2019 Giddy Up Tour - Day 5 Manic 5 Dam

Baie Comeau visit has been a mix of sheer fun and uncertainty.  We had decided the night before we would be on the road by 9 am, then we decided we would leave by 9 am but stop for breakfast first.  As we were eating breakfast we all started getting calls from the hotel where we were staying.  Because of the booking date mistake, they had provided us with rooms that were normally used by the workers for the first night so they needed the other two rooms to relocate to a better room.  Larry and I were already in a normal room..  So, after breakfast we headed back to the motel to move everything over.

As we pulled into the motel, the noise which we had noticed on Larry’s bike came back.  As the road we were heading out on had only two “communities” along the way and no cell coverage (for 214 kms), we thought it prudent to stop at the local Yamaha dealer just to check it to make sure it was nothing critical.  Needless to say we are now beyond our 9 am start time.

We made our way to the Yamaha dealer and while Larry and the tech were checking out the noise, we happen to notice a 2018 FJR marked down to $13,999...a great deal.  Unfortunately for Larry, it was a minor fix that we could do in Quebec City where we have a two day down time.  So he will have to keep riding the one he has.

We managed to get away by 10:36 am on the road despite all of the delays and were treated to an amazing road of twists and turns for probably 70% of the ride.  That means twists and turns on the way to the Dam and twists and turns on the way back....or as Jerry calls them, “Newfoundland roads”.

We made stops at all the available spots (one at 94 km and one at 120 km mark) and then finally at the Dam.  It is absolutely huge and was a nice addition to the ride for sure.  The other bikes made their way to the top of the dam via a switchback gravel road.

We managed to get back by 7 pm despite the delays and some construction on the road to the Dam.  We were a bunch of tired and weary travellers by the time we got back.  Quick showers and changes and then off to the same restaurant we had walked to the night before.

Baie Comeau has had some challenges for us, none of which we can blame on the city.  Despite all of that it has also provided us with some of the greatest gifts.

On to the next stop....I think there is a fjord in our future.

2019 Giddy Up Tour - Day 4 Ferry to Baie Comeau

What started out to be the easiest of days, turned out to be anything but simple.  Today we only drove 5.2 kms however we travelled 67 kms which took us about 6 hours....

Up this morning to enjoy a great breakfast at the hotel.  Fresh made crepes, scrambled eggs, sausage/bacon and homemade pastries were all available on the buffet.  Jerry got a new headlight, Con picked up what he needed at Canadian Tire, and Terry headed out on his own for Grand Falls as he made his way back home.  He had only planned to do the Gaspe with us so we knew he would be departing from Matane.

We packed up and got ready to leave, check out at noon and we had to be to the ferry by 1 pm...it was less than a half kilometre the hotel.  We got to the ferry and while waiting got a chance to watch them offload a whole train from another ferry docked next to where ours would be.  Pretty cool.

 


We loaded on to our ferry and took up a bunch of snack stuff and settled in for a 2.5 hour sail to the other side of the St. Lawrence.  About 3/4 of the way there, Larry is checking our reservations for Baie Comeau and I realize that I have made an mistake on the days...we are booked for tomorrow night for. 2 nights and not tonight....we start frantically looking at other accommodations even 1.5 hours away without success which would mean abandoning our trip to Manic 5.  We call back our hotel to see if there had been any cancellations just as we are about to dock, since if there is nothing we will have to take the ferry back to Matane...luckily they have rooms for us.  Crisis averted...As the ferry docks, and we are all geared up to leave, we find out that we have to validate our tickets on the ship...getting the tickets at the gate before we get on doesn’t count lol...so all geared up, we run up several flights of stairs to get our “get off the boat” tickets lol.....then we get to the hotel and though we are happy to have a room, they are not without “character”......all to say we are thankful for rooms at all since there is none within 200 kms of this place!  We have had a few laughs about it for sure.

We did manage to find a great restaurant for supper.  Thy got to try a little magic and we ate well and planned for tomorrow.  It will be an early start, packed lunches and a long day.  Looking forward to seeing Manic 5 dam....here’s hoping tomorrow’s day is less stressful and equally as joyful as today...

