Parc National Frontenac - Arrival

View from campsite Rats Musques #19

I'd never travelled where Parc Frontenac was before. I'd gone to Sherbrooke a few times over the years, first to see my daughter's father's family around the time they were born, and then a few times to go interview University students. I've been to Hemmingford once as well, to go to Parc Safari, and in my youth I've been down the Richelieu to Lake Champlain. All those locations are in the Eastern Townships but closer to the US border. Here I was going  towards the centre of Quebec and the Appalachians.

It's funny whenever I've wanted to go camping or for holidays it always seemed natural to go towards the Laurentians. I've camped in Rawdon and around the Laurentians so often, especially at Parc du Mont Tremblant.  I also spent part of my youth skiing at Tremblant. Probably the biggest ski hill I've been to in Quebec, though I have not downhill skied since the birth of my eldest more then 24 years ago.  I figure with osteoporosis I could probably do sports that are less dangerous to my bone health! Of course I've also spent a lot of time as well in St Jovite.  Might be fun to go see the lake where I spent so much time in sailboats like 30 years later. 

So anyhow we took the Mercier Bridge out of Montreal, then followed the 132 to the 30, then the 20 going towards Quebec City. After which we took an exit around Victoriaville, where we took the 261, that met up with the 161 and meandered our way towards Lambton.  We did make a pit stop in Victoriaville and it's funny we drove it up and down in what seemed to be main streets in search of a McD's and finally gave up when we found a burger king only to realize about 3 minutes after we ate and left the burger king that the Mc d's was just down that particular road.   

View from campsite

In and around Victoriaville the large amounts of water dumped on Quebec by Irene were clearly visible. Some areas of low land were submerged I figure into up to a meter of water [about 3 ft]. Some homes were just on hte edge of large puddles, and you know when there is water all around the home, the likelihood of the basement to be flooded is very high. Though admittedly if you live in a low area with high water tables you will have one or more sump pumps in your basement, but after such major rain fall sometimes it isn't enough. 

I don't think there was a lake, river or pond that wasn't swelled with runoff from all the rain that fell. Most lakes rivers and ponds were of a brown colour and the water was cloudy. Clearly  all the handiwork of Irene.  We weren't even in the area's of Quebec hardest hit by Irene either.

Everlastings

It took us longer then expected because I suppose we went around the lake instead of coming in through Thetford Mines. Mind you I enjoyed just seeing towns and places I'd never been to. Besides we stopped in Lambton -  this was a town I'd heard of when I was 12. The neighbours that moved in front of my parents house, had moved to Montreal from Lambton.  So it was cool to see this town, which probably no longer looked like anything it was 30 years ago, but to see it's location. It's very pretty and sparsely populated out there. Love it :) 

We made it to the park's welcome centre probably around 6pm.  We toured the camping spots and chose one with both good tarping potential and nice view/easy access to the water.  We chose lot 19 at les rats Musques camping.  It had enough shade as well and we managed to tarp well enough that very little water got into any of our things. 

Spectacular sunset

It was a clear night, it was fun to see so many stars where in Montreal you can hardly see anything on a clear night. We heard the loons singing and also what I suspect were geese. We heard some owls, and she saw some bats.  Out of the 31 spots in that camping, only 2 were taken, ours and #5, an older couple so it was incredibly peaceful.