{"id":1233,"date":"2021-07-13T15:43:17","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T19:43:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.randonneursontario.ca\/?p=1233"},"modified":"2021-07-13T15:49:43","modified_gmt":"2021-07-13T19:49:43","slug":"ride-report-by-john-cumming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.randonneursontario.ca\/?p=1233","title":{"rendered":"Coureur de Bois Ride Report by John Cumming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 3-5, 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coureur de Bois<\/em><\/strong> had been on my to-ride \u201cbucket list\u201d for a decade.  Fellow Huron randonneur Terry Payne rode Coureur de Bois in 2011, and his descriptions of a challenging ride with beautiful scenery, horrible roads, and ambiguous cues convinced me that I had to do it one day!  After doing my first 1,000 (Lake Ontario Lap) in 2015  and doing 1,200\u2019s in 2018 and 2019, I realized that a 1,000 is actually much more challenging than a 1,200:  With top-notch support and organized controls, the Granite Anvil was a \u201cpicnic\u201d compared to LOL!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to Terry Payne\u2019s yarns of Coureur de Bois<\/em><\/strong>, my motivation for doing the ride was fed by the romance of the fur trade and French Canadian history that was taught to all children in Canadian Schools in the 1960\u2019s (before the realities of certain events and the treatment of indigenous peoples tainted our perspectives).  Perhaps more than a lot of English-speaking Ontarians, I had a fascination for rural Quebec which evolved while I was a summer student in the Gaspe in the mid-1970\u2019s.   Bicycling along the shore of the St. Lawrence River on my CCM Gran Tourismo 10-speed during that wonderful summer was, in fact, the only real cycling I\u2019d ever done in Quebec! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until a week before the Brevet, I expected that I might be the only rider signed up for Coureur de Bois 2021.  (If it had worked out that way, I am certain that my ride would have ended in dismal failure).  But on June 25, I was delighted to receive an email from Peter Grant indicating that he and JungAh Hong also intended to do the ride.  Peter explained the history of the CdeB route:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe route has been used since about 2005 and has been updated after each ride with input from our riders as well as notes sent by Quebec riders.  There is a lot of Route Verte, particularly approaching and leaving Quebec City.  There is more than 20km of bike paths around the city of Quebec. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Some the paths on the south shore I have ridden before on a cross Canada ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  I remember that there were areas were bike paths were the only option for cycling, but that they could be confusing.  That was true of the area where we will cross the Chaudi\u00e8re River just after turning west bound and leaving Quebec.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a relief to know that I would not be dealing with the ride alone!  I told Peter and JungAh that I would be arriving in Ottawa the day before the ride, and JungAh suggested we get together for lunch, to discuss last-minute logistics.  Peter, JungAh and I were joined for lunch on a sun-drenched roof-top patio by Vytas Janusauskas, who rode the inaugural CdeB in 2005.  We were cajoling Vytas to join us on the ride, which he said he would do if we paid a high enough fee!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After lunch, I headed to my Orleans Air BnB (from which I had intended to bike to ride-start the following morning).  Guy Quesnel, with his usual top-notch organization skills, had arranged for car parking close to the official start, so a pre-ride to the brevet starting point wasn\u2019t necessary and getting prepared to ride became even easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While \u201ckilling time\u201d on Friday afternoon before ride day,  I received an email from Vytas informing us that he and his wife Colleen had decided to provide drop-bag and meal procurement support at the two planned overnight controls!  Only true randonneurs will fully appreciate what a significant commitment and \u201cgodsend\u201d this offer presented.  Peter, JungAh and I had anticipated that we would be arriving at each overnight hotel after near-by restaurants were closed, facing a mere few hours of sleep on an empty stomach.  But with Vytas and Colleen procuring meals, ready and waiting in our hotel rooms on arrival, life would be good!  Even better, I could plant a few cans of beer in the drop bag for my favourite form of day-end \u201ccarb loading\u201d!! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Refueling, with Vytas standing by<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From anticipating a \u201csolo\u201d ride with no support and unknown weather a week before, prospects for the ride, and the weather forecast, were definitely getting rosier!   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I arrived at the ride-start parking site about 4:15 am and began to get my bike ready.  There was another car at the far end of the parking lot, with what appeared to be another cyclist.  