Manitoulin Rally-July 20-13

 

Friday am I hitched the 5th wheel and motorcycle trailer to the truck and headed to the 3rd annual rally for bikes on Providence Bay Manitoulin Isl…….Green Acres Campground just outside Little Current found me a place to set up. Early this am I headed for Providence Bay approx 1/2 hr away……Breakfast was being served at the town hall and for 8.00 included pancakes eggs sausage ham toast and coffee……I had my fill. Wandered up to the fairgrounds to see what was taking place.  While standing about a young fellow asked if I would like to join his group for an adventure ride.I was happy to par take and off  we went on back roads to Lake Huron. Now as some of you know Don and I had a mishap on gravel, we were riding dirt…….now I must admit that it was easier without a fully loaded bike but these guys and gals rode like it was an enduro race. Believe me when I say they reached speeds over 100 k on gravel….not I. They even had a camera crew following in a jeep. This gal was one of the organizers and publishes a magazine for women riders….she also instructs and needless to say I was intimidated. This fellow is part of the committee who organized the rally and equally great rider. A group photo. Most were riding BMW……..  Lunch of Fresh Fish and Chips was at this hotel with Collin the chap who invited me paying for our entire table Collin is the chap in the lower left……great guys and gals. Here we are at the end of the Island……… What’s this you say….well it was a rodeo on 2 wheels and Ladies bite the weenie from a moving bike……..this couple won…….

A great day……I didn’t stay for the dance with the live band…….beer tent to tempting and I had a ways to ride…..so I headed home to Blog…..

DAY 22- St Thomas Quebec to Home-June 22-13

 

Awoke at 5am and packed the bike….took an hour as I was only able to hobble about….it was raining heavily as I rode off towards Montreal. Soon i lost my way stopping in Jolliette to get directions at a service station . Non anglais…..I follow his hand directions and soon on the hwy 40 headed for Montreal. Not knowing my way around Montreal I see a sign for Laval and think that is on the west side of the city;;;; so I take the 640 then the 440 and ride through Laval picking up hwy 15 to 50 which finally gets me to Ottawa.

Last night a friend had offered to meet me at the border……the discomfort with the foot was challenging, especially at stops trying to hold the bike up…so I accepted and suggested Renfrew On where I purchased the bike….it needed some repairs and a service. We met at the Suzuki Dealer, Pauline and Jim helped  Doug load my luggage into my 4 wheel ride. Four hours later we are home…I shower and head to the hospital…its 6 pm at 9.05 I am headed home with instructions to get Alieve, purchase a compression sock, rest with my foot elivated above my heart…now on crutches walking is less painful. Apparently my foot flipped at the ankle 90 degrees….. a fracture at the ankle but in reALITY JUST BONE CHIPS ….the ligament was severely stretched. I told the Doc that it did look odd so I had kicked it against the road and it popped back in place…….surprising what you can do when adrenalin is at its peak……..the Doc couldn’t believe I rode the bike 1800 k after this mishap……..well I did have assistance the last 248 k thanks to Doug.

I am happy to be home, happy to know that Don is on the mend and grateful for the help and friendship of people along the way,,,,SPECIAl ….thanks to Denise,Carol and Don,Karen and Shane and Doug H, the two young lads who helped me with my bike and to God for getting us home.   

Day 21- Baie-Comeau Q to St Thomas Q- June 21-13

 

Up at 5am………unfortunately I’m a wimp when it comes to pain and this woke me up……nice sunny morning to start the day…..stopped by the local McD’s and spoke with a group of coffee guys like Olivers. They advised me in French of course that I could stay on this side, the north shore….the road was great…at some point after Quebec City which took me 2 hours to get around, do to stop and go traffic, I switched to the 138 which had more motorcycles than cars. It was scenic but slow going….tonight I am in the only Motel in St Thomas…..no restaurant close by so I get to diet tonight. What happen to the St Lawrence……I think the usa is drinking it……..

Day 20-Labrador City to Baie- Comeau-June 2013

Woke up to a bright sunny morning, we were packed and waiting for Don’s taxi to take him to the airport. He would be flying to Montreal to meet Heather and her friend while I would continue on alone…so sad…. After bidding each other a safe journey, we parted co and I stopped at McD for breakfast waiting for CTC to open where I purchased batteries for my non working SPOT TRACKER…….after all Spot had taken the renewal premium 210.00 from my account…..thought I had stopped the renewal,….guess not. With new batts…no luck its DEAD…..crap I could need the emergency feature. I have 594 k to ride to Baie Comeau……only one service station between here and Baie Comeau with 1/2 that distance gravel.

