O.K. Really. So why Armstrong? Because neither of us had ever been there. And to be honest, it just popped out of my head as we were sitting in my living room discussing where we would ride that day. And it was 22C and sunny outside. What better excuse does one need to set off on the first long ride of the season? We were also curious about how our bikes would perform on a longer trip and even wondered how they might perform without any fuel at all (there are no gas stations along the entire 260KM stretch). I wasn’t too concerned about the CBR250R, but Paul cautiously estimated the Guzzi’s range at around 300KMs of highway riding. He’d be cutting it close. Being the intrepid, courageous warriors that we are – laughing in the face of adversity, and spitting in the eye of anyone who dare suggest the possibility of being stranded and eaten alive by ravenous blood-sucking mosquitoes – we merely re-framed this as an opportunity to simply live off the land if need be – and forged ahead throwing caution to the wind (while also discretely throwing a 1L Primus fuel container in my tankbag just in case). We also laughed at the idea of insect repellent (though the laughing occurred about half-way through the trip when I realized we’d forgot to take some along). And Paul also called a service station in Armstrong to ensure they were open. Would he have enough range? Would we make it? Do you care yet about the characters in this unfolding drama? Can you feel the tension building?

I also wanted to try out my new Icon Urban Tankbag. I filled the bag with a first-aid kit, two bottles of Powerade, the Primus bottle in a separate compartment, and a camera. It barely made a dent in the bag’s usable capacity. I really like the versatility it offers. It fits well on the CBR250R with ample room and extra pockets for storage, and even converts to a backpack (that includes a helmet holder) for off-bike excursions. I also found that I could simply release the top two magnets and lift the bag to gain access to the fuel cap for re-fuelling.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com…-Tank-Bag.aspx

Here is a Google Maps overview of the scope of our day-trip adventure.

This zoomed image helps one appreciate the size of Lake Nipigon. It is the largest lake entirely within the province of Ontario. The lake is also home to woodland caribou. The Nipigon River is famous for yielding large brook trout (speckled trout). The largest brook trout ever on record (at 14.5 lbs) was caught in the Nipigon River in 1915 by Dr. JW Cook.

Would our trek be filled with adventure – rife with story-book action and plot twists? Well we didn’t have to wait long for something to happen. Ten minutes after fuelling, as we were leaving the city and making our way toward the Highway 527 turnoff to Armstrong, a wolf crossed the road in front of us. A few hundred metres past where the wolf re-entered the bush I spotted a woman (who strangely resembled Little Red Riding Hood) walking along the roadside toward us. I slowed down to warn her that a wolf had just passed by a little ways ahead. She stated that she had seen it too and nonchalantly continued on her way with basket in hand (O.K. – just joking about the basket). This experience made me realize that taking along a helmet cam would make it easier to capture and document such unexpected surprises.

The route up to Armstrong was completed in the 1950s as a logging access roadway. It is the second longest secondary highway in all of Ontario. Here is a photo taken along the route that is representative of what we saw over the 3hr ride.

There are an abundance of lakes in this region. However, there are only a handful that are nestled up against the road on the way up. Still these views were very rewarding.

A conspicuous sand dune along the highway provided another opportunity to stop, rest, and take a photo. Aside from exercising your photographic skills, frequent stops provide a good excuse to rest, stretch, and mentally relax. So how comfortable is it to ride the CBR250R on a longer ride? As mentioned, this was my first longer ride of the season. Typically I find my body quickly adjusts to longer riding days and this extends the amount of time I can remain physically comfortable on the bike when touring. But even when touring, I just prefer to stop about every hour to stretch, walk around, fuel-up, and relax. While many might find it unappealing to stop each hour – for me it ensures that I never feel stiff or uncomfortable during the ride and it wards off soreness the next day. It just makes the overall trip more enjoyable – and perhaps safer as well. I never want to be in a hurry to get anywhere anyway when touring on a motorcycle.

How suitable was the CBR250R for riding on this highway? The speed limit was marked as 80km/hr, and with speedometer error in mind, I would estimate that Paul and I were riding between 90-95km/hr which registers a little over 6000 rpm on the tach in 6th gear. The bike handles this speed remarkably well – and is torquey enough to easily climb the hilly sections we encountered in top gear. With that being said – a downshift to 5th at this speed puts the bike closer to the 7000 rpm torque peak and allows for more spirited passing and hill climbing. Even though we essentially had the entire highway to ourselves we did pass one vehicle on the trip – a pickup truck pulling a trailer. The bike accelerated with authority (for a 250cc single) in 5th from 90 km/hr to complete the pass.

The following photo was taken from a bridge crossing over the Kopka River (looking downstream) about 60KMs before Armstrong, ON. The Kopka River is part of Kopka River Provincial Park. If you want a remote, rugged, wilderness canoeing adventure, it would be hard to beat this park.

Many fishing and canoeing resort outfitters line the route as you approach Armstrong. We pulled into town at around 5PM and quickly filled up at a Can-Op service station just off the highway. Paul stated that his low-fuel light had just come on as we were approaching town. Our bikes and our riding gear were caked with insects. Any worse and the locals may have mistaken us for huge larvae cocoons. Yes – the bug population IS really healthy in Northwestern Ontario. With 260 kms on the odometer I filled up with 8.8L of fuel to top the CBR’s 13L tank. That comes out to about 84 mpg (Imperial). Respectable mileage considering the route had its share of hills and we faced a head-wind for much of the ride. Paul filled the Guzzi with 11L of fuel which came out to 67 mpg (Imperial). Great mileage for a bike with 744cc of displacement.

We asked the clerk at the service station for suggestions on where to eat. He suggested a couple of places, including a restaurant and motel conveniently located next door. Just as we were about to enter the restaurant, a CN train slowly approached from the East. The CNR mainline runs through the town.

It turns out the food was good and reasonably priced. I had a hamburger and fries, while Paul scarfed down a Reuben sandwich and we shared an order of poutine. Fully satiated, we were eager to get back on the road for the 3hr trip back home.

Here is another view of what we saw on the way back. Not long after this photo was taken I rode by a young bear just off the shoulder of the road. The bike surprised him and he scurried quickly into the bush. A little further along I spotted a large object on the road way off in the distance. I kept my head up and noticed that it eventually moved left off the road. It was only at our next rest stop that Paul told me that it had been a bear as well – apparently a very well-fed one – that had taken refuge at the edge of the tree line.

This is a view of the sun shimmering over Kopka Lake. One always has to be watchful for wildlife on the road in these areas. After this photo was taken we came around a left hand curve and found a large bull moose slowly crossing the road. We had plenty of time to slow down and allow him to cross (I tapped my brake a few times to warn Paul). It would be wise to avoid riding this highway at night.

Overall, it was a great day ride. We made it back to Thunder Bay at around 9PM with plenty of sunshine and copious amounts of bug splatter as evidence of our journey. I look forward to more touring and camping with the CBR250R. Stay tuned.

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Jan. 5th

Ok!
I am in a new place now in Moosamin SK. A place with Internet!!

I am waiting for Harry and we will ride together to Winnipeg where it is the end of the journey for him. It is the least i can do for him! He slept in Swift Current last night and had a really bad day getting to Creston. But once past that he was ok. He avergaed 15-20 km/h ……… W-I-L-D!!!!

Jan. 6th

What the h…..? 5:57 AM? Why am I awake at this time? Was too tired to sleep last night and now I am awake before the rooster.
I’ll shake my head! Maybe there is a n ice build up in my brain! Mind you some might wonder if I have one!

Anyway! Up I get! HMMMM! Nice dark sky! Stars and absolute nothingness! For Pete’s sake Paul! Go back to bed! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Done!
7:30 AM! Holy crap! Felt like 5 minutes! Now I do not want to get up!

8:00 out I go! Frosty is purring like a cat. The weather is nice and in front ahead of the front wheel I go! As the darkness recedes and the sunlight comes the vastness of the prairies comes out. I am always amazed at how big this is! I have done it so many times I don’t even want to count anymore. And yet, every time the beauty and the calm of these vast prairies soothe me. You ride, ride and ride forever and it does not seem to want to end. Little towns line the TCH and each and every one of them has a story. Whether it is a record breaking drought, which drove the farmers out of business for the year, or too much moisture and not enough heat.
I ride at a steady 90-95 km/h and the rig handles well! No pull anymore since I adjusted the camber by about one degree out!
Little towns like Piapot, Webb, Chaplin. I stop at one of my favourite places. Gull Lake! Where the truckers breakfast was calling me! But after experiencing this gargantuan mix of artery clogging, heart stopping, liver killing, kidney overloading but yet so damn good work of art, I decided to go just for a coffee. If I had succumbed to it I am sure I would still be burping it by the time I reach Goose Bay!

So on to SK I go! I am not sure where I will make it today! Winnipeg is what I have in mind, but anything past Regina I will be happy with. I left a message to Harry this morning telling where I am at but I got his answering service. Knowing him, he is soldiering on! I am hoping we will meet at the next place I sleep but I will have to wait to see how it went with him.
The prairies are clear! Cold and icy in spots but clear.

It is hard to complaint. It is green but it is also not that cold. I guess that will change in a hurry when I reach Ontario!
I cruised all day! I ended up making it to Moosamin SK after a bit over 700 kms. Not bad of a day!
By the time the sun goes down in Regina the weather dropped by the second. It went from around 0 and -1 to -14 by the time I stopped. But the Aerostich Darien is doing an incredible job. I still did not need to get my North 49 arctic suit. I am happy I have my Sorel though. My tootsies are nice and warm and as we all know! “Keep the extremities warm and the rest is warm”

I sign in at the Moosamin Motel and hunker in! No internet! It is one of these little grandmas and grandpa place that I love so much. I have a message on my cell! It is Harry! He is stopped in Swift Current for the night about 500 kms from where I am at! He is getting closer.
I give him a call and it is good to hear his voice. He is in good spirit and despite a hellish day he is upbeat!
I tell him I made up my mind and that I will wait for him in Moosamin! This is the least I can do! I mean Man! He took a chance in coming, he asked me what to do and what to get and he faitfully got together with me regularly to learn what to do and what not to do! Even though we separated as we had agreed if we needed to, I still want to be with him when he finishes! For a while he was saying that he would make it to Goose Bay but he changed his mind. I think it is a good call! His equipment was to heavy and made the bike too hard to handle. He also had to carry it because it is his sleeping bag and equipment and would need it if he was to make it there and not me!

Anyway! He is a hell of a trooper and I am happy I did this with him.

3:42pm

Harry just got here! Holy Crap! He just flew! He is safe and sound and had a hell of a hard time!
We will ride tomorrow to Winnipeg together and part!

Here he is arriving at the motel in Moosimin SK.

Jan. 7th

Ok! I got to Ron last night at 6:40 something PM. Being the host he is he knew I would get there around that time and even though I did not phone him, the steaks were waiting.
So they put on a hell of a spread for me. Damn! Am I lucky or what?
Nice medium slab of cow with baked potato and corn and some nice red wine! Yep! I hate suffering like this.

It was nice after a 705 kms day.
The ride from Moosomin to Dryden was uneventful. The only part I did not like was leaving Harry in Brandon Manitoba!
I enjoyed my time with Harry! He is a hell of a guy! I do believe nothing can bring him down.
After spending about an hour at the Tim and joking a lot with the locals! I am not sure! There is something about them not seeing bikes often at this time of the year!!

We got on our bikes and said Goodbye!

From there I rode pretty much straight to Dryden except for fuel! It was cold but dry and not much traffic.
While I was riding a few people phoned me and invited me to their place in Winnipeg! Sorry! I will make up for it on my return!
To the guys at the shop and Ena’s sister! Thank you so much!

I spent the evening chatting with the guys and Ron’s wife Sonya and we had a great time. Meanwhile outside the snow was starting to fall.
When we got up this morning this is what it looked like this.

I had coffee with Ron! (While I was sleeping he went to Tim and got us some coffee! What a guy!)
I gathered my crap and then we went for breakfast at the Central hotel restaurant. Then I took off while Ron was making some footage of me riding.

We stopped again at a little place I had stopped before and I put my Aerostich on!
It was cold but still too warm for my North 49 suit. Said goodbye to Ron and went down the road.
About an hour outside Dryden (Just like last year) snow started falling and the road got covered in a hurry!

Notice the mud flap is gone? It broke off in Winnipeg! I guess the sideways banging with the sidecar was too hard on the frozen plastic! I don’t know but I found it dangling! So just took it off and tossed it! I kept on going and just like the day before just stopped for fuel and kept on motoring.

Except to take few pictures of Frosty in the snow!
By the time I reached Thunder Bay it was snowing heavy wet snow and could hardly see a damn thing because the roads are really messy and the rigs driving by were giving me a hell of a dirty shower. I had to stop many times to wipe some snow on my shield. I learned last year not to rub the visor when it is dry!
By the time I reached TB it was about 4:00 and was thinking of stopping there! But I was still pretty energetic and wanted to make it to Nipigon or further. That was not a good idea! About 10 minutes out of TB the wind picked up and the big freaking flakes which were as heavy and wet as diapers were falling with a vengeance.
At one point I had to slow down to about 80. That is all I could muster because I could not see enough.
I would move over when I could to let the traffic go by!

Now the following is not really stuff you want the kids to read about!

