Trippin’ Around North America

The World's Second Longest Carwash

September 29

The drive from Quebec City along the North Shore of the Saint Lawrence through the Laurentians is an absolutely gorgeous piece of the world. Particularly at this time of the year. The leaves are a mixture of light green, yellow, orange and brilliant red.

The winding well-maintained roads snake lazily through the gentle rolling hills. Farms with large green fields with a divider of brilliant colured trees and shrubs accentuate the contrast of the colours.

We really must take that trip someday. Our excursion through this 125 kilometre car-wash of supposed beauty was hampered by torrential rains and low clouds, [like fog]! My white knuckles and death-grip on the steering wheel took away any thought of food or photography.

I came to the conclusion that we must be travelling at exactly the same speed as the torrent-producing storm clouds, going in exactly the same direction.

Hunger took over and we pulled off the road for a bite to eat. The rain stopped, proving my theory. Maybe. On the road again to the Ferry Terminal at Saint Simeone, half an hour down the road. The very short line-ups confirmed my fears; we had recently missed a ferry. That 20 minutes cost us three hours of sitting in the rain, waiting. The ride across is 1 1/2 hours and the cost is $116. Time for a snooze and some reading and a cup of tea later. The weather is not good for strolling.

The ride across was like a time warp, going back about 50 years, the Ferry was old, small and Spartan. No BC Ferry Employee would in their wildest dreams work on this ship. The passengers were pleasant, some elderly tourists and the rest appeared to be working folks going home after a hard days work, there were also some late-in-the-season tourists, like us.

We have been searching for information on this ferry for several days. The lack of Internet connection and the language situation doesn't make for easy gathering of information on matters like this. It will be nice to get into a province where the signs are at least bilingual. When that will be I have no idea.

The photo shows the fading north shore and the Laurentians in the drizzle.

posted by Doug and Fellette @ 12:56 PM