pics of Nova Scotia

Below - the Cabot Trail

On the Cabot Trail, outside of Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. 

Sunset in Cheticamp, Cabot Trail Nova Scotia.

The Cabot Trail.

.

Karen, Steve, Cheryl and I.

Steve's introduction to Tim Horton's.

Ashley on the waterfront - Halifax.

Ashley and Camilla - Halifax

Cow's Ice Cream, Halifax

The Picton Castle, Tall Ship Festival, Halifax

The Bounty.

The Picton Castle.  Goodbye sweet lady.....

The US Coast Guard

Channing and the Pirates on the Tall Ship Providence.

Day 13 - Riding the Cabot Trail

July 26

This day offered a reversal of fortune as far as the weather was concerned.  I awoke to blue skies and warm air!

Steve and I packed the bikes.  This was goodbye to the hostel and our new friends.  Today Steve and
I would ride the Cabot Trail!

Steve's agenda was slightly different than mine.  He would ride part of the trail with me, then we
would part ways and he would tour a monestary.  I would continue on and do the entire loop.

Well let me tell you, no words I write can do this trail justice!  It is a beautiful trail.  It concists of rolling hills, called the Scottish highlands, replete with thick green trees.  As I rode along the trail, I came across sheer drops off her rocky cliffs into the sea. Her waters belonged to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Along the shores were several rock formations.

After having stopped several times to take photos, I realized the time. It was 2:30!  Holy cow, it was late and I had to hussle my butt to North Sydney.  There Steve and I would board the ferry for Newfoundland.

I put my camera away and kicked my Shadow into gear.

Soon after departing, I came across a construction stop light on the highway.  While stopped, I heard a voice behind me. "James!"  It was Steve, he had caught up to me.  He too realized we were late. 

From this point on we would have to hurry.

And hurry we did!  We flew through the rest of the trail.  I hate to rush, as does Steve, but we had no choice.  It was not too bad though, as we had already seen the most scenic parts of the trail.

We eventually arrived at the North Sydney harbour.  Fortunately loading was still occuring so our spots were safe!

We boarded the ferry.  This thing was monstrous!  10 levels all told!  We parked our bikes, strapped them down, then made our way to our seats.  Time to settle in for the six hour ferry ride.

Steve had a long nap while I poured over the Newfoundland Labrador traveller's guide, taking note of places that caught my eye.

Another day, another adventure experienced.  A new day would soon arrive, and with it, the promise of a new adventure.

Day 12 - hiking on the Cabot Trail

July 25

The Cabot Trail.

This morning we woke to showers.  The weather was one word - miserable.  Steve and I wondered if we would be cottage ridden today.

Then Cheryl, one of our hostel mates, told us she would be doing a hike if the weather improved.
And the weather did improve.  It was still too crappy for a ride, but good enough for a hike.  Cheryl invited Steve and I to tag along, and so we did.

We found out the hike Cheryl wanted to do was very misty, so we decided Corny Brook would be our hike.

It was a nice, quiet, beautiful hike.  The path was alive with birch trees.

On occasion we spotted wild life.  Steve, and Karen, our Australian friend from the hostel, spouted some wild grouse and gave chase with their camera lenses.  It was a family, and as such, could not be left from being captured in time.

During the hike I got to know Cheryl.  She is a retired nurse from Calgary, and is passionate about travelling, especially when it involves a hike!

Cheryl was a very kind, generous woman.  Before leaving on the hike, she knew I had no breakfast, as I had not made it into town yet for supplies.  So she offered to make me one. And it was wonderful.  My meal of a turkey sandwich, with a banana and apple hit the spot!

\The four of us spent the afternoon hiking the quiet trail, stopping on a few occasions to photograph each other (or sometimes as a group) standing in front of picturesque waterfalls.

On our drive back to the hostel we saw a restaurant in Cheticamp (an Acadian town) offering free fiddle music.  We decided on the spot to make this our supper destination for the evening.

The company was great, as was the fiddle music.  While our two fiddlers played, a young girl from the audience in a pretty dress got up and danced an Irish gig.  Ahhh, Maritime culture at its finest!
I ordered chowder, while Steve had lobster and Cheryl white crab.  Karen opted for a seafood pasta dinner.

While we waited for dinner, I walked over to the window and snapped photos. The sun was setting over the water, and a fishing boat in the foreground made for a beautiful picture.

At 10pm we left the restaurant and headed home.  No ride occured today, but that hardly mattered to me. The four of us had a wonderful time.

Day 11 - off to the Cabot Trail

July 24

Halifax day 4

My alarm went off.

8 am was the time.

I was awake.  Barely.  I was able to find my pants, but my head was nowhere to be seen.  It was just as well.  If I did find it, the pain in it would no doubt kill me on the spot.

My cell phone rang.  Who would be calling me at this hour?

It was Steve.  He was staying at the HI hostel on the Cabot Trail, called the Bear on the Woods.  He said it was about to sell out, and asked if I wanted him to get them to hold a room for me.  I agreed (yes I would be leaving today).  We said our goodbye.  Despite my killer hangover, I felt happy.  It would be good to reaquaint with Steve again.

I packed my bags, and wandered downstairs for breakfast.  Thank God I had a role and a banana and apple left over from a previous meal.  And I especially thanked God for the fresh coffee!

To get my brain in gear, I decided to catch up on some emails.  I hoped that Ashley and Camilla would show, as I wanted to say good-bye before I left.

Eventually they did show, and we talked for several minutes.  Then it was goodbye.

Soon I was off for the Cabot Trail.

Except today the weather looked ominous.  There were alot of dark clouds, and it was starting to spit rain.

I decided to leave anyways.

But before leaving I rode up to Citadel Hill for a look over Halifax and to snap some shots. 
The rain was light, so was not bothersome. While parked, a man parked next to me and asked me where in Saskatchewan I was from.

When I told him Regina, he smiled and said he had just gotten back from there.  He was a pipe fitter and had worked there for 9 months.  Like many easterners, he had found opportunity in my grand province.

I snapped a few photos, then was off for the Cabot Trail.