About half an hour out of TB there is a truck behind me! You’ve heard me praise them and you know how much I love them trucks and truckers. Been one and loved it. I know it, I understand it and I respect it. But this one would tailgate me when I could not move over. At one point he must be 10 feet behind me and I have nowhere to go! I slowed down to about 20-30 km/h and he would not pass me. He could but would not! Meanwhile the traffic is passing him and I like we are stopped.
I accelerate, gain distance, then he catches up. Then out of nowhere he puts all his lights on as he is tailgating me. I am not scared but I am getting pretty freaking pissed.
So I decide tp lay along and just go with it. Just keeping ahead of him enough!
45 minutes go like this and he will not pass me. At one point I yelled in my helmet “Ok! I have had enough of you! You Moth….. F……!
We are going up a hill, it is snowing, it is slippery and I am pissed off! I slow down enough that I am sure we could have walked! It is one lane and we are (For now) just him and I!
I pull over hoping he will just pass, but NOOOOO! He stops right behind me on the shoulder with his hazards on! AHHHHH! Play time!
I stay on my bike and he gets out of his truck and walks toward me. A guy in his 50’s big beer gut and I could smell him even though it was windy!
He comes right by me and says! “What the F.. are you doing on the road? You don’t F.. belong here asshole! Get off the road or I will get you off the road!”
I turn and say “I am doing 90 click you moron what the hell is your problem?”
“You!” he says!
I undo my helmet, take off my balaclava and get off my bike without saying a word! I can’t he is won’t stop yacking! We are both standing on the shoulder and I am just listening!
I am thinking he will run out of breath and just move on! Plus I am too tired for this idiot!
Then he moves toward me as to grab my jacket. I have my helmet in my right hand. Well! I don’t know what happened but somehow my helmet made contact with his ugky face and he fell backward in the ditch!
Now the funny thing is that he is flat on his back. His feet up the little hill in the ditch and his head lower! Oh Yeah! And there must be 3 feet of snow! Therefore Mr Fatass could not get up. He is starting to roll and trying to get up but he is struggling and he is not dressed for snow games! His big belly is flopping all over the snow, his shirt is riding up his back and He just can’t get up? At that very moment I am thinking! This would not be the right time to leave a man in the snow alone! So I stay while he is grunting, mumbling, swearing and I think….. farting!! Yep!!!
After about 4-5 minutes of watching him Butterball do the frosty bacon dance, he finally gets on his feet! Not out of the ditch yet! But at least he on his feet! As he is just about to come up and start yelling I tell him “Man! Do not say a fucking word? Walk on and drive off! If you don’t you will not get up the next time I hit you! You got it?
Look at my bike, look at my plate and make damn sure you memorize it, because next time I will leave you in the fucking ditch to freeze unconscious! Got it? As I an standing in front of him with my helmet on the ground by now and my gloved fist against his chest!

So! Mr Arnold brothers transport! If you read this! I hope the crack of your butt thawed out in your Big Volvo rig!

There you have it! My event of the day.

Now I am going to have a shower and hit the hay! I will aim for Sault St-Marie tomorrow. Not sure though! It is snowing like crazy out right now!

Jan. 8th
Sault St Marie

The ride down here was pretty tough. From Nipigon the ride was pretty cold. I got up at 7:30 Am and left at 8:30 AM. When I got out it was -12C. Not bad! The sky was blue, frosty covered with snow and my brain still on the pillow.
Man! It was hard to get up! I was absolutely welded to the mattress. But Ron told me that some crappy stuff was coming up from the south and also some crap from the US as well. Guess where I am? Right in the middle!
I made it to Schreiber where I stopped last year after a scary freaking day. I met the owner again! Last year she took a picture of me and put it on her wall of travellers! Tis time I returned the favour. She remembered me as soon as I walk in and so did the waitress Sylvie who had served me. Had a good breakfast and went on my way!

So off I go! As I get more south toward Marathon, the road starts getting covered with snow pretty much everywhere!. One thing is good though! I like riding the hacking the snow. It is like a wide snowmobile! I am actually riding the thing and sliding it all over! I try to keep it in control when there is traffic around but take it from me “It is a whole lot of fun!”

As I climb up the higher elevations the snow level increases a lot and so is the fun!

Anyway! The scenes are like Christmas post cards and I just can’t stop taking pictures.
As I reach White River (The home of Winnie the Phoo? Pooh? Phoo! Whatever!) The wind has picked up and dammit it is not a tail wind. It is either head wind or side wind.
It is tiring! My arms are hurting and shoulders are hooped. But I am still enjoying the scenery. The great lakes can be tough in summer and let me tell you this! Holy Crap! The winds live there all year around.
At one pint I pulled over and went on a little Park road that was closed because I had to take a break from the wind.

Here is a little proof! Last year when I was going through Pancake Bay a side wind threw me in the oncoming traffic lane in pitch dark! Thank God there was no one! Oh yeah! That is because they had closed the TCH behind me in Wawa.
Here is Wawa today!

The goose is looking at the sun and thinking Hmm! “I think I am going to fly my feathery butt out of here!”
Where was I? oh yeah! Pancake Bay! The very spot where I was thrown in the oncoming traffic lane is coming down the road! I remember it like it was yesterday! It is dark, snowing like hell and I can hardly see where the hell I am going. The road is gone and I have to drag my feet to feel the road.
Ok! Today! The spot is coming and as I get though it the wind is there waiting for me! (Not paranoid!) and this time blows me on to the other lane too…………….. But……………………….this time it is light out and I can see the large chromed grill of a big whole Peterbilt. And the wind is pushing me toward it! Am I scared? Shit! I am more than scared! I am so startled I do not even have time to be scared. I was sure I was a goner! But the guy behind the wheel was looking at me and just swerved enough out of the way for me to clear him. It was easy for him to swerve that quickly because the wind was pushing him as well. But still!
I am telling you! If he had not swerved I would have hit the driver’s side trailer’s wheel.

Thank you Sir! If you are reading this I want to say “Thanks” you were/are a scholar and a gentleman and you just so happened that you saved my ass. You more than made up for Mr Butterball yesterday.

Anyways! After that I slowed down a bit, to about 70 km/h all the way to Sault St Marie.
Here are some shots of the scenery I went by.

So here goes another day down the great lakes. Cold wind, lots of snow except in Soo. A close call with a Pete and I learned to do power slides on snow at 60 mph. all in all a damn good day!

Good night! I am hitting the sack now! I am also now sick! I ordered a damn good pizza but I was too tired to eat and what had to happen happened! Out it went!

Sorry my camera lens was kind of steamed up.

Jan. 10th

Hi guys! I’m at Tim’s in Toronto and I am damn happy to be here!!! Been fighting side winds and head winds for two days. I’m aching everywhere after fighting the winds with the sidecar. At one point I was hurting so much I was crying in my helmet and I had to pull over and for a few minutes was really considering whether or not to call it quits–it was THAT bad! But a good Tim Horton’s coffee and soup changed all that. The ride from Sault to TO was uneventful except I had forgotten how traumatizing driving the 400 and 401 was. I was so tired I had difficulty dealing with the traffic but thank God Tim’s directions to his house were spot on. I shit you not, at one point as I saw TO come in to view I was thinking if I screw up going to Tim’s I’m pulling over at the first motel to hit the sack and cry myself to sleep. I will take a snowstorm and a blizzard any time over freaking side winds non-stop.

Tomorrow morning Tim here will guide my sorry ass to BMW Toronto where Frosty will get looked after and have a new TKC-80 put on the rear. Not that Frosty is not running well because she is running mighty fine. But it’s a long way to Goose Bay and back and I just want to make sure all is okay. BTW, the TKC in the rear is down to about 50% and I kid you not if it wasn’t for the studs it would have been gone a long time ago. I was almost tempted to keep it on to Goose Bay and back to Quebec but knowing I will hit snow and ice for a LONG time on the TLH I would rather have full knobbys with new studs.

After this I will hit Joliette (my home town) for a couple of days but stop in Napanee on my way down to see Woodgrain for coffee and grub (at Tim Horton’s most likely). When I leave Joliette I will make it most likely a bit past Quebec City then stop in Baie Comeau to stop at Los Tabarnacos for the night and shoot shit with Rene (he’s been so good to me). Then I will attack the TLH. Yippee! Can’t friggen wait.

Jan. 11th

Okee Dokee! I am at BMW Toronto right now and they are working on Frosty! The rear TKC 80 would have probably made it to Labrador and back but I did not want to take a chance.
The chain and sprockets are hooped. I mean! Hooped like crazy. I also detached the sidecar in order for the guys to work on her.
Talking about sidecar! I think I will leave the sidecar in Quebec on my way back from Labrador and get it shipped back to Victoria. I want to ride back on 2 wheels! We will see. The guys in here are ordering me another set of chain and sprockets for me to pick up when i get back. Plus Ron has a tire for me in Dryden.

They will change the oil too while we are here, check the swing arm bearing and all the good stuff. You should see this place it is unreal! 3 floors glass everywhere! I am sitting in a lounge with huge leather seats and free internet hook ups sitting in a chair nost people can’t afford! As nice as it is i am looking forward to be back on the road.

Frosty looks absolutely filthy like I have never seen! I do not know what time I will leave here but i will try to make some miles when i leave. But you know what? She has not missed a beat! has not sputtered once and just keeps going strong. has also not taken a bit oil.
She is working very hard and she is just hanging there! As far as I am concerned I do not know of any 650 single that could do what she is doing! I am so happy I did the trip on Frosty!

I spent the night at Tim’s and he and his wife Christina were great. we had a great time and I slept like baby! Tim escorted me to the dealer today and made sure I was ok.

I will let you know when i am back on the road.

I am going for a snooze now! Toronto is hard on me! I am a small town boy!

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Jan. 13th

Ok! I am back in my hometown of Joliette, QC and alive!
I got here last night for diner and it was good! I slept 11 hours and I am still alive.
I got out of TO at 8 o’clock Friday and I am forever thankful for the guys at BMW for taking so much care of me and Frosty.
They did an incredible job and BMW was 100% behind me. Tim and Christina’s hospitality was awesome and Tim went also as far as fighting TO traffic for another hour on Friday morning to go home and get me his 15 teeth front sprocket because this is something that was not stock at the dealer. Thanks Tim! You da man!

By the time I left tropical TO it was almost 7 degrees and I was sweating like the Mobster at a tax man inquiry! The crack of my butt was like a river!
Then I fought traffic on 401 which is absolutely unreal. It is like a bunch of killers on day parole driving on crack cocaine!
I saw women driving at 130 kmh putting make up on and holding a cell between their shoulders and what looked like a head!

Went I got out of that zoo I phoned Woodgrain (Dave) and we met in Napanee! I wanted to stop and we have been trying to meet since we met in SK in 2004 and to be honest with you I heard he was waiting for me with a sawed off 12 gauge shot gun on the side of 401.we stopped at Tim’s where I had good coffee but the crappiest service and food I have ever seen on this side of hell!
We went to his place and stayed up till 4. last time I stayed up till 4 was in my mother’s womb.
We got up went for breakfast and I left for Joliette! I got here for diner. It was nice to see my family and lots of snow.
I will leave on Tuesday morning and I will post pictures of winter land again! It is cold here today and I love it!

Jan. 15th

It is 6:00 Am when I am getting up to leave. Bruno and I leave at 7:15 and we drive together to Trois Rivieres.
Funny how just after 2 days stopping i get out and i can feel the boys squirming in my suit with the cold ! I guess they get used to the warmth quicker than I. According to some i have big ones but they still feel the cold air surrounding them.
I spend about 20 minutes shaking. Not because I am cold but because i have lost the habit of breathing cold air and being out and i guess i am adapting.

Anyway! in Trois Riviers is where we have breakfast. I always love spending time with Bedo (Bruno’s nickname) we have a really good laugh. On our way to Trois Rivieres the roads were wet and really freaking messy! I got to breakfast and I looked like a Thanks Giving ham!
I left at I am not sure but it seems like I got to Quebec city in a hurry. But not before being pulled over AGAIN by the Surete du Quebec police. Just like the others she was not too sure what to do with me. She checked me out, we chatted for a bit and had a good laugh and I went on my merry way.
The weather went anywhere from -5 to -12 at one pint alongside the St Laurence river.
The winter scenery in Quebec St lawrence’s coast is something to behold

At one point I am going down the road and I start to smell something! It is smelling sweet. Really freaking sweet! I am going “Oh Shit! I am losing coolant!” I stop on the side of the road and nothing? Frosty’s engine is dry! Must be something in the air! An hour later it is still smelling like this! I stop again and I smell the exhaust to see if I am burning coolant! Nope!
What the hell!? I keep going an then I stop to take a picture. I open my tank bag and SMOKE is coming out! What the %$#&!
I get my cameras out! $3000 of cameras and hardware and the towel that is sitting at the bottom of my tank bag is burning and smoking. I throw it in the snow and look at my stuff to make sure nothing is damaged.

The Oxford Wrap around heated grips I am using to warm the bag so my video equipment works have heated so much that it set the bag on fire.
My ear plugs case is melted to crap. My liner keeping the cameras from direct contact with the grips is melted and and part of the wire for the digital camera battery pack has melted as well.

I am cussing I am swearing and I inventing some swears
Maudit tabarnac de soeur blindee de colisse de sincere d’appocalypse de chrisse de sinciboire d’ariat d’cochonnerie d’esti de collise de patente d’anglais de ciboire qu’est ce qui pense de faire des crisse de bebelles de meme de sincreme que j’aimerais rencontrer la casse de bain qui a fair ca c’esti de kichinerie de sacramant la!!

In English?……………………………………………Fuck!

Anyway! I cut the grip that has melted to a ptach of dry crap and toss it after cutting it off th harness. Kept the one that looks half baked half ass good and wrap it in what is left of a towel to make sure that it does not transfer sun like flame throwing heat.

Shit man! I wanted heat! Afgter all it is a pair of hand grips for motorcycles. Do not buy this? If this was to happen to your hands you would not need to go for breakfast.

Just peel your now crispy hands off the bars! SSSSSSSSSSSSHHH that hurts. Then put them in the snow to make sure that they bubble nicely! Then pour Aunt jemima syrup on it and enjoy! A quick necro modern breakfast filled with protein! HmmmhMMM good!

Anyway after bringing down al the saints with my swearing and kicking them back up (BTW I am now officially going to hell with al I have said) because it piled up with all the swears I said yesterday as I was leaving to visit my cousin and saw that the side zippers on my Arctic suit had split! I got hooked on something while I was in the garage and screwed it up. It is now sewn shut and if it breaks! Well! I am going to have to special order a book on swearing.

Anyway! I make it to the Tadoussac ferry which I have always loved and it was great. The ice was running, the wind was blowing and I was taking pictures while every one was stuck in their cars looking at me like I was crazy! I might be but I am having fun! How about you in your mini van with your diaper filling machines and the wife that wil not even look at you anymore because she wanted to stop for coffee but could not because you told “A bit later Hunny” this bit later buddy will get you on the couch with Fido!

As I am taking pictures a guy comes to me and says in French “shit man! You speak French? Yep! Then he goes on asking me where I am coming from and where I am going? I am thinking “You are parked 3 micro inch from my plate you nimrod! That is why you can’t see my plate!” but I say Victoria BC and Goose Bay Labrador!
No Way! You shitting me aren’t you?
Nope! You cannot! This bike would not haul this side buggy (That is what he said I swear) that long. Not big enough and you cannot ride this long in winter! I know I ride sidebuggy and I know I thing or two about them!
I am thinking “Really! Is that why you are driving a Sonata with Adolphine Hitler next to you?” (She made Hitler look happy!)
“You ride sidecars?” Yep! Been for years! And I can tell you that your rig is not set up properly just looking at it! I am thinking “Really!” Hmmmmmmm! Holdon Let me take off my fucking helmet here I want to show you something you moron!”

