Quebec Part Deux!

ok, so just when you think things can't be topped.. we had a totally different experience for our second day of riding...
Doug and I got up early and headed out from Roberval, and made our way to Saint David de Falardeau. Our home for the rest of the trip.. Auberge Carcajou, we arrived in time to get unpacked and have an early lunch before we headed out for the afternoon. This spot is fantastic if you don't want to bring your atv's, or don't have any.. they have rentals and guides available to make your trip that much easier! Charles was our fearless leader for the day and we headed out behind him not sure what to expect!

We were able to convince Nancy that she should come along with us again today.. HOWEVER not as a passenger....! ERRR yesterday would have been better trails for a beginer.. but boy she didn't hold us back and she even got thru a lot of mud and muck!!! Best yet she's alive and enjoyed it!! Maybe this winter we'll get her on her own snowmobile!! ???

This area, know as the Saguenay & fjords, has some very hilly terrain.. ok yes they are mountains! the local club was even out in full force with a backhoe cleaning up the trail. Our destination was a look out.. wayyyyyy up, this riding was awesome! Really bumpy and some very steep sections.. I was smiling.... the entire ride.. i think maybe nancy was cringing and clenching her jaw... but the view from the top was well worth it!!

Err now to come down.. we just kept enticing Nancy with what Emy had created for dinner... All I could think about was how fantastic lunch was... (ok i'm actually salivating thinking about what we had for dinner) This gal can cook! everything is fresh from the area and a lot of it is even on site! There was Lamb, Salmon and chicken to choose from.. I guess I was asking too much for one of each! I have had a few meals at 5 star locations... this is right up there with them.. a nice homey atmosphere with brand new rooms.. Mark my word this is going to be the "spot" to go!

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Quebec! Saguenay Lac St. Jean...

I searched out this location in the winter.. for my first ride.. why? Because the snow falls early there and leaves late.. it's also well known for the trail system and hospitality.. After visiting Saguenay Lac-St- Jean, Quebec.. I knew I had to go back!!! and with miles and miles of interconnecting ATV trails and outstanding hospitality it was a win win situation for me! Most of my trips have been ride, ride, ride.... this time we took it easy, I think people were feeling a little bit guilty making me ride while pregnant... Doctor said it was ok..I ride! to quote him, " no big doubles,no jumps, keep all 4 wheels on the ground not upside down." so that's what i have been doing. :) So when Nancy Donnelly ( of tourisme Saguenay-Lac St Jean) sent me our itin.. i was blown away! This was not only going to be a riding trip but we were going to be able to see some really neat locations AND FOOD!!! Blueberry season time!

So I must do a shout out to all the riders we had on our first day.. Marcel Lachance, our guide- club VTT amis du lac ,Yvon & Aline Lajoi, Gino Morin, Gustove Gagnon, Lina Asselin, Gaetan &Alain Boutin. We had a fantastic day with all of you and so much fun!(p.s. aucun bébé encore! seulement 11 semaines pour aller!!)
Day 1
Our first day we left from Roberval Quebec, right from our hotel- Chateau Roberval. This hotel had just about everything under it's roof! And it was really busy! A great location for families, pool, hot tub, pub, restaurant and fantastic food! But for us.. ooo very convinient to drop the truck and trailer and ride right from the back parking lot!!!!

So off those ATV's came and onto the trails we headed.. first stop.. Les "petit" chutes.. right near one of the many "bleuetiere's" BLUEBERRY FIELDS!!! YUUUMMY! Did you know that So-called "wild" (lowbush) blueberries, smaller than cultivated highbush ones, are prized for their intense color. The lowbush blueberry, V. angustifolium, is found from the Atlantic provinces westward to Quebec and southward to Michigan and West Virginia. In some areas, it produces natural blueberry barrens, where it is the dominant species covering large areas.Canadian exports of blueberries in 2007 were $323 million, the largest fruit crop produced nationally, occupying more than half of all Canadian fruit acreage.Quebec produces a large quantity of wild blueberries, especially in the regions of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (where a popular name for inhabitants of the regions is Bleuets, or "blueberries"), and Côte-Nord which together provide 40% of Quebec's total provincial production. Due in part to declining frequency and intensity of spring frosts, Quebec's wild blueberry production (27 million kg in 2008) now rivals that of Maine!

Talk about a lot of Blueberries!!! So when we finally snuck our fill and had finished our little snack snack along the trails.. we jumped back on the ATV's and headed to see where the little chutes went to..thank goodness for that snack of blueberries.. the distance between food/ rest stops is long!In a good way!!! Lots of great trails and really diverse. Along the way to the "Big chutes"we rode beside blueberry fields with sandy terrain, and then through forest, tall magnificent pines. When we arrived at the big chutes, we were all quite warm.. ready to jump in! but these were fast moving rapids.. we all got close enough to feel the nice cool mist off of them... lunch anyone!?

Lunch stop was scheduled a short ride away at "les Jardins de Normandin" . A gorgeous spot to stop and walk around... really get to appreciate someone else's fruits of labour!

and enjoy Doug did.. in the "potager" garden= veggie garden.. we were told EVERYTHING was edible.. uh o! look out Doug is STILL hungry!

Hummmm we could be here awhile!


The ride back was spectacular!!! The trails were flat.. ok flat isn't the right word.. I would compare these trails with some railbed trails.. however... throw in some rolling hills, fields of canola, bison and other farms.. and that would be the comparison in Quebec to railbed riding.

Stay tuned for part two of our Quebec travels!