Cochrane - The James Bay Frontier Cochrane - Hearst 2008 - March 7, 2008 SledHeads at Large: Leanne & Paul Jeanne & Greg Paula & Wayne Sue & Rick Carol & Blair Curtis February 23rd, 2008, 6:00AM the trailers are loaded the trucks are full of gas, the temperature is -20C and the full moon is fading in the clear sky as 11 SledHeads head for the Worlds' #1 Snowmobile Trails - Cochrane! A long awaited trip and excitement is in the air! For some of us - it's the excitement of what we know will be the best sledding we can get. For others, having not ridden these trails before - it's the long awaited anticipation and the expectation of what they have been assured will be the best sledding they have ever done! We arrived in Cochrane and took over Lillabelle Lodge at 1:30PM where a warm greeting awaited us from both Rod and Kim the owners of Lillabelle, as well as Belle - the Lodge Dog.  Our group took up most of Lillabelle Lodge with the exception of a couple of guys in Room 6 - but - as it turned out (small world) our sledmates in Room 5 knew these guys and had a little fun playing some practical jokes on our fellow sledders!  These guys were heading out for a two night saddlebag trip to Hornpayne, Chapleau, Hearst, etc. before returning back to Lillabelle in a couple of days. At dinner that evening we were joined by Bob Bawtinhimer and his wife Nancy. Bob is the District 15 Vice-President of the Northern Corridor and is also on the executive committee for the Polar Bear Snowmobile Club in Cochrane. Bob was going to lead our merry little group on our first ride the next day through some of the local trails and we agreed to meet along the Genier Loop the next day for our tour. Rod and Kim did not disappoint with their hospitality and culinary skills. Our welcoming meal was roast beef, mashed potatoes, peas and cheesecake for dessert…..YUMMMMMMMM!!! The next day we were greeted with sunny skies and temps around -5C - not too bad considering it's February in Cochrane! Once again, breakfast was terrific and with our bellies full we started the engines to meet up with Bob and Nancy. The trails were in tip top shape - freshly groomed to table top conditions.  Bob and Nancy met us about half way around the loop and lead the way for our morning adventure towards Moonbeam. The Polar Bear outhouses once again impressed this female sledder and others in our group that could not believe the cleanliness and comfort of the “Johnny on the spots” smack dab in the middle of nowhere!  They are a wonderful oasis for any sledder when it's minus 40 outside!!! Come to think of it - all you would need is to add a box inside stocked with some emergency supplies and they could double for warm up shacks!!!   One should note that not only is it a place to “go” - they also sport a trail map posted on the outside telling you where to go! That day we did the Genier Loop - always a great trail and took the Top A West where we gassed up at the Esso Station in Smooth Rock Falls before heading on to the Moonbeam Clubhouse right on A Trail for a rest stop and lunch before returning to Lillabelle for “Attitude Adjustment Hour” and another one of Rod and Kim's gastronomic creations - that night it was baked ham with scalloped potatoes!. Day two of our adventure had planned to be a trip up the Abitibi Canyon and check out the new loop from Fraserdale down to Smooth Rock Falls. I had discovered through speaking with others that had done this trip - it's one that is best done in “reverse”. From Cochrane go west on A trail to Smooth Rock Falls, gas up your sled there before heading to Fraserdale on the new A103. The trip from Smooth Rock Falls is almost half the distance to Fraserdale. The reason for this is that gas in Fraserdale at Extreme Tours “Base Camp” was $2.10/litre, therefore this route will cost you less as you won't need as much gas when you get to Fraserdale to top up your tank. Some good advice for the budget conscious. However, it should be noted that the new trail is pretty much a direct line north from Smooth Rock Falls using the old Hydro road/corridor.  For those that like running a straight and sometimes rolling Hyrdo line - it would be fast and fun.  For others that prefer a much more scenic and slower pace, the original trail up and back would be a better choice, although pricier as you'd need more gas at Fraserdale.  The choice is up to you - but at least now we have a choice! We had arranged to meet up with some friends and fellow sledders to make this trip to the Canyon and they met us at Lillabelle at 9:00AM ready to go.  15 sleds departed Lillabelle headed for the Canyon at approximately 9:15AM.  However, we were hardly out of sight of Lillabelle when we had our first problem of the day.  