Off to St. John's, Newfoundland via the Trans-Labrador Highway. I'll try to post daily updates, though the lack of wifi and/or cell coverage will be a challenge.
Hoping for great fun and adventure. Come along for the ride!
Day 1, Tuesday July 10 Pickering, Ontario to Levis, QC. 811km.
Lovely weather to begin the day from Pickering, Ontario. Little traffic on the 401. I took a short detour on the Long Sault Parkway, just east of Morrisburg, which runs across a string of about a dozen islands in the St. Lawrence River. Darkening skies approaching Cornwall, then sudden and torrential rain on the other side. Visibility became very difficult. After fifteen minutes or so, all clear. With no rain gear on, I was thoroughly soaked, but it didn't bother. I dried out soon enough under the hot sun.
Still stubbornly refusing to use GPS, I expected navigation through Montreal to be tricky. It looks pretty straight forward on the paper map, but things quickly went sour. Somehow I managed to screw myself by taking the Champlain bridge and wound up on the south shore. Traffic was brutal, construction everywhere. This proved to be quite costly in terms of time.
I had made arrangements to meet my friend Jeff in Berthieville to visit the Gilles Villeneuve museum. He rode in on his BMW K1300. A small museum, thankfully not Disneyfied, it was time well spent. So much history that any Canadian racing would surely appreciate.
We had dinner together, where, thanks to my total lack of knowledge of the French language, I received something quite different to what I was expecting. No matter, it filled the void.
Now seven o'clock, we parted ways and I headed for Levis, QC, where I was to meet my brother Harry and his girlfriend Wendy. They will accompany me to St. John's. Harry is on his 2004 R1150GS, Wendy is riding a new to her 2007 F650GS. By the way, I'm aboard my used and abused, but ever faithful 2002 Tiger 955i.
I arrived as darkness fell, Harry welcoming me with a cold beer. We're spending the night at vacant house which belongs to a friend of Wendy.
Tomorrow: Baie-Comeau, QC
via Tapatalk
Hoping for great fun and adventure. Come along for the ride!
Day 1, Tuesday July 10 Pickering, Ontario to Levis, QC. 811km.
Lovely weather to begin the day from Pickering, Ontario. Little traffic on the 401. I took a short detour on the Long Sault Parkway, just east of Morrisburg, which runs across a string of about a dozen islands in the St. Lawrence River. Darkening skies approaching Cornwall, then sudden and torrential rain on the other side. Visibility became very difficult. After fifteen minutes or so, all clear. With no rain gear on, I was thoroughly soaked, but it didn't bother. I dried out soon enough under the hot sun.
Still stubbornly refusing to use GPS, I expected navigation through Montreal to be tricky. It looks pretty straight forward on the paper map, but things quickly went sour. Somehow I managed to screw myself by taking the Champlain bridge and wound up on the south shore. Traffic was brutal, construction everywhere. This proved to be quite costly in terms of time.
I had made arrangements to meet my friend Jeff in Berthieville to visit the Gilles Villeneuve museum. He rode in on his BMW K1300. A small museum, thankfully not Disneyfied, it was time well spent. So much history that any Canadian racing would surely appreciate.
We had dinner together, where, thanks to my total lack of knowledge of the French language, I received something quite different to what I was expecting. No matter, it filled the void.
Now seven o'clock, we parted ways and I headed for Levis, QC, where I was to meet my brother Harry and his girlfriend Wendy. They will accompany me to St. John's. Harry is on his 2004 R1150GS, Wendy is riding a new to her 2007 F650GS. By the way, I'm aboard my used and abused, but ever faithful 2002 Tiger 955i.
I arrived as darkness fell, Harry welcoming me with a cold beer. We're spending the night at vacant house which belongs to a friend of Wendy.
Tomorrow: Baie-Comeau, QC
via Tapatalk
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