Hey friends, this is a special guest post! This post is written by my husband, Cameron. He recently went on an adventure to Long Point, Quebec on his Yamaha Teneré 700 adventure bike - by himself. At the end of each day, Cam wrote down a recap of his day so that he could share the experience with me. Now we are sharing that recap with all of you. Buckle up - it is about to get wild! Side note - want more adventure? Join the email list here!
Day 1 - Eganville to Matagami - 670km
The morning of my departure was grim, to say the least. Dark grey skies and mist was in the air, a great combo to make one skip on the journey, however, I let the moment of hesitation pass over a cup of coffee and a YouTube video by Nomad Sweden. It was hard to say goodbye to my wife and two dogs for the next five days, but even though I was going solo and wouldn't have anyone to share the adventure with, I needed to go. As this was for me and something I set out to do two years ago.
The ride was uneventful at first and I just enjoyed the sound of my motorcycle as the kilometres counted away. It was interesting to test out the new rally exhaust bend and auxiliary fuel tank from Camel ADV. I was curious to see how much further I could get on a tank of gas. It turns out 404.6km with a fully loaded bike averaging a speed of 115 km/h.
As I made my way further up the highway towards my destination, the heavens opened - the rain came pouring down. I made the decision to stop, put on my rain gear and stretch my legs. It was at this point I noticed that my exhaust had melted my rear right turn signal. Luckily it still worked, so I Macgyvered a heat shield with some electrical tape, a spare hose and a hose clamp that I bought at the gas station! I will say Camel ADV did supply a heat shield with their rally pipe bend. However, the signal light I had on that side had stripped its threading and I couldn’t get the shield to stay on tight enough before leaving on the trip.
I can\'t remember the name of the town I was in, nor can I find it on google maps, but I and every other biker managed to all come together and seek shelter under the same rest stop. After a short reprieve, I decided to grin and bear it to get back on the road. It was 184km from this town to the next fuel stop and I knew I wasn't going to make it, but that was the point. How else am I going to test my new tank range?
It was pretty darn close, I will say, about 13km from the gas station when I ran out. The bike started to spit and sputter 1km from a rest stop and I was able to coast it in. Good thing because I had to piss something fierce! With a quick top-up from my jerry can, I was back on the road refilled and relieved. It wasn't long before I got to the real gas station. I refilled my tanks and had a cookie...the only food I had all day, and I was back on the road trying to play catch-up.
However, luck was not on my side as the local PD passed me in the opposite direction and bumped the whalers and I saw the cherries and berries in my mirror. I pulled onto the shoulder expecting the worst but was relieved to have a cop that cared more about my "cool ass" bike and the trip I was on rather than how fast I was going. The cop let me off with a warning and made sure I knew which direction to take up ahead. He also warned me that the road turned to dirt the last 120km or so to Matagami. Which for some would be a concern, however, it was exactly what I was hoping for.
With the new info in hand, I was off again and this time with sun and blue skies on the horizon. I made the turn onto the dirt after about 20km and was on the home stretch to Matagami. The dirt road was well maintained and was used by logging crews to get into the bush and to a remote sawmill. The dirt was a nice change from the pavement, and I decided it was time to have some fun! The Teneré is the perfect bike for these twisty and hilly dirt roads. It feels like a dirt bike and is at home out here. Thanks to all the logging truck drivers that let me pass so I didn’t have to eat their dust the whole way.
With my raingear off and my gloves finally starting to dry out, I made the last river crossing and arrived on the highway to Matagami.
As I pulled into town, there wasn't much to see. Which is the norm in these parts of Canada. I found the only motel in town - The Caribou Motel and got myself a room. Let\'s just say staying here makes me feel like I am on the run or hiding out from the law. But hey, the shower had hot water and the bed was clean. Tomorrow, I make my way to Radisson along the Billy-Diamond Highway.
Day 2 - Matagami to Radisson - 625km
Well, today started off better than I could have hoped - the sun was shining and the temperature was a perfect 22 degrees for my temperate ass.
I stepped off towards the ESSO to get some gas, only to find they were all out. Good thing the Shell across the street had plenty of that high-quality bronze regular for the bike to drink. I filled up my tanks and pointed my compass North towards the start of the Billy-Diamond Highway. I registered at the highway office and passed under the arches.
