Juniper Island

Montreal and Smoke Meat Pete's

Drive Day to Quebec: Crossing Tours with Pickett

I'm up real early and out of our B&B for a run. I do about 8 or 10 km of mostly hilly residential town streets before making my way back. I don't want to miss breakfast! We're on the road soon enough, but not before making a stop at the local museum. It's closed today!

We search for coffees to go, and then we are out of town. It's a pleasant drive north, past Fredericton. Beyond this point it gets pretty wild for the best part of a day's drive. Just hills and logging and trucks and this little highway. They've actually done a great job of upgrading this road— most of it is now divided, smooth and fast— right through to Quebec.

That doesn't mean we don't get bored on this highway. Pretty soon we're on the new cell phone to give Michael Pickett a call. He's on tour in Atlantic Canada as well, and we wonder how his adventure is doing... Michael answers his phone and— strangely— he's on the same highway as we are, going the same direction, maybe five minutes behind us! We decide to lunch at a gas bar just up the road.

Cool, eh? For a minute I can't remember which Tour I'm on! Michael and I had a great Tour together last year. We did about 65 shows coast to coast on the National Steel Tour. Maybe we'll get to do it again sometime. We sure put some deep blues down across the land. But right now these are two tours at the gas bar crossroads. After a slow and dreadful meal we gas up and get on our way. Michael will stop at Quebec City, and Dave and I will stop closer to Montreal.

We're bored again!!! No?

I like the drive along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Strange, lumpy little hills. Little strips of original land grants stretching back in narrow fingers from the water. Soon it will be late and dark. All the motels on this road between Quebec City and Montreal seem to be equally bad and uniformly expensive, full, and in poor repair. We will find one of these eventually, and sleep— or not sleep— to the sounds of people fucking badly in the next room. Brunch will be Swartz's Deli in downtown Montreal.

(B) roadway Cafe, Sussex, NB

Our hostess is an ex-Navy Karate instructor. Her husband is also ex-Navy, and looks a bit like James Bond. We call them "Sir" and "M'am." They've been very kind, and we've had a great time here!

It's hard to leave the Phoenex Hollow Bed and Breakfast in Windsor, NS, but eventually we do! We've got a modest drive up into New Brunswick for tonight's show, and we're feeling good. The air is clear, the weather— a great Atlantic Canadian fall day.

Looking good! And they will feed us a late lunch!!

It's a small, but warm and friendly room. Some people have been listening to us on the CBC, so they've come out to hear us in person. Others have made the drive down from Fredericton, NB, which must be at least an hour north of here.

Tour jacket winner!!! Yah, yah!! Wear it proudly back to the Jazz and Blues Festival and have a beer on us!

My dear friends Bob and Colleen made the drive down from Fredericton to catch the show and have dinner. Wow. That was really nice. Colleen even made up a care package for us! I wish I could visit more often and just hang out! A very pleasant night. The cook's helper is an Aussie right off the boat. Have a great stay, mate. Sussex is a friendly little town. I'm going to get up early and have a run around it before breakfast.

Dave says"hi!"