Early morning in Syracuse to go north to the border and into Canada. News reports say the Trans-Lab is closed because of fires east of Labrador City. No idea when it will open up again. I activated my SPOT last night and my poor father probably got some strange texts because of it.
Upstate New York is thick with trees. Imagine an evergreen and hardwood version of a jungle with barely an inch to move between the trees.
Over the 1000 Islands Bridge and I’m blown away by the beauty of the park, the landscape and the water. It’s one of those lovely places you stumble upon by accident and suddenly wish had been your destination, not just a place you pass through. Lovely homes right down on the water and a bay of islands as far as I can see.
Canada is lovely right now, although it always is as far as I have experienced. There are miniature yellow and white daisies mixed with purple rockets and a yellow version of Queen Anne’s Lace all along the roadways. It looks like a wildflower heaven. The road engineers have cut sunken roadways into the rocky landscape giving you the impression of driving in the shallowest of canyons (4-8 feet deep). We head north to Ottawa and along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway into the heart of the city. Past the Parliament buildings on Wellington, embassies on Sussex, and on to the Rockcliffe Parkway. It’s beautiful. The city is decked out with the red and white maple leaf flags of the nation – just in time for the big bash tomorrow, Canada Day. I’ve never been in the country during it’s big day and I’m excited to be here. 
A kind and sweet couple from the city help to guide us out of the city and back to the highway that leads to Montreal. Off to the next beautiful city……A stop for gas along the way and I suddenly feel the cultural difference – gas for the bike costs just over twice what it did in the USA. 
Montreal is big, and it seems to take forever to get to the centre of the city and the hotel. Dinner in Chinatown tonight and French food tomorrow – maybe a raclette…..and definitely pain au chocolate.
Wishing all my Canadian friends and this beautiful country a spectacular Canada Day!
Sturgis Chick 
Hi Michelle. This is Bruce’s friend, Laurie (from Winnipeg). We met and had dinner in Rapid City when we were doing the motorcycle ride over Father’s Day weekend. I’m glad you and Brian have made it to Montreal. I heard on the news last night about the fires and that the T-LH was closed down. I asked Bruce if he had heard from you or followed your blog. He’s out of town so hasn’t been updated, but I found your card and checked the blog and here we are. Looks like a long, hard ride so far, but very exciting. Now that I have it, I’ll follow along. Keep up the good work. And good luck. Oh yeah, if you run into hotel or lodging problems in PEI, New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, feel free to email or text me as I have a few connections in the hotel business in Summerside, Halifax and Dartmouth, and Moncton and Fredericton and could probably get you guys something if you are desperate. Let me know. Drive safe. And don’t forget to do the Cabot Trail if you get the opportunity; you won’t be disappointed. Laurie.
Thanks so much, Laurie!
I hope all is going great on your trip. Keep on truckin’. Or ridin’.
Laurie Etkin B. Comm. (Hons.), LL.B. Manitoba Health-Consultant Unit 7-1680 Ellice Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R3H0Z2 Cell: (204) 291-6111 Work: (204) 945-6175
Fax: (204) 948-2531 Email: letkin@mymts.net
Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 19:52:30 +0000 To: letkin@mymts.net