Thanks for listening

I'm writing this last entry having arrived back home. Some of the statistics regarding the journey are as follows:

• the entire trip lasted 68 days, 2 days short of 10 weeks.
• I traveled over 16, 600 kms through 9 provinces
  
• I met all but 2 individuals I had hoped to see.
  
• I was delayed only 1 day due to rain
• I ate no steaks in July
• And the Glide ran, oh she ran well.

At one point, I found myself comparing my trip with the 70's movie, "Easy Rider". The parallels between my journey and the film are obvious in many ways, but there are some key differences. For one, at the end of the movie Wyatt says to Billy, "... we blew it...". Well, nothing could be further from the truth in my case. Another obvious difference is the ending of the film (and I don't think I'm giving anything away here) in which they were both blown away. So, they didn't have to ride back! And they didn't have to go through N.Dakota! (just kidding all you ND's reading this). And no, I didn't run into any Venusians.

This was about the trip that Candace and I had talked about doing and it validated why we wanted to do it: riding across the country to check out sights and roads we always wanted to see, meeting up with family, see longtime friends, and making new ones.

A sincere thank you to all of you for welcoming me along the road, listening to my stories, and being part of Sky To Sea.

And in the end...

On Monday, August 16, I came up from the US and into BC. I slid past Alberta purposefully so I could close out the Sky To Sea journey by visiting Candace's resting site in the Kootenays. It seemed to be the only fitting end to this undertaking.

I'm comforted knowing she was happy with her life and she's happy where she rests today. That was evident throughout my STS journey. As you can see in the photos, it was a beautiful day in the Kootenays and we always said, "it's tough to beat the Kootenays on a sunny day."

The Sky To Sea journey ends, as it should.

US #2

Thought I'd share a quick word on US #2 Highway. I joined onto #2 at the west end of the Michigan peninsula and stayed with it throughout the northern states. It's got a few things going for it, particularly it's relatively quiet, in good condition and generally has a 120 kph speed limit. I've been on this highway twice before but that was in another lifetime it seems so this was a re-discovery. I'd recommend it as an alternate way to get out west if you're traveling through Southern Ontario. Gas is 10% cheaper right now and hotels are about 20% cheaper than in Canada.

The only issue is North Dakota. How do you spell b-o-r-i-n-g? It's like a Wednesday, you know, the hump of the week only there's no hump in N.Dakota. A better description would be the armpit of the week, but that would be unfair to armpits. Good to get through it in a day, which is exactly what I did: Grand Forks, ND to Glasgow, Mt. I'm being a little harsh on N. Dakota but unless you live there, there's no reason to dwell, if you know what I mean.

Montana on the other hand is a beautiful example of the transition that US#2 goes through, from prairie to range land to foothills to the Rockies. Riding south of Glacier National Park on #2 is special. I stayed on this highway to Bonner's Ferry in Idaho, until it was time to go north.

Oh yeah, one thing about getting to #2 from Ontario. If you're crossing into the States at the Soo, try doing it at night. I spent 1 hour on the bridge due solely to volume. Thank goodness it was a nice day and not too windy.

Flat Lander Blues

I must be back in the west. Lots of activity out this way, particularly in the great plains with tornadic events, cooler temperatures, strong winds, and gray skies. I was grabbing for more layers today as I ran N.Dakota on my way to Montana. The Glide has her own way of reminding me that this just ain't her cup 'o tea. "How about squeezing that throttle just a bit more there Bob, that is if you want any more juice outa this old lemon". Reminds me of that Willy Dixon tune covered by Led Zep. Yes, gas is an expendable commodity when you're in oil country and the norwester's blowing. Where I would have had 1/3 of a tank full left earlier in my travels, I was on fumes landing in some towns.

Montana's big and I'm intending on going south of Glacier Nat. Park and coming up through Idaho and into Creston, BC. There's no way I can do that tomorrow so it looks like I'll be a foreigner for at least one more night, eh?. By the way, on the subject of nationalism, I was reminded by a billboard today that while we as Canucks feel pretty smug about our health insurance and such, the Americans have Busch Lite on sale, 24 cans for $14.95. And, while in no way associated with that, the next billboard was a pathetic plea for dietary discipline by parents and their family members. Capitalism nevers ceases to amaze.

So, if all goes according to plan, I'll be closing the Sky To Sea voyage by paying a visit to the East Kootenays in 3 days or so. Then it'll be on to home, sweet home. But for now, this is far from over.

North Bay

After leaving Petawawa, I figured I'd spend an evening with Patsy & Denis then hit the high plains in an effort to get home around the 15th. Yeah right. There was a few things I hadn't planned on that influenced me to move that date out a bit. I showed up at Denis' home in early afternoon and was quickly awed by what I saw. Their property is right on Trout Lake and 5 years ago, they lost their home to an all-consuming fire (wiring issues). Well, call me a graying ember and douse me with some water because out of that mess rose the Phoenix that I was to enjoy over the next couple of nights. Wow. Home & Garden should be called in to document this property. The house truly is a home run. There are guest rooms in the world, then there is "the" guest room. As in mine, fitted with a picture window overlooking the lake, with a sunset of course. So that probably gives you a sense of the accomodations I was provided with but that was just a start.

Denis & Patsy had invited a few folks over that night to celebrate, folks that Candace & I had known throughout high school and had partied with during those years. Before we got into supper, Denis took me out on his harley, a boat that he uses like we would use a vehicle to go to the store. You see, it's parked right outside his deck. We went across the lake over to Dale's place so I could meet with Dale (after 35 years or so). We headed back to Phoenix to get ready for the festivities. Adele & Dennis, Dale & Paula, Cathy & Andy all showed up for a pot luck supper of ribs, corn, chicken drumsticks, salads. Dee-li-shus. So now, I've been there for about 4 hours... I'll compress things at this point and say that the evening was wonderful, the weather cooperated and the fire by the lake was like icing on a cake.

The next morning, I was already commited to accompany Denis. He has this habit of filling his thermos full of coffee and going out for a slow cruise on the lake for his morning cup-o-joe. I enjoyed the ritual and think I would fall into the same routine if I lived on a lake. Somehow, going out for a coffee on the farmer's field just doesn't quite cut it. Anyhow, I didn't leave that day. Not hard to reason why. For the remainder of the day, a good walk and lounging around rounded off the visit, not to mention Dale & Paula dropping by.

Patsy & Denis, a big thank you for your hospitality, taking some time off, and setting up that great get-together. I appreciate your efforts.

I left Thursday morning and headed out towards the Michigan peninsula. After a couple of days of pushing the Glide in some hard riding, tonight I'm dipping my toe in Grand Forks, North Dakota grass. The Glide's still running great and seems to be hitting her stride on this trip so I should be in Montana tomorrow evening. There's been a lot of tornado activity today in Minnesota and North Dakota so I'm hoping that it's over for a while.

