Winnie the Pooh on Expedition : Rivière Rouge to Nominingue

Just because we're on a #hike4birds, and have a passion for wild birds and their conservation, it doesn't mean we love being woken up by them at 4:30 am.  Several hours before it seemed necessary to be awake, a large and very noisy flock of Canada Geese descended on the river beside our campsite, splashing, honking, and creating a seemingly endless ruckus.  Shortly after this, a group of three American Crows took up positions at various points throughout the campground and proceeded to have a very loud three-way argument. Bon matin! 

Despite the rude awakening we took our time getting up and packing up the campsite.  Today is Saturday, and once again all the campgrounds and motels in the towns ahead of us appeared to be fully reserved for the weekend, so we had another unprecedentedly very short (17 km!) day.  We had several cups of coffee and walked down to the beach, enjoying the sight of multiple small children and large dogs erupting with great enthusiasm and joy onto the sand with cries of 'la plage! la plage!' 

When we couldn't find any more ways to procrastinate we headed back through the campground, again marvelling at the thick clouds of yellow pollen being released by the tall pines overhead.  Hoping the cameras and electronics would survive the drifts of yellow granules, we picked up our packs and headed back to the trail, ready for a new day of adventures.

The first few kilometres on the Sentier Transcanadien really felt like we were on a rail trail - the pathway was a long straight line through a corridor of trees.  One of the things we enjoyed were the periodic history plaques located along its length.  Apparently, archaeological evidence from more than 100 sites in this area indicate that around 4,000 years ago the land was inhabited by the ancestors of the Algonquin People. One group, the Weskarini, or Little Nation, inhabited the areas around the Ottawa, Liève, and Rouge Rivers.  During the early colonial period the Waskarini traded with the French settlers, at times intermarried with them, and allied with them in the wars against the Iroqouis, who were fighting to dominate the region. As colonists began to settle the area the Algonquin Nation was gradually pushed west and north. 

 

 

When we came to the crossroads at Lacoste Station we found a small grassy park with some picnic tables and a covered wooden rest station in the shape of a railway car. In 1903 Lacoste Station was the only railway station in the municipality of Canton Marchand.  It was the largest timber loading station between Mont-Laurier and Sainte-Agathe, and its sidings were used for loading pulp wood, sawed logs, and logs.  It was also a point where mail was delivered and posted, often by an attendant who grabbed the outgoing mail bag from its hook and tossed the deliveries off without the train even slowing down. 

Today there was no visible sign of the old station, but we decided to take a break and enjoy the morning sunshine.  As we sat at the picnic table a male Chestnut-sided Warbler was singing vigorously and persistently from a nearby hedgerow.  A Northern Flicker was flying back and forth across the pasture beyond, feeding young in a stand of pines on the far side.  An American Robin was stealthily gathering insects in an apple tree on the edge of the pasture, and a Blue Jay was moving down the trail looking for caterpillars to feed its babies. 

As we made our way down the next section of trail we were transported back to Newfoundland, which we still dearly miss!  The trail was bordered by fluffy tamaracks, beyond which were beautiful spruce bogs, complete with white blooming bog Labrador tea, pink blooming swamp laurel, and white tussock grass that looked like summer snow.  The tall conical shapes of the spruce trees rose up in a familiar silhouette against the cloudy sky, and many bleached grey snags stood tall in the bog.  The sweet smell of balsam fir took us right back to the T'Railway Trail in Newfoundland.

We spent a long time enjoying this familiar landscape, photographing the stunning reflections, looking for the frogs we could hear calling, and waiting to see if the beaver would emerge from its lodge.  Even the mosquitoes weren't enough to convince us to quicken our pace.  Not just the larger landscape, but also the blooming bunchberries and wild strawberries, and the patches of grey reindeer lichen caught our attention. 

As we slowly made our way to the next section of bog, we stopped to find the Magnolia Warbler we could hear singing out in the brush.  Just as we spotted him, a Common Yellowthroat landed in the tamarack beside us, also collecting food for its young.  Overhead a Tree Swallow was swooping and diving for flying insects, while in the distance a large Turkey Vulture was soaring above the forested hills.  We could hear the persistent calls of an Acadian Flycatcher out in the bog, but we never spotted it.  Its calls were joined by the songs of a White-throated Sparrow, a Song Sparrow, and a Black-capped Chickadee.  A particular highlight was spotting a Swamp Sparrow (possibly an Eastern Swamp Sparrow?).

