Quadding in Quebec

Ring! Ring! "Hello?"
"Hey, Mike, this is the editor of ATV Rider. Do you want to go to Quebec tomorrow?" I immediately gave the appropriate answer of "Yes," though I was shocked that the magazine wanted me to represent it in a foreign nation.

As I exited the aircraft, I became instantaneously bewildered. Everything was in French--not just the signs on the walls, but the words that came out of people's mouths. When the border patrol guy at the passport check station asked me where I was going in Canada, I had no clue what to say. After explaining to him I was here for work and showing him my invite letter from an ATV club in Quebec, he let me pass. I made a mental note to pay more attention when an editor dishes out an assignment. (Next time I act like a stoner in front of a border patrol agent, I will probably end up receiving a cavity search.)

I was a foreign boy in a foreign land. I wandered around the airport, trying to figure out what the little icons and weird words on the signs meant. Damn! Why did I study German in high school?

Once I passed the secured area, I spotted an older, husky-looking fellow holding a sign that had "Calabro" (that's me) skillfully written on it. I waved at the burly man as he pronounced a few French words and handed me a beer. I said, "Thanks," and he replied, "You're welcome" in my native tongue. A few beers later, I felt right at home.

I was forewarned by all my friends that French Canadians hate Americans and would be very rude to me. This was far from the truth. Sure, Canadians have some messed-up laws (see the "Another Reason why Canadians Are Funny" sidebar) and talk funny, and the country has produced some horrendous music that makes me want to grit my teeth until they crack. Celine Dion, Anne Murray, Tragically Hip, Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne, k.d. Lang, Sum 41, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Barenaked Ladies, Nickelback, Bryan Adams and the like are Canada's pride and joy, and they are the main reason why I used to hate Canada. But what Canada lacks in good music it makes up for in the abundance of ATV trails in Quebec. There are a gazillion miles--or rather kilometers, as our northern neighbors would articulate--of trails that have been built specifically for quad use. Luckily for me, the Fdration Qubcoise des Clubs Quads (FQCQ) invited the magazine to have a taste of its bountiful backyard.

In two days, I rode approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) of every type of trail you can imagine, including forest and logging roads, technical rocky sections, soft dirt and streams. The night before our ride, we had the great pleasure of laying our heads at Gte Auberge Le Montagnard (www.gites-classifies.qc.ca/monta-gnard.htm). The owner of the place, Edgar, offered us a great place to stay and wonderful food. The specialty of the house is Edgar's Maple Kir. It is a drink made with a white Chardonnay and a sip of maple syrup. The special part was encrusting the rim of the glass with maple sugar. The aperitif tasted like candy, as its flavors danced off my taste buds until a giddy feeling rushed over my body.

I woke the next morning, without a hangover, to the sound of a squirrel chomping away at some corn right by my window. After enjoying a large breakfast prepared by Edgar, a group of other riders and I headed out to begin our ATV journey at Riviere-Aux-Rats, which is located south of a town called La Tuque. The trail system is huge. I think we would have become lost if it weren't for our guides. The trails run primarily through the Haute-Mauricie region.

The majority of trails in Quebec are governed by the FQCQ (www.fqcq.qc.ca); it runs a network of about 18,000 kilometers (11,185 miles) of trails and oversees 140 clubs throughout the province of Quebec. An ATV club named Les Adeptes Tout Terrain de La Tuque, located in the Haute-Mauricie region, is in charge of all the trails in the area in which we rode, and it is doing a fairly good job.

I prefer a bit more stimulation in my quad riding than what I experienced on the well-groomed trails Les Adeptes had created, but luckily for the mellower rider, the club built a vast quantity of them. The first part of the ride was not that exciting, as we rode through a dense forest of dusty logging roads. A bandanna would be of much use during the dry season (summer) in this area. As soon as I thought I couldn't take more riding on wide, powdery roads, we turned off onto a saccharine technical section that kept us busy for the rest of the day. This isn't a place for hard-core technical riding. I rode only a small section of the massive trail system, but there are some more-difficult trails requiring a higher level of skill.

