Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Ken Brown
06-06-05, 12:05 PM
For the third May in a row, I met a friend for a short four-day tour. This year we decided to cycle Le P’tit Train du Nord from end to end. We had each been on the trail a few times in the past for day trips. It is a rail trail and is exactly 200 kilometres (123 miles) long through the Laurentian mountains north Montreal.
We left our car at the B&B in St. Jerome and took a shuttle bus north to Mont-Laurier, starting our ride about 11:00 a.m.. That first day we cycled to Nominingue, a distance of 55 km., but we ended up doing 65 km including local travel to the B&B and restaurant.
The second day was a similar distance to Mont-Tremblant. While Day 1 had been partly cloudy, cool, and into the wind, Day 2 was a beautiful sunny day with warm temperatures and only a moderate head wind. Mont-Tremblant is the top ski resort in eastern Canada and the newly created resort village is a pedestrian-friendly place with a French charm. The restaurant patios are great places to unwind with a few beers following a ride.
Day 3 started sunny but soon clouded over and eventually turned quite cold and windy. It also included a very long climb of about 15 kilometres south of St. Jovite, and while the summit was nice to reach, we were suddenly riding into a vicious headwind. We ended the day at Val-David, a small resort town, having completing 55 km.
There was a forecast of showers for Day 4, and we started out in a light drizzle. However it soon dried out and turned out to be a pleasant day for cycling, albeit overcast. The distance for the day was only 45 km., but we took our time, finishing in the early afternoon. After changing and showering at the B&B, we drove the short distance to St. Sauveur, another ski resort and a great party town. While there the rains came and lasted into the night.
Le P’tit Train du Nord is one of the best rail trails anywhere. They have recently paved the northern sections, between Labelle and Mont-Laurier, a distance of 93 km. The rest is stone dust, mostly hard-packed and easy to ride.
We left our car at the B&B in St. Jerome and took a shuttle bus north to Mont-Laurier, starting our ride about 11:00 a.m.. That first day we cycled to Nominingue, a distance of 55 km., but we ended up doing 65 km including local travel to the B&B and restaurant.
The second day was a similar distance to Mont-Tremblant. While Day 1 had been partly cloudy, cool, and into the wind, Day 2 was a beautiful sunny day with warm temperatures and only a moderate head wind. Mont-Tremblant is the top ski resort in eastern Canada and the newly created resort village is a pedestrian-friendly place with a French charm. The restaurant patios are great places to unwind with a few beers following a ride.
Day 3 started sunny but soon clouded over and eventually turned quite cold and windy. It also included a very long climb of about 15 kilometres south of St. Jovite, and while the summit was nice to reach, we were suddenly riding into a vicious headwind. We ended the day at Val-David, a small resort town, having completing 55 km.
There was a forecast of showers for Day 4, and we started out in a light drizzle. However it soon dried out and turned out to be a pleasant day for cycling, albeit overcast. The distance for the day was only 45 km., but we took our time, finishing in the early afternoon. After changing and showering at the B&B, we drove the short distance to St. Sauveur, another ski resort and a great party town. While there the rains came and lasted into the night.
Le P’tit Train du Nord is one of the best rail trails anywhere. They have recently paved the northern sections, between Labelle and Mont-Laurier, a distance of 93 km. The rest is stone dust, mostly hard-packed and easy to ride.