Road Trip to Tadoussac, QC

Route 138. Wonderful view on the Saint-Laurent.

     A road trip to Tadoussac, this was our plan to celebrate my first week-end in the New World. We were so anxious to leave that we didn’t even waste time creating a detailed itinerary. We had heard about the famous scenic route 138, also known as the King’s Way, that starts in Montreal and runs up to Sept-Iles, the northernmost town in Quebec and the last stop before the real Canadian wilderness. The King’s Way passes through Tadoussac, a small town halfway between Quebec City and Sept-Iles, perfectly located for a 2 day escape from Montreal.

Climbing the Cobbler

     In October, my mates and I wanted to discover more of Scotland, so we aimed to climb the Cobbler, a mountain known to be by far the most spectacular of the Arrochar Alps. We woke up bright and early on a Saturday morning, and took the first train to Tarbet, near Loch Lomond. A forest track took us to the wee village of Arrochar, North of Loch Long. After a boring walk, our target was eventually in sight, proudly standing at the bottom of a grassy valley. Its distinctive rocky summits were standing out against a clear blue sky. When I saw them, I knew this would be an awesome day.

First Days of Winter

Glencoe Village and Loch Leven

    Back in 2010. It was a cold and sunny day. My hiking mate was leaving Scotland, so we decided to do a last trip to Glencoe, probably the most beautiful valley of the UK. The route was amazing. From Glencoe Village, we crossed a lovely forest, and then, cut straight to the top  of the Pap of Glencoe, a mountain famous for its steep and cone-shaped summit.

Sunshine Over the White Mountains of Scotland

    At that time of the year, the weather wasn’t that good, and, as always in Scotland, unpredictable. I was busy with college, and the trip had been organized last-minute. We didn’t have all of the necessary gear, and I wasn’t expecting to see the sun shining over the Highlands. To sum up, I wasn’t really motivated.

The afternoon before the trip, heavy snowfalls had plunged the city of Glasgow into a magical atmosphere that, I’m sure, the witnesses still remember. However, this pleasant event could have compromised our adventure, as the road to the Highlands could be closed due to the weather conditions.

Canoe Trip in Canada

     I’ve always liked the concept of canoeing down a river. Since I’ve seen the classic movie Deliverance earlier this year, I seriously began to consider having such an adventure.  Not that I  especially wanted to experience being chased by mental hillbillies. I was attracted to this unusual kind of transportation,  because that would allow me to make my way through remote places, that are usually inaccessible to us.

I needed an opportunity to make this project happen. I couldn’t have thought of a better moment than during my trip to Canada, where I was going to visit my brother in Montreal. We planned to go to the Mont-Tremblant national park, North of Montreal, and in a few hours, we were ready to go.