Our shortest day. Only 25 miles! And I miss the lake already, although we have very nice accommodations in Mont-Laurier, overlooking the rapids on Rivière du Lièvre. We'll be here tomorrow as well, just as a light break before tackling the two longish days it will take to get to Ottawa. The second day will be particularly long, 63 miles with nearly 3000 feet of climbing. Given the light biking we've been doing so far, resting up for that might make sense. Plus, we are in no rush!
Good morning, Canada . . . the view from our motel room.
I really enjoyed the Motel Ours Bleu. We had a relaxing time there, and the hosts were welcoming. The lake made for good swimming, and Jerry even went kayaking around the island. I'm thinking this will be a good place to spend four or five days doing nothing. I could train to St Albans, bike to Lac Saguay in five more, spend five days on the lake, bike back to St Albans, and train home. A nice way to spend two weeks or so in July or August!
But today we were moving on, but in no rush. We had purchased the meal package from the hotel, which included dinner and breakfast, so Jerry and I walked back to the restaurant we had dinner at last night, Resto-Bar Lac Saguay, to get breakfast this morning. It was a good and filling breakfast but pretty standard fare if on the meal plan. I think you'd have a lot more options though just paying out of pocket.
So by the time we returned, changed into our kits, packed our bikes, and said goodbye, it was a little after 11:00. Our gîte in Mont-Laurier would not be ready till 4:00, so no need to rush. Plus, according to RWGPS, this was mostly "downhill," although my mind kept telling me I was climbing all day. It certainly LOOKED like I was. Jerry had another opinion, and the final readout supports him.
Oh well, either way it was a nice ride. It stayed very rural until about 10 miles out from the end. And the terrain changed and became more pastoral at points. The pictures tell the story better.
A small tributary feeding Lac Saguay, which we had just left. These waterways, wetlands, and smaller lakes create wonderful vistas.
The trail continued as asphalt all the way to Mont-Laurier. Which is fine, as typically you roll a bit faster on asphalt than on cinders or hard-packed dirt. The only issue with asphalt is maintenance, and with the severe winters here, it shows on the surface in some areas. The main problem is the transverse cracking, which can create repetitive bumps. That's the worst, in my opinion. But there were also other areas of more severe damage. These tended to be well marked with orange paint and could generally be avoided.
As is typical with asphalt, it can deteriorate and leave a permanent hazard until repaired. Most of these were well marked.
Now that the trail is paved, they seem to be making efforts to maintain it. Although, there was a minor kerfuffle as we approached Mont-Laurier. A closed bridge! Well, that only became apparent after the detour. A little unusual, as the bridge appears to be newly built!
Almost in Mont-Laurier, only to discover the trail was closed. This is one of the few times I did not ignore the detour signage. Funny how that works.
An "over the barrier" shot shows a somewhat new bridge closed for unspecified reasons! I hope it's a minor problem, as it looks like an expensive bridge!
The trail seemed very popular, even this far up the course, far away from urban centers. I highly recommend riding it when you have the time. And while we did it in four days, you could easily take five or six and spend time doing other activities in this very beautiful part of Canada.
The end of the trail (or so I thought), which struck me as anticlimactic.
After getting settled in, Jerry and I decided to go for a walk and explore the environs. Mostly we were interested in nearby "beaches," as we wanted to repeat our lake experience from the day before. Unfortunately, that was not "exactly" to be, but we did OK. The real "beach" (lake beach) was five miles away. Another time, maybe . . .
And yes, we even talked with the locals! Enough to find an alternate path back to the B&B, more wooded and one that followed the river more closely. Jerry, trekking up through the woods.
Afterward, we went into town for dinner, which was not a long walk. Back across the bridge and up a slight hill. Being a Sunday and being in the "country" (i.e., a small town), not many places were open, so we settled on a pizza diner of sorts. It reminded me of a New York-style Greek diner, where they serve everything! The town has better restaurants; they're just not open on Sunday!
Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km) Total: 247 miles (398 km)
