Mr. and Mrs. Pants Canadian Adventure, Summer 2025

[escapefjrtist]

The GT + (plus) is the one I want. Same basic chassis.
rumor has it that chain driven bike has 152 hp! Sounds spunky!
I sat on it and it definitely feels 100 pounds lighter than the fjr. Knees tuck in nicely behind the small fairing. The headlights look useless. Clutch is a cable (rather hydraulic).
Otherwise - it has cruise, and a full electronics package (suspension, Traction, ABS, etc).
Suzuki had a demo day here about 2 weeks ago - this was one of the bikes offered. Man I wish I would have asked my wife to cancel plans.

**Small Hijack**
I had same thoughts about the GX. Sits great in the showroom and really fits my 5'-10" self. I was hoping THIS bike was the unicorn. Fortunately for me, DVP in Prosser had the Suzuki demo truck on site in early June. Rode the GX first thing and came away deflated and disappointed. What felt so good in the showroom sucked on the road. When moving, sitting position was very much "on" verses "in" the bike, opposite of what I originally felt. Engine was okay, plenty of giddy-up power but gearing is very short so it's spinning pretty hard at freeway speeds. Quick-shifter is the berries though...gotta have that on my next scooter!

So...still searching for my next unicorn!

~G

[Hppants]

And now, almost 9 weeks in, here are 10 musings about Quebec (and perhaps Canada in general):

1. After you consider the currency exchange and other extraneous factors, the cost of living (the parts that we are buying) here seems to be a little more expensive, but not too much. Personal services (hair cut, oil change, etc) seem to be more expensive. Groceries are pretty close. Fuel is substantially more expensive. Non-grocery consumables are more expensive. The area we are staying in seems to be a bit "up scale", so maybe that taints it a bit.

2. The meat (beef, pork, and chicken) taste more flavorful here. At first, we thought it to be coincidental, but now, it's clear. I don't know why but aim to find out.

3. A lot of life here reminds us of Europe. Better attention to history, culture, archetectural beauty, work/play balance, etc.

4. These people are more health conscious than most of us. Particularly, less smoke (comparatively), and they exercise a LOT.

5. The infrastructure in Quebec is absolutely top notch. Public transportation, sidewalks/bike paths, green spaces, etc. However, the exception is the roads/streets. They are laden with frost heaves, potholes, etc. Only the major highways are in good shape.

6. These people are more environmentally conscious, but not in a "rub it in your face" kind of way. The recycle EVERYTHING, packaging is much more limited. By far, the non-plug in hybrid powerplant is the vehicle of choice here. You must bring your own re-useable bags anywhere. Sensible stuff without being too extreme, IMO.

7. Our own people (south Louisiana) have some French heritage along with some Canadian heritage (Cajuns) and we see uncanny similarities in their mannerisms. They are sarcastic and often use self-deprecating humor. They are passionate about social gatherings. They are unhibited about starting a conversation with total strangers, and will take meaningful time out of their day to help a stranger. Like home, the women here talk constantly. If 2 or more women are together, it's endless and non-stop - and ALL of them are talking at the same time. It's quite impressive.

8. Everywhere you go, regardless of any comparison you can think of (demographic, geographic, etc), there is NO litter. This place is immaculately clean. Every restroom is spotless. Every store - hospital clean. Not one spec of trash in ANY waterway. Public trash cans are serviced very often. This has been such a joy - when we go home it will take some getting use to.

9. These people are not consumerists, certainly not in the "disposible" sense of the term. We have yet to see a storage facility. They put effort in their homes, but not much into conveniences that can be wasteful. These people are more interested in experiences, than "stuff".

10 And finally, any doubt or question that we had about being welcomed here, based on current events - that has proven to be a total non-issue. EVERYONE here is exceedingly and sincerely nice. Overall, quite frankly, they seem very happy - content even. No one (not one person) has treated us ill in any way, shape, or form. They don't seem to care much about that stuff. At first, we thought that it was possibly a front. After all - tourism is HUGE here and we are spending money. But that's not it. Not at all. I've mentioned this before - everywhere we go, we find that overwhelmingly, people are nice and helpful and respectful. But it's much more widespread and prevelant here. A LOT more.

Stay thirsty, my friends.....

[fontanaman]

In British Columbia things are more expensive as well. In general the exchange rate offset the difference.

I suspect as Quebec is fiercely French the work play balance is even stronger and respect for history and culture is even stronger than BC. There was a point were Quebec nearly succeeded Canada.

People outside the US are more health conscious those in the US. Case in point Rev-it motorcycle clothing sizes. In the US we plus size everything including fast food. Often we get concerned about weapons of mass destruction; it is all McDonald serves.