Petawawa

I had a short ride along the Ottawa River to get to Petawawa to meet up with my nephew Jeffery along with his wife, Natasha and their 2 sons, Darcy & Aidan. I had not seen Jeff for quite some time and it was my first time meeting Natasha and their sons. Natasha put together a great supper and then Jeff took the boys and me out to his the Armed Forces base in Petawawa, where he's been over the past few years for a tour of the facilities (which incidently is home to over 7000 personnel). We finished off the evening with a fire in their backyard looking at photos and getting to know one another. It was nice to finally put some faces to names.

If Jeff is my nephew, that must make Darcy & Aidan my grand-nephews, or my second nephews, or maybe it's my nephews once-removed. I don't know what the label is but I can tell you that I'm very happy to have them related to me in whatever way it's called. These two boys had me with their personalities, their warmth, their sense of humour, their wit, ... and on and on. Jeff and Natasha obviously have a good recipe going.

A Capital Friendship

I'll be leaving the Ottawa - Gatineau area today after arriving on Friday. I've had a very nice time visiting and staying with Therese & Denis along with their grown children Joêlle and Daniel. Denis is a long-time dear friend from deep in my past and I had never met his family so this was a special visit. We talked a lot, naturally, played some golf we don't talk about, naturally, played some good old 60's music on his guitars that would require some serious practice, naturally, and visited that "area" where all my tax dollars seem to vaporize... naturally.

Therese and Denis are getting to that point in their lives when the children are moving out (& in, & out & ...) so I expect all of us may be seeing a bit more of them as they increase the perimeter and scope of their holiday time in the next few years. Stay tuned.

I also had occasion to meet with another old friend, Hubert who now lives in the area along with his wife Louise (and their grand-daughter) whom again, I'd never met. They invited all of us over for a delicious BBQ (yes, it was steak) and we got acquainted over the evening. They've got a great place and a successful business happening so no changes are forthcoming any time soon in their lives. Hope it's not another +20 years until we all get to see each other once more.

From a biking perspective, this area of the country has much to offer. Because of the river networks, hills, and mature development, there's no shortage of roads to explore. Be forewarned though, this is Canada's political hub and as a result the population density in the area is very high. Many of the drivers are part of the machine responsible for all the "stuff" that consumes your tax dollars so you need to be extra defensive while riding your 2-wheeler anywhere near these high-functioning bureaucrats.

It's been fabulous being here if only for such a short time after so many years of separation. Though it seemed forever in the making, the visit flies by and it's that time again. Thanks Thérèse and Denis for your warm reception, and Joêlle, pour ta lesson de piano.

I'm off to Petawawa to meet with my nephew Jeff, his wife Natasha and their 2 boys. I'll be meeting his family for the first time, again...

The Lord Be With Us

While in Trois-Rivières, I stayed at Françoise & Armand's home for a couple of days and they are very "chaleureux". I've stayed with them twice before and every time they make me feel like family. Merci beaucoup.

I left T-R on Friday and headed out with a plan of avoiding Montréal once again, only this time I opted to go north and through St-Jérome on my way to the Gatineau area of Ottawa. On this particular day I noted something not because it was unusual (even though it was), rather because of how often I came across it. Well, in this area of the country anyway.

Each town I ride through generally has a very old church, vastly out of proportion in size when compared to the remainder of the homes in the villages. Many times, in front of the church, there'll be an icon of Jesus crucified on the cross or Mary standing amongst lambs, etc. fully decorated and painted. Fair enough. Again, that's been standard fair on the eastern leg of this trip. It's what I saw next that gave me cause for the double-take.

The first one I noticed was early in the day. A standard 3-bedroom bungalow in a normally-sized yard had this massive Jesus on the Cross up on a knoll in their front yard. This measured about 3m high x 2m across. Ok. A little weird perhaps but maybe there were special circumstances that drove these homeowners to want to do this. Then, a little ways down the road, another. Followed by a Mother Mary icon in the front yard, on a knoll of course in the next town. So, on and on this goes in this part of the province. I started thinking these were very selfless people, seeing that they had these statues all facing the roadway and not their home. I, on the other hand, would not want to be staring at their "behinds" so to speak and I'd have the darn thing facing the house. After all, drivers in vehicles would only see their backsides for a second or two.

I've mentioned before you have time to think while riding. Naturally, I continued to mull this whole issue around when it dawned on me that there was an angle slightly more intriguing than statue orientation. In some instances some homeowners would have their bedrooms in the front side of the house. If the house is facing west, they inevitably would go to bed on some nights in the shadow of the cross. The scenarios for what that implies are endless. A conjugal union? Now that would have to feel weird. Carrying this very likely scenario farther, at the height of the action, yelling out the Lord's name could result in some interesting consequences.
Creepy.

Still, ...

Life After Netbook

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting in Trois-Rivières using my hosts' computer. The pathetic customer service I was provided by Samsung over the phone can be summarized by: ... your problems are not a warranty item and you'll need to send it in for repairs. Thank you, thank you very much. Bottom line is these posts will be fewer and far between I'm afraid.

The last 2 days have seen some interesting riding in NB and now Québec. Yesterday, I headed south out of Fredericton to see the Kingston peninsula. I ferried onto the peninsula from Westfield and shortly after, it began to rain. No problem, it's a warm rain out here. The unfortunate part was with the sun behind clouds, my navigational skills had to rely on signage. I've mentioned before that signage has been somewhat of an issue for a rider from a ferociously grid-patterned world, although frankly, NB is pretty reasonable for signage. Wet glasses and soggy maps just make it more necessary that you should notice and read the signs that ARE there. Long story short, between the rain and roads that never seem to intersect at 90 deg., when I thought I should be near Fredericton, I was coasting into Saint-John's airport. Oh well, the upshot is some great riding in the area. Didn't make it to Rivère-du-Loup obviously. I made it to Edmunston and truth be told, I thought I was doing good getting past Fred.

This morning it dawned on me to do a walk-around the Glide, you know, like we used to have to do daily. I've been slipping a little in this area and what I noticed was that the old rear tire was on its last ply so to speak. Well, change of plans time and decided to ride on a quieter highway on the south shore of the St-Lawrence, highway 132, in order to get to my hosts, Françoise & Armand's home. Wow. What a ride. Thoroughly enjoyed today. Quiet road, good pavement, awesome river scenes and towns with 300+ years pedigree. Somethings just seem to happen for a reason.

I'm spending tomorrow here and will have my tire changed to ride the great plains which is now only days to a week away.

Fredericton

I landed in Fredericton on Saturday, staying at Deb & George's condo near downtown along with their son, Sam, who's back from his 4.5 month trip in South America. Sam's voyage make the "Sky to Sea" journey seem like a backyard romp. And by the way, he'll be leaving for China and S-E Asia in September and gone for 10 months.

As I've mentioned before, timing is everything. Saturday evening, Deb, George, Sam, and now Bob were invited to Joyce & Joe's home to celebrate Joe's 60th birthday party. Skewered lamb was the main course with various salads and dessert. I like Joyce & Joe.

