It is a beautiful morning and we are off to Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Cavendish National Historic Site. The bike is dry because we have covered parking at Sunny Isles motel and we have enough dry riding gear to make this trip to the sites that pay tribute to Anne of Green Gables. We take a Hwy 107, a road we haven’t travelled that has a construction zone just like almost every other route on this island. We are first in line at the traffic control point and able to speak to the traffic control person who confirms that there is construction almost everywhere this year, far in excess to what she has seen in previous years. She reminds us that the road construction season is very short on PEI.
At the picturesque town of Stanley Bridge we turn onto Hwy 6 which takes us on to Cavendish. We ride through a very scenic landscape composed of red sandstone bluffs, white sand beaches and rolling farm fields. Parks Canada has preserved both Green Gables and Montgomery’s grandparents homestead where she live for half her life. The house and grounds depict a typical PEI farm of the late 1800’s although the fields have become a golf course. It is a very peaceful beautiful setting that inspired Montgomery throughout her writing career.
We drive back to Stanley Bridge to lunch on the outdoor patio of Carr’s Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant has a panoramic view of New London Bay, the farms at the edge of the town, the wharves, and the bridge where teenagers are jumping into the water. Anywhere in the world the combination of warm weather and water guarantees that the teenagers will find the highest point and jump off it. We enjoy a traditional PEI lunch of steamed mussels and raspberry cordial. We follow Route 20, a beautiful ride that takes us to French River, the Lake of Shining Waters and gorgeous Malpeque village, famous for its briny oysters.
It’s mid afternoon so we head back to our motel, as we have a bit of laundry to do and gear to dry, but not before picking up a huge cooked lobster for our dinner. Yum Yum! PEI is a great province for picnicking as there are many roadside markets for both vegetables and seafood.
With the laundry done and drying in the sun, Marlene heads to downtown Summerside to check out some of the heritage buildings and do some window shopping at Spinnakers Landing. She is particularly interested in the authentic island arts and crafts that can be found here.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Mother Nature’s Wash Day
Early start and a ride to Cornwall, just on the outskirts of Charlottetown, where the motorcycle will be serviced at the local Harley Davidson dealer, Red Rock. The forecast is for rain but it has rained hard overnight so we are optimistic that the day will brighten up. There is nothing like a long motorcycle trip for making you a devotee of weather forecasts: we watch them on TV, listen to them on radio, search for them online, and discuss them endlessly with our fellow travellers.
Barry opts to remain at Red Rock HD with his baby while Marlene takes the time to tour Cows Creamery, to learn the finer points of making ice cream, cheddar cheese, and T-shirts. Cows Creamery is a small factory that has enjoyed enormous success with tourists - a no-brainer actually, as PEI has many dairy farms and almost all tourists buy ice cream, T-shirts and local cheese. The tour is lead by very enthusiastic teenagers and the tour script employs every word that they can insert cow into. The T-shirts also have some very clever cow logos on them and have become collectors’ items for people with cow fetishes. Just about the time you never want to hear the word cow again, the tour is over (about 35 minutes) and you enjoy a samples of cheese and ice cream. There is also a small outlet mall on the site, however, PEI is not a shopping destination unless you want souvenirs or fresh seafood.
With the bike service complete and the necessary T-shirts purchased, we go to Maggie’s restaurant for an excellent lunch of grilled haddock.
We are off to see the sights of Charlottetown, famous as the birthplace of Canada’s Confederation. Currently Charlottetown is a centre for commerce, education, and tourism. PEI must be one of those places that heaves a great sigh of relief when the tourists leave for the winter. Although Charlottetown only has a population of about 35,000 the traffic is horrendous today. We check out Founder’s Hall, Great George Street, and Peake’s Wharf with many other tourists. It is our intention to visit Cavendish in the late afternoon but the sky is looking very dark as we set out with high hopes and an eye on the weather. We decide to take Hwy 2 toward Cavendish, just in case the weather decides not to cooperate we can easily head down Summerside (we think). A few minutes later the worst happens and the rain begins pelting down. With the combination of large numbers of tourists and the heavy rain, traffic if moving quite slowly on Hwy 2, which is fine for us until we hit construction near Hunter River. The land is rolling agricultural and we are able to see a long way down the highway and observe the traffic is backed up for close to 2 kms. We decide to turn around to take alternate route along a country road (paved but lots of bumps) to Hwy 225 which will connect with Hwy 1A to take us back to our motel.
By the time we reach Hwy 225 the rain begins to fall harder, if that’s possible, which really reduces visibility and the wind picks up considerably with gusts that threaten to push the bike across a lane on the highway. We feel fortunate that there is no lightening as that would have forced us to stop and take cover somewhere. Storm riding is dangerous and difficult without the added concern of trying to navigate an unplanned route on unknown roads. Marlene’s map begins to disintegrate in the rain but she has committed the route to memory and gets us to the motel. In our years of riding this is the second worst storm we have survived and we’re fairly unnerved after over an hour in heavy rain and wind on unknown roads. We end up being soaked through our rain gear although not really cold as the temperature is about 25C. The humidity is at 100% and more than that in our motel room and we wonder if our gear will ever dry. Time for a cool beer and sandwiches for supper as we’re not venturing out again. The microwave comes in very handy for Marlene’s favourite supper - POPCORN!
Barry opts to remain at Red Rock HD with his baby while Marlene takes the time to tour Cows Creamery, to learn the finer points of making ice cream, cheddar cheese, and T-shirts. Cows Creamery is a small factory that has enjoyed enormous success with tourists - a no-brainer actually, as PEI has many dairy farms and almost all tourists buy ice cream, T-shirts and local cheese. The tour is lead by very enthusiastic teenagers and the tour script employs every word that they can insert cow into. The T-shirts also have some very clever cow logos on them and have become collectors’ items for people with cow fetishes. Just about the time you never want to hear the word cow again, the tour is over (about 35 minutes) and you enjoy a samples of cheese and ice cream. There is also a small outlet mall on the site, however, PEI is not a shopping destination unless you want souvenirs or fresh seafood.
With the bike service complete and the necessary T-shirts purchased, we go to Maggie’s restaurant for an excellent lunch of grilled haddock.
We are off to see the sights of Charlottetown, famous as the birthplace of Canada’s Confederation. Currently Charlottetown is a centre for commerce, education, and tourism. PEI must be one of those places that heaves a great sigh of relief when the tourists leave for the winter. Although Charlottetown only has a population of about 35,000 the traffic is horrendous today. We check out Founder’s Hall, Great George Street, and Peake’s Wharf with many other tourists. It is our intention to visit Cavendish in the late afternoon but the sky is looking very dark as we set out with high hopes and an eye on the weather. We decide to take Hwy 2 toward Cavendish, just in case the weather decides not to cooperate we can easily head down Summerside (we think). A few minutes later the worst happens and the rain begins pelting down. With the combination of large numbers of tourists and the heavy rain, traffic if moving quite slowly on Hwy 2, which is fine for us until we hit construction near Hunter River. The land is rolling agricultural and we are able to see a long way down the highway and observe the traffic is backed up for close to 2 kms. We decide to turn around to take alternate route along a country road (paved but lots of bumps) to Hwy 225 which will connect with Hwy 1A to take us back to our motel.
By the time we reach Hwy 225 the rain begins to fall harder, if that’s possible, which really reduces visibility and the wind picks up considerably with gusts that threaten to push the bike across a lane on the highway. We feel fortunate that there is no lightening as that would have forced us to stop and take cover somewhere. Storm riding is dangerous and difficult without the added concern of trying to navigate an unplanned route on unknown roads. Marlene’s map begins to disintegrate in the rain but she has committed the route to memory and gets us to the motel. In our years of riding this is the second worst storm we have survived and we’re fairly unnerved after over an hour in heavy rain and wind on unknown roads. We end up being soaked through our rain gear although not really cold as the temperature is about 25C. The humidity is at 100% and more than that in our motel room and we wonder if our gear will ever dry. Time for a cool beer and sandwiches for supper as we’re not venturing out again. The microwave comes in very handy for Marlene’s favourite supper - POPCORN!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Joy Riding
We set off riding the south shore of the central coast from Summerside to Charlottetown with a stop in Victoria-by-the-Sea which is a small village that time seems to have passed by. There are children building red sand castles on a red sand beach! Prince Edward Island has three counties and this is Queens County. We take the by-pass around Charlottetown, the provincial capital, because we’re saving it for tomorrow as the forecast is for rain. We cross the Hillsborough River that divides the metro area and soon enter Kings County to begin the Points East Coastal Drive.
This coastal drive boasts four lighthouses, an outstanding golf course, some of the best beaches on the island, and some spectacular dunes. This eastern route is also the way to the Woods Island Ferry to Nova Scotia and the ferry to the Quebec Iles-de-la-Madeleine, neither of which we will take, as we want to ride the Confederation Bridge again. The scenery is gorgeous and the road is fairly smooth although there is a little construction. At Souris we stop for our picnic lunch as there is a rest area on the beach with a great view of the area. The water is warm as the tide is coming in and we do some wading after lunch. Our plan is to have a swim at Basin Head where the sand “sings” , however, hundreds of other bathers have the same idea so after we snap some pictures and walk on the sand we carry on.
We ride out to the East Point Light House as it is the most easterly part of PEI, and while Barry chats with some Newfie tourists, Marlene sees the first whale of the trip (to far away to determine the species as we’ve forgotten the binoculars). The Confederation Trail, made from the rail bed when train service ended on PEI, begins just west at Elmira. The trail lets you bike, hike, or snowmobile across the entire island. Although much of the trail runs inland, some sections, such as the one that runs through the gorgeous village of St. Peters, are very popular and attract many campers using the trail.
The north shore route, mostly Highway 16 and 2, is even more beautiful than the southeast shore and the road is better too. Near the end of the Points East Drive we stop for our long overdue swim at Morell where the municipality has built a first rate outdoor kitchen/bath house and installed a very hi-tech jet foam swimming wharf. The water is brown, not murky, not muddy, but brown and very refreshing.
At Tracadie we re-enter Queens County where we are riding the north shore of the central coast to Rustico. This route is busier as it lays north of Charlottetown and is both home to many commuters and a quick get-away for city residents. It seems like a long time since lunch and we are sufficiently hungry to stop at New Glasgow for the world-famous Lobster Supper. They have been serving lobster suppers here since 1958 and they are masters, serving hundreds every night! All meals include unlimited delectable rolls, seafood chowder, steamed mussels, salad, dessert and beverages. Although one can order roast beef or ham or Atlantic salmon for their entree, we order lobster, of course! We are not disappointed with the meal, the experience or the picturesque setting on the River Clyde. We only have a half hour ride back to our motel, through rolling farm country. We rode 361 of the best kilometres on this trip today, thank you PEI.
This coastal drive boasts four lighthouses, an outstanding golf course, some of the best beaches on the island, and some spectacular dunes. This eastern route is also the way to the Woods Island Ferry to Nova Scotia and the ferry to the Quebec Iles-de-la-Madeleine, neither of which we will take, as we want to ride the Confederation Bridge again. The scenery is gorgeous and the road is fairly smooth although there is a little construction. At Souris we stop for our picnic lunch as there is a rest area on the beach with a great view of the area. The water is warm as the tide is coming in and we do some wading after lunch. Our plan is to have a swim at Basin Head where the sand “sings” , however, hundreds of other bathers have the same idea so after we snap some pictures and walk on the sand we carry on.
We ride out to the East Point Light House as it is the most easterly part of PEI, and while Barry chats with some Newfie tourists, Marlene sees the first whale of the trip (to far away to determine the species as we’ve forgotten the binoculars). The Confederation Trail, made from the rail bed when train service ended on PEI, begins just west at Elmira. The trail lets you bike, hike, or snowmobile across the entire island. Although much of the trail runs inland, some sections, such as the one that runs through the gorgeous village of St. Peters, are very popular and attract many campers using the trail.
The north shore route, mostly Highway 16 and 2, is even more beautiful than the southeast shore and the road is better too. Near the end of the Points East Drive we stop for our long overdue swim at Morell where the municipality has built a first rate outdoor kitchen/bath house and installed a very hi-tech jet foam swimming wharf. The water is brown, not murky, not muddy, but brown and very refreshing.
At Tracadie we re-enter Queens County where we are riding the north shore of the central coast to Rustico. This route is busier as it lays north of Charlottetown and is both home to many commuters and a quick get-away for city residents. It seems like a long time since lunch and we are sufficiently hungry to stop at New Glasgow for the world-famous Lobster Supper. They have been serving lobster suppers here since 1958 and they are masters, serving hundreds every night! All meals include unlimited delectable rolls, seafood chowder, steamed mussels, salad, dessert and beverages. Although one can order roast beef or ham or Atlantic salmon for their entree, we order lobster, of course! We are not disappointed with the meal, the experience or the picturesque setting on the River Clyde. We only have a half hour ride back to our motel, through rolling farm country. We rode 361 of the best kilometres on this trip today, thank you PEI.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Nothing But Blue Skies Do We See
We were delighted to wake up to a blue sky after so many days of rain and fog, so we treated ourselves to a big breakfast and a slow start. We ride around Shediac a little and marvel at how much better it looks in sunshine, then set off to try to ride along coastal roads to Confederation Bridge. This incredible bridge, 12.9 kilometres long, opened in 1997, and crosses Northumberland Strait connecting Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick.
At the PEI end of the bridge there is a tourist magnet called Gateway Village where we stop, along with hundreds of others - PEI draws thousands of tourists from all over the world and we’re dazzled by the huge motor homes (mostly American) that we see. Interestingly just a few streets away from the Gateway area, where we ride to get good photos of the awesome bridge, dulce gatherers are laying out their seaweed to dry on an abandoned sheet of asphalt. We are immediately impressed by the pastoral beauty of PEI although the island is also very commercialized and traffic moves slowly (in the summertime anyway) around the cities, bigger towns, and major tourist attractions.
Our destination on the island is Clark’s Sunny Isle Motel in Summerside, which is situated on 20 acres overlooking Bedeque Bay. The motel has very pretty landscaped grounds to wander around in although it’s a bit buggy. We’re disappointed that the motel is just a little too far from busy downtown Summerside to walk. We spend the remainder of the day doing laundry, mapping out what we want to see in this “red dirt” province, and enjoying the sunshine.
At the PEI end of the bridge there is a tourist magnet called Gateway Village where we stop, along with hundreds of others - PEI draws thousands of tourists from all over the world and we’re dazzled by the huge motor homes (mostly American) that we see. Interestingly just a few streets away from the Gateway area, where we ride to get good photos of the awesome bridge, dulce gatherers are laying out their seaweed to dry on an abandoned sheet of asphalt. We are immediately impressed by the pastoral beauty of PEI although the island is also very commercialized and traffic moves slowly (in the summertime anyway) around the cities, bigger towns, and major tourist attractions.
Our destination on the island is Clark’s Sunny Isle Motel in Summerside, which is situated on 20 acres overlooking Bedeque Bay. The motel has very pretty landscaped grounds to wander around in although it’s a bit buggy. We’re disappointed that the motel is just a little too far from busy downtown Summerside to walk. We spend the remainder of the day doing laundry, mapping out what we want to see in this “red dirt” province, and enjoying the sunshine.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Maritime Magnifique or Nothing Like Lobster
Campbellton is not only fogged in when we’re ready to leave, there has also been heavy rain overnight and some residual drizzle remains which means rain gear again! Our rain gear, literally and figuratively, is a protective shield we hate bearing and not just because it makes us look and feel like inflated dummies! Bad weather takes all the glamour out of riding; bad weather means tense, uncomfortable riding. We believe that road sense is the better part of safe riding and this morning our road sense dictates that the fog shrouded winding coastal road around beautiful Chaleur Bay we’d hoped to ride is out and we opt for the limited access of inland Highway 11 to foggy Bathurst.