We stopped for lunch at Club Odanak (www3.sympatico.ca/clubodanak/). It is in the middle of nowhere and caters to many ATV fanatics. The waitstaff didn't seem bothered that a bunch of dusty riders walked into their elegantly decorated dining room and sat at their white cloth-covered tables.

The eight-hour journey finished in La Tuque. Tired and hungry, we headed toward the first pub we could find. That evening, I stayed at an amazing bed-and-breakfast called La Maison Claire-Fontaine (www.gites-canada.com/lamaison--claire-fontaine). The owners were beyond friendly, and the hot tub was much appreciated after the long ride.

La Tuque is one of the most-welcoming places for ATV riders I've ever visited. The local government has made it easy for riders to get to the many hotels; the town has an ATV-only road running right through it that gives riders access to some hotels, restaurants and gas stations. The ATV trail is even asphalted in housing areas so as not to disturb residents with any kicked-up dirt.

You will not find trucks or dirt bikes while out and about; the trails are for ATV riding only. The first reason for this is safety. Different vehicles of different sizes (some too wide for the trails) moving at different speeds could generate major problems for a quad. Allowing the other vehicles would not necessarily bring the ATV clubs enough additional memberships (read: additional money) to enable them to afford to make the required trail modifications and resultant repairs. The federation has the responsibility to protect the area. To earn respect from other groups, such as wildlife associations, it has to put its foot down when it comes to its trails and keeps them regulated.

When I asked Carole Jolin, the editor-in-chief of Sentier Quad Magazine, to explain how the FQCQ's trail system is set up, she responded: "It began in the 1980s when small groups of ATV owners were encouraged by their local dealer to get together in order to build a trail in and around their town. It is important to understand that all this work was accomplished by volunteers. These people were courageous and really had a passion for their sport. They determined where they could make their trail and then built it. They sold access rights for their trail to other ATV owners.

"Later on, in '84 or '85, many ATV clubs decided to regroup into a common association. This was the beginning of the ATV federation. The federation's responsibility is to represent the ensemble of all the ATV clubs in order to negotiate at government levels, obtain financial support (other than membership income), provide technical support to the clubs, et cetera."

Every year the federation produces a new provincial trail map with the latest changes. It is a good way to determine where to go riding. For more-detailed information, you can also get a trail map from each ATV club. There is some signage installed along the trails, very similar to ones used on the road system, which gives the ATV rider additional information.

The FQCQ also maintains winter trails using snowbroomers (same as the snowmobile clubs). The geographic location of the winter trails may vary from that of summer trails; you can find them on the FQCQ map.

Riders can make interesting circuits through the trails. Plus, the landscapes are fabulous, the food is great, the people are nice and the money exchange is advantageous for the U.S. tourist.

Pulling a bunch of quads all the way up to Canada is known to cause severe road rage and extra wear and tear on your vehicle. Instead, I suggest you leave your trailer at home and rent a quad there. It would be best to contact the ATV club in the region in which you plan to ride to ask for the nearest rental place or write Carole Jolin at Sentier Quad. She is a great source for information on quad riding in Quebec. Many ATV dealers also offer a rental service.

You'll need to purchase an annual membership pass (sticker) from any of the 140 ATV clubs to ride the trails. The membership card for the trail system is related to the vehicle itself, so in the case of an ATV rented in the province of Quebec, it is already included. If you decide to bring your own rig, you will need to buy a summer membership sticker for $60 Canadian or $100 for a full year. These can also be purchased at most motor-cycle dealers.

Note: I would be a jerk if I didn't thank Carole Jolin, Editor-in-Chief, Magazine Sentier Quad (4545, Pierre De Coubertin, C.P. 1000, Succ. M, Montral, PQ, Canada H1V 3R2; 514/252-3050 ext. 3735).