I spent Sunday afternoon going to Odell park on a 2 hour trek up and down a hillside specifically designed to get rid of mussels, cod, lobster, tenderloin, fries, chicken, subs, etc., you get the picture. The guide for my tour was none other than "Dendrologist George", who proceeded to educate me on the subtle differences between Balsam Fir and Spruce trees. This is stuff that gives Foresters goosebumps ... and why I chose another field. After this arduous workout which was followed by an appropriate exercising of the molson muscle, Sunday evening's main course courtesy of Deb's deft cooking was pacific salmon. Somebody pinch me. The remainder of the evening was time spent gabbing about all the water that has passed under the bridge. Sam has no end of adventures to share and Deb,George, Sam & I were all engaged in conversation. A good time.

Today is Holiday Monday and was spent with walks and talks with my hosts and getting the next few days' stuff sorted out. I've had a fabulous time here enjoying Deb, George, and Sam's company as well as Deb's great spreads. As with all good things, the visit always seems to come to an end quickly and abruptly.

In a post reply, a suggestion was made by Pete to ride an area of New Brunswick near Saint John's (his home turf). I haven't seen that part on NB before so I'll leave here tomorrow and head south to this area before turning around and going north towards Riviere-du-Loup to catch a ferry to the north shore of the St-Lawrence.

I've run into PC difficulties today so things such as post frequency and content including photos will be limited over the next few days. Hopefully it's nothing serious because I've found the netbook quite useful on this trip.

Going Coastal

My last few days have been the best riding days since Cape Breton. I left Halifax 2 days ago and when I arrived at Barrington, I slipped onto NS #3 and rode up the coast to Yarmouth. That was a nice change from the busy port towns near Halifax. The next day saw rain, but I went ahead and took NS #1 following the coastline. Yeah, it was raining but it was a gentle, warm rain and the country road was all mine. By the time the rain had stopped, I’d landed in smooth and curving country lanes. This is biker country. Not quite as busy as the south side but definitely attractive to a 2-wheeler. Stayed on #1 all the way to Windsor and after negotiating a few changes, I took secondary Hwy 215. What a beauty. It continued to follow the Bay of Fundy to Truro where I swung to Hwy #2 so I could hug Fundy some more along her north side. This was even more enjoyable.

I’ve been hard on her, but I give credit where credit is due. The contrast of colours of red mud from the Fundy’s receding tide, notably the highest in the world, lush greenery in the Annapolis valley, and fresh blacktop all combined to serve me a 5-star helping of fun. Follow Fundy if you’re biking. You won’t regret it.

Report Card #2

It's raining this morning in Yarmouth, NS so I thought I should delay my departure for as long as possible as it should clear up later on. What to do? Hey, I know: report card time.

The Glide and I've been on the road now for 48 days, over 9,510 kms, and through 8 provinces. So what does it all look like:


* Food: EXCELLENT
Strangely, I've not had one, that's right, not one steak since my last report card. But, as any of you following the blog have read, food continues to be outstanding with a wide distribution of my hosts' specialties: perch, ribs, chicken, mussels, lobster, cod, scallops, pork tenderloin, ... all with their own blend of flavours and spices. I was even tempted a few times to ask them to let me lick a skillet or two.

* Facilities: EXCELLENT
Again, my hosts have made my stays very comfortable.

* Roads: FAIR
Construction hold-ups have not been overly bothersome but I did issue one post regarding the road conditions in Cape Breton. Not to single out Cape Breton, the Gaspe peninsula had its share of rough roads as does lower Nova Scotia. These places need not be concerned on speed limits as the road conditions take care of that. More signage warning of the upcoming war zones would be good. The odd sign indicating a hwy # in Nova Scotia would be helpful as well.

* Bike: EXCELLENT
What can I say about my Glide. The reliability factor has been 100% this month. The mild power upgrades have proven their worth countless times when a quick pass was needed. I decided to "push" her a little leaving the Gaspe and entering NB, just needed to let her know who's boss.

* Cost: GOOD
Staying on budget; a true testament to my (over)budgeting capabilities

* Weather: EXCELLENT
I've been gone 48 days and have actually been delayed only 1 day as a result of rain, rerouted my plans once due to rain, and have been caught in rain while riding 3 days. Fog has been a bit of an issue on the NS coast but nothing unmanageable. Another noteworthy point is while in southern Ontario for at least 2.5 wks, not once did we get one of "those" storms.

* Company: OVERWHELMING
This continues to be the home run of this trip.

* Converting Non-Believers: POOR
Little success here. In fact I've never seen so many foreign HD clones. Can't understand why you would buy a look-alike when the real deal is sooo much better.

* Team Recruitment: BELOW AVERAGE
Not doing so well in this area. I will follow the advice posted on a reply and focus my attention on curves, road curves that is.

Report Card #2 has me passing along with flying colours. I've turned the corner in south-east Nova Scotia so as I've replied in a post, I'm officially beginning the return leg of this trip. Only another 7000 or 8000 kms to go. I'll be in NS for another day or two and then I'll be heading to Fredericton to meet up with Deb, George, and Sam.

Mort, Peggy, & Me

A few pictures that require some words for context. The top photo is a photo of Mort and the signature shot of Peggy's cove. Blink as you're walking by and you'll miss this tiny but classic scene. I would have if Mort had not pointed it out. It always helps to have a "local" with you.

The second shot was taken in Mort's kitchen.

The 3rd picture is a memorial for Swissair Flight 111 which crashed within sight of Peggy's Cove. I was drawn to the site and in an odd twist of fate, if you click on the picture to expand it, you'll note the reference to "Sea to Sky".

I left Halifax this morning with a sense of satisfaction of having had the opportunity to catch up with Mort. We last spoke in 1978 as I was graduating and heading off to Montreal to work. Since then, we've never been in contact. The short time we spent together this time around has reaffirmed my judgment of character. Still the same good-natured man, full of energy and ideas. See you in Red Deer sometime Mort.

By the way, if anyone reading this has a yen for Gilbert & Sullivan, Mort's your man. Them be "his Harley", if you know what I mean.

Halifax

Landed in Halifax on Monday. My destination here was to arrive at Mort's home near the downtown area. Mort is one of my professors from my Lakehead U. days, some 35 years ago. Thanks to google maps, I've been able to get to everyone's home so far but Halifax was going to be a challenge. These very old cities weren't built with a municipal (road) development plan in mind so I had discussed the best approach over the phone with Mort. On the outskirts of town, I met up with a local biker and asked him for directions. He said: "... Easy. Follow me."
I love the biker community.

This particular stop is different from my others. When he was lecturing at Lakehead, Mort gained my respect based not only on his knowledge and intellect, but also on his down to earth attitude. No pretentious, arrogant doctor/professor was he. I even spent one summer working for him at the U as a student researcher. Good memories. We've been doing some serious catching up on family and peers and he's committed to being my guide for the day. We'll be heading to Peggy's Cove this afternoon.

Cape Breton's Shocking Impacts

I was hoping to do a cannonball run to the fortress this morning but in the end, left the island without going as I had hoped. A reaction to the weather but another reason to come back some day. So I need to share something about Cape Breton that I haven't said anything about yet.

