Quebec and Ottawa Valley July 23-25th trip

[MacDoc]

Pulled the trigger at the last minute and went
http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforu...cluding-N-Superior-and-some-Ottawa-Valley-533

as don't have a firm riding partner on it so thought I might do the eastern portion and visit dottor in Ottawa on a flyby.

Get up past North Bay then head east

roughly this

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=S...fBroQIdcuhF-w&mra=dpe&mrsp=5&sz=8&via=4,5&z=7

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

wellllllllllll..decision time - weather looks okay....reasonably rested.....inclined to ride.......hmmmm

Today

Partly Cloudy
High: 28° Low: 14°


Tomorrow

Mostly Sunny
High: 18° Low: 7°


Sunday

Mostly Sunny
High: 23° Low: 12°


Monday

Isolated Thunderstorms
High: 20° Low: 12°


Tuesday

Scattered Thunderstorms

Turned out the forecast was correct - the low ....brrrrr on Sunday plus incredible UV index and the rain on Tuesday.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Easy 700k Saturday - started out just nice around 26 at 6 am - got pretty toastie south of NorthBay then started cooling right down and lovely clear northern air moved in.

Perhaps a tad too much......had to layer up a couple of times and it was 18 when I got to the motel in Rouyn Noranda.

Nother couple out enjoying the day on just outside RN.

Had a real treat of a road 391 North off 101 -
I'd done 101 coming back from James Bay so wanted a variation.
Bit rough initially then a detour on a small stretch of gravel - actually quite pretty

then mcycle heaven.

Flawless fresh pavement with some sweepers and a bit of up and down to it.

90 miles like this tho not all twisty but the road surface was a treat after a few of the other Quebec roads.

Nice way to finish off Day ONe.

This is the furtherest north this time and in the morning going to follow 117 down and then through the Gatineau to see my daughter in Ottawa.

Lovely day all around and not tired.....Van Houtte coffee helps. My cute waitress from last trip was off duty and the internet was down there but good food and a deep armchair to take a break in.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Stunning morning coming out of Rouyn Noranda on 117 which is part of the TransCanada Highway There were several long distance bicyclists with full gear -
- it was cold and there was dew on the grass - could not a get a pic of how it glistened

the whole road was lined with lupens and whatever the yellow things are plus daisys and tons of other small flowers and feathery grasses...

lovely in the morning sun - I think I might have got a touch of sunstroke looking at my face tonight - would account for the headache
not burned tho so not sure


there were miniature cattails along the wet parts - neat - right in the front of this shot -

this was rather steeper slope than I intended t park on - lots of cut rock faces and some were lke paintings with the various flowers in front of them like someone threw paint

then got into a district with loads of lakes on either side - gorgeous day eh - but I suspect radiation was off the chart.

Holed up in Perth with noisy trains but a convenient Timmies.

ear plugs will come in handy if another of those freights come through.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Bleh

very very soggy boy.

Lessons
- put rain pants on even if you think it's gonna clear up
- do up collar and seams properly on rain jacket instead of finding out you didn't and no place to pull off when the deluge hits.......

One of the wetter rides I've had - at least the kevlar sliders were still warm even when wet.
Ditto with the various layers under the mesh.
Rain glasses misted up a couple of times - could always see - the Rainez on the windshield worked great....have to see what to use on the clear glassed to make it bead better.
But misting was inside the lens just from random spattering - if it had beaded would have been fine.
- grip heaters are WONDERFUL especially with soaked gloves.

Really ....two days of sun ( and pretty good sunburn on my face ) and then soggy.
Cleared up at Peterborough and sun is out now in Mississauga.

Satisfying ride - home midday well rested.
Need to prep a bit better and should have taken a better rain jacket ...likely the Icon even tho I end up resembling a branded lemoncicle.

Was glad I stuffed in the construction day glo vest - it was pretty misty/foggy. Flaps around a bit so the iCon might be preferred or I'll break down and get some Frog Toggs tho the rain pants I;ve got work well and I can get them on over the riding boots and the Sliders ( with some difficulty given the sliders were soaked - much smarter to do it dry )

The 401 is actually pretty decent coming across midday - tho one idjit cager almost got Tboned by transport.
He cut across three lanes to get on the DVP from the Express and the I could smell the truck brakes - this at 120+ and he just barely cleared the barrels at the entrance to the ramp....
Cager really truly nearly bought it. :confused1:

 

[wonderings]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Sounds like a great trip so far, all in all.

When it looks like rain, I throw on my gear if I am on a trip. Sometime it works out and it rains and your all ready, sometimes it does not and your covered for no reason. I would rather be a bit hot and dry then drenched on a road trip. Frogg toggs are great as they breath and still keep you nice and dry from the rain, so even if your wearing it and it doesnt rain, its not as bad as it would be with the standard rain gear.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

I rarely ever have to put the rain pants on given the protection on the Burgman and it WAS clearing when I left - then the deluge opened up with no good area to pull over on 7 past Perth - gravel shoulder did not look promising.
Got the mesh riding pants in which will be lighter and easier to put the rain pants on over.
The Sliders stayed warm and I could have finished the ride in them but figured I needed a makeover at Tims anyways.

All nice a dry now in the sun - gorgeous day out now.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Nice nap and all dry - place looks like mcycle warehouse tho much to disgust of house mates.
Got my Mech 3 mesh pants in today - will be easier to on overpants for the rain and won't get soggy - it was warm enough today did not really care it was wet but at 10 degrees I would have had problems drying out and getting warm on that isolated stretch.

Left the motel in too much of a hurry trying to beat the rain.....not a bright idea as I left unprepared.

Lovely clear night out. Might go for a small ride just far enough to see the sky.

Looking at a Bell Mag 3 as another helmet. Thom swears by his.

Supposed to be very quiet and the clear visor flips up ( I don't like visors in general )

Iwish I could get that design with see through smoke top visor ( in solid red on this as I like to put my head down around trucks throwing rocks and look through the dark smoked visor on my current Bell.
Sometimes also riding in very bright sun it helps the sunglasses.

Old school but it works.

and surprisingly quiet.

 

[MacDoc]

Re: Quebec and Ottawa Valley - no firm date - next couple of weeks

Picked the Bell Mag 8 - could have used the drop down visor yesterday

completes the Stormtrooper look

Even pearlescent :confused1:

see how it handles the highway on the way home. Think it might be a good solution.