2024Cottage

August 1st -my birthday- I was going to yoga but took too much time to load my bike with my luggage and accessories.

Headed to the Confederation Bridge (only $20 for a bike) with a stop for breakfast. The bridge is always windy but today even more so and I am pushed around for 13 kilometres. Onto New Brunswich where the highway has been recently paved. Then there is construction which holds up traffic for 15 minutes. In Port Elgin I head north on #15. This follows the coast. In Shediac north on Hwy 11 I go through Acadian country. It is very pretty. I stopped in Rexton for lunch but no interest in the one restaurant. I make it to Miramichi by 12:30. I have lunch at O'Donaghue's Irish pub. Then pick up a bottle of Blueberry wine that I was suppose to get for Steph from PEI. It starts to rain and I have to cross this big bridge.

North on Hwy 8 I am passing cars that are driving under the limit and then I skirt around Bathurst and the rain has stopped. Heading due west I then go south on 17 which is mostly a logging road. Hardly any traffic and the road is pretty good. Lots and lots of trees. I stop for gas and have to ask for directions. A nice man speaks English and has me confidently on my way into Edmunston. I stop at 2 hotels but it is summer and the rates are close to $300 for a night so I continue on. Outside of the city is an Irving Oil facility. I make another stop to find a room but again pretty pricey. Suddenly I am in Quebec on the A85 with not much fanfare about the change in Province. I stop in Riviere-du-Loop and find a reasonable room for the night as it is now dark. |

Day 2 - Stop for gas and then head on hwy 132 which hugs the St Lawrence River. It is very nice and not much traffic. A stop for breakfast at a small cafe in Kamouraska. There a many hard core cyclists in this area. Also more motorbikes than I usually see. Some homes are using Bell phone booths for lawn decorations. Back on the transcanada hwy into Levis where I eventually get over the St Lawrence river to take #40 to Trois Rivieres. It is a long and fast ride. I stop for lunch in a nice Italian restaurant and then continue on to Oka - a small cute town with a ferry that takes you across the Ottawa river in 15 minutes for $6. On the other side of Lake of Two Mountains, in Hudson, I stop for a beverage and to get wifi as my Chatr is not working. This is a very pretty and weathly town on the water. I head south to stop at the Hwy for lunch and forget to get gas. Several miles later and in a remote part of Quebec when it is now 7 pm I realize I need gas. I stop and get off the bike and a wonderful couple stop to ask if I need help. I go to there lovely property close by where Pierre fills my fuel tank from his large gas container. We chat and then he and Francine offer me their RV to stay in for the night. I decline and get good directions into Alexandria, Ontario from Hwy 10, which is only 25 minutes away. The Highland games are close by Alexandria so the hotel is fully booked. I head west on #43 into Kemptville where I get a Sure Stay room at 9:30 pm. I jump back on the bike and head to the local pub. The guys at the bar ask about my ride and we chat for a bit. Heading back to the hotel I am sort of lost and still without data on my phone and have to take 3 stabs at getting on the right route. The next morning the front desk person fixes my phone with a "Flight" setting.

Day 3 - Morning breakfast at the hotel and then head out on Hwy 43 west. I go through Merrickville which is very pretty and historical. I continue on through Perth and on to Hwy 7. There is a 3M plant on the outskirts. It is really busy the opposite way I am travelling. A stop in Sharbot Lake where we went camping with the girls when they were teens. I pass through Kaladar and will go through this town again on the way back. I contact Brian who meets me in Madoc. He leads me through great local bi ways to his house in Millbrook. It was a long day and Kath makes us dinner and dessert ! Brian oils the chain and cleans my helmet viser better than original.. They invite me to stay for the night. Had a great, quiet sleep.

Day 4 - My old friend, Sue from Peterborough, treats me to brunch in Millbrook. It has been maybe 15 years since we saw each other... Late morning I head out Hwy 10 north enroute to the cottage near Kinmount. Then on Hwy 17 into Fenlon Falls and #36 into Bobcageon. The hwy north of here is newly paved and not much traffic at this time - so I am passing any vehicle on the road. I find the lake road easily (memory works for some things) and greet Steph, Al and bebe mid afternoon at the cottage. It is a beautiful sunny day so we go for a swim - just dive right in.