There is still too much fog to ride the shoreline road of the Acadian Peninsula so at Bathurst we again opt for the safer inland Highway 8. The fog dissipates very slowly over the next 100 kms and by the time we stop in Richibucto for lunch most of the fog has blown by, revealing an overcast sky. The goods news is that there has been no rain, only drizzle and road splash, and neither have we seen any of the moose this highway is famous for. Moose and motorcycles don’t mix well and we avoid riding early in the morning and in the evening to reduce our chances of meeting any kind of wildlife.
We stop in the lovely coastal town of Bouctouche because the sky has lightened and we’re very hot in all our gear. Since Ontario there has been a lot of standing water all along our route as the east has had a very wet summer so far. Standing water means humidity and bugs! We strip the rain gear off and not 15 minutes later down the highway we’re hit by a downpour! We manage to struggle back into the raingear and ride on a few kilometres but then stop under an overpass until the worst of the shower has passed. By the time we ride into Shediac the rain has stopped but we’re done and decide to call it a day if we can get accommodation. Shediac is a resort destination but the bad weather is in our favour and we find a vacancy at the Four Seas Motel.
There are many motorcycles already parked at the motel and many travellers sitting outside their units enjoying a cool drink because even though it’s overcast the temperature is about 30C and that’s without the humidity factor. The east coast of New Brunswick has many French-speaking residents and many visitors from Quebec who are no doubt very comfortable here as everyone we deal with in the service industry in New Brunswick is fluently bi-lingual. This was not the case in Quebec where we observed very few out-of-province or American license plates, even at the major tourist attractions, although there were certainly many international visitors in Quebec City.
The Four Seas has a restaurant where we splurge on a lobster feast as Shediac claims to be the lobster capital of the world. We enjoy a wonderful fresh lobster and assorted other seafoods meal followed by our first toe-dipping in the Atlantic Ocean at beautiful Parlee Beach, reputed to have the warmest water north of Virginia. The sun makes its appearance just before setting and suddenly the beach is so glorious and we feel so good stuffed with lobster, we agree the less-than-stellar ride was worth it!
There is still too much fog to ride the shoreline road of the Acadian Peninsula so at Bathurst we again opt for the safer inland Highway 8. The fog dissipates very slowly over the next 100 kms and by the time we stop in Richibucto for lunch most of the fog has blown by, revealing an overcast sky. The goods news is that there has been no rain, only drizzle and road splash, and neither have we seen any of the moose this highway is famous for. Moose and motorcycles don’t mix well and we avoid riding early in the morning and in the evening to reduce our chances of meeting any kind of wildlife.
We stop in the lovely coastal town of Bouctouche because the sky has lightened and we’re very hot in all our gear. Since Ontario there has been a lot of standing water all along our route as the east has had a very wet summer so far. Standing water means humidity and bugs! We strip the rain gear off and not 15 minutes later down the highway we’re hit by a downpour! We manage to struggle back into the raingear and ride on a few kilometres but then stop under an overpass until the worst of the shower has passed. By the time we ride into Shediac the rain has stopped but we’re done and decide to call it a day if we can get accommodation. Shediac is a resort destination but the bad weather is in our favour and we find a vacancy at the Four Seas Motel.
There are many motorcycles already parked at the motel and many travellers sitting outside their units enjoying a cool drink because even though it’s overcast the temperature is about 30C and that’s without the humidity factor. The east coast of New Brunswick has many French-speaking residents and many visitors from Quebec who are no doubt very comfortable here as everyone we deal with in the service industry in New Brunswick is fluently bi-lingual. This was not the case in Quebec where we observed very few out-of-province or American license plates, even at the major tourist attractions, although there were certainly many international visitors in Quebec City.
The Four Seas has a restaurant where we splurge on a lobster feast as Shediac claims to be the lobster capital of the world. We enjoy a wonderful fresh lobster and assorted other seafoods meal followed by our first toe-dipping in the Atlantic Ocean at beautiful Parlee Beach, reputed to have the warmest water north of Virginia. The sun makes its appearance just before setting and suddenly the beach is so glorious and we feel so good stuffed with lobster, we agree the less-than-stellar ride was worth it!
Maritime Magnifique or Nothing Like Lobster
Campbellton is not only fogged in when we’re ready to leave, there has also been heavy rain overnight and some residual drizzle remains which means rain gear again! Our rain gear, literally and figuratively, is a protective shield we hate bearing and not just because it makes us look and feel like inflated dummies! Bad weather takes all the glamour out of riding; bad weather means tense, uncomfortable riding. We believe that road sense is the better part of safe riding and this morning our road sense dictates that the fog shrouded winding coastal road around beautiful Chaleur Bay we’d hoped to ride is out and we opt for the limited access of inland Highway 11 to foggy Bathurst.
There is still too much fog to ride the shoreline road of the Acadian Peninsula so at Bathurst we again opt for the safer inland Highway 8. The fog dissipates very slowly over the next 100 kms and by the time we stop in Richibucto for lunch most of the fog has blown by, revealing an overcast sky. The goods news is that there has been no rain, only drizzle and road splash, and neither have we seen any of the moose this highway is famous for. Moose and motorcycles don’t mix well and we avoid riding early in the morning and in the evening to reduce our chances of meeting any kind of wildlife.
We stop in the lovely coastal town of Bouctouche because the sky has lightened and we’re very hot in all our gear. Since Ontario there has been a lot of standing water all along our route as the east has had a very wet summer so far. Standing water means humidity and bugs! We strip the rain gear off and not 15 minutes later down the highway we’re hit by a downpour! We manage to struggle back into the raingear and ride on a few kilometres but then stop under an overpass until the worst of the shower has passed. By the time we ride into Shediac the rain has stopped but we’re done and decide to call it a day if we can get accommodation. Shediac is a resort destination but the bad weather is in our favour and we find a vacancy at the Four Seas Motel.
There are many motorcycles already parked at the motel and many travellers sitting outside their units enjoying a cool drink because even though it’s overcast the temperature is about 30C and that’s without the humidity factor. The east coast of New Brunswick has many French-speaking residents and many visitors from Quebec who are no doubt very comfortable here as everyone we deal with in the service industry in New Brunswick is fluently bi-lingual. This was not the case in Quebec where we observed very few out-of-province or American license plates, even at the major tourist attractions, although there were certainly many international visitors in Quebec City.
The Four Seas has a restaurant where we splurge on a lobster feast as Shediac claims to be the lobster capital of the world. We enjoy a wonderful fresh lobster and assorted other seafoods meal followed by our first toe-dipping in the Atlantic Ocean at beautiful Parlee Beach, reputed to have the warmest water north of Virginia. The sun makes its appearance just before setting and suddenly the beach is so glorious and we feel so good stuffed with lobster, we agree the less-than-stellar ride was worth it!
Campbellton is not only fogged in when we’re ready to leave, there has also been heavy rain overnight and some residual drizzle remains which means rain gear again! Our rain gear, literally and figuratively, is a protective shield we hate bearing and not just because it makes us look and feel like inflated dummies! Bad weather takes all the glamour out of riding; bad weather means tense, uncomfortable riding. We believe that road sense is the better part of safe riding and this morning our road sense dictates that the fog shrouded winding coastal road around beautiful Chaleur Bay we’d hoped to ride is out and we opt for the limited access of inland Highway 11 to foggy Bathurst.
There is still too much fog to ride the shoreline road of the Acadian Peninsula so at Bathurst we again opt for the safer inland Highway 8. The fog dissipates very slowly over the next 100 kms and by the time we stop in Richibucto for lunch most of the fog has blown by, revealing an overcast sky. The goods news is that there has been no rain, only drizzle and road splash, and neither have we seen any of the moose this highway is famous for. Moose and motorcycles don’t mix well and we avoid riding early in the morning and in the evening to reduce our chances of meeting any kind of wildlife.
We stop in the lovely coastal town of Bouctouche because the sky has lightened and we’re very hot in all our gear. Since Ontario there has been a lot of standing water all along our route as the east has had a very wet summer so far. Standing water means humidity and bugs! We strip the rain gear off and not 15 minutes later down the highway we’re hit by a downpour! We manage to struggle back into the raingear and ride on a few kilometres but then stop under an overpass until the worst of the shower has passed. By the time we ride into Shediac the rain has stopped but we’re done and decide to call it a day if we can get accommodation. Shediac is a resort destination but the bad weather is in our favour and we find a vacancy at the Four Seas Motel.
There are many motorcycles already parked at the motel and many travellers sitting outside their units enjoying a cool drink because even though it’s overcast the temperature is about 30C and that’s without the humidity factor. The east coast of New Brunswick has many French-speaking residents and many visitors from Quebec who are no doubt very comfortable here as everyone we deal with in the service industry in New Brunswick is fluently bi-lingual. This was not the case in Quebec where we observed very few out-of-province or American license plates, even at the major tourist attractions, although there were certainly many international visitors in Quebec City.
The Four Seas has a restaurant where we splurge on a lobster feast as Shediac claims to be the lobster capital of the world. We enjoy a wonderful fresh lobster and assorted other seafoods meal followed by our first toe-dipping in the Atlantic Ocean at beautiful Parlee Beach, reputed to have the warmest water north of Virginia. The sun makes its appearance just before setting and suddenly the beach is so glorious and we feel so good stuffed with lobster, we agree the less-than-stellar ride was worth it!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Where the Fog Are We?
We spent the night at the Aubergine La Sainte Paix, a comfortable bed & breakfast with very amiable hosts and a lovely view of the Saguenay River. In our experience one of the disadvantages of a B&B is that one is usually confined to a very small room that can be very confining in bad weather - and the weather is bad! This morning we enjoyed a very interesting gourmet breakfast, put on our raingear, had a quick look at the sand dunes, and depart Tadoussac.
We are riding H138 to Forestville where we will catch our ferry across the St. Lawrence River. The small picturesque towns along this stretch of highway have stunning views of the St. Lawrence River and are one of the best places in Canada to see more than a dozen species of marine animals. There are also a number of excellent marine mammal interpretation centres, whale watching view points, and a variety of cruises. All of the experts tell us that there are presently 4 blue whales in the river, however, the river is very foggy and we are not as eager as the Europeans we’ve met here, to spend our money on a off chance of sighting a whale in the fog. We stop to take some pictures along the way but there is no sun, the river is dark, and the view is very limited.
We are taking the only fast ferry in operation in Quebec across the St. Lawrence from Forestville to Rimouski. The ferry is a catamaran that travels 55 km/h, carries 175 passengers, and 30 vehicles (plus as many others as can be squeezed in). We have the mandatory reservation so our bike is the first vehicle on the ferry. It is a interesting loading procedure where only the driver is permitted to drive onto the car deck and all passengers must walk on and off the ferry. The ferry is scheduled to depart at 1:30 pm but because there is heavy demand (not everyone has a reservation) as many vehicles as possible are loaded and we mean squeeze! Vehicles are parked near touching end-to-end and the driver needs a can-opener to get out of the vehicle. Outside mirrors have to be folded in to permit passage between vehicles. Every time a vehicle gets on the ferry dips sharply and Marlene, who suffers from motion sickness, cannot watch. Needless to say, the departure is delayed until 2:30. Because the St. Lawrence is completely salty at this point and tidal, with large ocean swells, the motorcycles all have to be tied down.
The river is completely fogged in and we are disappointed but our decision not to whale watch is confirmed as sound. The ferry is fast despite the fog and takes an hour to cross. We get the VIP treatment on arrival as the purser comes to find us, escorts us to the car deck, and allows Marlene to be the only passenger to ride off the ferry. We’re not sure whether this is because we are among the first 3 vehicles off and they don’t want us to hold up the unloading or because we are “anglais”. Rimouski and Mont Joli, where the Gaspe loop begins and ends, are also completely fogged in and we are glad we are not riding the Gaspe, although we have driven it in fine weather and can highly recommend it.
As we head inland on H132 the weather brightens, we see the sun for the first time today and our expectations for beautiful scenery are finally met. H132 begins in rolling farmlands, climbs into the highlands of the Appalachians, and passes many beautiful lakes and rushing rivers. This area is known for its outdoor activities and we spot many fly fisherman honing their skills. We are behind schedule because of the ferry delay and a little apprehensive as the sky is darkening with both the twilight and bad weather ahead. Our moods darken seriously when we get caught in a downpour about 35 kms short of our destination, Campbellton, New Brunswick which is just across the Restigouche River from Quebec. Particularly because we had taken our rain gear off a bit earlier and then have to suit up on the side of the highway in the rain! Thankfully there is room at the Comfort Inn and the Chinese restaurant next door is still open. It’s amazing how a good meal and a hot bath can ease tension of the ride.
We are riding H138 to Forestville where we will catch our ferry across the St. Lawrence River. The small picturesque towns along this stretch of highway have stunning views of the St. Lawrence River and are one of the best places in Canada to see more than a dozen species of marine animals. There are also a number of excellent marine mammal interpretation centres, whale watching view points, and a variety of cruises. All of the experts tell us that there are presently 4 blue whales in the river, however, the river is very foggy and we are not as eager as the Europeans we’ve met here, to spend our money on a off chance of sighting a whale in the fog. We stop to take some pictures along the way but there is no sun, the river is dark, and the view is very limited.
We are taking the only fast ferry in operation in Quebec across the St. Lawrence from Forestville to Rimouski. The ferry is a catamaran that travels 55 km/h, carries 175 passengers, and 30 vehicles (plus as many others as can be squeezed in). We have the mandatory reservation so our bike is the first vehicle on the ferry. It is a interesting loading procedure where only the driver is permitted to drive onto the car deck and all passengers must walk on and off the ferry. The ferry is scheduled to depart at 1:30 pm but because there is heavy demand (not everyone has a reservation) as many vehicles as possible are loaded and we mean squeeze! Vehicles are parked near touching end-to-end and the driver needs a can-opener to get out of the vehicle. Outside mirrors have to be folded in to permit passage between vehicles. Every time a vehicle gets on the ferry dips sharply and Marlene, who suffers from motion sickness, cannot watch. Needless to say, the departure is delayed until 2:30. Because the St. Lawrence is completely salty at this point and tidal, with large ocean swells, the motorcycles all have to be tied down.
The river is completely fogged in and we are disappointed but our decision not to whale watch is confirmed as sound. The ferry is fast despite the fog and takes an hour to cross. We get the VIP treatment on arrival as the purser comes to find us, escorts us to the car deck, and allows Marlene to be the only passenger to ride off the ferry. We’re not sure whether this is because we are among the first 3 vehicles off and they don’t want us to hold up the unloading or because we are “anglais”. Rimouski and Mont Joli, where the Gaspe loop begins and ends, are also completely fogged in and we are glad we are not riding the Gaspe, although we have driven it in fine weather and can highly recommend it.