I left Halifax feeling very happy to have visited here.  It was everything I wished for (well except the hangover!) and more.

North I went on highway 102.

However within a half an hour the rains came. 

At first it was a steady rain.  But by time I reached Truro, 100 km's from Halifax, the storm was an absolute wrath of God downpoor!

I took refuge under a canopy at a gas bar in Truro. There was a Tim's across the lot, so I made a bee line for it.

This one had free WIFI.  Seeing WIFI at Tim's was extremely unusual, but I took advantage of the crappy weather and worked on my blog of the trip.

I was soaked.  Holie cow, was I wet. I could not have gotten more wet if you threw me into the swimming pool.  It was going to be a long day or riding.

After over an hour and a half of waiting, the rains had let up a bit, but not much.  It was getting on in the day, and I wanted to make the hostel tonight.

So back on the road I went.

Eventually the rains let up.  In fact they eventually became a light drizzle.

I arrived at the Bear of the Lake hostel, tired, but happy to have arrived.

The hostel was a complete surprise to me.  This is because it is a converted cottage.
The hostel is 2 km's outside of the town of Aberdeen.  Out in the middle of nowhere and several yards from the highway, it was like being at your cottage at the lake. 

I was greeted at the door by Heinrich, a friendly German lad who worked there.  His kind demeanor was equally matched by his kind offer to help me carry in my wet gear.  I was only here a few minutes and felt like I was the member of a family.

Steve greeted me with a friendly hello.  He said, "I bet you're hungry".  Well that was an understatement.  I said, "yes, I sure am".  "How would you like some of the Indian food I cooked up?" he said. Warm Indian food.  The words were music to my ears.  After a quick change into dry clothes (they were packed into plastic bags inside my T-bags), I had a quick shower and sat down to eat.  I devoured the meal in minutes.

I spent the next little bit catching up with Steve and also meeting my new hostel mates.  I spoke for several minutes with Sam, a Montrealer who was fascinated by the happenings in Saskatchewan.  He is an International Studies student with a keen interest in Canada and it's economy.  We exchanged several ideas on the state of the Canadian economy and where things were going.  Despite my fatigue, I was enjoying the evening.

Soon it was time for bed.  This time I had the bottom bunk.  I was thankful, because the only way you would get me to the top bunk would be to haul me up!

Within moments of my head hitting the pillow, I was asleep.  I would sleep tonight.

Day 10 - fun and frivolity in Halifax

July 23

Day 3 in Halifax.  Today is the last day of the festival.  It would conclude with a parade of all the tall ships leaving the harbour.  This was something not to be missed, least of which the magnificent photos sure to be had.

Like the other mornings, I found myself in the hostel kitchen area.  Steve was leaving for the Cabot Trail.  I would be leaving for it myself, but not until the next day.  I hoped I would run into him again, as we were becoming pretty good friends.

I was getting myself sorted for the start of my day when I met a new hostel friend, Ashley.  She is from the grand city of Winnipeg, a city by the way, that I really like (so why do people dump on that city anyway?)

We got talking about our visit to the Maritimes.  Ashley mentioned she had visited Newfoundland, which I wanted to visit, but was unsure that I would.

There are two ways to Newfoundland - by air or by ferry. The ferry option offers two routes - one 14 hour ferry to St. John's, at a whopping $200 each way for a motorcycle and its rider!  Outrageous!
The other route is much cheaper, $94 each way, except you do not land in St. John's, but Port-Aux-Basque.  From there it is a 12 hour drive to St. John's, the provincial capital.

Not knowing much about Newfoundland, (I do little planning on my trips folks) I had kept my options open.

However after speaking with Ashley, the possibility of a Newfoundland trip took on alot of potential. She told me that the two national parks - Gross Morne and Lance Aux Meadows - weren't that far from Port-Aux-Basque.  Now I'm sure I would have arrived at this fact eventually, but like I said, when I travel alone I do things by the hip, so this fact was still undiscovered to me.

Ashley asked me what I was up to.  When I told her I was going to see the parade, she asked  if she could tag along.  "sure!" I said.  Then her friend Camilla from Australia asked if she could join.  Well, what do you think our answer was?

The three of us made our way to the waterfront.  A few ships could be spotted in the harbour.  The rest were probably around the bend somewhere.  All of the ships would do a loop of the harbour before heading out to sea.

We all stopped and took photographs.  Also on our agenda were beaver tails and Cow's ice-cream!
Then the Picton Castle appeared.  She was going at a terrific clip, and her appearance caught us off guard.  I excused myself from the ladies, and decided to try and chase it down for some shots.

It took a few minutes of sprinting, but I caught up to her in my photo lense!  After taking a few shots, I stopped and decided to just watch her for a few moments.  She was majestic as before.  And this time I felt something else.  In her sails I saw more than just her cloth. I saw adventure, history, even nostalgia.  In her hull and mast I saw adventure.  And in her wake I saw opportunity.  At that moment I promised myself I would sail the seas one day, and it would be on a tall ship.

Now it was time to rejoin my entourage.

I found the ladies at the Beaver Tail, getting, well, Beaver Tails.

A Beaver Tail is like a mini donut in consistency, however it is much bigger and also flat and thin.  The flavour, on the other hand, is out of this world fantastic! 

Camilia let me sample her cheescake flavour, Ashley her chocolate banana.  The line up, however, was very long, so I decided I would get one of my own later.  But now time was not to be wasted - we were off to Cow's for ice-cream.

Apparently some association voted Cow's the best ice-cream in the world.  Her lineups are often long, so there must have been some truth to it.

When we arrived, the line was actually fairly short.  As we stood in line I read a sign of interesting facts about the ice-cream.  The one that stood out for me was the line "lusciously high in buttermilk fat."  Oooh, that sounded awesome!

There were so many flavours to choose from, so I would have a hard time making a decision.  Or maybe I wouldn't.  I decided to go for a triple scoop - one scoop of Moo Madness, one of Mooberry (which had PEI strawberries, raspberries and blueberries), and one of (I forget the third, it had burnt sugar and caramel in it though!).  Piled on top  of a waffle cone, my taste buds were sure to be in for a treat.