But I did not!

I just said “that is ok buddy! It works for me and has for close to 7000 kms now” and I walk away looking I have something urgent to do. Like jumping overboard???

Anyway the crossing is breath taking except that I never found out if Mr Sidebuggy knows how to swim.

I made it to Escoumains at the Pelchat Hotel complexe where I am now revelling in the warmth. I contacted Rene in Baie Comeau when I got here and he is waiting for me. It will be a short day tomorrow! I will stop at his place and leave for Labrador the day after.
I have talked to a couple of truckers in gas stations and they told me that the TLH is looking good! Lots and lots of snow and it is cold but the road is good!

I have to stop in Labrador City where a newspaper wants to interview me and there is also a magazine who wants to give me an interview in Goose Bay!
When I get to Goose Bay! If I can find a place where they rent Sleds I will rent one and go snowmobiling a bit.. Why the heck not???

At this rate I should be in Goose Bay in about 3 days max!

That is if I do not burn myself to freaking crisp! Has anyone thought that the base if this tank bag is really! I mean really close to my noognorts??

Jan. 16th
Escoumains Quebec

Got up this morning at 6, walked outside and the sky was full of stars and the air was crisp and cold. I decided to to go back to bed as I would stop at Los Tabarnacos (Rene Roy) and spend the day in Baie-Comeau. So there was no rush. I went back to bed. Got up at 8 and got ready to go.

After packing and zipping up I took off. The road in these parts is really nice. Scenery wise but the surface is like going to a mine field that blew up. Heaves and cracks and potholes and all sorts of good stuff that made me say “Thanks I put an Ohlins in the back and upgraded the front suspension and the sidecar shock.
At this time of the year everything is frozen and looks like a post card

I absolutely love it.
As I made my way to Baie-Comeau I stopped many times. That is why I got there at 12. there are so many pictures opportunities that you just can’t past by them.

When I got to baie Comeau one of Lost Tabarnacos’ friends Real Murray whom I have never met stopped by with is daughter and chatted a bit. He said he had phoned Rene to let him know I was here!
Small town folks! I LOVE IT! Then Rene got there. And as I was about to bite into my Tim’s sandwich he said that his wife Dianne had prepared lunch for me and René! I doggy bagged the thing and we scooted to his house!

Where we had a hell of a good lunch. Some beautiful stuffed chicken with beef in some sauce served on a bed of rice! (Here you go ZZRon! Now it is a post because we are talking about food!)that would bring a dead man back to life it was so damn good!
This was like an orgasm for the taste buds!!

Don’t get me wrong? I love Tim Horton’s sandwich and soup but Dianne’s food was like trying to compare Julia Roberts to the Queen when she gets up in the morning! No freaking match.

We hung around and shot shit for the rest of the afternoon. While i was out i also met a new friend! Blackie! He is 1 year old, 100 lbs and growing. Gave me a good lick! I guess it was his way to say Good luck man!

Now here is the plan! I am leaving tomorrow morning around 7:30 to attack 389 to ward Manicouagan 5 where I will turn east toward Labrador City! I am hoping to make the 580 kms tomorrow. If I cannot I can stop at the Relais Gabriel which is before that. They rent rooms and cabins for hunters and fishermen. The lady there told me to knock on the door even if I get there art midnight.
Then the following day the plane is to leave Labrador city to Goose Bay! For Friday afternoon! On the way I have to stop at Churchill Falls as well because there is a newspaper that wants to talk to me. There is also one in Labrador City and one in Goose Bay! If all goes well I will leave Goose Bay Saturday morning or Sunday morning and be back in Baie Comeau for Sunday night or Monday night.
Then head to Joliette where I will spend a few days and then head back to Victoria.
As I write this I am thinking again of something that I thing all day, every day! I would not be here today having so much fun if it was not for 2 things. First! God`s grace to give me this life, health and taste for life I have. And second! If it was not for Melanie!
I love her of course more than I can say on this screen. But make no mistake about it.
Going back to her is what makes the return home feasible. Because I know what and whom I am going back to!

I am having so much out here and I am blessed to be out here! But I am even luckier for her. It is one thing to get carried away in this and it is another to see past this.

Here’s to you Hunny! Here is to many miles, many years and many smiles like this together!

Jan. 17th
UPDATE

I got up at Rene and I was ready to go and attack the road to Goose Bay.

When we got up the weather was -24C. I wanted cold, I asked for it and dammit I got it. Also while I was sleeping Rene went to Tim’s and got us some coffee. What a way to start a day!
Anyway! We left, stopped at Shell and fuelled up.
The first part of the road going to Manic 5 dam was rough. Damn rough! But it turns out that it is not compared to what I will hit later.

Anyways! I scooted along and made it to the second fuel stop where I fuelled up and and arte the best damn Hydro Quebec type of soup and chicken strips. In other words?? Bla! But it was a $12.00 Bla! meal!
So Bla that I started drooling of boredom in my helmet afterward trying to remember what it tasted like. But I could not! That is because cardboard, I mean expensive cardboard leaves no taste..

This is obviously my breath freezing coming out of my helmet. I have to say this. If you are going to ride in cold, this helmet is the one to ride in. it makes you feel like you are in summer.

I kept on going and made it to Relais Gabriel for fuel. In that temperature which always stayed between -15 and -25 all day, the Dakar’s MPG dropped down quite a bit. I guess th hack does not help either. I averaged 45 MPG.
About half what it does normally? While I was lubing my chain the guys working on the road snow clearing equipment stopped and chatted. They work at the big shop right by Relais Gabriel and asked me to stop by on my way back in a few days. They will put the coffee on and the soup as well.
I absolutely love the way this road looks in winter. But remind me to tell you something at the end.

I kept stopping for shots and I realized that the 640 something clicks to Labrador city will be a damn long one. It is a long day in summer. Now it is horrendously long. I am not sure I will make it there. I am thinking I should have stopped at the relais. I phone them yesterday and they said to just knock on the door and I could get a room.
It is 270 clicks from the Relais Gabriel to Fermont and another 28 to Labrador city.

By the time I hit the mile marker 430 something it is dark. The wind is blowing like hell but at least it is a tail wind. The thing with this is that it drops some fresh snow on the ice road, the road becomes like a skating rink, high pucker factor about 100 times.
Before I know it I am living Sault St Marie all over again but this time X 10.

I am really scared many freaking times. At one point I took a long sharp right turn and the rig decided to keep going. I could not turn. The ice was so slick that the front tire just kept going. I kept the throttle on as I realized there was not rig coming toward me and that I was thankful for that. But I think I popped a vein in my ass as held Frosty when she hit the snow bank on the other side and got grip as I kept her from climbing up. Both wheels were suddenly in the soft stuff and the hack’s wheel on sheer ice. So it turned. I made the curve this way and eventually wrestle my way backing my lane. It is just a freaking miracle I did not crash. I stop on the side and clam down a bit. By this time it is getting dark. There is no way if the road stays this icy that I can make it like that!
I almost turned around. My back was hurting, my arms were throbbing and my nerves were being tested again!
I took about 15 minutes and while I was stopped on the side of the road I saw no one. Sorry to say this, but you hit the ditch down there and if you are hurt and have no way to reach anyone you will die of Hypothermia in a hell of a hurry!

This is when I realized that this is a lot more dangerous than the great likes in a snow storm.
What the hell am I going to do? I have another 800 clicks to Goose Bay and I have to do it all over again! I know they are forecasting snow in these parts and no accumulation but the weather forecasting system about Labrador is about as reliable as a Crack head you just sent to make your night bank deposit.
Anyway! I decide to move, but before I do I put the few studs I have left on my front tire.
Now I do not mind cold but standing by the side of the road with the wind blowing on your bare fingers while you are holding a cold drill and cold tungsten studs is something that gets you cold in a hurry! Even I!

After about 15 minutes of this I am done, but by now my fingers are hurting. I know I cannot take off like this and that my heated grips will not work fast enough. So I open my hack take a propane container out and start my little heater. It takes me all I have to strike the match to light it up, but it does the trick in about 1 minute!
Now I know why I brought that damn hack and I am happy. It is the second time in half an hour it saves my life. But the heater made me appreciate it more.

I take off again and I keep on going. I hope I will make it to Fermont for gas. Then I think! “Damn! I got an extra 8 gallons!” So I stop worrying.
The last 3 hours to Fermont/ Labrador City are really making me push my limits in a way that I am not sure about anymore.
At one point in the last 90 clicks before Fermont I saw 3 rigs in the ditch. There is so much snow everywhere I am thinking “Shit this stuff must be here till August!”
A few times I came across some rigs and even though they slowed down when they saw me the snow blinded me as they passed! This is fine if the road is straight, but believe me it is not! The last sign I saw said narrow road for 115 kms Caution.
I made it to Fermont where I put some juice in Frosty and mozie on to Labrador City for another 28 kms.
When I got there all i could was sleep! I was absolutely bagged. The combination of a very rough road, poor visibility, narrow road and the thought that if I got off in the ditch no one would find me till spring make for an exhausting ride.

January 18, 2008 – Friday morning
645 kms to here from Baie- Comeau
Labrador city

It is about -14 outside and I am ready to go! I could not take a picture of the Labrador sign! Just kidding!

I actually got a couple of nice guys from the SQ who knew I was in town and when they saw me at the sign as they were about to turn around they asked me if they could take a picture of me.

Of course I did and I also took one of them. Nice guys. We chatted a bit on the side of the road, they wished me good luck and I went on to Tim’s in Labrador city’s city limits, where I wanted to phone peter and Heather from the North 53 Magazine for the interview. They showed up about 5 minutes after I phoned. Others join in and we had a local get together. It was great! These folks were really excited to see me. They say they have never seen or heard of anyone coming through in winter on a motorcycle. Cool! As we are sitting down mike Power from CBC radio showed up and asked me if I could give him one as well! This is the least I can do! I finished with Peter and Heather.

And I went on to meet Mike at CBC.

I spent about 45 minutes with Mike in the studio and we went outside to make the interview with sounds of the bike and all! A whole bunch of people gathered as we were doing this! That was very humbling! Man! A crazy French Canadian shows up in winter and they want to meet him. Some also remembered reading about me in their paper last year when I came through in NL

After that, I had to find a way to fix my windscreen that I had taken off because the road had shaken a couple of bolts off Frosty and I was just about to lose it about 90 clicks away from Fermont, at night in the crappiest part of the day! Murphy’s freaking law!
If I ever meet this Murphy I am going to kick in so hard in the ass he will have to loosen up his tie to fart.
After farting around and cussing like a logger in the cold freezing my fingers off fiddling around with Tabarnac de colisse de petite bolts la. Could they make them smaller for F&^%#$ sake? Sincreme de sacraman de soufleux de trombone de frère bande de crises de soeur blindee de ciboire my fingers were hurting and I kept dropping the littlest little rubber washer about 100 tabarnac de fois in the colisse de snow. St- ciboire it was time I finhed otherwise calver I would have garocher le criss de windshield in the face of the next one who asked me if I was crazy to ride in this.
Souffleux de trombone de mule ensoleillee de crises!

Ok where was I? Finally after I picked up the satellite phone at the hotel

I left Labrador city at 11:45 Am. DAMN! I have another 560 kms to Goose bay! I better get ready to ride in the dark.
As I leave LC the wind picks uo like hell and the temp drops a notch or 2 to about -14 as I ride. It is great though! They say the road from LC to Churchill Falls is smooth and wide biut the shit hits the fan past Churchill Falls! We will see!!!
Within 50 clicks winter meets me down the road! As if it was not there already!
Onmy way north as I am coming down the road a pick up truck is waving me to stop. We meet and I turn around to park in front of them as they ask me. Sure enough 2 minutes later a rig goes by.
The guys onboard are freaking out at the sight of me! We chat and laugh a hell of a lot for about 20 minutes and they warn me about many fresh caribou tracks.

I do no take their advice lightly because I know this is their stomping grounds and if they are worried? SO should I Esti!!

I saw some pretty cool scenery that reminded me of where I am! IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!!

Where else can you ride for an hour two and not see a soul?? It is sobering! This is something I have not felt before! When I was on my trip last year and that they closed the TCH on me, I knew I was alone but I also knew there always was some people nearby! Not here! Not a soul! Something happens to you here, you can kiss your sorry frozen ass good bye!

Imade my way to Churchill and by about 4 O’clock I had eaten a nice pizza at the Churchill falls hotel and had my photo taken by a dozen of people from the Irving in town to the hotel where the restaurant was! One lady who worked at the Grocery store came running out as I left and told me “You know? Every one thinks you are crazy! And as she said that a guy coming out of his truck said “This is our way to say we are envious! You choose to do it when so many don’t” Good luck man!
As I come out of Churchill Falls it is dark, the snow is starting to fall heavily and I see this sign.

Goose Bay 285 kms!!! Damn! It is dark; they are forecasting 5 cms of snow with strong winds and down to about -20 with the wind chill factor! What the heck am I doing to myself? Very smart! Dark, alone on the remotest Highway in Canada, I can hardly see,, there are as many caribous on the road as there are men in the news stands when the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue comes out, I am on bike when and to top it off, this road is the pits in summer on a bike! So why am I here again??? I use to say I do things like this because one of my 2 brain cells is having a fight with the other. I am not even sure I have 2 anymore! I am sure most of the time if you could open up my skull/ brain all you would hear is the deafening sound of the empty vacuum like space.
Anyway! About an hour after Churchill falls (100 KMS) I stopped to rethink all this. I can hardly see, the road is so rough my bike has to be suffering somehow! (Will have a lot of bolts to retorque) and for the third time in 2 days I am contemplating the idea of calling it quit.

There is risk! And there is this! After what seem 10 minute I keep going, thinking, “Paul! You made it this far! He will take you there! Just do not do anything stupid and take your time! You get to GB when you get to GB!”

About 45 minutes after this I come across my first mistake! You know that pizza?? Well! It wants to go play in the snow! Yep! The wind is blowing, the cold is way down the scale you could freeze the balls of a brass monkey and I have to stop like——————————————————- NOW???