As we head inland on H132 the weather brightens, we see the sun for the first time today and our expectations for beautiful scenery are finally met. H132 begins in rolling farmlands, climbs into the highlands of the Appalachians, and passes many beautiful lakes and rushing rivers. This area is known for its outdoor activities and we spot many fly fisherman honing their skills. We are behind schedule because of the ferry delay and a little apprehensive as the sky is darkening with both the twilight and bad weather ahead. Our moods darken seriously when we get caught in a downpour about 35 kms short of our destination, Campbellton, New Brunswick which is just across the Restigouche River from Quebec. Particularly because we had taken our rain gear off a bit earlier and then have to suit up on the side of the highway in the rain! Thankfully there is room at the Comfort Inn and the Chinese restaurant next door is still open. It’s amazing how a good meal and a hot bath can ease tension of the ride.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Il Pleut but the Rain Gear Does its Job
We awake to rain and even though we drag breakfast out as long as possible we eventually have to gear up and set off. Our motel and others have plug-ins for cars so it must get cold here in the winter; hope these habitants get some good weather soon because their nice scenery would be so much better with sunshine. We are riding down the east side of the Saguenay River on Highway 172 which is much like the west side: 75 kilometres between services or even many signs of life (you get the picture). We zigzag off the highway and ride down to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord because Marlene is ready to bail if she doesn’t see a fjord and finally we see what we’ve ridden all this way for. We meet another couple on a motorcycle who have come from our destination, Tadoussac and they are quite wet (are we having fun yet?). It is plain to see the female rider is not having a “live to ride” day.
Long story short we get to Tadoussac where we are glad they have good restaurants because the weather does not improve. Tadoussac belongs to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and we recognize that it has a very pretty natural setting. It is also the oldest village in Canada, the site of the first trading post, and a premier whale watching destination. The whales are even more elusive than the fjords and we are a bit disappointed, however, we remind ourselves that we will see both in Newfoundland (been there, done that). The forecast is for more rain tomorrow!
One of the frustrating things about the English/French language barrier is not understanding the comments that people make to us conversationally while standing in line or walking by, etc. For example, we were walking back from the store last night and we had a six pack of Moosehead beer. We were attempting to cross the street and a man stopped his vehicle and motioned us to cross in front of him. When he drove by, with a big grin on his face, he yelled something out the open window of the vehicle. We know not what he said but didn’t hear any of the French swear words we know so we conjecture that he thought we were drinking the right kind of beer or he liked Barry’s new Harley Davidson shirt or he liked Marlene or all three.
Marlene, who is a reader, finds the absence of written English really frustrating because all the visitor interpretation are not accessible. Additionally because no signs, directions, or maps, are written in English we’re making quick translations while riding which makes things tense. Of courses one antidote to tension is beer and it is even a bit cheaper here than at home. Speaking of beer, we have tried several different kinds: Stellas Artios, Grolsch, Heineken, Moosehead, Alexander Keith’s and of course the old hockey team faithful Budweiser. Moosehead is still right up there with the best.
Long story short we get to Tadoussac where we are glad they have good restaurants because the weather does not improve. Tadoussac belongs to the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club and we recognize that it has a very pretty natural setting. It is also the oldest village in Canada, the site of the first trading post, and a premier whale watching destination. The whales are even more elusive than the fjords and we are a bit disappointed, however, we remind ourselves that we will see both in Newfoundland (been there, done that). The forecast is for more rain tomorrow!
One of the frustrating things about the English/French language barrier is not understanding the comments that people make to us conversationally while standing in line or walking by, etc. For example, we were walking back from the store last night and we had a six pack of Moosehead beer. We were attempting to cross the street and a man stopped his vehicle and motioned us to cross in front of him. When he drove by, with a big grin on his face, he yelled something out the open window of the vehicle. We know not what he said but didn’t hear any of the French swear words we know so we conjecture that he thought we were drinking the right kind of beer or he liked Barry’s new Harley Davidson shirt or he liked Marlene or all three.
Marlene, who is a reader, finds the absence of written English really frustrating because all the visitor interpretation are not accessible. Additionally because no signs, directions, or maps, are written in English we’re making quick translations while riding which makes things tense. Of courses one antidote to tension is beer and it is even a bit cheaper here than at home. Speaking of beer, we have tried several different kinds: Stellas Artios, Grolsch, Heineken, Moosehead, Alexander Keith’s and of course the old hockey team faithful Budweiser. Moosehead is still right up there with the best.
Friday, July 24, 2009
River Route: Bon Fjord Route: Comme ci, comme ca
Our days in Quebec City have flown and we are on Highway 138, the St Lawrence River Route again. The downtown traffic was surprisingly light and in no time we were at Montmorency Falls, Quebec’s Niagara. We saw them from a distance yesterday from the boat and today was a close-up. They are quite impressive and the park offers both a walk up and across and gondola cars for closer viewing, neither of which we take advantage of as we’ve many kilometres to ride and rain is forecast. We are certainly not enjoying the hot dry weather that Vancouver Island has this summer - thanks for rubbing it in, everybody back home!
We stop at the Shrine of Sainte Anne-de-Beaupre because it is right on the highway but it is so commercialized, we snap our photos and leave. This is a site of healing and a centuries old pilgrimage for the believers in New France. Sadly it hasn’t any of the serenity or the expansive well-tended grounds of the Cap-de-la-Madeleine shrine, however, it does have many visitors. It begins to rain lightly, and even though we’re riding through the wooded hills of the Laurentian mountains our visibility is limited by the weather closing in and we’re not appreciating the scenery much.
Just west of Baie-Saint-Paul the road descends to the St. Lawrence River, the wind dies down, the rain stops, the sky is lighter and we begin to enjoy the ride into this very pretty little town set in a valley. We leave H138 for H362 at Baie-Saint-Paul and as the road climbs away from the town there is a rest stop that offers sweeping views of the town, the river, Isle-aux Coudres, and the mountains. We can understand why this area is known as an artists’ paradise.
Highway 362, under construction in sections and poorly surfaced in others, is some ride! Up and down, it twists and turns through hilly farmlands with magnificent views of the St. Lawrence. We ride through the village of Eboulements nestled in the hills high above the river and then the road tumbles down to the saltwater shoreline of the St. Lawrence to climb again to the highland village of Saint-Irenee. We rejoin H138 in the resort city of La Malbaie where we stop for lunch. This city has a gorgeous golf course, a casino, and a Fairmont hotel among other tourist attractions such as great scenery, lakes, rivers, forests, and salt air. It is low tide and the bay is dry with many large boulders. Our awesome River Route ends at Saint-Simeon and we take Highway 170, the Fjord Route toward Saguenay City.
We have high hopes for this route and it reminds us of the road out to Tofino but where is the fjord? We ride more than 100 kms before we see the Saguenay River and we have yet to see a fjord. We spend the night at the Comfort Inn in Chicoutimi which is part of Saguenay City home to 146,000 people. To be fair it is a very pretty location and if the rain holds off we may see a fjord tomorrow.
We stop at the Shrine of Sainte Anne-de-Beaupre because it is right on the highway but it is so commercialized, we snap our photos and leave. This is a site of healing and a centuries old pilgrimage for the believers in New France. Sadly it hasn’t any of the serenity or the expansive well-tended grounds of the Cap-de-la-Madeleine shrine, however, it does have many visitors. It begins to rain lightly, and even though we’re riding through the wooded hills of the Laurentian mountains our visibility is limited by the weather closing in and we’re not appreciating the scenery much.
Just west of Baie-Saint-Paul the road descends to the St. Lawrence River, the wind dies down, the rain stops, the sky is lighter and we begin to enjoy the ride into this very pretty little town set in a valley. We leave H138 for H362 at Baie-Saint-Paul and as the road climbs away from the town there is a rest stop that offers sweeping views of the town, the river, Isle-aux Coudres, and the mountains. We can understand why this area is known as an artists’ paradise.
Highway 362, under construction in sections and poorly surfaced in others, is some ride! Up and down, it twists and turns through hilly farmlands with magnificent views of the St. Lawrence. We ride through the village of Eboulements nestled in the hills high above the river and then the road tumbles down to the saltwater shoreline of the St. Lawrence to climb again to the highland village of Saint-Irenee. We rejoin H138 in the resort city of La Malbaie where we stop for lunch. This city has a gorgeous golf course, a casino, and a Fairmont hotel among other tourist attractions such as great scenery, lakes, rivers, forests, and salt air. It is low tide and the bay is dry with many large boulders. Our awesome River Route ends at Saint-Simeon and we take Highway 170, the Fjord Route toward Saguenay City.
We have high hopes for this route and it reminds us of the road out to Tofino but where is the fjord? We ride more than 100 kms before we see the Saguenay River and we have yet to see a fjord. We spend the night at the Comfort Inn in Chicoutimi which is part of Saguenay City home to 146,000 people. To be fair it is a very pretty location and if the rain holds off we may see a fjord tomorrow.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Grosse Ile
A history lesson, a spectacular cruise, and a day to reflect on how fortunate we are to be living in this time, in this land! We wanted a St Lawrence cruise experience, to view Quebec City from the river the way so many historical figures have first seen it, and to visit the site that Marlene’s grandparents most likely past through when they immigrated to Canada before WW1, so we are traveling with Croisieres Coudrier to Grosse Ile.
The boat we’re cruising in is like a large covered zodiac that carries up to 125 passengers although today it is not totally full. The boat departs at 10 am from the Old Port of Quebec and goes first to Ile d’Orleans, a large beautiful island: it has been farmed for four centuries, was the home of many seafaring people, and is now a summer residence for many Quebecers as the island was connected to the mainland by a bridge in 1935. We drop off and pick up passengers then travel another hour to Grosse Ile, one of 21 islands in the Ile-de-Grues archipelago.
Grosse Ile is a National Historic site that pays tribute to the role the island played , from 1832 to 1937, as the quarantine station for the port of Quebec. More than 4 million immigrants came to Canada and the USA through the principal gateway of the port of Quebec and all of them passed through this quarantine station that has been preserved and restored by Parks Canada. It is a haunting place but the island is so lovely on this sunny day that we feel the echoes of promise and hope, that brought so many immigrants to Canada. The history of Grosse Ile is fascinatingly presented by Parks Canada staff, some of them costumed and playing the roles of both immigrant and quarantine station staff, and by many informative murals, diagrams, and photographs, as well as, the buildings themselves. The four hours we are on the island speed by with barely enough time to eat our picnic lunch.
Grosse Ile also commemorates the tragic experience of many Irish immigrants to Canada especially during 1847, when due to the ongoing potato famine and political hardship in Ireland, almost 100,000 Irish tried to immigrate to Canada and were stricken by a typhus epidemic. More than 5,000 Irish immigrants are buried on Grosse Ile, and most of them died in 1847. There is an impressive Celtic Cross on a headland in the harbour that has served as an Irish Memorial for the last 100 years to these poor souls who died so far from their green homeland. There are also monuments that recognize the medical staff and religious orders that worked with sick immigrants, often contracting and often dying from diseases they came in contact with.
The disinfecting sheds make us shudder and we wonder what it must have been like to finally step onto land after so many days on a crowded ship and have to go through such an ordeal. Marlene remembers her grandfather talking about the sorrow and frustration he experienced when Canadian immigration officials anglicized his surname but, like many immigrants who survived and eventually prospered in Canada, he chose not to talk about the hardships he had endured to get here.
The sombre aspect of this place is balanced by its incredible beauty today on this river that looks like a sea. We enjoy our return cruise even more than the choppy outward trip as the river is very calm and there is much boat traffic, both commercial and recreational. We are not disappointed by our view of Quebec City from the river! The way back to our hotel is uphill and we are tired but we wind through the heritage that this city preserves and are so thankful that it has been preserved so well.
The boat we’re cruising in is like a large covered zodiac that carries up to 125 passengers although today it is not totally full. The boat departs at 10 am from the Old Port of Quebec and goes first to Ile d’Orleans, a large beautiful island: it has been farmed for four centuries, was the home of many seafaring people, and is now a summer residence for many Quebecers as the island was connected to the mainland by a bridge in 1935. We drop off and pick up passengers then travel another hour to Grosse Ile, one of 21 islands in the Ile-de-Grues archipelago.
Grosse Ile is a National Historic site that pays tribute to the role the island played , from 1832 to 1937, as the quarantine station for the port of Quebec. More than 4 million immigrants came to Canada and the USA through the principal gateway of the port of Quebec and all of them passed through this quarantine station that has been preserved and restored by Parks Canada. It is a haunting place but the island is so lovely on this sunny day that we feel the echoes of promise and hope, that brought so many immigrants to Canada. The history of Grosse Ile is fascinatingly presented by Parks Canada staff, some of them costumed and playing the roles of both immigrant and quarantine station staff, and by many informative murals, diagrams, and photographs, as well as, the buildings themselves. The four hours we are on the island speed by with barely enough time to eat our picnic lunch.
Grosse Ile also commemorates the tragic experience of many Irish immigrants to Canada especially during 1847, when due to the ongoing potato famine and political hardship in Ireland, almost 100,000 Irish tried to immigrate to Canada and were stricken by a typhus epidemic. More than 5,000 Irish immigrants are buried on Grosse Ile, and most of them died in 1847. There is an impressive Celtic Cross on a headland in the harbour that has served as an Irish Memorial for the last 100 years to these poor souls who died so far from their green homeland. There are also monuments that recognize the medical staff and religious orders that worked with sick immigrants, often contracting and often dying from diseases they came in contact with.
The disinfecting sheds make us shudder and we wonder what it must have been like to finally step onto land after so many days on a crowded ship and have to go through such an ordeal. Marlene remembers her grandfather talking about the sorrow and frustration he experienced when Canadian immigration officials anglicized his surname but, like many immigrants who survived and eventually prospered in Canada, he chose not to talk about the hardships he had endured to get here.
The sombre aspect of this place is balanced by its incredible beauty today on this river that looks like a sea. We enjoy our return cruise even more than the choppy outward trip as the river is very calm and there is much boat traffic, both commercial and recreational. We are not disappointed by our view of Quebec City from the river! The way back to our hotel is uphill and we are tired but we wind through the heritage that this city preserves and are so thankful that it has been preserved so well.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
World Heritage Jewel
When we arrived in sunny Quebec City yesterday afternoon we checked into our hotel the Relais Charles-Alexandre and immediately walked to the Old Town, Vieux-Quebec. It is our third visit to this historical city, that is like no other in North America, and we are already planning our next visit! We walked until our legs started screaming at us, reacquainting ourselves with precious sights and taking in the changes. Only Tylenol washed down with appropriate amounts of alcohol enabled us to sleep.
Although it is about a 10 minute walk to the walls of Old Quebec, our hotel is well located, only one block from both the Plains of Abraham Battlefields Park and the busy markets, restaurants, and shops of Avenue Cartier. We had considered staying within the walls but were worried about parking and our choice proves to be sound when we observe the signs that motorcycles are not permitted within the walls! The Relais Charles-Alexandre is a very pleasant hotel with an art gallery décor located in an earlier 20th century building on the Grande Allee. We particularly enjoy the excellent service at the continental breakfast served in a very cheerful dining room.
We awoke this morning to light rain but, grateful that we’re not riding, don our raingear and set out to further explore the city. The Fortifications and Citadel are first, as this is a city that, in our opinion, is defined by its military history. After that we simply wander the twisting, narrow streets of this unique city until once again our legs are reminding us of our age. As the rain has intensified we stop for lunch at a cosy restaurant in Place-Royale, a step back in time and Marlene’s favourite spot in this awesome city. A bottle of red wine later, we linger over coffee and dessert and reflect upon the rain which has certainly made Old Quebec much less crowded than usual.
It takes us a good hour to wander back to our hotel, arm-in-arm under a borrowed hotel umbrella, for an afternoon rest, after which we set out to buy picnic provisions for our expedition tomorrow to Grosse-Ile. We end up with two bottles of excellent French red wine because we can’t decide between them and both are well priced. We think Quebec must have some kind of wine trade agreement with France because we can’t buy French wine for these prices in BC! After supper and one bottle of the red that we have to sample, we set of for Battlefield Parks because the rain has stopped and it is too beautiful an opportunity to pass up.