Holy lick was it deliscious!  And runny too, as the heat of the day caused it to drip on my clothes. I didn't mind though, and neither did my company.

Afterward, we went to a restaurant on the harbour and each orderd a Blue Schooner.  It was Blue Caracoa with coconut and other fruity flavours.  It went down smoooooth!

After finishing our drinks we were off to Alexander Keith's brewery for a tour!

The tour was fantastic! You are treated at every stage to a talk by an actor dressed in the  clothes of the 1800's era.  They each spoke to the history of Mr. Keith and how his fine beer came to be in Canada.

The tour involved drinking as well!  Each person was treated to two Keith flavours of their choice.  You didn't have much time to drink them though - less than 15 minutes.

I downed mine, and half of Ashley's second drink.  Like Mr. Keith, I am Scottish, and as such, don't like to let things go to waste.  Especially a glass of his fine brew!

At this point I felt a little sloshed.  The tour was now done.  It was time for the three of us to move on to our next activity, making a lobster dinner!

We walked down to Superstore and each picked up a fresh lobster.  Off to the hostel we went to cook our meals!

But before going we stopped at the liquor store and each picked up a bottle of wine.  I could feel my liver starting to cringe.  I was already half cut and there was more to come!

Well our meal turned out well.  This was my first ever taste of lobster - and it was very tasty!

As we sat on the beautiful patio at the hostel digesting our wonderful meal, we met some new friends.  McKenzie, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, and two German lads.  We all got talking, and invited them to join us for our pub crawl.  By the way at this point, there were three empty wine bottles, drank by three already drunk revellers!

So it was off to the Old Triangle pub.  There we ordered a keg of Keith's.  Ah Alexander!

Then it was off to bar #2.

Sometime later we were off to bar #3.  Except at this point I was not feeling well at all.  At some point I asked that we stop.  I sat down on the sidewalk, unable to continue for fear of getting sick.
After a minute I felt better, except now I was on water only.

This bar was very lively.  There was a band, a solo act, a fellow named Mike who performed cover tunes.  His playlist included U2, so naturally I was happy.

I felt good enough to dance, so I did.  I danced with Camilla, Ashley, McKenzie, other ladies in the bar, hell anyone who would dance with me.  Every one of us was having the time of our life.

Eventually the hour of 4am came, and the bar was closing.  I think we had kept drinking wel l past last call.....

After alot of stumbling, we arrived at the hostel.  It was 5am and time for bed.  And I was supposed to check out by 11 and leave for the Cabot Trail tomorrow(err, well, today).  I wondered if I would stay another day in Halifax instead.....

Day 9 - The Tall Ship Festival

July 22

The next morning I awoke and wandered down to the hostel kitchen to see what was happening.  People often assemble here to make breakfast from the food they bring.

The hostel kitchen was awesome!  It had a couple of huge fridges for guests and tonnes of cupboard space, along with several coffee mugs and not to mention the free coffee in which to fill them!  They didn't have sugar, but I'm sweet enough (cheese alert!).

Shortly after seating myself, Steve arrived.  We got talking about our respective plans for the day.  He was riding down to Pegg's Cove for the day.  I had laundry that was in desperate need of doing (I won't tell you how desperate!), plus I wanted to head down to the docks to check out the Tall Ship Festival!

Except leaving a hostel without running into people and connecting with them is hard for me.  No sooner had Steve left that I met Danielle - from Emerald Park (i.e. Regina!). Small world!
Shortly after meeting her, her friend Rob introduced himself to me.  Rob is a waiter at one of the local restaurants.  After learning that I was new to the area, he immediately sat down and starting pointing things out to me on my tourist map.

Rob spoke to me in great detail about the cools things to do, many of the things not already on the map!  I was taken aback, he was going out of his way to offer help, and I hadn't even asked for it! I was getting a great taste of maritime hospitality!

I wandered down to the local grocery store to get some lunch for the afternoon.  I wanted to get some fruit and whole grains in me.  I try to have them when I can on road trips.

While I was standing in the grocery line, I heard a voice say to me "you don't find the tabloids very interesting, do you?"  I turned around to see a young girl.  "Not really I said".  "I don't blame you, she said". She had an accent I didn't quite recognize, so I asked her if she was from Halifax.  "No, I'm a crew member of the tall ship Providence". Providence as in Providence, Rhode Island.

"The Providence is the party boat", she said.

"Oh really" I said. "And how does one get invited"

"Luck of the draw".

"And how do I get the luck of the draw?"

"Well that's up to you", she smiled.

Hmmmm, step out of my comfort zone....

I followed the lovely lady down to the parking lot.  She was wearing a flower dress, and had an umbrella to block out the sun's powerful rays. The sun was full on today.

"Hey Providence!" I yelled, as I didn't have this woman's name.

"So my words got your attention?" she replied.

"The words 'party' and 'boat' do", I said.

She laughed.  I joined her for her walk to the docks.

We got talking and I found out that Channing is a deck hand on the ship. 

We got to the docks, and walked around, listening to the wonderful buskers performing.

There was a Scottsman dressed in full regalia, blowing mightily into his bagpipes.  I looked around expecting William Wallace to come charging on the scene, but no luck.

We came upon a middle aged man playing the ukalalie (sp?).  In fact it was an electric one.  Channing and he got talking, and I learned from the conversation that Channing also plays one.  She also plays the clarinet.

She and I got talking about ship life.  I asked her why she sails on tall ships.  Her answer was "Why not?"

She went on to explain that you cannot be selfish or weak on a tallship.  I think she meant weak as in character.  Being selfish means the ship will not function.  Having said that, she said her crew was disfuntional, but in a funny way that works for everyone, most importantly the ship herself.

We soon said goodbye, as she had to make a phone call.  No invite.  I was slightly dissapointed, but very glad I spoke to her.

I wandered around the docks.  The place was alive with activity!  There was a group of young people huddled together singing sea shanties.  There were the buskers.  And of course there were the tall ships. 

For $5 you could buy a pass that would get you a tour of any of the tall ships, as many times as you wanted.  I was on this like a fly on peanut butter!