Through the gates and off I went, throttle wide open and sights set on Radisson. The ride was smooth and the road was in good condition, better than the roads back home if I must say. The further north I went the more the terrain opened up and eventually thinned out into vast boreal forests, bogs and waterways. The most impressive is Rupert River. It\'s easy to see why this area is used so by Quebec Hydro. The other thing that was insane was the huge hydro lines and towers that crossed the landscape and went as far as the eye can see. It made me wonder how long it must have taken to construct it all.
My first stop was at the 381km mark where the only gas and food stop on the highway to Radisson. 20ish litres of gas cost me $50 but the poutine was pretty good, so that made up for it. I believe this camp is for Hydro Quebec crews that work at the LG-3 and LG-4 hydro dams.
After my stop, it was back to the pavement, but other than the wind picking up there was not much to report until I finally made it to the end of the Billy-Diamond Highway and passed a massive power station just outside of Radisson. It is definitely the biggest one I have ever seen. From there it was a short 15 min until I reached town and the hotel. As expected, there isn't much to see in the town. But it is a sight for sore eyes if you have been on the road all day. The town reminded me more of a military base as it resembled many barracks that I have spent my time in. After checking in and having a shower, I went to grab a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant. I had a small, very expensive, but a tasty portion of tortellini.
After dinner, I decided to go check on my melting rear signal light and, in the process, noticed that the vent line from my auxiliary tank had come loose and rubbed my tire so much that it wore a hole right through...FML! A few swear words later, I calmed my ass down and started to figure out how I was going to fix it. Of course, nothing was open at this point and a quick google search showed there are no auto parts stores in town. Fortunately, I had some spare hose left over and it was just long enough to cover the hole. With a hose clamp, two zap straps, electrical tape and some luck, I think I managed to fix it.
At this point, I was back in my room and ready to relax – Oh, and order a new turn signal haha! Suddenly there was a bright flash and then a loud explosion outside. I opened the curtains half expecting to see my bike on fire, but only dark clouds and rain greeted me. A huge thunderstorm had rolled in. Hopefully, it passes, and I can make my destination of Long Point tomorrow.
Day 3 - Radisson / Long Point / LG - 1&2 - 350km
Today was the first day that I wasn\'t in a hurry to hit the road with only about 350km of travel to do in total. I also only had a weather window between 0900 – 1430 where the rain was supposed to let up, so it is not like I could leave any earlier, however, I was still thankful for it considering the storm last night.
I headed to the gas station to top up the bike before heading off on my first two stops on today\'s adventures, Long Point and LG-1. The weather was not as good as I hoped it would be. It wasn't raining but there was a heavy mist that eventually soaked everything right through to the core.
Cold and wet in the first 30km and only 105km to go...one way...I twisted my throttle to make the wet stop faster haha! I figured the faster I get there, the faster I can get out of this wet and cold. Once again, the road didn't provide much in the way of scenery, so I'll skip to the dam.
When I rounded the corner and saw the river on my right, I knew this dam was going to be huge and boy oh boy it did not disappoint. The river itself was impressive, but the fact that humans could control its force is even more impressive. The amount of manpower, machinery, time and materials it must have taken is mind-boggling. I stopped on top of the dam itself to take a few pictures and appreciate the view.
I noticed a lookout point at the bottom of the dam, down the river. So I made my way down to get a view from the bottom. Once there it was even more impressive to see the river and the strength of the current. All I could think was how shitty it would be to fall in. Even the strongest swimmer would have no chance against that current. Just an overall incredible sight, and this wasn\'t even the biggest one.
Leaving LG-1, I continued on my way to Long Point and quickly the road turned to gravel. Naturally, off went the ABS and on came the power, time to let the horses gallop. For the next 50 km, it was playtime. The road was nicely maintained, and I even passed a grader working the roads. As I made my approach to James Bay, I could start to see the ocean and all I could feel was a great sense of accomplishment. I had been wanting to do this trip for a long time and just couldn't manage to get it done thanks to COVID, work and riding partners not being able or willing to commit. Finally, I had made it and solo to boot!
Turning the last corner on the road to the beach, the view was incredible. The weather had cleared up enough for me to be able to sit and enjoy it for a while. To me, nothing makes me appreciate this country more than its immense vast lands and wilderness. We probably have some of the most untouched areas by humans than any other country. To me, it felt like the edge of the world, and I can just imagine how the first people to see this place felt.
I noticed down the beach that the Cree People kept their large canoes they used for fishing on the bay. These were some pretty big canoes and would have to be to handle the rough seas they get used in. Apparently, they can even have ATVs transported in them. The beach was also filled with qamutiiks flipped upside down, eagerly awaiting winter freeze.
