Week 28: Quebec to Eastern Ontario

When I awoke Saturday, 7/5 I was ready to leave Quebec and excited to cross into Ontario.  

Rideau Pines Farm, Ontario
The consensus of folks was to visit Quebec City and Ottawa but skip Montreal (mostly due to its size).  I drove highway 40 west through Montreal to see as much as possible but the high winds and construction made it difficult to take my eyes off the road.  When I got close to Ottawa, I made a spontaneous decision to put the nation’s capital on my “next time” list.  It was very hot and humid making it impractical with Trooper.  I drove highway 416 about 30 minutes south of Ottawa to Rideau Farms, a Harvest Host farm.  John and Saundra have operated the thriving farm for 35 years and offer 25 acres of pick your own strawberries and raspberries, garlic, potatoes, kale, and many other tasty vegetables.  Less than one hour after arriving, Trooper was a true farm dog by rolling in something disgusting.  Neither of us were happy with the ensuing hose bath.  A special thanks to Rideau Farms for a wonderful place to stay!

Thank you Rideau Pines!

Not a bad place to call home for the night

Not a bad place for the birds either

Who knew asparagus grew like this?

Vibrant and deliciously tart red currents (yes, I sampled)

Trooper likes being a farm dog

Bon Echo Provincial Park, Ontario

Since Ontario is Canada’s second largest province and several people warned me about how long it will take to get through, I planned to stop at the most popular Provincial Parks.  Monday and Tuesday, 7/6 - 7/7 were spent at Bon Echo.  It was a three hour drive from Rideau Pines on back roads giving me a nice break from the highways and giving me an opportunity to see several small towns along the way.  Bon Echo is a huge park with more than 500 campsites making it a popular (and loud) campground, but the main draw is the “Gibraltar of Ontario”.  Mazinaw Rock is a 100-meter high cliff erupting from the extremely deep waters of Mazinaw Lake.  Trooper and I spent two days exploring the area, visiting the local book store and making new friends like Lee Shane from Massachusetts.

Day 1 cloudy look at Mazinaw Rock

What a difference a day can make!

Closeup

T enjoying the lagoon

This biting water thing is new 

Yes, I see you

Engulfed in majestic trees

Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

We left Bon Echo on Tuesday, 7/8 and headed northwest to Algonquin Provincial Park.  Algonquin is Canada's oldest provincial park, is close to 3,000 square miles and has over 2,400 lakes.  I drove on highways 41 and 514 north into Barry Bay where we picked up highway 60 west into the park.  The drive was beautiful and gave me exactly what I pictured Canada being: miles of pristine and untouched forests and lakes.  En route to Mew Lake Campground, I saw a beautiful young bull moose along the road.  It was my first moose-sighting and I was beside myself with excitement.  What a gorgeous creature!  The employees warned me that bears have been coming into the campground and to make sure food and Trooper were properly stored away at night.  After setting up camp, I met my neighbor who had three huskies… I throughout Trooper was enough dog!

An absolute majestic creature

Closeup enjoying grass

What a handful!

Wednesday, I got on the bike and road from Mew Lake to Rock Lake passing several other lakes along the way.  There are so many lakes and rivers in Canada adding to the natural beauty of a unspoiled landscape.  The rest of the afternoon was spent chatting with my neighbors, including Marg.  At the age of 74, she bought a Roaktrek van and is doing something for herself.  She shared with me that her husband passed away six months after being diagnosed with brain cancer.  During those six months, he said that he wished he would have spent more of the money he worked so hard to save and enjoyed life a bit more.  Marg’s message to me was appreciate and enjoy what I’m doing… and good for me for actually doing it!  Marg touched my heart in a short amount of time and I hope she makes that desired trip to British Columbia so we can enjoy more time around the campfire.

Riding and looking for another moose...

Another perfectly untouched lake

After saying goodbye to Marg Thursday morning, Trooper and I did a little hike before traveling to Sault Ste. Marie on Trans-Canada 17.  It was a long day of driving but I felt good with the progress.  I was shocked to see the that highway across Canada, in many places, is a two-lane divided highway.  Traveling 65 - 70 MPH head-to-head with semis is not a calming experience.  It was eyes on the road and two hands on the wheel.  By the time I made it to Sault Ste. Marie, it was all I could to pull into Walmart and climb into bed.

One final hike in Algonquin

And a few minutes to properly say goodbye

Not sure what this is but loved the color

Final Thoughts
Tomorrow.  Along my travels, there is a common theme of meeting wonderful folks in their 60s and 70s.  After sharing my story, they all tell me how proud they are that I found the courage to quit my job and give myself one year to do whatever I want and go wherever I want.  They typically have a personal story where they or a loved one wished to do the same but never did, but missed their chance.  Tomorrow is not a guarantee, but everyday life clouds that knowledge and forces people into their daily rituals and routines.  I know how fortunate I am to have this opportunity, and not everyone can do what I am doing; however, if there is something that you have wanted to do for a long time, then plan it and do it.  Put it in motion today because tomorrow may not come.

