Welcome back riders,
Finally able to write a blog on the day it happened. It’s been a while. It was our second day in a row getting in by 3pm.
But let’s get back to last evening. When I finished my writings’ last night, we proceeded to order dinner. Nothing crazy, pretty simple, I shared pizza with Hedgie, and Action Dan had the platter of ribs. I really didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the entree’s that were served. I was just happy that they had the attached restaurant open for us this trip thru! And we re-paid them in kind by wiping out their cooler full of Bud Lights, Coors Lights and, yes, the vodka. That’s the problem when you get in too early, you end up with a bigger bar tab at the end of the night.
Most of the group retired at a relatively appropriate time. Hedgie and I had a night cap of a cold Coors LIght in my room around 9pm, then we practiced good judgement and retired for the evening. Can’t say the same for the glimmer twins, The Wanderer Dylan and Wingman Rob, needed to check out the town, and started down the trail to the Hostel that has a bar jutting out that back of the main lodge. I am not sure where, how, when, why their night took them from there. I just know that Wingman Rob got his butt chewed by Stick several times in the middle of the night for not properly hooking up his life support machine, and waking me with his peel the paint off the walls snoring.
This morning, the snowmobiler breakfast around 7:30 for most of the group. The glimmer twins may have or may not have been on time. We were scheduled for take off at 9am. Dylan was fine with that schedule, because at least “I don’t have to pack my bags this morning.”
Some updates on the health and vigor of our infected riders is as follows:
Yamaha Rob is still suffering from the traveling virus, and worsening. He was supposed to get some Nyquil from The Wanderer, but he was absent without notice at Rob’s bed time.
NFG Kelly is suffering from and ear infection and ruptured ear drum. He hitched a ride to the local emergency room for some relief, but by the look in his eyes this morning, I don’t think it was helping much.
Fearless Craig has the lighter version of the Virus, and is getting along.
The Glimmer/Toxic twins both are suffering from their own ingestion of toxins.
Back to the Tales of the Trail and enough about our personal problems. The Ontarians left the motel first to fuel up, and we met them at the entrance to the ferry. I didn’t even know we were doing the ferry ride across the Saguenay River, but we did today. And we made it on board just as it began boarding. We have much better luck catching the flat deck, open ferry vs. the large ferry that crosses the St Lawrence Seaway. You would have to be a long term follower to understand this reference.
Pretty uneventful day on the trail. We had a small lunch at our fuel stop, and just kept motoring down the finely groomed trails. It was a good trail day, and the temperatures are much more conducive to our comfort, well above zero on the old thermometer.
After about 65 miles, there was a connector trail that most of the group took to add about 40 miles to our ride for the day. The Ontarians took the short cut to get NFG Kelly in and hopefully some additional attention to that ear infection. Also Ski Doo Matt and Truck Driver Brian took the short cut. Wingman Rob tried to take the shortest route, but that request was promptly denied by Fearless Leader Craig.
We arrived right around 3pm to the beautiful Pourvoirie du Lac Moreau in Saint-Urbain QC. It is a wood log lodge with an expansive great room with several seating areas spread out across center of the main floor, a small bar, naturally, at one end, and a dining room at the opposite end. A fine dinner is offered for this evening, of Foise Gras appetizer, choice of Filet or Pork Loin and an assortment of other accompaniments that I don’t recall now, as I already turned my dinner sheet in with my selections.
The bedrooms are along the upstairs open hallway that runs the entire length of the lodge, and overlooks the main floor of the lodge. A beautiful lodge in the middle of the BUSH of Quebec, and also offers spa services, and no cellular service.
At this time, most of the group is gathered and spread out around the main floor lodge, some on couches, some talking to the large cage of parrots in the corner next to the reception area, and the remainder bellied up around the 1/2 horseshoe bar in the corner. Naturally. And then there is The Wanderer who has locked himself away in his private chamber, contemplating and evaluating his life choices the last couple of days.
This is our last night on the trail, and it’s a perfect location to gather, reflect and conversate about the epic adventure we have endured to this point. Tomorrow we return to Pont Rouge, where our trucks and trailers are parked, and I will enjoy one last bowl of my favorite Onion soup before departing the beautiful providence of Quebec, once again.
Tomorrow’s mileage has been bantered about at anywhere from 180-200 miles.
We shall see.
Bye for now,
Stick
PS. I finally got the answer to a long asked question…You may want to proceed with caution beyond this point…