Trans Labrador Highway, Winter 2008 - Page 2

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:46 PM

Coolhand
Puck slapping maplesucker

http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1125889171

Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Newfoundland
Oddometer: 462

Iceman Jan 10th GPS update.

__________________
There is allways something new to discover when you Ride The Rock! (even in winter)

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:47 PM

kahoon
Takin' care of Bidness!

http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1193699237

Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Toronto, CANADA
Oddometer: 696

was at BMW Toronto this afternoon, and who do i run into??

GREAT meeting you paul

all the best on the rest of your trip.

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:48 PM

01-12-2008, 09:10 PM	#392
Coolhand Puck slapping maplesucker http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1125889171 Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Newfoundland Oddometer: 462	Jan 12th GPS update. __________________ There is allways something new to discover when you Ride The Rock! (even in winter)

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:48 PM

This a repost from Paul Mondor:

Ok! I am back in my hometown and alive!
I got here last night for diner and it was good! I slept 11 hours and I am still alive.
I got out of TO at 8 o’clock Friday and I am forever thankful for the guys at BMW for taking so much care of me and Frosty.
They did an incredible job and BMW was 100% behind me. Tim and Christina’s hospitality was awesome and Tim went also as far as fighting TO traffic for another hour on Friday morning to go home and get me his 15 teeth front sprocket because this is something that was not stock at the dealer. Thanks Tim! You da man!
By the time I left tropical TO it was almost 7 degrees and I was sweating like the Mobster at a tax man inquiry! The crack of my butt was like a river!
Then I fought traffic on 401 which is absolutely unreal. It is like a bunch of killers on day parole driving on crack cocaine!
I saw women driving at 130 kmh putting make up on and holding a cell between their shoulders and what looked like a head!

Went I got out of that zoo I phoned Woodgrain (Dave) and we met in Napanee! I wanted to stop and we have been trying to meet since we met in SK in 2004 and to be honest with you I heard he was waiting for me with a sawed off 12 gauge shot gun on the side of 401.we stopped at Tim’s where I had good coffee but the crappiest service and food I have ever seen on this side of hell!

We went to his place and stayed up till 4. last time I stayed up till 4 was in my mother’s womb.
We got up went for breakfast and I left for Joliette! I got here for diner. It was nice to see my family and lots of snow.
I will leave on Tuesday morning and I will post pictures of winter land again! It is cold here today and I love it!

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:49 PM

Hi!

Repost from Paul Mondor on the Trans-Labrador Highway..winter.

Hey! Looks like I got what i was wishing for! Plenty of snow and it is getting cold. I like that! I will be leaving tomorrow and hope to get in Goose bay Friday or Saturday.

Someone from Labrador 53 magazine phoned me and they will have someone waiting for me in Labrador City.
Others have already contacted me. Thanks to all of you who have contacted people.

Frosty is ready and I am ready! Aa a matter of fact i am more than ready because I cannot sleep anymore. Looks like I am resting enough.
I will start taking lots of pics again and posing them.I am leaving tomorrow because my nephew (My only one) wants me to pick him up at school on Frosty today. Of course I am more than happy to do this for him.

Talk to you soon!