After wandering a bit, I saw something that blew me right down to my landlubber socks.  I saw the tall ship Picton Castle.

For those of you unfamiliar, there was a reality show (well more like a documentary) that came out about 10 years ago called the Tall Ship Chronicles.  Joel Younghusband (you may know him from Canada's Worst Driver) became a volunteer crew member of the Picton Castle.  His camerman filmed Joel and his life and that of his other crew members while the Castle sailed 18 months around the world.  It was not your typical reality show.  In my view, these shows are scripted at times.  This was 100% pure real.  The people on this ship were real.  They laboured and bled their working hands red together.  They formed lasting relationships, and some came right of their shells.  If you get a chance, watch this program.  It will make you fall in love with tall ships.  It certainly did for me.

I boarded the Picton Castle and was instantly vibrating.  I gazed upward at her tall masts.  They reached high into the heavens, going on seemingly forever. I could see the rat tails (thanks to Channing for telling me what they are called).  These are the rope ladders the crew uses to scale the masts and open and fold up the sails (pardon the laymen terms, I am not fully versed in the language!).

I checked out the communincations room, and got to see the kitchen.  It was tiny and hot as hell!  I imagined this to be the worst duty on the ship!

I was only allowed to explore the upper deck, as everything else was roped off.  I was still thrilled though. 

BTW, for a cool 60 grand (at least that is what it cost the last time I looked), you can be a working crew member on her next aroound the world voyage.  They leave this October.

I explored a few other Tall Ships, including the Bounty.  Yes, that's what I said!  She is a replica, and was used to represent the original in the movie the Bounty. She also played the role of a litle ship called the Black Perl, in the Pirates of the Carribean movies.  Perhaps you have heard of them? ;-)

I continued down the waterfront.  Once again Channing and I crossed paths.  She was still talking to Mike, the ukalalie player. 

She asked me if I was joining her and Mike and the ship's crew for their private party.  It was due to start at 5pm, right after the tours of the ships was done.

"Ummm, yeah!"  I exclaimed.

I ran off to fetch a bottle of white wine.

I got to the boat, but security was there.  I yelled to guy on the boat "Is Cocoa [her nickname] there?"
"Yeah!" returned the man.  "I see you come bearing a gift." 

"Yes, it's wine" I said.

"well in that case, you may come aboard".

I climbed aboard and joined the party.

Channing was right, it was a real motley crue.  And they were awesome.

I met James, the fellow who gave me permission to come aboard.  I found out James has lived in Switzerland as an outdoor instructor.  He has visited Russia twice, once during Communism and once after it fell.  Man I wish I could have visited Russia before the iron curtain fell!

I met a few of the crew members who were on board for just a few weeks. They were volunteering their time and told me how much they were loving the experience.

The whole time spent on the ship was had to music and cheer.  Channing with her clarinet, Mike with his ukalali, a young fellow with his bongos, all joined for a big jam session.  Wine flowing and cheese and snacks for all to share!

Soon after dark the party on the Providence ceased - it was time to move to a new venue - the tall ship Peacemaker!

After arriving on the boat, we were quickly offered root beer floats.  Ahhh...

Not long afterwards the began.  This was a nightly occurence of the Tall Ship Festival.

After an hour of live music and talk, our crew headed back to Providence. There we were going to take on new guests - pirates!

Shortly after we got back on the Providence, two pirates from the Bounty arrived.  And not only did they dress like pirates, they spoke just like them.  Many "arrghs" were uttered.

I got talking to one of them.  In his "normal voice", he told me that he is an IT guy during the week, a pirate on the weekends during the summer.  There is about 4 of them who own the company Pirates of Halifax.  They even have a B team of pirates for when they get overbooked!

Suddenly strong words and emotions came about, and this wasn't because of any pirate activity.  James was furious at Channing.  Apparently she was considering a move to another tall ship in the coming days. In the end I think it was all a big misunderstanding about schedules and commitments.
Everything ended peacefully, but hurt feelings did remain. Thankfully there were no swords drawn or muskets fired!

Well the pirates were off.  I told the pirate I was speaking to my name.  I then asked for his.  He stopped, turned around, and said to me with a smile and a wink, "Davy Jones".

It was now time for me to make my leave.  I gave Channing a big hug.  We promised to keep in touch.

I walked home feeling very tired, but in high spirits.  Take yourself out of your comfort zone, I thought to myself.

pics of Montreal and Ottawa

Below - Parliament Buildings

Above and Below- old Montreal

above and below - Rue St. Catherine, Montreal

below - Question Period

Day 8 - HALIFAX!!!

Day 8 - July 21

Today I would ride the last 840 km's to Halifax.  I was bound and determined to make it
today.  I was already a day late!

The ride to Halifax through New Brunswich and Nova Scotia was very quiet.  The highways
were twinned, and the speed limit was 110!  And I had very little traffic to deal with.

I arrived in Halifax just before 9pm.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the HI hostel in Halifax had a parking garage,
and that there was a space available for my bike.  And at only 8 bucks a day an absolute
steal! The hostel was in downtown Halifax, a two minute walk from the harbour.

After parking the bike, I noticed a motorcycle in the stall next to me. It had Maryland
plates on it.  I wasn't the only one doing a long distance trip!

After unloading the bike, I returned to the front desk, where I met my motorcycle
neighbour.  His introduced himself as Steve.

Steve is from Baltimore, Maryland, and is in the Maritimes on a bike trip.

We got talking and hit it off right away.  We spoke about bike trips and about who each of
us are and life in general. I found Steve easy going.  He was very down to Earth and easy
to talk to.

We then headed down to the end of the block to Bearley's, a blues bar.

There was a live band playing.  These guys were awesome!  Judging by their appearance,
these guys were anywhere between 50 and 150 years old.  They sounded like they had been
playing together for years.

After an evening of great music, we decided to call it a night. It was after 1am.  I had
been up since 5:30 and was ready for bed!

Day 7 - Montreal

Day 7 - July 20

I woke up very early this morning - 6am - as I hoped to get in alot of miles today, at least
more than what I had been doing on average this trip.