Yep! What was my mistake? Oh yes! Taking my coat and gloves off! Dropping my pants in th freezing snowing wind and answering the big # 2 call of nature! By the time I am done leaving something for the caribous and that I climb out of the snow bank (Cleaning station?) my fingers, ass, nuts and all other exposed parts of my lower body are frozen. Now I have to suit up again with my skin covered with snow that will cause moisture and will make me cold in my suit! Within 5 minutes my lower body is hurting with cold and my fingers are too!
Rene gave me a piece of paper mill tarp to line the ground and it is pretty heavy duty and wind proof! The first pull over I see is about 10 minutes later. I get off the bike, open the hack, put the heater together, light it up and wrap myself in the tarp as I am standing up with the heater inside at the bottom! I am sure I look like a large beige Christmas tree. But the heat from the heater stays under and I warm up in about 10 minutes!
I get back on and again thank the hack for saving my hide again!

About 10 kms passed the halfway mark I come across my first encounter with the caribous!i am coming down at about 60 klicks when Boom! Here they are right in front of me. Windy, snowy, slippery and with a hack1 YOU DO THE MATH!!!
I slowed down by about 2 inches an hour and managed to swing around most of them except one which managed to hit my left panniers!
‘Shit man! That was close! I am stopped and thinking HMMMMM! I just passed half way! Can’t stop now! I keep on going!
About 75 clicks from GB I come across my second encounter, but this time I am more prepared! I noticed a lot of tracks on the road for the last hour and a half! I quickly realize that when there are tracks there are Fuzz balls! Big freaking fuzz balls! With antlers that could hang me like underwear on a clothe line.
This time I am going slower and I ride away from the pack of about 10 of these magnificent creatures!
At one point there are about 5 running with me and THEY WILL NOT GET OFF THE ROAD! They are just running to where I am going. I try to grab my camera and the wind reminds me very quickly this is not a good idea! Let’s just say that you would have known what my last actions were when you would have found me in the spring.
He died snapping a shot of a large caribou’s ass!

Anyway off in the ditch they go and I keep going! 20 minutes later my third encounter. Except this time they came out of the ditch. I did not hit one full one but let’s just say the male running in front of me was so close that as he ran. He knocked off my spare jerry can of gas on the hack and also knocked my auxiliary light out of adjustment and knocked off the protector lid! He also kept running in front of me till I stopped!
I turned around and found the broken strap right besides the jerry can and the light cover.

Talk about close encounter of the furry kind! 45 minutes later I am entering GB. I stop at the Irving gas station to fuel where a bunch of kids cheer me on! Cool! I also notice that my rear parkinglight on my hack is not working. The reason is that the road (Bad freaking bumpy, potholey like hell road) shook the bolt holding my hack fender on the frame and it rubbed in the tire. No arm done to the fender or the tire but it rubbed the wire off the light socket! I will fix that tomorrow morning!

Now I am a the north hotel. I am 7546 kms away from home and they are forecasting 60 km/h winds tomorrow with accumulations of 5 cm of snow and temperatures of -38 in the afternoon with the wind chill! So guess what! I a hurting, I am exhausted and I have tears in my eyes that will just not stop! I am so burnt out! The last 2 days and 1146 kms have been by very far the hardest ride I have ever been on and definitely the scariest one as well in so many ways! So tomorrow I am staying here! For another day! I just can’t take off right away!
After that I am heading back to Victoria!!
Thinking about the ride here from Baie comeau maybe it was not the pizza! Maybe! Just maybe! I finally did something that made me shit my pants!

Good night!

Jan. 18th

Ok! I am in Churchill Falls and the hotel let use their PC for an update.
They are forecasting winds to 50 kph and 4-5 cm of snow and -18 tonight. tomorrow the same with more wind and colder and down to -38 with the wind chill factor.
I am heading out to Goose bay tonight! 285 clicks between here and there! I am having a good time but man are the roads rough. fixed the screen today at a Ski Doo Place.
had an interview with North 53 Magazine of Labrador this morning and also one with CBC radio right after.

I will post all the pics tomorrow or tonight if I have internet in GB. if I make it there tonight I will leave there tomorrow and com back.

I was told that a lot of caribous were spotted on the road so I will have to be careful.

Jan. 19th

It is almost 10 here and the sun is shining! I am fighting the urge to leave, but I will not! I am going to take the day to take care of Frosty!
She is been go to me.Through really bad roads, through frost, ice, rain, snow, sleeth and conditions that would have made most quit, she has been there…never complaining.

I know without a fact that without my sturdy steed I could not have made it. My God she never even blew a fuse! She lost a couple of parts and none that were essential really. Compared to the ones which loss,would have been catastrophic.
I am going to go out right now and baby her. Then i will go to Tim’s I could say that I could not have chosen a better ride but i will not!!
I will scream it! No!!!! There could not have been a better one to have pulled what she did! For Go’ds sake! The hack and gear were 2/3 of her weight! And not a problem.
I know for a fact that the Ural wouldn’t even have gotten out of BC. looking back?? I am gald my safety and my ride were in Frosty’s hand.

Oh and by the way! To those who said out loud that she could not make it?

Mangez donc tous de la marde gang de casse (casque) de bain!
Casse de bainis an expression that defines the ultimate in Dufus type of people! The ones that make “Duh” , moronic and stupid look and sound like compliments!

Jan. 20th

I am in Churchill falls right now and I just stopped shaking! I will write about it tonight, if i can! But for now all i can say is this!
For the first time in my life! Mr Cold has brought tears to my eyes this morning! That is all i will say! the last 300 kms were worse and harder on me than the whole trip down here + the whole trip last year together.
I knew i was going to hurt when i left Goose bay at -38.
Here is the last picture my camera was able to take.

I could not! I repeat I could not do this again! This shit is made to be done with a support vehicle behind you! The terrain, the cold and the isolation are unforgiving. never more than this morning did i realize this!

Talk to you tonight IF I CAN!

7:02PM

I made it to Labrador city! Got here at 7:00 Local.
too bagged for posting. They are forecasting -52 tomorrow with the wind chill. i am still going to attempt to make it to Baie Comeau! At least I have a few places to stay at and stop at if needed.

PS Los Tabarnacos! Can you turn the oven on for me? when you see me get in tomorrow night (Hopefully) just peel me off the bike and slide me in the oven for 20 minutes and then turn me over.

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Jan. 20th
Goose bay, Labrador
-38 and with Wind chill it is -48

“Paul! Habille-toi? Tu vas prendre ton coup de mort!” « Moman! J’hais avoir chaud” »
“Paul Get dressed? You will die out there like this! “But Mom! I hate being hot!”
Out I would go skiing with dad in my jeans and jeans jacket with my back showing, while Bruno and dad are dressed like Eskimos. I would take major falls and spills, scrape the snow out of my T-shirt and keep going. This was nuts. My dad was worried but at the same time knew he could not make me do what I did not want to do! Time has passed but many things haven’t changed

This is the scene playing out in my head and the words ringing in my ears as I get outside this morning.

It is 7:00 when I get up. I am glad I stayed in Goose yesterday. The ride to here was scary to say the least.
As I get out the wind and cold hit me like a freaking wall. Frosty is sitting there all alone, frozen solid and I feel bad for her. She had to spend the night out, and she is the one doing all the work! Is it actually possible to feel for a mechanical thing what I am feeling? It has to be! If she bails out on me, this could very well mean my end depending how she decides to quit. The scenarios are endless and the outcome of every single one of them really spooks me. I have always been proud to say I am not afraid of being alone. But THIS gives a new meaning to the word isolation.
I decide to change the tape playing in my head because I know what it can do to one person. Doubts set in, fears sows fear and before you know it you make a mistake that is last. Out here IT CANNOT AND WILL NOT HAPPEN!

I walk to Frosty and ask her to wake up. I sweep the snow off her and break the ice of the seat. I am still convinced she can hear me. I caress her and ask to come to life for me. One more time again! As I hit the start button, she turns but will not fire. She hesitates a few times, probably because she has low grade in her ( I am sorry Frosty that is all I could find) and it does not light up the way it does normally. After a few tries she comes to life without a funny sound or anything. She is purring quietly in the cold Labrador morning air and I can hear her wake up just like I.
I go inside and start to load her up as she warms up. This takes about 15-20 minutes.

It is a ritual I have learned from last year!
I go in, suit up real good and take off! I am on my way to Tim’s. As I make my way there I know it is freaking cold cause I can hear the squeaking of the snow under my tires. I make it to Tim’s and as I get off, I realize within one minute that even with my gloves I can feel the cold. I will not go in and turn Frosty off, nor will I leave her running all alone outside while I am sipping on some decaf! I take a picture of her proudly idling inform of the most north easterly Tim’s in Canada and I take off.

Ice and nothing but ice everywhere! As I climb the first hills coming out of Goose bay I look at my thermometer on my tank bag and it reads -43. This will be the last time it will show something. I guess one year plus this cold is all the battery could take.
Within half an hour I am starting to worry. The cold is intense and so far I am ok except for my feet that I keep moving. But I am worried about Frosty and what can go wrong. I do not want to be stranded around these parts any more than the Pope wants to be caught in whore house!

I quickly realize I will have to stop every 15 minutes in order to do my cold bacon dance and move my feet! After doing this a couple of times I also know I am in deep shit in so many other ways it is not even funny!
First I have to take a leak! My suit is frozen solid on me and it is hard to undo the zipper. I will not take the chance and than break it. So I lift my coat, undo my zip from the bottom and “Holy crap! Where is it?” oh! There it is! Then quickly reverse the process. By now, my fingers a frozen! I put my gloves on but they are too cold and I cannot do what I normally do which is to tuck my gloves under my sleeve.
I take off one glove and put it over the muffler tip so the exhaust goes in and warm it up!

Hmm! That works! Cool! now I get back on frosty and within 5 minutes I have to stop.
As good as this helmet is it has one flaw. The mask sits well over my mouth but because some air makes it in in an otherwise sealed environment that is warmer than outside, a thin layer of crystals is starting to build up! I have to scrape it with my gloves every 2-3 minutes. Otherwise I cannot see anymore. I try to compensate by riding with my visor cracked open but within 30 seconds my exposed skin is stinging like hell! Stinging means frost bite. No good!
I develop another technique. I have some towels in my hack. I put one in my tank bag. When I stop to wiggle my feet for a few minutes I wrap the towel around the exhaust canister. After a couple of minutes I take towel, bunch it up and stuff inside my helmet (With my head in) and as I stuff it in I rub it on the inside of the shield and close it. The layer of ice melts. I wipe it dry and move on!
There is something special about the fresh smell of exhaust in your helmet, every half hour in the morning! Now the next time I stop my heart almost stops. My feet need wiggling, I can’t see and there is a puddle of oil under Frosty!
Remember my engine case breather return that freezes and sends the back pressure out through a vent problem? Well! I had come up with a solution which is to run an extra line of vent from the engine to under the seat and terminate it with a small K&N filter.
The idea works but with the mild weather we had I had forgotten to plug it in. Now what! I can take a picture with my gloves on but I cannot work small tools.

I need my fingers to unscrew small screws and to work my tools.
I am literally dancing on the road as I try to figure what is next! I have no choice!
I whip the tool kit out and state while I am leaving frosty running. As I work my way in my fingers get frozen. I walk back and heat them up with the muffler. Meanwhile I am dancing to make sure my feet are ok. The rest of my body is fine but the anxiety is starting to get the best of me. I drop everything and I walk away thinking things I really cannot print. One of them is “Where is the F%$#& help button?” then I catch myself and calm down. After about a 5 minute walk I go back to Frosty! She is spewing oil and needs me to connect that other line.

I get all the right tools out and one step at the time eventually disconnects the stock line and reconnects the custom one. Normally at home this takes about 1 minute the way I got it designed. But in these conditions it takes me about half an hour.
I cannot help but think how horrible it would be to be stranded in here! I have been on the road for 2 hours by now and have not seen a soul.
I repack my tools, reheat my hands, warm up my feet and take off! There is 285 kms between Goose Bay and Churchill falls! I am trembling because I have on what I have always worn. 1 t-shirt, my long sleeve military spec under garment and my jacket. Down I have one pair of sock and my long fleece underwear and my pants.
I have more stuff but I have nowhere to stop to put some more on and if I try on the side of the road I will not be able to warm up again and then only go downhill from there. Churchill Falls is still about 130 Kms away! At 70 km/h I will be there in 2 hours at least!
The tripmeter is showing 155 kms when the reserve light comes on! I have been making less than half the 88 MPG I normally have on average!
Maudit colisse de tabarnac de niaiserie de cochonnerie de colisse! Why don’t you give me a F%^$# break for a bit. I am not saying this to Frosty! I am just whining!

I pull over and untie the 2 gallons Jerry can on the side of the hack and I come to turn Frosty off but the key will not turn. It is frozen in the lock!
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!Tabarnac the AARRGGHHHHH!

I drop the can and walk away! “Calm down Paul! You will make stupid mistakes if you keep this up! It is all ok so far! Think! Think!” my spare key is buried in my luggage! And even if it was in my wallet I would not take my gloves off unless I absolutely have to.
Ding! Ding! An idea comes to mind. I take off the tank bag and as I lift up my jacket and reach for my zipper I say “Forgive me Frosty” as I am about to pee on her!
This will thaw out the lock! But I suddenly remember something. The guys at BMW Toronto gave me a little spray bottle of WURTH de-icer.
I reach in the left pannier and there it is! I spray it on and TaaDahhhh! Out comes the key! I was so happy I did not have to pee on Frosty! I refuel and take off again! About 10 minutes later my face is hurting!

Here is why! I have freaking popsicle growing out of my face! And they are stuck on my helmet liner as well! Every time I frown or something I pull my brows, plus the shield is freezing inside still and so is my exposed skin. How far to Churchill Falls? Still not t soul in sight!
I take this picture

And then of my face and the camera dies! The battery is fully charged from this morning and it is gone already! “Battery exhausted” reads the display!
Battery exhausted? What the F%$&# “what do you think my F%$# meter is saying you F%$@!& piece of shit! Let me show you exhausted when I shove you up some dead caribou’s ass so you warm up. I am out here trying to have fun and fighting this with al I have and you give up on me because of the little bit of fu…. Cold you feel from within the tank bag you ugly stinking piece of tabarnac de shit! $1500.00 for you?
“Calm down Paul! Calm Down! I am sure the animals who are hearing me scream from within my helmet are wondering! 2 caribous on the side of the road are having the following F5^&%$ conversation

Hey Joe! Isn’t that guy normally carrying a gun?
Yeah!
Why is he talking to himself and his camera?
Don’t know! Maybe it is a new gun!
I don’t know but if it is I do not think we are his target!
Yeah! You’re right! I think he sounds like he is his own target!