On the way to Quebec by 830am. Entering La Belle Province …..O no the pavement at the Iron Ore Plant turns to gravel………………………………………………………………………………………….Look at the tailings in the background….a lake is on the other side of the tracks and is red in colour……the gravel road is hard packed and I make it to the 1/2 way point where i fill up with fuel…YIKES $ 1.77 a litre. I have breakfast here or lunch…its 12.15 pm when I leave….I had travel before filling up for 3/4 hr on the best pavement yet…..just down the road I am back on gravel……..NOT AGAIN………I am only a few K down the road and going about 60k……I see a slight ridge just ahead and as I am looking at it, I ride directly to it…..a truck had just gone by in the opposite direction and the cloud of dust was clearing so I slowed to about 40….not good enough hitting the ridge I instantly loose control…..I try to ride the bike down to hold it from somersaulting like Don’s but I to get ejected but I am almost down when I land on toes and hands….I am up immediately and facing my bike which spun and is facing in the direction from which we rode,,,,,2 young men following me in a pickup come running to see if I am ok….I say yes except I fear that my ankle my be broken,,,I think the right pannier hit me…it is lying out on the road not far from the bike. I ask for help to lift the bike as it is leaking fuel…they get me to sit on the guard rail while they pick it up and set about reattaching the pannier…….they need some direction from me…the latch that holds it on is bent….they go to their truck and fetch pliers and a hammer…..we get it partially fixed so I can continue……after assuring them I am ok….they leave with me having checked my bike over and I follow at a distance…..now driving at no more than 40k or less…..pulling over to let all others pass in clouds of dust………Finally, I arrive at my destination and look for a motel…….I am a sight as I am a dust blob…lol…….shower and go to dinner….stumble through some French and English and end up with  du soup au jour et poulet dinner….lol

My right wrist and ankle are sprained….ankle bone slightly swollen……On pavement now….so will stay upright…..taking it easy…..I should be home in 2 to3 days……..The scenery was great….mountains, raging rapids, lakes and twisty roads.      tonights spot Small but clean.   Huge dam along the way…..

Till tomorrow……

Day 19- Wabush- June 19 13

 

 

DON spent the night in the Hospital….Dr put his toe back in place and after new x rays taken he was released about 230pm……..spent the rest of day organizing the insurance with respect to the bike…..and wondering how we could transport all Don’s personnel stuff home. Not easy in these company towns…no way the airline would allow all the luggage not in proper suitcases….but again Shane to the rescue….he has offered to look after shipping the stuff……….how far can someone go out of his or her way….amazing….Karen, his wife had even offered a place at their home to stay………….though their permanent home is in Corner Brook Nfl…they maintain a home here as well.

Don is booking a flight at this moment to Montreal which leaves at 9;05 am….Shane is coming over with Don’s stuff and Don will arrange what Shane will ship……Heather happens to be visiting in Montreal and her friend has agreed to wait for him and they will all drive back to Gravenhurst……..leaving me to continue on alone….3 to 5 hours of more Gravel…yikes…….then pavement …..yay….only 1850 k to go.

What can I say…we have met many nice people on this trip…… 

DaY 18- Goose Bay to Labrador City-June 18 13

 

Day started out great….paved hwy… then we hit gravel again…approx 200 k……we travelled cautiously as ridges or deep spots from the grader or big trucks make it difficult to control 2 wheels. As fate would have it just 2 k from pavement Don lost control in a patch of soft gravel and the bike went into a wobble with each more violent than the last…on the 4th I saw him ejected from the bike, while the bike did  a flip with it landing nose first……missing Don….thank God. Don lay motionless for a few seconds and I feared the worst. Suddenly, he jumped up….obviously dazed….his jacket had a tear in the sleeve and his helmet was scraped as was the shield……he said he was ok……I looked towards the bike, noting 1 pannier torn loose with his belongings scattered….picked those up. Three vehicles passed by not bothering to stop…..then a husband and wife driving a 1 ton with a new construction trailer and a pickup stopped. Soon after two big trucks stopped and Karen, Shane’s wife tented to Don’s scrapes while the rest of us put Don’s bike on Shane’s trailer. Shane would drive Don to Labrador 208 k away…while I followed Karen on my bike. Now I must add we where about 1/2 way between our morning start and Lab City…..Churchill Falls was about 1 1/2 hours back……no businesses or homes in between……we where in the boonies. So to call the Police or Ambulance would take 2 hours to get here….so it was decided that we continue on to Lab City. I went ahead at some point to book a motel and check flights out Of Lab City……..Its strange that 2 daYS before I had observed this couple load on the same Ferry we took….and they happened to stay over at Shane’s parents for Fathers Day…….Great couple…..Don’s bike is still on the trailer…..Don who I visited at the hospital this am is still there……waiting for results on new xrays from his dislocated toe……..he looks good, has a bruised right side and scrape on his belly….so hopefully he will get out soon and we can make arrangements with the insurance co re the bike and how to get Don home….at this point it looks like he will fly to Montreal where Heather and her friend are visiting……       Still a little over 1850 k with 200k of Gravel in Quebec on a twisty rode to ride………..I didn’t know about that…..when this trip was planned.

Update just spoke to Don…he is being released and will be at the Motel here in Wabush in an hour……looks like he will be flying to Montreal as he needs to see his Dr re the foot within 48 hours….

Day 17-Blanc Sablon-Goose Bay-June 17 13

 

Late night setting up tent as we couldn’t find a motel that wasn’t full………We rode 410 k of gravel road today…..very dangerous when you hit deep spots so we road carefully ………great day with Sun Shine….only wild life was a bear….sorry no pic.

The road in the lower section of Lab, hugs the coast. Don, we might need the shovels to get through…..

 Don, come back its only over that ridge…….These sleighs are used to haul wood to the roadside in winter……they are left at the side of the road all year. This bridge is long and with an open steel road bed…….scary to ride on a bike. This is the scene near the bridge and the end of this section of gravel…we are near Goose Bay….our destination for the night…..we end up camping as all 3 motel are booked…..lots of construction….8 billion damp project at Muskrat Falls……….