I loaded up the bike, and as I did so, I noticed the windshield was leaning precariously to
the left.  Looking closer, I noticed the rubber grommet was missing, as well as the left
screw which helps to hold the windshield in place!  I cursed out loud - this meant the
windshield was effectively useless, and that I would have to remove it and be without. 
This setback, combined with the fatigue I was feeling, made me feel very angry and stressed.

I angrily cursed the rough Montreal streets, blaming them for my problem.

I then took a minute to collect myself and gave the problem some thought.  I had a thought.
Perhaps duct tape could lend a solution.

I plugged the plastic piece that the screw would go into with balls of duct tape.  I then
taped the same plastic piece onto each side of the windshield.

After finishing the tape job, I wiggled the windshield.  It seemed fairly solid!  It looked
like it might hold up!

Moments later a fellow pulled up next to me in a car.  He asked if I could move my bike so
he could fit into the parking spot.  After he parked his car, we got talking for a few
minutes.

Christopher and I got talking about the bad roads in Montreal.  He said that he felt the
roads in Montreal were the worst in the country.  I had heard this same claim before, and
given what happened to the windshield, I had to agree.  The streets here are in worse shape
than Regina's!

I told Christopher about my bike trip, and this got him excited.  He said he wants to get a
bike one day, but there competing priorities for him these days.  Isn't that the truth - we
always have alot on the go, and there's always so much more we want to do - and right now
for that matter. 

Many times during the trip I gave this problem some thought.  I sometimes find myself in
this boat where I have a hundred things on the go and am wanting to do a hundred more at
the same time.  Sometimes I think that alot of things I have on the go aren't really that
necessary for me to be doing right now, that some of these things can wait until another
time. And more importantly, when I don't find the time to do everything I want, I sometimes
get down on myself.  It's like I sometimes measure who I am based on how much I do, rather
than what.

Well after talking to Christopher, I found myself feeling alot less stressed.  I decided
that since I was here in Montreal, I really should take the time to visit it.  Rather than
killing myself trying to get to Halifax, I would unplug and spend a bit of time here.

After a quick breakfast at McDonald's where I had practiced ordering my food in French (which I managed to pull off!) I walked through the downtown streets. 

The streets were busy with activity, people out walking and cars driving.  I made my way
down Rue St Catherine.  This street is similiar to the Scarth Street mall in Regina, only
several blocks longer.

Rue St Caterine is a beautiful street lined with little outdoor cafes and small businesses.
Although it had alot of people activity, this didn't feel overwhelming and the pace did not
feel rushed to me.  People came and went very quietly.

I came upon a gentleman who approached me speaking in French.  I told him in French that I
only spoke a little of his language, however I don't think he understood and he continued
on.  After a minute of speaking to me, he finally realized I did not understand, and he
apologized to me in French.  He then held out his hand and shook mine very warmly, saying
"Au revoir monsieur".  Even though little was understood in words between us, his good bye
to me made me feel like we had made a human connection.

I then made my way over to Old Montreal.

Old Montreal has a very European feel to it.  The streets are cobblestone, and the old
buildings are lined with tiny independent shops (little to no chain stores exist here),
giving it a very European feel.

After spending a few hours walking around Old Montreal and the waterfront, I felt very at
ease and satisfied with my visit.  I made my way back to the hostel.  I left Montreal at
2pm.  It was time to get my Anglophone ass on the road!

The Trans Canada highway from Montreal to Quebec was heavy with traffic. One of the things
I liked about this stretch of road was that, unlike most of Ontario, it was twinned.
I contined on past Quebec city toward the Quebec-New Brunswich border. The landscape was
changing.  There were beautiful farms far off on either side of the rode, with large hills
of green towering over them.

I came upon a gas station just outside of the town of Riviere-du-Loup (french for Wolf
River). It had a small hotel in it.  I could have stayed at a campground down the road, but
felt like having a warm bed tonight, so I made the decision to stay here.  Besides, not
camping meant I would have less to pack up in the morning, and I was bound and determined
that I would make it all the way to Halifax the next day.

Day 6 - Ottawa

Day 6

I awoke at 6 in the morning.  I would pack up the tent, then wait for Amy to wake up.  I was going to buy her breakfast.

7 am came and Amy appeared outside, having just gotten up.  She told me she had a dentist appointment first thing, but couldn't remember the time.  We chatted while she tried to track down the dentist office to find out her time.

She couldn't get a hold of her dentist, but we decided to head for the dentist office anyway, as McDonald's was right next door to it.

We pulled into the dentist's lot.  Amy told me she had just spoken with the office, and that her appointment was actually right away, not at 8:50 like she had hoped.  We said our good-byes in the lot.

I got on my bike and headed for McDonbald's.  It then occurred to me that I should have waited for her to finish, then maybe we could have a quick breakfast.  So I rode back to her vehicle and taped a note on her window.  I headed back to McDonald's.

Minutes after I arrived, Amy showed up.  Her appointment was over quickly, so she had time for a quick breakfast.

I learned more about Amy while we talked.  She comes from a military family, and her dad moved them out to Pembrooke when she was 8.  It was after moving there that she got introduced to country life.  Living in the country and doing county activities were a huge passion for her.  I came to realize that living in the country really shaped who she was as a person.

We said our goodbyes, for real this time.  We promised to keep in touch.

The ride to Ottawa was different than anything else I had experienced on this trip.  It started off quiet, but as I got closer the traffic changed and got busy.  I was now making the transition from quiet roads and few people to the opposite. 
I arrived in Ottawa and found a parking garage.  I parked the bike and made my way up to the Museum of Civilization.

Except I didn't visit it.  Not after discovering that the adjacent walking trail offered spectacular views of Parliament Hill!

I walked down the trail and stopped a few times to take pictures.  Then I got the bike and rode closer to the Parliament buildings.

After signing up for a free guided tour of the Hill, I decided to walk around her grounds until it got started.

The buildings' architecture gave her a very regal look.  The whole appearance gave the place a feeling of elegance. I found it fitting that such a place was where our country was shaped.