When we travel it broadens our horizons. The US is a great place to live, but we learn there are other great places to live as well each with their own potholes.

[FJRoss]

Great synopsis! While I didn't really expect that you would have problems with some very definite anti-American sentiment in Canada brought about by tariffs, annexation threats and political bluster, I am very pleased that all has worked out well for you. Canadian people are mostly polite and these attitudes are NOT toward individuals. At the very least, you'll get the benefit of the doubt and respect will be met with respect. There is still some very significant animosity toward the US as a nation as evidenced by a fairly effective boycott of many US-made products and many Canadians electing to keep their travel dollars at home.

It will be interesting to see how the second part of the trip goes. I have only been through Magog once and that was probably forty years ago. Looks like another beautiful region, but the place at Lac Tourbillon will be hard to beat.

Potholes here are largely a function of the weather. The springtime alternation between warm and cold does a lot of damage. Freeze-thaw cycles are far more damaging than relatively consistent cold or hot. Road salt and snow removal equipment don't help either. Another issue is the fact that a pothole that occurs in the late fall or winter, may not be able to be patched until the middle of May, by which time it has gotten far larger and deeper - especially with water intrusion and more freeze-thaw cycles.

[raYzerman]

The GT + (plus) is the one I want. Same basic chassis.
rumor has it that chain driven bike has 152 hp! Sounds spunky!
I sat on it and it definitely feels 100 pounds lighter than the fjr. Knees tuck in nicely behind the small fairing. The headlights look useless. Clutch is a cable (rather hydraulic).
Otherwise - it has cruise, and a full electronics package (suspension, Traction, ABS, etc).
Suzuki had a demo day here about 2 weeks ago - this was one of the bikes offered. Man I wish I would have asked my wife to cancel plans.

**Small Hijack**
I had same thoughts about the GX. Sits great in the showroom and really fits my 5'-10" self. I was hoping THIS bike was the unicorn. Fortunately for me, DVP in Prosser had the Suzuki demo truck on site in early June. Rode the GX first thing and came away deflated and disappointed. What felt so good in the showroom sucked on the road. When moving, sitting position was very much "on" verses "in" the bike, opposite of what I originally felt. Engine was okay, plenty of giddy-up power but gearing is very short so it's spinning pretty hard at freeway speeds. Quick-shifter is the berries though...gotta have that on my next scooter!

So...still searching for my next unicorn!

~G

Sorry to continue, then I'll quit.... The only reason I don't want one right now is 'cuz I don't buy new and these are a bit of money.. however, I can fix the revs with a sprocket change and can likely engineer something for the peg position.... but we had a very spririted test ride and yep, it goes if you ask it to. The quick shifter is magic on that bike, best one ever.... on the wish list for someday maybe. I was impressed.

[gixxerjasen]

I think even if you popped across the border you might find the cost of living still higher than you have back home. For our year in Cleveland we found that almost everything was a fair bit more expensive than it was back in Texas.

[Hppants]

8/12/25

Continued "warm" today (like 84, LOL), but a little cooler in the upper elevations, so I took the Bush Pig out to explore the Montmorency Forest more. I discovered this place last week, along with a fork seal leak. I got that fixed yesterday, and so after coffee, I pack up and head out. It's about 60 KM to the forest, but I found a way to break it up with about 8 km of gravel, and the rest is basically a good 4-lane highway that I grab right out of the ABB neighborhood. It's a steady climb toward the gravel, and by the time I get there, I'm at about 900 meters elevation and the temperature feels like it's dropped 4-5 degrees.

I get the forest, make sure my GPS track is working, and off I go.



This is exactly how it's like here - hundreds upon hundreds of kilometers of this wonderful 2-track roads that go everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.



The Montmorency River runs right through the forest, and a lot of roads lead to the limited bridges that cross the river.



Nicely done.



The river is down - we haven't had a significant rain in over a week.



Now getting close enough for lunch, I pick a road that runs along the river, thinking maybe I'd find a good place to picnic.

This will do.



In the middle of absolutely no where, I see a very small trail heading toward the river. I took a chance and the trail ended at this 30 foot canyon with the river cascading through it.



This was really nice to just sit and enjoy the white noise of the water.



After lunch, I walked back to the Bush Pig, geared up, checked the GPS, realized that it doesn't really matter, pulled the clutch, and.... off I go!



I'm concentrating on the 2-track roads, but every once in a while, I take one of the connector roads (dirt or gravel) for a jaunt. There are dozens of these small fishing lakes throughout the area.