Thanks for reading and until next time...

Week 27: Cape Breton, NS to Quebec

I spent the evening of Thursday, 6/26 in a Walmart in Truro, Nova Scotia to figure out my next destination.  It was a fun evening with several other campers and their dogs coming out to chat and give their recommendations on places to visit.  This was my first experience staying at a Walmart in Canada and I will certainly be taking advantage of this as I travel cross-country.  Canada Walmarts seem to be quite different than the US.

Kejimikujik National Park, Nova Scotia
One of the most difficult things about this journey is deciding where to go, what to skip, and being okay with those decisions.  There are occasions where I question my choices and become frustrated with indecisiveness.  Friday, 6/27 was one of those days.  I was traveling toward Kejimikujik National Park located in the center of Nova Scotia.  The uncertainty resulted from whether I should be driving along the shore or on the highway (which is where I was).  I had intentions about driving the entire shoreline of Nova Scotia, but my ignorance was shocked into reality after driving to Cape Breton island.  The distance between Canada destinations is far greater than I thought.  I decided to take the most direct route for the sake of time and gas money (have I mentioned how expensive Canada is?).  I drove highways 101 south, 103 west, and picked up a few backroads to cut northwest into Keji.  I was fortunate to get one of the last two spots open for my RV size (proving that not driving the shore route was a good decision!).  Even though the site was unserviced, I was happy to have a spot for the busy Canada Day weekend (similar to our 4th of July, Canada celebrates their national day on July 1).

Not a bad place to call home for a few days

It was early afternoon when we pulled in so we geared up and headed out to explore the area.  We walked Shore Trail along Kejimikujik Lake for 2.5 hours enjoying the plethora of sun, water and nature’s best. 

Mersey River

T enjoying the shores of Keji Lake

A perfect Iris growing in the marsh

He's getting tired of the "selfies"

Looking out on Keji Lake from one of the coves

There are dragonflies everywhere!

All in a hard day's work

I didn’t want to waste a minute of the beautiful day so I hopped on the Trek and rode to Peter’s Point and Snake Lake.  Peter’s Point was a recommendation by one of the workers and proved why it is her favorite place.  The ride was non-technical and exhilarating through dense forests and rolling terrain.  I was the only one at Peter’s Point allowing me to sit on the beach for a while listening to the waves and enjoying a few moments of quiet. 

Just me and the Trek

Pure peace

Back at the campsite, I became a little self-conscience being alone and surrounded by friends and family celebrating the holiday with wonderful campfire meals and a lot of drinking and carrying on.  I made the best out of it by warming up meat pie I bought at a wonderful bakery outside Cape Breton.

Meat Pie = nothing but meat and pie crust = delicious (especially with cole slaw)

The next day, we got an early start in anticipation of the heat and were all hiked out by noon.  I spent the rest of the afternoon reading White Fang and editing photos.  By Sunday, 6/29 I was ready to leave the holidayers behind and move on.  

Last selfie at Keji

Heading West!
The drive north from Keji to Digby was short through beautiful apple orchards.  We hopped on the 4:00 ferry and even though I wasn’t thrilled with the policy of leaving your dog in the car and not having access to them throughout the 3-hour voyage, I must admit that I was giddy with the idea of not driving all the way back around Nova Scotia.  When the ferry made the lefthand turn out of the dock and pointed its bow westward, I smiled knowing that my journey back west officially commenced.  I left Seattle 6 months ago and have enjoyed 12,000 miles, 20 US States, and 4 Canadian Provinces.  The first half of my yearlong journey has been incredibly blessed with reconnecting with loved ones, seeing beautiful places, and making new friends.  I’m ready to head west and see what amazing things I will discover along the way.

Here comes our ride (it's smaller and rustier than I hoped)

Heading West!

First to greet New Brunswick

Quebec City, Quebec
When I drove off the ferry around 7 p.m., it was a beautiful evening so I drove as long as I could.  We made it to Fredricton, New Brunswick and spent another evening at Walmart.  On Monday, 6/30 I drove six hours on highway 2 around the northern tip of Maine and stopped at an RV park located across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City.  The park offers shuttle service to the ferry which was my best option to get into Quebec City.  As soon as I crossed the border of New Brunswick and Quebec, all signs and billboards turned to French.  I felt like I left North America and arrived in France!  Shortly after setting up at Camp Transit RV Park, I met Elke.  She is a 70-year old German who shortly after starting our conversation, offered to take me into QC the next day with her and her husband, Kit.  She invited Trooper and me to her site and we spent the next several hours sharing our stories over a bottle of wine.  Elke and Kit live in White Rock, BC and were en route to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Wonderful new friends, Elke and Kit

Tuesday, 7/1 “Canada Day” was spent with Elke and Kit exploring Quebec City.  The provincial capital was founded in 1608 making it Canada’s oldest city.  The ominous looking Chateau Frontenac grew more colossal as the ferry got closer.  This hotel was designed by American architect Bruce Price as one of the “chateau” style hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th early 20th centuries.  It is recognized as the most photographed hotel in the world.  