I'm a road traveller more than a countryside observer, if you know what I mean. Hard to be watching those beautiful cliffs when you're countersteering at about 30 kph over the recommended cornering speed. One thing you do notice as a rider is the road condition. Now, if I'm busy focussing on scenes I may never see anywhere else in the world, I can be forgiven for not mentioning road conditions. But I'm riding here, so road conditions always jump into my assessment of new areas.

Like the rest of Canada, Cape Breton has its issue with rough roads. However, they've set what I believe is a new standard for the definition of "pot holes". It's not so bad if you stick to the main routes like the TC or the Cabot Trail. But make no mistake should you decide to get away from the main lines: things shore get interesting! Take any secondary highway like Hwy 216 or any such like and road conditions become a significant variable in whether you'll need spinal adjustments, medical attention, automotive repairs, or all of the above. We're not talking about your nominal road depressions here. We're talking about geological anomalies that university students make pilgrimages to in order to develop new theories on impacts caused by the shifting of tectonic plates. These craters can swallow up a small motorhome, never mind an 8 foot HD.

My message to you is this: Cape Bretoners use "BUMP" signs sparingly. Like a sage who says few words but each one of them with deep meaning, pay particular attention to these signs as they also have deep meanings.

I'm just saying, is all.

The Cabot Trail Fix

Maybe you love cheese cake and at some point you find yourself in a cheese cake cafe. What are you going to do? Pretty obvious I would think. You dig in and eat as much of it as you can. So, what if you're a road junkie and you find yourself staring at the motherlode fix. You can't be blamed for making it the day's main event. So it came to happen.

Everybody out here and throughout the country for that matter talks about the Cabot Trail. "Oh, you gotta ride the Trail. And make sure you do it counter-clockwise." How many times had I heard this refrain. This ride had been built up to a point where I was almost expecting to be disappointed. I wasn't.

On this sunny day, the Cabot Trail opened its door and we rolled right in. I meandered around the lazy turns for the first hour and from Ingonish on, it was spectacular. It continued on over the north around Aspy Bay all the way into the west coastline at Pleasant Bay. Cheticamp on the west side has an Acadian flair and lunch was all about a bowl of chowder at Le Gabriel restaurant. Delicious. The day wound up on back roads that eventually led me back to Sydney to spend the evening once again. The Cabot Trail doesn't disappoint, no matter which direction you take it. This fix should last me a while.

The plan for tomorrow is to go to the Louisbourg Fortress before I leave Cape Breton. Weather looks iffy so I'll wait and see what develops.

Silver Is Golden

Raining though it was on Thursday, one more day in PEI wasn't going to be hard to take, not when your gracious hosts decide to treat you to supper and horse racing, trotter style. It was a great spread with the race track right in front of our table.

I did the ususal, contributing steadily to the municipal tax base throughout the evening, that is until it was time to go. That's when I spotted Silver Streak. On his warmup run, he stood out with his silvery colour and right away I bonded with this horse. A silver horse and a silverback. A match that would not let me leave, at least not before I'd seen him whip those standardbreds around him. I looked at the odds and ol' Silver Streak evidently wasn't raising the same energy levels with the other bettors because he was paying out $28 on a $2 bet. I placed the $2 minimum on him to "show". Hey, I'd lost all night and let's face it, this was a sympathy bet.
The damn thing started off in 2nd last place, had moved up to 5th by 1/2 mile, took the lead at the final turn, and finally finished in 3rd place. I felt like like I'd won a million bucks. So I picked up my 70 cents winnings and went home feeling like a wealthy man. The Silver Streak can still deliver.

I had a great time visiting with Judy & Hans in Charlottetown. Good people, plain and simple. We talked some, we played some, we ate good, and we reminisced with old photos of Candace and the Jeffery family. You know, every one of these meetings makes her passing easier to take and moves me more towards being happy to have spent the time together we did. Right on!

This morning (Friday), I sailed out of PEI on the Confederation Ferry and landed in Pictou, NS. I'll spend the night in Sydney and take a ride around the Cabot Trail on Saturday.

Can't Leave Just Yet

Spent another great day on the island with Judy & Hans. We actually went golfing by the sea. The undeniable beauty of the red cliffs surrounding the ocean and green fairways is hard to describe.

My plans were/ are/ could still be to leave tomorrow but it appears that Nova Scotia and PEI will be rained in all day Thursday. Depending on the severity and range of the system, I may have to burden my hosts for an additional day. We'll see in the morning as I intend to ride to the south-east end of the island (Kings County) to take the Wood Islands ferry that lands in Caribou, N.S.

In the meantime, Hans insists we have more steamed mussels for supper and a couple of oyster shooters as well. The man has some serious issues... and trust me, I'm bringing some of these issues back to Red Deer along with their respective remedies for prairie consumption.

Charlottetown

Landed at Judy & Hans' home in Charlottetown Sunday afternoon after going over the 13 km-long Confederation Bridge. I'm happy to be able tell you it wasn't TOO windy. In Pretty Easy Island, we've been eating very well: had some fresh mussels (prepared au jue a la Hans), some oyster shooters, some lobster of course, and some pork tenderloin with chanterelles mushrooms picked by Hans the morning of. Oh, and I believe the menu tonight calls for salmon, scallops, and cod. Steak, who needs steak?

After some time on the north beach, it's easy to understand why you never see PEI plates travelling across the country. This island IS a resort. It's the destination so why would you ever leave in the summertime. Beautiful beaches, lush rolling hills, relative low costs (gasoline currently at $0.98/ l), rich red earth contrasting against the blue sky and dark ocean, and with 135,000 islanders, a relatively small community. Not to mention the diet consisting of foods most of us can only wish to have at some point throughout the year.

I'll be here until Thursday when I will (sadly I'm sure) leave PEI and ferry out to Nova Scotia.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy

Ended up in Bathurst, N.B. after another good riding day. Oh yes, she's tired and she's dirty. The Glide definitely has limits.

Guess the boy's still got some jam.

Gasp - Eh!

Of course, Candace is with me in spirit always during this voyage. And she appreciated some mornings were just about mounting up and heading out for the ride. Today was "ridin' the Glide" day. About 1.5 hrs after I headed out, I was entering the Gaspe Peninsula and into some of what I've been waiting for. For any riders that may be following this, picture a little Shuswap, a little East Kootenays, a little north Superior, and then throw in an ocean and countless fishing villages with all those colorful homes. An Atlantic scent sets it all off.

It was about the Glide and me. I asked her to pull, she pulled. I asked her to slow, she slowed. I asked her to move over a wee bit, she moved. Everything I asked of her, she did. In fact, I think she wanted more. She gave me all I asked for, and at the end of it all she was still rarin' to go. I may not be as demanding as I once was but the fact is she came through with flying colours.

So, I couldn't find her limits. Am I just getting older and not pushing as hard or, is it her build? I think it's the jugs. Gotta be. Those two 48 inchers pack a lot of oomph when you really need it. Or, it could be the stroke. Never rode one with a 4-3/8" stroke before. Those rods will pull a stump clean out of the ground. It's probably a combination of the two but one can never forget timing. Timing is everything. I'm not even going to get into the (gasp-e) intake. The Glide rides, she rides like the best of them.