This is so much fun - I haven't seen another person since I got to the forest. Not one vehicle.



So now I'm learning a little about this forest. I look at the mountains, and then try to pick a road that goes to the top and maybe runs along the ridge for some better views.

It's working.



Once again, being mindful of the fact that I'm very much alone here, I'm being very conservative in my riding. I've got decent cell signal, but a bad fall here and it would take them a LONG time to find me. Every once in a while, I come upon a wash out or larger shelf rocks or whatever. I don't even chance it - just turn around, go back to the nearest intersection, take a left or right, and double back that way.

This is really nice.



Now mid afternoon and I'm craving ice cream as usual. That ain't gonna happen today, so I go with the snack I've got.



The breeze whiffing up on to the lake shore is just delightful, so I take a short siesta.



At one point, I was trying to get from "this road to that road". The GPS didn't show this 2-track, but it was going in the right direction, so I gave it a shot. Nope - now I see why. The bridge across the creek is out. Oh well, about face I go....



This is dual sport heaven, man.



Let me put this in context. The following picture is the culmination of 2 trips to this forest, totaling about 275 km (all unpaved).



And the area north of those lines between the 2 highways, to include the green part west of Rte 175, is the whole of it. I couldn't see it all in 10 trips!



I told Tammy I'd be back in time to take a swim in the lake. So about 3:30, I made my way out of the forest, and took the highway south back to the ABB. As I descended, the air warmed and I have no doubt it was every bit of 85 degrees on that lake. We haven't felt this temperature since before we got here. The swim and float was quite refreshing.

For the day, it was about 250 KM, almost 2/3 of that unpaved. And a lot of great memories. We leave this place in about 10 days. I don't know if I'll be back to that forest again, but I do hope to ride it once more. We'll see.

Stay thirsty, my friends....

[bungie4]

Wrt: meat quality.

I've said many times that the meat purchased in the U.S is oversized, tough and very nearly tasteless. I blame this entirely on the different laws regarding the raising of proteins between the countries. No steroids, hormones and antibiotics, depending on the type of meat.

For instance, brining chicken is just not a thing up here. It's just not necessary.

Anyway, I'm so glad you and Tammy are enjoying your time in La belle province. I imagine your opinion would change significantly should you decide to spend a few winters

[gixxerjasen]

This one right here, love how the road disappears but you see it off in the distance. Great shot sir.

[Hppants]

This one right here, love how the road disappears but you see it off in the distance. Great shot sir.

It's nice that you noticed that. I inched the bike forward until I saw the shot. I actually walked down the hill a little to see what tha would look like. Had I taken that shot (farther up the road), the entire road would have been visible - a nice picture in it's own rite. But at that angle, you lose the view in the distance and I think that backdrop gives the viewer some sense of scale. It's hard to convey scale in a picture. Cell phone cameras are truly incredible, but they have trouble with depth of field. For that - you need glass - a really good (and expensive) piece of glass.

[N4HHE]

Wrt: meat quality.

I've said many times that the meat purchased in the U.S is oversized, tough and very nearly tasteless. I blame this entirely on the different laws regarding the raising of proteins between the countries. No steroids, hormones and antibiotics, depending on the type of meat.

It depends on the quality of meat the producer wishes to sell, what you are willing to pay, not laws telling you how you have to do it.

Internet search says,
“In Canada, the use of growth hormones and antibiotics in beef production is regulated and considered safe for consumers.”

The taste of beef, and chicken, depends a lot on feed and breeding. Is not so simple as hormones and antibiotics.

[gixxerjasen]

For that - you need glass - a really good (and expensive) piece of glass.

And the ability and willingness to carry it while riding off road.

One nice thing about riding alone is the ability to take all the time you like to properly set up a shot. Not all riders appreciate this and are wanting to get moving again. Photography is fun too, and can work well with motorcycling if you are willing to stop and sniff the flowers. Even aside from the work put into this shot, you are definitely a "Stop and sniff" guy.

[FJRoss]

For that - you need glass - a really good (and expensive) piece of glass.

And the ability and willingness to carry it while riding off road.

One nice thing about riding alone is the ability to take all the time you like to properly set up a shot. Not all riders appreciate this and are wanting to get moving again. Photography is fun too, and can work well with motorcycling if you are willing to stop and sniff the flowers. Even aside from the work put into this shot, you are definitely a "Stop and sniff" guy.