2019 Giddy Up Tour - Day 3 Matane

We started the day a little later than expected.  It was hard to leave the view and the sunshine.  The day before we travelled 361 km to Pearce Rock and the ride to Matane was 374 kms.  Despite the similar distances,  Day 3’s ride seemed longer and we were a little more tired when we arrived.  No heat but lots of construction and of course wind as we skirted along the coast of the Gaspesie.

We made a little stop in Gaspe to have a coffee and snack.  This was the same coffee shop that we had stopped at in our previous visit.  They have great coffee and pastries and were also nice enough to give us some baguette slices for a snack of smoked salmon that Thy had bought the previous day.

The coffee shop is small and the day was sunny so we opted to sit out on the patio in view of our bikes.  In true maritime fashion, a nice couple walking along the street noticed our bikes and asked where we were from.  After exchanging pleasantries and jokes, we asked if he was from Gaspe...”from Edmundston” he responded, to which Larry’s next question is “do you know.....”...but of course he does, they are best friends...and then they know, you know, we all know the same people....Terri looks at me and says isn’t that crazy?  Two days in a row we run into folks that someone knows...my response was that we are only a conversation away from connecting with people.  The world is not small, our circle of friends are larger than we can imagine.

We take off towards the park (missed the turn off for the tip of the park but oh well, another trip) riding along villages and coast line that is breath taking and beautiful.  We stopped in a small place called Grande-Vallee and set up a lovely lunch at a picnic table...we had baguette, smoked salmon, roasted chicken, watermelon, grapes, oranges, smoked gouda, and chips...a little something for everyone....we cleaned it up and set out again.

The afternoon ride took us along the sea wall..as we ride along the sea wall the temperatures drop to 18 and then as you move up and to the communities away from the water and a little sheltered, it rises to 20-22 degrees.  Great temps for riding.  The sun shined on us all day!

 

 

 

We arrived at our final destination in Matane later than we had planned but still in good time.  We settled in to our rooms which were all next to each other with a beautiful view of the water and close enough to hear the waves all night long.  We had a couple of drinks and went down the to the dining room for supper.  This little spot has a fine dining establishment and all of their meals are made from scratch...they grow their own herbs and edible flowers as well as smoke their own salmon and make salmon mousse.  This mousse is served at the table with the bread, pita crackers and butter....so good was it that we  now have some for boat ride tomorrow across the St. Lawrence where we will have a two night stay in Baie Comeau!

As the sun set, the water calmed.  We left our patio door open all night so we could hear the waves, feel the breeze and ease into sleep...it came easily tonight.

 

2019 Giddy Up Tour - Day 2 Pearce Rock

Day 2 proved to be a beautiful day, perfect weather for the ride, great roads and scenery and our friends.  We are thrilled that our friends are getting to know one another and really in a lot of ways, seem like they have known each other for longer than 2 days!

Our destination on Day 2 is Pearce Rock.  We made a quick bum break in Charlo and a longer stop in Campbellton before we crossed into Quebec.

While stopped there taking pictures we met a gentleman who was out walking.  He stopped to politely ask where we were from and after a couple of quick chats I went about taking pictures while Larry continued his conversation...moments later I hear “Cindy, guess who he knows?”  Now, our families know that Larry and I are direct descendants of great historians and historical investigators known to us as “Dad” and to others as Ted and LeRoy....so I knew immediately this deserved my attention.  The gentleman, Willis Murphy, got to know my parents in the early days of their marriage, knew my Aunt and Uncle, Marie and Jim Beek, as well as Boyd and Joan Parker, good friends of our family.  Not only did we share this bit of history, but if I can remember the stories right, the place on Wellington that my parents lived in when they brought me home is now owned and lived in by Willis.  A lovely man, it was a pleasure to chat with him.  I took a picture of he and I to send to Mom and Dad along with a note.  This chance stop and meeting at a moment in time, really made my day and speaks to how the universe provides for these little “gifts” in life.

After a great stop we continued on across the bridge and into Quebec.  Despite having made this journey before (with Jerry), the trip seemed new.  Larry and I were both surprised at what we remembered and how much of the trip we didn’t seem to capture in our memories.  I guess this is good and goes to show that no matter how many times you travel the same roads, it is impossible to capture everything to memory which is why this blog is also a great diary of information for us...especially as we get older.