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:50 PM

01-15-2008, 05:54 PM	#405
paulmondor Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2004 Oddometer: 315	Okee dokey! It is 6:00 Am when I am getting up to leave. Bruno and I leave at 7:15 and we drive together to Trois Rivieres. Funny how just after 2 days stopping i get out and i can feel the boys squirming in my suit with the cold ! I guess they get used to the warmth quicker than I. According to some i have big ones but they still feel the cold air surrounding them. I spend about 20 minutes shaking. Not because I am cold but because i have lost the habit of breathing cold air and being out and i guess i am adapting. Anyway! in Trois Riviers is where we have breakfast. I always love spending time with Bedo (Bruno’s nickname) we have a really good laugh. On our way to Trois Rivieres the roads were wet and really freaking messy! I got to breakfast and I looked like a Thanks Giving ham! I left at I am not sure but it seems like I got to Quebec city in a hurry. But not before being pulled over AGAIN by the Surete du Quebec police. Just like the others she was not too sure what to do with me. She checked me out, we chatted for a bit and had a good laugh and I went on my merry way. The weather went anywhere from -5 to -12 at one pint alongside the St Laurence river. The winter scenery in Quebec St lawrence’s coast is something to behold At one point I am going down the road and I start to smell something! It is smelling sweet. Really freaking sweet! I am going “Oh Shit! I am losing coolant!” I stop on the side of the road and nothing? Frosty’s engine is dry! Must be something in the air! An hour later it is still smelling like this! I stop again and I smell the exhaust to see if I am burning coolant! Nope! What the hell!? I keep going an then I stop to take a picture. I open my tank bag and SMOKE is coming out! What the %$#&! I get my cameras out! $3000 of cameras and hardware and the towel that is sitting at the bottom of my tank bag is burning and smoking. I throw it in the snow and look at my stuff to make sure nothing is damaged. The Oxford Wrap around heated grips I am using to warm the bag so my video equipment works have heated so much that it set the bag on fire. My ear plugs case is melted to crap. My liner keeping the cameras from direct contact with the grips is melted and and part of the wire for the digital camera battery pack has melted as well. I am cussing I am swearing and I inventing some swears Maudit tabarnac de soeur blindee de colisse de sincere d’appocalypse de chrisse de sinciboire d’ariat d’cochonnerie d’esti de collise de patente d’anglais de ciboire qu’est ce qui pense de faire des crisse de bebelles de meme de sincreme que j’aimerais rencontrer la casse de bain qui a fair ca c’esti de kichinerie de sacramant la!! In English?.......................................... .........Fuck! Anyway! I cut the grip that has melted to a ptach of dry crap and toss it after cutting it off th harness. Kept the one that looks half baked half ass good and wrap it in what is left of a towel to make sure that it does not transfer sun like flame throwing heat. Shit man! I wanted heat! Afgter all it is a pair of hand grips for motorcycles. Do not buy this? If this was to happen to your hands you would not need to go for breakfast. Just peel your now crispy hands off the bars! SSSSSSSSSSSSHHH that hurts. Then put them in the snow to make sure that they bubble nicely! Then pour Aunt jemima syrup on it and enjoy! A quick necro modern breakfast filled with protein! HmmmhMMM good! Anyway after bringing down al the saints with my swearing and kicking them back up (BTW I am now officially going to hell with al I have said) because it piled up with all the swears I said yesterday as I was leaving to visit my cousin and saw that the side zippers on my Arctic suit had split! I got hooked on something while I was in the garage and screwed it up. It is now sewn shut and if it breaks! Well! I am going to have to special order a book on swearing. Anyway! I make it to the Tadoussac ferry which I have always loved and it was great. The ice was running, the wind was blowing and I was taking pictures while every one was stuck in their cars looking at me like I was crazy! I might be but I am having fun! How about you in your mini van with your diaper filling machines and the wife that wil not even look at you anymore because she wanted to stop for coffee but could not because you told “A bit later Hunny” this bit later buddy will get you on the couch with Fido! As I am taking pictures a guy comes to me and says in French “shit man! You speak French? Yep! Then he goes on asking me where I am coming from and where I am going? I am thinking “You are parked 3 micro inch from my plate you nimrod! That is why you can’t see my plate!” but I say Victoria BC and Goose Bay Labrador! No Way! You shitting me aren’t you? Nope! You cannot! This bike would not haul this side buggy (That is what he said I swear) that long. Not big enough and you cannot ride this long in winter! I know I ride sidebuggy and I know I thing or two about them! I am thinking “Really! Is that why you are driving a Sonata with Adolphine Hitler next to you?” (She made Hitler look happy!) “You ride sidecars?” Yep! Been for years! And I can tell you that your rig is not set up properly just looking at it! I am thinking “Really!” Hmmmmmmm! Holdon Let me take off my fucking helmet here I want to show you something you moron!” Notice Mr Sidebuggy's car behind Frosty??? But I did not! I just said “that is ok buddy! It works for me and has for close to 7000 kms now” and I walk away looking I have something urgent to do. Like jumping overboard??? Anyway the crossing is breath taking except that I never found out if Mr Sidebuggy knows how to swim. I made it to Escoumains at the Pelchat Hotel complexe where I am now revelling in the warmth. I contacted Rene in Baie Comeau when I got here and he is waiting for me. It will be a short day tomorrow! I will stop at his place and leave for Labrador the day after. I have talked to a couple of truckers in gas stations and they told me that the TLH is looking good! Lots and lots of snow and it is cold but the road is good! I have to stop in Labrador City where a newspaper wants to interview me and there is also a magazine who wants to give me an interview in Goose Bay! When I get to Goose Bay! If I can find a place where they rent Sleds I will rent one and go snowmobiling a bit.. Why the heck not??? At this rate I should be in GB in about 3 days max! That is if I do not burn myself to freaking crisp! Has anyone thought that the base if this tank bag is really! I mean really close to my noognorts?? Iceman out
Blame John™