We have some nice quiet days and the Kaye family arrive and we have fun busy days. The kiddies are tubing and love it. Swimming anytime and then there is a cute paddle boat.

The cousins bond

Nick and Al work on the boat house roof.

Steph and Veronica take a shopping trip into Bobcageon and I get time with Link.

I zip out on the bike and find some great roads and nearby Allens Alley with big ups and downs and curves ! I also do a dirt road with turns and washed out corners - without incident. The family head to Peterborough and Jan joins us. She makes dinner and I have trout. Sunday I was to leave but it is raining and she graciously offers to entend my stay. Steph and I go for lunch in Bobcageon where we went last year.

Day 11 Returning - I am packed and said goodbyes and on the road by 10:30. It is a bit overcast by Bobcageon as I took the long way with one hwy closed for construction. I go through Buckhorn and into Peterborough. The Black Horse for lunch and then a lovely but short visit with my sister. I want to get back north to Apsley but not sure if the one hotel would have room by the time I arrived and this is a remote area. My aim is Calabogie where my sister and I skied when we were young .....

Day 12 - Back on Hwy 7 past Silver Lake Provincial Park and north on Hwy 36 - than #19 going east to #12 into Lanark. North on 511 into Calabogie is a quiet lovely road. Lunch at Red Neck and a text from my sister to visit her at a cottage near Bon Echo Provincial Park.Ontario. So I head back west on the 508 to #65. Hardly travelled and twisty and beautiful. Lots of lakes in the area. And then down #41 to the cottage. The road in is paved until a couple of kilometers out when it becomes dirt and then gravel. The road is narrow and climbs up and then intense slopes down. My heart is beating when I make it to the cottage on Kashwakamak Lake. Luckily Cath has a cold beer for me. She makes dinner and we sit at the boathouse watching the sunset until the mositoes come out. Back at the main cottage we sip wine and talk til midnight.

Day 13 - I meet Brent and we chat about riding. I say goodbye and head out by 11 am. Back on Hwy 7 heading east to retrace my ride from yesterday. I get behind some trucks and cars that won't pass so I am getting around each of the 8 vehicles one or two at a time. Stop in Perth to rest and try the Perth Brewery. Onto Hwy 43 east into Merrickville where I stop for lunch. It is very hot today. In Kemptville another rider with a sidecar catches me and travel inadvertently together until I go south on 138. There is construction so I follow the trucks onto #44 east and get on the 40l. I am on the 401 into Quebec. I take the route south on A 30. There is a toll to cross Lake St Louis. Just outside Brossard heavy rain hits and lightning and cars and bikes take refuge under a bridge. It eases up and soon the sun comes out so I continue into Drummondville Quebec, where I get a Travelodge for the night.

Day 14 - I use the laundry at the hotel and love wearing clean jeans. It is sunny and warm today. I am back on the interstate and the terrain is flat until some hills appear to the south and a ski resort is on the travel signs. I ride 446 kilmeters today but no rain. Coming into the Kamouraska area suddenly there are large hills (maybe considered mountains?) busting out of the land and they are odd shapes. Seems very dramatic. At 3:30 in Riviera du Loup I take the off ramp south and arrive on Lafontaine, a very pretty street with shops and restaurants. There are dedicated moto parking spaces. I sit on the patio with a beer that is $11.50 !

Continuing east my aim is Rimouski, QC for the night. At the Quality Inn the "last" room is $289. So I get on the Airbnb site and find a lovely room on the east end of town for $149. I have to get directions from a very nice guy who says to follow him there. There is a large Marina here on the banks of the St Lawrence. It is 7:30 when I arrive and meet my host, who is from PEI. I then go to the Normandine for dinner and come back in some drizzle.

