Chemin Des Cantons (The Townships Trail)

Destination ICE-CREAM! We were told that the dairy in Coaticook has the best ice-cream around,  so by 10:30 am ice-cream was in mouth.

Then a drive by their "Gorge" with another covered bridge and back through town. Has a brewery also but, too early to start that.

Check out the lantern light standard

Lac Lyster, Mont Pinacle in the background 

Then down the roads, over some hills and a couple of gravel road. Yes on the bike. These gravel roads were excellent.. Hard packed and smooth, better than the paved roads with cracks across them. Found Georgeville... Liked the name because of our grandson.

For our Grandson

I like old tractors, this one is well used

Cool wheels

Saw a large majestic building across the lake so had to go into Magog and around to the west side of the lake. Found the Abbaye,  Saint-Benoit-du-lac. Founded in 1912, this Abbey has been upgraded and 1994 the church was built. Fabulous architecture merges old tradition with new technology.

Take a moment to expand the pictures and view the structure. Fabulous!

Sappy Day

Skies threatening in the morning with the odd sprinkle so we spent the morning catching up on things. Ventured out into Sherbrooke and no sooner than getting gas and the skies opened up. Saw a church with a covered entrance, bee lined it for cover. Paster waved us in. Chatted with him until the rain shower past and low and behold, he was stationed in Chilliwack with the military in the 70s.

Skies brightened so we went to purchase Maple Syrup from a local farmer in Fitch Bay. Christine's grandparents lived in Fitch Bay. Gorgeous countryside, rolling hills, speckled with small dairy farms of about 100-300 head, beautiful lakes, good pavement, just down right nice riding.

Found the farm Christine had wanted the syrup from and the farmer allowed us to drive through the fields to view the sugar shack area. Then back to the farm house to purchase. Very cool!

Suger Shack and clarifier building

hoses between the trees that you read about

Tree with tap taken out, only tapped in the early spring

Clarifier that renders sap down to make Maple syrup

A case in the trunk

View from near sugar shack

Lac Lovering

More riding, more sights, gorgeous area, we rode down to the border and onto a rode that is half in Vermont and half in Canada, called Rue Canusa. Go figure. USA houses had driveways onto this road. The town looks very casual and quaint.

Famous house with a "witch weather vane

Closer look reveals a crow on chimney. How fitting

I liked the pic

Covered bridge at the narrows of Fitch Bay

 and Lac Memphremagog

To Magog

With every great visit, there is always goodbye. We packed up this morning and Randy gave me his Maritine's trip itinerary as Randy, Vivian, Danny are meeting up with his brothers in 3 weeks and motorcycling Nova Scotia, PEI and the Gaspe'.  We are hoping to meet up with them and ride together for a day or 2.

Lots of fun, great people, we will miss them until we meet again. Many thanks for all of their hospitality.

Headed east to Magog, Quebec. Just below Montreal, the sky opened up on us reducing our visibility so much, 50kph with the flashers on was our top speed. Lucky we were in the truck and not on the bike.  After that, clear sailing. Arrived at our destination about 4pm with threatening skies. We are hunkered down for now with rain falling. 

Another great ride.

After Vivian got home from babysitting, we saddled for another wonderful motorcycle tour by Randy.
Took us through Ottawa and across into Quebec. Up a nice road to Wakefield to see this picturesque little town and a restored covered bridge across the Gatineau River.

Another ferry ride across the Ottawa River

Down some more roads in search of poutine. Place was closed so we headed for home. Arrived back to their place,  had a beer because it was very warm and we were thirsty. Danny and Karen came over, (they were thirsty too) and Jerry and Debra Potter showed up also, because, you guessed it, they were thirsty also. Turns out Jerry worked with Bob, (Vivian's brother) years ago.

Walked to a local pub for dinner. 

Maintenance Day,

Cleaned the motorcycle, changed the oil and filter on the the truck, and changed the tires on the motorcycle trailer. Drank beer.

Julie did laundry.

Randy watched, puttered around, made dinner (Mmmmm) and gave moral support.. (Got me beer).

After lunch, Phil from next door invited us over to taste (you guessed it) beer. Phil has built and upgraded 3 brewery systems, complete with a controller panel to control the heat, duration and circulation of the brews. Then built his own cooler where the mixture ages until perfect. Then he took a deep freeze and converted it to a beer cooler where the kegs are kept at the perfect drinking temperature. He says his beers can last over a year in this cooler. The cooler has been plumbed for CO2 and Nitrogen to keep the beer fresh. Yes he has won awards for his beer at large brew contests. I am no expert, but this was the best beer I have tasted. Julie like it too and she doesn't drink beer.

Vivian went to their daughter's to babysit their grandson, ended up being for the night.

Watch a series with Randy called "Complicated". It was..

Great day in the heat, beer helped.

Motorcycle ride day

Randy and Vivan toured us around the countryside on our bikes. Great day of riding the outskirts of Ottawa. Mostly flat roads, but Randy found curves and rolling hills in this region. Very warm, about 32ºC and sunny. Got back to their place, drank beer and relaxed in the heat. Danny and Karen (Randy and Vivian's neighbours and good friends) joined us for dinner. Great Day!

Ottawa, Parliament buildings

Randy, Vivian toured us around the nations' capital today. Gave us a Royal Tour. Totally amazing how large our parliament buildings are and how beautiful the architecture is. Totally impressed.

Lots of restoration work being done

Excellent Architecture

Fairmount Hotel

More locks

Beginning of the Rideau Canal, 8 flight locks

Chinatown

Sink hole in the middle of the city

Randy, Vivian and yours truly in front of the Rideau Canal entrance