The state of Vermont was worthy of its name because of the many tree-covered mountains (Vert Monts is french for green mountains) The Canadian border was not too far away and the ride to Montreal was uneventful but quick. It was a bit of a challenge to navigate an unfamiliar city in 30C but I eventually found the hotel that was mentioned in my travel guide. Hotel de Paris was located in a stately old mansion in the Quartier Latin, right in the middle of everything. I asked the receptionist where to find a good place to park my bike and the kind man offered to make some room in the private hotel parking garage down the street. That was the perfect place for Strom to spend the night for about 5 dollars.
As luck would have it, there was huge street festival going on a few blocks from my hotel. Despite the crowded city streets, it was very relaxing to stroll around in the warm evening air filled with music. And when you think you’ve seen any kind of street performance, you come across the group Squid where one of the guys does a salto when playing the bagpipes. At the same time! I am usually too cheap to pay street performers but this skill was good for a couple of dollars. Bravo!
Day 14 – Sturgeon Falls, Ontario - 393 miles / 632 km
The little café at the hotel served a simple but very tasty breakfast. Before heading out of the city, I rode to the old part of town and stopped at one of the local coffee places. It was nice to see the city come alive in the crisp morning air while sipping a cup of strong coffee. After doodling around for a while, it was already noon when I headed back out on the highway towards Ottowa. After passing through the city, I found myself on Highway 17 again and my tires were eating up the miles quickly. Quiet roads, rolling landscapes, sleepy towns. You guessed it, another nice day of riding.
Day 15 – Kewadin, Michigan - 378 miles / 608 km
I was up early and ready to start the last leg of the trip. The final kilometers on Highway 17 went smooth passing through the familiar rocky landscape and scattered farms in the country side. The border crossing in Sault Ste Marie was quick and the ride back through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was familiar. When I crossed the Mackinaw Bridge again, it was hard to believe I only started here two weeks ago. It felt more like a month. A few miles before home, the odometer passed the 4500 mile mark. With a great sense of pride and complete satisfaction, I turned in the driveway and parked in the garage.
What a ride.
Final thoughts
I had never been on such a long motorcycle trip before and everything went as planned. The V-Strom held up great and only required little maintenance. I think I consumed half a rear tire during the trip but that is to be expected. It surprised me how comfortable this motorcycle is for the long haul and how much stuff you can pack in the cases.
Not all parts of the trip were easy. Besides the rain in Gaspe, cold fog on Cape Breton and sweltering heat in Montreal, I was very lucky with the weather. However, occasionally having bad weather makes you appreciate the good days so much more.
See more pictures here.