Day 15 - I had a great sleep and packed up and heading east on 132 hugging the river. Stop for breakfast at Subway. This route is quintessential Quebec. It is still a bit cool and foggy this morning. Some stinging insect gets me in my colarbone and it is bothersome for the next few days. The train tracks are following the road and a train is coming through and using the whistle. There are small french named towns and the scenery is beautiful. The houses are brightly coloured - not blase like other provinces. The archetecture is inventive and creative. Some houses are made out of stone. On the river some houses have build three storey square add ons for great views.

The Gaspe starts in the little village of Mont Joli but luckily I miss my turn and get to see more of the north part of the Gaspe. I turn around and head down Hwy 234 which runs next to a river and is not at all travelled and the fields are beautiful and go for miles where they meet mountains. It is SO pretty and this is a short hwy but a new favourite. Back on 134 - Acadian route -which is also very nice I stop in Sayabec for coffee. There is a railway museum in this town and a nice park. It is 10:45 and now getting warm out. I stop in Amqui - a very lively and busy town. THere is a Via train station that run to Halifax and Montreal. I get a paper map - my favourite kind of map. Very pretty town.

Only one road to get through town so it is rather busy. I use the left lane and slide in behind other riders further up in the traffice grid. I follow the Matapedia river south where the train tracks are also following the river on the other side.

A stop in Matamajaw where this cool pedestrian bridge crosses the river.

Continuing south I pass St Florence - a logging area. So there are big logging trucks on the hwy. Further south I go through a wood Covered bridge.

The road is clear and has passing lanes so I am getting through quickly. Now in Matapedia QC and stop for poutine lunch at a Cantine. Continue on 132 heading east on the Quebec side of Restigouche River. The roads in Quebec are not great, but when you get a patch of new payment it feels good.

A stop for gas where they sell Covered Bridge potato chips in Lobster flavour. And then I cross the Interprovincial bridge into New Brunswich.

In Campbellton, NB I find a brewery and find out this bay is the prettiest in the world. I follow the bay on Hwy 134 Then on hwy 11 into the outskirts of Dalhousie. Continue on this great road for quite some time until I come into Bathurst. Where I get a snack at the Cast and Crew Gastropub. Back on the 134 which becomes the #8 due south into Miramachi. New Brunswick. It was a long ride and this Miramachi is different than the one I travelled through a few weeks ago. I am on the Miramachi River at the Travelodge for the night. Dinner at the hotel with a friendly bartender. Rani and I have a nice conversation. 436 kilometers today.

Day 16 - Today about 500 kilometers. I have breakfast included in the hotel and then went for a swim. Packed up and loaded the bike by 11 am Atlantic time. I lost an hour. I stop for gas and instead of remembering to put the tank bag back on the tank I left it on the luggage. On the first straight streach I heard something and stopped but didn't know what was missing. So about 20 minutes and 30 klms down the highway I saw there was no tank bag. I has the spare key and one earning and my pictures of friends and lottery tickets I have not checked and I had my credit card info with the phone number of the bank and expiry on a piece of paper incase I lost my wallet. But my name is no where in that bag (I think and hope). I head back as quickly as I could and search the area on the main street where I had stopped. I asked at the closest establishment if the bag was turned in. Then I went to the police station and gave all the details incase someone turns it in. Back out of the city this time on a hwy NOT under construction. I cross many rivers and therefore many bridges. This is a very nice ride. Hwy 11 is calm and pretty and takes me into Shediac where I stop for lunch of vegetarian linguini at La Coast. The city seems to be growing and of course there is construction. Continue south on Hwy 15. It is a warm day and no rain. I stop in Port Elgin for gas. Heading out this area early August seemed chaotic but now it is easy to navigate. There is new payment and even the Confederation Bridge in not too windy. A fellow rider follows me into the outskirts of Charlottetown when I stop to look at my map. It was a very nice ride and nothing at all like the way in back in late June when it was pouring rain and I had been on the road for 15 days crossing the country and 4 time zones. Back in Fortune Bridge just before dark. The sun is setting over St Peters Bay, PEI.

It was a great two weeks spent with my family and seeing an old friend and Ontario again and the very lovely Gaspe in Quebec. Now exhausted. Bike has 54,400 klms. Left Victoria at 41,400 ish. 13,000 Kilometers added since I left Victoria in early June 2024.