Whale Soup

Despite the Plains of Central Canada being so large we seemed to have got them licked in no time, largely because we did three or four days of fairly big mileages which left us all a little saddle-sore and looking forward to our next day off. Whilst riding, we have been alternately fried, roasted, boiled and steamed as the weather has gone from one extreme to another. When we left Wawa, Ontario, half the team were caught under the most tremendous thunderstorms as we made our way into Quebec Province. The waterproofs work well but it was so hot and we were so sweaty in them that we got almost as wet with them on as without!

The team has soldiered on regardless and found various ways to amuse ourselves on the journey – not least, the giving of nicknames. We now have Red Leader (Leighton, due to his amazing aircraft-type bike lights), Husqvarna Dave (think buzz-saws), Wireless Rogers (the local phone network) and Seven of Nine (who was riding seventh of the nine bikes) amongst our number.

We had a long way to go to reach Val d’Or from Wawa and the group set off at first light under a beautiful misty sunrise, doubly beautiful for being reflected back in the mirror-like lakes. We passed many trading posts offering everything from Coffee & DVDs to Worms & Leeches. We all immediately noticed the deterioration in the attitudes of drivers in Quebec Province. Every car and lorry seemed intent on overtaking us and speed limits appeared to be meaningless to them. We had to be very careful but all arrived safely and we spent an amusing evening in a roadside café watching the racing wannabees roaring up and down. We even, unbelievably, saw two cars crash right outside our hotel as we stood having coffee at 6 am on our day of departure.

But then came Montreal. A huge metropolitan sprawl meant we had to ride in as a group which was hard work on those busy roads. However, the reward was to discover an incredibly cosmopolitan city which seems to offer everything and is completely bilingual. The old town was a real delight and everyone enjoyed a balmy evening stroll through busy streets, treated to the spectacle of the annual Fashion Festival which meant there were pavement entertainers everywhere and a real carnival atmosphere.

We had a very early start the next morning to reach Quebec for our change to off-road tyres in preparation for our Labrador ride. We arrived about 10 minutes late for our 9 am appointment at Moto Vanier in Quebec after a three-hour ride through the most appalling roadworks and traffic but the staff could not have made us feel more welcome. As we appeared around the corner we could see a team of mechanics waiting under a gazebo outside, who all leapt to their feet and sprang into action immediately to ensure that we were on our way again as soon as possible. They even sent one of their team out to Tim Hortons for a couple of gallons of coffee and two large boxes of doughnuts to sustain us whilst we waited. Our thanks go out to Monsieur Bibeau and his hardworking team at Moto Vanier Quebec for their incredibly efficient turnaround and warm hospitality. I should add that they are not usually open on Saturdays and had opened their doors especially to assist us, for which we are very grateful.

Thanks to Monsieur Bibeau, we had the whole afternoon free to explore Quebec and its delights. We had arrived during the “Festival de la Nouvelle France”, a historic celebration which meant the town was busier than usual but there was a lot to see and do. It was still scorchingly hot but everyone enjoyed visiting the old Citadelle and promenading on the Boardwalk in the evening. There were many little restaurants offering “Bieres & Brunch”, and then there was our particular favourite, “Le Café Fart”.

The following morning, however, dawned grey and showery and as we faced only a short ride that day we had a leisurely breakfast and many of the team chose to spend the morning at the local launderette - after 6 days on the road we had all started to run out of clean clothes. As we rode out of Quebec at lunchtime the rain started to fall. If there is anything worse than riding on wet cobbles, it has to be riding on wet cobbles on brand new off-road tyres down a very steep hill wearing boots with steel plates under the toes!

After a brief stop at the Chutes de Montmorency just outside the City, a huge waterfall that is higher than Niagara Falls, we enjoyed a leisurely ride via the scenic route to get to Tadoussac and stopped for a very nice Sunday lunch at another roadside café. Tadoussac is the best place to see whales, and this morning the group has been out on a boat up the Saguenay Fjord to try and spot some. It was absolutely amazing, like floating on whale soup – we were surrounded by the awesome sight of Minke, Fin and Beluga whales gliding in and out of the water and blowing huge waterspouts into the air. Porpoises played in amongst the shoal, and seals popped their heads up to take a look at us. It was simply incredible.

This afternoon we are all making final preparations for our journey north and off road into the remote Labrador territory, buying provisions and extra fuel and doing final checks on our bikes and equipment. Our next stop will be at Manic 5, to visit the Daniel Johnson dam, before setting out onto the piste and into the remote region, sometimes called the land God gave to Cain.