Background

Starting around the end of the 1980s, mountain-biking enthusiasts began to pedal along the trails in the wooded areas and mountains around East Hereford. Although the existence of the trails was by no means obvious, they were everywhere. Out of fear of getting lost, the bikers tended not to stray very far. Furthermore, trail conditions sometimes fell short of what they could be.

Nevertheless, as the result of the determination of the pioneers and their drive to connect the trails, mountain biking quickly became a prominent activity in the region. People organized cycling outings and discovered trails and landscapes all around the area.

Jean D'Avignon was one of these people, one of the pioneers who mapped out and marked most of the trails. He also took part in a lot of other sports, such as riding motorcycles and downhill skiing. He was nevertheless really struck by mountain biking and devoted all his summers to it. He blazed the Coaticook Gorge trail, which now bears his name.

Everyone put something of themselves into the village, not just into the trails. Indeed, many major landowners allowed bikers on their properties. Through the efforts of these people, a 80-km trail was set up.

In 1991, East Hereford's recreation department organized a day of mountain biking for real enthusiasts. It was already biking madness. People kept asking for more and the event became an annual get-together. As a result, the event grew and was extended to take in the entire weekend. There was an outing and, on Sunday, a competition. The weekend became a summer festival and East Hereford's popularity as a destination for mountain biking continued to grow year after year.

In 1999, 3 days before the Circuits Frontières event, Jean was killed in a traffic accident. He had just been working on preparations for the weekend's activities. The event, held nonetheless in his honor, was very moving. More than 250 cyclists spent the weekend at what was the last cycling event in East Hereford. Mountain biking in the region experienced a slowdown, putting the trails and their maintenance in jeopardy.

Nevertheless, people missed the event and the village kept receiving a growing number of requests to reinstate the event.

It staged a triomphant return in 2005,. Since then, the raid/marathon has been part of the FQSC raid cup. In keeping with the East Hereford tradition, there is a family outing and we always sit down to a spaghetti dinner with the mayor and his famous sauce.

The fourth edition will be held in 2008. Everything indicates that the raid is becoming the annual gathering that nature-loving cyclists just won't want to miss.

Click here for photos from the 1993 edition.