I was completely focused on my own tasks so I didn\u2019t walk over to see who it was.  Guy Quesnel, and Peter and JungAh arrived a few minutes later.  Guy informed us that we would have a fourth registered rider, but I didn\u2019t recognize the name when Guy pronounced it.  It was only when the \u201cmystery rider\u201d rolled under the light of the street lamp that I realized it was Serg Tsymbal, who I had ridden with on several brevets.  In classic \u201crando\u201d style, Serg had driven down from Kitchener the evening before and slept in his car!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Getting ready to ride! Saturday 5 am<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So four riders set off promptly at 5 am, with two days of \u201cno rain but strong North East Winds\u201d in the  forecast.  Peter stormed out of the gate, setting a brisk early pace as we weaved through the streets of Ottawa suburbs into the countryside.  I\u2019m never very good at remembering specific details once the ride itself starts \u2013 geographic features, weather and road conditions, and hazards and highlights all blend together as the kilometres accumulate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was apparent that both JungAh and Serg were excited to be approaching their first-ever visit to Quebec.  Serg wondered whether we\u2019d be able to do a short detour to see \u201cMontgomery Falls\u201d (I explained it was \u201cMontmorency\u201d, and that I, for one, would not be joining him to see the falls!).  Aside from his jacket, Serg had brought no additional clothing, having anticipated that \u201cQuebec is warm, right?!?  It\u2019s not Manitoba!\u201d  His plan was to catch a few hours of sleep on convenient park benches under the temperate Quebec night sky.  But with the brisk cool winds off the St. Lawrence River blowing in our faces, Serg readily accepted the offer to share the hotel rooms which I had booked for each night.  Serg continued to talk about \u201cMontgomery Falls\u201d being higher than Niagara, and I realized that his mis-pronouncement probably sounded no more absurd than my own efforts to pronounce place names, or menu items at control stops!  Montgomery Falls it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Open Road<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was about 8:30 am when we crossed the bridge at Hawkesbury into La Belle Province<\/em>!  Apprehensions that we would encounter legendary bad roads were not immediately realized.  (As Peter had indicated, much of the route in Quebec follows \u201cLa Route Verte\u201d, which Vytas described as \u201croads dedicated to cycling because they are so bad that car driver\u2019s wouldn\u2019t want to use them!\u201d).  While we eventually did encounter some pretty bad roads, we also encountered some wonderful new sections of pavement.  Overall, I won\u2019t make an assessment on the state of roads in Quebec vs. Ontario, although JungAh, Serg, and Peter may have a strong opinion about it.  As for the drivers in Quebec, we experienced a full spectrum of behaviours ranging from ultra-polite to aggressive and hostile.  Unfortunately there was more of the latter, with a number of dangerous close encounters and verbal (unintelligible, to us) taunts.  This was a big surprise and disappointment for me, given all I had read about Quebec\u2019s push to be a haven for safe cycling .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Morning Smiles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, we rode traditional randonneur \u201caccordion style\u201d, sometimes as a group but often separated.  Three of us were carrying Spot Trackers, which greatly facilitated Vytas and Colleen\u2019s control support efforts.  So when we arrived at the Travelodge in Trois-Rivieres at 10:15 pm, the Pizza and Salad we had previously ordered (along with the aforementioned drop-bag of beer) was hand-delivered to our rooms by Vytas & Colleen!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a few hours of sleep we were back on the road at 5 am, contemplating whether we might find any quick breakfast stop before the next control at St Stanislas.  Thinking the control closed at 07:28, I raced ahead of the others, only to note as I rounded the corner into the tiny hamlet that the control card said 07:48!  The others rode leisurely into town a few minutes later, ahead of the control close time.  Of course, the only gas station \/ variety in town was closed, and breakfast would be further down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we pushed on toward Quebec City, Serg and I gradually rode ahead of Peter and JungAh.  Having to stop at a traffic light part way up a >10%  incline, I was forced to dismount and walk.  Serg, with a much lighter load and superior biking skills, was able to keep riding and got ahead of me.  I had to work hard to catch back up to him as we wove through the streets of Quebec City.  An extremely steep descent towards the ferry terminal was an excellent test of new V-brakes recently installed on my ancient LiteSpeed.  Extensive reconstruction and detours on the bike path along the waterfront slowed us down \u2013 I expect this section will be wonderful for the next running of CdeB, after the construction is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n