Quebec City from across the St. Lawrence River in Levi

Getting closer...

The infamous hotel making quite a photo

Interesting perspective of the walled city

Quebec City is one of the oldest European settlements in North America and is the only city north of Mexico whose walls still exist.  Lower Town is located on the water and is reminiscent of walking through a quaint European village with its stone walkway and distinct architecture while Upper Town sits on top of Cape Diamond promontory.  One of the first things I saw were animal skins hanging out of windows which took me back a bit until Kit explained that fur trading played a critical role in Quebec’s history.  It was extremely hot and humid but despite the sweat beading on all of our faces, we spent several hours walking through the streets of the old and new.  

Enjoying the company!

Inside Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame de Quebec

No idea what this store sells but a photo was necessary

Lower Town (can you spot the wolf skin?)

Beautiful flowers everywhere 

Just like being in Europe

Beautiful mural in Lower Town 

Instant difference in Upper Town

Remnants of the walled city

Vibrant statue tucked away in an alley

Happy to see Starbucks made it into Chateau Frontenac

Parliament

Before heading back on the ferry, we stopped at Le Petit Cochon Dingue to try Poutine (pronounced poo-tin in Quebec).  Poutine is a signature dish in this part of the country; even McDonald’s has it on their menu.  We all ordered the poutine with duck confit and cheese curds.  I ignored the caloric intake and enjoyed every bite of what may be one of the best comfort foods ever invented!

Delicious!

Sweet and energizing end to the Poutine

That evening, we celebrated Canada Day with a bottle of champagne from Elke’s daughter and spent hours exchanging our thoughts and recommendations on where the other was headed.  I couldn’t stop raving about Alma and Cape Breton, and was very envious of their plans to visit Newfoundland (I passed due to the long and costly ferry ride but am anxiously awaiting their stories and photos).  They wished to give me better news but they warned me that “the prairies are long, flat and boring” (I didn’t realize Manitoba and Saskatchewan were prairies).  Perhaps I will put PattyWaggin on cruise control and look forward to getting to the Canadian Rockies earlier than planned.  I have been blessed on this trip with meeting people who quickly became friends.  Elke and Kit are two of these people.  I instantly felt like family and enjoyed their sense of humor, kindness and wisdom.  Elke taught me a great lesson that I can’t see and do everything on my journey so accept where my heart takes me, enjoy the places I am fortunate enough to visit, and let everything else go… oh, and HAVE FUN!  I look forward to seeing them when we are all back in the Pacific Northwest.  

Parc National de la Mauricie, Quebec

I was sad to part ways with Elke and Kit, but Wednesday morning they continued East and I West.  I wasn’t ready to leave Quebec so I drove about 2.5 hours northwest to Parc National de la Mauricie just outside St. Jean-Piles.  I stopped for gas and directions along the way and was surprised to find that only French was spoken.  We did the best we could communicating with my atlas and the manager was kind enough to draw a map of his own.  When I arrived at the park, I was told that dogs are not allowed on any trail and must remain at the campsite or on roads.  I also learned that dogs are not allowed in any park in the province that is not part of Parks Canada (federally owned land).  I scratched Quebec off our “potential new homes” list.

I like my new office space

The few days I was in the park, the weather cooled down quite a bit giving me a day to leave Trooper behind (not by choice) and explore Trail #14.  The hike was dense, raw and challenging in places but I enjoyed exploring a small piece of southern Quebec forests.  There were signs informing me that a bear was in the area so I was relieved to meet a friendly woman also hiking alone.  She moved from France to Montreal a couple of years ago and was pleased to practice her English.  I was pleased to meet a friendly companion.  My experience in the campground was unlike anywhere else I have been.  Typically, campers have an unspoken camaraderie that frequently leads to conversation and story-sharing.  This was not my experience in Quebec.  The few times I smiled or waved at fellow campers, I received no response at all.  The dog policies, language barrier and aloofness helped me decide to make Parc National de la Mauricie my last stop in Quebec.  

There are so many pristine lakes

Nice view from the top of hike #14

Wildlife?

My hiking buddy using the ropes

Check out the baby pine cones

More dragonflies

More wildlife

Selfie overlooking Lac Solitaire 

Lac Solitaire and Lac de Chevaux

Final Thoughts
“Should”.  A word that I am removing from my vocabulary.  I’ve used it as long as I can remember and typically it’s in the context of beating myself up over something I “should” have done or somewhere I “should” have gone.  In my quiet days at Parc National de la Mauricie, I thought a lot about this word and had a small revelation.  When I use the word “should”, it takes me back in time,  assumes regret and discredits the experience.  I am going to replace it with the words “next time”.  This honors the experience, keeps me in the present moment, and implies continuous improvement (thank you Corporate America for your buzz words).  After experimenting with this, I’m hooked!  A simple change in vernacular lightens the mood and keeps me moving forward.  The next time the word “should” comes out of your mouth, stop yourself and replace it with “next time”.

Thanks and until next time…