50 years ago, in February 1974, Bob Petit, accompanied by two journalists, achieved a historic first: to link Mont-Laurier to Quebec City by taking the Trans-Québec 3 trail. This was the first step in connecting Quebec’s regions through a network of federated trails, Bob Petit’s goal.
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this event, a free Souvenir Ride will be organized on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, starting from the Super Glissades Matha, a site that offers ample parking for trailers.
RIDE AND COMMEMORATION DINNER WITH BOB PETIT AT BISTRO MATHA
Bob Petit will be on hand to share his memories and anecdotes with the participants. He will be accompanied by Joe Salvas, the master of the house. The leader of the caravan will be Sylvain Malo, a dedicated snowmobiler who is familiar with the Trans-Québec 3 trail.
The Souvenir ride will take place on the trails of the Lanaudière region, including a part on the Trans-Québec quad, now renamed the Bob Petit Trail in Lanaudière.
Departure will be at 10 a.m., after a lunch on site at Bistro Matha starting at 8 a.m. The caravan will set off along trail 341 in the direction of Saint-Zénon.
Lunch will take place at the Auberge le Cabanon in Saint-Zénon, a well-known place for snowmobilers. In the afternoon, participants will head to Auberge La Glacière, La Barrière outfitter, and Domaine Bazinet in Sainte-Émilie-de-l’Énergie. Then the caravan will return to the Matha Super Slides around 5:15 p.m., after covering approximately 154 km of trails.
The 50th Anniversary Dinner will be held at Bistro Matha, where you can enjoy a passionate atmosphere and a varied menu.
If you wish to participate in the 50th Anniversary Dinner at Bistro Matha, you must reserve your spot by calling 450-886-9321, ext. 310.
For more information, you can visit Bob Petit’s Facebook page.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to relive a significant moment in the history of snowmobiling in Quebec!
History in 1974
Bob Petit, the pioneer of snowmobile trails in Quebec, needs no introduction. He came up with the idea of creating marked trails to connect municipalities to each other, for greater safety and to facilitate tourism between Quebec provinces.
It was a way to make recreation safer and more accessible. He didn’t want other snowmobilers to suffer the same fate as him or his friends. In 1967, Bob Petit was the victim of a serious snowmobile accident that left him with multiple fractures and a long convalescence. It was at this time that he imagined and developed the first trails maintained with approved yellow and green signage. Some of them passed on private land thanks to the acquisition of rights of way signed with landowners.
In 1974, he inaugurated the first 803 km snowmobile trail linking Mont-Laurier to Quebec City, the Trans-Québec Trail 3. Part of the trail in Lanaudière was renamed Bob Petit Trail, in his honour, in 2015.
For this first original ride, Bob Petit was accompanied by two journalists, Claude Rondeau of the Journal des Échos de Berthier and Yves Champoux of the Nouvelliste de Trois-Rivières. During their journey from Mont-Laurier to Quebec City, they met with a dozen clubs to promote the interconnection between the clubs and to extend the trail network, which now includes more than 33,000 kilometres of trails.
Conduct of the event
- 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.: Lunch on site at Bistro Matha
- 10 a.m.: departure of the souvenir caravan, the Super Glissades Matha, 12 p.m.: Lunch at the Auberge le Cabanon in Saint-Zénon
- 5:15 p.m.: Return of the caravan
- 6:30 p.m.: 50th Anniversary Dinner at Bistro Matha
Information and reservations: 450 886-9321, ext. 310
Accommodation is available at Auberge Matha, 450 886-9321, ext. 3