Something cool happened this time as I was talking to my camera. I realized that my temperature was going up and I felt warm! HMMMMM! I knew that!
So for the next 100 something kms I was dancing and screaming on my bike and in my helmet.
I made it to Churchill falls where I fuelled up and went to the restaurant at the Hotel.
From there I could see Churchill Falls pretty much closed on this Sunday. I wolfed down a bowl of turkey soup and a large French Fries with Gravy! I need the freaking protein!

I stopped quivering after about half an hour and I went down and got another pair of socks and a long sleeve sweater. Put my new life saving layers on and went outside. Damn! It cooled down a few degrees I am sure since I came in as the sun is slowly making his way into the Pacific.

I take off from Churchill Falls and as I ride past the Ultramar for the 4th time in 3 days the guys’ wave at me. I wave back and go back on 500 for the last 240 kms to Labrador City!
By now it has to be at least -45, -48. At least that is what the locals tell me in Churchill Falls. But I am now warmer and refreshed.
While I was having a quick light lunch,(Yeah! Yeah!) I reminded myself to not let the isolation and the thought of what if get the best of me.

Even though the thoughts were there I quickly replaced them with how lucky I am to be able to see this from my helmet’s point of view

Churchill River drained and sleeping

Sunsets that can only be seen and felt here at this time of the year. The magnitude of the TLH mixed with the isolation make for an experience that can only be lived. No words or explanation could ever come close to produce or duplicate what I felt as I was watching the sun go down on my cold world that night! I was reminded of Ian and Dad and how much they would cheer me for me if they were here to witness this.

When I stopped to take a picture of that one, which was to be the last one after my camera warmed up in Churchill, I sat on the snow bank and took a deep breath and started to cry! Yep!
There was something about the ice shining on the road, the sun disappearing slowly, the cold whipping my face so hard it hurt and the thought that all this could be taken away from me in an instant that soothed me. And suddenly? Calm came!
I am sure we all can remember a time when the rawness of a single moment carved a deep mark in us! A mark that leaves a scar! A good scar! A scar that reminds us how precious life is and how fragile it is at the same time. And that it is in this conflict of logic that we spend our lives deciding what we WILL do and WILL not do!
I looked up and I could feel my tears freeze on the layer of ice that had already welded my beard to my baklava as they fell down and I smiled!

From that mile marker on the TLH till I hit Labrador City I was in the moment and not it on top of me. I could still feel the cold but now I was lucky to be able to feel it. I still had to stop to move my feet but now I was lucky to be able to walk and to just that!
My back was killing me because the roughness of this road had beaten to a pulp, but I was happy to feel it and thinking that I would not have any trouble finding someone who is wheelchair bound who would give their life to feel what I was at that very moment.

Then it dawned on me! THIS is why I am out here! I have always answered “Why not?” when asked why I do this! This answer also included “To feel”.
As simple as that! To feel! As I rode I felt Ian and dad were riding right beside me!
And somehow I also felt like I felt last year when I said I felt “You” on the pillion seat.
Since this morning this 535 kms from Goose Bay to Labrador city was a challenge but at that moment it was more than that! It was something I had and wanted to enjoy because no matter how hard it would be, I will never go on ride like this again!
Amazing what the right perspective can do to one’s heart!

I made it to Labrador city by 7:30 where I met Wayne! Wayne is the manager of the Hewitt Caterpillar branch in Labrador City! He was driving on the road when quote” I saw these 2 lights thinking “Nooooooo This can’t be! And I turned around to come and see it myself!
As I was fuelling at the Shell on Premium ( I could hear Frosty say “Thanks”) Wayne came to me and started chatting and asked me where I was going and if I knew about the -55 tomorrow and he offered me to shelter Frosty in his shop for as long as I need and that he would give me a ride back to and from the hotel if needed!

Here she is with the Hewitt Caterpillar crew. Fine people! Typical happy going Labradorean/Newfoundlander! Thank God for them!

Here is Frosty taking a warm break standing in front of her grandfather 250 tonne dump truck 2000 HP Cat engine. I am sure she asked him all sorts of questions on how to safely use her power to take me safely home
I know she felt safe being guarded by him all night! This morning I fixed her up, lubed her up and thanked her again for carrying me through this again! I also asked her to rest the whole day because tomorrow will be the hardest day she will ever go through! The forecast calls for -50 again and I will attempt to make to Baie-Comeau.

We are going to sleep now!!

Jan. 21st
Labrador City
It is -55 degrees

Not going anywhere! How do you spell freaking cold ah yeah!

H——O——L——–Y S———H————I—————T!!!

That is how! I am sure you can freeze the balls of a brass monkey!. I decided to not go anywhere because this is too dangerous! Even people in here who are chatting with me say it would be too dangerous or insane (Same) to leave. I also have to be honest about the fact that I do not know what it would do to Frosty! Wayne the fellow who has my kept her in his caterpillar shop comes to get me and we go for breakfast! I tell him I am not leaving and he agrees 100%. I still go to the shop where I lube Frosty’s chain and check her out, then Wayne gives me a ride back to the hotel and after I take 2 sleeping pills I comatose till 5:00 PM. Mike Power the CBC radio fellow phones me and asks me to come over for diner. Great guy! He whips together a batch of Ravioli ad a Caesar salad, a bottle of wine (No I do not drink but somehow I keep being corrupted!
Great evening and great company! At 10 PM I go back to my room because I am leaving tomorrow morning. It s supposed to be warmer. -50 instead of -54C
7:00 Am comes in quickly. I look outside and it looks like frozen hell. I can hear the squeaking of the snow under the cars’ tires from my room! DAMN! I get dressed and I wait for Wayne. My little angel on my right shoulder keeps yelling at me to stay here and the other like Drift 10 keeps telling “Ah come on you Panzie!” This morning is one of these mornings where my pride is located in the wrong place. If I only wait till Thursday they forecast -24. Much better! But NooooooH I have to go.
Wayne comes and picks me up. He has trouble believing I am leaving but he still backs me up! When I get to the Cat shop they are all there waiting for me! Great bunch!

They have given me a nice Hewitt Sticker that I promptly put on Frosty! She is getting the one and only swipe of a clean rag she will get in the whole trip. Cat Sticker! That has to make her proud and feel stronger right???
As I leave the warmth of the Shop I hit outside and the cold almost take my breath away!

It is about 4 clicks to the Two Seasons inn and by the time I reach it I have frost on my brows. Holy crap! What the hell am I thinking? The receptionist had made me promise to come back to see her and take pictures when she starts her shift with Frosty and I. The least I can do is oblige!

After I leave the hotel I go to CBC radio where Mike wants to give me another interview. This time the folks at CBC Radio in St- John’s NL want me to compare the 2 highways!

I have to say that the Labrador Hwy in winter makes the NL hwy look like kindergarten stuff. The reason is the isolation. Both are incredible. Both are in Labrador/ NL which is hone to the most hospitable and friendly people in the world. We could all learn from them.
So after taking a couple of pictures I take off toward Baie-Comeau! I realize quickly what -51 feels like as for some reason a layer of ice builds up instantly on the inside of my visor! (I will come back to this later! It is 28 kms from Lab City to Fermont and it feels like 500! Oh Crap! I am not done yet! Right away I am thinking that my decision to leave might not be a good idea! But I can hear my little devil’s voice saying “Kam on! You Kan do it!!”
By the time I reach Fire Lake where the road criss crosses the railroad track for about 65 kms I know I am in for a hell of a ride. Even though my feet are not cold and neither is my body I am already shaking. It takes a while for my body to readapt after being stopped for 2 days! My wheels turn and the tires feel like they are made of metal. The Ohlins shock feels like it is a cheap one until it warms up. What amazes me the most is that the bike has not broken in half already with all the pounding and shrinking metal in that cold weather?
I stop by the mine entrance where they line the road with the big tires to protect the road (If you can call that a road!) from the wind and drifting snow.

It sure feels like -51.
As I stop and get off the bike I realize that my suit is as stiff as a board. When I left 40 minutes ago it was dry but somehow it feels like the moisture in the air freezes on contact and makes the material feel like metal.
I take off as it takes all I have to stop that long and stand this. Within another 15 minutes I cannot se anymore! The layer of ice is too thick inside my visor. I lift the visor to scrape it off and in about 3 nano freaking seconds my fingers freeze. On the tips. Oh MY GAWD! I stop and I put my hands in front of the muffler. HMMMMM! That is not too hot! I take off my glove and the exhaust is warm. So I put my hand in front of it wrapped around it as I also shoot warmish gases in my glove! Put my glove back on and I am ok! I lean over and direct the heat of the muffler on my closed visor! Dammit! Barely enough to make the ice melt. I scrape off the now almost not as freaking hard ice off the inside of my helmet with the towel that is wrapped around my camera in my tank bag and I heard my camera say ‘Es tu fou tabarnac? Prends ta proper guenille trou du cul! Je gele icitte aussi troupion!” Roughly translated? Take your own rag you asshole! I am freezing here too you moron!
This will go on every 15 minutes where I have to stop. Plus to make matters worse I have the sun straight in my face! I cannot see shit and there is hardly a piece of straight road! Scary! I scared myself silly or should I say shitless a few times. First! I am going down the twisties at about 20 km/h and I cannot see 10 feet ahead of me. I lift my shield, my face stings instantly; I line up the bike and go another 50 feet. Pretty freaking tiring! To be honest with you I should have turned around right there and then! So as I am about to reopen my shield again? I am coming to a railroad track but there is a train going by! I am about 40 feet from it. I hit the rear brakes as I have learned a long time ago that when you travel on the bike in winter you have no front brakes! But I am not going to stop on time. So I turn right and make my sidecar wheel hit the snow bank! This stopped the rig plenty of time ahead of the track. “Shit! Shit! Shit! This is what my vocabulary will dwindle down to for the next 8 to 10 hours!
I get off the bike again and perform my half ass defrosting circus again! By this time I have started my frozen bacon dance as well!
I take off again! The wind picks up, the drifting snow blinds me most of the time on a poiece of road where and when you need 100% of your vision. By this time my eyes are hurting and watering, my face is burning and I am freaked. But being the good moron I can be I keep going!
I have only about 100 kms done at this time so I could turn around! But nope! As the snow is blinding me and my senses are slowly fading away into a sea of blurred cussing and eyes balls feeling like your scraped nuts in a jar of vinegar I get into a curve and TaaDaah! Right in front of me is a rig in my lane! He has no choice! The road is narrow and he could not see me coming like if I had bee another rig! Plus I am the last thing he expects. I saw his hands turn the steering wheel to the left and I cleared the tractor. But I have another 53 feet of the 40 tons rig coming toward me and it looks like we are about to make contact. I slide my rig’s rear end away from him and then gun it! It pulls me away from the rig but in the opposite direction I am supposed to turn. I am thinking “I will be ok if I hit the snow bank!” So far so good my front end is clearing him! I think! I can see his wheels sliding as well and I am sure he is hoping as hard as I am! As the rear end of the trailer is going by me I am squinting and going “OHHHHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTT!” and I skimmed the tail end of it! I shit you not there was not enough room between his trailer and my handlebar to slide an ass hair. I know I can feel every strand in a puckering moment like this. Pucker factor of 9.89 out of 10 aside! This was too much! I stopped when I could on the side and walked around a bit. After about 5 minutes and talking to myself I kept on going. So far so good! 120 kms out of 270 clicks to Relais Gabriel! And another 240 to Baie Comeau and so far I have almost died 2 times. I am losing my sight, my nerves are shut, my body feels like it is carrying about 3 tons and my mind is laughing at me. Please God let me make to Relais Gabriel!
By the time I reach it I am beyond any level of exhaustion I have ever felt! I fuel my bike and than wobble my way in the restaurant in the Pourvoirie/hotel where folks remember me and are happy to see I made it. No one is freaking happier than me at this time.

Years ago I jumped out of a deuce and a half at 60 MPH while I was on an exercise with the army because I did not want to be in the field for 3 months. I preferred the idea of a broken leg than the idea of living in mud and tranches for 3 months. Well I did not break a damn thing and I stayed there! This was one of my memorable stupid moves in my life that I will always cherish as a major DUH moment. This was smarter than what I am doing and doing to myself now!
As I shiver of broken nerves and stress while I am having a bowl of life giving soup I realize my neck hurts. I touch and feel some kind of thick hard patch on my throat! I go look on the mirror and somehow I have a really bad frostbite right on my Adam’s apple!
Hmm! That will last a while! 4 days later I still have it! It is not as sensitive as it was before but now it is turning white. Healing maybe??

Anyway! I spend about an hour in Relais Gabriel and I put on one more pair of socks and one more layer on top. The guys who operate the grader between mile marker 200 and 253 take a picture of me thinking I am nuts! It is s a bit warmer in here. The temp has gone down to about -30 something. Not bad! But I am exhausted and I somehow decide to make it to Manic 5 Motel de l’Energie where I will fuel and have some food!
By the time I reach Manic 5 I can hardly see, my face is burnt and I am so tense I cannot stop shivering. At the cafeteria there is a bunch of truckers who tell me that they were all following me and that they knew at all times where I was! They took pictures of me as I went by. Hydro Quebec, Telus, and other workers are there! There must be 40 people in there ands we are all sitting close to each other where we laugh and have a hell of a good time! This was the medicine I needed. I handed out about 40 of my business cards and address and info to all and after a good bowl of soup. A serving of road camaraderie and a plate of laughter topped with a thick layer of care, I made my way out to Frosty ready for the last stretch.
By the time I am back on the road I am starting to talk to myself all the time. Pep talk I guess! The road is dark and lonely. The sun has gone down and I know I got another 3 hours to Baie-Comeau where a bed in Los Tabarnacos’s house is waiting for me! At times I am thinking that it is if I make it there!

The road is rough beyond anything I have ever done. Every bump sends a radiating pain down my back. My back is in so much pain I know that I cannot get off my bike anymore. All I can do is wiggle a bit; suck in my abdominal muscles for a few seconds to alleviate the pressure off my spine.
Rene (Los Tabarnacos) has asked me to send a “I am OK” signal when I reach manic 2 so he can meet me at the Labrador road entrance and escort me home. I sure hope he will be there.
1 kilometre at the time I am coming up and down that road. By the time I have about 100 kms left to do, it is a battle of the mind over the body! Anyone who knows me will tell you! I can take pain! And I can heal from anything very quickly! But now at 6 PM in the middle of this I am not sure anymore!

