A Few More Miles to Go, Part 2 (14B)

Photos From Along the Way to Fredericton

On the road early, pointing toward Riviere du Loup

I packed my bike early after a hostel breakfast - toast and coffee - at a friendly, convenient hostel in Trois-Rivieres. I enjoyed my brief visit there as much as my one-night-stop in Kingston the day before.

The distance between Trois-Rivieres and Riviere Du Loup was under 400 km. so I imagined a relatively easy day of riding. And I was right.

I stayed on the two-lane south shore highway for the most part and made several stops beside the shores of the St. Lawrence. I arrived at my hostel - in an older, centrally located, historic looking building - by mid-afternoon (with about 100+ new photos), and found a grocery store nearby with a few lovely salads, rolls, and beers I had never seen before.

"I know how to fix that!" I said, and mumbled my way through the grocery line with a few words of French and my usual "I only speak English' excuse.

More Photos from Day 3, to Riviere Du Loup:

The Trans-Canada highway was not far away but I liked two lanes

and an easier pace.

An over-packed bike, but we're doing well.

Rain ahead? I missed the storm by riding ahead of it.

Cheap real estate, with river view!

A birdhouse builder. I saw lots of purple martin houses.

Small towns have very large churches.

Rest stop, again beside the south shore of St. Lawrence

I was tempted to stop for coffee here, ended up at a nearby bakery instead.

Artsy fartsy

Heading toward Saint-Germain-de-Kamouraska, QUE.

Front door of hostel in Riviere Du Loup

Ornate woodwork, up my alley

Quiet room for a snooze, but I put on shorts to go shopping, sight-seeing.

Early Montreal Canadiemmes?

A building across the street from my hostel's balcony, similar size.

Looks like a 1964-ish VW, like one I once owned.

Last photo from Riviere Du Loup.

Staff at the hostel put out breakfast items and after cereal and toast and coffee I took my gear out the kitchen/side door and loaded up my bike.

I was soon on my way to Grand Falls and a trip along the St. John River on my way to Fredericton, my next stop at another welcoming hostel.

Good views along the Trans-Canada as I approach grand Falls

At Grand Falls I select a secondary route that takes

me south near or beside the St. John R.

Great cheeseburger at Carl's

Not the longest covered bridge I encountered but still an adventure

Longest covered bridge in New Brunswick, if not the entire universe

I enjoyed the long curves on the Trans-Canada Highway

I will soon be off the bike and enjoying a walk-about

in Fredericton for the first time. 

More photos of more highway and more Canadian scenery will follow.

Please link to The Long and Short Of It - More Photos (12B)

Photos by GH

The Long and Short Of It - More Photos (12B)

From London to Kingston and Trois-Rivieres, June 8 - 9, 2010

I left London early and heavily loaded with more gear than I really needed.

In order to bypass the 401 I headed north east toward Stratford and angled my way toward Orangeville and Newmarket.

I stopped in a wee hamlet near Dorking - go find that on a map! - for a sip of coffee, then headed to Arthur for lunch. After a stop at Tim Horton's I aimed for Kingston via secondary roads.

 I am looking west while stopped in Welcome. Yes, that's a place north of 401

 After gassing up, I headed south of 401 and followed lakeshore highways to Kingston

 Skweek House, a welcoming hostel, not far from Queens University

 Looking south to a lovely park in Kingston

 Gord is heading downtown to find a lovely pub and work on his journal

 Looking toward the St. Lawrence while walking downtown

 Every second house was built long ago but looked very well-kept

 Outside the Kingston Brewing Company. Trade my bike for the truck?

 From my bar stool I can see a bit of the brewery

 A solid door hides the refrigerated kegs of beer

 Solid brass port-hole. Navy boys would be familiar with such things

 Behind the frosted glass I find the kegs

I think it's fair to say, after reviewing the above photos and my notes, that I walked home from the Kingston Brewing Co. filled w good food and drinks and pleasant thoughts related to my motorcycle journey to bury my father at sea.

And on the way home to Sqweek House I had the notion to stop and photograph this piece of iron embedded in a Kingston resident's front step - with one idea stuck in my head:

Thot: "Check yer shoes, Gordie. If you've stepped in a mud pie
you can scrape it off right here."

No mud pies. And after a good sleep I was on the road early the next morning - in rain gear - on my way to Trois-Rivieres, QUE.

 Driving east along the St. Lawrence R. "Do I know where I am? Yes"

 I stopped for the scenery and to take off rain pants. Rain only threatened

 No rain. Sip your coffee and move along.

 Gord and the back half of his reliable Yamaha

 Morrisburg for lunch at Tim Horton's.

 The Tim's card my wife gave me, came in very handy

 At a rest stop not far from Trois Rivieres, I think!

 This building is opposite my hostel in Trois Rivieres (and similar in appearance)

 The view from my hostel's 2nd-floor balcony

Looking left from balcony. Groceries for supper nearby

I took 100s of photographs with my new pocket camera and wish I had taken more, don't you? : )

On my next trip to Halifax in 2014 I took more than one camera and ended up with a very large photo collection. Someday I will tackle that file and you'll be the first to know.

For more details about this leg of the journey please link to The Long and Short of It (12A)

Please link to I Take Me A Trip (13A) for information about the next leg of the long ride.

Photos GH