CCCC Day 14 June 13, 2014.
In Quebec.
Cross-Canada coast to coast.
I am about to change my subject line to CCCCIR (Cross-Canada coast to coast in rain).
Perhaps you have already predicted my poor decision in challenging the Rain-god on Friday the 13th.
It was only a 700 Km track from Mississauga to Drummondville. I left at 6 am to avoid the Toronto traffic, which I succeeded. I have checked the weather forecast and knew I was going to ride under lots of rain. From Toronto to Kingston, I had about 3 hours of overcast but no rain. I thought I lucked out by following the rain, and letting the rain go first. The Rain-god loves me. For the following 6 hours, he only gave me normal rain for 4 hours, and challenged me with "heavy" rain for 2 more hours.
Ontario highways have the "OnRoute" road side stops about every 70 Km for you to pull into to re-fuel and refresh with fast food stands, and washroom stops. Quebec has none.
My last stop in Ontario was near Cornwall. My GPS was good(?) that it directed me to Autoroute 30 to totally
bypass Montreal by going to the south shore, and then returned to Autoroute 20 (Trans-Canada Highway). It would have been better scenery if not for the rain. The "upstairs" wants me to experience all that for my benefit. I am thankful, and appreciate the experiences.
That was a 250 Km ride in the rain at 18C soaking wet without a pit stop at all. By the time I tried to check into this semi-fancy motel in Drummondville, QC, (I forgot to speak French), the receptionist wasn't quite ready to take me as a guest. I was a wet wreck. I was hungry, thirsty, dehydrated, hypoglycemic, hypothermic, clumsy, exhausted, (only speaking English), wanted a hot shower at 3 pm right away, and desperately wanting to urinate. She couldn't give me the room that I had reserved because I was earlier than they could have cleaned the room. So I took any clean room that they had. It was OK by my standard.
A hot shower and some shots of Scotch later, I was feeling quite good. I was even looking at their onsite restaurant, to decide whether i want to eat there or walk across the street for other restaurants. No fancy restaurants outside of Montreal.
Lesson of the day :
Things don't look pretty at all in the rain
The sunshine is the essence.
Do you know that one of the benefits of riding long distance solo on a bike is that you can think almost to the level of meditation? There is nobody to question you or interrupt you. (Not saying that your conclusions are correct.)
I was happy that the bike is running beautifully. Perhaps the wet-road is even kinder to the tires.
This trip can be renamed as an intensive motorcycling riding training course for the rain!!
Dilemma for tomorrow :
Am I supposed to learn from today, and stay indoor for another day, waiting for the rain to pass? or just carry on going east as if the weather is not a factor?
Bon nuit.