Day 8 of our Quebec adventure: 43 miles to a lake in North Hatley

This was a day for gravel riders: ups and downs, curves and swooshes, through the woods and along a lake.

We were mostly following Route Verte 1, but sometimes the trail wasn’t quite up to snuff — too narrow or rougher than finely crushed stone — and it was just a regional trail.

Still damn nice, we thought.

No ruts from heavy rains. Is it always like this, or did someone pull out the red carpet for us and smooth it out with a roller?

And busy on a Monday with riders of all ages, particularly from Sherbrooke south to North Hatley, on the shores of Lake Massawippi. Many were on e-bikes or with families.

Of course there was an ice cream stop. Did you even need to ask? Thumbs up for a local brand called Coaticook. I gave in and finally had maple syrup ice cream; this one had crunchy chunks of crystallized maple syrup. And the cherry chocolate amaretto! Can I have that one again?

After 43 miles, we ended at a private house on a lake, thanks to friends of our temporary sixth rider. The sprawling house dates back to Prohibition, and this was the first stop in Canada after crossing the border 20-25 miles away. So rich Americans built themselves “cottages” and enjoyed their liquor.

We headed to the lake, though just the thought of cold lake water kept me firmly on the boat dock. An apero of cheese and baguette on the porch looking out to the lake. Then dinner at the “casual” side of a fancy restaurant and five-star hotel, where poutine is fancied up with duck and grilled mushrooms.

We’ve now had day after day of well-maintained bike trails in Quebec and have one simple question: why can’t we have this at home?

That would be more long-distance trails, better signage and then more of a network that included sections that maybe are graded a B rather than an A. And brochures that suggest shorter rides and loops.

Of course we have some lovely trails in the U.S. And lovely long ones. Great Allegheny Passage. Ohio to Erie Trail. The Erie Canal and the rest of the Empire State Trail. Tucson’s Loop. Just to name a few. But not as many as in Quebec, which is more than twice the size of Texas but with only 9 million people (vs 31 million). And remember, we’re just biking in the most populated part of the province, nowhere near its tundra and subarctic regions.

The seamless connection from one trail to another, both part of the same Route Verte trail, is part of the appeal. One day the East Coast Greenway and the Great American Rail-Trail will do that. But so is having options because other trails peel off from this trunk line.

Part of the answer, of course, is that Americans as a whole are obsessed with ever-lower taxes. Canadians seem prepared to pay more as long as they get the services they expect.

Both countries are car-centric. Is the U.S. that much more? I’ll go with Canadians overall appreciate the outdoors more than Americans, and these paths have extra appeal when they become crosscountry ski trails (or even snowmobile routes?) in the winter.

Does it take longer to go through the approval and funding process to build a trail in the U.S.? But our second Warmshowers host told us it took 15 years to get changes made by a school after people said it was dangerous for kids. The challenges are everywhere.

Do trails get promoted better? We have seen so many brochures, and it’s not just because it’s a year in which Canadians prefer to vacation at home rather than cross the border.

Or do we not fully appreciate what we have at home because it’s so familiar?

Whatever the reason, thank you Velo Quebec for your advocacy work over the decades.

Here’s our route.

Day 9: We climb some big hills. And then it’s all downhill.