Day 20 - F**king rain!
When I woke up, a bit early due to the hour I gained changing from Atlantic to Eastern time, it wasn't bad out, just some light drizzle and I felt OK for the day ahead.
By the time I got outside with straps and bags, it was raining solid and I put some layers on to not start wet.
Well, once I started riding... it was pouring rain, driving wind and I was sharing the highway with drivers who liked cutting right in front of me and covering me in additional heavy spray on top of the rain that was falling. I'd seen 46 F on the bike thermometer when I started, it 'warmed up' to 50 F (i.e. 10 C) during the ride.
I pushed hard, trying to stretch my tank as far as possible, feeling myself get wetter and wetter. My feet were 'squishing' in the boots, my hands were wet through the 'winter' gloves and all my heated vest was the only thing keeping me from having to pull over and stop riding.
I got past Quebec City, and the forecast had said things were supposed to improve weather wise closer to Montreal.
They lied.
It kept dumping down.
Crossing the last bridge out of Montreal I could see 'white caps' on the river, that's how strong the wind was.
Just about out of Quebec and the dumping continued, I pulled off to get gas and visit a Timmies to get warm, but the Timmies was closed. Drive through only
I was done, close to shivering. So, I decided just to cross into Ontario and find somewhere to stay as soon as possible.
On the way out of Quebec I flipped the 'Leaving Quebec' sign the bird.
But then, within another 5 minutes it stopped raining. And got much lighter towards the horizon!
So I rode on, and stopped at a Tim Horton's in Renfrew to finally get a small bite to eat (I'd not had any real food yet and it was after 2 pm).
And I met Tim (hope I got the name right

). Just when I was really needing to chat with a real rider!
We must have talked for 20 minutes or more, sharing stories of long trips, him telling me about some riding in Ont, comparing stories of riding in the states etc.
Great guy, really good to meet him and share stories.
Note the great motorcycle only parking!
I had a coffee and a muffing and decided to ride to Pembroke where I'd found an affordable Motel. Sure, I was still in soaked boots and socks, but I had fresh (dry!) gloves on and it was sunny and I was feeling much better.
Got a room and the heat wasn't working (it was shut off because normally by this time people need AC, not heat) but I got a little space heater, which was perfect, I pointed it at my boots to help dry them out (I'd also stuffed paper into the toes and set them outside in the wind as soon as I arrived).
Since I was pretty bushed, I walked to the closest food, Little Caesar's, and got a pizza.
Was it good? Well, it tasted great given I was starved and it was warm!
I went to bed early, just taking some minor notes on the computer about the day.
The return trip was off to a helluva start...
Stats:
Total km: Not 100% sure as I didn't take a photo of the GPS that night
Daily km: about 650
Wildlife spotted: 1 wild turkey in a field away from the road. Quebec drivers (many)
Spirits: Decidedly mixed, very low in the morning, improved in the afternoon. But the forecast was not looking very good, I'd be battling more weather based on what I was seeing...