August was now over and fall was slowly starting to settle in Quebec. We received an invitation to go camping on a private property located somewhere north of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts. Our good friends Marie-Ève and Alex wanted to show us their secret off the grid spot that was very well isolated in the mountains. We knew that Blue Bird was up for the challenge and we accepted to follow them! On our way from Montreal, we stopped at La Caillette restaurant in the small village of Maskinongé. It's a must-see snack bar that offers one of the best poutines in the province with their fresh cheese of the day! We also took the time to taste their refreshing delicious milkshakes. After visiting this restaurant, we will always remember their rustic decor and the multiple cow heads moving on the wall.
After lunch, we followed our friends on some country roads and took the 349 which leads to Saint-Alexis-des-Monts. We observe the beautiful landscapes and we take the time to relax on the road. We must always slow down and adapt to the road to avoid breaking another bearing! We always drive with the fear of having another break down but it won't stop us. We have a clear view in front of us but a long line of cars is gathering right behind. Sorry Marie-Ève and Alex, we could have reached our destination an hour earlier with a normal car! We stopped at the village grocery store to get some supplies before heading into the forest. We had to back up to the end of the parking lot to find a place big enough for the bus. That's the vanlife experience!
The last part of the ride was full of suspense. A gravel road under construction with bumps, hills and slippery slopes. There was even an entire family of wild turkeys chilling along the side! On this kind of road, our bus has to go at 22km/h to be comfortable. As soon as we try to go faster, we immediately hear the dishes, pots and pans bouncing around and hitting together. Very loud and unpleasant sounds came from the back of the bus! The last little part of the road was not in good condition at all. There was no gravel on the ground, it was more like deep sand with big rocks sticking out in a few places. We were very close to the camp and we had to gain momentum to climb this deadly slope. We had to keep the momentum and not slip while trying to avoid the big rocks on the ground. At this moment, I made another bad vanlife decision! Let's try to get up this ugly hill! The bus drifted in the sand and we slid down to the side of the road. We got stuck in the middle of the slope, the bus was diagonal and the backside was getting dangerously close to the ditch. It was impossible to move forward and going backwards was not an option. We didn't want the bus to fall in the hole and risk to tip over! We had to go forward to get the bus in a straight line to be able to go backwards and down the slope! To regain traction, we had to dig into the sand until the ground surface was more solid. I used a small gardening shovel from the bus and Alex helped me with a larger shovel he found at the camp. We had no control in the sand, no matter which way we turned the wheel. While trying to move the bus, the wheels jammed, I hit the brakes and slid sideways again! I managed to straighten the bus by going forward and backward several times but between each attempt I had to clear the sand around the tires to avoid sliding. A nightmare! The moral of the story: get to know your van's limits and respect them!
We decided to park the bus at the bottom of the slope for the night. It was not too bad, we had to walk 5 minutes to join our friends. Marie-Ève and Alex were settled in a little wooden shelter. It was like a little cabin. There was enough room inside for a few beds, a table, a small kitchen and a wood stove. On their terrace, there was a BBQ and a large table. There was also a small toilet on site. The perfect place to camp under the stars! We managed to relax after the stressful late afternoon drifting in the sand.
The beer was tasty that night and we deserved it! We cooked a very comforting macaroni and cheese to warm us up and tried a board game in the shelter. The wood stove was appreciated because it was around 10°C during the evening. Before going to sleep, we went to the toilet and there was a huge spider looking at us from the ceiling. Everybody was disgusted by this big bug. Everybody but me, I like spiders, they're pretty impressive!
Then we had to walk a few minutes through the dark forest to get to the bus. The stars were beautiful that night but being alone in the middle of a forest can be scary sometimes. It's possible to meet a moose or even a bear, you never know! We slept very well with the fresh air and a little rain lapping on the roof of the van. A nice relaxing vibe. The next morning, we invited our friends to come for breakfast in the bus. On the menu: scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, fruits and coffee!
Once our bellies were full, we went for a hike to explore the area. We managed to walk down a very steep and slippery trail that led to a beautiful river. Then, we got caught by the rain and went back to the shelter to warm up.
The wood stove dried our clothes and we enjoyed the rest of the day playing board games and sharing good meals. The next day, it was already time to leave for Montreal. A big thank you to our friends for this memorable weekend, we shared unforgettable moments together!
mryksiqjkr
October 22, 2024
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?