ATV expedition
As morning dawns, a blanket of threatening clouds is still hovering over the La Tuque region. But our team is excited, as we prepare for a nearly 250 km ride on all-terrain vehicles; also known as ATVs or four-wheelers, they look like rugged motorcycles on four wheels. Despite the early morning hour, and contrary to his usual habits, team photographer Denis Bouchard is the first one to get up. Speak to him about motors, or motorcycles, and the man will wake right up, even in the middle of the night.
We are meeting the members of the Club des adeptes de tout-terrains de La Tuque. This club, which was founded about ten years ago, organizes ATV expeditions throughout the region. We put on our raincoats and boots, then, climb aboard a truck that will take us to the meeting site. We didn't know what to expect, and we were in for a surprise!
Twelve ATV enthusiasts are waiting for us in a La Tuque parking lot, at the edge of the forest. The men, wearing black helmets and dark glasses, look like a motorcycle gang ready to take on the famous Paris-Dakar cross-country race. As we get closer, we see that these men, in their forties and prone to brotherly teasings, look more like a bunch of guys going on a fishing trip, or getting ready to raise a little hell! There's something about all motorcycles that brings you back to your childhood, proving once again that the only difference between men and boys is that men's toys are a lot more expensive.
Denis is the first one to get on one of the ATVs; as he's handed a black helmet, it's plain to see that our photographer is in his element. Yanick, the cameraman, gets on an ATV equiped with a metallic structure, shaped like the frame of a car; ATV drivers usually use it to carry canoes over their heads. These poles will help Yanick hold on as he defies gravity to film the arresting images that you can see in the accompanying video.
We take a flat, well maintained trail which runs along the clear waters of Wayaganac Lake, which provides La Tuque with all its drinking water. The clouds, which were threatening to turn into a storm at any moment, suddenly let the first rays of sunshine filter through, and we decide to take our first break.
«We tell people: if you want to ride around for a whole month without crossing the same path twice, come to this region!» says Gilles Langevin, president of the Club des adeptes de tout-terrains de La Tuque.
«The La Tuque region is at the centre of all major forests, adds Richard Lachance, the group's vice-president. From La Tuque, you can go north to Chibougamau, southwest to Saint-Michel-des-Saints, and then up to Lac Saint-Jean.»
The two club leaders organize excursions, rallies and hunting expeditions for their 240 members.
«The sport is growing in popularity, explains Gilles Langevin. In Quebec, there are 193 000 registered ATVs. In the past, ATVs were mostly driven by hunters and fishermen. Now, they're used mostly for expeditions, and that's why we've begun to install signs along the trails around La Tuque, that way we make sure that people don't get lost in the woods!»
Accompanied by the roar of motors, one by one, the riders get back on the trail . We drive through part of the Portneuf wildlife reserve, with its idyllic scenery, we come across tumultuous rivers and quiet forests that come alive as we drive by. Because of the surrounding signs and markers, we have the impression of knowing this region where we've never been.
As we arrive at our destination, where a train is waiting to take us on our next adventure, I ask Denis for his impressions: «So, did you like it Denis?»
He slowly takes off his helmet and his dark glasses, looks straight into the camera:«Amazing», he says, with a large, telling smile on his face.
