I was kicking around the idea of trying to ride to the Huson Bay area. Looking at a map the roads are almost nonexistant. I woud guess that fuel would be my biggest problem. Any insight or tips would be great Thanks
There was a how to in the AMA mag a few years back. As I remember the shortest way is up to James Bay. The last few hundred miles is on some company road open to the public. There are services at a caculated interval. I know they were to far apart for my 200 mile range but maybe less than 300 miles. Looked very doable but not a rememberable ride for the time and distance involved. I'm dreaming of the Cabot Trail and/or Gaspe, Quebec.
Try this website, http://jamesbayroad.com/ It will give you an idea of the roads and area upto James Bay. Hudsons Bay is a whole different matter. I think the best you can do is take a train to Churchill Manitoba and watch the polar bears feed at the local dump.
...and Highway 6 up to Thompson is a staight boring piece of road, followed by Highway 280, which turns into a muddy skating rink if there's any rain. Then you take the "muskeg express" up to Churchill.
Thanks ZZR Ron If it is just a long flat road I think I'll pass. I would like to find some gravel fire road type of ride with almost zero cars to share it with May be I'll just stay around the Georgain Bay Thanks
The paved James Bay Road (Route de la Baie-James) runs approx 385 miles from Matagami to Radisson. That'll get you pretty close to Hudson Bay, but you may be able to find more info on local roads from the some folks in Radisson. There's one gas stop at Relais 381 at km 381. One option from the Radisson area is the gravel Transtaiga Road that runs east off the Jame Bay Road for about 400 miles. It's a service road for the Hydro-Quebec stations. There are no "official" services but there is 'supposed' to be fuel available at outfitters along the way. The official road ends at Hydro dam at Lake Caniapiscau, but there are local trails that head east further into the bush. It sure would be nice to believe there's a link between there and Trans Labrador Hwy or the rail line at Schefferville, as Caniapiscau & Labrador are pretty close. Another option would be a return from Radisson via the gravel Route du Nord which joins the James Bay Road near about km 274 and runs southeast for about 275 miles to Chibougamu. From there the roads are paved, and you can continue on the Lac Saint-Jean & the Saguenay Fiord and eventually end up at Tadoussac on the St Lawrence River. HTH
Speaking of black flies I assume that they are the worst around May and June...or is it later the farther north you go? I want to go in July or Aug.
If all goes to plan I will be having a look around that patch in July on my DR. I will keep an eye on this thread. Cheers Toddy
If the blackflies don't get you in May and June, the 'skeets will suck the rest of the blood out of you from then till winter. Deep Woods Off really does help though! Or you could just never get off the bike. Ever.
There`s a more interesting way of doing this... :uhhuh 1- Northbound logging roads from St-Michel des Saints (Black X on the map) right up to Chibougamau. 2- Remote northwestbound ''Route du Nord'' from Chibougamau through Nemiscau to the James Bay hiway (between Waskaganish & Eastmain). 3- James Bay hiway north to Wemindji. 4- Very remote Transtaïga road eastbound to Caniapiscau Reservoir on the Québec/Labrador border. We did the ''green road'' on the map last year; we didn`t have enough time to do the Nemiscau road which we might do this year &, if time permits, the Transtaïga also. Last summer, it was hard turning back at this point but this year...
I goth a super sweet ride (03 640 adventure) Now I'm dying to ride. I guess I will start small and just ride to Thunder Bay. Damn this blasted cold April weather.
You don't say where you are??? I have the next couple of days off... a ride to Thunder Bay might be fun!
The section that K2ride shows here going up from St-Michel-des-saints up past Barrage Gouin to Chibougamou is great riding for a 640 loaded for camping. Your choice of wide open logging roads to tight two-track (atv) type stuff. One trail even has a self prolpelled ferry that will hold six or eight bikes, but can be operated by one man no problem. Ridden up there many times. You can get fuel in Parent, Casey, and at Barrage Gouin no problem, with fuel also available at a native village between Parent and Gouin that I can't remember the name of.
Anybody have GPS data for this? GPX or Garmin? Don't feel all that comfortable going off on a logging road with no map or GPS....
BTW, re: Gaspe ... I recommend spending some time in the Saguenay 'fjord' region. Good riding, awesome folks, good kayaking too. Sorry about the threadjack.
Low Adv Rider If you're driving straight up the main road, you really don't need a route plotted as there is only one road. I can plot you the route if you want. PM me and give me some detail of what types of roads you want to ride on and where you would like to start the plot and finish. An example would be "I want to drive county roads through every hick town and village, starting in Windsor and leaving via Vermont."
I'm wanting tracks for the logging roads mentioned. The rest is easy to plot out on mapsource. I have a route with Baie James and Route Du Nord already. Then on to Goose Bay, NewF and Nova Scotia, coast of NB and Maine etc. But, if I can add in a few hundred miles of logging roads, it will make the trip all that more interesting. Just have to order up a pair of TKCs.
Last year at the end of October we were om our way up there from Barrie, made it up to Amos before my riding buddy decided he had enough of the frost and cold weather riding. We then spent 3 days riding around Quebec but a little further south. I will however push for James Bay again this spring. This is far north and summer comes late up there. You will have to choose between cold weather and blackflies. I have this urge thatt I have to dip my hand into the Arctic Ocean, I think it might have something to do with my Viking heritage. Should be a good ride. I was thinking it would take four days plus a day up there looking around.