I made my way over to the start of the tour.

The Parliament buildings were amazing!  The tour would take us through the Centre Block building.

We toured the room where the Members of Parliament sit for question period.  This is a room I had seen on TV many times, however seeing it right in front of me felt very surreal.  I was completely blown away.  It is hard to explain in words, but I felt like I was in the presence of something that was much bigger than me.  To me this room felt like the embodiment of an ideal, of what it meant to be Canadian.  It made me feel very proud to be a Canadian, almost as proud as I have ever felt before.

After my tour concluded, I made my way back to the motorcycle.  I hit the road, destined for Montreal.

On my way out of Ottawa, I rode over a bridge that gave a spectacular view of Parliament Hill.  I could quite cleary see her beautiful library building.  Her Neo Gothic archictecture gave her a majestic look.  Once again my feelings of awe returned.

I arrived in Montreal just after dark, exhausted and ready for bed.  After checking into Montreal HI Hostel, I crashed into bed for the night.

Day 5 - the kindness of strangers

Day 5

Well after a nice day of riding yesterday, the weather this morning was again sunny and
warm.  Time to go into town and get some breakfast, then head out.  Today I would try for
Ottawa.

During breakfast I decided to get going on the blog.  I love sharing the trip with friends.
After a few hours of blogging, it was time to go.  As I was leaving, a biker approached me
and said "Nice day!".  He introduced himself as Maurice.

Maurice is off work from Fort Mac, and has 6 months off.  So what has he decided to do with
his time off?  Well go on a bike trip through South America of course!  If I had to guess,
I'd say he's in his mid to late fifties.  Who says adventure is for the young?

It was another nice day for riding.  Once again, the sun was out and the temp was in the
20's.  And as I have seen many times throughout Ontario, there were tonnes of
motorcyclists.  There is a route around Superior called the Superior Loop which is very
popular amongst the two wheelers.  Many Canadians and Americans do the loop.

I should tell you about the roads in Ontario. The Trans Canada is in awesome shape.  It is
not divided, however, and the speed limit of 90 km's probably frustrates some people - not
that they obey the limit anyways!  Often cars would pass me and I was doing 100!
Also there are warning signs for Moose absolutely everywhere. The signs often have the
caption "Night Danger".  I was warned by motorists and bikers alike that I should not ride
at night. 

The closer I got to Ottawa, the more the landscape changed.  There were still plenty of
pine trees, however human settlements became rather sparse.  At times I felt like I was out
in the middle of nowhere.  This excited me but also made me nervous at the same time.  Also
the smell of pine was stronger.  The quality of the roads also started to deteriorate -
there were ruts to watch out for now.  The feel of the place was very rugged.

Along the way a couple of riders on Spider Canams passed by me.  These bikes are three
wheeled motorcycles, two wheels in the front and one in the back. 

I eventually arrived at Pembrook, Ontario.  It was close to dusk, and Ottawa was still 150
km's away.  I don`t like to ride at night, so I chose to stay for the night.

I stopped at a gas station, and asked the attendant, Amy, about motels and campgrounds. 
She immediately offered her back yard for me to camp at.  After a few moments of thinking about
it, I decided to take her up on her offer.  Hey, sometimes you just have to let go of fear
and doubt and just do it!

I left the station and went to Irvings truck stop for dinner.  I noticed in the parking lot
the two Can Ams I saw earlier. In the restaurant I sat near two bikers who had Canam leather jackets.  The two riders were ladies and one of them said to me "a bit nippy out there!" She then smiled and said "we've been following you".

I found out they both work for a Canam parts and accessories dealer in Sherbrooke, Quebec,
and that they were coming back from a visit to a customer in Cochrane, Ontario. What a job
I thought!  I wish I could find a job where it involved doing road trips!

After eating, I rode to Amy's house.  Only to find it pitch dark.  I knocked on the door,
but nothing.  At this point I felt a little nervous.  She had told me that she was off at
9, and it was almost 10.  What was going on? The logical part of my brain told me she was
probably just held up.  The primal part of my brain told me this was bad news, that her and
her friends would show up and slaughter me in my sleep.

I decided to set up tent. 

Partly as a joke, I sent a text to my friend Brent to tell him what my situation was, that
I was here camping in this girl's backyard but she wasn't here.  I told him that if I get
murdered, to please arrange to have all of my assets left to the James Walters Memorial
Brothel.

Soon after sending my text, Amy showed up!  She told me her friend had to go to the
hospital because of an allergic reaction, so she went to see her.

Amy and I got talking and she told me she is a country girl.  She hunts, quads, rides snow
mobiles, everything country you can think of!  She has even skinned a Moose!  Well it's no
wonder she had no hesitation about inviting me to stay - if I tried anything, she could
obviously handle herself quite well!

We said our good-nights and I put my head down on the ground.  Although I was tired, the
excitement of the day kept me awake for some time.  I wondered what was in store for me
tomorrow?

Day 4 - pics

Canadian Tire, Wawa, Ont.

Above - Fat Mike - Wawa, Ont.

Above - Canadian Tire Goomie - Wawa, Ont.

Day 4 - ahhhhh sunshine

Day 4

After a solid night's sleep in a cozy, warm bed in an equally cozy room, I felt very refreshed. When I woke it was 8:30. I had decided not to set my alarm that night.

After shaking the cobwebs out of my head, I collected the clothes I had worn the previous day. They were still soaked. My destination now was the laundromat and breakfast.

After having breakfast and collecting my now dry clothes, I arrived back at Paw's to pack my bags. It took some time to pack everything, as I had emptied all of my bags to allow them to try. Even my tent had been wet, so that was left hanging overnight in the shower.

Before departing, I spoke to Peggy, the owner of the cabins. She described to me all the excursions into the bush that her and her husband do in the area. She said they prefer that to provincial parks.

I then said good-bye to Dave, as I wanted to thank him for the offer of putting my bike in his garage for the night, which I had happily accepted. We got talking about bears, as one had been spotted several times roaming the grounds the previous day and night.

