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Changing Direction: Bikepacking through Gaspesie & Bas-Saint-Laurent (Video)
Markus Stitz’s latest video documents his 1,350-kilometer bikepacking trip from Matane to Gaspé, showcasing the beauty of Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent in Québec, Canada. Watch “Changing Direction” here…
Changing Direction is a new video from Markus Stitz that follows him on a 1,350-kilometer bikepacking trip from Matane to Gaspé. “This trip reminded me of my round-the-world trip in 2015/16 when I didn’t set off with a fixed itinerary but instead changed my route to adapt to the circumstances I faced. I just went where the nice weather was and the interesting places were. Gaspésie allows for that, and I really enjoyed this more spontaneous approach,” Markus explained. Watch the 10-minute video below, and scroll down for additional photos and the backstory on the project.
Changing Direction documents Markus’ bikepacking trip through Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent on the east coast of Québec, Canada. The name Gaspé is thought to originate with the Mi’kmaq, an Indigenous group of people of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to the areas of Canada’s Atlantic Provinces, and it means “land’s end.”
The first villages along the coast of Gaspésie were only accessible by boat, but then the Intercolonial Railway Line, completed in 1876, brought visitors to the region. The construction of the coastal road was completed in 1929 and made it possible to explore Gaspésie by car. Today, adventure bikes allow people to explore Gaspésie in a different way.
Reflection on the experience, Markus wrote: “Bikepacking trips offer me the opportunity to experience places at my own speed without leaving a trace. Gravel cycling allows me to get to most places, stop more often and be more flexible, to experience Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent in all its facets. Online resources from the bikepacking community & Vélo Québec provided very helpful information for me to explore Gaspésie, and the La Transgaspésie route, featured on BIKEPACKING.com, and La Route verte du Québec from Vélo Québec inspired my trip. I also have a very close personal connection to Gaspésie, which is where my partner and her family are from.”
Further Reading
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