Although it is about a 10 minute walk to the walls of Old Quebec, our hotel is well located, only one block from both the Plains of Abraham Battlefields Park and the busy markets, restaurants, and shops of Avenue Cartier. We had considered staying within the walls but were worried about parking and our choice proves to be sound when we observe the signs that motorcycles are not permitted within the walls! The Relais Charles-Alexandre is a very pleasant hotel with an art gallery décor located in an earlier 20th century building on the Grande Allee. We particularly enjoy the excellent service at the continental breakfast served in a very cheerful dining room.
We awoke this morning to light rain but, grateful that we’re not riding, don our raingear and set out to further explore the city. The Fortifications and Citadel are first, as this is a city that, in our opinion, is defined by its military history. After that we simply wander the twisting, narrow streets of this unique city until once again our legs are reminding us of our age. As the rain has intensified we stop for lunch at a cosy restaurant in Place-Royale, a step back in time and Marlene’s favourite spot in this awesome city. A bottle of red wine later, we linger over coffee and dessert and reflect upon the rain which has certainly made Old Quebec much less crowded than usual.
It takes us a good hour to wander back to our hotel, arm-in-arm under a borrowed hotel umbrella, for an afternoon rest, after which we set out to buy picnic provisions for our expedition tomorrow to Grosse-Ile. We end up with two bottles of excellent French red wine because we can’t decide between them and both are well priced. We think Quebec must have some kind of wine trade agreement with France because we can’t buy French wine for these prices in BC! After supper and one bottle of the red that we have to sample, we set of for Battlefield Parks because the rain has stopped and it is too beautiful an opportunity to pass up.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
King's Road (Chemin du Roy)
We continue riding the authentic route that follows the history of New France into the 21st century. The weather is good, the highway (mostly H138) is well marked with the King’s Road symbols, and the villages, manors, and ancestral homes are stunning. We stop in Cap-de-la-Madeleine at the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap (Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape), an important 17th-century shrine and the national shrine of the Madonna and pilgrimage site today. It is a beautiful place with extensive grounds to accommodate huge crowds, although this morning it is quiet. The Cathedral has impressive stained-glass windows and an imposing Casavant organ. There is even a RV site on the St. Lawrence and these pilgrims have the best camping spot for miles around!
There are so many well-maintained rest stops with great views of the river and farm markets with all kinds of food that we are reminded of the one regret we have as motorcyclists, that we are unable to carry or purchase food enroute so impromptu picnics are difficult.
Travelling the King’s Road is a step back in time and when we stop in Batiscan for gas (because we’ve not seen many stations) the busy pumps are not set up for credit cards. All motorcyclists pump their own gas (full-service or not) and before Barry has removed the nozzle an old man is screeching “onze dollars bla-bla-bla” in our faces. We finally understand that he is reminding us that we owe him $11.83, as he precedes me into the station yelling all the way. The young man at the till (perhaps his grandson) blithely ignores him and I pay in cash because I don‘t wish to incur further embarrassment by fumbling through a credit card transaction. We eat an excellent lunch in the restaurant adjoining where we can watch the old guy do his number on other travellers. The restaurant does not accept credit cards either but we have lots of cash as we always travel prepared!
Beyond Batiscan there are bluffs along the St. Lawrence and increasingly the picturesque villages are perched on cliff tops. Some of these villages conceal magnificent stone homes built from the 17th to 19th centuries, a legacy of the French Regime. Inns, restaurants, artisans' studios and old-time general stores could keep you busy for days in these historic buildings. We ride, with occasional stops, through the architectural heritage of Champlain, Deschambault, La Perade, St. Charles-des-Grondines, Donnacona, Cap-Santé and Neuville. Many of these villages are members of the Most Beautiful Villages of Québec network and they certainly live up to their reputation.
There are so many well-maintained rest stops with great views of the river and farm markets with all kinds of food that we are reminded of the one regret we have as motorcyclists, that we are unable to carry or purchase food enroute so impromptu picnics are difficult.
Travelling the King’s Road is a step back in time and when we stop in Batiscan for gas (because we’ve not seen many stations) the busy pumps are not set up for credit cards. All motorcyclists pump their own gas (full-service or not) and before Barry has removed the nozzle an old man is screeching “onze dollars bla-bla-bla” in our faces. We finally understand that he is reminding us that we owe him $11.83, as he precedes me into the station yelling all the way. The young man at the till (perhaps his grandson) blithely ignores him and I pay in cash because I don‘t wish to incur further embarrassment by fumbling through a credit card transaction. We eat an excellent lunch in the restaurant adjoining where we can watch the old guy do his number on other travellers. The restaurant does not accept credit cards either but we have lots of cash as we always travel prepared!
Beyond Batiscan there are bluffs along the St. Lawrence and increasingly the picturesque villages are perched on cliff tops. Some of these villages conceal magnificent stone homes built from the 17th to 19th centuries, a legacy of the French Regime. Inns, restaurants, artisans' studios and old-time general stores could keep you busy for days in these historic buildings. We ride, with occasional stops, through the architectural heritage of Champlain, Deschambault, La Perade, St. Charles-des-Grondines, Donnacona, Cap-Santé and Neuville. Many of these villages are members of the Most Beautiful Villages of Québec network and they certainly live up to their reputation.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Biker Bonanza
With a few delays due to road reconstruction, we make a bittersweet departure from Ottawa. It is always hard to say good bye to family but the challenges and excitement of Quebec await us! We have gathered lots of information on “la belle Province” as we are basically unilingual and always feel somewhat at a disadvantage in Quebec, where the first and sometimes only language is French.
Quebec Tourism has divided the area we are riding today into four regions: Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudiere, and Mauricie. As these titles are meaningless to us, our route is Highway 148, 158, and 138. We begin on the north side of the Ottawa River, riding through Gatineau, the gateway to Gatineau Park, a beautiful year-round recreational environment, that we visited years ago in autumn and will never forget. The park is crossed by a 34km-long road dotted with panoramic lookout points and we are sorry we are not riding it today.
Once we’re clear of the city, we roll through the mainly agricultural land that borders the wide Ottawa River. It is Monday so lines of bright washing wave us along. There are many small ferries crossing the river to Ontario destinations on the south shore. Further down the Ottawa River, the wetland Parc National de Plaisance, welcomes thousands of Canada geese who stop over on their spring and fall migratory routes. At Montebello there is a national historic site at Manoir Papineau, that we skip as we’ve finally got back into sync with the bike after a week of not riding and we don’t want to interrupt it.
Just east of Calumet, because we wish to skirt Montreal , we veer away from the Ottawa River and head toward Lachute where generous downtown parking contributes to a lively lunch crowd, including us! We have visited Montreal twice: the first time we drove our car and experienced frustration, the second time we took the VIA rail train and experienced a good time but nothing so outstanding that we feel compelled to revisit on this trip. The traffic thickens, busy roads criss-cross our path, and building construction intensifies as we approach Mirabel, and we are amazed that this airport, so far from Montreal, generates such activity.
We have good intentions to stop at the national historic site in Saint Lin-Laurentides that commemorates Sir Wilfrid-Laurier, however, we only see it from our seat as it’s on a wicked corner and we’re wedged between two semi-trailers on a very busy narrow street that doubles as the highway through this small town. Today’s route is very interesting as it passes through many small towns where the many houses perched on the side of the highway provide a charming view of small-town Quebec but it’s also a very busy route with many fluctuations in speed limit and many bumps!
Just east of Berthierville we turn onto Highway 138 and catch our first dramatic views of the storied St. Lawrence River at Lac Saint-Pierre, a World Biosphere Reserve. This area is a large flood plain, a resting spot for migrating water fowl, and the largest archipelago (some 100 islands) in the St. Lawrence. Highway 138 is, for the most part, also the King's Road (Chemin du Roy), the oldest roadway in Canada. Built in 1737, the King’s Road linked New France's three largest cities: Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Québec City. It follows the St. Lawrence and provides us with a delightful ride to Trois-Rivières.
We are staying at the Delta Hotel because it is right in the downtown core, which adjoins the harbour front park and the historic district. The hotel is a bit lack-lustre for the price, poorly signed, and charges extra for parking and the internet connection, which really bugs Barry! Old Trois-Rivières, founded in 1634 where three forks of the Saint-Maurice Rivers flow into the St. Lawrence river, is a city with much Old World charm. The terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence at Parc Portuaire is particularly nice and we enjoy a walking tour past many buildings classified as historic monuments, such as the Old Prison, today a museum. Another important site, the Forges du Saint-Maurice National , preserves the remains of Canada’s first ironworks, but is not within walking distance.
Trois-Rivières has a very vibrant downtown with rows of busy patio restaurants, trendy shops, and many nightclubs. We have seen lots of motorcycles in Quebec, many with couples riding pillion like us, and observe that Trois-Rivières is a popular destination for bikers. The downtown core has great bike parking (paid) at the heart of all the best sights and restaurants. We are very glad we gathered much information and walking tour maps in English before we came, as every interpretive and informative sign, plaque, and inscription is in French only!
Quebec Tourism has divided the area we are riding today into four regions: Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudiere, and Mauricie. As these titles are meaningless to us, our route is Highway 148, 158, and 138. We begin on the north side of the Ottawa River, riding through Gatineau, the gateway to Gatineau Park, a beautiful year-round recreational environment, that we visited years ago in autumn and will never forget. The park is crossed by a 34km-long road dotted with panoramic lookout points and we are sorry we are not riding it today.
Once we’re clear of the city, we roll through the mainly agricultural land that borders the wide Ottawa River. It is Monday so lines of bright washing wave us along. There are many small ferries crossing the river to Ontario destinations on the south shore. Further down the Ottawa River, the wetland Parc National de Plaisance, welcomes thousands of Canada geese who stop over on their spring and fall migratory routes. At Montebello there is a national historic site at Manoir Papineau, that we skip as we’ve finally got back into sync with the bike after a week of not riding and we don’t want to interrupt it.
Just east of Calumet, because we wish to skirt Montreal , we veer away from the Ottawa River and head toward Lachute where generous downtown parking contributes to a lively lunch crowd, including us! We have visited Montreal twice: the first time we drove our car and experienced frustration, the second time we took the VIA rail train and experienced a good time but nothing so outstanding that we feel compelled to revisit on this trip. The traffic thickens, busy roads criss-cross our path, and building construction intensifies as we approach Mirabel, and we are amazed that this airport, so far from Montreal, generates such activity.
We have good intentions to stop at the national historic site in Saint Lin-Laurentides that commemorates Sir Wilfrid-Laurier, however, we only see it from our seat as it’s on a wicked corner and we’re wedged between two semi-trailers on a very busy narrow street that doubles as the highway through this small town. Today’s route is very interesting as it passes through many small towns where the many houses perched on the side of the highway provide a charming view of small-town Quebec but it’s also a very busy route with many fluctuations in speed limit and many bumps!
Just east of Berthierville we turn onto Highway 138 and catch our first dramatic views of the storied St. Lawrence River at Lac Saint-Pierre, a World Biosphere Reserve. This area is a large flood plain, a resting spot for migrating water fowl, and the largest archipelago (some 100 islands) in the St. Lawrence. Highway 138 is, for the most part, also the King's Road (Chemin du Roy), the oldest roadway in Canada. Built in 1737, the King’s Road linked New France's three largest cities: Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Québec City. It follows the St. Lawrence and provides us with a delightful ride to Trois-Rivières.
We are staying at the Delta Hotel because it is right in the downtown core, which adjoins the harbour front park and the historic district. The hotel is a bit lack-lustre for the price, poorly signed, and charges extra for parking and the internet connection, which really bugs Barry! Old Trois-Rivières, founded in 1634 where three forks of the Saint-Maurice Rivers flow into the St. Lawrence river, is a city with much Old World charm. The terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence at Parc Portuaire is particularly nice and we enjoy a walking tour past many buildings classified as historic monuments, such as the Old Prison, today a museum. Another important site, the Forges du Saint-Maurice National , preserves the remains of Canada’s first ironworks, but is not within walking distance.
Trois-Rivières has a very vibrant downtown with rows of busy patio restaurants, trendy shops, and many nightclubs. We have seen lots of motorcycles in Quebec, many with couples riding pillion like us, and observe that Trois-Rivières is a popular destination for bikers. The downtown core has great bike parking (paid) at the heart of all the best sights and restaurants. We are very glad we gathered much information and walking tour maps in English before we came, as every interpretive and informative sign, plaque, and inscription is in French only!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
A Diamond in Ottawa’s Crown
Last night Barry met, for the first time, some second and third cousins and today he, his brother-in-law and one cousin are going motorcycle riding to Manotick. Marlene, who is enjoying not riding, is going to the must-see Canadian Museum of Civilization. The site of this museum complex, on the Ottawa river across from the Parliament Buildings, provides awesome views, beautiful grounds, incredible architecture, restaurants, boutiques, and an IMAX cinema. The museum itself highlights the rich heritage of Canada’s various cultural groups, as well as Aboriginal arts and traditions, special exhibitions such as Mystic Creatures in three galleries, the popular Canadian Children’s Museum, and the intriguing Canadian Postal Museum. One can easily spend a full day at this jewel, resting and reflecting in the Grand Hall where the cultural heritage of the West Coast First Nations soars to great heights.
Barry’s sister and husband have been great hosts and we are enjoying the our meals which include this colourful easy to prepare summer salad:
Wenda’s Corny Salsa Salad
2 cans of niblets corn drained
1 cup mango salsa
¼ cup green onions chopped
2 fresh peaches or 1 large mango diced
1 tomato diced
Mix all ingredients and chill to serve
Barry’s sister and husband have been great hosts and we are enjoying the our meals which include this colourful easy to prepare summer salad:
Wenda’s Corny Salsa Salad
2 cans of niblets corn drained
1 cup mango salsa
¼ cup green onions chopped
2 fresh peaches or 1 large mango diced
1 tomato diced
Mix all ingredients and chill to serve
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Lovin The Sights
There has been a storm overnight and the morning is cloudy so we don our raingear before setting out on a walking tour of downtown Ottawa. We walk the length of Rideau Street because it is lined with magnificent building, museums, and statues including the Parliament Buildings, the Supreme Court, the National Archives, and the War Memorial. There are many sightseers who could be from all over the world judging from their dress and the variety of languages we hear, however, they might all be Canadians and part of the great mosaic that is Canada.
We ramble down to the Byward Market, to ogle the outdoor vendors with their overflowing stands of fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, and crafts; have a bite of lunch; and enjoy the many charming shops. The Byward Market (Byward is the original name of Ottawa) is off George Street on Byward and William Street. Many of the local shoppers have come on their bicycles as Ottawa is known to be cycling friendly and there is even supervised bicycle parking.
Full of sights, smells, and lunch we stroll past the heavily fortified American Embassy along Sussex Drive to the National Gallery of Canada and the Samuel de Champlain statue which has awesome views of the Ottawa river and Parliament Hill. Ottawa is a city where one really needs a week to see all the sights but we have seen many of them on previous trips.
We ramble down to the Byward Market, to ogle the outdoor vendors with their overflowing stands of fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, and crafts; have a bite of lunch; and enjoy the many charming shops. The Byward Market (Byward is the original name of Ottawa) is off George Street on Byward and William Street. Many of the local shoppers have come on their bicycles as Ottawa is known to be cycling friendly and there is even supervised bicycle parking.