I have started crying a while ago! At time si have to stop, walk around and wipe my eyes because I cannot see because of the ice! I suddenly realized when I took my helmet off in the middle of nowhere to shock me and wake me up that I forgot to put my paper filter in my breathing mask. And that as I breathe new air in, the moisture/water that is sitting in my mask, comes backing my mask and crystallizes causing it to stick to the warm plastic inside my shield and build up.
After standing on the road with no helmet for about 5 minutes I have enough. I have stopped crying and I have to put it back on!
I am shocked enough to last abut 10 minutes then I start balling and shaking again!

I HAVE REACHED MY LIMITS AND ANYYHING MORE THAN THIS FOR ME IS UNKNOWN TERRITORY.
My body is slowly shutting down! I can feel my guts cooling off! This is not good because in times of cold and stress the body redirects all blood flow to the core for the organs to function. My feet and fingers are not frozen but they are numb and I KNOW I AM SHUTTING DOWN! The exhaustion finally got to me. By the time I realize this I have about an hour to go and it is hard to keep telling myself “Come on Paul! You can make it! “Don’t you dare give up on my you piece of shit! Not now! Wait! Hold on! You did not make it this fucking far to be found an hour away from your goal!
I know it sounds foolish and some (Macho) guys would not say this but I could not stop crying. If someone had heard me as they went by they would have forced me to stop.
I finally made it to the intersection of 389 where Rene was! He saw quickly as I was crying and barely hanging on that we had to go home now! He said “Hold on a bit longer buddy! We are almost there! (Shit I am crying as I write this!)
When I got to Rene’s driveway there was police cruiser with his siren on behind me! I turned off Frosty. Collapsed on the tank bag and sobbed like a baby. I was shaking, shivering out of control. This lasted about 5- 10 minutes while Rene was talking to the police officers who where 2 young officers. Nice guys! They were just wondering about this nut out here in the cold at night.
When I got off Frosty I could not climb the stairs I was in such pain! I made it in and Rene took my boots off. I sat in the stairs and fell on my back in the entrance way with my back in the snow and THAT IS ALL SHE WROTE!

I stayed up for an hour having nice hot coffee and out in the coma I went.
I will write about my trip to Joliette later.

One word of advice! You want to do this trip in winter?? Don’t!

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Jan. 23rd
Leaving Baie Comeau
Weather -20 Damn…It is warm

It has been a good night! See below! I get up at 8:00 Am to get ready and go! But first things first and I let Los Tabarnacos know that WE are having breakfast at Tim Horton’s and that I will leave from there!

After a good breakfast and a good cup of black plasma I suit up, say goodbye to Rene and head down the road. Even though the road is a lot nicer than what I have been on for the last 5 days what makes it easier is that it is a balmy -20C. YooHoo! Finally! Spring weather! There is obviously more snow around now than there was when I came by. Which tells me that after all, weather wise speaking; the weather is following me just like last year! Might just be my colisse de paranoya?? (I am French! What’s your excuse?)
Anyways! As soon as I get to Outardes the wind joins me in my treck but?? It has decided it is going the other way! In these parts of PQ the altitude is like the possibility of a politician screwing you. It goes up and down but mainly stays up. And at times my speed goes down to 60 km/h. the roads are clear in some parts and in others the snow drifts are everywhere.
I am keeping an eye on Frosty as she is losing quite a bit of oil through the air box and vents no damage here and she is purring, but I make sure the oil level remains high enough. The vibration caused by the sprocket crown bearing going into retirement remains the same and I keep an eye on this as well! That is the only thing the TLH has damaged. Considering the savage beating Frosty took for over 1200 kms of roads (TLH) that have been so many times harder on her than the rest of the Cross Canada trip all together; she is doing unbelievably well! Nothing so far has broken! Like I said before; “I am convinced that NO OTHER bike would/could have done it. I am sad to think that they will not make the 650 GS anymore. I know that this was their best bike. I have had all of their models and I can tell you that I am trimming my stable down to one bike and it is Frosty. I catch myself thinking/hoping that BMW will realize what mistake they are making by not making the small GS anymore and start again next year! The new 2008 F650GS is a twin cylinder 800cc engine. It is not a 650 and even though it is based on the F800 engine which is damn good, many people including me do not see why more than 650 is needed? You will have an impossible time trying or even dreaming you can convince me or others who have travelled on the 650 singles that more will be better.
I have crossed the country twice on my faithful Frosty and in conditions that are insanely hard on a piece of hardware. And I have done many other long trips on her.
Except for riding at 120 mph all day, there is nothing she cannot do that the big adventures do! I know I have those too.

Anyway! I am sad to see that we will not be able to get some more Frosty.

Back to the trip to Joliette! The trip to the Tadoussac ferry is a mix of high winds, hills, snow drifts and covered roads in higher altitudes. When I got on the ferry there was a bunch of sledders there as well.

Without getting into details I can tell you that their display of manhood got seriously dampened by the arrival of a little 650 cc motorcycle in their winter world. They would not look at me, talk to me or even approach me. Maybe it had something to do with someone (Not me) making the loud comment! “Man that was funny! I was parked beside them as you were coming down the hill toward the ferry and as I was talking to them they literally quieted down as they saw you and went back to their machines. Suddenly their “We own our winter land” behaviour completely stopped and walked away!
They heard this fellow say this on the boat and that was it! Well you know? It was funny in a “you had to be there” way.

After pictures were taken, addresses exchanged and hands shaken we al parted and I kept on going.
The weather got progressively worse as I crossed little village after another. But the scenery was nice when the weather would break and give me a chance to enjoy the scenery.

When I hit Baie St-Paul, that was it. Winter was in full gear. Nothing but wind, snow and drifting squalling white stuff everywhere! But i still enjoyed it as it was not nearly as cold as what I had seen lately. And with all the people around and quickly realized that I did not react the same way to my environment!
Something I will have to work on. As I went up the hill coming out of Baie St-Paul the snow was everywhere. Traffic had really slowed down and it got slipperier.
I went up and across these parts at about 60 clicks and just scooted along.
When I got to the downhill side of it coming into St-Anne de Beaupre it was pretty much the same and it stayed this way as I went across Beauport, Quebec and through Donnacona and Trois Rivieres.
I stopped for about half an hour in Louiseville at La Porte de la Mauricie. This is a stop area/ truck stop i stopped at many times in my trucking years. And foolishly enough I willingly took 10 years of my life by having an A&W chicken sandwich. This tasted good, but I always wonder if what they serve is really coming from anything that was once part of the animal kingdom!
I always say I do not mind eating anything that had a face or a mother at one point. But I am sure if you read what these places put in their sandwiches there are very few if any ingredients which name does not have numbers in it.
You see stuff like Water, agua, sugar and preservatives and then stuff like Holycrapnite 259, livakilla1, stronggasite378 and whatdafukarium2098.

I cannot remember the last time I ate in a fast food burger joint. Probably has something to do with the time when I was trucking and stopped at one of these service plazas along 401 and bough 2 burger king burgers. One for me and one for my Dog Breaker (Bless her soul! I still cry when I think about her!)
As I ate my burger she was sitting on the double bunk in the sleeper in front of the burger, looked at it, walked away and laid down in the back.
To make along story short, 30 minutes later I had to call dispatch and ask them to send a driver. My girlfriend at the time drove 500 kms to come and get me and after going to the hospital found out I had food poisoning!

Here is a hint! Give a bite of whatever you are about to eat to your loving do! And if does not eat it??? Neither should you!
Anyways! After this I made to my mom’s house where she almost got into complete cardiac arrest as she saw my walking up the stairs and knocking on her door! I guess once a mom always a mom! She does not care if I am 2 or 47! I am still her little boy!

Had coffee at moms and then went to my brother’s where they were happy to see me again!
Now I am ready to put myself, them and Frosty through another 5200 kms of winter riding before I finally make it home.

Frosty should be ready around Friday! So I am getting a lot of (needed) rest. I will be ready when I take off!

I heard they have reopened the TCH around some of the Great lakes! Hee! Hee! It will be fun!!

Iceman out tabarnac!!!!

Jan. 24th

Well! It was weird today to see Frosty leave home on a flat bed to the dealer.

Here she is without her skin freezing in the driveway as she awaits her Chariot to take her to the dealer where she will for at leasrt a wekk while she gets some TLC. She is ok though! I also need some rest before i return home.

The reason why she is leaving on a truck is because yours truly is spent. I need the rest and cannot ride one more hour without intense rest.

Jan. 27th
The Confession

Ok! I have to fess up here! After talking to Melanie yesterday evening and drilling her as to how she is hanging on through all this and finding out that she is ok. Well! As ok as one can be when they are looking at their loved one daily, taking chances with his safety for way too long over way too many days, I came to the conclusion that she will and so will I, be ok only when I get home. As for her that is a given! As for me? Weeeeelllll! I am sometimes a threat to myself while standing still.
Anyone who knows me. I am really knows me! Knows this. I can out of nothing, create something that will make anyone go “what the F&^%$#!!

Blame it on my 2 brain cells! BTW these 2 cells conversations these days consist of “Colisse! On aurait du proceder au trou du cul de sincreme de caribou!
For Fu^%&*%# we should have proceeded forward with this dead caribou’s ass!!

Where was I? Ah yeah! Turning my life into a fire breathing, mind numbing, Holy shit producing time bomb!
I have proven many times that with only 2 brain cells that I can make choices that will make someone go “HMMMMM! Should we put the stray jacket back on? For our own sake! Anyway a nice example is this trip. Even though a lot of us do not know each other and have never met, we somehow, through the internet, connect. By connecting like this we end up caring and by caring we……., well you know the rest!
Because I know you care, I did not want to worry you, and by not wanting to worry you I kept a couple of things away from this tread.
The road around Fire lake immediately after Fermont coming east which last a whole butt puckering 65 kms I think was the home of not only 1 close encounter with a truck but 4. It was also the birth place of not 1 but 3 snow bank divings. Out of the 65 kms of road between Fermont and the end of Fire Lake I might have actually seen only, maybe half. The rest was auto-guiding Frosty and pointing her in the right direction.

Each time the trucks appeared in a curve and each time neither of us was to blame.
I still have a piece of missing material in my underwear that was sucked in by the great powers of the pucker Gods.
Well! You know! The dead caribou has my head up his ass and my ass got the arctic fleece. All is fair in the war of tension.

I chose not to write about it because I thought that I would hear too many “paul! This is stupid! Turn around! And that it would make me turn around! Like I said I like to push myself in ways that sometimes defy my own understanding. This was THEE biggest time of them all.
From my own perspective it was a good call! From the point of view of some of you it might be too! From Melanie’s looking back it was then but she wonders now why I do something like this.
Beside being able to create and invent some new swear in my mother tongue as I see a Kenworth W900 with a “wide Load” sign on its front bumper carrying 4 huge tires, and each one being able to swallow me in threads and not leave a mark on the actual carcass like OAHhhh Tabarbac moman! Heille colisse ca passe pas tu sais bain Sincreme de colisse! Qu’est ce que j’ai pense maudite crisee de mule ensoleillee? St ciboire de calvair the pretre fiffi d’crisse ca va tu faire mal en sacraman! Whhoo! Whoooooo Whooooahhhhh!
Soeur blindee de colissee que ca là passer proche. Paul tès bain codingue colisse d’epais d’osti! St eucharistie d’crisse reveille ou bain sort du ch’min!!!

So looking back! This road was absolutely, insanely unsafe and just downright freaking dangerous! Like Wayne said in Wabush! “This road is dangerous in day time on a clear summer day with no traffic! I just do not want to think what it will be like for you on 2 wheels today!”
And to think that asi sat on that snow bank freezing whatever balls I had left at that time thinking it was still safer to sit here and freeze for 20 minutes (Which I did!) than to go on and still decide to move on because I believe that when your time has come you will go. I chose to do what I wanted. If it was now I had to go. Well dammit I will go doing what I love!
I am in a way saying “I am sorry” to those who worried about it and really believed what I was doing was foolish.
But the truth is! I AM NOT! Because I still see this fateful moment on the 18th of June 2006 take place in front of my eyes. When my best friend Ian Anguish ahead of me on his bike doing what he loved so much, on a perfect northern California day at slow speed with no obstacles and nothing blocking his view, lock the front binders because he thought he was about to hit this little fawn that came running. He never hit it. His SV1000 flipped, he broke his neck and the tailpiece of his bike rammed in cervical spine making sure this was his last day.. I had enough time to say “Oh shit No! Ian! NOOO! And crawled by his side in enough time to hold his hand and feel him go home

It was his time. It was his to go home! He could have chosen to stay home with his family, he could have gone to work or he could have mowed his lawn. The truth, at least my truth is that he would have gone at that precise moment at 11:13 AM on June 18th 2006 no matter what he was doing.
Instead? The switch went off while he was doing what he loved, in an environment he dreamed about and with his buddy. Painlessly and quickly.

So yes! I did what I did because I needed to feel this again! I needed to remind myself that I can push so far, my mind will freak and still go on because if it is not my time, nothing will happen! I felt Ian riding with me and I felt dad! Melanie was with me and so were so many others.
So yes I lied! To prevent those who don’t believe in what I believe from worrying too much. Would I do it again the same way? Yes! But I would not lie about it like I did!
Because by hiding this, I kept many from feeling all they could feel. And end up at the end of the day saying things like “Holy shit Man!” and giggle as you sit back in the chair.
Feeling that raw mind numbing, heart stopping, gut wrenching fear the way I did to the point where it paralyzes you and stops you in your track, to the point where you have only 2 choices. To keep going or turn around! I chose to keep going! I chose to let the absolute fear in my mind and heart dance with my faith in the music of my beliefs, and the giggles brought on by the sheer conflict of these emotions dancing together was all i could hear.

I literally could see Dad and Ian by my side! This is not a figure of speech! I could see them and feel them traveling every life sucking kilometres of this road with me and guide me.
I talked with them, laughed with them afterward, and cried with them. And at every steps in between when i felt like like surrendering to the fear of going on so many times i just stopped and listened once more, againmore again, knowing that they would tell me `Go on Paul!

