Forests, Rails and Men

It's not every day that you get invited to come along for a series of adventure reports through Quebec's thick forests. And on a train, no less. The thought of doing train adventure reports became a lot more tempting when the people at VIA Rail explained the concept behind the trips to come. We already know that trains ride where no cars, planes or boats can. And, because of a little known service, you may, on certain lines, ask the conductor to stop anywhere you would like: at kilometer 242, for example, where a river runs through and you can continue your trip on canoe; or maybe at kilometer 260, where you will find a breathtaking rock climbing site; maybe even at kilometer 300, where you will find a hunter's paradise; or at kilometer 310, where tee-pees disappear into the depths of the forest.

When you wish to return, you just wait by the side of the tracks, when the train shows up, on schedule, you simply raise your hand, as if hailing a cab! The conductor slowly eases the train to a stop so that you may store your camping and sports gear on brand-new wagons, designed specifically to house canoes, kayaks, mountain bikes and the rest.

Upper Saint-Maurice, Saguenay, Gaspésie and Abitibi would soon reveal themselves to our wandering eyes, all covered in snow, brimming with fall colors and bright sunshine. Because it surrounds us everywhere we go, nature will undoubtedly become the principal character in these reports ­ 52 in all ­ which will be published on the Internet.

Of course, wherever we go, local people will be guiding us around the region they call home. At every stop, we meet people who are proud of their hometown, their history, and their land. Those people will sometimes be the real stars of these reports, and rightly so. The spirit of the sites, the affection that they feel for their village and the surrounding forest makes them the ideal tour guides. Their passion is, in some ways, the very thing which allowed us to leave the beaten path by establishing walking or moutain biking trails where the forest seemed impenetrable; by organizing canoe excursions on little known rivers or by opening game preserves, miles away from civilisation.

When VIA Rail asked us to do these adventure reports, I knew right from the beginning that the train itself, which used to reign over the vast expanses of Canada and never really left our collective imaginations, would play a major role in the stories that we would tell. Later, we would get the chance to photograph the men and women that run those roaring machines. All of them ­ conductors, engineers and attendants ­ have, over the years, taken on the rugged character of the enormous vehicules. They also have an adventurous side, akin to that of sailors, and the subtle charm that comes from a life of meeting travelers from all over the country, looking on while some couples fall in love during their voyage, while others see their lives broken by some strange twist of fate.

In the name of everyone involved in realizing these reports, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who helped us on this long journey. So here's to the many people who lent us moutain bikes and jet skis; to those who served us a hot meal when we needed it most, and to the kind hearts who lent us their shoulder so that we could rest between reports.