Full of sights, smells, and lunch we stroll past the heavily fortified American Embassy along Sussex Drive to the National Gallery of Canada and the Samuel de Champlain statue which has awesome views of the Ottawa river and Parliament Hill. Ottawa is a city where one really needs a week to see all the sights but we have seen many of them on previous trips.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Canada’s Capital
Ottawa is a monarch of a city - a trait embodied by the Parliament buildings with its Changing the Guard ceremony. Barry’s sister Wenda and her husband, Graham have also found it an eminently liveable place for the last thirty years, enjoying the city’s many gardens, parks, recreational and cultural attractions, as well as employment in the federal government and its spin-offs. The Ottawa area has nationally esteemed universities, several outstanding museums, the national arts centre, and a walkway all along the Rideau Canal that is a must-do!
Today though we only walk along Mooney Bay to Hogs Back Park where there is both a lock station and an impressive waterfall on the Rideau River right in the middle of this huge urban area, known as the National Capital Region. The Rideau Canal connects Ottawa to Kingston and Lake Ontario, 202 kilometres to the south. The National Capital Region is home to about 1.8 million and includes the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its surrounding area: Nepean, Kanata, Gloucester, etc. and Gatineau, Quebec located on the Ottawa River across from Ottawa.
Today though we only walk along Mooney Bay to Hogs Back Park where there is both a lock station and an impressive waterfall on the Rideau River right in the middle of this huge urban area, known as the National Capital Region. The Rideau Canal connects Ottawa to Kingston and Lake Ontario, 202 kilometres to the south. The National Capital Region is home to about 1.8 million and includes the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its surrounding area: Nepean, Kanata, Gloucester, etc. and Gatineau, Quebec located on the Ottawa River across from Ottawa.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Grace Locksley
We’ve spent the last four nights with Marlene’s brother Clair who is a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church Locksley. He and His wife Joan live in a dignified, charmingly decorated, old brick three story house on the church property. The beautiful old church sits on rural acreage serving the local farming district of Locksley and others as it has for more than 100 years. On the west side of the property there is an impressive lovingly-tended graveyard where one can witness the history of the settlers who came to this part of the Ottawa Valley and their ties to the land they love. Rural churches with well-kept graveyards are part of the charm of eastern Canada where the history of settlement goes back further than in western Canada. Of course many old buildings in the east are constructed of brick or stone and have withstood the ravages of fire that has consumed many old timber-built buildings in Western Canada.
The four of us have spent the last three days exploring back roads: looking at waterfowl on the many small lakes and rivers, viewing prosperous farms with some very aged but still functioning buildings, investigating unique fence constructions, searching for cleverly designed mail boxes, and enjoying the rich, flavourful ice cream that dairy-producing districts make so well.
Although it is unlikely that any of the four of us will retire here as our adult children and commitments call us elsewhere, we understand why many others choose to retire here. We are imbued with the peacefulness and charm of this area and could imagine ourselves spending many happy years rambling as we’ve done the last three days, especially as we’ve hardly explored the many picturesque small towns with very interesting looking shops and restaurants. Barry is not a shopper and one of the things he likes best about the motorcycle is that we are forced to travel light - doing minimal shopping for essential items only. Of course Marlene has been known to ship items home that she simply could not resist!
We hate leaving today as we have enjoyed Joan and Clair’s company and hospitality so much, however, we are all close to retirement which will enable us to travel more frequently and come here more often. Grace Locksley will always be a special place for us because it bears the same name as Barry’ brother Locksley who died too young from prostate cancer three years ago. Locksley, who was always full of grace, would have loved this elegant heritage property and the serenity one feels here.
We are riding some country roads, H17 in sections, River Road along the Ottawa river between Renfrew and Arnprior (where the horses for the RCMP Musical Ride are raised), and a variety of secondary roads to avoid construction and congestion on the TransCanada highway into Ottawa. This route is not faster or shorter but it is scenic and an easier adjustment to riding after three days off the motorcycle. We will spend the next three days with Barry’s sister, Wenda enjoying more pampering and the sights of Canada’s stunning national capital, Ottawa.
The four of us have spent the last three days exploring back roads: looking at waterfowl on the many small lakes and rivers, viewing prosperous farms with some very aged but still functioning buildings, investigating unique fence constructions, searching for cleverly designed mail boxes, and enjoying the rich, flavourful ice cream that dairy-producing districts make so well.
Although it is unlikely that any of the four of us will retire here as our adult children and commitments call us elsewhere, we understand why many others choose to retire here. We are imbued with the peacefulness and charm of this area and could imagine ourselves spending many happy years rambling as we’ve done the last three days, especially as we’ve hardly explored the many picturesque small towns with very interesting looking shops and restaurants. Barry is not a shopper and one of the things he likes best about the motorcycle is that we are forced to travel light - doing minimal shopping for essential items only. Of course Marlene has been known to ship items home that she simply could not resist!
We hate leaving today as we have enjoyed Joan and Clair’s company and hospitality so much, however, we are all close to retirement which will enable us to travel more frequently and come here more often. Grace Locksley will always be a special place for us because it bears the same name as Barry’ brother Locksley who died too young from prostate cancer three years ago. Locksley, who was always full of grace, would have loved this elegant heritage property and the serenity one feels here.
We are riding some country roads, H17 in sections, River Road along the Ottawa river between Renfrew and Arnprior (where the horses for the RCMP Musical Ride are raised), and a variety of secondary roads to avoid construction and congestion on the TransCanada highway into Ottawa. This route is not faster or shorter but it is scenic and an easier adjustment to riding after three days off the motorcycle. We will spend the next three days with Barry’s sister, Wenda enjoying more pampering and the sights of Canada’s stunning national capital, Ottawa.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Joys of Home Cooking
Marlene’s sister-in-law, Joan, is among many other things, a great cook. She grows a large vegetable garden so many of her delicious dishes include the vegetables and herbs she has grown. The weather has been cool with occasional rain showers - perfect for visiting and sharing her hearty, chunky, three-bean soup:
Joan’s Heart Healthy Vegetable Soup
2 large onions chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
4 cups water
2 potatoes cubed
3 carrots sliced
1 tsp. oregano or a few sprigs if fresh
2 tsp. basil or a handful of leaves if fresh
1 can pinto beans (19 oz)
1 can kidney beans or lima beans
1 can garbanzo beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Bring onions, garlic, water, potatoes, carrots, and herbs to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes. Add beans, salt & pepper and cook until vegetables are tender. Enjoy!
Joan’s Heart Healthy Vegetable Soup
2 large onions chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
4 cups water
2 potatoes cubed
3 carrots sliced
1 tsp. oregano or a few sprigs if fresh
2 tsp. basil or a handful of leaves if fresh
1 can pinto beans (19 oz)
1 can kidney beans or lima beans
1 can garbanzo beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Bring onions, garlic, water, potatoes, carrots, and herbs to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes. Add beans, salt & pepper and cook until vegetables are tender. Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Bring Them Home
We will be in the Ottawa River Valley for a week, first in the Upper Ottawa area around Petawawa/Pembroke and then riding down to the capital city of Canada, stately Ottawa. The Ottawa (Outaouais) is a huge beautiful river that forms the border between Quebec and Ontario. It was once the main route of fur-trappers travelling out each spring to the Canadian Shield and back in the fall to Montreal with their precious cargo of pelts and we will follow it in stretches almost to Montreal.
Petawawa and Pembroke are side-by-side cities of about 15,000 inhabitants each that have both used their river frontage well by incorporating many beautiful parks and leisure areas. Petawawa, a newer city than Pembroke, includes a large Canadian Forces (Army) Base that drives the economy of the city. Pembroke, has many historical buildings including magnificent churches, and the first-rate Champlain Trail Pioneer Village and Museum that documents the areas lumbering and settlement history. It is hard to believe that Samuel de Champlain was this far northwest in 1614 as we will run encounter many other places he explored as we travel east and south. We enjoy the Pembroke Heritage Murals, some good restaurants, including the Nook Creperiere, and the delectably rich ice cream at Brum’s Diary.
Canadian flag banners billow proudly on the main streets in Petawawa, where “Welcome Home Troop” signs and the yellow ribbon symbols that support our troops are everywhere. We wonder what it’s like to live in a community where so many members have been killed in Afghanistan since Canadian troops entered the war. The mood is upbeat the day we visit as the troops from Petawawa are just home from their tour-of-duty and it is the Vandoos turn in Afghanistan. But how can there not be great sadness too in this community, as in all of Canada, when so many have not come home safely and so many will suffer for years from Post Traumatic Stress disorders?
We have a special nephew who has done a tour in Afghanistan and one of Marlene’s “little” brothers and our niece’s partner will be deployed to Afghanistan in the fall so we have some personal experience of the courage and sense of duty that takes Canadian servicemen to this war and also the worry and conflict of their loved-ones left behind. Neither of us can remember when Canada began the slippery slide down the slope from the peace-keeper role that Lester B. Pearson envisioned for Canadian soldiers to the full-combat role they currently hold. We hope that Canadian soldiers can become peacekeepers again and in the meantime we wish them safely home!
Petawawa and Pembroke are side-by-side cities of about 15,000 inhabitants each that have both used their river frontage well by incorporating many beautiful parks and leisure areas. Petawawa, a newer city than Pembroke, includes a large Canadian Forces (Army) Base that drives the economy of the city. Pembroke, has many historical buildings including magnificent churches, and the first-rate Champlain Trail Pioneer Village and Museum that documents the areas lumbering and settlement history. It is hard to believe that Samuel de Champlain was this far northwest in 1614 as we will run encounter many other places he explored as we travel east and south. We enjoy the Pembroke Heritage Murals, some good restaurants, including the Nook Creperiere, and the delectably rich ice cream at Brum’s Diary.
Canadian flag banners billow proudly on the main streets in Petawawa, where “Welcome Home Troop” signs and the yellow ribbon symbols that support our troops are everywhere. We wonder what it’s like to live in a community where so many members have been killed in Afghanistan since Canadian troops entered the war. The mood is upbeat the day we visit as the troops from Petawawa are just home from their tour-of-duty and it is the Vandoos turn in Afghanistan. But how can there not be great sadness too in this community, as in all of Canada, when so many have not come home safely and so many will suffer for years from Post Traumatic Stress disorders?
We have a special nephew who has done a tour in Afghanistan and one of Marlene’s “little” brothers and our niece’s partner will be deployed to Afghanistan in the fall so we have some personal experience of the courage and sense of duty that takes Canadian servicemen to this war and also the worry and conflict of their loved-ones left behind. Neither of us can remember when Canada began the slippery slide down the slope from the peace-keeper role that Lester B. Pearson envisioned for Canadian soldiers to the full-combat role they currently hold. We hope that Canadian soldiers can become peacekeepers again and in the meantime we wish them safely home!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Gonna Wash That Dust Right Out Of Our Gear
Oh, the luxury of washers, dryers, and a garage for the bike! Marlene’s brother Clair and wife, Joan were waiting for us on their veranda when we arrived last night and we are enjoying some first-rate pampering. The first thing on the agenda (after the care of the bike) is laundry, as everything we own has now been washed at least once in a hotel room sink and is dirty again. We are grateful for all the stylish travel and adventure clothing available these days that is fast-drying, lightweight, and is suitable for both cold weather because it can be layered and also for hot-weather because it breathes.
As the last few days have been cold and windy we are especially glad for the high-tech advances in gear that allow us considerable comfort and convenience, first and foremost of which are heated vests/jackets. We wear Black Jack (Electrowear Mfg) heated full-sleeve jackets because they help extend the riding season for us, making cool spring days and crisp autumn days a joy rather than a shiver, not to forget their worth on cold early mornings, on high mountain roads, and in bad weather. More than once we’ve endured a sudden rainstorm light hearted, even when we’re caught without our rain gear on, knowing our jackets are ready to plugged in and instantly toasty. At every rest stop where bikers congregate after a storm to wring out and dry off their gear, those riders with heated vests/jackets (they’re the ones with the biggest smiles) are endorsing these wonderful jackets.
As the last few days have been cold and windy we are especially glad for the high-tech advances in gear that allow us considerable comfort and convenience, first and foremost of which are heated vests/jackets. We wear Black Jack (Electrowear Mfg) heated full-sleeve jackets because they help extend the riding season for us, making cool spring days and crisp autumn days a joy rather than a shiver, not to forget their worth on cold early mornings, on high mountain roads, and in bad weather. More than once we’ve endured a sudden rainstorm light hearted, even when we’re caught without our rain gear on, knowing our jackets are ready to plugged in and instantly toasty. At every rest stop where bikers congregate after a storm to wring out and dry off their gear, those riders with heated vests/jackets (they’re the ones with the biggest smiles) are endorsing these wonderful jackets.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A Long and Winding Road
This morning as there are no coffee making implements in our motel room Barry walks two blocks to the nearest restaurant and brings back coffee - isn’t that what love is! It is a beautiful morning with minimal wind and if we’ve learned one thing on all our travels it is to savour the moment especially if it involves weather. So we sit on the curb in front of our room, sip coffee, and observe our fellow travellers greet the day. One young fellow looks at us and asks incredulously “You have coffee in your room?”. We point him in the right direction. The couple to our immediate left eyes us suspiciously as they load their car - and we try to imagine what they’re thinking: a couple of rode-worn bikers getting their morning fix.
A young man from Manitoba, originally from the West Indies, saunters over to talk. His job involves taking applications for car purchases from First Nation people and he is attending the annual Sagamowoc Assinabe Powwow that is taking place here in Massey this weekend. He and his partner travel in a company vehicle from powwow to powwow and receive $1000 for every application that results in a purchase. He wears much gold jewellery which we conjecture is either a ‘dress-for-success‘ strategy or a way of carrying all his worldly possessions on his person. He talks about the 18 hours of solid driving between here and Winnipeg but also how much he likes the opportunities to talk and to travel his job permits. We are reminded of all the many people we’ve met who have come to Canada and been overwhelmed by its beauty, its size, and the friendliness of its people.
The Serpent River First Nation and other First Nation tribes live on much of the land where we are riding and in the nearby Mississagi Provincial Park campers can participate in Gitchi Manito Ekinamadiwin (Great Spirit Teachings) learning about the local Ojibway culture. What a wonderful opportunity! The Serpent and the Mississagi rivers and many lakes will wind along Highway 17 with us today. We stop for breakfast about a half hour down the road where there is a gas station and a very busy Tim Horton’s sitting out in the middle of nowhere in the trees - only in Canada, eh?
Sadly the weather deteriorates as the morning progresses and we reconsider making another try to the Manitoulin Islands from Espanola and press on to Sudbury instead. Huge smokestacks and even higher telecommunication and power transmission towers are almost all we see of Sudbury as H17 bypasses this city of mining, smelting, refining, and geological science. It is a surprising flat landscape but geologists believe the mineral-rich Sudbury Basin was formed 2 billion years ago when a huge meteorite struck.
We ride through a beautiful landscape of ponds, rivers, beaver dams, and timber. There are many anglers and canoeists, some packing their canoes down the side of the highway to launch and many with their canoes tied to small rough campsites on rocky overhangs or small sandy beaches. The wind has picked up and the sky is overcast and we hope these campers have good raingear (like we do).
North Bay is our late lunch destination and although we hoped to eat near the lakeshore to take in the view, that is not to be as it’s spitting rain, cold, and very windy. We ride along Lakeshore Drive and watch large waves breaking on the grey, forbidding surface of Lake Nipissing. This is a beautiful lakeshore that the people of North Bay can be rightly proud of and we try to imagine it on a better day. We linger over an excellent lunch at Kristelle’s Deli and Bakery before facing the road again.
We are very tired today and if we weren’t expected by Marlene’s brother Clair in Pembroke, Ontario we would stop, as the sky is dark and the road seems long. To be fair, this is a very scenic highway and we follow the impressive Ottawa River all the way from Mattawa to Pembroke.
