My kind of morning

Woody, our golden retriever, rousted me out of bed a bit earlier than normal - about 5:15 a.m. I threw on some clothes and walked Woody up the street, along our yard, the neighbors house, an old barn, and fields of hay and corn blanketing the rolling hills. As we walked, the sun was rising over the ridge, the light softened by clouds. I fed Woody, then the chickens (5 hens and a rooster).
I spent the next hour or so gardening - pruning, adding mulch to a couple of peonies, and watering. Woody tagged along. Back in the house, I made some coffee for my partner and me. Had just enough time to do some stretching and strengthening exercises before sitting down for breakfast. Lisa and I usually eat omelets, with fresh eggs from the chickens. Today, I settled for cereal with fresh fruit and yogurt.
I headed out for a bicycle ride about 9 o'clock (having cycled yesterday, Lisa opted for a hike). It was a great ride on back roads through farmland to the town of Saint Fabien. After crossing busy Hwy 132, I rode up and over the ridge to Fabien-sur-Mer, with its small scenic road along the edge of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. This lovely road with seaside homes ends at the far western entrance to Bic National Park. Riding through the forests and meadows of the Park on well-kept gravel paths is a pleasure, but also a bit dicey on my smooth, skinny (25 mm) tires. After riding through the Park, I returned home on Hwy 132, completing a loop of just under 20 miles, according to my Apple watch.
It was a great way to spend the morning. A follow up post will describe the bike ride in more detail.

View from the back road to Saint Fabien from Le Bic

Ride along coastal road in Saint Fabien-sur-Mer

Western entrance to Bic National Park from coastal road in Saint Fabien

A hike to one of the beautiful bays in Bic National Park

On a cool sunny morning we were back at Parc National Du Bic for a short hike to the beautiful bay known as Anse a Mouille-Cul (French is the language of choice here in Quebec Province). From the main visitor center, we took the Le-Chemin-du-Nord and the Cap a l' Original trails, two easy flat trails through a spruce-fir forest. Along the trail, some patches of forest had very dense balsam fir with deep shade and few plants growing in the understory. Other places had a more open forest canopy with more light and plants growing on the forest floor. Among the forest plants encountered were a number of species that occur at high elevations in the southern Appalachians, including mountain wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) and green false hellebore (Veratrum viride). We also saw a number of plants that are restricted to more northerly latitudes, such as twinflower (Linnaea borealis) and bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), two of my favorite plants at high latitudes. Where the trail ends, along the Anse a Mouille-Cul (bay), are a series of rock outcrops sandwiched between the forest and the Saint Lawrence River. Here, we saw some nice flowering clumps of  three tooth cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata), a plant we know from high elevations outcrops in the southern Appalachians, as well as Gieseck's bellflower (Campanula gieseckeana), new to us with numerous striking bell-shaped blue flowers. We also enjoyed the spectacular views of the water in the bay and the peaceful setting. Two kayakers decked out in wet suits and resting on the shore were the only people to be seen in the early morning.

Trailhead sign

Mountain wood sorrel (Oxalis montana)

Green false hellebore (Veratrum viride)

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Dense patch of twinflower (Linnaea borealis)

Twinflower up close. Note how the flowers are in pairs.

Rock outcrop vegetation at Anse a Mouille-Cul, a beautiful bay in Bic National Park

Three tooth cinquefoil (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) on rock outcrop

The striking blue flowers of Giesecke's bellflower
(Campanula gieseckeana) on a rock outcrop

Moths on window sill at Bic National Park Visitor Center

Hiking the Raoul Roy Trail in Bic National Park

The short Raoul Roy trail on the far western part of Bic National Park begins at a belvedere (vista) of the Saint Lawrence River and the adjoining Appalachian Mountains. From the belvedere, the trail winds through a spruce fir forest before reaching a small platform with another enchanting vista of the Appalachian Mountains and the Saint Lawrence River. The trail continues through more spruce-fir forest before entering an early successional field that is likely maintained by occasional mowing. The composition of wildflowers in this open sunny habitat is completely different than that seen in the adjoining forest with a much higher percentage of non-native species.

Trail sign for Belvedere Raoul Roy Trail

Near the first (main) vista platform, look back (south) to see the nearby town of Saint Fabian
with surrounding agricultural fields

Hiking through the spruce fir forest on the Raoul Roy Trail

View from vista on Rail Roy trail

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is common in this forest.
It has a global distribution and is one of the worlds most common plants.

The forest opens up into an open field maintained
by occasional mowing.

Orange hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) is common

Close-up of flower heads of orange hawkweed

Spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) is common.
It's toxic if ingested which can be a problem for grazing animals.

Close up of flowers of Spreading dogbane

The very common oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Smooth bedstraw (Galium mollugo).
Very common plant along roads and in fields.

Close-up of smooth bedstraw

Wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana).
The small red fruits are edible (and very sweet)

Appalachian Mountains along the Saint Lawrence River (Seaway)

Today we visited Bic National Park, entering on the far west side (at Saint Fabian), where we soon took the turnoff to the Raoul Roy Belvedere. A short walk from the parking area takes you to a wonderful vista (belvedere) of the Saint Lawrence River and Bic National Park on the Gaspe Peninsula. The impressive spruce-fir covered ridge to your right is part of the Appalachian Mountains which drop steeply to the Saint Lawrence River (Seaway). Bic National Park is a wonderful place to experience both the "sea", including seals basking on algae covered rocks and the smell of salt in the air, as well as the lush vegetation of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Appalachian Mountains and
the Saint Lawrence Seaway in Bic National Park

Kayaking along the Saint Lawrence River (Seaway) near Le Bic National Park
with the Appalachian Mountains in the background

One can see seals basking on large rocks near the shore in Bic National Park




Whales can be seen in the Saint Lawrence Seaway

First Bike Ride in Bic National Park

My partner, Lisa, has not owned a bike in quite a few years, but with lots of bike trails in Bic National Park, whose entrance is only about 2 km down the road from our house, she bought a  hybrid bike, good on both pavement and the gravel trails in the Park. Here she is on her first ride, taking a break to admire the view of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in Bic National Park.

Lisa taking in the view at Bic National Park