DAY 31 - "Do Canadian curbs count?"

The Traversers: Nancy, Steven, myself, David

We are on the Canadian wing.

As much as I miss playing my favorite camp game, “What bit me last night?”, it’s exciting to be back on the open road.

We left mid-morning, easing into the first day of the trip with roughly a five-hour drive to Quebec City, Steven at the helm.

Taking byways up through the state of Maine, we spent most of our time on the 201, The Old Canada Road. The pearl Volvo sailed over green rolling hills, thick with woods and dotted with old wooden barns, towering over freshly mowed estates.

The car was relatively quiet. After a month at the camp, spending time with friends and family members almost non-stop, it seemed appropriate to have a moment to reflect. All good.

Coming on lunchtime, stomachs began to purr to the Sinatra Station and the search for sustenance began.

The Hawks Nest Lodge wasn’t even located in a town, it was just a log structure with a gravel parking lot surrounded by miles and miles of trees...beckoning us to its front doors.

We pulled in and grabbed a table on the upper deck so we could listen to the river roar whist enjoying our last American meal for a while.

With a dinner reservation already secured at a restaurant in Quebec City, the group did a solid job of curbing their appetite with rational, adult lunch orders...except for me.

Crazy, but I figured the personal pan pizza would be sized for one.

Our waiter, Drew from Utah, might have also said something to the effect of, “Hey, this could feed a family of four.” But no. No. The shorty-shorts mustache guy threw me to the lunch wolves.

We had to rearrange everything on the table, but finally fit the pan on a hard surface so I didn’t have to hold it.

It was huge and it was delicious and I regret nothing.

Back on the road, we passed moose crossing after moose crossing until we hit the border crossing where we came in contact with a large, hairy, French-speaking Canadian guard, who let us into the country.

We are here, but we are still mooseless.

Nancy at the wheel, we cruised through a squall and into Quebec City, checking into our home for the next two nights: Hotel Le Clos Saint Louie in The Upper Town of Old Quebec.

Today we will take the day to explore the old districts with their churches, convents, museums, and other monuments.

Let’s see what we can find...!

DAY 32