A young man from Manitoba, originally from the West Indies, saunters over to talk. His job involves taking applications for car purchases from First Nation people and he is attending the annual Sagamowoc Assinabe Powwow that is taking place here in Massey this weekend. He and his partner travel in a company vehicle from powwow to powwow and receive $1000 for every application that results in a purchase. He wears much gold jewellery which we conjecture is either a ‘dress-for-success‘ strategy or a way of carrying all his worldly possessions on his person. He talks about the 18 hours of solid driving between here and Winnipeg but also how much he likes the opportunities to talk and to travel his job permits. We are reminded of all the many people we’ve met who have come to Canada and been overwhelmed by its beauty, its size, and the friendliness of its people.
The Serpent River First Nation and other First Nation tribes live on much of the land where we are riding and in the nearby Mississagi Provincial Park campers can participate in Gitchi Manito Ekinamadiwin (Great Spirit Teachings) learning about the local Ojibway culture. What a wonderful opportunity! The Serpent and the Mississagi rivers and many lakes will wind along Highway 17 with us today. We stop for breakfast about a half hour down the road where there is a gas station and a very busy Tim Horton’s sitting out in the middle of nowhere in the trees - only in Canada, eh?
Sadly the weather deteriorates as the morning progresses and we reconsider making another try to the Manitoulin Islands from Espanola and press on to Sudbury instead. Huge smokestacks and even higher telecommunication and power transmission towers are almost all we see of Sudbury as H17 bypasses this city of mining, smelting, refining, and geological science. It is a surprising flat landscape but geologists believe the mineral-rich Sudbury Basin was formed 2 billion years ago when a huge meteorite struck.
We ride through a beautiful landscape of ponds, rivers, beaver dams, and timber. There are many anglers and canoeists, some packing their canoes down the side of the highway to launch and many with their canoes tied to small rough campsites on rocky overhangs or small sandy beaches. The wind has picked up and the sky is overcast and we hope these campers have good raingear (like we do).
North Bay is our late lunch destination and although we hoped to eat near the lakeshore to take in the view, that is not to be as it’s spitting rain, cold, and very windy. We ride along Lakeshore Drive and watch large waves breaking on the grey, forbidding surface of Lake Nipissing. This is a beautiful lakeshore that the people of North Bay can be rightly proud of and we try to imagine it on a better day. We linger over an excellent lunch at Kristelle’s Deli and Bakery before facing the road again.
We are very tired today and if we weren’t expected by Marlene’s brother Clair in Pembroke, Ontario we would stop, as the sky is dark and the road seems long. To be fair, this is a very scenic highway and we follow the impressive Ottawa River all the way from Mattawa to Pembroke.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
No Campin’, No Cookin’
It was difficult to get going this morning and the 11 am check-out time arrived too soon! The three hour time change and 5162 kms have caught up with these two old bikers. We spent the night at the very nice BW in Sault Ste Marie, MI so we could spend some time exploring the Soo Locks from the American perspective.
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan has a much smaller population than the city of the same name on the opposite side of the St. Mary’s River, however, it has excellent tourist services. In the old downtown area there are a number of attractions such as a museum ship, a tower lookout, and lock cruises that can be quite pricey. The best attraction, the Soo Locks Park, is free and includes elevated walk ways that overlook the three massive American locks where all the commercial traffic moves, an interpretation center, and a pretty park on the bank of the St. Mary’s River. Although there are no big freighters moving through the locks while we‘re there, we are lucky enough to see the locks in action as two of the cruise ships are taking tourists out and back to Lake Superior.
It is quite fascinating to watch the water inside the locks being raised or lowered 21 feet as that is the difference in height between Lake Superior and the St. Mary’s River. These locks connect Lake Superior, via the river, to the other Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is a bright but cold, windy day and we are grateful for the warmth of our leathers as we watch all the visitors in shorts shivering. There are many bikes in town as the American Legion has organized a big rally. Although we ride over for a brief look at the bikes, we haven’t the time and probably the energy to participate in the activities!
When you ride motorcycle you have many unexpected conversations with people, (such as border guards) and this day is no exception, as the security guard at the Soo Lock Park wants to talk. The Americans have very tight security around their locks: high fences, very controlled viewing areas, and guards who search your bags and purses as you enter the park. Under their somewhat crusty exteriors most of these people love to talk as it makes their day more interesting. Our guard wants to know where we’ve been, what we’re riding, etc., and then tell us his riding experiences with his wife, which summed up is no campin‘, no cookin’.
A long toll bridge connects the two cities of Sault Ste Marie. Sault means waterfall or rapids so the name translates as St. Mary’s Falls. Sault Ste Marie, Ontario was established in the 1600's as a fur trading post, later in the 1900's as a site for steelmaking and remains an important port and manufacturing center. The city is also a tourist center and the gateway to hunting and fishing resorts in nearby lake and forest regions. The area is one of the oldest European settlements in Ontario and there is an impressive National Historic Site near the base of the bridge where one can view the Canadian lock (which moves recreational traffic) and walk over to St. Mary‘s Island. There are many historical buildings in the city and we ride slowly along Bay Street so we can stop and take some photos, especially at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site.
We had intended to ride over to St. Joseph Island, one of the Manitoulin islands, as we’ve heard it’s very interesting but the wind is brutal today and riding is very hard on Highway17. Although the sky is mostly cloudless there are very bad weather reports from south and mid Ontario that we’re concerned about. So we decide to ride instead of sightsee but the wind doesn’t let up in this area of about 60 miles where three Great Lakes: Michigan, Superior, and Huron come close to one another. Although the area has rugged shores, sandy beaches, much forests, winding rivers, and great views of Lake Huron, we struggle to stay on the bike. Rounding one particularly windy corner we drive by a semi that‘s laying on its side in the ditch and we‘re sure the wind played a big part in the accident. We concede to the wind in Massey and take a room at the only motel in town. It has a 3-star rating (not in this galaxy) but is clean and we’re able to walk to the Chutes (yet another French word for waterfall) Provincial Park before supper. The weather forecast is better for tomorrow.
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan has a much smaller population than the city of the same name on the opposite side of the St. Mary’s River, however, it has excellent tourist services. In the old downtown area there are a number of attractions such as a museum ship, a tower lookout, and lock cruises that can be quite pricey. The best attraction, the Soo Locks Park, is free and includes elevated walk ways that overlook the three massive American locks where all the commercial traffic moves, an interpretation center, and a pretty park on the bank of the St. Mary’s River. Although there are no big freighters moving through the locks while we‘re there, we are lucky enough to see the locks in action as two of the cruise ships are taking tourists out and back to Lake Superior.
It is quite fascinating to watch the water inside the locks being raised or lowered 21 feet as that is the difference in height between Lake Superior and the St. Mary’s River. These locks connect Lake Superior, via the river, to the other Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is a bright but cold, windy day and we are grateful for the warmth of our leathers as we watch all the visitors in shorts shivering. There are many bikes in town as the American Legion has organized a big rally. Although we ride over for a brief look at the bikes, we haven’t the time and probably the energy to participate in the activities!
When you ride motorcycle you have many unexpected conversations with people, (such as border guards) and this day is no exception, as the security guard at the Soo Lock Park wants to talk. The Americans have very tight security around their locks: high fences, very controlled viewing areas, and guards who search your bags and purses as you enter the park. Under their somewhat crusty exteriors most of these people love to talk as it makes their day more interesting. Our guard wants to know where we’ve been, what we’re riding, etc., and then tell us his riding experiences with his wife, which summed up is no campin‘, no cookin’.
A long toll bridge connects the two cities of Sault Ste Marie. Sault means waterfall or rapids so the name translates as St. Mary’s Falls. Sault Ste Marie, Ontario was established in the 1600's as a fur trading post, later in the 1900's as a site for steelmaking and remains an important port and manufacturing center. The city is also a tourist center and the gateway to hunting and fishing resorts in nearby lake and forest regions. The area is one of the oldest European settlements in Ontario and there is an impressive National Historic Site near the base of the bridge where one can view the Canadian lock (which moves recreational traffic) and walk over to St. Mary‘s Island. There are many historical buildings in the city and we ride slowly along Bay Street so we can stop and take some photos, especially at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site.
We had intended to ride over to St. Joseph Island, one of the Manitoulin islands, as we’ve heard it’s very interesting but the wind is brutal today and riding is very hard on Highway17. Although the sky is mostly cloudless there are very bad weather reports from south and mid Ontario that we’re concerned about. So we decide to ride instead of sightsee but the wind doesn’t let up in this area of about 60 miles where three Great Lakes: Michigan, Superior, and Huron come close to one another. Although the area has rugged shores, sandy beaches, much forests, winding rivers, and great views of Lake Huron, we struggle to stay on the bike. Rounding one particularly windy corner we drive by a semi that‘s laying on its side in the ditch and we‘re sure the wind played a big part in the accident. We concede to the wind in Massey and take a room at the only motel in town. It has a 3-star rating (not in this galaxy) but is clean and we’re able to walk to the Chutes (yet another French word for waterfall) Provincial Park before supper. The weather forecast is better for tomorrow.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tardy But Travelling
When travelling on a motorcycle it is always important to do a daily pre-ride inspection which includes checking tire pressures. Our back tire has been losing pressure and yesterday was down to 29 pounds pressure. Barry added some air and we rode for the day, however, this morning the pressure was down to 19 pounds. Obviously there is a leak in the tire and fortunately we only have to backtrack 5 miles to a Harley dealer. A big thanks to Vandervest Harley Davidson of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, who took the bike in right away and had us back on our way in an hour and a half, with a new tire and a oil change! We had enjoyed a particularly excellent complimentary breakfast at the Comfort Inn, Marinette, and they were kind enough to allow Marlene to stay at the motel beyond the check-out time while the repairs were done. We were impressed by the friendliness, service, and value of this motel, which just added to our already great impression of Wisconsin.
About noon we cross the Menominee River and enter Michigan. We are riding Highway 35N along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, which is so big it seems like the ocean but it doesn’t smell as nice! It is windy and from the appearance of the scrubby trees we surmise that wind is a constant on this side of the lake. This area, referred to as the Upper Peninsula, has much lake front real estate for sale. At Rapid River we take Highway 2 east and ride through the small closely- set trees of Hiawatha National Forest. The land is flat so the road is very straight most of the time which is a bonus because it‘s only two lanes and has much traffic. At Blaney Park we jog north on H77, then east on H28, and finally get on to H123, the road through Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
This park boasts one of the largest falls east of the Mississippi and is a very pleasant camping and hiking destination. The country around the park is full of vacation cabins. When we arrive in Paradise (a bit of wishful thinking in this name) we get our first view of Lake Superior. We take the twisty road north to the oldest active lighthouse on Lake superior, dating from 1849, the Whitefish Point Lighthouse. This part of Lake Superior is called the “graveyard of the great lakes” because so many ships have sunk here, including the Edmund Fitzgerald, that ship that Gordon Lightfoot made famous in his song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.
Whitefish Point provides us with a spectacular view of some freighters on Lake Superior and its windy log-strewn sandy shoreline. Gitchigumi is the Chippewa name for Lake Superior, the most treacherous of the five great lakes. Whitefish Point has a number of attractive sites to see in addition to the restored lighthouse, including the Shipwreck Museum, a United States Coast Guard Lifeboat Station, a couple of gift shops, and even accommodation in a restored USCG Crew Quarters. When we arrive at Whitefish Point we are surprised to learn we have lost an hour - we’ve crossed a time zone without knowing and it is later than we think! We ride along scenic Whitefish Bay to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan for the night.
About noon we cross the Menominee River and enter Michigan. We are riding Highway 35N along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, which is so big it seems like the ocean but it doesn’t smell as nice! It is windy and from the appearance of the scrubby trees we surmise that wind is a constant on this side of the lake. This area, referred to as the Upper Peninsula, has much lake front real estate for sale. At Rapid River we take Highway 2 east and ride through the small closely- set trees of Hiawatha National Forest. The land is flat so the road is very straight most of the time which is a bonus because it‘s only two lanes and has much traffic. At Blaney Park we jog north on H77, then east on H28, and finally get on to H123, the road through Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
This park boasts one of the largest falls east of the Mississippi and is a very pleasant camping and hiking destination. The country around the park is full of vacation cabins. When we arrive in Paradise (a bit of wishful thinking in this name) we get our first view of Lake Superior. We take the twisty road north to the oldest active lighthouse on Lake superior, dating from 1849, the Whitefish Point Lighthouse. This part of Lake Superior is called the “graveyard of the great lakes” because so many ships have sunk here, including the Edmund Fitzgerald, that ship that Gordon Lightfoot made famous in his song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”.
Whitefish Point provides us with a spectacular view of some freighters on Lake Superior and its windy log-strewn sandy shoreline. Gitchigumi is the Chippewa name for Lake Superior, the most treacherous of the five great lakes. Whitefish Point has a number of attractive sites to see in addition to the restored lighthouse, including the Shipwreck Museum, a United States Coast Guard Lifeboat Station, a couple of gift shops, and even accommodation in a restored USCG Crew Quarters. When we arrive at Whitefish Point we are surprised to learn we have lost an hour - we’ve crossed a time zone without knowing and it is later than we think! We ride along scenic Whitefish Bay to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan for the night.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
We Walk the Line
After a tasty breakfast in the Library of the Iron Horse, a hotel we can highly recommend, we set off across Milwaukee to Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations for the factory tour. The factory where a motor motorcycle like ours is assembled is not open to the public so we have to make do with viewing the manufacture of what drives a motorcycle namely the engine and the transmission. The castings for most of the parts are done by an outside company, shipped here and then machined in this factory. We must stay within the walk lines in this busy, hot place where it is quite something to watch the activity of both humans and robots. This location only manufactures engines and transmissions for the smaller motorcycles up to 1200 cc, however, it also does remans - the remanufacture of all size engines including the powerhouse 110 cubic inch Screaming Eagle (Barry‘s next life).
We shop at the Milwaukee Harley Davidson dealer picking up our requisite souvenirs and some screws (we’ve only lost one but bound to lose more).
The weather is very fine so we set off toward Green Bay on highway 45, hoping to ride through the Kettle Moraine State Forests, however, somehow we miss the turn-off. Rather than backtrack we decide to ride some county roads as they are in really good condition in Wisconsin and take us through some very interesting landscapes. We travel a long way on county road W which is very interesting because it criss-crosses an area where many huge wind turbines are generating power. We are riding with the wind today, a nice change, as we can travel much farther on a tank of gas. Gas costs less in America than it does in Canada but after one factors in the exchange rate it’s only a bit less. But we’re not complaining as the beer is considerably less!
We try to move over to highway 55 so we can ride along Lake Winnebago, however, the bridges along this route are being replaced and we have to make many detours. It’s very difficult to get road conditions on secondary, particularly county roads and there is much road construction everywhere we‘ve travelled - perhaps it is due to the Stimulus Programs. We are finally successful in seeing Lake Winnebago and cut our time losses by riding on Interstate 41 from the top of the lake through Green Bay, stopping in Marinette for the night.
Once again today we have ridden through beautiful farmland and occasionally breathed in the aroma of manure which dairy farmers fondly refer to as the “smell of money”. Northeastern Wisconsin has much timber so lumbering is an important industry and we‘ve also smelled the tang of freshly cut wood. There are also many rivers that are popular for recreational fishing and boating. At the Comfort Inn where we are spending the night there are at least six vehicles trailering what appear to be some very fast boats. We have thoroughly enjoyed our travel in Wisconsin and will miss it when we cross the Menominee River into Michigan tomorrow.
We shop at the Milwaukee Harley Davidson dealer picking up our requisite souvenirs and some screws (we’ve only lost one but bound to lose more).