I decided that it was a good place to rest and get a hot meal in me. The weather was still holding up. While my ration was heating, the Cree Wildlife Management Officers drove up and gave me a friendly wave as they went to check on the canoes. I'm sure they see weirdos like me here all the time. After I ate my chow, I gave the view of the bay one more long look. Then I threw my butt back on the saddle to head towards LG-2.
Only two things happened on the way back and that was my fuel economy went to shit for some reason and I saw two wolves cross the road.
Passing by Radisson once again, I made my way to LG-2. If I thought the first dam was big, holy crap this one is like five times the size. They basically made a mountain on one side to block the river. Then they carved the Grand Canyon out of the rock on the other side. These spillways looked like something out of Lord of the Rings and have been referred to as the Staircase of the Giants.
The spillway is an impressive 2,835 m long, 30 m wide and 162 m high. The generating station itself is located 137.2 m underground, 6 km downstream from the main dam. It hosts 16 Francis turbines, set up in two groups of eight each making it the largest underground power generation plant in the world. I was able to ride up to the top of the dam and to a lookout point that gave a great view of the whole site. I only wish I was there to see the dam open. Man, that would have been cool.
With all the sights seen for the day, I headed back to Radisson to gas up so I was ready to leave first thing in the morning.
Day 4 - Radisson to Amos - 812 km
Well... this morning didn't get off to a good start. Remember I mentioned my gas mileage went to shit? It's because my tire had a slow leak! FML! Out came the tools again and I gave the tire a pump to see if it would hold air. Sure enough, it did...for now. I headed off in the rain and cold on my 800+ km ride for the day. It was about 50 km that I had travelled before stopping to check my tire pressure.
I pulled over by the airport and decided I would put slime in the tire, otherwise, I would be worried about it the whole ride. I had to deflate the tire to put the slime in and then reinflate it. The process only took about 20 minutes and I was back on the road. My fuel economy was back! Thanks to the rain, 40km/h winds and it only being 9 degrees outside, it all made for one miserable trip back South - I pinned it just to get to Amos as quickly as possible.
The trip was uneventful, other than seeing a few other riders on the road going in the opposite direction. It was nice to know other people are crazy too. At my first stop, I had a chat with two guys about bikes. The first guy was a truck driver that had let me pass him earlier at a construction stop. We got chatting and he told me he had a KTM 690. The other guy worked at the 381km hydro station and had an Africa Twin. The funny thing was they both wanted to sell their bikes and get a Teneré 700.
The rest of the ride to my next fuel stop in Matagami SUCKED, and all I wanted was a hot meal and shower. I did get off the bike at the gas station and just had a walk around inside in the hopes I could warm up. I do think I made record time as I covered 812km in about eight and a half hours. Just keep that to yourselves. I headed back on the highway towards Amos and the clouds started to break and the rain finally stopped. It was a nice change from the last 181 km of that day's ride.
With Amos in sight, I passed the golden arches. Here I stopped for a well-deserved Big Mac & a hot coffee before hitting the gas station and hotel. I made good use of the hair dryer in the hotel room to help dry my boots. I spread out the rest of my gear across any vent I could. Let's just say it smelt like a gym locker room. Sorry to the next people that stayed in there. Tomorrow it's home to my wife and dogs. I can't wait to see them!
Day 5 -Amos to Eganville - 567 km
Good news, the sun is out! Not a bad way to finish off the last leg of my journey home. Two sunny days out of five isn’t terrible, I guess. I mean it could have rained for all five. My only goals for today are to test my fuel economy and make it home in one piece. There was lots of traffic today, but it's to be expected as it’s a Friday and most people are starting their trips, whereas I'm ending mine.
The route home for the most part followed my day one route back. The scenery was more of the same apart from a dump truck upside down in a ditch. It looked like the driver was okay and luckily it was just the homeowner's hedge that caught the brunt of it.
At this point, I couldn’t believe the fuel economy I was getting on the way back. My speed was averaging about 100km, and I had long passed my previous score of 404.6km as I passed 457.6km on the trip meter. However, I was just coming up on the last gas station I would see for the next 100km or so. I decided to fill up so I could make it straight home from here.
The trip came to its conclusion as I made the last turn onto the dirt road towards my house. I pulled into the driveway and happily greeted with a smile from my wife as she opened the garage door for me. A weary traveller safely home after 3,024km, my journey was complete…for now.
Wow! What a journey! Thanks for the ride!