Day 16 – Tuesday June 15th – Wells to Madawaska to Quebec City

Miles travelled = 549
Miles travelled for 4 Corners Tour = 6642

I think the storm yesterday evening cleaned the weather out, as this morning it was clear and crisp. Very very crisp. So much so I considered using my jacket liner. It looked a great day was in store. I left the Carriage House Motel, (a nice place run by a husband and wife), and headed north on I95.

Taking I295 through Portland was a good idea as it was great scenery along the ocean, plus one avoided even more tolls. However, as the highway moved away from the ocean, the scenery became rather dull, just an avenue of trees with a highway. It was a good ride though, with very little traffic. North of Bangor I had miles to myself. About 100 miles from Houlton, the wind picked up, and did it become a bear. Very strong, with stronger gusts. You couldn’t really adopt the cruise position, so one had to focus, especially with some open areas. I think the wind was a contributing factor to the coolness of the day. I saw a thermometer with 62 degrees on it at lunch time. It was sunny all day though.

Photo of a mountain whose name I cannot remeber, from I95 north of Bangor

I took Highway 1 north from Houlton, and passed the sign saying “4 Corners Park 100 miles”. The wind did not let up all the way, and sometimes swirled in all directions. It was a pity as the scenery is quite attractive, with many small towns on the way. Again I had most of the journey to myself. I could have had fellow travelers, but didn’t see any.

So I arrived in Madawaska, Corner 4 for me. Collected my paperwork and mailed it off. I parked outside the Post Office to get the shot, and was looking for someone to ask to take one of me, when lo and behold, a Postman stopped his van, jumped out and took the photo. He knows the routine on that one.

Then it was on to the 4 Corners Park. A great idea, with all kinds of goods left from those who have completed. You can even have a stone engraved and placed there.

As it was still early afternoon, I hit the border into New Brunswick, and headed west on the Trans Canadian, H185, then H20. The Quebec Provincial border is only a few miles from the crossing. I had got real used to paying <$3 a gallon for premium, basically since leaving California. So now it is getting used to Canadian prices. One thing about gas prices, is how some States manage them better than others. Travelling from New York to Connecticut, the price of Premium jumps from about $2.89 to $3.45 a gallon. Then back again in
Massachusetts, all the way to Main.Go figure.

It is highway most of the way to Montreal now, so as there was little traffic, and as the wind actually died down, I made the most of it, and reached Quebec.
The highway runs close to the south shore of the mighty St Lawrence River, and when you can see it, it is quite impressive.
It was starting to be rush hour near Quebec, and so it was time to try for a motel. Whoops, all booked on the south side, so I was advised to cross the bridge into Quebec City. All booked there, until a receptionist in one knew of vacancies, so I asked if she could book one for me. So I ended up in Hotel Quartier, amongst all the business travelers with their rolling suit cases and laptops. Hey, when you are tired, in an unknown city (and cannot even speak the language), you grab what you can. Beggars cannot be choosers.

So we head west again tomorrow, through Montreal, then onto the wonderful, scenic, and whatever else I can lie about it, 401.