LONG TRIP ALONG NORTH SIDE OF ST. LAWRENCE RIVER

[peterbaron]

The trip is scheduled for 5 day along with my friend Stan ('07, BMW, R1200 GS).
We often go for long distance rides, while our wives enjoy "freedom" without us.

Day 1, 1100 km
Was mostly HWY 401 ride to Quebec City. We took off from Toronto at 5 AM and near Kingston, ONT., got caught in heavy rain , so we have to leave 401, and stop on unknown side road. To our surprise we ended up nowhere to hide, and unable to ride due to restricted visibility, we were standing like two mushrooms awaiting rain end. The rain was he**, and invaded us suddenly. After 30 min , we return to 401 and continue riding, hoping for a better weather for the rest of that day. Somewhere before our destination, 50 km before Quebec city, all three broke loose: he**, haven and mother earth, pounding us with never seen before rain...so we stopped on hwy shoulder with 4 way flashers on...visibility through helmet = 20 meters, sea of water.., speed dropped to 40 km/h, there was no sky, just darkness as far as we could see....another 35 min wasted before resuming our ride.
If you think taking shower with full motorcycle gear, including helmet is rain, than you are very wrong, it is just a drizzle.
Finally in a motel, last room... around 6 PM
Hair dryer was running 1/2 a night to dry out Stan's boots and gloves. I just had slightly wet inside of my helmet thanks to my Triumph rain gear and water resistant gloves Klim. No pics this day

Google Maps

 

[Offroad]

Hope the rest of your trip goes better!

 

[Nortoon_imp]

If you get caught like that again on the 401, stop and look for Highway 2. It is a slower 2-lane highway with less traffic and more scenery because it often runs right beside the St. Lawrence River. It will runs from Lancaster (half way between Montreal and Cornwall) to Kingston.

 

[the Ferret]

Sounds like an exciting first day lol

 

[peterbaron]

If you get caught like that again on the 401, stop and look for Highway 2. It is a slower 2-lane highway with less traffic and more scenery because it often runs right beside the St. Lawrence River. It will runs from Lancaster (half way between Montreal and Cornwall) to Kingston.

We did, and came back on 401 after rain due to no time and long distance travels.

 

[peterbaron]

Day 2, part 1, 450 km

Google Maps:

Dried out, we raid again from Quebec City to Baie Comeau, with hundreds of curvy roads , valleys & hills, easy to cruise with max allowable speed +. Beautiful and unforgettable scenario.... not too many pictures taken when in motion and running away from rain

Weather was good, so we cannot complain as day before but we change tactics as well in order to stay dry. When rain was upcoming, we stopped for 1/2 hr few times and rode again. This took us longer time than planned. But what the heck.

Suddenly our road ended and a small ferry took us and other travellers, one red Wing, across the bay to nearby shore, fast, quick and reliable = at no charge

In green pants = me = cooked in rain gear

Stan and his BMW

Red Wing squeezed in

 

[Cormanus]

Looks wonderful, pb.

 

[peterbaron]

Looks wonderful, pb.

 

[KiowaEagle_imp]

Great pics! Keep ahead of that rain. :biker:

 

[peterbaron]

Great pics! Keep ahead of that rain. :biker:

In order to do this , we have to shorten our trip by one day ....and keep speeding to get home ahead of rain

 

[peterbaron]

Day 2, part 2, 60 km ferry crossing

So we ended up in Baie Comeau, QUE, and had to take a 2.5 hr ferry journey across the St. Lawrence River to Matane, QUE. Ferry takes about 180 vehicles and up to 64 ton truck. There was only one truck, and had to pay about C$800 for this trip..do not know if taxes included...:rofl:

We arrived a bit earlier and had to wait 3 hrs.

There were several motorcycles, two Hondas, one Suzuki & BMW and rest were Harleys. Here there is , an C$800 truck

Ferry's 6th floor, ticket counter and our seats

A look trough the window.

...behind ferry's propellers

...waiting for take off after crossing. Me in the white jacket

...and beautiful sunset was awaiting us on the Southern shore of the St. Lawrence River at Matane, 8:30 PM

..then we suddenly fall sleeping after magic liquid entered out stomachs

 

[the Ferret]

Man, that must be some ferry.. 6 floors? Ii's beautiful inside.

 

[rotor]

I see motorcycles are not tied down in any fashion. Are the waters always calm in the Bay of St. Lawrence? It is an inland water-body; but still, strikes me as odd. For instance, they provide tie-down equipment across the lake Michigan, a similar length crossing, and a similar long, elongated inland water-body.

 

[emptysea]

Looks like it's shaping up to be quite a trip. Keep the postcards coming!

 

[peterbaron]

To Ferret,
For sure there were 2-3 passenger floors and 2 for cars..

To E-Sea,
They told us to keep all bikes on side stands, I didn't even see any straps hanging there...

To Rotor,
One more jump to get home

 

[peterbaron]

Last day, 1200km

Matane to Toronto

Google Maps

Last jump..... dashing through HWY 20 and 401 with no rain....

...short brake on our way home...

....happy to be back home

...and taking bath after journey


Sorry, no pic of speedometer