Canada Archives - Page 2 of 9 - Our View From The Road

BC tourists

The early morning hours of Monday, June 2nd found Barb driving Kyra and myself to the Ottawa airport for our flight to British Columbia. We have a quick 4 day trip planned to visit my parents and do something touristy.

We were flying with Porter Airlines this time, taking advantage of their newly offered Ottawa – Victoria direct flight. Our seats were upgraded by the gate agent to exit-row seats which gave us a tonne of legroom during the 5 1/2 hour flight, which was wonderful and arrived on time at 11:00am PDT.

I like Victoria airport. It’s small and easy to move through. I got the rental car while waiting for our bags to arrive at the carousel. The timing was perfect and we only waited a few minutes for our bags after which a quick walk to the rental car lot had us out of the airport and on our way.

The Hyundai Kona would prove to be a great little runabout serving us well during the time we had it. Not flashy or overly powerful, it’s a simple people mover that does its job. The only missing feature was navigation meaning that we had to rely on our phones for not getting lost.

We picked up a few grocery items to take with us to my parent’s house and then got in-line for the ferry to Galiano Island. The almost 2 hour wait was enjoyed with a quick nap and time reading books. The 90min ferry ride allowed us to enjoy the Coastal BC scenery, something that I always enjoy. The ferry docked at Sturdies Bay at 6:00pm PDT as scheduled. It’s been a long day!

A short drive on the island from the ferry had us arriving at my parents home. Kyra had last visited 8yrs prior and noticed many changes about the garden.

The next 2 days were spent catching up and helping about the house. We grabbed a few photos of the many flowering plants and shrubs before saying our farewells and heading back to the ferry on Wednesday at noon.

Arriving back at the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal we disembarked and made our way to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. Time to be tourists and walkabout the beautiful gardens the climate here permits.

We are lucky, the gardens are not too busy today and we are able to take some wonderful pictures in an effort to capture the beauty of this place.

Completing our walkabout we grabbed an ice cream which we enjoyed in the shade. For both of us, this was our first time visiting and we both agreed that we’d return again.

We enjoyed a pub dinner before checking into a hotel for the night ahead of our return flight the next morning.

Departing for Victoria airport was as easy as arriving. Our flight departed on time and got us uneventfully back to Ottawa as scheduled in the evening where Barb was waiting for us to drive us home. It was a quick trip but one that we both really enjoyed.

Day 05: Going home

Another beautiful start to the day; however, the early sunny skies would be short-lived as Mother Nature was set to bring rain for the duration of the long-weekend. We had unwittingly chosen to camp during the nicest four days we’ve had this year to-date.

We packed up and left our campsite before 9:00am. A quick stop to dump the van tanks on our way out and we left Labelle both saying that we would return again as the stay had been relaxing and quiet.

The drive home followed the same route back towards Gatineau. The hills have greened up considerably over the past few days and it’s really now looking like Spring has arrived.

The drive into Gatineau and then Ottawa provides the nicest overview of our nations capital as you arrive at some elevation above the city which affords a fabulous view of the city. Crossing back into Ontario, also presents a great view of Parliament hill; however, it is currently under renovation and has two tower cranes attached which detract from the view somewhat.

Another adventure complete, we returned home and spent the afternoon unpacking the van and getting settled back in the house. Thanks for reading along and following us on our journeys. Hopefully we’ll be back on the road again shortly. 😎

Day 04: Looking for pastries

The day started with pancakes with real Maple syrup, eggs and bacon cooked on our outdoor griddle. Coffee accompanied the food in preparation for our second day of cycling on the P’tit train du Nord trail.

We again started at the old Labelle train station but headed North this time towards Macaza and Rivière-Rouge. We expected the trail in this direction to be a little quieter as we were heading further away from the Mont-Tremblant area and its tourists.

Today’s planned route was about 20km each way which would be about 10km longer than our first day of cycling, as such we were both hoping that our bodies would not complain too loudly at our efforts.

