Day 6, August 25, Lake ?, Quebec, 238 miles.
Its 9pm (10pm really) and raining outside (outside the tent, that is). Tiffany Milagro is playing on my iPad, the dogs are deep in sleep next to me, exhausted from all the new sights and smells they experienced today, and I'm going to spend a few minutes making some random notes on an exhausting day that started at 330 when I got up to catch the ferry. I hope I get to post this in Labrador City tomorrow, our destination.
We are camped on a deserted beach overlooking a magnificent lake and wildlife preserve in Quebec. This was actually my hoped-for destination, but I didn't quite recall where it was. All I recall from my 2002 stay here with Leben and Erde was that it was about 8 hours north of Baie Comeau, at the end of a secluded cutoff from highway 389. I spent at least an hour today stoping at numerous other cutoffs think they were what I was looking for, and finally I found it, 5 minutes past my deadline of 5pm to be at a campsite. I cannot believe how lucky we were in 2002 to find this spot on the first try since there are virtually no other interesting places to pitch a tent in seclusion and with a great view. This view is not just great, it is magnificent, as I hope my photos will show when I get them uploaded. As I scan the beach here from left to right looking out onto the lake, there is not a single light anywhere. There is not a person for miles. The only sounds are from the occasional vehicle, hours apart. The only negative thing about this place is the black flies. No sooner had we arrived when I swear I heard one in the distance shout, People! a hundreds of them were on us in seconds. They are a nuisance, but one adjusts. Fortunately, there was a good cool wind, which somehow makes them flee somewhere. But that wind also blew my tent away 20 feet as I try to set it up, a price I am willing to pay.
The Defender held up again today so I hope that is the rule from here on but I will say this. If I was still experiencing that unknown overheating problem, I would had turned back many miles down the road. I had forgotten how difficult these dirt and gravel roads can be. And boy were they difficult, especially in the rain that hit us most of the day once we started the climb north to the 53rd parallel. I would not take any other vehicle on this road, especially for what I do, like explore these dirt cutoffs for good camping sites. Unfortunately, at one point I got out to take a photo of the road ahead, and put the car in neutral. No sooner had I stepped out, the car started to role down the long hill. I got in just in time. Apparently, my emergency brake, which I just had fixed in June failed. So much for my good luck holding.
The defender may have held up, but my tent did not. In haste to put the tent up, one of the critical poles bent and then split right down the middle. Fortunately, I was able to repair it, but if that did not work, the tent is so critical that I brought along another set of poles. And if they broke, I brought along an extra tent.
Without going into all the details, and there are many, another (and there many others) unfortunate thing today was that poor Erde had an accident in the car today. It was not her fault because one of my rules is to make sure they are walked every three hours or so, and it had been 6 hours when the accident occurred. Again, it was my own fault for breaking my own rules. Somehow I forgot why I have them.
What I find amazing about these trips is that while I hate driving the 220 miles to New York, each day I am driving at least that and I don't mind it a bit. I think the reason is that these roads are new to me, absolutely magnificent to see, and I never know what surprises are ahead.
I am going to turn in now. After 18 hours and what we had to go through today on these roads, I think I deserve a rest, just like the dogs.
Edi
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