A Wild Ride on the PPJ Rail Trail

What was supposed to be a relatively easy 40 km ride along the PPJ Rail Trail from Waltham to Fort-Coulonge quickly turned into an adventure I wasn't expecting! The plan was to follow the trail alongside the Ottawa River, enjoying the scenery and making my way to Fort-Coulonge before turning around and heading back. But a storm the day before had other ideas. The trail was littered with fallen trees, and about 7 km into the ride, I came face-to-face with one that wasn't going to let me pass. It was simply too big to get around, leaving me with only one option—turn around. After backtracking, I discovered a steep dirt road that eventually connected me to Highway 148. It wasn't exactly the route I had planned, but I was more than happy to leave the biting insects of the PPJ Trail behind! The unexpected detour eventually paid off. I made it to Fort-Coulonge and was rewarded with a beautiful sight that made the struggle to get there worthwhile. And one correction from the video: I mistakenly said the PPJ Rail Trail follows the Gatineau River. It actually follows the Ottawa River. Fallen trees, steep roads, hungry insects, and an unexpected detour… this definitely wasn't the quiet, easy ride I had planned! Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones you didn't plan for.