One of the sleds with the other group broke down and upon inspection discovered that the suspension was seriously compromised - so no Canyon for them today! After getting that sled sorted out and towed back to the Lodge -  13 sleds were off to the Canyon once again - but not for long!  Just a few kilometres further down the trail one of the sleds in our group encountered an issue.  The track on Greg's sled seemed to be falling apart!  Greg, Wayne and Jean decided to call it a day and get Greg back to the Lodge to find the nearest SkiDoo Dealer for some help. And then there were 10!  By now the morning had been eaten away with sled complications and no time to run the Canyon and still be back by “attitude adjustment hour”.  A group decision found us following the L105 up to Colguhoun Mountain instead. The trail had been freshly groomed the night before and conditions just don't get any better than that!  It's a beautiful trail that winds through the park and ends at the foot of the mountain.  However, that's only the end of the “groomed” trail.  Every sledder should follow the path to the top to see the spectacular view from on top of this hill.  There's the old fire tower up there that affords one a panoramic 360 degree view for as far as the eye can see.  Of course, photo ops had to be taken to remember the beauty of this vast wilderness.  Some days you might get lucky and see the Moose that are often spied on the adjacent hill.   We didn't see any moose this day - BUT - we did see a gorilla! We arrived back at Lillabelle to discover that Greg's sled had been fixed.  A BIG THANK YOU to the outstanding service at Papps Power Shop at 135 3rd Avenue in Cochrane, with special thanks to Taco and Bob for getting that new track on Greg's sled and back on the trails in less than a day!!!  Not only was the service outstanding - the price was also fantastic.  All too often when things like this happen you can be taken to the cleaners - but not at Papps!!!  I'm almost tempted to drive all the way to Cochrane just to give them my business!!! If you ever have a problem and need some service just call Papps 705-272-3254 Greg picked up his sled at 4:00PM and got back just in time for Happy Hour and another one of Rod and Kim's outstanding meals.  T-Bone Steak smothered in mushrooms, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, carrots with apple pie ala mode for dessert - yummmmmmmmm!  The Hot Tub party after dinner was another highlight of the evening - you just never know who is going to end up in the Tub!  Service was also good in the Hot Tub - you don't even need to leave to get your drink! The evening was then topped off with some entertainment from Jean and Wayne with their guitars sitting around the bar, and a sing along with all in those in attendance!  A wonderful day - all things considered - even if we didn't get to see the Canyon today - we did see a gorilla!!!  Off to Hearst tomorrow for a one night saddlebag trip! We awoke on the third day of our Cochrane Adventure to - 27c BRRRRRRRRRR.  The balmy temps of the last couple of days have left us longing for more……..alas…..reality is setting in and the normal temps have returned just in time for our overnight trip to Hearst.  We discovered at breakfast, however, that only 9 of our 11 sleds would be making the trip as one of our sledmates had taken ill during the night and could not make the trip.  Carol aka “Harold” had caught a “tummy bug” and hubby Blair would stay back with her at Lillabelle to bring her chicken soup and ginger ale until our return the next day. They took the opportunity to explore some local sites in Cochrane while we were gone once “Harold” was feeling better. The Cochrane Polar Bear Conservation & Education Habitat & Heritage Village is a must see and  a great place to visit if you have some “down” time while in Cochrane.  Not only does the Habitat boast 3 wonderful Polar Bears, namely, Nanook, Aurora and Nakita - but also the antique sled museum as well!  All these sleds are in good running order and in immaculate condition - well worth the visit to admire them.  I must say you know you're getting older when you recognize one of these babies as the first sled you ever rode or owned!  Having said that - they give discounts to Snowmobilers folks so make sure you tell them you're a Sledder when you go!!!  You can visit online at www.polarbearhabitat.ca With our saddlebags packed for the overnight trip we wished a speedy recovery to “Harold” and bid a sad farewell to our sled buddy Blair. Blair stood pouting in the parking lot as he smelled the two stroke oil fading into the air!  Even Rod wanted to join us with his new ride!  No Rod - sled is slang for snowmobile not toboggan - maybe we could tow you there? We kept somewhat of a modest pace first thing this cold morning as the windchill was wicked and Jack Frost was biting at our visors - we had a long day ahead of us!  