I started missing all you guys my new friends Quebecois almost as soon as I left GEO's maison in QC. No more laughs. No more Rickard and vin rouge after a long day's ride. Bummer. So, let's do another ride next year! I'm up for it.
Oh. On my way home I stopped by a cemetery and gave Le Chameau a proper Christian burial.
I had gotten so accustomed to being outdoors that I drove nearly all the 1,100 miles home to Chicago with all the windows and sunroof open.
This was truly an EPIC RIDE. I've been doing adventure trips now for awhile and it has started to sink in just what an amazing adventure we all experienced. Think about: Route du Nord, James Bay Highway, Trans-Taiga and dozens of challenging forest roads ALL IN THE SAME JOURNEY! AMAZING!
From my heart, thanks to Martin/SOCRATE for his leadership and tolerant nature.
To you all, my soul has been nurtured again for being a part of something special, seeing kindness and concern for others on a daily basis. In my experience this sort of thing is very rare.
Jacques, GEO, Socrate, Coco, Cowdoc et al thanks for being so patient with my command of the Quebecois/French language.
GEO again thanks for your wonderful hospitality. Please come visit us in Chicago.
I too was amazed by GEARBRAIN/JOSIE (sp?)'s hospitality at their lakeside Chalet. A true highlight. After nearly freezing (again) in a daylong cold rain.
HIGHLIGHTS: first the camaraderie...then seeing firsthand the sub-arctic lands of the Trans-Taiga region...the belvedere Jacques and I climbed to see the amazing topography of the Far North...the dessert table at Brisay...taking a nap during a thunderstorm under a covered table off the James Bay Highway...listening to the inspiring lyrics of the chansons de MARYSE...finding a rainsuit in Chibougamau...THANK GOD FOR PIERRE aka Steve Mc Queen or I and Le Chameau would still be in lovely Parent...riding for 20 miles through technical two-track without a clutch!...and remembering I had zip-tied A SPARE CLUTCH CABLE TO MY BIKE SOME YEARS AGO...watching Coco/Bernard expertly roll away from his high-sided BMW GS in a nasty soft section of the Trans-Taiga...and getting his bike back on the road...witnessing true teamwork as all of us calmly dealt with Eric's nasty get-off.
Sometime soon when my own version of events has been organized inside my head I will write a story.
Until then...and nedt year's ride...A Bientot.
Ted