Still ... maybe I was a little too easy on her... . I may have to ride her a little harder next time and I'm guessing tomorrow morning is just about mounting up and heading out for the ride.

Frenglish

So, I haven't spoken much french over the last 35-40 years but I like to pride myself in trying to stay somewhat fluent and conversational in my mother tongue. Tonight at a local restaurant in Rimouski, where english is slightly behind Uzbechi as a second language, I was doing my best to "fit" in and speaking what I thought was fairly reasonable francais. Then, as I was settling my bill, the 20 year old blonde waitress said, "Wood you lack too leeve a teep?".

I need lessons.

Cantons de l'Est

Sweet country roads, long twisties, scents like blue cheeze and herbs, vineyards galore, little traffic. That's what the Eastern Townships are like. Hidden to outsiders but well known to Quebecers, you could spend a summer here and while away your time. I barely brushed the canvas, and yet I could sense the countryside. Avoiding Montreal traffic and extending my travel time by one day was a very good decision.
The sweet aromas especially got my attention today, for whatever reason.

Roots

After 55 years on this planet, I finally laid eyes on my paternal grandparents' resting place in St. Mathieu-de-Rioux, Qc. It was a very good moment.

Kingston Pen & Pals

I'm moving to Kingston. I mean, if I ever leave Alberta for another place in Canada, that's where I'm going. What a town, what a hidden gem, and what good people. That last point probably influenced that huge rating I'm giving the place but it really is a gem. All Red Deer-ians would love it for its history and its downtown which goes on forever. John A's buried here and the limestone buildings just beg for attention.

I stayed at Michelle & Bob's, very special Kap people to Candace and I with whom we had wonderful times during our days in Sarnia. Some bonds are made that seem indestructible and this is one of those. While I've been separated from them since 1985, they're like family only different, because they're not. I got to meet both Danielle and Andrew and together they are a very close family. Hey, I also got to eat some "creton", or french head cheese. Gotta love it (with a little Dijon, of course).

There's a lot of bustle in Kingston, pretty much all of it due to your and my tax dollars. We've got your penitentiaries (4 or 5 of them), we've got your hospitals, we've got your schools/ colleges/ Queen`s University, we've got your RMC, we've got your army base, we've got your air force base, ... should I go on? The sreets are being repaved, the suburbs are growing, hell I feel like I'm in Alberta. Only difference is... they have none of those ponds.

Leaving Kingston, I'm heading into Quebec, way south of Montreal. Not sure of the route I'll be taking, just know I want nothing to do with the big city. I'll probably head into the Eastern Townships, for those of you from Ontario, this would be like cottage country north of T.O., only add in the wineries. Very nice country riding (I hope).

Michelle & Bob: thanks for the warm reception, the festivities, the love and that ol' time religion.

The Little Voice

Principally, my purpose for this road trip is highlighted in the opening header of the blog but I'm discovering another of my functions on this voyage is that of a messenger: answering questions and sharing information about the folks I've seen on the trip as they typically have not been in touch with each other frequently over the years. Now, how much I share or more importantly what I share could depend on anything altering my mood at the time: how the bike's running, the weather, how I've been fed, etc. Its a situational thing and I've got to be careful. I've just got to make sure that little "devil voice" doesn't take over when I'm sharing info and kickstart rumors and those sorts of things ...

Bob: just keep repeating ".. Go away little devil, go away little devil, ...". That usually works. Then again, so do bribes.

Betty, Bill, and the Test

I've known Betty & Bill since my days living in residence at Lakehead U. and have maintained a long distance friendship ever since, thanks to Bill's persistence in keeping in touch. When I rode into Dundas, Ontario where Betty and Bill live along with their two sons, Robbie & Brian on Thursday night, I was literally soaked from the temperature and humidity and loving it. I had "google-mapped" my way to find their home prior to leaving the farm but somehow the road I ended up on was a twisty gravel mountain road under construction. It got me where I needed to go and was interesting, but not a way I would recommend to others... .

Friday was a wet day in the area with showers throughout. Interestingly, we didn't get those big thunder boomers you would expect with a cold front. Mind you, a southern Ontario Cold Front is a bit of a misnomer. They could call it a "Little Less Frickin Hot" Front which would be more appropriate. Still, this is the first significant rainfall I've had since leaving Red Deer and the outlook for the next few days is for sunny days in the mid-20's. How're you liking this so far?

Friday afternoon, Bill and I went for a walk through the HMCS Haida, a Destroyer used during WWII and which continued in the naval service until 1963. This killing machine was fascinating to tour, and would house over 200 men, was armed with 2 torpedoes, 2 - 100 mm guns, 2 - 40 mm guns, 2 - 30 mm guns and depth charges to take out subs. Not your usual recreational toy but one that we would all appreciate at rush hour, even just once.

The true test of our physical deterioration was undertaken on Saturday when Bill casually suggested an extended walk up the Hamilton Escarpment. "Walk". Right. This was not a walk. This was a full blown Survivor episode where repelling equipment should have been standard fare. Where comments like "... watch your step, it's looking a little rough here", should be read as "... I ain't gonna be able to help you if you slip". It was tense at times but worth it in the end as we saw spectacular water falls: Walker Falls (~ 35 m), pictured above, and the Tews Falls (~ 50 m) as well as Dundas Peak. The "walk" up the Escarpment that is roughly 100 m high took 2.5 hours. Quite the hike and we were feeling pretty smug until those young girls with backpacks walked by us like we were standing still. They hadn't even broken into a sweat. So, though we felt good in completing the test, the best we could do was reward ourselves with the "Accomplished Silverback" medal.

Betty & Bill have been kind and wonderful hosts. I find every stop interesting catching up on how old friends have grown over the years as well as sharing Candace's life with them. This one was no different and I even got to exercise other muscles than the molson muscle. Why do we always wait so long...

Rural Renewal

Sue and Reg have full time jobs. Then, in the morning they go to work. So me showing up (hey: it's all about me) at their farm could be quite interfering with any couple's lives in a similar situation, but not here. Their warmth and welcoming nature would never allow that. Then again, I did make myself somewhat useful. And no, they didn't put me to bailing hay, hauling water or brushing horses. Reg has for several years been dabbling in the art and science of wine making. His emerging skills and successes have been rewarded of late with numerous medals not to mention cultivating a growing reputation in the area. On this particular day, his cavernous wine cellar required impartial palettes and "voila!" just in the nick 'o time, the Glide and I show up. It's a long and highly technical story but basically it's been very hot, so hot in fact that his wine carboys needed to be dropped in level somewhat. I was simply doing my part helping a farmer.
God, you feel good to be alive whenever you can help a farmer.

On a personal note, the transition is certainly underway. While I've been at Sue and Reg's farm for the last couple of days, the calm of rural living combined with extreme temperatures have provided me with the environment to sit back and notice the subtle shift away from feeling like I'm on a typical 2-3 week vacation. I'm roughly only 1/4 into the mileage I need to cover but after nearly 4 weeks on the road, the nomadic nature of this journey is gradually creeping in and with it a certain strangeness that is new to me. Not to mention certain elements are beginning to emerge validating the importance of the effort and pushing me to continue.
It will be interesting to see how the next leg of the trip evolves as I travel through Quebec and towards the Maritimes.

