Erick L

Hello folks,

Starring my two-wheeled Winnebago, here are some photos of my 2005 tour. 18 days from Montréal to Lac St-Jean region via Quebec City, Charlevoix and Saguenay. I was supposed to have 8 more days around the Mauricie region to catch the fall colors but an employee decided to quit before my trip. Well, gonna have to do that next year.

https://www.borealphoto.com/articles/...grand_tour.htm

You can click on the first pic and then click on "Page suivante" at the top or click on "images" to get back to the thumbnail page. The text is in French, it's usually just the location of the photo. If anyone is curious, just ask. It was an awesome trip.

Bikepacker67

You've got some great pics there, Erick - and not just of the trip.

Some of your avian shots are spectacular.

Shifty

I LOVED these photos Erick, BRAVO!!!! and thank you for posting them. My fifth grade son is coming to Quebec City with his school this coming spring, he was stoked when I showed him your slide show. I should come on his trip too, and bring my bike.

steephill

Really great pics. Beautiful composition on the landscape shots. I rode those towns and cities as part of a three week loop through Quebec just over three years ago. Started first week of September 2002 after Labor Day. Thanks for the memories... as the song goes.

Prodigy4299

Those pictures are amazing!! You've got me wanting to go to northern Quebec next summer.

SteveFox

wow, noce shots. i particulary liked the ones from alberta, you did this place justice. very nice. I dont know if it says anywhere, but what camera are you using?

steve fox

roadfix

Absolutely stunning photos..!

Lolly Pop

magnifique!

And thanks for bringing back a forgotten memory of Lac Ha Ha -- gales of laughter erupting here recalling the summer holiday that brought us there.

Erick L

Thanks for good words everyone.

Most of the shots were made with a Nikon D70 and a few with my film SLR (F100). I carried the latter just so I would have a real wide-angle. I had about 9-10 pound of photo equipment. The Alberta shots, as most of the photos on the site, were made on 35mm film (Fuji Velvia 50 and Provia 100F).

Charlevoix is great biking... if you like hills. There's a straight 14% just before Lac Ha! Ha! where I hit 85km/h. I climbed all hills on the bike, usually in one shot. I descended one hill on foot. It goes straight down towards the St-Lawrence at 18%, then it's a sharp turn and it continue at 10%. I checked my brakes on that hill and the fork was covered with rubber from the brake pads.

Rogerinchrist

Looking at the pic of the gradient signs, I hope you were going DOWNHILL on those!

Magictofu

I see you took the time to climb l'Acropole des Draveurs... there are very few hikes as nice as this one in this part of North America. By the way, congratulation for surviving Charlevoix... I went there last summer during my bike trip but I left my bike in Quebec City and took the ride my mom offered me.

cyclemanic

wicked pics man

Shifty

I'm bumping this, it's too good to miss. If you haven't seen the pictures at Erick's link take a few minutes now, so good.

Shifty

If anyone ever asks you why on earth would anyone want to travel by bike, refer them to Ericks photos, I think they will get the answer, and a new bike too!

Again, fantastic photos!

Erick L

Well, thank you Shifty.

Magic, I had quite some fun on top of the Acropole. The wind coming from the valley was crazy strong. I got rain and sleet that came from underneath! I was concerned about a comment you made on the condition of the back roads between St-Aimé-des-Lacs and St-Urbain. I turned out to be the best part of the trip! Coming from the Haute-Gorge park, rang St-Thomas is unpaved for a little less than 3km, but one can take a short detour to stay on pavement. The rest was in excellent shape. Part of rang St-Jean-Baptiste had new asphalt. I wondered if I would find my way... there were arrows with the word "velo" written at every intersection! Probably some organised tour that passed there before.

Looking at the pic of the gradient signs, I hope you were going DOWNHILL on those!

First was uphill. I came down and up the third sign and the bottom three were uphill (on the same road). But those are just a few of the hills. It's never flat in Charlevoix. The 896 meter altitude may not seem like much to our westerner friends, but that road begins at sea level, though I was already a bit inland when I began riding on it. I believe it's the highest paved road in Quebec, probably in eastern Canada.

Shifty

Bump, again! Need ideas for this summer touring, check out Erick's slide show.

aroundoz

You definitely have a gift. Great photos.

Erick L

LOL Shifty. You sure like it a lot! Thank you!

I must say I'm proud of that route. Lots of variety... flats, hills, road, bike path, cities, villages, farmland and natural landscape. It was great!

Travelinguyrt

I attended Laval Univ.in Quebec City one summer to study French LOOOOONG time ago
Lived with a French Canadian family and on Saturday and Sunday when we didn't have classes a small group would scrounge up bikes and ride in the country around Quebec City

The whole province is really an unsung paradise, we rode just day trips up the eastern side of the St Lawrence River, the Ile D'Orleans , the raspberries were unbelievable, the bread coffee and pastries right behind.

Any Americans who want to dip toes in a friendly, familiar, foreign, but next door country Please give Quebec a try.

The folks are friendly, gracious, always gave us water wherever we stopped to ask,NEVER met any but really nice folks.
I try to return the favor to so many of our French Canadian visitors here in SOFLA each winter

Nice story...none of us had money to spare,but we wanted to have lunch at the Chateau Frontenac in the spectacular dining room so we went in, gasped at the prices, and ordered just a salad and a glass of water to drink. The cheque arrived and we divided it between us and barely had enough to cover a tip, and that was WAY back when 10% was the rule, we left the tip and started to leave and the waiter followed us out and tried to return the tip to us. He said he was also a student and knew we didn't have money to spare and that during summer he would make a lot of money and he wanted us to have a nice visit. Well, none of us would take the money back.........

Visit Canada and Quebec

Olebiker

Thanks for doing that. This touring thing is looking better all the time.

frankieN

Wonderful Trip, Congratulations... Wonderful Pictures !!!
Danitza Suarez

aroundoz

This is the third time I have returned to check out the photos and pulled out a map this time. I rode across Canada 16 years ago and when I reached Ottawa, I decided to go into the states and see Vermont, New Hampshire and Main. They were great but I am now really kicking myself. Just another destination to add to the list. It looks like a bike tours mecca. Great roads, rolling hills, fantastic scenery.... Thanks again for posting.

Magictofu

The thing is that with the development of long distance routes and bike path, bike touring is becoming a mainstream activity in Quebec. Of course, most people go for short tours on well known bike paths like the 'P'tit train du nord' or the 'Petit Thémis' but there are some amazing places for the more adventurous too. Charlevoix and Saguenay is one of these places, you'll find plenty of hills, amazing landscapes (cool glacial features East and North of La Malbaie), tons of cheap B&Bs and a good mix of rural, urban, and natural landscapes. I think Erick really made me wish to try my luck around there... it seems I had been mistaken about some roads there (new repairs?) so it's even more tempting!

mtnroads

Outstanding!

Shifty

I do like it a lot, and I hope that everyone will see them too. Judging by the other replies today, I'm happy I brought the thread back to the top! I hope you will have another trip for us to enjoy this year, any plans yet Erick?