Schwalbe Duremes 26x2

[mickeg]

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George, the Duremes I have are from the special SJSC batch and are labeled "Double Defense Evolution Line" with no other markings for tandem. I also have supremes, the suppleness (is that a word?) is comparable to the Duremes. The Duremes do roll well, and quiet for a tire that can also handle trails. On tour, we are often seeking trails to ride if not an ATV path, so I appreciate the multi-surface capability.
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Sounds like the special batch that SJS got were the good ones then.

The Tandem Ready one I got also says double carcass, so that likely explains the stiffer sidewalls.  And that is why I might put it on the front if I do any more off road tours with my Nomad Mk II.

My Sherpa, if a tour is likely to be almost all on pavement (tarmac), I use 40mm wide Marathons (with Greenguard).  But if there might be a significant amount of gravel or off road, I use 50mm Dureme (Double Defense) on front and a 50mm wide Marathon Extreme in rear.

My Nomad Mk II, my past tours were on Marathon Extremes front and rear, 57mm wide.  But I could see using my Tandem Ready Dureme on front on a tour with that bike.  I suspect that the double carcass would make it a bit stiffer and slower than the 57mm Extreme, but I like having my most robustly constructed tire on front.

[John Saxby]

Mike,

"Suppleness" is indeed a word, and a good one too!

If we can enter Canada next year, Gaspe is in our sites again. Good luck with a tour in late August, sounds wonderful. Route Verte I presume?

You can enter Canada w.e.f. Monday, Aug. 9. No quarantine if you're doubly vaccinated, tho' a COVID test is required.  So you should be Ok in 2022, as well.  Be wise to re-check come spring, tho'

Give a shout if you will be cycling the Gaspé.  I didn't do a journal on our circuit in 2010, but I still have quite a few notes on accomm, campsites, etc.  Do make sure your brake pads are in good nick.  I'd go counter-clockwise to avoid 17% and 24% climbs -- but your brake pads will be tested by the corresponding descents!

My mini-tour-in-the-planning will incl a couple of bits of Route verte sections. There are good regional routes in Qué, tho', which intersect with la Route verte.  In the Ottawa Valley, we have several, some of which criss-cross the river into both Ont & Qué.  A recent one is the 800 km "Log-Driver's Waltz" bikepacking route. 

The Valley and its tributaries on both sides have a long history of logging, now embedded in both popular and official culture.

"The Log-Driver's Waltz" is a delightful song by Wade Hemsworth (who also penned the (in)famous, "The Blackfly").  This, from the National Film Board, features a duet by the young Kate and Anna McGarrigle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsZZ2s3xv8

Malak Karsh, photographer extraordinaire, lived and worked in Ottawa for decades, and created compelling photos of the draveurs' life on the rivers and neighbouring landscapes. (His brother, the more famous Yousuf, did portraits, good 'uns to be sure, but I found his subjects intrigued me far less than Malak's.)

Cheers,  J.

[hendrich]

"The Log-Driver's Waltz" is a delightful song by Wade Hemsworth (who also penned the (in)famous, "The Blackfly").  This, from the National Film Board, features a duet by the young Kate and Anna McGarrigle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsZZ2s3xv8

Great video! I whitewater kayak and learned early on to avoid "strainers", which are trapped logs on a river and are deadly. The log drivers make my head spin.

Our plan (next year) is to add a loop of Saint-Jean lake to the Montréal/Gaspe loop. Perhaps CCW this time, although the prevailing western winds along the St. Lawrence are nice for CW direction. I found a map of the Log-Driver's Waltz trail. Is it mostly single track with a dirt surface, not so good for standard pannier-tour bike? There is a route verte from Ottawa to Montréal along the Ottawa river. Have you rode this, what's your opinion of it?
Mike

[John Saxby]

Thanks, Mike.

With gigantic apologies, I mixed up my clock-directions for the Gaspé:  I did my circuit clockwise: Starting in Matapédia & heading N & E to Matane, then E along the N shore of the Gaspé, S round the tip, then W along the coast of Baie des Châleurs to finish up in Matapédia.

There was one tough climb near the NE tip of the peninsula, about 12-14% if memory serves.  But, we encountered a 17% downhill in that area--meeting a couple of cyclists climbing, and I thought, "So glad I'm going downhill!"

There was another fierce downhill towards Gaspé village; and then, further along the South Shore, there was a 24% downhill into Percé village.  My buddy Jim & I ducked that, deciding to take the truck route instead; and happily, there weren't any trucks that day.

The winds can blow W-to-E in the morning, and then flip 180 degrees at midday...That happened to us on the N Shore. On the S shore, we did 140 kms one day with a tail wind, starting just W of Gaspé village.  A day later, we did 60 kms in 6 hours, after the tailwind flipped overnight

I've not ridden the loop to Lac St-Jean, but I'm told it's splendid.

(One thing you might consider: have a listen to the songs of Gilles Vigneault, Québec's national poet/chanteur.  Two I'd recommend are: "Mon pays" and "Gens de pays".  For many of a certain generation, the latter is a national anthem.  You can get the French lyrics easily enough; the English version works quite well for "Mon pays", less so for "Gens de pays". If people learn that you know Vigneault's songs, they'll be surprised and delighted.)

On the "Log-Driver's Waltz" trail, I understand it's a mix of quiet tarmac, gravel, some logging roads, and some single-track. My route will be secondary/tertiary tarmac & some gravel.  Can send you a map when I get it done, if you're interested.

I've travelled part of the Rte Verte #1, along the Ottawa River E of Ottawa/Gatineau towards Papineauville & the Chateau Montebello.  (Ottawa is on the Ontario side of the river.)  It's a mix of quiet roads & bike paths, all well-marked. There are some stretches on Hwy 148, the original main road beside the river, but those all have well-surfaced wide shoulders. (Québec generally is far superior to Ontario in providing paved shoulders for cyclists.  The Rte Verte people have done their work well.)

Cheers,  John