The weather is very fine so we set off toward Green Bay on highway 45, hoping to ride through the Kettle Moraine State Forests, however, somehow we miss the turn-off. Rather than backtrack we decide to ride some county roads as they are in really good condition in Wisconsin and take us through some very interesting landscapes. We travel a long way on county road W which is very interesting because it criss-crosses an area where many huge wind turbines are generating power. We are riding with the wind today, a nice change, as we can travel much farther on a tank of gas. Gas costs less in America than it does in Canada but after one factors in the exchange rate it’s only a bit less. But we’re not complaining as the beer is considerably less!
We try to move over to highway 55 so we can ride along Lake Winnebago, however, the bridges along this route are being replaced and we have to make many detours. It’s very difficult to get road conditions on secondary, particularly county roads and there is much road construction everywhere we‘ve travelled - perhaps it is due to the Stimulus Programs. We are finally successful in seeing Lake Winnebago and cut our time losses by riding on Interstate 41 from the top of the lake through Green Bay, stopping in Marinette for the night.
Once again today we have ridden through beautiful farmland and occasionally breathed in the aroma of manure which dairy farmers fondly refer to as the “smell of money”. Northeastern Wisconsin has much timber so lumbering is an important industry and we‘ve also smelled the tang of freshly cut wood. There are also many rivers that are popular for recreational fishing and boating. At the Comfort Inn where we are spending the night there are at least six vehicles trailering what appear to be some very fast boats. We have thoroughly enjoyed our travel in Wisconsin and will miss it when we cross the Menominee River into Michigan tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Pilgrimage to Milwaukee
Well! You know it’s going to happen on a motorcycle trip: RAIN! After so many days of nice weather it was bound to happen, however, the rain was light and just reminded us that to expect the weather to be perfect for an entire trip is unrealistic. We have to ride Interstate 94 into Milwaukee as it’s the only way we know to get to the Harley Davidson Museum and although we are dreading riding it in the rain, we have quite a decent ride.
The Harley Davidson Museum, which just opened last year in celebration of HD’s 105th anniversary, is located on 20 acres in downtown Milwaukee, a reclaimed industrial site. It has wonderful exhibits and every bike of the hundreds in the museum has its own story to tell. The museum tells the history and culture of Harley Davidson without shoving HD in your face. Marlene also now knows everything she ever needs to know about 4-stroke engines: suck, squeeze, bang, blow!
There are 2 restaurants on site, one for fast food called the Racer and a upscale restaurant called the Motor where we enjoy a very satisfying lunch in an edgy, friendly atmosphere. The HD museum offers many outdoor spaces which include a lovely walk along the canal (a tributary of the Milwaukee River) and priority front-door parking for motorcycles.
We could see our hotel, The Iron Horse, from the Harley Davidson Museum which made it very easy to get to. Of course this was all part of the plan. The Iron Horse, a modern luxury boutique hotel with unique amenities designed for motorcyclists (like free parking for 2 wheelers) is a splurge for us but one we’ve been looking forward too. It is gorgeous! It began as a bedding factory and is part of the revitalization that is making downtown Milwaukee such an inviting experience.
We chose this hotel for its uniqueness and proximity to the museum and downtow and in the late afternoon we set off on a walking tour. We take the River Walk along Water Street through the Historic Third Ward and see many interesting historic buildings and funky shops. It feels good to stretch our legs after so many days of riding and we head to the shores of Lake Michigan to take in the views of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Complex, the Art Museum, and Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. The downtown lake front is very beautiful and one can walk for miles in both directions.
Marlene’s choice for dinner is Karl Ratzsch’s Old World Restaurant on Mason Street where we stuff ourselves with delicious German specialties and share bottle of Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Valley where we we’ve spent many memorable summer vacations. On our walk back to the hotel the clouds are breaking and we enjoy a stunning sunset from our 4th floor window - a great day and well worth the effort to get here!
The Harley Davidson Museum, which just opened last year in celebration of HD’s 105th anniversary, is located on 20 acres in downtown Milwaukee, a reclaimed industrial site. It has wonderful exhibits and every bike of the hundreds in the museum has its own story to tell. The museum tells the history and culture of Harley Davidson without shoving HD in your face. Marlene also now knows everything she ever needs to know about 4-stroke engines: suck, squeeze, bang, blow!
There are 2 restaurants on site, one for fast food called the Racer and a upscale restaurant called the Motor where we enjoy a very satisfying lunch in an edgy, friendly atmosphere. The HD museum offers many outdoor spaces which include a lovely walk along the canal (a tributary of the Milwaukee River) and priority front-door parking for motorcycles.
We could see our hotel, The Iron Horse, from the Harley Davidson Museum which made it very easy to get to. Of course this was all part of the plan. The Iron Horse, a modern luxury boutique hotel with unique amenities designed for motorcyclists (like free parking for 2 wheelers) is a splurge for us but one we’ve been looking forward too. It is gorgeous! It began as a bedding factory and is part of the revitalization that is making downtown Milwaukee such an inviting experience.
We chose this hotel for its uniqueness and proximity to the museum and downtow and in the late afternoon we set off on a walking tour. We take the River Walk along Water Street through the Historic Third Ward and see many interesting historic buildings and funky shops. It feels good to stretch our legs after so many days of riding and we head to the shores of Lake Michigan to take in the views of the Milwaukee County War Memorial Complex, the Art Museum, and Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. The downtown lake front is very beautiful and one can walk for miles in both directions.
Marlene’s choice for dinner is Karl Ratzsch’s Old World Restaurant on Mason Street where we stuff ourselves with delicious German specialties and share bottle of Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Valley where we we’ve spent many memorable summer vacations. On our walk back to the hotel the clouds are breaking and we enjoy a stunning sunset from our 4th floor window - a great day and well worth the effort to get here!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Follow the Rivers
Today was a non-stop panorama of rivers, bluffs, wooded valleys, rich dairyland, and historic picturesque small towns - the best riding we’ve had so far! We began by cruising once more through lovely Redwing, then headed south on MD highway 61. This section of the Mississippi has been backed up by locks and dams to form Lake Pepin and has a number of resorts and recreation facilities. About 35 miles downstream we cross to the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi at Wabasha because we’ve been told the scenery is better on that side. We are not disappointed with WI highway 35!
There are many sets of locks on the river that we choose not to tour as we can see them very well from the road and have actually passed through locks in boats which is more exciting than standing on them today. The locks provide the valuable purpose of controlling flooding further down river. The Upper Mississippi River is a very large impressive river at this point and the countryside is so green! When we stop at Fountain City to snap some photos of an old riverboat we realize that it is about 80F and quite humid. When we‘re moving we stay comfortable but it‘s hot in our leathers whenever we stop.
We’ve planned to stop in La Crosse, the biggest town on this section of the river and discover it’s actually a city so the map we have is totally inadequate. We manage to give ourselves a unintended tour of the historic downtown area and decide to have lunch and ask directions before getting more lost. Believe it or not, as we are eating our delicious lunch at the King Street Kitchen we notice a turtle about the size of a dinner plate making its way down the side of the very busy street outside. There was no sign of it after lunch so we can only assume it traveled safely too. A ride up to Grandad Bluff gave us a tremendous view of the city of La Crosse and the Black River as it empties into the Mississippi.
We travel WI35 to Prairie du Chien, a river town just north of where the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi. We leave the Great River Road here, heading on WI60 to begin the Wisconsin River Scenic Drive. This drive is as beautiful as the one we’ve just completed with beautiful farms, lush green corn and hay fields, river-edged bluffs, and sandstone outcroppings. We have the road almost completely to ourselves and we are sure it was constructed just for motorcycles! The Wisconsin River is very broad with sandy banks and it is said that it looks much as it did when French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet paddled the route in 1673 searching for the Mississippi.
We stop for the night at another BW about 5 miles from Lodi. Had we known it was that far, we may have eaten in Lodi, as the choices within walking distance of this motel are all fast food. It is always tricky trying to find good accommodation within walking distance of good restaurants in North America as we’re such a car culture. The sky looks very threatening but we’ve had great weather once again today.
There are many sets of locks on the river that we choose not to tour as we can see them very well from the road and have actually passed through locks in boats which is more exciting than standing on them today. The locks provide the valuable purpose of controlling flooding further down river. The Upper Mississippi River is a very large impressive river at this point and the countryside is so green! When we stop at Fountain City to snap some photos of an old riverboat we realize that it is about 80F and quite humid. When we‘re moving we stay comfortable but it‘s hot in our leathers whenever we stop.
We’ve planned to stop in La Crosse, the biggest town on this section of the river and discover it’s actually a city so the map we have is totally inadequate. We manage to give ourselves a unintended tour of the historic downtown area and decide to have lunch and ask directions before getting more lost. Believe it or not, as we are eating our delicious lunch at the King Street Kitchen we notice a turtle about the size of a dinner plate making its way down the side of the very busy street outside. There was no sign of it after lunch so we can only assume it traveled safely too. A ride up to Grandad Bluff gave us a tremendous view of the city of La Crosse and the Black River as it empties into the Mississippi.
We travel WI35 to Prairie du Chien, a river town just north of where the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi. We leave the Great River Road here, heading on WI60 to begin the Wisconsin River Scenic Drive. This drive is as beautiful as the one we’ve just completed with beautiful farms, lush green corn and hay fields, river-edged bluffs, and sandstone outcroppings. We have the road almost completely to ourselves and we are sure it was constructed just for motorcycles! The Wisconsin River is very broad with sandy banks and it is said that it looks much as it did when French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet paddled the route in 1673 searching for the Mississippi.
We stop for the night at another BW about 5 miles from Lodi. Had we known it was that far, we may have eaten in Lodi, as the choices within walking distance of this motel are all fast food. It is always tricky trying to find good accommodation within walking distance of good restaurants in North America as we’re such a car culture. The sky looks very threatening but we’ve had great weather once again today.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Twin Cities, Twin Blunders, Twin Smiles
We rode from Fargo, ND to Fergus Falls, MN for a delicious brunch at Debbie’s Homestyle Kitchen. We are riding Interstate 94 for a while again today to gain some distance. I94 passes through gently rolling agricultural country with beautiful farms and many corn fields. Minnesota advertises itself as the land of 10,000 lakes and many of them are evident on our route.
One of the great things about riding motorcycle is the connection one feels to the countryside: the smells, the temperature, the wind, etc. In Montana and North Dakota the farmers were mowing hay and although both of us suffer from hay fever, the smell was wonderful. We are always impressed by the prairie farmers in Canada and America who mow and bale the hay just off the shoulder of the highways. We speculate that this service reduces fires and wildlife grazing and we hope the hard-working farmers we wave to get some remuneration for it.
The downside of being closer to the elements are the bugs, bugs, and more bugs. We cover the front of the bike everyday with a large variety of them, which bothers Barry more than me, as he feels responsible for keeping the bike clean. We’ve had excellent weather: warm with cloudy periods, some rain at night but dry roads for riding. We’ve also encountered the occasional stench of a skunk and the heady aroma of manure.
We are compelled to ride I94 through the twin cities of Minneapolis/St.Paul as we don’t have the time to ride around them, so we bite down hard and go for it. Two missed exits out of eight isn’t that bad when you recognize your error and correct it as soon as possible (so I tell Barry). He is a very cool rider in tense situations and I am an anxious navigator but we are still sleeping with each other tonight so it‘s all good.
We leave for Interstates for the calm of Highway 52S to Highway 61S, the Great River Road along the Mississippi River. We actually had our first glimpse of the Mississippi River in St.Paul but we were really much to involved with traffic to appreciate it. Our final destination this afternoon is the charming, historic city of Red Wing located on the bluffs along the Mississippi. Red Wing is on many “must see” lists and it is a very interesting river town with many historic buildings.
We are staying at the very clean and attractive Best Western Rivertown Inn. Advertised as only 6 blocks from the river we are disappointed that walking to the river is not an option because of a lack of sidewalks and heavy traffic on the 4 lane highway that divides the motel from the riverside. We often stay in chain hotels such as Best Western and Comfort Inns when we are doing one night stays as we can depend on them being clean, quiet and accessible. We have travelled 3,489 kms safely, from Vancouver Island to the mighty Mississippi, and we celebrate with a picnic supper (but not by the river) and a 6-pack of Miller Genuine Draft!
One of the great things about riding motorcycle is the connection one feels to the countryside: the smells, the temperature, the wind, etc. In Montana and North Dakota the farmers were mowing hay and although both of us suffer from hay fever, the smell was wonderful. We are always impressed by the prairie farmers in Canada and America who mow and bale the hay just off the shoulder of the highways. We speculate that this service reduces fires and wildlife grazing and we hope the hard-working farmers we wave to get some remuneration for it.
The downside of being closer to the elements are the bugs, bugs, and more bugs. We cover the front of the bike everyday with a large variety of them, which bothers Barry more than me, as he feels responsible for keeping the bike clean. We’ve had excellent weather: warm with cloudy periods, some rain at night but dry roads for riding. We’ve also encountered the occasional stench of a skunk and the heady aroma of manure.
We are compelled to ride I94 through the twin cities of Minneapolis/St.Paul as we don’t have the time to ride around them, so we bite down hard and go for it. Two missed exits out of eight isn’t that bad when you recognize your error and correct it as soon as possible (so I tell Barry). He is a very cool rider in tense situations and I am an anxious navigator but we are still sleeping with each other tonight so it‘s all good.
We leave for Interstates for the calm of Highway 52S to Highway 61S, the Great River Road along the Mississippi River. We actually had our first glimpse of the Mississippi River in St.Paul but we were really much to involved with traffic to appreciate it. Our final destination this afternoon is the charming, historic city of Red Wing located on the bluffs along the Mississippi. Red Wing is on many “must see” lists and it is a very interesting river town with many historic buildings.
We are staying at the very clean and attractive Best Western Rivertown Inn. Advertised as only 6 blocks from the river we are disappointed that walking to the river is not an option because of a lack of sidewalks and heavy traffic on the 4 lane highway that divides the motel from the riverside. We often stay in chain hotels such as Best Western and Comfort Inns when we are doing one night stays as we can depend on them being clean, quiet and accessible. We have travelled 3,489 kms safely, from Vancouver Island to the mighty Mississippi, and we celebrate with a picnic supper (but not by the river) and a 6-pack of Miller Genuine Draft!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Five Hundred Miles
A very long day of riding! We try to avoid riding early in the morning or into the evening because of the large number of wild animals on the roads, especially the roads-less-traveled that we enjoy. Today, however, we’ve chosen to do a stretch on Interstate 94 this evening because we want to wind along the Lewis and Clark Trail that follows the Missouri River through scenic western North Dakota.
Our riding routine is to have a small breakfast at our lodging place and much of the accommodation in North American even includes a Continental breakfast. So it is about 8:30 when we leave Glasgow heading east on Highway 2. This is Sunday of the July 4th long weekend in America and the towns are very quiet but the recreation areas are very busy!
We stop for brunch in Williston shortly after crossing the state border and realize there was a time change so it is actually lunchtime. The Lewis and Clark State Park is just east of Williston and the turn-off for historic Fort Union and Fort Buford is just west. We turn on to highway 1804 here and will follow it along the Missouri to 178-mile-long Lake Sakakawea which was formed when the Garrison Dam backed up the river. This is a spectacular drive of sparkling water, rolling hills, striking mesas and buttes, and historic Indian sites. There are scenic drives on either side of the lake and we stay on the north side until we hit ND highway 83 which will take us down to Interstate 94. Highway 83 runs through historic Washburn, a riverboat town in the late 1800s, as it occupies a bluff on the Missouri. The ND Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is located here and offers wonderful views of the river in the short section where it is not dammed. Fort Mandan, where Lewis and Clark wintered in 1804-05 is 3 miles west of Washburn.