Arriving in Macaza we came across a wonderful old railway bridge that spanned the Rivière Rouge. It was a perfect spot for a few pictures.

Further up the trail we passed under the power lines that delivered electricity to the city of Montreal from the James Bay power stations in the Quebec north country. A few kilometres later we arrived in the town of Rivière-Rouge where we sought out and found La Boulangerie de Rivière-Rouge. Time for pastries!!

We sat at a picnic table adjacent to the trail to enjoy our freshly acquired Choclatines and Almondines. This is the purpose of cycling, right?

Our ride back to Labelle was enjoyable, but my body was complaining a lot by time we arrived back at the Bar P’tit Train du Nord where we once again enjoyed a beer and this time a sandwich as our ride ending reward.

Our two-day cycling adventure was now complete and a wonderful success. We both are looking forward to returning and riding other sections of this trail in the future. Riding in the shoulder-season (before or after Summer vacationers swarm the area) is relaxing and allowed us to really enjoy the scenery that nature offers us in this area.

For now we return to our campsite and rest ahead of our steak dinner which we have planned for tonight. The day after once again ends with us enjoying a movie on Netflix, this time ‘Back in Action’ starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. A lighthearted spy movie that kept us entertained throughout. 👍👍

Day 03: Relaxing at camp

Phew, the cycling took more out of us yesterday than we had anticipated. We slept in and watched some YouTube videos to start our day.

We then setup outside to enjoy the morning sunshine and relative cool air that was keeping the black flies at bay (for now).

We each had a book that we had brought and were hoping to spend some time reading. It seemed that today would be that day as we both became completely engrossed in reading.

I was starting the fourth in the Alex Cross series of books by James Patterson and by the end of the day would have it finished !!! Barb too completed her book shortly before dinner. We both attested our abilities to become so engrossed in the quietness of the campground.

We had planned on trying our new inflatable tandem kayak today, but decided that the relatively fast flowing river might not be the best place to experiment with a new device (even though our friends had offered to pick us up in Montreal if we got swept away!)

Tomorrow, we return to cycling but not before enjoying the movie ‘Exterritorial’ on Netflix. German subtitles, but an enjoyable movie. 👍👍

Day 02: Cycling to Mont Tremblant, & back

An early rise and light breakfast starts our first day of activities. Our plan today is to ride from Labelle to Mont Tremblant and back along the P’tit train du Nord. This is a 200km rail trail between St Jerome and Mont Laurier that is a very popular trail due to its ease of access and slight grades.

We would not be cycling the entire length of the trail; however, the nearly 20km each way today should be plenty for us to start with.

We headed out at about 10:30 and rode from the campground up to the old Labelle train station that acts as a waypoint along the trail.

My first surprise was that the trail is paved! I was expecting a stone dust trail but this section is freshly paved and 2.5m wide with great signage and wayfinding boards along the route telling you exactly where you are within the 200km route. Good job Quebec!

The ride was easy as it’s fairly flat and it was nice to be cycling away from traffic and the associated stresses and noise. We saw deer, turkeys, sheep (and companion dog) and a few other cyclists along our route to Mont Tremblant. As we passed along the shore of Lac Mercier we admired the homes/cottages that lined the lakeshore. A nice place to live if one could afford to do so.

In Mont Tremblant village we enjoyed a smoked meat sandwich at La Sandwicherie Cafe & Bistro while sitting outdoors on the patio in the sunshine. A perfect day for a bike ride through the mountains.

Our ride back from Mont Tremblant seemed easier is some ways and more difficult in others, not that it was a technically challenging ride at all; however, our out-of-shape bodies began to ache at the extended time in the saddle. We used the conveniently placed rest stops along to way as ‘butt breaks’ and we’re both looking forward to our reward awaiting in Labelle.

It was slightly uphill returning to Labelle, but our e-bikes (yes, we were cheating for all of you purists out there) easily handled any climbing required.

