It rained all night, a real downpour but, lucky as always, the rain stopped when I woke up, leaving a fresh scent. Breakfast and ... hop ... I get on my beast for a new day. I go to Madoc, embark on the 7 and cross the Lester B. Pearson Peace Park. From here I walk along Algonquin Park.I have the impression that I am walking in La Mauricie Park. A little less hills and curves, but a much longer road and a perfect surface. In addition, the speed limit is easy to respect ... 80 km / h and, no police.In Kaladar, I turn left onto the 41.
In Ontario, special attention is paid to ... turtles.Sign for turtle crossings, fences to prevent turtles from going on the road, passages under the road reserved for turtles, protected ponds ...
In Pembroke I turn left again on the 17 and I walk along the Ottawa River, the natural border between Ontario and Quebec.Short stop at the Mattawa wharf, and I continue on the 533 towards Témiscaming. It looks like a "wooden path". The roadway is not very wide and ... less beautiful. It smells of Quebec.
Halfway through, little drops appear in my windshield, and every minute, the little drops are joined by several friends. It's when I see the first lightning that I decide to stop and dress accordingly to face the elements.
I am much better organized than during my trip to Gaspé peninsula. I now have quality rain gear. Quality, yes… but not faster to put on. Pants, boot covers, coat, gloves, suitcase covers… by the time I finish it rains cats and dogs.
I start my motorbike and ... stop 200 meters further. It's raining so hard I can't see a thing. So I decide to take shelter until the brunt of the storm has passed. For safety's sake, I bring Juliette to the side, unfold the kickstand, and make sure the floor is strong enough to support her weight and… that of my luggage. I shelter myself under a beautiful maple tree and watch nature run wild…. until …. I become a half-biker.
It is said that there are two kinds of bikers, those who drop it, and those who will drop it. Well, there is a third kind, the ones whose bike drop on its own. I made sure the ground was solid, but that was without counting the pouring rain that soaked the ground ... until it was no longer able to take Juliet. So I see her fall ... without being able to do anything about it
.
At the same time, the rain stops.I come out of my shelter and… I look at my poor darling sprawled on the muddy ground. I remember the technique of lifting a motorcycle, but it’s not possible. Everything is too slippery ...So I sit by the side of the path, until a car, driven by a giant accompanied by his family, stops when he see my arms sending out semaphore alphabet signals. In two steps three movements, Juliette is lift up. I am quickly back on the road, not without expressing my immense gratitude to my giant.
And that's where the adventure begins ...
First bend, a big branch blocks ¾ of the road ... next bend, two pretty partridges cut me in the way without worrying about me, next bend, a turtle tries to cross the road while avoiding the steel behemoths.
I finally arriv e in Letang where I will spend the night. Phew ... a whole day ... that ends well. In addition, apart from a few traces of mud, Juliette does not have any unpleasant memories of her adventure, the soggy ground having perfectly cushioned her fall.