I might have said this before and I will say it again! But make no mistake about it. Every time I make a choice that takes me places I have not been or scare me out of my comfort zone (The place I hate the most on earth) this “Need to feel” thing will kick in.
I just hope that if you choose sometimes to do it and push through, that you will have the same kind of co-riders and passengers I had with me.

Just be happy I did not have to shove your head up a dead caribou’s ass!

Feb. 1st

Well! I have good news and bad news. The good news is that Frosty is ready and super healthy. She was cleared with a super clean bill of health.

The bad is news is 2 fold.
First! The storm is on us and it looks like at least here it will be here for 2 days. I do not mind riding in this but in this with Quebec drivers is suicide. So I have to wait till it clears. So I am getting Frosty brought back to me on a truck.

Second! By the time I leave and will hit home I will have been gone 2 months. Too freaking long. So it is with a great sadness that I have to say that the iceman is flying home.
2 weeks stopped has taken my desire to keep going to the ground.
I have crossed Canada and made it through the TLH and back with a total of over 8500kms.

I am happy! Riding back and doing a C2C2C would have been great but I have a life.
I will come back this summer to pick up Frosty.

Feb. 2nd

Even though I am so damn happy and proud about what I did, I can’t help but feel I have let myself down. These almost 2 weeks was not planned here and I was looking forward to have Frosty back and get back on the road.
But I quickly felt that I was losing my game. Last year and this year before I left I left, I spent months preparing myself by talking to myself and psyching myself too..

I know it! I can feel it and I would be lying to myself if I pretended it would be safe to leave right now, I was looking forward to do the C2C2C and was also looking forward to get home after it. Today when I woke up after the big snow dump I went outside and I was dreading being out in the cold. Not that I was cold but was resenting being exposed to the elements. Not a good feeling to have when you have to go across over 5000 kms of frozen land.
In a mood like this it would have meant that I would have not only mad plenty of mistake and putting mys3elf at risk for nothing but also putting others.

I miss the road and I miss the fun we had. I miss the tabarnacs, sinciboires and soeurs blindees d`appocalypse de crisses!
I already miss the feeling of Frosty cruising down the road silently over the snow covered road having only the sound of her engine for music!
And my goodness! What a sound it was! The snow covered trees dancing by, the frozen lakes that made me think ¨Hmmm! It would be so much fun to go on this sheet of ice at 100 km/h and hit the breaks.
I miss the looks of strangers looking at me like an alien, not because of pride and vanity but I knew that most of the time the conversations where about to start would be remembered on both side for a lifetime.
I miss in many ways the TLH where at times, all I wanted to do was to hit the 911 button and wait to be picked up because I thought I could not go on for another second.
I miss the feeling of life saving warmth I felt after I barely lit up the burner on my heater, wrapped myself in the tarp and felt it warm up not only my body, but my soul. It was one more victory achieved after a mind numbing battle with Mother Nature’s personality.
I even miss the 20-30 minutes of shaking with stress and transitioning going outside after staying inside with my friend’s warmth. My bowl of soup! When my teeth were chattering and my hands had trouble putting the key in the switch I was shaking so hard. This was not because I was cold! But only because of raw it all felt. I suppose anyone who has been in cold environment can understand! The feeling of the frozen air hitting the passage way as it warms up and makes its way down to the lungs.

But of all this, what I will miss the most will be to com back in the room, grab a shower and turn my laptop back on and chat with my friends. As much as the solitude was healing most of the time, our chats were the highlights of the day.
A giggle, a joke, a wise crack or a compliment! All this is again, what made this ride what it was!……………………………………Our ride!

I am done with winter trips. This is why I am sad and disappointed that the C2C2C will not be on my list of accomplishments. But I will have to learn to let this go. Because I follow my dreams like we all strive to do and as some of you know, I bit in life with merciless abandon!
My plans now call for other things! My dreams are pointing in places where the only cold place might be the cooler holding a cerveza. I am going around the world in 2010 and this will take us around 5-7 years if all goes as planned. Melanie and I will go on a trip that we are blessed enough to be able to turn into a reality. And during this trip we will find another country that will become home. A country, where we will ride all year long! A country where nothing in our closet will have long sleeve and where ALL OUR FRIENDS WILL BE ABLE TO COME AND VISIT.

But you must know this and make no mistake about it.

No matter where the roads take me, my name will always be Iceman (Thanks to you).
Part of my heart will always be on a frozen road somewhere in my memory, riding with 1000`s of pillions and co-riders.

Finally and most importantly, my head will always be, somehow, no matter what I do, no matter where I ride and no matter what amazing vistas will fill my eyes and mind, up a dead caribou’s ass.

Iceman out

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My goal for the trip was to take what I had learned from my preparatory trip in May 2010 when I traveled from Thunder Bay, ON to Winnipeg, MB on my 2009 CBR125R (see here: http://www.hondacbr125r.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5709) and improve upon it. One addition involved taking along a Camptime Roll-A-Cot (see: http://www.rei.com/product/378067) to improve sleeping comfort and to maximize utility and space inside my new (and so far chipmunk free) tent. The cot sits 15″ above the floor and allows you to store all your gear underneath so you’re not sleeping in it – during the night. Also there is just something about sleeping off the ground that seems to contribute to a much better nights sleep. In selecting my new tent, I wanted one that packed up small, was self-standing, and easy to set up. I also decided to try a single-walled tent this time out so I wouldn’t have to fiddle with a fly. The tent I picked for this adventure was the Nemo Andi (see: http://www.amazon.com/NEMO-Andi-Ultr…/dp/B003F5UNP4)

I’m really liking this tent. It is extremely quick to set up and it fits in one of my saddlebags. I carry the poles (only 2 poles!!) on the back of the bike. One other change from my last trip involved bringing a small pack for clothes and extra items. On my last adventure I didn’t quite have enough room for extra clothes and smaller camping luxuries. This time, I even brought along a tarp just in case I got rained on in the parks. When it rains – a tarp can turn an otherwise claustrophobic “I can’t believe I’ve been trapped in my tiny tent all day” anhedonic nightmare into a “Wow – it’s great to be sipping a cold one with my legs stretched out – enjoying the views while dry under this tarp” blissful euphoria. Well no blissful euphoria for me – I never had a chance to use it on the trip – so it just took up space in my pack. However, when you have a need for it – it really contributes to camping morale in my experience.

Here is another photo of the bike packed up. I changed the packing configuration a few times during the trip to ease setup and take-down and to improve aerodynamics. As you can see from the photo, seating was initially rather cramped too and after a few quick stops it felt like I had been hijacked by a rabid mongoose who had mistaken my nutsack for a cobra.

I set off around 10am with a goal to stop every hour for fuel and to take a break. I found that if I stopped every hour, this effectively eliminated any soreness or stiffness throughout the day and really allowed me to enjoy the ride. Even a 5 minute break made a world of difference after 1 hour on the road. The weather was sunny and clear when I left – and it remained so for most of the trip. My first stop occurred in Nipigon, ON for fuel just after around 100kms into the trip. I have traveled the Trans Canada Highway 17 East of Thunder Bay countless times over the past 20 years – through rain, blizzards, severe cold, heat, fog – you name it. It is an incredibly scenic drive – and the views are always breathtaking. However, I had never traveled the route on a motorcycle before so I was eager to re-experience this route from a riding perspective. One great thing I have found personally about riding (as opposed to driving a car) is that it forces me to take my time – and in the end I see so much more and the experience is so much more rewarding. I made a point of stopping at lookouts along the way that I had passed by many times over the years.

The photo below was taken from a highway lookout East of Nipigon, ON on the first of a number of long climbs along the shores of Lake Superior. While most of the climbs involve 500-700 ft gains in elevation above the lake, the CBR125R took these in stride and was able to maintain a minimal speed of 80 km/hr up the longer grades – full loaded – while maintaining a speed of between 100-105 km/hr on the flat stretches. Most traffic slows too when climbing these grades, so it never felt like I was holding up traffic. Actually, I passed a number of tractor trailers and R.V.s up these hills. You can see a bit of the town of Nipigon in the distance. Some people have compared the scenery north of Lake Superior to that seen along the Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Island, N.S.

When taking these photos I met a fellow from Vancouver Island who was traveling with his daughter (and their dog) across Canada. When I told him that I was heading to Guelph, he mentioned that he studied Agriculture there many years ago. He also reflected on a variety of bikes he owned over the years (including an older Triumph) and I mentioned that I had recently picked up a Yamaha WR250R – shipped to me all the way to Thunder Bay from Courtenay, B.C. He said “Wow, that’s a pretty small bike”. And I responded with “But the black CBR that you saw me climb off of in the parking area is only 125cc’s. That’s what I’m heading to Guelph on”. This was the first of many similar exchanges I had with people who had no idea that the CBR was not – in fact – a big bike. It was extremely fun and rewarding in a devious way to witness the look of shock on their faces when I mentioned the bike’s displacement. Though I didn’t realize it at the time – the thought of riding alone for over 3200 kms – in some remote parts of Ontario – would seem like a lonely, isolating experience for many people. Yet every day was filled with such friendly, collegial banter from all kinds of interesting travelers – curious to know where you were riding to, and what you had seen along the way. No – the trip was far from being a lonely and isolating experience.

As we were talking – a train appeared and started to snake its way along the shoreline – so I decided to snap another photo.

I wished my fellow travelers a great trip – and then moved on. A short while later I decided to stop near the bottom of another long climb to take a few photos at a picnic area. I pulled up alongside a cyclist – just one of many I passed who were travelling across Canada. He asked me if I had seen a group of cyclists back my way. I mentioned that there was indeed a group about 10 kms back. He had been riding with them for a bit but they were experiencing some mechanical difficulties that put them behind. He actually recognized my bike as a CBR125 – and said he was hoping to buy one in the near future. As I took a few photos, a car drove by and honked. It was the fellow from the last lookout. I took a few more photos and then continued on my adventure.

It was at this point that I was suddenly confronted with an unforeseen dilemma. “Should I take another photo?….or risk ruining the moment by stopping and spoiling the immediacy of the experience – the Gestalt unraveling before me – as I was riding by. This kind of experience just simply doesn’t captivate you the same way in a car. A motorcycle immerses you – you become a part of the experience – and the experience feels so much richer. I decided to seize the moment – just enjoy it – but promised myself that I would try to re-capture these moments again on my camera on the return trip – hoping that the views would patiently wait for my return.

Riding the CBR125R for lengthy stretches on the highway requires considerable attention, skill, patience, physical endurance, as well as an insatiable appetite for adventure to help you overcome anxious thoughts about how numb your lower back feels. It can be taxing. So you’d think that with all this exertion – time would seem to slow down and the destination would seem to be forever out of reach. Yet – I didn’t find this. The bike is too engaging to ride – to ever get boring. Tucking behind the fairing – changing gears – streamlining my profile to extract a few extra kms of speed. Riding the CBR is like playing a video game. Before I knew it – I had reached my first stop for the night. I was about 430 kms from Thunder Bay and only about 50 kms from Wawa. My highway escapade was coming to an end for the day.

I had passed by Obatanga Provincial Park often on my way East and always wondered what it would be like to camp there. My parents and my two younger sisters stayed there overnight on their way to Expo ’86 in Vancouver. At the time I elected to stay home and relished the prospect of having the house to myself and living each day to the fullest at the beach with my friends. Now at Obatanga, I wondered which site my family stayed at in 1986. On this occasion, the park was virtually empty with a few scattered trailers and tents strewned throughout the park. I was given what is called a “walk-in site”. These are by far my favourite provincial park sites. They are typically on the water – and the privacy really enhances the camping experience. You park near the road – and then walk into your site along a short path. Here is what it looked like.

And here was my view for the evening.

What would the night bring? Stay tuned.

Click here for Part 2…

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Here is another view of the site. If you look closely, you can see the CBR parked at the top of the path.

Here is a photo of my tent setup – complete with Camptime Roll-A-Cot (the four legs placed on drink coasters to preserve my tent floor) my sleeping bag (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…ef=oss_product) my camp pillow, and my air mattress (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00…ef=oss_product). You can see some of my gear stored underneath the cot. I have tried sleeping in mummy bags and I find that they feel too much like what a straight-jacket might feel like – and so I just can’t sleep well in them. And I find the less expensive versions are just too cold, while the pricier versions are warm – but their cost leaves me cold. This is unfortunate, because mummy bags pack up really small – which is a huge plus when space is at a premium on the bike. The sleeping bag I took along for this trip is a 0 celcius rectangular bag with a flannel liner. It is very roomy (I can roll around in my sleep without fear of waking wound-up like a Pillsbury apple turnover in the morning), very warm, thick and comfy, and the flannel is soft to the touch and feels good on the skin. And these bags are much more affordable – I guess in part – because they pack fairly large and are relatively heavy, and are made from less exotic materials. Weight is less important when you are hauling gear on a motorcycle rather than on your back. I can’t say enough good things about the Exped Synmat air mattress. This mattress has synthetic insulation built into it for added warmth (R value of 6!) and pumps up to its 3.5″ thickness via a built in hand pump. You simply press up and down on the mattress to inflate it. Ingenious design. The combination of cot, air mattress, and comfy sleeping bag allows you to sleep like you were at home. I won’t make compromises when it comes to sleeping. You really want to be able to look forward to a good nights sleep. It doesn’t get any more luxurious than this when camping in a tent.

And what would camping be without a fire? Here was another use for my carabiner bungie cords. These things are great for securing a load on the bike and are a permanent part of my touring setup (http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows….jsp?locale=en). The CBR is a good firewood hauler.

Thought I’d take a walk around and snap a few photos of the park before retiring to my site for the evening.

Here is a view of the camper’s beach.

And here is the fire

And if you really want the cozier, more intimate version – here is a video of the fire.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbwMLao15Do

Just as I was taking the video, the silence was suddenly broken by someone across the lake cranking out Bad Company’s “Ready For Love”. Good tune. They didn’t crank it for very long – but it made me realize that on my next trip I WILL make room for my mp3 player. There is only so much reflection and soul searching you can do sitting alone and staring at a fire, then staring at the fire longer, and then poking your stick in it, and then staring some more. There really was nothing else left to do. Then again, these are the little things that force you to experience life outside of your comfort zone and to activate retrieval pathways and access nodes in the deeper recesses of your dorsolateral prefrontal cortex that are no longer commonly used. Just before I retired to my tent, a neighboring site decided to conduct an “Obatanga: Live and Unplugged” concert performance complete with acoustic guitars and soft singing complimented by David Crosby-ish vocal harmonies. It is rare to get away with this in provincial parks nowadays. Normally park staff will ask you to put the guitars away and “whisper to each other”. But there were few people in the park this evening. And these people were really talented. Heck – I had half a mind to join them if they had any electronic keyboards lying around. Instead – I just listened and let the sounds lull me to sleep while breathing in the clean, crisp, night air. And what a wonderfully deep sleep I had.

