Crossing Canada

Labrador City had nothing for us other than petrol. We knew there was a campsite 25km further on at Fermont, the road now heading southwards. Fermont is a town built to house workers at the nearby mine, a source of high quality iron ore. Temperatures there drop below freezing in seven months of the year – thankfully not in June. It gets so cold, the town is built to be entirely indoors, so residents never have to venture outside in winter. One long building several stories high, it also serves to shelter other residents and businesses from the harsh winds and snow.

The other notable thing about Fermont is that it sits across the provincial border in Quebec. This became apparent when we arrived at the campsite – in the reception was a boy aged about 13, I’d guess, to check us in. He spoke not a word of English, only French. French would be the langue du jour for the next few days.

A brilliant day riding south followed, with long sections of gravel roads, and thankfully under blue skies. This is the continuation of the TLH, but in Quebec. After a few hours we get to Manic 5, a huge hydroelectric dam and power station with a name to die for. Riding on, the road becomes glorious, fast sweeping bends over undulating terrain. We stopped to camp near another dam, Manic 2. I later learned that the river descending the valley is called the Manic river. Manics 1, 3 and 4 also exist.

On to Baie Comeau for the best breakfast so far, then up to Saguenay to meet my old friend Pascal.

I met Pascal 7 years ago on the Stahlratte, a sailing vessel that ferried us and about 20 other bikers around the Darian Gap – for details see https://loosenuts.blog/2017/09/03/a-steel-rat-and-other-inspiring-characters

We didn’t really ride much together but stayed in touch and compared notes and shared tips as our individual journeys progressed. I hadn’t seen him since, although we were sporadically in touch – it was wonderful to accept his hospitality, local knowledge and bike sense for a couple of days. It was also the first time I’ve been able to reminisce at length about riding in South America. It was a big adventure, but something you can’t really talk about with anyone who wasn’t there.

Quebec has fabulous biking roads – rising and falling, bends sweeping around the hills and lakes, open vistas and almost no traffic. Definitely a place for bikers to explore. But bring your French phrase book!