A Ride up North - James Bay | Page 20 | GTAMotorcycle.com

A Ride up North - James Bay

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Take a side trip off the JBR to East Main (80km of gravel one way) and you can see the 200 year old tombstone of my friends Great x5-6 Grandfather. Part of the trip was specifically to see this headstone and help complete the family tree.
 
Bumpity bump.

This one is officially on the books now, and about the 90% certainty point, departing after Labour Day weekend. I found a friend to run the trip with me, so hopefully no offence to those who expressed interest in a group ride, but I’m opting to keep it to a just the one friend as I know we are on the same wavelengths so far as riding hard and long, camping, cooking, etc.
 
Bumpity bump.
I found a friend to run the trip with me, so hopefully no offence to those who expressed interest in a group ride, but I’m opting to keep it to a just the one friend as I know we are on the same wavelengths so far as riding hard and long, camping, cooking, etc.

No offence taken IF you submit a full ride report upon your triumphant return. :cool:
 
Temperature hovers around 12°c and at night it feels like 6°c. In September, Radisson gets 128.19mm of rain and approximately 10 rainy days in the month. Humidity is close to 81%.
Brrrrrr...good luck ...you should make Radisson in 2 days easy enough given your pace.
Did you book the Hydro Quebec tour? It's the one thing I regret not doing.

•••

BMW rider thanks for video - nice to get a riders eye view of that route and gives me a Canada fix . Relaxing music. Slightly disorienting as I'm now solidly in the ride on the left mode.
 
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Daytime temps are comfortable for riding in full gear. Not worried about cool nights, I sleep like a baby when it's cold. It's when it's too warm, I sleep like crap. I can always put on more clothes to stay warm at night, sleeping bag and sleeping mat aside. The mat is key - I was blown away how much heat an actual quality sleeping mat bounces back at you the first time I used mine a few years ago - they really are amazing. Instead of the ground sucking the heat out of you, it's almost like it's an electric blanket under you.

And I'll have my heated vest with 4 batteries as well if things get extra chilly overnight.

Getting to the bottom of the JBR on day 1, and Radisson end of day 2. Chisasibi in there at some point as well.
I'm working on the dam tour...have been exchanging emails. Regular tours end August 28'th unfortunately so it's "by special arrangement" after that. I'm going to email them again right now actually and see if they can arrange one for September 8'th, the day I'll be in town.
 
At least no bugs. Maybe some caribou ...was a hilight seeing a reindeer running in the bush beside me.
Be careful with Chisasibi - we were warned by local constabulary of light fingered kids.
Nice ride to it tho especially at speed ...you might try and dip your front tire in James bay and claim Nunavit ;)
Pics of the dam tour please if you manage it. Tell them your a famous blogger 🍿

If you shift over towards PQ at North Bay on the ride up the roads are more interesting. The AL Van Houtte in Rouyn-Nrandahas pretty girls and decent coffee/food but mind the hours.
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I’m offended…lol

Good stuff @PrivatePilot looking forward to the ride report.

I want to do that ride one day….but found out I can only take my 3 month parental leave BEFORE my daughters first bday…so needs to be done by May :(
 
Keep plugging for the tour. It's worth it.

Didn’t yet get a response to my email from a few days ago. Fingers still crossed.
 
Thanks, will keep them in mind. Comfort level has been increasing, losing 40 pounds (so far, still counting) has not hurt that it seems. ;)

And thankfully the sciatica has been in remission for some time now. Again, weight loss certainly isn't hurting that either I'm sure.
 
So......this trip might be getting pushed ahead to next year....again.
I heard back from the dam people today. Very long story short...they can't do a tour on the day we'd be there. They have big tours on both days either side of us (albeit neither in english), but won't acomodate 2 or 3 of us for an english tour.

Since it was a big part of the trip I have to ask myself if it makes sense to just push this now. <sigh>

I'm now looking for another decent motocamping route somewhere. I'm half tempted to iron butt it down to VA/TN and spend 3 or 4 days solo riding down there again. None of my riding buddies are into the endurance riding thing so I'd be on my own in that case I guess unless anyone here is interested. Depart Tuesday the 6'th...straight down nonstop to somewhere in VA/TN, perhaps the top of Back of the Dragon, and then spend a few days in the area doing all the fun roads again. Would be the second time this year, but it's so fun there.

Kinda Bummed.
 
Down East run now?

Do the James Bay in June around the solstice...fantastic to be light at 3 am and sun up at 4.30 am.
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Doing Gaspe as an alternative has come to mind actually. We’ve been out there several times with our camper, but never by motorcycle. There’s also a ton of remote and isolated crown land camping available within the park itself, although tent camping around the bulk of the peninsula may be harder - we boondocked every single night in various places with our camper, but that can be a lot more stealthy when needed than motorcycles and tents lol.

Downside is….1000km each way of mostly slab to get to and from.
 
Doing Gaspe as an alternative has come to mind actually. We’ve been out there several times with our camper, but never by motorcycle. There’s also a ton of remote and isolated crown land camping available within the park itself, although tent camping around the bulk of the peninsula may be harder - we boondocked every single night in various places with our camper, but that can be a lot more stealthy when needed than motorcycles and tents lol.

Downside is….1000km each way of mostly slab to get to and from.
Really enjoyed Gaspe in June. Hwy 198 thru Murdochville is fantastic.
 
Really enjoyed Gaspe in June. Hwy 198 thru Murdochville is fantastic.

Did you do 299 right through the park? It’s epic. We spent 3 days boondocking along the river there.

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Haven’t done 198, so that would be new road. Does it look camp-able anywhere?
 
You don't have to slab - you can go part way to James Bay to Rouyn Noranda and thenn head east on the Northern Transcanada and stay north of all the Quebec shite along the river until you past it.
We did that in 2017 and it was treat.
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Parc Mauricie is lovely as are the Fjiords at Saguenay - take 155 to the northern fjiord road

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Then you can slab back if you want but it's a very nice route if the weather is okay.

There is a shorter route too - cut east along the Ottawa River - stay north of Ottawa - lovely that time of year and then pick up 117,
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Cross at Pembroke to 148 and wind your way easy to 301 and Otter Lake and Kazabazua and then 195 to hook up with 117. All paved as far as I can see.
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Advantage you are past the bulk of cottage country traffic.
It's enough of a trip on it's own - Gaspe could be optional.
 
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