Once in Labelle, we stopped at Le Bar du P’tit train du Nord for a refreshment and ‘snack’. The resto/bar is located in the old Labelle train station directly adjacent to the trail with lots of bike racks for securing your rides while you enjoy some food and refreshments. There are also picnic tables for those carrying their own lunches as well as a playground for the kiddies.

Le Bar du P’tit train du Nord, Labelle, QC

We chose to sit on the deck and enjoy a draft beer and some Poutine as a snack, right. The beer was perfect & as I wrote above, a nice reward after the cycling. The poutine was delicious but not a snack, the serving was large and they did skimp on the cheese curds. Yummy!!

Returning to our campsite, we unpacked from our journey and spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing and napping. I cooked dinner on our outdoor grill and we retreated to the van early to avoid the ever growing number of biting black flies that were appearing.

If you’re interested in riding the trail, the following article describes the trail and amenities far better than I can. Go biking.ca – P’tit trail du Nord

Tomorrow? We have plans to take it easy and possibly try something new.

Day 01: To the Laurentian’s we go

So, here we are, it’s May 2025 and we’re heading out on our first van adventure of the year. Our destination, Labelle, QC. Specifically, the Camping Chutes aux Iroquois campground where we will be staying for four nights.

We headed through Ottawa, ON and into Gatineau, QC before heading East on Autoroute 50 towards Montebello and then turning Northwards on Rt 323 towards Mont Tremblant. Once reaching Mont Tremblant we turned Northwards onto Autoroute 117 for 15 min and arrived in Labelle, QC. The drive was wonderful and relaxing with the trees showing their early Spring colours as the leaves strain to open in the warm Spring air.

Arriving at the campground we entered using the key code that had been provided and drove directly to our site bypassing the registration office. Our grassy site, C5, is next to the Rivière Rouge and has a great view of the waterfall. The ground was a little uneven and it took a few attempts to level the van tour satisfaction.

After setting up we relaxed at camp for the afternoon before enjoying chicken wraps for dinner whilst discussing our plans for the next day. Early to bed as tomorrow is all about cycling.

Days 10 & 11: McLaren campground

This campground is amazing. It is quiet and the sites are so far apart that it feels as if we’re camping in park by ourselves. A must try if you have not.

No pictures from these last two days, we just took it easy visiting with friends and doing a few odd jobs to the campers. We were spoiled rotten as our campmates had Starlink internet which they shared with us as the campground had almost no cellular service and no WiFi. It allowed us to stay in touch with family and watch the odd YouTube video.

As with other trips, I provide the following stats for this that might be interested.

– 1534 total km
– 14.552 l/100km average fuel economy
– 67 km/hr average speed
– total drive time of 23:00 (hh:mm)
– approximately 223 litres of fuel consumed

Home now and the van is parked in what will be its new home on our property. We had a gravel pad installed while we were away and we have moved the ShelterLogic structure onto this pad. This frees up space in front of our garage and allows for easier parking and backing-out of the van when we need to use it. As you can see below we are waiting for the replacement cover to be delivered.

All for now, check back again for another exciting adventure.

Day 09: Return to Ontario

A cool morning awaited as we prepared to leave for the day and head back toward Ontario.

It was cold walk to the showers which were passable at best as they were tiny and old. Lots of hot water but no room to disrobe or move about easily while washing. A quick breakfast and then the tanks are dumped and garbage disposed of and we were on our way shortly after 9:00am.

We stopped a few km down the road at the Chez Marie Boulangerie. Built in 1652, the house is now home to the fourth generation of the Mercier family. The bread oven is now over 160 years old. We picked up a fresh white loaf and a few cheese danishes for a naughty snack along the road.

Built in 1652 the home of Chez Marie boulangerie.

Across the road from Chez Marie is a small stone structure that had a plaque on it indicating that it had been built in 1649 as a root cellar dug into the hillside.