It was a great ride for sight-seeing but we have 4 hours of very hard riding on Interstate 94 to Fargo before we can call it a day.
Our riding routine is to have a small breakfast at our lodging place and much of the accommodation in North American even includes a Continental breakfast. So it is about 8:30 when we leave Glasgow heading east on Highway 2. This is Sunday of the July 4th long weekend in America and the towns are very quiet but the recreation areas are very busy!
We stop for brunch in Williston shortly after crossing the state border and realize there was a time change so it is actually lunchtime. The Lewis and Clark State Park is just east of Williston and the turn-off for historic Fort Union and Fort Buford is just west. We turn on to highway 1804 here and will follow it along the Missouri to 178-mile-long Lake Sakakawea which was formed when the Garrison Dam backed up the river. This is a spectacular drive of sparkling water, rolling hills, striking mesas and buttes, and historic Indian sites. There are scenic drives on either side of the lake and we stay on the north side until we hit ND highway 83 which will take us down to Interstate 94. Highway 83 runs through historic Washburn, a riverboat town in the late 1800s, as it occupies a bluff on the Missouri. The ND Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is located here and offers wonderful views of the river in the short section where it is not dammed. Fort Mandan, where Lewis and Clark wintered in 1804-05 is 3 miles west of Washburn.
It was a great ride for sight-seeing but we have 4 hours of very hard riding on Interstate 94 to Fargo before we can call it a day.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
When We Grow To Old To Dream We’ll Have This To Remember
Black Diamond is a bit of a detour that we made because Marlene’s Uncle Bill is celebrating his 80th birthday; three summers ago we came this way to help Aunty Norma celebrate her 80th. Norma and Bill are the kind of octogenarians everyone aspires to be: Norma still owns and regularly rides her horse, they are very active in their community, and they go camping and attend Cowboy Poetry events all over Alberta and Montana. Norma’s doctors caution her repeatedly about the dangers of riding at her age but she always says “I’ll ride until I can’t get my foot in the stirrups! If I fall and can’t ride anymore, think about all the great rides I’ll have to remember when sitting is all I have left!”
Black Diamond is typical of small Alberta towns but its proximity to expanding Calgary threatens to turn it into a bedroom community. It is a place where everyone knows everyone else and when we celebrate with an excellent chinese food buffet at Diamond Valley Restaurant Norma and Bill are greeted by almost all the many patrons and staff. We could have chosen to revisit the Black Diamond Hotel which is renowned for its award-winning food and is also a very popular motorbike destination but that will have to wait for our next trip.
It is Stampede week and when we head out Highway 7 we pass Ford 350’s, driven by sweet young cowgirls, pulling big horse trailers with rodeo costumes hanging in the cab, heading to the Calgary Stampede . We head south on Highway 2 at High River and speed by two spectacular attractions we’ve explored on prior trips that cannot go unmentioned. The first is the world heritage site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, an awesome, timeless place with so much significance it make you shiver! The second is the North West Mounted Police historic district of Fort Macleod on the Oldman River.
Skirting Lethbridge we head south on Highway 4 to cross the Canadian/American border at Coutts/Sweetgrass. We have to wait with a group of motorcycles while the dog sniffs for drugs or perhaps Alberta beef that we might be smuggling across. It is a hot wait but we are finally cleared to head south to Shelby where we turn east on Highway 2. This is a fast (75 mph) little-traveled road through very beautiful prairie landscapes and small farm communities. It is a beautiful day for riding and we enjoy every moment stopping at the Cottonwood Inn in Glasgow, Montana for the night.
Black Diamond is typical of small Alberta towns but its proximity to expanding Calgary threatens to turn it into a bedroom community. It is a place where everyone knows everyone else and when we celebrate with an excellent chinese food buffet at Diamond Valley Restaurant Norma and Bill are greeted by almost all the many patrons and staff. We could have chosen to revisit the Black Diamond Hotel which is renowned for its award-winning food and is also a very popular motorbike destination but that will have to wait for our next trip.
It is Stampede week and when we head out Highway 7 we pass Ford 350’s, driven by sweet young cowgirls, pulling big horse trailers with rodeo costumes hanging in the cab, heading to the Calgary Stampede . We head south on Highway 2 at High River and speed by two spectacular attractions we’ve explored on prior trips that cannot go unmentioned. The first is the world heritage site of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, an awesome, timeless place with so much significance it make you shiver! The second is the North West Mounted Police historic district of Fort Macleod on the Oldman River.
Skirting Lethbridge we head south on Highway 4 to cross the Canadian/American border at Coutts/Sweetgrass. We have to wait with a group of motorcycles while the dog sniffs for drugs or perhaps Alberta beef that we might be smuggling across. It is a hot wait but we are finally cleared to head south to Shelby where we turn east on Highway 2. This is a fast (75 mph) little-traveled road through very beautiful prairie landscapes and small farm communities. It is a beautiful day for riding and we enjoy every moment stopping at the Cottonwood Inn in Glasgow, Montana for the night.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Against The Wind
It is already a hot morning when we leave Creston but as long as the bike is moving and the wind is in our face we stay cool. Our black leather traveling gear can be hot, heavy, and uncomfortable when temperatures are high, however, we’re not complaining, as we’ve endured enough bad weather riding to be grateful for everyday of sunshine on a trip.
Our beloved Route 3 begins its climb into the Rocky Mountain range, winds along the scenic Moyie River and even more spectacular Moyie Lake zipping us through Cranbrook (where we jump ahead an hour) and into the alpine town of Fernie. As a skiing/winter sport destination, Fernie is booming and has much good accommodation and many restaurants including a Tim Horton‘s where we stop for lunch. We follow the rushing Elk River into coal mining country and Sparwood is the last BC town before we cross the Continental Divide amid lofty mountain peaks and glacial rock deposits thousands of years old. Just on the other side of the provincial border is the landslide site where the village of Frank once stood - bit of an eerie place that we usually hurry through. We’re about to leave Route 3 and feeling a bit sad as we’ve hardly done it justice this trip, speeding along trying to cover many miles early in this journey.
There are many top-notch stops we can recommend including the Cascade hiking trails of Manning Park where you can camp and hike for days. The Mascot Gold Mine tour from the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre in Hedley takes you up to the Provincial Heritage site perched precariously on the side of the mountain overlooking the Similkameen Valley. We love staying at the Gold House B&B in Hedley as it was originally the Gold Assay office. Another world-class destination on Route 3 is Osoyoos - whether you’re a golfer, a water sport enthusiast, a wine lover, or a naturalist! The Nk’mip Resort offers outstanding accommodation on a ridge that overlooks the town and the lake. They also have a huge RV and camping park, a fabulous winery, and the NK'MIP Desert Cultural Centre highlights the rare plants and animals of this desert landscape. The Cranbrook area has much to offer too, including Fort Steele and the cute Bavarian-themed town of Kimberly. If you’ve never ridden Route 3 make your next priority ride (those of you still car-bound will enjoy it too).
Just east of Crowsnest village we turn left onto Alberta highway 22 heading for Black Diamond. This is foothills country where the great plains have begun to rock-n-roll in front of the Rockies. Many of the people who live here believe it is the most beautiful place on earth and it is gorgeous today, although the winds are gusting high and the clouds are moving in. Much of the movie Brokeback Mountain was filmed in this area around Longview.
Our beloved Route 3 begins its climb into the Rocky Mountain range, winds along the scenic Moyie River and even more spectacular Moyie Lake zipping us through Cranbrook (where we jump ahead an hour) and into the alpine town of Fernie. As a skiing/winter sport destination, Fernie is booming and has much good accommodation and many restaurants including a Tim Horton‘s where we stop for lunch. We follow the rushing Elk River into coal mining country and Sparwood is the last BC town before we cross the Continental Divide amid lofty mountain peaks and glacial rock deposits thousands of years old. Just on the other side of the provincial border is the landslide site where the village of Frank once stood - bit of an eerie place that we usually hurry through. We’re about to leave Route 3 and feeling a bit sad as we’ve hardly done it justice this trip, speeding along trying to cover many miles early in this journey.
There are many top-notch stops we can recommend including the Cascade hiking trails of Manning Park where you can camp and hike for days. The Mascot Gold Mine tour from the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre in Hedley takes you up to the Provincial Heritage site perched precariously on the side of the mountain overlooking the Similkameen Valley. We love staying at the Gold House B&B in Hedley as it was originally the Gold Assay office. Another world-class destination on Route 3 is Osoyoos - whether you’re a golfer, a water sport enthusiast, a wine lover, or a naturalist! The Nk’mip Resort offers outstanding accommodation on a ridge that overlooks the town and the lake. They also have a huge RV and camping park, a fabulous winery, and the NK'MIP Desert Cultural Centre highlights the rare plants and animals of this desert landscape. The Cranbrook area has much to offer too, including Fort Steele and the cute Bavarian-themed town of Kimberly. If you’ve never ridden Route 3 make your next priority ride (those of you still car-bound will enjoy it too).
Just east of Crowsnest village we turn left onto Alberta highway 22 heading for Black Diamond. This is foothills country where the great plains have begun to rock-n-roll in front of the Rockies. Many of the people who live here believe it is the most beautiful place on earth and it is gorgeous today, although the winds are gusting high and the clouds are moving in. Much of the movie Brokeback Mountain was filmed in this area around Longview.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Good Morning Sunshine
Our first day on the road is often short on distance but important because it is our test run. We need to know how the bike will handle with the load and we need to be close to home in case we’ve left anything undone or forgotten something. So we spent our first night at our son, David’s place in Kitsilano, which is a great destination anytime. Kitsilano is an older, high-density suburb of Vancouver, with tremendous charm, great shopping and fabulous beaches. Barry enjoyed barbecuing chicken for the four of us and David’s partner, Iwona made a wonderful Butternut squash soup (we weaseled the recipe out of her). In Iwona’s cooking nothing is wasted and this tasty soup uses the nutrient-rich skin of the squash as well.
Iwona’s Butternut Squash Soup
Wash two butternut squash (these are the yellow ones plentiful all summer while their skins are still somewhat tender). Remove the stems and put both whole squash into a large pot and cover with water and boil until fork tender. Remove the squash , chop into pieces, and remove and discard the pulp. Put the pieces of squash back into the pot, add chicken broth or chicken Oxo flavouring, or any vegetable-based flavouring you like, lots of rosemary and salt/pepper to taste. Use your hand blender to blend all the ingredients and reheat. The squash thickens the soup nicely. If you don’t like sprigs of rosemary floating in your soup you can strain it or use ground rosemary. Enjoy!
We awoke to sunshine this morning even at the early departure time of 6:30 which we chose to avoid rush hour traffic. I am not a morning person - I like to have at least half a pot of coffee on the inside before I tackle anything like getting dressed! Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I am always amazed to see all the people who are up at that time of day - walking dogs, drinking coffee on patios, and reading newspapers at bus stops. Of course there are also many rather glumly beginning their commute, probably I look like them! Our reward for early rising was to see the sunshine dancing on the surface of the mighty Fraser as we zoomed across the Port Mann bridge.
We made great time all the way to Hope, taking perverse pleasure in going the opposite direction to rush hour traffic. Hope is a talisman spot for us, we stop there outbound and inbound, hoping for safe traveling and thankful for good journeys. Of course the fact that the Home Restaurant makes the best breakfasts and wonderful pies is a further enticement to stop.
Route 3, also known as the Crowsnest Highway is our route of choice for today. We love the way much of the road follows rivers: we ride beside the Skagit, the Similkameen, the Okanogan, the Kettle, the Columbia, and the Salmo. Route 3 also traverses beautiful river valleys and climbs and descends through the Northern Cascade mountains, the Okanogan highlands, and the Kootaney Range before twisting its way through the majestic Rockies! We ride through a variety of small towns and villages; communities rooted in farming, mining, or forestry that are increasing turning to tourism to maintain their viability.
We stop for the night at the Sunset Motel in Creston, BC. This older motel is well-kept by its delightful long time owners. The small pool is a remedy for tired muscles and sore bottoms after a long day of riding more than 750 km.
Iwona’s Butternut Squash Soup
Wash two butternut squash (these are the yellow ones plentiful all summer while their skins are still somewhat tender). Remove the stems and put both whole squash into a large pot and cover with water and boil until fork tender. Remove the squash , chop into pieces, and remove and discard the pulp. Put the pieces of squash back into the pot, add chicken broth or chicken Oxo flavouring, or any vegetable-based flavouring you like, lots of rosemary and salt/pepper to taste. Use your hand blender to blend all the ingredients and reheat. The squash thickens the soup nicely. If you don’t like sprigs of rosemary floating in your soup you can strain it or use ground rosemary. Enjoy!
We awoke to sunshine this morning even at the early departure time of 6:30 which we chose to avoid rush hour traffic. I am not a morning person - I like to have at least half a pot of coffee on the inside before I tackle anything like getting dressed! Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I am always amazed to see all the people who are up at that time of day - walking dogs, drinking coffee on patios, and reading newspapers at bus stops. Of course there are also many rather glumly beginning their commute, probably I look like them! Our reward for early rising was to see the sunshine dancing on the surface of the mighty Fraser as we zoomed across the Port Mann bridge.
We made great time all the way to Hope, taking perverse pleasure in going the opposite direction to rush hour traffic. Hope is a talisman spot for us, we stop there outbound and inbound, hoping for safe traveling and thankful for good journeys. Of course the fact that the Home Restaurant makes the best breakfasts and wonderful pies is a further enticement to stop.
Route 3, also known as the Crowsnest Highway is our route of choice for today. We love the way much of the road follows rivers: we ride beside the Skagit, the Similkameen, the Okanogan, the Kettle, the Columbia, and the Salmo. Route 3 also traverses beautiful river valleys and climbs and descends through the Northern Cascade mountains, the Okanogan highlands, and the Kootaney Range before twisting its way through the majestic Rockies! We ride through a variety of small towns and villages; communities rooted in farming, mining, or forestry that are increasing turning to tourism to maintain their viability.
We stop for the night at the Sunset Motel in Creston, BC. This older motel is well-kept by its delightful long time owners. The small pool is a remedy for tired muscles and sore bottoms after a long day of riding more than 750 km.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD
Astride light hearted, we take to the open road. Healthy, free, the world before us (apologies to Walt Whitman).
Canada Day - what better day to begin our journey across North America and back again, traveling from our home in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island to St. John’s Newfoundland! As islanders we begin all road trips with the BC Ferries. One of the huge perks of motorcycling is that many ferry systems board and disembark motorcycles first, as well as almost guaranteeing passage without waiting. The weather is perfect, breezy and about 20C near the water. The Georgia Strait between Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay Is beautiful as always. As frequent ferry riders we take for granted the incredible beauty of the Coast mountains as they plunge into the Pacific and it’s only when we overhear the exclamations about the scenery in a variety of languages that we are reminded that travelers come from all over the world to experience the awesome Pacific Northwest. It is a very clear day and as we near Vancouver we can see majestic Mount Baker as backdrop to the skyscrapers of the city. Although Mount Baker is in Washington state across the border many British Columbians claim it as our own as our views of it are arguably unsurpassed.
Today Blister, our 2006 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide FLHTCUI, is a sparkling black beauty and packed tight - the tour-pak and saddlebags full to bursting. Like all travelers we know we’ll jettison a few non-essential items and Blister will sulk under layers of dust and no doubt some mud in the days ahead. We are experienced long road trippers and as prepared as we think we can be. Traveling on motorcycle begins as an exercise in traveling light than becomes a joy.
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