Terrifyingly Vast

[u/christopherbonis]

So I live in Massachusetts. And from my point of view, Maine is huge. And indeed, it’s larger than the rest of New England combined.

And I also think of Maine as super rural. And indeed, it’s the only state on the eastern seaboard with unorganized territory.

…and then I look northward at the Quebec. And it just fills me a sort of terrified, existential awe at its incomprehensible vastness, intensified by the realization that it’s just one portion of Canada—and not even the largest province/territory.

What on Earth goes on up there in the interior of Quebec? How many lakes have humans never even laid eyes on before—much less fished or explored? What does the topography look like? It’s just so massive, so vast, so remote that it’s hard for me even to wrap my head around.

[u/joellapointe1717]

This summer I did a roadtrip to the northernmost accessible village by road in Québec, Radisson. A town mostly there to serve as a base for Hydro-Quebec's workers from the nearby LG2 hydro plant. The vegetation changes drastically between Matagami and Radisson. Up there, it is mostly an open forest of coniferous trees with a bedding of lichen. No trees are worth being harvested so no log economy possible. Full of animal life, I saw a lynx. Foxes are living as stray cats in the village. Full of stupid partrige birds hiding in the brush thinking being protected despite their constant noises... Very good for the lynx!