North Road Quebec - AGAIN

nick949

nick949

Well-Known Member
Some of you may remember that last year I was up the creek without a paddle - or at least, half way up the North Road in Quebec with a disabled bike. Norm to the rescue.

Well, we just made a return visit - me on my (usually) trusty 1974 Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone, with Norm acting as the mobile cavalry on his Versys.

I'll bore you with more pictures and stories later, but the tale of the tape is:

4 days
about 3000 kms
410 kms gravel road (from the James Bay Road to Chibougamau)
no spills :thumbsupanim:
1 broken speedo cable :thumbd:

Nick

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nick949

nick949

Well-Known Member
I'm saving the full story for a chapter in my next book but am happy to give you an idea of why I bother to ride those endless miles through endless tree. On some sections, you would have to get very creative. 'I spy with my little eye - a tree?" 'Yep, and there's another one.'

As the Nuovo Falcone is a bit of a slug and I didn't want to feel any pressure to ride beyond it's comfort zone, Norm and I rode up separately and met in Amos.
I stopped at a picnic place in La Verandre Park on the way up. Of course, I had the place to myself.
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We camped at a municipal campground just outside Amos. $34 for the site. Quiet and pleasant, although the frogs were loud.
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The James Bay Road north of Matagami crosses a number of rivers. I'm sure this one has a name, but there are so many............
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This one does though. This is the Rupert River which crosses interior Quebec for hundreds of kilometres. It was a major trading route during the Fur Trade era, and a main highway for the local Cree population for countless generations. This is 'scenic' water only. Much of the original flow is now diverted by Quebec Hydro as part of the massive James Bay Hydro-Electric project. The picture doesn't really convey just how massive and powerful it is even now.
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We camped where the North Road crosses the Rupert River (much further upstream) after diverting 10kms north of the North Road to find fuel at the Cree village of Nemaska (pop 700). This is where I was stopped by ruined tubes and tyre first time around.
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These gravel roads are interesting to ride on and demand your full concentration. Think - an inch of marbles on concrete. You choose your line by looking for the hard-packed areas.
The softer areas throw the front end around and cause a certain clenching of the nether regions. Then there are the wash-outs and sand pits which come up just as you're starting to gain a bit of confidence and speed...
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So it's good to stop and be gob-smacked by the sheer size of the land.
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Nick
 
Alba

Alba

Active Member
Every time I read and see your travels I think 'bears and gee I would hate to breakdown there', you are giving us an excellent insight into your corner of the world ..... Keep it coming and stay safe on those 'roads'...
 
nick949

nick949

Well-Known Member
Alba said:
Every time I read and see your travels I think 'bears and gee I would hate to breakdown there', you are giving us an excellent insight into your corner of the world ..... Keep it coming and stay safe on those 'roads'...
Click to expand...

The fear is overrated. Just this morning we entered a field to start some work and there was a nice big black bear, peacefully minding his own business, laying down chewing on something. As soon as he heard us, he quickly moved off into the bush. My lads are working down in that area at the moment. Funny - I haven't heard from them for a while.......... :lol:

Nick
 
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