Our Pod Life

Day 23:

Start: Mont-Laurier
End: Maniwaki
Mileage/cumulative: 32.83 / 923.44
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 1,864’ / 33,095’ 
Weather: Start – Sunny 40 degrees / Finish – Sunny 51 degrees
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 7

Day 24:

Start: Maniwaki
End: Gatineau/Ottawa
Mileage/cumulative: 85.20 / 1,008.64
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 2,352’ /  35447’
Weather: Start – Sunny 31 degrees / Finish – Sunny 61 degrees
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 7

We’re combining two days into one post because, well, Day 23 was just a short day necessitated by geography. Leaving Mont-Laurier and headed to Ottawa, the town of Maniwaki was the only place to stay within a reasonable distance and there was pretty much nothing to see or make note of. On a positive note, because we were only riding 32 miles, we had the luxury of waiting until 11:00am to roll out, when the temperature climbed to a balmy 40 degrees.

Looking ahead to Day 24 was causing a fair amount of angst among the group. At 88 miles, it would be the longest day of the trip and with morning temperatures hovering around freezing, we would be riding in uncomfortably cold conditions for the first few hours. Over the course of the day, layers of clothing would be shed and tucked into handlebar bags and jersey pockets as temperatures climbed into the low-60s.

Continue reading “Quebec Days 23 and 24”

Start: Mont Tremblant
End: Mont-Laurier
Mileage/cumulative: 72.39 / 890.61
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 1,086’ / 31,231’  
Weather: Start – Sunny 33 degrees (feels like 27) / Sunny 48 degrees
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 1 / 7

After another rest day, we left Mont Tremblant and got back on the P’Tit Train du Nord trail and headed northwest to Mont-Laurier, where the trail comes to an end.  This meant riding nearly 70 miles through the Laurentian Mountains with no automobiles. It was easily the highlight of the entire trip as we rode through forests and alongside rivers, streams, and lakes. The P’tit train du Nord made its last passenger trip from Montreal to Mont-Laurier in 1981 but, thankfully, the rail line was later converted to a trail for walking, cycling, skating, skiing, and snowmobiling.

European settlers arrived in Mont-Laurier in 1866, and it was originally called Rapide-de-l’Orignal (English: Moose Rapids). According to legend, the name referred to a panicked moose that made a huge leap at a waterfall on the Lièvre River. We can only assume that the moose survived.

Continue reading “Quebec Days 21-22”

Start: Saint Sauveur
End: Mont Tremblant
Mileage/cumulative: 47.74 / 818.22
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 1,388’ / 30,145’ 
Weather: Start – Sunny 50 degrees / Finish – Sunny 62 degrees
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 6

Nothing improves the mood like a sunny autumn day spent riding 45 miles on a bike trail.

The P’tit Train du Nord is a 124 mile recreational trail that runs through the Rivière du Nord valley. It was originally a railway line operated by Canadian Pacific Railway until the 1990s, when most of it was dismantled and eventually converted to the existing trail.

Continue reading “Quebec Day 20”

Start: Joliette
End: Saint Sauveur
Mileage/cumulative:  48.73 / 770.48
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 3,166’ / 28,757 
Weather: Start – Sunny 42 degrees / Sunny 52 degrees 
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 6

The best way to describe this day is completely demoralizing. The route had some beautiful fall scenery but it was loaded with endless steep climbs of upwards of 15% that we didn’t expect, making both of us frustrated and cranky. Neither one of us are afraid of climbs on the bike but when combined with drivers speeding along their mountain roads and not expecting to see cyclists, it was, to say the least, not the most enjoyable day. 

Continue reading “Quebec Day 19”

Start: Trois Rivieres
End: Joliette
Mileage/cumulative: 59.07 / 721.75
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 817’ / 25,591’ 
Weather: Start – Cloudy 52 degrees / Finish – Cloudy 61 degrees
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 6

Day 17 was a rest day in Trois Rivieres, the second settlement in New France. Its name (Three Rivers) is bit of a misnomer since it sits at the confluence of two rivers, the St. Lawrence and the Saint-Maurice. However, because the Saint-Maurice is divided by two islands in the river, it technically has three mouths at the St. Lawrence River. Thus, the name “Three Rivers”.

Trois Rivieres is a city desperately trying to redevelop their riverfront in the historic part of town. Unfortunately, this was the first city we’ve been in (including Montreal and Quebec) where we didn’t feel completely safe. The area has clearly suffered from COVID, with many restaurants and pubs only open several days a week and struggling to attract employees. It also didn’t help that it rained for most of our rest day, adding to the dreariness of the location. However, our hotel (Hotel Oui Go) was ideal for cyclists with a very friendly staff and a very comfortable room for our two night stay.

Continue reading “Quebec Days 17 and 18”