On the isolated Lower North Shore of Quebec, we rely on the winter snow trail for travel. It is only during this season that we can say we are not isolated. We are not connected by road to the rest of Quebec so in the winter, we are happy when the snow trail opens. At this time, we have the freedom to travel from village to village along this beautiful coast we call ours. It is the time when we can travel west to Natashquan on our snowmobiles and once there we are free to travel by car like most of the rest of Canada. The year 2010 brought us some rare weather conditions. It is hard to believe that in this part of Canada we have had very little snow and have seen mostly temperatures on the plus side. It has made for a very unusual winter, but apparently not unheard of. We are told by the elders of our village that in 1957 there was a similar winter. Of course, as Canadians, even as isolated as we are, hockey is our passion. Each weekend of the winter months, one of the villages is host to a hockey tournament. At this time the host community fills with hockey players and fans from neighbouring villages. They arrive from east and west on snowmobile. Unlike in the city, the parking lot is filled with snowmobiles, not automobiles. It is a fun-filled time where old rivals meet and face off and family and friends unite. Well the winter of 2010 can hardly be called winter, as the snow trails have not opened. However, our hockey passion is still there. On February 12, St. Augustine was host to their annual hockey tournament. It held a dismal outlook as very few people would travel in the poor conditions. The only other option is to travel by plane and that would be at a phenomenal cost. One team to the west of St. Augustine decided to brave the trail and head off to St. Augustine. It is a 60 km ride and in good conditions it is a delight for any snowmobiler to travel. It is a scenic drive that many from outside of our region often come to. Not so this year. To start off the trip the team and three fans carried there snowmobiles via truck to a lake to get on the trail. In regular years, all trucks would be stored for winter and the only travel in and around the village would be on snowmobile. Once on the lake the group headed east on a trail that consisted of icy lakes and portages and hills that had no snow. Once they got off each of the lakes they entered either a portage or drove up a hill to get to the next lake. There was absolutely no snow in or on these, so the snowmobiles were tested out on something they were not meant to be driven on. The group made it to St. Augustine safe and sound, much to the amazement of the tournament organizers and villagers alike. They were congratulated for their dedication to the game. But eh, we are Canadians and hockey is our passion. The tournament went on. However, it was an unusually quite one because there were so few people who were able to get there. While the hockey was being played inside the arena, that thankfully has a cooling system, outside the rain fell and fell. The tiny bit of snow that was out there disappeared. Many asked, “How will you get home?” The answer was, “We’ll find a way.” Well, Sunday dawned and looking outside at the conditions was dismal. St. Augustine is situated on a river and looking out Sunday morning looked like travelling by boat would be a better option than snowmobile as the tide was high and the river was flooded. But there was a hockey game to be played. Hopefully, by the time the game was over the tide would be down and the group would be able to head home. Back at the arena the puck dropped and the game was on. The game was between two old rivals-the St. Augustine Devils and the visiting La Tabatiere Bullets. After regulation time the game was tied, so into overtime it went. Three minutes into overtime the Bullets scored. Wasn’t that a perfect ending for the travelling team? Yes, it was and now it was time to hit the trail for home. As the picture shows, the team travelled home on a trail that was far from perfect but going home with a win made the trip a whole lot easier. Some may ask why travel in those conditions? The answer is simple-we are Canadians and hockey is our passion.   Submitted By: Melinda Gallichon