July 7th, 2017, Day 47, Munro Lake to Robyn-Noranda, Quebec. 124km

Dark, overcast, cloud covered skies. Thick, water sodden foliage. Pools of rainwater. We woke up to the prospect of a cool to cold and soggy day. The wind was undecided, swirling from the east, from the north, every which way.  My spirits were low as we left the very homey cabin  we’d nestled into the night before. I wore my old MEC windbreaker over my ever worn merino wool pullover and my merino wool long underwear over my biking shorts. The pullover and pants are like a uniform; there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wear them. If Costco sells them again, I’m going to buy them in bulk as they are as durable as you can get, not to mention fashionable and all around good-looking. Ha!

Chick drove us the very long road to the highway.  He had been especially delighted to have Charlie there last night, and the two of them spent a long time talking. Man talk, I guess. Marilyn and he are wonderful people. Here we were, Marilyn and I, sitting side by side in the waiting room at the hospital. Who would have guessed that Charlie and I would end up at their home as guests that night!?

Yesterday we had abandoned our plans for following the number 11  highway to North Bay, in favour of the unknown but recommended secondary roads in Ontario and Quebec.

The roads…ahhh.., the roads! Hardly any traffic and great, expansive, smooth shoulders. Never mind that we were under a threatening sky with rain-infused mist and wind gusts…. It was peaceful. We could talk. We could breathe and best of all, actually look around!

Mining trucks passed us every now and then, swinging wide into the empty opposing lane to not infringe upon us. There are several mining companies in the area. They mine for gold, in both open and closed pit mines. The industries up here are mining, gold and lithium, logging, and pulp and paper. And everyone you talk to loves, loves, to hunt and fish!!!

Quebec! Oh yes, we crossed into Quebec. I was SO happy to say goodbye to Ontario, even though we will be dropping south and back into Ontario in order to see Geri and Les Philp, friends since I was a teenager. I actually dated Les’s brother, Jim, for 3 or 4 years back then. Jimmy was a someone I’ll never forget. I loved him very much but did not love his lifestyle and we parted ways when I was about 21, he 24. Jim died this past February, of a massive heart attack while he was on vacation in Turks and Caicos. (I probably spelled that wrong.)  I look forward to seeing Les and Geri. They’re special.

Crossing out of Ontario and into Ontario demanded a special celebration, and Charlie and I did just that by posing for pictures and then devouring all 8 of the chocolate chip cookies Marilyn had sent with us. “They have oatmeal I them, so they’re healthy.” Healthy, my foot! But they were delicious!!! 

Robyn-Noranda. Ever heard of it? Me neither. But here it is, a thriving city of 45,000 way up north, north of Val D’Or even!  We rode through it looking for a camping area we had been assured existed down by the lake, mid-town. Nope, not there but there was an area especially for RV’s, also by the lake and not too faraway.

What luck! It was a perfect spot to camp, the skies had cleared and there was a grocery store just up the way.  Dinner was roast chicken and some packaged salads. Yum! Full, we returned to the camping area we’d spied out and we setup our tent, with me spouting about all the reasons why I HATE camping. Dirty, bugs, too hot, too cold, too wet, too, too, too!!!!! Anyway, we soon fell asleep, despite all the “too’s” and slept for 9 undisturbed hours. Who can complain? Really?!