Today we said goodbye to the Monts Groulx and boarded Fred’s now familiar yellow bus. Back to Baie-Comeau, where we spent our last emotional evening together.
The territory still to be explored
This morning was the last sunrise over the Manicouagan Reservoir. The sun is shining, and the snowmobilers are revving their engines in a cloud of exhaust fumes as we finish our blueberry pancakes prepared by Sonia, the talented cook at the Uapishka Station.
Then the ritual of loading the equipment began. On one side the dozens of expedition bags in a trailer, and on the other our luggage for the return to normal life in the yellow Attitude Nordique bus where we take our seats.
Fred is at the wheel for the next six hours. Inside, the chatter continues, sometimes giving way to the silence of a general siesta. Outside, the sun continues to shine, and the landscape of spruce trees seems to go on forever. In the distance, we can see snow-capped mountains that we have yet to explore. As for the road, it follows its course, sometimes potholed, sometimes gravelly, sometimes winding and steep.
On the way back, the journey seems shorter, as if we’ve already got used to the area. Then we come to familiar regional landmarks: the impressive Manic 5 dam, the Motel de l’énergie and the Gabriel relay.
Back to the future
And then we arrived in Baie-Comeau. It feels like we left it a long time ago. But nothing seems to have changed, and the streets seem so quiet on this late Saturday afternoon. Even the knowledge that it’s Saturday is a harsh reality check. High up on the Mont Groulx, we had left watches, telephones and calendars behind us to the extent that the mention of hours and days was forbidden.
We’ve tried so hard to live life in the here and now, and now the future is starting to creep into our conversations. We’re already talking about the journey home, going back to work on Monday, and how we’ll keep in touch.
But we’re delighted to be back at the ‘Manoir de Baie-Comeau’, it’s like coming home after a great adventure.
The group’s philosopher
On our last evening together, it doesn’t take much to bring tears to our eyes. Everyone is asked to think of a quality that they attribute to each of the participants, which is then listed on accordion-folded sheets of papers. Philosopher, contemplative, calming, cheerful, good listener, encouraging, dynamic…
Each brought their own qualities to the table, forming a close-knit, complementary and touching group that makes you wonder how it took life so long to bring them together. And as is so often the case, it’s Chandra, now the group’s official philosopher, who finds the right words. In her travel diary she has written a text for each member of the group, which she read out loud this evening to an attentive and emotional audience.
Tomorrow morning we’ll be saying our goodbyes, starting with the members of the Attitude Nordique team, our hosts in the vast Côte-Nord region. In another eight hours we’ll be back in Montreal.
Valérian Mazataud, volunteer photographer and blogger for the On the Tip of the Toes Foundation
Translated by Lorraine Gagnon
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