Click here for Part 3…

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The plan for today was to ride into Wawa, ON, fuel up, raid the Subway restaurant (a 12″ sub fits nicely between 2 Powerades inside my Honda Hydro Pack Tankbag) and then make my way inland along Highways 101 and 129 before heading on some backroads towards Elliot Lake and Mississaugi Provincial Park before nightfall. A total of about 450 kms. I was excited about this ride because the last time I’d camped at Mississaugi was with my family in our Starcraft tent trailer when I was around 10 years old. I was curious to see if I might recognize some of the landmarks in the park after more than 30 years. I have fond memories of climbing a trail that led to a pretty spectacular clifftop lookout (and a scary incident that left an impression on me and my siblings) so I was hoping I might be able to retrace those steps again. I seemed to remember there being a log book at the top that I had signed – and though I knew it was a unlikely to still be there – I secretly held out some hope that I might be able to find my entry – written in kid print handwriting. Ah nostalgia.

The ride from Obatanga Park to Wawa was a brief 50 kms or so. I filled up at the Esso and the attendant remarked about how “sweet” my bike was. He seemed particularly impressed when I mentioned that it sips an average of 92 mpg on the highway. From Wawa I made my way along Hwy 101 with my next planned stop at Syd’s Esso in Chapleau, ON. While the speed limit on this section is 80 km/hr, the road is essentially empty so the ride is peaceful and relaxing. And with the CBR125R you can ride sitting straight up at 90 km/hr easily and comfortably.

Near Chapleau I ended up stopping at the Arctic Watershed sign to take a break and re-adjust my seating arrangement. I was really starting to get uncomfortable and something needed to be done. I removed my gear from the back of the bike and decided that I would re-attach the cot and tent poles directly to the tailbag rather than the passenger grab rail. When attached to the grab rail, the poles ate up precious seat space because I couldn’t move the tailbag all the way back to the rear of the passenger seat. This left me with little room to sit on the bike – and to make matters worse – the section that I was sitting on was rather narrow as was well. This change made all the difference – I could actually hear the hallelujah chorus echoing through my head. Although previously my bum had become uncomfortably numb, now there was no pain – it was receding. If you decide to carry gear on your bike, my suggestion is to make sure that you can at least feel the front edge of the passenger seat up against your hind quarters when you sit back as far back as you can, or when you are tucked down into a racing position.

Here is a photo I took after re-arranging my gear. You can see the CBR in the background.

When I made it to Syd’s Esso in Chapleau the attendant there really seemed enamoured with the bike. He looked at me and then the bike and commented “It must really be fun to be riding that out on the open road”. I was actually stunned by how accurate his insight had been and regretted that my reply was a weak “Yep – it sure is”. Not wanting to appear disinterested, I chatted with him about my trip and the bike. Everyone seems surprised at how affordable this bike can be to purchase. I got the sense from him that I was living his dream. Then again – at that age I would have felt the same way….

My next stop would be a supposed gas bar at Aubrey Falls, about 150 kms south of Chapleau on Hwy 129. I was thrilled and relieved to discover that the gas bar did indeed exist. It was situated just before a really twisty portion of the highway. The first time I had driven on the southern portion of Hwy 129 a number of years ago – I actually wondered if I had somehow taken a wrong turn. The road really does change that dramatically. It begins to resemble a paved cart path. And…….there are some small steep hills – one in particular has such a precipitously steep backside that if you are travelling at 80 km/hr – you WILL achieve liftoff and “yump” much like Bullitt in his Mustang on the streets of San Francisco.

I decided that it would be a good time to take a break and eat lunch so I pulled over to the side of the road and blazed a path through some bush so I could eat at a rock that jutted out into the Mississaugi River. With few cars traveling this route – my view was incredibly scenic and my lunch remarkably peaceful. I was also unbearably hot in full riding gear. This was the hottest I felt through the entire trip.

Here is the view from my rocky perch on the Mississaugi River.

I soon turned off Hwy 129 onto Hwy 554, then 546. Hwy 546 was a really interesting experience. Much of the route is very picturesque – meandering along the Little White River. But it is also really bumpy so you really need good suspension to avoid unsettling the bike when riding over mid corner frost heaves. You also need to be extra careful as many of the twists and turns have sand on them – and the road isn’t very wide. On one particularly twisty corner I met a large dumptruck heading towards me that left only about 2 metres of space for me to negotiate the inside of the corner. Not sure if the driver simply didn’t see me – or if they just didn’t care. Maybe they just felt entitled to occupy almost the entire road surface.

I eventually stopped along the road and took a break along the river.

I knew Mississaugi Provincial Park was now getting closer and my day on the road was coming to and end. I managed to pull into the park around 6pm. I was disheartened to find no staff at the main gate and some cryptic note with instructions to register at the Park Office. After riding all day I really wasn’t in the mood to search for the office. However, with a little luck I found it and selected a spot for the night. Once again – I picked a walk-in site situated on the lake. Only – I wasn’t informed that this site was in a swampy area of the lake…..

Here is my bike parked at the short trail leading into my site.

Within a few minutes of arriving at my site for the night – I heard a strange sound coming from the bush across the road from where I parked my bike. The noise the animal was making sounded very guttural – like it was grunting, knawing its teeth, and coughing up a hairball at the same time. It didn’t sound like the kind of grunts that bears normally make – but then again – it didn’t sound like Puss ‘N Boots either. I decided to walk across the road and peer through the bush to investigate but I found nothing. Then just as I took a step back – out of the corner of my eye I saw some shape emerge from the foliage a short distance away. To my surprise – straight from 70′s Sanford & Son T.V. fame -it was Redd Foxx. I needed to get his attention to get a good mug shot so I worked my best vocal impression of one of my cats tossing a major hairball (imagine the sound of plunging a toilet mixed with priming the fuel bulb from the portable tank of an outboard motor mixed with the Ah huh, Ah huh, chorus of KC & The Sunshine Band’s “That’s The Way I Like It” for a sense of the sound I was aiming for). He turned around with a WTF?!? kind of expression on his face and I snapped the shot.

Photo of quizzical WTF look from Redd Foxx

I quickly set up my tent and put away my gear. I knew I only had a couple more hours of daylight but was determined to explore the lookout trail anyway. And I was leaving early the next morning so if I was going to do the trail – it had to be now. A staff member at the office told me that I had probably climbed the Helenbar Lake Lookout Trail based on my description and recollection. My trail map recommended that hikers set aside 4 hours to complete the trail loop but I knew I didn’t have that much time so I decided to walk at a brisk pace and see where it got me. Just before I set out, I attempted to call my dad in Guelph to tell him about my day and reassure him that I was still in one piece. However, I couldn’t get a signal on my Blackberry. I figured I might get a signal at the lookout by taking advantage of the 400 foot gain in elevation above the campground. I made sure to bring my camera, my trailmap, and headlamp just in case things took a turn for the worse.

Click here for Part 4…

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When I had completed the lookout trail more than 30 yrs ago, I did it with my older brother and one of my younger sisters. The expedition was led by one of my parent’s adventurous friends who was camping at the park as well. He brought along his two young sons. This time though – it was just me. I wondered if my journey along the trail would spark any sudden deja vu moments. I looked around at some of the large trees and rocks and it was fun to imagine that I was now looking at the same landmarks that I had observed along the same path many years ago. The beginning of the trail involved a gradual climb that eventually met up with a large boulder – an erratic. I can’t say I remember the boulder from the last time I traveled through – maybe it arrived during a more recent glacial period. But I thought I’d take a photo anyway.

Here is the erratic.

Erratic nicely describes my route for a brief time after that photo was taken. The trail veered right from the boulder – and then the path faded to the point where I had to stop and look closely to identify where it continued. The signage was non-existent, but I prodded along and eventually the way became more obvious again. The trail continued on and up and I wondered what the topic of conversation had been along this same route as kids. Within about 30 minutes I could tell that I had crested the ridge. The trail followed the top for quite some time to the point where I wondered if I had missed a cutoff to the lookout. But I persevered and patiently remained on the trail. Soon the route headed inwards toward the cliffs and I knew I was about to reach the lookout. I approached the clearing and the view opened up like a large bay window framed by a smattering of trees. It was really breathtaking – not something you’d forget – even as a kid. I had made it back to the same spot from my youth. The same spot where I’d been so many years ago. I was filled with excitement, reflection, and awe all rolled in one.

View from the Helenbar Trail lookout.

The wooden box containing the sign-in book was no where to be seen. Was this just a false memory? However, there was a picnic table that was filled with names and dates – carved into the wood by previous visitors. It was the edge of the cliff that really caught my attention though. It doesn’t just drop off vertically. It sort of gradually falls off – rounded – like a bell. If someone was unfortunate enough to fall down it – they would have plenty of time to contemplate their fate as they slowly skidded over the rounded surface – finger tips clinging desperately to the lichen as they gradually picked up speed and disappeared over the edge. These were the visual images me and my siblings shared over the years – retold countless times and sparked by an incident that occurred at this very lookout when we were last here. Our leader was careful to tell us in a serious tone to NOT go anywhere close to the edge. We really didn’t need much convincing. But we were young. And kids are easily distracted. Some of us were really young. My sister was about 5 yrs old. One of the leader’s sons was about the same age. In his little hand he was holding a toy car. At some point he dropped the car and it tumbled near where the edge disappears in the photo below. I remembered hearing him say “car car!!” and before I realized what was happening, he started running toward the edge. I recall hearing his dad shriek his name and yell “NO!!!”. He managed to grab his car – and then his dad managed to grab him. They were safe. But the flashbulb images of that scene were protein synthesized into our collective memories. A few days ago when I showed my sister the photos, she said the image below looked exactly as she had always remembered it. Rounded, and slowly, gradually, dropping off into oblivion.

Near the edge of the cliff.

Helenbar Lake is also noteworthy in that it was the site of a fighter jet crash in 1946 (long before the park was established in 1965) when the aircraft ran out of fuel while flying through a thunderstorm. You can read some of the details toward the bottom of the page here:

http://www.bushwhacker.ca/mississaugi.html

Another view of Helenbar Lake

After snapping a few photos I had to decide whether to re-trace my route back to the campground or continue on and complete the loop. Clearly the latter choice would take much longer. But where is the adventure in returning the same way I came in? I opted to complete the loop. Just as I was leaving the lookout I remembered to make another attempt to call my dad on my cell. This time my Blackberry had a signal and before I knew it I was chatting with him on the phone from the lookout. It made me reflect for a moment that if someone had told me back then, as a 10 yr old, that more than 30 years later I’d be standing in this very same spot all alone, holding a small strange device with no attached cord – called a smart phone – and chatting with my dad who was living in Guelph…..

As it turned out, the trail soon began its descent down the ridge so it was easy to maintain a quick pace. I eventually reached the portage trail that connects Helenbar Lake to Semiwite Lake (where the campground is situated). After a few minutes of walking I approached Semiwite lake at the end of the portage trail. I looked around and suddenly – deja vu – I had been here before. I then realized that this was probably the area where the trail leader friend of my parents took us boating, swimming, and waterskiing during our stay at the park. This was the beach where we had spent the day. I recently asked my dad about this and he confirmed that this was likely the spot.

Beach at the end of the portage from Helenbar Lake to Semiwite Lake.

I made it back to the campground as the light started to fade. It only took 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the loop. I decided to take a dip at the camper’s beach. The park itself doesn’t have a comfort station so a hot shower was out of the question. Apparently they are in the midst of trying to acquire one for the park. The swim felt great – a fitting end to a long hot day of riding and hiking. Several of the parks I had visited during my trip had “boil water” advisories posted above the sinks at the outhouses. The water is treated but the advisories suggested that other microscopic critters might still be able to make it through the chlorine gauntlet. Even brushing your teeth with the water was not recommended. This presented a dilemma. I was completely parched. I had ran out of Powerade quite some time ago. The closest store was 25 kms away in Elliot Lake. I drank the water anyway. Actually I drank copious amounts of it – like it was ambrosia. And it was cold – and so refreshing that my eyes teared up it felt and tasted so good. To be honest – I’ve drank clean Northern Ontario lake water all my life – on every camping trip. Rarely boiled it. Never a problem. This time was different. About 1 hour after having drank the water my stomach started making unearthly gurgling sounds and the sudden severe cramping could only mean that an alien was about to pop out of my gut at any moment, or that this was a warning sign that old faithful was about to erupt. I burst out of the blocks and desperately sprinted towards the nearest outhouse faster than Ben Johnson on Stanozolol. I barely made it to the stall and lifted the seat before I evacuated what seemed to me like either someone had stuck a turbo powered Wagner Power Painter down the hole and set it to Spinal Tap “11″ and extra “wide” spray pattern on the dial – or what it would look like if Ricky Carmichael was going for the holeshot on his RM-Z450 and managed to spray the entire contents of his rooster tail into an outhouse hole. If you are still reading this and haven’t yet vomited – I hope you realize that I’m just joking. This never happened. I was completely fine after drinking the water. I just thought that this trip segment needed a little more humour. Sorry for the vivid visual imagery. It may not have had the clever wit and subtle sophistication of animal900′s knee-slapping posts but I thought it might still find an audience.

As I prepared to retire to my tent for the evening – I was somewhat concerned about a frog situated in the water near my tent who boasted a croak louder than the loudest belch I had ever heard. And it re-occurred about every 15 seconds. Could he hold out all night? Did he really need a mate that badly? Did he really have enough staying power? The answer to all the above questions was yes. I had a terrible sleep. By 6am I had had enough, so I took down the tent and loaded up the CBR125R. I then gingerly crept down to the waters edge and clubbed the huge frog over the head with one of my tarp poles and then draped his dead carcass over the end of the picnic table. You can see him hanging in the photo below.

Early morning view from campsite

Actually – just teasing again about clubbing the frog. Though I’m still not sure what the object is in the photo. I think it is my daypack.

Stay tuned for Part V – Manitoulin Island and the Chi-Cheemaun ferry.

Click here for Part 5…

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