Another stop at Smooth Rock Falls to top up sleds and warm up our digits with some hot chocolate before pushing on to Moonbeam for lunch. We travelled the Top A to Moonbeam but then took the L123 to Opasatika where we gassed up once more before Hearst.  This is a great trail to by-pass all the road riding on the A Trail through Kapuskasing.  The trails once again were breathtaking - hardly a bump to be had.   We arrived at Hearst around 5:00PM to check into the Companion Motel.  Great place, clean rooms, reasonable rates, restaurant, bar, hot tub, sauna and best of all - you can park your sled in their secure heated indoor garage for just $5.00/sled - well worth the price if you ask me!!! After tucking our sleds away for the night - it was time for a much deserved Hot Tub to get the chill out of the bones!  How many people can you fit into a Hot Tub you ask?  Well…we were trying to find out!  It seems that 9 was one too many before all the water poured over the sides!  Good thing there were two hot tubs to serve us! We met up with more friends at the Companion Hotel.  It's amazing who you can bump into in a Hot Tub!  The President of the SMART SC - Don Martin and his group were also on a saddlebag trip this week and were found soothing their muscles in the hot bubbly water as well! During dinner it was decided that they were going to join us for the ride back to Cochrane and stay with us at Lillabelle.  A quick call to Rod in the morning to tell him we were bringing friends home for dinner and a sleepover and then we were retrieving our sleds from the heated garage and on the trail back to Cochrane at about 9:30AM. Once again temps were hovering around -27c but the sun was shining and warm.  We enjoyed our stay at the Companion Hotel and also discovered that the train station where you can pick up the Snow Train to the Soo was very close to the Hotel.  A great location for those folks that want to do that trip.  Maybe next year we will try this as our adventure.  We also discovered a moose hide behind the Esso Gas Station adjacent to the hotel that had been left behind probably by a truck driver who had hit the moose on the road and taken the meat. The trails were in tip top shape and just been groomed - again (sigh)!!  We came across this tree phone on the A trail just outside Hearst.  Good idea in the case of a sled breakdown on the trail don't you think?  Who needs CAA…or should that be CSA? We also made a quick stop into the Sno Devil's Clubhouse at Mattice for a restroom break.  What a great clubhouse and if you have the opportunity to stop in - check it out!  Today we took A Trail to the L145 to the L123 this time to by-pass Kapuskasing - all trails were great! About 20kms from Moonbeam Paula's sled was making a terrible noise.  Upon inspection it was discovered that an idler wheel and bearing had gone.  Where was that tree phone when you need it???  Good thing we had left our truck and trailer keys with Rod back at Lillabelle -  an emergency call was placed to Rod and the cavalry was on the way.  Just one of the many services available at Lillabelle Lodge!  Talk about road/trail side assistance!  Thank you Rod you were a lifesaver! We were able to limp Paula's machine to the Moonbeam Clubhouse where we loaded Paula's sled on the trailer and sent her home with Rod to the Polaris Dealership in town. We sure hope they are as good as Papps!!! I just can't say enough about the folks at the Moonbeam Clubhouse either. They were kind enough to put our soggy and cold balaclavas, sweaters, mitts and anything that we wanted warmed up into their dryer on the premises so that they were dry and warm for the rest of our trip back to Cochrane! Outstanding - thank you from the tips of my toes to the end of my nose!!! Even with Paula's trip cut short - she was in fine form and good spirits!  While waiting for Rod to arrive with the truck and trailer Paula was once again entertaining us with one of her many disguises that seem to be tucked away in that handy backpack she was always sporting!  She was even entertaining the OPP Officers at the Moonbeam Clubhouse that had arrived there to investigate a trail accident. We also encountered 3 fellows that we had breakfast with earlier that day in Hearst.  Apparently, one of them had totalled his sled on the trail just outside of Moonbeam on the A Trail towards Cochrane.  He had been obviously travelling far too fast on his Mach Z 1000 and blown a corner and ended up in some trees!  Here's why we need to pay attention to those “slow” signs we see on the trail!!!  This picture does not do it justice.  The entire front end was ripped off as well as the skis!  This guy was lucky it was just his sled he totalled - a sore back is a long way from what could have been! We arrived back at Lillabelle to discover that Paula's sled would not even be looked at until the next day.  