Recul-à-Rankin to Rivière-du-Loup | Accommodation: Auberge Internationale, 46 rue Hôtel de Ville, Rivière-du-Loup
The day gets underway with an unending barrage of screeching crows hurling insults at one another with a savage intensity. I am walking by 5:30. Surprisingly, the hills that I have walked behind—now separating me from the river—have cut off the wind, save for the remains of a comfortable breeze. I walk two hours to 7:30, breaking for a snack and hot chocolate when I arrive upon a scenic rest area showcasing barns and hills in the distance. So far I have 12 km completed with 19 km to reach the city of Rivière-du-Loup. The sun is now brightening up the day, so I finish eating by 8:15 in order to return to the road. A few hours of walking Highway 132 lead me to the wonderfully silent and sleepy road Rte du Fleuve which runs directly along the river on which quaint homes and auberges line the narrow road. The shoreline can be viewed for most of the way, taking me about 3 km from the city. Even when the road returns to the 132 the walk remains a lovely, peaceful affair. By 11:30 I am approaching the city limits of Rivière-du-Loup, and by 12:00 I am seated outside of a newly constructed motel hosting a comfortable social space including couches and tables. I enjoy a pint and some food, a celebration of being finally introduced to this city of which I have heard so many stories. I walk into the city, buying and eating some fruit along the way, then finding some internet. By 4:00 I arrive at the hostel and am able to check in right away. I am excited about the room as it is small containing a comfortable bed, a writing desk in front of a window, a sink, and a private bathroom—everything needed and nothing more. It is a comfortable space, and I love it! I soak the clothes in the sink in the main room before leaving to pick up food for dinner: sushi and poutine. While waiting for the poutine I have a great conversation with two young people working at the restaurant. We discuss the province, everything I’ve seen and have been impressed by, and their political views on what they consider to be their contemporary Québec and what they would like to see in the future. It is interesting to hear young people so passionate about their world, and their politics expressed. Returning to the room I organize the gear, set to writing up the day, and enjoy the hot water in the shower. After all of the clothing has been soaked and washed it is hung up to dry. The rest of the evening is spent horizontally enjoying the NHL playoffs, some reading, and falling into a deep, dark sleep.
Today’s distance walked: 38.5 km | Total distance walked: 1,182.48 km
La Pocatière to Recul-à-Rankin | Campsite: 47.63957° N, 69.75880° W
The temperature overnight drops to 5 degrees feeling like 2, but by the time the tent and gear are packed, it begins to rise. At 5:00 when the restaurant behind which I camped opens I pick up a coffee, fill up on water, and begin walking by 5:10. I continue walking down the gravel trail until it ends in about an hour and a half. I transfer to Highway 132, then to a small road called Ch du Sud-de-la-Rivière, choosing it in order to get some great panoramas of farmlands. I return to the 132, walking through the very small village of De Saint-Just through to the slightly larger village of St-Denis where I pause to eat at a closed taco stand, taking advantage of the covered outdoor patio where comfortable chairs and tables are arranged. About ten minutes into my meal the owners arrive, pulling onto the property. They are not surprised, as they explain people will often stop here when the restaurant is closed, so they allow me to eat and even ask me about what I am doing. They are a young couple, gentle in manner, and inquisitive. They are fun to talk with. I return to the road by 10:15. Walking from St-Denis to the town of Kamouraska is difficult. The scenery is beautiful, but by now the wind has increased to a constant force, never letting up. When I arrive, I stop at the general store Le Jardin du Bedeau and pick up some pints and dried meats. Down the road, I stop for a half-hour snack at a very small cemetery where picnic tables have been set up overlooking large scenic views of surrounding hills and fields. Trees here help to reduce the effects of the wind, however, I still need to weigh down anything I rest on the table, or simply remain holding an item so as not to lose it to the wind. As I venture back out I meet a bike-packer cycling in the same direction I am moving, on his way to Rivière-du-Loup as well. I will see him returning tomorrow on my final day’s approach into the city, and we will wave at each other with smiles. I walk until 3:30 in the constant wind when I decide to call it a day. I find an area of short grass just off the highway and put the tent up on it, the wind snatching it at every possible opportunity. Water bottles are required to weigh the tent and rainfly down until I am able to both stake the tent corners into the ground and thread the poles into the tent clips. Even with the tent secured, the wind grabs and pushes it around. As I lie inside, I can feel the strength of the wind acting on the walls of the tent. Inside by 3:45, I have no wish to exit. It saddens me to admit that I was not having much fun today. But, tomorrow is another day and may bring different circumstances. I am only thinking of getting to Rivière-du-Loup and away from this constant wind. It’s too bad, and I do not enjoy feeling this way, however this stretch of the walk ever since the town of L’Islet has been tough. I’ll need to reflect upon this later, at a more removed distance, and figure out what exactly the source of this discomfort really is—the wind, the disruption it caused, or if I’m simply feeling cranky due to something else altogether. I journal, snack, read, then fade into sleep soon enough.
Today’s distance walked: 45.14 km | Total distance walked: 1,143.98 km
St-Jean-Port-Joli to La Pocatière | Campsite: 47.37077° N, 70.04119° W
I wake at 4:00 after having an eight-hour sleep. I’ve not slept that long in decades! I work my way into the day and am out walking Highway 132 eastward through a beautifully quiet weekend morning. I walk through St-Jean-Port-Joli, through the villages of Plage-Victor, Ozanam, and into St-Roch-des-Aulnaies. The next village is Village-des-Aulnaies where I find a gas station selling cheese curds and pints, and where picnic tables allow for the cooking of food while journalling the day into the notebook. So far, I’ve walked 16 km, with an upcoming 10 km to the town of La Pocatière where I will have access to wifi and water refills. I pack up after a good rest and return to the road, cursing the wind after blowing over my beer. Every time I let go of something it requires a heavy item in order to weigh it down from the wind, which seems to want to blow all of my stuff around for fun. I laugh at it all, as I can’t control it. It is all funny, anyway, this place seemingly devoid of gravity. It helps to find the humour in it all. The walk from here to the town of La Pocatière is amazing! A bike path of comfortable sand and gravel follows the shoreline of the river, revealing incredible views of both the river and its backdrop in various shades of blue-grey that are the Laurantide Mountains, becoming ever larger, closer, and more defined. I can’t help photographing them at every turn and opportunity! A feeling of giddy bliss is carried into town, as this afternoon has been one of the most scenic and satisfying yet. I arrive in town sometime around 1:30, and I get plenty of work done with available wifi. When approaching the restaurant I noticed a well-kept and well-covered area of grass behind the building. I find the manager and explain what I am doing on this walk, and when I ask for permission to set up the tent for the night, he readily grants consent. When explaining what I am doing I am careful to point out that I am walking early each morning by 5:00. I think it is a strong selling point, as it guarantees that I will be gone before a company’s customers begin to arrive. I also book a one-night stay at an interesting hostel in downtown Rivière-du-Loup at a great price for June 5. Only 71 km now separate me from the town, and I will easily be there by Monday late morning, providing time to explore, buy any required food for the upcoming New Brunswick leg of the walk, and any gear requiring replacement. I am looking forward to seeing the city of Rivière-du-Loup!
Today’s distance walked: 29.76 km | Total distance walked: 1,098.84 km