As we continued down the straight rail trail we began to encounter cyclists out for a Saturday ride.  Although the trail was busier than it has been the past few days, it wasn't nearly as crowded as it was when we were walking the stretch from Laval to Saint-Jérôme to Sainte-Marguerite Station last weekend. 

As the day progressed and the sun came out the trail began to trace the shore of Lac Nominingue.  We could smell and feel the cool lake breeze coming through the trees, but sadly we were separated from the shore by a wide belt of private property.  On one side of us was the road, and on the other large homes and cottages were tucked in among the trees on the shores of the lake.  Many of these were auberges, and the parking lots outside all of them looked very full. 

In this stretch we came across a large white cross on the side of the highway and a history plaque indicating that it marks the spot where the Maison Notre-Dame-Bellerive once stood.  This 200 acre property was managed by the Brothers of Saint Croix, and boasted a three storey residence with a lovely turret. In 1935 it was expanded to include two new wings, six classrooms, a chapel, a rectory, a kitchen, and 110 rooms where people came to be treated for tuberculosis during the summer months.  Later it became a holiday resort, and in 1975 it was demolished and replaced with a smaller structure.  Another piece of interesting history that belongs to the region. 

 

At the edge of Nominingue we came to another small rest area, and took another break.  We had decided to stay in this town tonight, but the auberge where we had booked a room didn't open until 4:00 pm for check-in, and although we'd done our best to doddle and take our time, we were still about three hours too early.  

After a short break we walked the final few kilometres in to Nominingue.  This little village was established in the 1880's by pioneers who were sent by Curé Labelle to develop the mountainous region.  Today it is a hub for outdoor recreation, offering golf, fishing, hunting, biking, boating, swimming, skiing, and snowmobiling.  It is also located near the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve and the Rouge-Matawin Wildlife Reserve. 

 

We sat for a few minutes at the former Canadian Pacific Railway station, which has been converted to a small museum (closed) and rest stop for cyclists.  Then we made our way to Le Petit Café du Nord to see if we could get a bite to eat.  The patio was full of cyclists, and we were happy to join them.  The incredibly kind owners made us absolutely delicious veggie sandwiches, which we enjoyed with a pint from the local microbrewery.  Since we had time to waste, we followed this with a delicious brownie and two cups of espresso, which reminded us of our Caminos in France and Spain.  

 

 

After such a short day of walking, we couldn't help but hear the words to Winnie-the-Pooh's exercise song in our minds as I ate such a large and delicious meal:

When I up, down, touch the ground
It puts me in the mood
Up, down, touch the ground
In the mood (smacking of lips) for food ... 

The staff at the café were incredibly nice, and warned us of approaching bad weather.  Indeed, small patches of very dark clouds were racing through overhead, bringing high winds that overturned the patio umbrellas and pelted us with very heavy though short-lived rain showers.  

 

 

When we checked into the Auberge L'Isle de France we were surprised to discover that the rooms are themed according to different countries.  We are staying in Marrakech, and there are many colourful tiles, a keyhole shaped door, and a large photo of palm trees on the bathroom door.  The place certainly has character, it is spotlessly clean, and the owner is very nice.

 

After doing our chores and catching up on some writing, in true Winnie-the-Pooh fashion we made our way back to Le P'tit Cafe du Nord, lured in by the chef's earlier description of the upcoming dinner.  The food certainly didn't disappoint!  The salad and veggie pizza were amazing, and after so much excellent food we felt full for the first time in days. 

Initially we were a little disappointed with our inability to find anywhere to camp or to stay a little farther down the trail, but today turned out to be full of wonderful surprises. It also reminded us to slow down.  Lately we have become so focused on getting the kilometres done that we've been forgetting to enjoy the sights along the way.  As a result, we've started to question why we're even doing this, but today was a wonderful reminder of the incredible beauty that is out here, and of all the many reasons it is an absolute privilege to do what we are doing.  I think tonight will stand out in our memories as an exceptionally good night on the trail.

 

 

See you on the trail!

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