Adventure on two wheels
Not many things stand in the way of a gravel bike, for it rides wonderfully on asphalt, stone dust and dirt and holds its own on many trails, like mountain bike single tracks. I like to use the term adventure biking, and it’s exactly what we’re in for!
We met in a little dirt parking on the outskirts of a village in the Eastern-Townships. It’s a cold and grey Sunday in May. Not exactly the spring day we were expecting. However, the upcoming climb is sure to warm us up!
Right from the start, the dirt roads unfold under our wheels. All we can hear is the sound of the tires pulling us through the first kilometers of an adventure that will count at most about forty. We ride between fields where Highland cows quietly graze. Then, we pass ranches and magnificent houses, as well as wooded areas in which the tender green of the new leaves begin to appear.
The first climb
After only six kilometers, we need to start preparing for our first climb that is sure to get our blood pumping. We need to start dancing on our pedals to get up that 16% grade. It’s hot and cold at the same time. You know that time of year where you never know how to dress!
Higher on the mountain ridge, the road gives way to a small dirt trail that keeps climbing. Scattered along this few meter wide trail are rocks, roots and grooves which challenge us and force us to climb carefully. We still have 200-meters to go and the hardest part is still ahead of us.
The cloud ceiling is low and the mist quickly envelops us as we ascend. Following the curves of the mountain, the trail widens and narrows, taking us through a magnificent maple grove. The trees have character. Their bare branches show us their gnarled trunks and the moss that wraps them.
We ride on a tiny trail and the soil is soft and earthy under our wheels. The summit is very close! A final wall forces us to dismount our bikes and put them on our shoulders. The rocks are wet and slippery, but the trees help us get to the top. The 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains is well worth the effort! The sun begins to break through the clouds just in time to take us on our descent to another side of the mountain.