Thanks for your hospitality S & R, and the "ol' time religion".

Cool Turtles

It gets very hot in southern Ontario. Actually, it gets very hot across the country other than Central Alberta. Right now, it's hot, hazy, and humid in s-w Ontario.

The fact is, once the outside temperature reaches 38 dec C, there really is no point in riding your scoot if you expect to get some temperature relief. Beyond 37 deg C, your body's normal temp., you actually start to be warmed up proportionately to the speed at which you ride. So the slower you ride the cooler you are and turtles, by extension, are real cool. They didn't teach us that back in high school, did they?

It always comes back to slow speeds in Ontario.

I'm heading into London this morning to visit with Wanda and Keith and will return to Sue & Reg's farm for the evening. I'd forgotten how peaceful evenings are in the countryside and the beauty of the warm evenings to just kick back and ponder. I'm looking forward to it.

Albertans & Their Horses

Rode out of Windsor yesterday in very hot, humid weather. Also had a great tail wind along Lake Erie. I wasn't in any rush as the Windsor to Appin distance is roughly 200 kms. So, I had the Glide on cruise at a respectable 108 kph in a 90 kph zone and gently leapfrogging cars when I picked up on these 2 vehicles in tandem doing the same thing behind me. Rather quickly, they were both behind me and I noticed they were the county mounties in unmarked Dodge Chargers with roof lights that barely are identifyable in a bike mirror. Not wanting to be obvious, I kept the cruise on, you know making that statement: " What!? I ain't hurtin no one". After an uncomfortable 30 sec or so, they still had not turned on their lights but I figured I'd made my point and began to slow down. They must have seen the Alberta plates and thought, we do need their oil, or he's an old flatlander out in the godforsaken prairies, or some such thought because they both slowed and turned away.

When I consider the weather I've been enjoying, the company I've been keeping, the relatively low volume of commercial traffic, and almost no road construction, it would seem I've got 2 horseshoes shoved so far up my ass, no cop is going to pull me over (or them out for that matter) during this trip .

Windsor, Figuratively Speaking

Another couple of days has passed and I've been treated royally by Deb & Vito during my stay in Windsor. The last time I was in this city (1993), it was so hot, you dealt with it like we do the winter in Alberta. Run outside to flip the burgers and run back into the controlled-climate house. This time, as Deb put it, "... you're getting perfect southern Ontario weather." I couldn't agree more. Icing on the cake was having Momma Wanda and Keith both here as well. Great family and great company.

I learned something this past weekend that concerns figs. Now, prior to this I only new 2 things about them: they're used in "fig newtons", and sometime long ago, a fig leaf was very prominent in my mind. What I learned here was that figs grow on trees. This fruit is predominately harvested in countries like Italy and Greece and not common in my environment. I didn't even know what one looked liked until Vito purchased fresh figs and offered me some. I can't describe what they taste like but they're very good. If you get a chance, eat one, raw. The reason why I'm talking about figs is that there's been a minor international dispute that seems to have been resolved of late. You see, for centuries Italians and Greeks actually agreed on something: that in order for a fig tree to be bountiful, it needed to be covered during the winter months. This was accomplished by growing the tree at an inclination that would allow it to be pressed to the grounds and buried during winter. Well, a woman (nameless, but originally from northern Ontario, now living here in Windsor, married to Vito) didn't believe this was necessary and, god forbid, didn't cover the tree. The local Greeks and Italians were somewhat aghast and all agreed this tree would never bear fruit. It would be a fig-less tree!
The photo of Deb & Vito is accompanied by two other photos, one being the fig tree in their back yard, and the other, you guessed it - the same tree with FIGS! Vito tells me that this is a significant event and will continue to be the topic of many after dinner discussions. How did she do it? Can it be done again? Was it luck, climate change, witchcraft, a hybrid fig???

When I asked Deb about all this fuss, she simply replied: " It's no big fig-ging deal!"

Point Pelee

Left Chatham Friday and decided to travel along the Lake Erie shore on Hwy 3 as this would be a short riding day, the sun was high and not a cloud in site. Stopped in Point Pelee, Canada's most southerly point. Had to get a photo o course and nearly killed myself doing it. Let's just say that anyone witnessing my "tumble and roll" exercise should have had a good chuckle. See, I set up the camera a distance away from the sign due to its width and once the camera timer started, I had to boogie to get into position. Even I was laughing after that show of athletic poise. I could have still used the shot in the blog, but all you could see of me was my heel (appropriately enough). Opted for the duller but more classic snap shot you see here.

Arrived in Windsor greeted by Deb & Vito as well as Keith and Mama Wanda. The weather is expected to hold and I'll be with family for the weekend. Looking forward to it.

Ending with a Bang

It's a beautiful morning in Chatham and the cardinals are singing outside. I do miss the cardinals. At any rate, it's decamp time which always gets my blood flowing eventhough I've had a very nice time visiting Lise & Mike (pictured) as well as their two dogs, Pebbles & Cody. I'm also including a photo of an old family friend, Kaz (with Dusty), who for years lived in Kap and now resides in Chatham as well.

Last night was Canada Day celebrations here and they do things slightly different than out west. It would seem that pretty much anyone can have as many explosives as they can purchase, and ignite them anywhere and anytime. The off-chance that the neighborhood could be torched or that impulsive kids could rip bones and tear flesh right off each other's bodies from ill-timed detonations or poorly prepared bombs didn't seem to phase anyone. My sister said that this was the "american" influence down here. Ok. So, what to do. What else? We went for a walk in the neighborhood to witness the carnage. If we're lucky, we'll be close enough to see some of the "fireworks". Sure enough, things were going off in all corners. She actually had to give one of the dogs a sedative (???) to calm him down from the incoming missiles. This in a land where thunder storms shatter windows and tornado warnings are pratically daily nuisances. A concussion blast here, rapid burst of petards there, "... Oh, how I love the smell of burned gunpowder last thing before going to bed..." Remind you of any movie? One where you thought that this guy was nuts? Not so nuts anymore ...

Ah, what the years of accumulated wisdom allow you to do, n'est-ce pas?

So onward to Windsor and let's hope road damage from last night's festivities has been minimal.

Report Card #1

Alright, I've been in Chatham now for 2 days. Chatham is where my sister Lise and husband Mike live and where I'm making a "base camp" between Sarnia and Chatham. I'm at that point in the ride where you know things are not going to be reversed. You're past the point of no return. There's no going back. And besides, with this blog thing, the alpha male in me won't let me stop so it's on to the next leg.
I'm as unsure about how the rest of this will unfold as anyone reading this is, but if it continues the way it has, I can guarantee a winning season. And just to prove it, I want to take a moment and quickly check how things have gone so far:

* Food: EXCELLENT.
I've had steak, steak, steak, salmon, shrimp, pork tenderloin, steak, steak, and oh yes, steak. It would appear the key ingredient for this menu is not overstaying your welcome (with this statement, I've likely set myself up nicely for macaroni & tomatoes, tube steak, etc...)