He told me of a local who back in the 50's owned an Inn in the area who had a pet bear. He offered $100 to anyone who could punch the bear in the nose. No one could do it, as the bear always swatted the attacker's hand. Until one day a guy threw his hat at the bear to distract it, then pow! Right in the kisser! I laughed at that.

Then I was off. Dave and Peggy were really down to Earth people, and I had enjoyed speaking to them. My cabin was huge and a steal at $59. Well worth the stay!

Today the weather was beautiful. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the sun felt warm on my body as I rode. A far cry from the previous day's misery.

The rest of the day was spent riding the #17 (Trans Canada). This stretch of road, like the road I had travelled so far in Ontario, was laden with trees on either side of the highway. Endless fields of tall pine trees. I had never seen such a long stretch of trees before, and I had already travelled 100's of km's through this province. Every now and then there was a clearing in the thick green which revealed Lake Superior. And what a Lake she was! When I looked to the horizon, all I could see was water. It looked endless like the ocean. Throw in her many islands and some fine mist, and you have yourself a very magestic scene.

I arrived at Wawa, needing gas. I road down mainstreet and stopped to get cash at the ATM. An older fellow on some sort of a bike contraption stopped near me. "Fat Mike" and I got talking. The bike he had was a cross between a bicycle and one of those scooter things that you push then hang onto the handles with (don't know what it's called). It had no pedals, just the foot board and a handle bar, with two wheels. He told me he's 68 and that it's the best toy he ever had! Mike was definitely popular with the locals, as every person who passed us said hi to him.

My next stop was Sault St. Marie. I stopped at the local Honda dealer, as I noticed earlier in the day my chain lube was missing the spray cap. Ben, one of the salesman, greeted me but told me that parts was closed and they had gone home for the day. Then when I explained to him my problem, he went into the back and returned my spray can with a new cap on it! Nice guy!

When then got talking about Honda bikes in general, and then we got talking about the outrageous insurance rates in Ontario. Ben told me an inexperienced, young man wanting to ride motorcycle is looking at between 4 and 6 thousand a year for insurance! I nearly keeled over when he said that! I don't think I'll ever complain about my insurance rates again!

From Sault St. Marie, the drive took on a different feel. Instead of pine trees, I was treated to different foilage. Now tall evergreens formed a tunnel of green. Combined with the gentle sunlight (it was in the low 20's), it made for a relaxing, easy ride. After yesterday`s crappy ride, I was soaking in the experience of this day!

I should mention that the roads here in Ontario are very quiet. Not the madness I expected. I was beginning to realize that the Northern and Southern parts of Ontario are very different, in many ways.

The late evening had arrived, and it was time for me to call it a night. I arrived at the town of Blind River, where I spotted a campground to my left.

I was greeted at the office my a middle aged gentleman dressed in a golf shirt and shorts. He had shoulder length hair, which gave him the look of a hippy. His clothes gave him the look of Arnold Palmer. And his puffy grey hair gave him the look of Uncle Giggles Flinstone.

Wayne and I got talking about the climate and we both agreed that climate change was here. He got telling me about the area. He grew up here and owned the campground, which has always done well. Except now, because of the recession. He then got talking about how Northern and Southern Ontario are vastly different. He said that the North is quiet, with few people living there. He said that the people in the North have had to struggle more and that in his opinion the people in the south are "spoiled and ignorant" who "don't know how lucky they have it".

He then told me how much he enjoyed having his campground, but there was one night he hated. And that was when the Hell's Angels showed and booked every campsite and room on the premises. Wayne was absolutely terrified that night, as were the other patrons, who checked out immediately when the Angels showed up. Speaking of them, I had spotted throngs of them on the road throughout the day. Apparently they had a national meeting in Toronto that week. I was told by a few locals they had spotted one group with a police escort - one cop at the front of the pack, one taking up the rear!

Well Wayne was a character, that was for sure. I enjoyed speaking with him.

I then broke camp. With no one else there, I had the entire campgrounds to myself.  A long, but good day of riding under my belt, I easily passed out for the night.

Day 3 - and the rains came

Day 3 - July 16th.

The next morning I awoke early at 5:30 to the sound of rain pounding on my tent. Tom and David were also awake. We spoke for several minutes before I packed up, still under attack from the mosquitoes. We were also under attack by mother nature, her rains coming down hard upon our heads.

I rode to the camp office/general store to pay for my stay. It was raining hard, and I was already completely drenched. I decided in the interest of time to push on.

Tom arrived at the office.  He and David were going to ride the Greyhound from here to Winnipeg, then resume their hitchhiking.  I bid David "Bonne chance!".  He responded in kind with "Bonne chance aussie!"

As I rode from the lot, I took a look at the statue I had discovered last night. I could see clearly now what it was. It was a mosquito with a bloodied, half dead looking male maniken hanging from it's mouth. In the mostquito's right hand was a fork, in the left a knife. David had told me that Upsula is a ghost town. Well no wonder, the mosquitos probably ate every one in town!

The road to Thunder Bay was one word - wet. As I rode, I decided to tag behind a Chevy pickup truck, as it was going the speed limit and offered safe cover to me from the other cars in the rainy conditions.

After gassing up at Thunder Bay, I saw a road sign pointing to the Terry Fox Memorial. I completely forgot this existed. I took the exit to the memorial.

The Terry Fox statue was beautiful. What particularly got my attention were his eyes. They had a pained, yet hopeful look to them. The statue`s maker captured Terry`s essence perfectly.

At the statue I met two bikers from Ontario. They were riding their motorcycles across Canada to Victoria, BC. They had both retired just weeks ago, and decided to take a road trip. Riding across Canada on bikes....those crazy bastards! Wait a minute, that`s what I`m doing!

The rest of the day continued with rain, giving Ontario's richly treed landscape a bright green tinge. Although the foilage was nice, the riding was not. From the moment I broke camp in Upsula, I was completely soaked right down to my teeth. I had to make a number of stops to warm up. I even had to pull over a few times for safety, as the visibility at times was next to nothing. My day was spent riding along Lake Superior, whose effects on the weather I was told can be pretty nasty.