I guess you need to own a SkiDoo to get good service in this town as the service from the Polaris Dealership was lacking.  In fact, she didn't get her sled back until late the next day so the last day of our sled trip for Paula was a write off! We woke to -40C temps the last day of our trip!  This was the day we had planned to do the Canyon run as we didn't get to do it earlier in the week.  However, nobody was going anywhere in -40c!!!  It was the kind of day that your nose hairs freeze immediately when you step outside, the snow squeaks to walk on it and you don't dare make a funny face because it's the kind of day that your Mother always warned you about - it might just freeze that way!!!! We lingered over another outstanding breakfast as we watched the thermometer outside the front door slowly climb to -26c before heading out.   The Yammy in our group was a no go - those 4 stroke engines just do not do well in Cochrane temps!  Even with a warm blanket and heaters on full - it still took some coaxing for this sled to turn over.  On the other hand - all the Doos in our bunch fired on the first try!!!  Gotta love SkiDoo!  Because of the cold temps and late start - once again the Abitibi Canyon would have to wait for another trip as the decision was to make it a shorter day and head towards Iroquois Falls instead. A stop in Iroquois Falls at the Tim Horton's for lunch and we headed back to do the Zeverley's Loop - L103.  This trail is awesome!  Very scenic - truly one of the nicest trails that we encountered this trip I think.  The wildlife is abundant here as the tracks of moose, wolf, rabbit and lynx were everywhere!  This is one trail that you really need to slow it down and just cruise to appreciate.  If you have the time, just pull over and stop - listen and look closely into the trees.  You might just find eyes staring back! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh - Nothing like taking a break - chillin out (literally) with the warm sun beating down on your visor! The day turned out to be a nice one -  even with the cold start to the day the sun was warm and the sky was blue - a great trail to end a great week in one of the most awe inspiring regions of Ontario. A total of 1,305 kms this trip! The farewell dinner was everything I would expect from our hosts Rod and Kim at Lillabelle Lodge.  A nice New York Strip steak with a port wine reduction (now that's fancy stuff!!), baked potatoes and broccoli casserole, finished with Kim's “to die for” coconut cream pie!!!  Bob Bawtinhimer and his wife Nancy popped by to bid adieu to the SledHeads and wish us a safe trip home.  Thank you Bob and Nancy taking the time to ride with the SledHeads! Friday morning and it's time to go.  A hearty breakfast of coffee, juice, pancakes, sausage and some excellent maple syrup started us on our way home.  The skies were cloudy and snow was in the forecast.  I just hate leaving Cochrane when there's snow in the forecast.  A sad farewell to our wonderful hosts Rod and Kim at Lillabelle - the best place to stay in Cochrane hands down - and the trucks were rolling south on Hwy#11.  We were headed for home with sweet memories of those wonderful trail conditions dancing in our heads - our bellies a bit bigger from all that great home cookin by our hosts - but sadness in our hearts as we saw the large Polar Bear Statue that greets one upon arrival in Cochrane fade away in our rear view mirrors. Before we left Cochrane, however, we needed to make a quick stop at one of our other favourite places in Cochrane - Y&S Graphics to pick up more SledHead wear and to pay our respects before leaving.  The folks at Y&S are so accommodating!  I can't think of anywhere else where you can walk in - pick out a shirt and have it embroidered while you wait and be out of there lickity split!  We had even placed an order while we were at Lillabelle and it was picked up and delivered back to the hotel by Rod and Kim that same day.  Now that's service! A big thank you to Rod & Kim for having one of the greatest sled friendly establishments in Cochrane and for putting up with our wacky crew for the week.  Another big thank you to Taco, Bob and the crew at Papps Power Shop for outstanding service, you guys go above and beyond for sure - it was much appreciated!!!  Thanks again to Y&S for continued great sales and service as always the personal touch makes everything so much nicer!   And a big thank you to Bob and Nancy Bawtinhinmer for extending the hospitality of the Polar Bears Club and District 15 - as Arnold Schwarzenegger would say “We'll be Back!”. Cochrane and the James Bay Frontier - where the trails are smooth, rolling -gently winding roller coasters -  never disappointing - always an experience -never to forget!