Kevin Brinch, a regular Dark Sider, couldn’t make it this year LOL!
Welcome back riders.
The DarkSide Team has re-grouped for another snow filled adventure for 2023. After 2 long years of being locked out of Canada due to ‘Rona, and we are making our much desired return to our old stomping grounds… QUEBEC!
But first, let’s start at the beginning. If you haven’t already, you can check out our projected path thru the BUSH of Quebec on our homepage. But today, we started from Michigan and Indiana, and made our way to Kingston, Ontario. Another old haunt was awaiting our return as well, the Boston’s Pizza across the parking lot from our old layover location, the Courtyard by Marriott.
Stick, with Fearless Leader Craig, Action Dan, and the Old Man Ron, departed Fenton Michigan around 8:30am this morning. The Indiana Crew, Ski Doo Matt, Hedge Hog, Truck Driver Brian and Rimel left Indiana around 6am. The Michigan crew had to make a quick swing off the highway to pick up Wingman Rob, and back eastbound and down on I-69 to the Canadian Border. By the time we made our swing off/pickup and got back on the highway, the Indiana Crew was only about 15 miles behind us, eastbound and down on I-69. Pretty good timing for this group.
After a quick top off of diesel fuel for the thirsty road rigs, at exit 196/ Wadhams Rd, we headed for the Duty Free Store for liquid provisions, and a quick restroom break before crossing the Sarnia border into Ontario. Another trouble free border crossing, miraculous with this crew, we stopped at the currency exchange for some cash conversion to the funny money of Canada with an about 30% exchange rate.
I guess the only hiccup we had at the border was the Canadian Customs Officer asked if we had any Arctic Cats in the trailer. Next time I will think before I speak, because my reply was “ No, this group doesn’t like breakdowns” Note to self, make sure the Border Agent doesn’t prefer Arctic Cat before spitting out the wise quips.
Our truck had a pretty un-eventful ride to Kingston. The excitement, in order, was the 20 minute On Star phone call to hook up wi-fi in the truck for Wingman Rob and Action Dan. The reason we needed wifi in the truck was because Wingman and Action failed to notify their cell phone carrier they were traveling thru Canada and they needed a way to reach their respective carriers to upgrade their coverage plans to International. So, for the next hour and a half, I got to listen to each of them take their turns, arguing with customer service on how to upgrade their service.
After listening to their pleasant conversations with the “customer service” representatives, my next piece of excitement was watching Fearless Craig nod off in the back seat behind me. There were times I asked Wingman Rob “is he sleeping or dead?” At these guys’ age it’s a legitimate question, these days.
Don’t tell him about this picture!
We arrived in Kingston after about 320 miles, and at around 3:45pm. The roads were dry, traffic wasn’t bad, and we made good time thru Toronto. By 4:20, the international happy hour where I’m from, and we are sitting at the Boston’s enjoying our first of a few adult beverages, and catching up since our last ride.
Hopefully the snow is bountiful in Quebec
Tomorrow, we have another 320 miles to go, and we will be at our launch spot of Pont-Rouge Quebec and the Bon Air Motel. Anybody that has any recollection of our previous visits to the Bon Air will recall that they have the BEST onion soup I have found in Quebec! On a side bar, another recollection of mine from the Bon Air that I can laugh about today, but wasn’t so funny in 2012, is it’s the location of the worst hangover I’ve ever had on the trail. Our old Bullet Catcher Jim Oleander and I got into a fierce game of pool in the bar and multiple shots of tequila. It was in the wee hours of the morning when I made it to bed, and Ole’ never even made it to his room, and slept in the hallway with his back against the wall and legs outstretched into the corridor! And that is but one example of the memories of this annual ride that i carry in my mind.
Hedge Hog and Stick working on this stupid blog at Boston’s
To my seven followers, feel free to leave us a comment or a message, we enjoy reading them at the end of they day ( I hope we still have seven followers, I haven’t read the obituaries in a while). And also, you can follow us live on the Tracking button, we have the Spot transponder tracking us day in and day out.
Bye for now,
Stick