* Facilities: EXCELLENT.
I'm not going to risk anything here.

*Roads: GOOD.
Surprisingly few construction hold ups and conditions. Speed kills, and no one is dying on these Ontario roads

* Bike: GOOD.
Steady as she goes, with one minor issue concerning stopping. And based on one of the blog comments, I should've neglected the issue and continued onward using the Fred Flintstone technique for stopping. I don't think so.

* Cost: EXCELLENT
(see first 2 bullets)

* Weather: EXCELLENT.
Started late because of rain but things have been stellar since then.

* Company: OVERWHELMING.
Best part of this road trip so far.

* Converting Non-Believers: AVERAGE.
To date, only worked on the one couple but I believe his next bike will be an HD

* Team Recruitment: BELOW AVERAGE.
Haven't come across any of those biker babes you tend to see spread across the mags. Sorry Gerry, may have to take another ride through Timmins and visit "the Center".

So, based on Report #1, I can say things are progressing very nicely. With luck and mother nature's help, next term's report will be equally excellent.

Today is July 1 so Happy Canada Day to you all. I'll be spending it with Lise, Mike with Kaz treating us to supper and Friday, I'll be heading to Windsor to see Deb & Vito.

Gail & Al: Sarnia Times

I arrived in Chatham late Monday afternoon in a typically hot and humid s-w Ontario summer day. Tornado watches had been in effect the day before but no such vicious phenomena was on the agenda today.

Candace and I spent 5 years in this area of Canada ('80-'85). During that time, we lived in Sarnia and Candace worked at St. Joseph's Hospital where she quite naturally made many friends. One of these friends was Gail who is pictured above with her husband Al and with whom Candace shared many laughs on workplace situations and events. Gail by the way, is still on the hospital staff, assessing patients, and tutoring newbie staff. She'd be willing to help out the hospital management if they were willing to listen but...

Al hasn't changed and remains a very friendly man. In fact, he's always had a lot of friends. And, I can tell you assuredly the fact that Al was the local Beer Store manager had nothing to do with that. These are good people.

Candace enjoyed her profession and working with with individuals like Gail was quite simply icing on the cake. It was my pleasure to stop by yesterday and reminisce with both Gail and Al.

The Crossing: A Ferry Tale

As mentioned in the last post, I boarded the Chi-Cheemaun ferry Monday morning which left South Baymouth for Tobermory exactly on time (09:10 hrs) and took me across the Lake Huron/ Georgian Bay "straight" if this is what I can call it. The envelopping fog was thick as soup so I missed the island views and such, but I got to hear the fog horn, every 2 minutes. Met some Quebecers who were on a bike ride in the area which gave me the opportunity to sharpen my skills in my native tongue. He rode a Yamaha Road Star but kept telling me if he had to do it over, well, the Glide is where he'd be sitting. "Rest easy my son, all is forgiven" I told him.

We landed around 11:00 hrs and I was on my way. I enjoyed their company and bade them farewell as we left the ship. Of course, I made sure he heard the Glide as I pulled away. I could see him in my mirror shaking his head. The fog lifted on the Bruce Peninsula and as they had loaded the bikes up front, I was able to make great time on a fairly quiet road (hwy 6 if I remember correctly).

Helene & Mark

After that lampooning of the city of Timmins, I need to eat crow somewhat because of the great company I enjoyed while I stayed there. I had not met Helene before but I quickly felt like we had known each other for a long time. Over the course of a couple of days, I was able to spend some quality time with Helene and Mark, sharing family photos and talking about what the future might hold. Like kitchen renos. As Mark continues to mumble (to himself particularly): a happy wife is a happy life...

During my visit, I was able to meet Mark's daughter Melissa, her husband Michael and new baby girl as well as his son, Brent, his wife Jenny and their 2 girls. Great folks all the way around.

You know, I've known Mark since I was 5 years old. In fact, Mark went to grade school with Candace so he knew her well before I did. This type of history typically means a certain level of familiarity with each others skills and wants, but life has a way of continually surprising us. During my visit, I had the opportunity to taste some of Chef Mark's delicacies, like pork tenderloin in a red wine sauce. Yes, you are reading this correctly. From what I witnessed though, you need to get him in the kitchen early... if you know what I mean. Otherwise, you get plan "B": pork tenderloin without a red wine sauce.

Once again, I had to let go of a perfectly good handrail and get on the road. This morning I headed out of Timmins and thanks to Brian's (Kap) suggestion, I went westward at Sudbury rather than south on Hwy 69. Two reasons for the good fortune: bad weather along the eastern coast of Georgian Bay, and heading west led me to Manitoulin Island and the South Baymouth to Tobermory ferry. That will be the start of Monday's ride and if the weather cooperates, its end in Chatham.

Timmins, and Never the Twain Shall Meet

I've always hated Timmins. They would clean our clocks back when I played hockey. You know this kind of place, big town, big names, lots of history and inevitably we would get beat up. So I've always considered Timmins like Pittsburgh is to Cleveland. Hated Timmins.

Now we all know this is Shania's place, and well she is a woman, so I thought I'd give Timmins another opportunity. I kept hearing about the "Shania Twain Center"and I thought quite logically if I had any chance to meet Shania, that's where it was likely going to happen. To my demise she wasn't there. However, I was able to locate her center using the cut-out that you see above. In fact, what I'm pointing at is what I calculated to be Shania's geographic center, her belly button. One of the nicest geographic centers around, at least from my experience. As attactive as it is, even I must admit that it pales in comparison to her South Pole which unfortunately was cut out of the picture. Amateurs.

I still hate Timmins, but I must say, I'm now more inclined to like her citizens.

Kapuskasing, Ontario

I slowed up as I was arriving in Kap from a westerly direction. It was somewhat surreal as I hadn't really been here since 1989. I pulled into the cemetary and people already there got into 2 parked vehicles and left rather abruptly. What's with that. Relax, this is a cemetary, not the OK Corral! Anyhow, this cemetary is where my parents are both interred. Couldn't find 'em. Had to call my brother long distance on a cell in the cemetary to find my mother and father. That has to be a first in my family.

Next was the obligatory cruise over to my house ("... that didn't take long") and the Circle, Kap's business center. Didn't do the complete 360 around the circle. Wanted to save something for the next day you know, so I took the 270 deg option and merged out on to my hosts home, Helene et Brian. Grandmom, Doug, brothers, sisters, nephews, in-laws were all there... by the pool... in Kap... under sunny skies... in 28 deg C weather... in Kap. None of the scenarios I dreamed up for my return home included this one. None. I would've been happy with just "no snow".

Went for a long walk Tuesday to check out sights including the museum, the park, the civic center, the high school, our old church (which was unlocked so I went in), my house again and the downtown area. Never saw one person I knew. I think they've all aged and I still have that mental picture of them 20+ years ago. Maybe that's it. Hey, but they should've recognized me! I still look the same...

We were treated to some hors d'oeuvres followed by stuffed atlantic salmon for supper... in Kap ... under sunny skies... in 29 deg C weather... by the pool. I may never leave. Helene and Brian are very generous hosts and I couldn't have landed in a better place.

