Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Through Gaspe, Perce and to Dalhousie, New Brunswick

Today we rode mostly with cloudy periods and some sun sprinkled in between. It was a very relaxing day of riding even with the usual summertime construction slow downs. Up on the northeast tip of the Gaspe Peninsula,
were more outstanding winding, hilly roads, Forillon National Park or Land's End...lots of fun and beautiful!
Continuing along HWY 132, we stopped in Perce, QC and had to visit Perce Rock. We didn't take the boat tour,  but walked along the shore and the dock! I absolutely love the scent of the sea breeze and the sounds of all the birds.
WHOA!!the wind almost took my hair right off.

Our day was very peaceful and we saw so many quaint, colorful, houses with seaside flowers blowing in the breeze. The time went so fast because of all the interesting little villages all along the shore. 

We are staying at the Best Western in Dalhousie tonight, Alice, the front desk manager, is exactly what I pictured in "down east" hospitality!! She gave us premium parking for our bikes--sheltered at the front door.  With love and warmth, Alice told us everything the hotel offers and showed us the dining room . I love that she takes her job so seriously!!!  I think it's raining right now, oh well, we have rain gear  for tomorrow :) 

I could never tire of this view!

See you all soon!!


Have tire, will travel!

Monday July 25  (couldn't post on Monday due to no internet)

Our morning began with nervous butterflies as we got ready to beat the crowd at Harley Davidson, Cote-du-Nord, QC. (Baie-Comeau) We were ready by 7:30 and went for a coffee and light breakfast, then waited for the doors to open so we could bee-line it to the service counter.
Here is where I,  Caroline,  pull out all the stops with my french!! Asking the sweet young man if there was any chance a rear tire is in stock to fit my motorcycle. Jim and I try not to look too panic- stricken, as Gilles delicately tells us there are no tires at the store and parts only get delivered on Wednesday :(

As the service team try to pull ideas together, they come up with a non-Harley tire that may work but it's at another store down the road and may take 1/2 hour to arrive and still no guarantee of it fitting. At this point our only choice is to hope for the best and say "go for it" .  Keep in mind, we must catch the ferry back to Matane, QC which leaves at 2:00 and then 8:00.  The tire is a fit and we are out at 11:00 to catch the ferry!!


Still having to wait for 3 hours to board, we find out there are no reservations left for getting on the ferry...we can only wait in the "non-reservation" line and again we make on at the last minute. Once we are on land again it's 5:00 and decide to ride for just over an hour then find a motel.  Turns out our plan got reworked as there were no vacancies.

But,  OH THE SCENERY is worth every moment .
After resigning ourselves to the possibility of riding all the way to Gaspe, we come upon a beauty of a Motel called Hotel- Motel Bon Accueil, in Riviere-la-Madeleine on HWY 132. Not only is there a room for us,  but the rate is  $75., it''s very clean, plus the best meal we've had in a restaurant in a long time. We also have an outstanding view of the St. Lawrence.