Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto

23 - 27 July 2013

Quebec - I am in France? Wah! It is French speaking Canada. If you not know how to speak French, no worry. Have your International Language ready at hand. Here have your Canadian dollar.

Ottawa, Parliament

Downtown Ottawa

Toronto  

Downtown, Toronto

CN Tower, Toronto

Near Trenton, Canada 

Lake Ontario 

Ferry crossing into Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Canada

First Canadian rail tunnel

The route from Preston to Trenton then to Toronto is very scenic along the West 2 on the 1000 Islands Parkway. This route follows the Lawrence river which flows from the Gulf of St Lawrence connecting  the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes at Lake Ontario. Next is seeing the Soo Locks at Sault St marie f.

Eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean

 21 July 2013 - Portland Maine

It is always nice to ride through country roads and  scene as suggested by the locals. From Syracuse I passed the Adirondack Mountain range and around Lake George, New York state. At Rutland, I went to see the local Rodeo Show. Yes, you are right, from iron horse to real horse. Rain never seem to stop this side of the US  during this time of the year.
   I made to Portland, Maine and so nice to feel the Atlantic Ocean breeze.

Rodeo at Rutland  

Chat with local HOG riders 

Just before the rain 

And just after the rain

Facing the Atlantic Ocean

Touch base Atlantic Ocean 

From Portland, Maine US I make a turn North towards Quebec, Canada.

17 July 2013 - Niagara Falls

The Niagara Falls is just stunning! I could not have better words to express how this natural features have attracted millions of people all over the world other than this; The view of the falls is so beautiful from the Canadian side and the feeling of roar and closeness is much greater from the US side. Unfortunately you have to pay to enter the park in the US side. 

From the Canadian side

From the Canadian side

From the Canadian side

From the US side

From the US side

This is one of my objective ride across Canada - to see the Niagara Falls from the Canadian and US  side. I am blessed.

The Great Lakes
 Duluth town is the Northern most town in the US at Lake Superior. From Duluth, I ride to Marquette along Hwy East2/28. It is a nice country road along Lake Superior and part of Lake Michigan. Form Marquette continue to Bay City, Michigan and cross over to Port Huron via the Mackinaw Bridge. This bridge separates Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Duluth town. In background Lake Superior.

Aerial Lift Bridge

Lake Superior

Lake Michigan

Mackinaw Bridge, separates Lake Michigan and Lake Huron

Mr. Teacher gives me this 1 US dollar note to pass-on

To be pass-on dollar bill

Port Huron, where Thomas Edison grew up

I cross over to Canada at Sarnia and from there head straight to Niagara Falls, Canada.  Next visit to the Niagara Falls.

The Great Lakes of America

13 July 2013 - The Great Lakes

From Mt Rushmore Memorial Park I ride  along Hwy 14 and 212, passing small towns Wall- Philip - Midland - Hayes - Eagle Butte - Faulkton all in the Cheyenne Indian Reservation of South Dakota. This reservation is flat fertile land. Further on ride towards Minneapolis MN.

Cowboy country folks. 

Hwy 212 towards Minneapolis MN

Hwy 212    

Typical American Indian tipi 

St Paul, Minneapolis MN

Vespa Rules - with many mirrors

Duluth town

The journey continues...

8 July 2013 - Mt Rushmore Nat Park US

It is 1st Ramadan on the Muslim calender month. Me, musafir.
 The ride from Little Bigfoot Battle Field crosses the large Bighorn basin of the Red Indian Reservation. Flat plain with some valleys and high mountain plateau. I was imagining that the Bigfoot tribe are looking down at me riding my iron horse across their domain. Salute Brother! I mean no harm. You big Chief no hostile? I recalled a joke about this. A young American woman got lost in the Indian reservation and stop-by a pool of water for a drink. A big Chief came by. She said, "Big Chief no hostile? The Chief replied " Big Chief .... style" You fill in that blank OK.

Like Big Chief squatting on rock in the Bighorn Basin

Bighorn Basin

Devil Tower near Rapids City

Devils Tower history

Needle Hwy, just outside Mt Rushmore

Needle Hwy info

From Mt Rushmore, I headed towards the Great Lakes. I fully remembered this Great Lakes since my early Secondary School in 1972, geography lesson. The geography teacher told us, to remember the name of the lakes just think this ' Some Man Had Equal Orange' that translates to S- Superior; M - Michigan; H-Huron; E -Erie and O - Ontario. I wondered then how these lakes look like. Now, I am here in person to see them after over 48 years reading and just seeing them in picture. I was so excited. This is one of my objective ride across Canada. So, here I come.....let see the Great Lakes. Some Man Had Equal Orange!

6 July 2013 - Little Bigfoot Battle Field

                  Today I ride to Sheridan. It rain occasionally but the sun quickly brings back my riding mood. Big smile. There is a saying, dont let the rain spoil your day. The songs "Listen to the rhythm of the falling ran" and "Have you ever seen the rain" bring good sense.

The battle ground 

The monument where Custer was killed  

The remains   

The remains   

History written on the wall.

The Red Indian tribes...I look like one of them?

Custer's log cabin

The past history.....

The Indian won this battle but lost the war in the coming years. Today the Indian Council still fights for their rights. Has they been successful? I do not know.
 My journey continue towards Mt Rushmore Nat Park.