sauceman

In this thread , I was explaining how I tested to get the best gas mileage out of the TSX.

The trip also turned out to be quite interesting. I had never travelled up there, so I discovered nature at it's wildest state.

I travelled a total distance of 1540km that day. From Amos, Qc and northwards, there was no village, no nothing. 180km north of Amos, there was an intersection towards Matagami, a small city of around 1500 inhabitants. Next village up, after 620km due north, the hydroelectric village of Radisson.

I didn't quite make it up there, but drove up to 120km south of Radisson, where I had to turn around.

Here's the map:



Up there, the trees are very skinny and pretty short:



There are two reasons: It's so cold, and winters are so long and windy, the trees just can't grow that much. There are also a lot of forest fires that really keep the forests relatively young, so the trees often get burnt before they reach their full potential.

This spring was pretty bad. I drove into forest fires that raged for weeks a few weeks ago. they were virtually uncontrollable because of the remoteness of the region. All the firefighters protected was the roads, and the electrical transport lines. If these lines had gone down because of the fires, it could have meant a blackout over the majority of North America.





Hydroelectricity also means powerful rivers. And there were a few of those. I present to you the Rivière De Rupert, a world class white river for any kayaker or rafter brave enough to take it on. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop to take pictures that would give the river justice, but I promise I will in a few weeks when I go back there on a fishing trip.





I also present you the Eastmain river.



This river now looks small, because it is part of Quebecs most massive hydroelectric project: They are deviating the course of this river some 500-600km north to the river La Grande, actually large reservoirs of water held up by massive 4 massive dams called LG1-4. Everything is monstrously large around there.

I also drove right behind a moose, but unfortuantely I couldn't take pictures as I had to maneuver to avoid it. All I can say is wow! Those animals are huge! They're just as tall as horses. I wouldn't want to hit one. No wonder why so many people get killed when they collide with them.

Now, let me just present you my most awesome catch of my fishing trip during that week:



4 inches!!!

Dan Martin

Keep it for bait!

That looks like an awesome trip and it's a part of this country I'd really like to visit sometime.

Encyclo

AAAAAHHH, my old stomping grounds ...

Racing helicopters and GMC Suburbans (and the Subs winning!) quite a few war storries there

That part of the world is great in the winter when they keep the roads covered with a nice coat of white compact snow and you can cruise at 100 MPH. But as you say Sauceman, those furry things (caribou in my case) can kill you. The coldest I've worked outside there is -52C...memorable experience.

sauceman

and

Gotta love driving at night with all lights out under a moon shine reflecting on the perfectly iced road. Of course, you see the road a lot better than with lights on.

I used to do the same, only in New Brunswick between Grand Falls and Miramichi when visiting a girlfriend back in the day.

Good times...

BTW, I gather you're an engineer at Bell Helicopter?

Camden

Sauceman, awesome pictures!

curls

Very nice pics. Reminds me of the drive back home (Between Ottawa and Thunder Bay, Ontario, is a long, really boring stretch of the Trans Canada that passes through Hearst. Stunted trees, not a lot of large rock formations, but enough interesting stuff to keep you awake.

When I first bought my 1991 Integra (in 2000), I was driving up near Hearst and came within INCHES of a bull moose as I was doing about 110 km/h at dawn. It was very, very scary, but thank god for sticky summer tires and double wishbone suspension. I swear I smelled a moose fart as I went by -- I was THAT close to its ass-end.

What is it that you do that you are always driving up into Northern Quebec? Must be boring after a while, no?

~Eric

sauceman

It's part of my route. I visit customers up there. Actually, I requested to be given that region, even if it's a detour, because it's where I grew up, so I get back with the buddies, and it makes the trip half work, half vacations.

Hearst is pretty remote too. My Dad was born in Cochrane, along the same highway. But why wouldn't you drive straight through to Sault Ste-Marie and then on to Wawa and through to Thunder Bay? It may be a tad longer, but Lake Superior is just awesome to drive around.

curls

Yeah but driving along the lake SUCKS in the winter -- snow squalls, freezing rain, black ice, and a lot more tractor-trailer traffic than the northern route.

My wifes' grandmother was born in Cochrane I think...

Yeah, pretty damn remote.

~Eric

Edit: Driving the Lake Superior route is the absolutely most beautiful drive in the fall. Drove it a few years ago. Also, it was nice in the spring when we drove back to TBay to get married... The hills between Sault Ste. Marie and Nipogon are the shiznit! Too bad I didn't own my TSX then.