July 31st, Monday day 35

We started the day a bit inside Quebec due to a temporary trail closure.  I have been talking with Roger Brisson who is President of Club VTT Du Temiscamingue In Ville-Marie, Quebec.  From early on in the planning stage of the trip, Roger has been very helpful getting me maps and working on a route.  

Unfortunately, he was not able to join us for the day as he had no way of getting his machine back home and his trailer was being fixed.  However, he did have us follow his truck past the construction area of the trail.  Our timing was not good as the trail may be done within a week, but it really was not passable at this time.  So we started about 10 miles inside the border and headed towards Rapids 7 which is a dam and hydro plant.

At Rapids 7 we were greeted by Maurice Fortin and Serge Marin.  Serge is the president of the club in Val-d-Or, Quebec.  It was a welcome site to see them standing on the side of the road waiting for us.  We had been in the woods without my gps programmed as I did not buy the maps for Canada.(smart move on my part).  There were many turns that we guessed were correct and they worked out.  

We ate at the restaurant at Rapids 7 and took off for Val-d-Or.  The day was full of great trails, winding secondary roads and lots of lakes to look at.  We did not see any people on the trail as it is fairly isolated.  However, as we got closer to Val-d-Or we stopped at a lodge called Harricana.  It is a large log structure that is only about 7 years old.  Apparently the original owner built it and went broke as it was finished.  It then sat empty for three or more years and finally was sold by sealed bids from the government.  Rumor has it that it sold for a figure so low it is hard to believe.  It sits on a large lake and would make an incredible home if it were not used as a lodge.  I guess you would have to be in the right place at the right time to know of this sale before it happened.  

When we got to our destination, Serge led us right through town and we arrived at 5:30.  We traveled about 90 miles that day.  For lodging we stayed at the Comfort Inn which was very handy as it was just a few miles from the trail.  Ordering a pizza that night was an adventure.  I let Jon and Rod handle that and instead of mushrooms and sausage on half and pepperoni on the other half, we got a lot of other things mixed in.  But it was good!  

Tomorrow, Serge will not be with us, but he has appointed Maurice as our guide for the next two days, so whatever Maurice wants, Maurice gets cause I don’t want to be out in that isolation all by myself. See Ya
 
 
 

Click Here Photos from Today!!!