The camera that you have with you takes infinitely better photos than the one you left home because it is too heavy, bulky, fragile, time-consuming to use and/or too expensive to risk. I carried my DSLR around on the bike for about a year before I gave up for all the above reasons. I bought a decent point-and-shoot that I still sometimes use but find myself just using my phone more often than not. I was an avid amateur photographer for many years but something died inside when I gave up on the hardware in favor of convenience. To be honest, the higher end phone cameras do an amazing job for their size, but as 'Pants says "you need glass - a really good (and expensive) piece of glass."

[fontanaman]

I use a Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II for motophotos. It is a pocket camera. It works very well, except in low indoor light, and high dynamic range. I use a Samsung S22+ in those conditions.

Colors rendered by the Canon are better than my cellphone and the images have less noise allowing for extreme zooming in without a loss in image quality. With the Canon most of my shots posted on the forum are taken as I ride. Try that with a damn phone!

[wheatonFJR]

I use a Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II for motophotos. It is a pocket camera. It works very well, except in low indoor light, and high dynamic range. I use a Samsung S22+ in those conditions.

Colors rendered by the Canon are better than my cellphone and the images have less noise allowing for extreme zooming in without a loss in image quality. With the Canon most of my shots posted on the forum are taken as I ride. Try that with a damn phone!

Well THAT, and yer fkn good with that camera buddy!

[Hppants]

8/14/25

Strong wind and some rain yesterday afternoon, noticably cooler this morning. Tammy is feeling adventurous, so I suggested we take a ride over to a waterfall I know of. I'm thinking the rain yesterday should make for some strong flow.

We get to Chute Jean LaRose and walk down the 300 or so steps to get to the bottom. I was right - it's running real nice today.





Goofy girl!







it's a nice day - the breeze is dry and lovely.



The climb was more strenous, obviously. We stopped often and took breaks. No rush, of course.

On the way home, we stopped at a micro-brewery in Beaupre' that we like. They have good food there - the brisket tacos are the Bees Knees.



Stay thirsty, my friends....

[Hppants]

August 15, 2025

Much cooler this morning (51) and wonderful sunshine forecast. As far as the St. Lawrence watershed goes, the only area I haven't seen is the southside up river from Quebec City/Levis. Today is the day.

No traffic on the bridge this morning - my luck is already running!



I missed the exit to get to the river shore, but stumbled into the Chaudiere Falls Parc and stopped for a quick look see. This is nice.





Two BMW riders parked next to me were fumbling under the seat and I found out that one of them accidentally dropped his key fob into the engine area. Been there, done that. I held the flashlight and offered some encouraging moral support (in English none the less), and with both of their hands free, they got it out. Moving on.

As expected, this area is heavy in agriculture, no doubt from fertile soil in the flood plain and (realatively) moderate temperatures next to the river.

The apples are ready to go!







Strawberries and blueberries are still going strong here as well. The sweet corn and wheat is being harvested at this time. I love seeing food grow.



Rte 132 runs along and next to the river and the pavement in this area is in good shape.



It's about 70 degrees, and the air running through my mesh jacket is delightful. Yesterday, i cleaned all of my riding gear - it needed it.



This road is designated the "Route des Navigateurs". Every so often, some signage is offered to educate you on the maritime history of the river. I enjoyed reading about it.





I found this spicy (sort of) Genoa Salami at the local grocery - it's really good.



Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me....





In the US, boaters go by a saying: "Red on Right on Return". This means that when you are looking for safe harbor through a marked pass or waterway, if you keep the red marker to your right (green to the left), then you are going the right way in safe water. On this river, it's the opposite - the red markers are on the south side, meaning they are on the right as you are going out toward the ocean. I don't know if this is a Canada thing, or what.



It sure is a pretty river, though.



And a busy one, too.



The churches on this side are similar in archetecture and age to the ones I've seen elsewhere.



I stopped at this riverside parc to drink some water and this lighthouse was real cute. I wish it was open for visitors to see inside.



Not much traffic out here. Enjoying this ride very much.



Right on time, I see the universal sign of refreshment.



.

I planned to cross the river at the city of Tros-Rivieres, but I was having so much fun, something told me to keep going a while longer. I stayed on Rte 132, but after 10 KM or so, the road started getting really broken up. I pulled over and decided to turn around and go back, but in doing so, I found this little road that was right on the river, so instead, I ran back that way, just to see something different.

What a great happenstance that turned out to be. in the middle of nowhere, I come upon this interpretive parc. From the parking lot, I can see this elevated walkway and decided to stretch my legs out a bit.



The flood plain forest here is really pretty.



All of a sudden, an older gentleman comes up to me and was gesturing for me to open my hand. I obliged and he gave me a handful of sunflower seeds (in the shell). I thanked him kindly in gesture as he spoke no english. I started to put a seed in my mouth, and he abruptly stopped me and chuckled at me a little.