That evening I arrived at White River, having ridden over 500 hard km's for the day. I found a quaint little place called Paw's Cabins. David the owner checked me in. We spoke for several minutes about global warming (which he believes, in his words, is total BS), then I retired for the night. Despite my exhaustion, it took me a while to get to sleep, as my head was pounding from the long day of riding.

Below - Lake Superior

Below - Terry Fox Memorial

White River, Ontario.  Birthplace of Winnie the Pooh.

Day 2 - beware of ominous signs....

Day 2 - July 15h.

I awoke feeling very refreshed. The three of us walked over to Pete's Place for breakfast. As usual, Jill was being, as she put it "nosy", asking many questions about my life. I told her that was ok, that I was used to her nosiness. Shawn smiled at me as I said that. Although we have only known each other a few years and seldom see one another, I felt comfortable around them. They were old friends to me.

Well after more chatter, it was time for me to be off. It had started to rain, so I donned all of my riding gear. Jill and Shawn offered to ride their minivan, with me in tow, down a shorter route out of town that the GPS typically offered.

Shawn and Jill took me to the start of the Trans Canada. Shawn pulled over and as I passed them, said goodbye by holding his hand high in the air. I smiled and returned the gesture. I was back on the road.

The road into Ontario was beautiful. The number one was a smooth, gentle road to ride on. Very few bumps. There were more trees than in Manitoba. I was not used to seeing so much green on the highway.

After a few hours I arrived at Kanora, Ontario, the gateway to the Lake of the Woods. As I entered town, I rode over a bridge which took me high over the water. On either side of me was the lake. She ran to the horizon in every direction, and in her waters were a series of tree filled islands the size of city neighbourhoods.

I stopped at Shopper's to buy batteries for my camera, then rode to a hill to take photos of the Lake. It was still raining, it had been since I left Winnipeg. It was Sunday and the town was very quiet. I spent a few moments gazing upon the wide berth of the Lake of the Woods. Being from the prairies, the sight of endless miles of open water fascinated me. It was quite serene.

I left Kanora, and later that evening I arrived at Upsula, Ontario. I hoped to make Thunder Bay that night, but it was dark and I decided to call it a night. A campground greeted my arrival in town, which I happily took advantage of.

As I pulled into the grounds, a statue greeted me. It was purched on top of a huge steel pole. It was a bit dark, so I couldn't quite make it out. I could see a male manikin hanging from something. Was that something a mosquito? No, it couldn't be....

I eased the bike into a camp stall, and dismounted. As I did so, my neighbours came to greet me. They introduced themselves as Tom and David from Montreal.

They told me they were rock climbers and were hitching their way to Squamish, BC. There they would rock climb and also practice their slack lining. They would spend five weeks there.

They told me they got a ride into Upsula from a farm girl, who, in exchange for the ride, asked them to help her with some farm chores. David told me they absolutely loved the experience, and that travelling was a way for them to meet lots of cool and interesting people. These two were twenty somethings had heaps of enthusiasm. You could tell they were living in the moment. Ah, the enthusiasm of youth!

Our conversation didn't last long, however, as we were being attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. And were they ever voracious. David kindly offered me some Off. I immediately applied it to my face and hands, but to no effect. The bugs were so bad, I hastily set up tent and hurled myself into it, not bothering with the air mattress. After several minutes of smacking mosquitos, I fell asleep.

Camping in Upsula, Ontario. Bon appetite!

Below - the road to Kenora, Ontario.

 

Day 1 - let's go!

July 14th - Day 1

Road trips. The mere mention of the word excites most people. And why wouldn't it? The road trip experience brings so much. It offers respite from our every day routine. It allows us to explore new places, to meet new people. It can be peaceful and exciting at the same time. It can allow for reflection, if we let it. It can also offer an opportunity to step out of our comfort zone, by trying new things, and through reflection, the opportunity to think about things differently. The road trip can also test our patience, our williness to keep going even when things don't go the way we planned or had wanted to.

In the days leading up to this road trip I felt differently than I usually do. In the past I often looked at a road trip as a means to escape, as a way to "solve my problems". This time, however, my mindset was different.

I still felt excited, as I always do before any trip. But instead of feeling like I needed an escape, I found myself feeling fairly content, you might say happy, in my every day existence. I was looking forward to the trip, but I was also looking forward to coming back to my every day existence.

This trip I would be visiting the Maritimes, with the Tall Ship Festival in Halifax being the focal point. My journey would take me by motorcycle, through Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, through New Brunswick to Nova Scotia. After Halifax, who knows where I would visit. In he road between Regina and Halifax, who knew where I would stop and visit. As usual, I would let fate decide.

Well day one of the trip started as it usually does for me - running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get ready. It wasn't until mid afternoon that I finally left Regina. By this point I had already resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be making it to Kanora, Ontario this first day. Instead I would be stopping in Winnipeg for the night.

The ride to Winnipeg was fantastic. The temperature was a warm, but very comfortable 21c. The sun was just behind the clouds, so it wasn't bearing down on me. But it was still bright enough so as to give a soft glow to the landscape.

The landscape on the number 1 is beautiful. Alot of people I speak to say the drive to Winnipeg is boring. I have found the opposite. As I rode into Manitoba, my eyes were treated to a smattering of green trees, with farms nestled amongst them. The sunlight wasn't strong, and was just enough to give the landscape a gentle glow. The setting brought peace to my mind, and I found myself being very present in my surroundings.

Including the pain I felt in my rear end. My body needed some getting used to sitting on the bike again. My ass hurt so much, I felt like I had just gotten out of an S & M convention! Not that I have ever attended one!

Eventually I arrived at Winnipeg. The number one into Winnipeg becomes Portage Avenue. As usual, the drive down it brings a thousand stop lights, making my 18k journey down this street very long. It wasn't until 10 in the evening that I arrived at my friend's Jill and Shawn, would who be putting me up for the night.

Minutes after arriving Shawn offered a pile of hot dogs, fresh off the barbeque. I was famished, and gobbled up the 5 hot dogs within minutes. Jill, Shawn and I spent the next few hours sitting on their patio, talking about bike trips - they are bikers and do bike trips as well.