DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
The Mighty Nuovo Falcone VOC
HTML https://nuovofalcone.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Great Rides
*****************************************************
#Post#: 959--------------------------------------------------
Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: nick949 Date: August 12, 2015, 1:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Whoops- forgot to post this here too.
But, I'll keep this brief because I'll probably write it up more
fully later.
I decided to ride the Nuovo Falcone up the 'North Road' in
northern Quebec. To quote the unofficial web
site:
HTML http://www.jamesbayroad.com/nr/
HTML http://www.jamesbayroad.com/nr/
The North Road (Route du Nord) is an alternate route to reach
the lower part of the James Bay Road. It is a remote road that
runs from near Chibougamau to km 275 of the James Bay Road. It
is 406 km long, and is a modern gravel road with smooth curves
and hills, unpaved for its entire length. There is very little
traffic -- most of the traffic is trucks. The first 154 km are
used by mammoth logging trucks. Use caution! There are numerous
warning signs about them. There are no towns on the road except
for Nemaska, which is 10 km north of this road at km 300. Please
read Driving the North Road before driving this road. This can
be a dangerous road.
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/largemap.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/smallmap.jpg
To get there I had ridden about 1000 kilometres. The NF was
running well - just chugging along, eating miles at it's own
pace.
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate6.jpg
I met this group. For some reason they thought what I was
planning was a bit odd!
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate10.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate5.jpg
About 240 kilometres north of Chibougamau, I got a flat.
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate3.jpg
No problem - I had a spare tube, so I fixed it at the side of
the road and rode on.
About 20 kilometres later, the second tube blew. Now I was in a
bit of a fix. It was 260 kms back to Chibougamau, about 500+
kilometres on to the next town. The First Nations village of
Nemiska - with limited services, lies 40 kilometres north of the
North Road. I had no patch kit!
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate1.jpg
So I camped.
It gets light early (about 4AM), so I got up and did a bit of
McGyvering, jamming the tyre with spruce boughs as tightly as I
could and rode on.
By the time I got to the Rupert River crossing (about 5.30AM) ,
the tyre was toast. If it had been squirming around before - it
was now unrideable.
So I stopped.
And waited.
At 9AM, the first vehicle arrived. Fortunately, it was a crew
doing a survey for Hydro Quebec and they had a satellite phone
(no cell service for hundreds in kms in any direction).
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate7.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate8.jpg
I called Norm (my riding pal from the Trans-Taiga).
'Norm, I'm stuck half way up the North Road - can you rescue
me?". At this point, Norm is 1400 kilometres away in eastern
Ontario.
'Sure!'.
I wait................which isn't too bad because the scenery
is passable.
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate4.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate11.jpg
Norm drove from 10AM until 2AM, slept for 2 hours, then drove
the 230 kms in from the James Bay Road, arriving at the Rupert
River at 7AM. We loaded the bike on his trailer then drove the
1400 kilometres home, arriving at 11PM last night. That, ladies
and gentlemen, is friendship. Boy, do I ever owe him a beer!
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north/plate9.jpg
There were other options, involving many days delay, the
kindness of strangers, shipping tyres to remote destinations
etc. -but I'll recount those more fully later.
Nick
#Post#: 963--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: banquo Date: August 13, 2015, 4:06 am
---------------------------------------------------------
It's a different world out there sure enough. Those distances
are mind boggling.... :o
I wonder if you can buy run-flat tyres for the NF....
I sometines wonder what would happen if you were to fill an
inner tube with expanding foam.
You need to invest in a satellite phone Nick.
And a couple of tubes.... ;)
#Post#: 965--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: nick949 Date: August 13, 2015, 6:00 am
---------------------------------------------------------
a few more pictures..........
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north2/plate6.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north2/plate7.jpg
HTML http://www.adamsheritage.inf
o/images/north2/plate8.jpg
#Post#: 971--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: banquo Date: August 14, 2015, 2:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Not somewhere I'd like to break down with something terminal
Nick. Your pioneering sprit is definitely more advanced than
mine!
#Post#: 972--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: cryospeed1 Date: August 14, 2015, 5:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
It makes my trips to Southport for a bag of chips look a bit
tame! I might have a fish as well next time to add to the
excitement.
#Post#: 989--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: nick949 Date: August 14, 2015, 12:33 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote]It makes my trips to Southport for a bag of chips look a
bit tame! I might have a fish as well next time to add to the
excitement.[/quote]
We play the hand we're dealt. Southport and a bag of chips
sounds good to me too. ;D
Nick
#Post#: 1093--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: nick949 Date: October 16, 2015, 2:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Here's the video (about 10 minutes)
HTML https://youtu.be/y5m0aR6udpI
HTML https://youtu.be/y5m0aR6udpI
Nick
#Post#: 1094--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: banquo Date: October 16, 2015, 4:06 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Good stuff Nick; when's the next book...?
#Post#: 1139--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: Mad99mike Date: November 14, 2015, 12:45 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Hi nick if I had my hat on I would take to you bit different
over here in the uk it's about 1000 miles north to south with a
lot of places in between guess you never be more than 25 miles
from civilisation but I know how you feel it's some achievement
to travel alone in uninhabitaded areas I have been north to
south and east west over here but it's not like what you got
over there hats off as I said anyway glass up rubber down and
safe riding
Regards mike
#Post#: 1140--------------------------------------------------
Re: Disaster in North Quebec - Nuovo Falcone
By: nick949 Date: November 14, 2015, 1:24 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Hi Mike,
Glad you enjoyed it. There are plenty more where that came
from at my Youtube channel at:
HTML https://www.youtube.com/user/nick949eldo/videos
HTML https://www.youtube.com/user/nick949eldo/videos.
You'll need a beer or two and plenty of time
Of course (spam alert), my book Beyond the Coffee Shop: Riding
1970's Moto Guzzis in Northern Canada
HTML http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=beyond+the+coffee+shop
HTML http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=beyond+the+coffee+shop<br
/>is also available if you're feeling flush.
Nick
*****************************************************