He wasn't offering me a snack.



So at this parc, the birds have been trained to eat out of your hand.



For the next 20 minutes or so, I had a BLAST doing some of the best birding of my life.



They take a minute to pick the exact seed they want, and they fly to the nearby tree to shell it and eat it.



This Downy Woodpecker was a bit shy, so I put a few seeds on the handrail. He'd grab them there and then he'd find a place on the tree to store it under the bark. He was prepping for the winter and I had a front row view. Amazing!



What an awesome, unexpected experience.



The landscape in Quebe is diverse, robust, vast, and absolutely beautiful.



I get back on the FJR, cross the river at Tros-Riviere, and then turn west heading generally in the direction of home. No rush, mind you, so I take the shore road looking for more.



I love art. I wish I would have given it more attention when I was younger.



I did see a lot of motorcylists turn away from crossing the Saint Anne River and I thought it odd. Now I know why.



The ENTIRE crossing (400 yards) was this rickety grating that was TERRIFYING. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late to even consider turning around. I slowed down to about 20 kph, put my feet out, and hoped for the best. The bike drifted a little left and right, and I resisted the temptation to neither brake or accelerate - just hold the throttle steady and loosen the hand grip. I got to the other side and pulled over immediately to check my drawers. That was not fun.

This crossing further down river was much nicer.



What a wondeful day.



I left this morning with only lunch, walking shoes, my camera, and my phone. I knew generally where I was going, but made ZERO plans otherwise, relying solely on my years of experience doing this. And in that time, I've learned one undeniable truth:

It's ALL good. it doesn't matter where you go or what you hope to see. It doesn't matter what you might miss. It just doesn't matter because it's all good. Ride more, stress less, man.





Kind of a cool way to utilize drift wood and give away some apples. I grabbed one to try it, but it was very sour. I think maybe this variety is used for cooking, not sure. On the second bite, I was ready to spit it out, but the gentleman came out to greet me and I didn't have the heart. So I ate it with a fairly insincere smile in gratitude.



I worked my way toward Quebec City, and contrary to Garmin's suggestion, I just grabbed the freeway back to the ABB. It was a few KM longer, and likely about the same time as the surface streets, but at least I didn't have to deal with so many stop signs, signals, and speed tables.

400 KM for the day - I couldn't wait to share my day with Tammy. I think we are going back to the bird feeding parc - she would love that.



Stay thirsty, my friends....

[wheatonFJR]

Fun read. I assume you've been on other grating bridges before... but they're very common in snow and ice country. Mackinac Bridge is five miles of that. I'm used to it but don't like it...but I did freak out the first time on a motorcycle with the feel of the tires wandering... kinda spooky.

[Hppants]

Fun read. I assume you've been on other grating bridges before... but they're very common in snow and ice country. Mackinac Bridge is five miles of that. I'm used to it but don't like it...but I did freak out the first time on a motorcycle with the feel of the tires wandering... kinda spooky.

I will NOT be doing 5 miles of that. Nope. Not gonna happen - ever.

[bigjohnsd]

. In the US, boaters go by a saying: "Red on Right on Return". This means that when you are looking for safe harbor through a marked pass or waterway, if you keep the red marker to your right (green to the left), then you are going the right way in safe water. On this river, it's the opposite - the red markers are on the south side, meaning they are on the right as you are going out toward the ocean. I don't know if this is a Canada thing, or what.

The "Red Right Returning" rule is not universally used in the buoyage system around the world.
The International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) has divided the world into two regions: IALA Region A and IALA Region B.
IALA Region B: This region includes North and South America, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. In Region B, when returning from the sea (or going upstream), you should keep the red buoys on your starboard (right) side. This is where the mnemonic "red right returning" applies.
IALA Region A: This region covers Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, the Middle East, and most of Asia. In Region A, the color scheme is reversed. When returning from the sea (or going upstream), you should keep the red buoys on your port (left) side.
Therefore, it's crucial to be aware of the specific IALA region you are in to correctly interpret buoyage and navigate safely.

Joey, the research I've done shows that the St Lawrence River and Seaway through the Great Lakes is " Red Right Returning". I'm not sure what you saw, but the US Coast Guard and the Canadian Coast Guard both say "Red Right Returning" in the St Lawrence and the rest of the Great Lakes.

https://web.archive.org/web/20061008142 ... BS1to3.pdf

https://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/publications/ ... g.html#s01

https://www.great-lakes-sailing.com/Aid ... ation.html