Thursday was relaxed as my hosts were both working - time to hit the keys and get some blogging done. Doug and I visited as well and got supper somewhat organized for our fabulous hostess. My stay in Kap wound down with an evening of visiting my nephew Tosh and his lovely wife Danielle along with their daughter, Elizabeth, truly a little doll. Back at Brian's, we finished the evening playing some billiards and some guitar. Tickets for the show go on sale in 2014.

I'm leaving today for Timmins after having a thoroughly wonderful time here. I couldn't have ordered it any better and if Helene & Brian read this: THANK YOU! I'm on my way to Timmins to see Helene & Mark - yes, there's more than one Helene in N.Ont. On the way, I intend to stop in Moonbeam to see the largest assembly of my mom's family. That's the good news; unfortunately, they're pretty much all in (you guessed it) the cemetary. No worries, I've charged up the cell, just in case. And, just for bragging rights, we have a street named after our family in Moonbeam, the St-Aubin street as well as a bay at nearby Remi Lake, Ouellette Bay. I"ll let you figure that out. I suppose I should mention Moonbeam has a population of 217.

Charting a Course

Many don't actually know the route I'm taking on this journey, at least at a high level. That was intentional of course. You know, less time for you to lock up when you hear me arrive. However, the receptions have been so great I've given this some more thought. I want to give you a rough outline and that way, there's a better chance of making our respective schedules mesh. So, from here in Kapuskasing, this is my best shot at the sequence of destinations:
Timmins, Sarnia, Chatham, Windsor, London/Appin, Dundas, Kingston, St-Mathieu, Gaspesie, Charlottetown, Halifax, Fredericton, Trois-Riviere, Ottawa, North Bay, USA. My arrival back in Red Deer should be around late August.

This a plan and we all know plans usually are deviated from. That's my CYA statement.

June 21: Dah Bears

It's been many years since I've taken the ~160 km connector road from Hwy 17 to 11, known to everyone as the "Hornepayne Rd". Just prior to getting on this road, I was fueling the Glide and asked the attendant about any construction or other issues ont this particular day. "No" he said, "just watch out for the bears". Is that all? Just watch for BEARS! So, I headed out on what should have been a great ride, on a winding road with blue sky. There's a few reasons why it wasn't exactly so.

First, this Bear thing; when I'm riding, I feel rather naked out there and I don't like seeing any mammal on the road, whether its Bambi or Thumper. Bears I don't like at any time, naked or not. Evidently the concentration of black bears in this part of Ontario resembles what deer population is like in most other parts of our nation. It's not a question of "if" you'll see one, it's a question of "when".

Second, this road is full of blind corners. In fact, that's all there seems to be for the first 90 kms. Combine that with the trees being up against the road and, well you get the picture: no time to react to a sighting with some evasive maneuvre and there's really no need to anyway as there's nowhere to go.

Third, I'm alone. Usually, the rumble of 4-5 Harleys guarantees that within a radius of 200 metres, creatures go the opposite direction.

Fourth, they've assigned a speed limit of 80 kph on this road. Yep, you read that right. Presumably, this is so you would be able to stop in front of the bear. This is starting to feel like that salmon run when the grizzlies stand there in the river swatting at the fish for a snack. This biker doesn't want to die like a fish out water. 80 kph also means that if you're traveling at a respectable 120 kph, they could pull your license right there (I wonder if they would give me a ride...).

Curiously, there were no tractor-trailers on this road effectively clearing my path if I were to stay a short distance behind: you can never find a good semi when you need one.

So, I did the only thing I could think of: sped up to 119 kph, dropped from 6th to 4th gear to bring the rpm's up (as well as the decibel level) and away we go.

That worked, because the mother bear and her 3 cubs were looking at me well before I saw them. Thank the lord they scattered into the bush. I relaxed after that figuring I had a winning formula. If anyone doubts that "loud pipes saves lives", they haven't walked the Hornepayne mile. I did feel sorry for that Goldwing rider who was heading in the opposite direction though. I gave him the thumbs up as he went by. Hey, it was his decision to buy that thing.

Wawa, the city of brotherly love

I arrived in Wawa on Friday to visit my brother Claude as well as the Goose of course. Lake Gitche-Gumee can be pretty stingy when it comes to doling out sunshine but when it does, Wawa`s location is truly a thing of beauty. So far, it's been generous for my stay. Claude is older than me (and I'm being kind here), so we have very different stories from our childhood and it`s always interesting to swap these. He's also the family liaison between me with my insular nature and all of our relatives. I find out who`s where, doing what to whom, why, and when. This time, he's provided me with a name of a relative we have in my father's hometown in Quebec, a place I've never been. I look forward to meeting my cousin Marie-Anne.

Tonight was an evening out with Enza, Lynn, & Ron as well as Lillo & Judy. Claude has known them for perhaps all of his 44 years in Wawa and they've showered him with much care, love, and concern over that time. I was looking forward to to the outing and wondering where we would eat. So for all of you who ride, drive, pedal, jog, or walk Hwy 17, about 5 kms south of the Wawa turnoff is a small log restaurent called the Kinniwabi Pines. Stop in and order the pickerel but unless you're with a partner, stay away from the passion fruit desert. It's that good. (You'll owe me). Tomorrow morning (Monday), we'll be packing for our respective departures as he and I are both leaving, he in the southern direction while I head to my hometown, Kapuskasing. His summer is filled up with travel plans and between commitments and weather, it`s never guaranteed that all will fall into place.

It`s been a great visit and I'm very happy the logistics worked out.

June 18: Thunder Bay

I actually didn`t get to Thunder Bay. I stayed at Phil`s but I can`t spell Kaministiquaw. Anyhow, that`s where my long time friend Phil resides, in a lofty home on 40 acres. Phil, just so you know, I still don`t think I can operate your refrigerator ice machine, or your shower for that matter. You may want to have instructions nearby for visitors. Always liked that about Phil: if you do something, then do it completely. When you buy something, make sure you don`t have to go back anytime soon to upgrade. This goes part way to explaining the pallet of dog food in his shop.

Phil, Candace and I had not seen each other for about 20 years although our relationship is similar in its development to both Brian and Denise. It just so happens they all live in a linear sequence on my journey. Phil use to live in the same apartment house (frat house essentially) as Candace and I did for a couple of years in the `70s while at Lakehead. I learned a lot from Phil, both things I wanted to improve myself at, and as any good student would observe, things I should avoid. Like the time he wanted to save a Chrysler slant 6 engine. So, we carried it down a 100 yr old house`s narrow set of stairs, around corners finally into a very dark basement. We covered it up with a tarp, looked at each other and said: `well, that`s never coming out of here.` As far as we know, it`s an artifact in that house as I write this.

Phil has always done everything he can to ensure your comfort when you visit and this time was no different. He cooked me a great supper, we had a few beverages, we talked about the past, we talked about Candace and we looked at recent photos. I know it gets repetitious to read this, but it isn`t repetitious to actually do it.

All these one night stands seem to compress the visits somewhat and I hope folks understand that I value each one of these equally.