We returned to route 40 and headed towards Quebec City. This time we were traveling around the city and that led us through a large construction zone in which we almost took a wrong turn. Phew.

On the correct route, we head towards to the Pierre Laporte bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence to Levis, QC.

Joining route 20, we turn towards Drummondville and encounter yet more construction. Only slight delays as the traffic is narrowed into a single lane and we pass a few paving crews. After an hour or so we arrive in Drummondville where we exit to fill up with fuel and groceries for the weekend ahead.

Returning to route 20 we pass through another construction zone before rejoining the highway. Construction seems to be the topic of the day.

More construction zones await us as we head towards Montreal, again not long delays just annoyingly more frequent than we would have liked. We leave route 20 and head West around Montreal on route 30 towards Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. We cross the St. Lawrence River again and pay the toll ($5.80) before rejoining route 20 and turning West towards Ontario.

We cross back into Ontario and join Hwy401 towards Cornwall, ON. However, yet more construction slows us again just 10km before our exit into the village of Long-Sault.

We drive onto the Long-Sault parkway that takes us to our destination, McLaren campground one of the parks of the St. Lawrence where we are meeting friends and are staying for 3 nights.

We enjoy a hamburger for dinner and enjoy the sunset before a campfire and then settling down for the night.

Day 08: Serene Tranquility

I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a campground as quiet as this one. Granted it is very quiet here with the mountain being closed until Thursday and all seasonal campers somewhere else it would seem. We slept in again and enjoyed a late brunch cooked on our griddle outdoors.

We both enjoyed some quiet time reading before going for a walk around the campground on a badly marked and mapped hiking trail.

The map was given to us by the campground host and included no details other than a coloured line on the campground map. As the area is criss-crossed by mountain bike/cross-country skiing trails, it was easy to get lost. Sure, the sports trails have signposts and maps but none referred to the hiking trails. There were a few inconsistent hiking markers but not enough to avoid getting lost.

Well it turns out that we didn’t exactly get lost, but we did navigate UP a single-track mountain bike trail where we were met by an upset cyclist who told us in no uncertain terms that we should not have been on that particular trail. I explained that there was a hiking marker at the bottom to which he shook his head and rode off. Oh well, no one was hurt.

As you can see by the few photos herein, Fall is setting in and the colours are changing. We soon returned to the campground and made our way past what is clearly across-country skiing clubhouse along with overly large parking lot and numerous ski trail signposts.

Back in camp we enjoyed some cheese & crackers ahead of a dinner of Mexican burritos. Now we’ve settled in by the campfire and will soon call it a night.

Tomorrow we will return to Ontario for one last camping location. Bonne nuit.

Day 07: Westbound and down…

Today’s post title courtesy of Jerry Reed (Cledus Snow, Smokey & the Bandit, 1977).

Another easy morning (& even foggier it turns out) as today we start our westward return journey towards home. The suns burns through the fog over land quite quickly, but the fog over the river persists until after we leave the campground at around 10:00am.

Our traveling companions have left ahead of us as they are taking the ferry from Les Escoumins to Trois-Pistoles on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. We, on the other hand are heading back the way we came, starting first with a crossing of the Saguenay River by ferry.

West of the ferry we decided to stay on route 138 past La Malbaie as it would provide different scenery and hopefully a less hilly route. We stopped briefly in Clermont for a quick snack and change of clothes as it was getting warmer than either of us had anticipated and thus the long-pants had to go and be replaced with shorts.

Some of the scenery was spectacular with views to the North across the mountains now beginning to show slight hints of Autumnal colours. We stopped in Baie-Saint-Paul for a few grocery items before proceeding out of town and up the hill at Le Massif (a gear grinder for truckers that’s for sure).

We turned off of route 138 and passed the farm where we bought the fois-gras on the way East. Heading further from the river we passed through Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges before arriving at Camping Mont-Sainte-Anne where we will be staying for next couple of nights.