and said that all of the groomers will be out tomorrow getting every trail in shape for the weekend.  He had groomed a bit this morning.

I am having a band in on Saturday night from 6:30 until later to round out the club's fund raiser wing day.

Well that's all the warm and fuzzy news I can stand for one day.  I'd better get back to work.  That sink full of dishes in the kitchen will not do themselves and I have to start on the Cream of Mushroom soup for tomorrow.

Back later I hope. If I'm not back nothing exciting has happened either way.

Hope you can make it up on the weekend.

Cheers
Nancy



Tuesday, January 14, 2014


I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is there is no good news.  The good news is we didn't get any more rain and we didn't loose any more snow.

Everything is really icy.  My driveway and lot look like a skating rink.  Walking is tricky.  I did however go on my walk today and it was a bit iffy a few times.  Now that the weather is warmer even the cat is walking with us again.  The icy conditions don't seem to bother him as much as me. 

We are expecting some snow overnight and into tomorrow so that should hide the ice nicely which is always fun to walk on when you can't see it.  The temperature has dropped a fair bit in the last couple of hours so any soft spots have already frozen over.

I didn't have any riders in today but the two that were in yesterday said that the trails had held up nicely with the mild weather. 

Don't forget the MLSS wing day at the diner on Saturday from 12 noon til 8:00. $15.00 gets you 10 wings and an order of cheesy garlic bites with $5.00 from each order being donated to the club.  There will be draws and prizes throughout the day.  We will also be having music on Saturday night from 6:30 until whenever!!!!

I will be back tomorrow with an update on the snow conditions, probably late in the day, earlier if I have good news.

Here's hoping for good things this weekend, or it could get ugly.

Back soon
Cheers
Nancy

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Well Saturday was enough to piss off the good humor man.  Why if it MUST rain does it have to happen on a Saturday and screw up everyone's weekend.  That just sucked.

Thankfully Sunday is much better.  A little skiff of snow is covering all the ice.  It's a good thing that we had 56 feet of snow already.  The rain didn't do any damage to the trails at all.  We had a lot of sledders in today and all agreed that things are good.  No complaints from any one.

The groomers will be out tonight to spiff things up and get back in shape for the week ahead.

I have taken the day off today nursing my crappy mood from yesterdays snit about the weather.

I'll be back early in the week to update. 

Cheers
Nancy

Friday, January 10, 2014

It's hard to say what the weekend will bring.  But anyone who uses the word rain today will get a kick in the ass!!  And that's that.

The trails are in excellent condition.  The groomer went out this morning either to Bancroft or Martins Mill.  The club guy wasn't sure exactly. 

They have just left to stake Lake St. Peter.  Baptiste Lake will be done if not this weekend then first of next week.

I am still living in electronic hell.  I did however fix an internet problem all by myself so I'm feeling pretty damn brilliant right about now. 

I will cut this short this morning and will be back tomorrow if bad weather hits.  Which it won't. I am hoping for great things this weekend.

Back Soon
Cheers
Nancy

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

And it its still snowing, a very fine snow but it is still coming down.

A very short report today. 

The head groomer guy Lionel was in for lunch today and he told me that every trail in our system has been groomed this week.  The trail to Madawaska was done twice as it is a bit tricky.

There is no nicer sight than that big blue groomer heading down the path from the trail to the highway and into the diner parking lot.  The plough can make quite a hill at the road crossing after a while so it is nice when they take a few minutes to smooth it over.

Thanks guys.

The few riders that were in today were thrilled with the conditions.

So enough said.

Get your butts up here this weekend for some great riding.

Cheers
Nancy

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

The snow continues to fall and the wind continues to blow.

We have a whole crap load of snow, at least three feet.

I went for my walk today and we had quite a time trudging through the snow through the yard behind us to get to the road.  Thank goodness my walking partner is taller and younger than me and she went first. Even the dog figured out that it was easier to follow rather than lead this morning.  We certainly had rosy cheeks when we got back.

I had a group in from Coe Hill yesterday that had met both the Old Hastings groomer and the Maple Leaf groomer in their travels.  Needless to say they had a great ride.  The trails were VERY quiet yesterday.  We did not get the freezing rain up here that hit down south.  Even Coe Hill and area got a fair amount of freezing rain. 

It's nice to see some of the old familiar faces back again.  You wonder what happened to people over the summer when they don't show up. But last weekend brought out a lot of the regular sledders.

Hope we get more again this weekend.

I'll be back later in the week when I have talked to some riders.  There is just so much snow I can't imagine the trails not being mint.  They have now groomed over to Madawaska. 

Chat later.
Cheers
Nancy

Friday, January 03, 2014

Happy New Year to all and happy sledding also.

The really cold weather should end today and more snow should start on Saturday.  We haven't had any new snow to speak of since Boxing Day.  It was just lucky that we had lots before then.

The trails remain in good shape because it's to bloody cold for it to snow. 

I have not had any specific grooming reports just that they are in good shape. 

The lakes although not marked are being crossed.  It seems no one has gone through yet so all is good.

It's too early for bone head plays or maybe they are just not getting this far and I have no touching stories.  I am making my way out of electronic hell but the door isn't shut, so no celebrating yet.

I will be back later if I hear of anything exciting to report but other than log trucks running up and down the highway it has been a little quiet the last couple of days.

Just a reminder that the general store is open until 9 every day with lots of fuel available.  The Arlington Hotel in Maynooth has cheap accommodation available and lots of parking for trucks and sleds.  Also White Pine cottages on Lake St. Peter is under new ownership and is open this winter.

The MLSS are having a wing day at the diner. Saturday, January18. An order of 10 wings and cheesy garlic bites will cost $15.00 with $5.00 from each sale being donated to the club. Come on out and support the club that looks after you so well all winter.  They are trying to raise enough money to put hydro in the new maintenance facility. 

Well that's it for now.  Oh by the way HI DAVE.  I just did that to annoy your brother who says you get a swelled head anytime your name is mentioned.

Cheers
Nancy