Stopped at a lovely Bistro for lunch, and continued on....now the funny part of the day is that unknown to each other, Larry had calculated the trip d istance from our hotel in Bathurst to our hotel in Pearce the night before and I had calculated our trip from the Bistro to our hotel at lunch stop.  As we rode towards our final destination we surmised this and confirmed our calculations were exactly the same....as we got close to our destination and stopped at a construction site, we let the rest of our group know it was only 15 kms away...great news for a group of weary travellers, not to mention there was a darkening sky up ahead and reports of potential thunderstorms as well.  As we ran down the distance, it became apparent that our destination was not “15 kms” away as we had originally calculated...and there was a sign...oh yes a sign......“39 kms to Pearce”...WHAT?

Now, as providence would have it (and you have heard me talk about providence before) my wise and well travelled husband suggested we take another bum break....we were close to our destination but breaks are so important when riding.  Found us a road stop with a bathroom.  While taking advantage of this I then became oblivious to what was happening outside (no windows).....the sky had opened up and the rain she poured....but only for a few minutes and then the sun came out.  Not 300 m down the road, not a drop had fallen...roads were dry as a desert.

We reached Pearce and got checked in.....we are literally on the edge of a cliff looking out at Pearce Rock.  Beautiful and spectacular is our view, don’t you think?  We walked to dinner, had more laughs and fun.  Walked along the boardwalk for more night time pictures and rock hunting by iPhone flashlight....a few drinks when we got back with more stories and laughs.

Larry and I have said it before and as I watch these new friends grow friendships with each other, we are truly blessed.  We have a great deal of gratitude for the life we have created for ourselves.  Our love of travel is now being shared with the blessings of the friends we have come to know.

Today we head to Gaspe and Matane.  More adventures to come.

Our Views:

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Some Antics:

Friends!

2019 Giddy Up Tour - Day 1

This will be a tour like no other past tour.  This year we have not just one couple but two couples and one friend.  The only common denominators are their love of bikes and us!  Well we hope they still love us at the end of this!

Joining us are Con and Terri from last year, Jerry and his wife Thy (Jerry rode the Gaspe and Cabot Trail with us once before) and Terry who is a constant companion in our day trips.
.

The night before we left, Terri and Con hosted a “get to know” each other BBQ at their cottage.  We celebrated Thy’s birthday and everyone got a chance to get to know one another a little before we left.

The next morning we all gathered at our place with expected departure at 9:30 am.  Everyone arrived early, which really spoke to the enthusiasm for getting on the road.  So enthusiastic was this group that we had time for chats, pictures and still managed to get on the road a full 10 minutes before our agreed departure time.  So for this trip, or at least the first part of it, we are 5 bikes, 7 huge smiles, and getting ready to keep counting the distance this trip will take us on.

Today’s ride would take us along the coast for the most part.  We did have to move over to highway driving (yawn....bored) for a short time.  Although it was a hot 31 degrees by this time and the ride was slow (traffic) it did not dampen the enthusiasm.  We stopped for a great lunch in Neguac, and continued on our journey...next stop Miscou Island and the Miscou Lighthouse and of course ice cream.

 

Just as we were leaving Miscou we received a severe thunderstorm warning for right where we were standing...we still had an hour and 45 minute ride to our final destination for the night.  We headed out hoping to ride through the break in the clouds where we could see that it wasn’t raining.  As we rode, the temperature dropped to 19 degrees, we managed to ride through a few sprinkles, watch lighting in the distance and find an overpass in the middle of no where, where we took temporary refuge to decide whether we gear up for rain or soldier through....instead we decided to have a couple of snacks, wait out a heavy rain and as soon as a sunny break came we headed out.  Our luck continued as we got to our hotel not even 3 minutes before a tour bus (which meant getting checked in as the bus unloaded and filled the lobby), one of us got a drive up room so we parked all our bikes in front, we got into our rooms before the next rain and supper in another room hosted by the one in our group who managed to get a fine “suite”.  All in all a great first day, 476 kilometres and lots of laughs...not to mention a great day with a group of our friends, who I hope find friends in each other.