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:52 PM

01-16-2008, 02:33 PM	#423
paulmondor Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2004 Oddometer: 315	Hi guys Hi guys! I am in Baie Comeau at Los Tabarnacos! Rene Roy! I should be in Goose Bay in 2 days! I will post pictures later today. So far so good!

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:53 PM

01-17-2008, 09:01 PM	#435
Coolhand Puck slapping maplesucker http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1125889171 Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Newfoundland Oddometer: 462	Its that time again. Jan 17th GPS update. __________________ There is allways something new to discover when you Ride The Rock! (even in winter)

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:56 PM

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:56 PM

01-18-2008, 11:30 PM

#445

paulmondor
Gnarly Adventurer

Joined: May 2004
Oddometer: 315

anuary 17th 2008
Got up in Baie Comeau at 6:30 am
Left at 7:30 AM

I got up at Rene and I was ready to go and attack the road to Goose Bay.

When we got up the weather was -24C. I wanted cold, I asked for it and dammit I got it. Also while I was sleeping Rene went to Tim’s and got us some coffee. What a way to start a day!
Anyway! We left, stopped at Shell and fuelled up.
The first part of the road going to Manic 5 dam was rough. Damn rough! But it turns out that it is not compared to what I will hit later.

Anyways! I scooted along and made it to the second fuel stop where I fuelled up and and arte the best damn Hydro Quebec type of soup and chicken strips. In other words?? Bla! But it was a $12.00 Bla! meal!
So Bla that I started drooling of boredom in my helmet afterward trying to remember what it tasted like. But I could not! That is because cardboard, I mean expensive cardboard leaves no taste..

This is obviously my breath freezing coming out of my helmet. I have to say this. If you are going to ride in cold, this helmet is the one to ride in. it makes you feel like you are in summer.

I kept on going and made it to Relais Gabriel for fuel. In that temperature which always stayed between -15 and -25 all day, the Dakar’s MPG dropped down quite a bit. I guess th hack does not help either. I averaged 45 MPG.
About half what it does normally? While I was lubing my chain the guys working on the road snow clearing equipment stopped and chatted. They work at the big shop right by Relais Gabriel and asked me to stop by on my way back in a few days. They will put the coffee on and the soup as well.
I absolutely love the way this road looks in winter. But remind me to tell you something at the end

I kept stopping for shots and I realized that the 640 something clicks to Labrador city will be a damn long one. It is a long day in summer. Now it is horrendously long. I am not sure I will make it there. I am thinking I should have stopped at the relais. I phone them yesterday and they said to just knock on the door and I could get a room.
It is 270 clicks from the Relais Gabriel to Fermont and another 28 to Labrador city.

By the time I hit the mile marker 430 something it is dark. The wind is blowing like hell but at least it is a tail wind. The thing with this is that it drops some fresh snow on the ice road, the road becomes like a skating rink, high pucker factor about 100 times.
Before I know it I am living Sault St Marie all over again but this time X 10.

I am really scared many freaking times. At one point I took a long sharp right turn and the rig decided to keep going. I could not turn. The ice was so slick that the front tire just kept going. I kept the throttle on as I realized there was not rig coming toward me and that I was thankful for that. But I think I popped a vein in my ass as held Frosty when she hit the snow bank on the other side and got grip as I kept her from climbing up. Both wheels were suddenly in the soft stuff and the hack’s wheel on sheer ice. So it turned. I made the curve this way and eventually wrestle my way backing my lane. It is just a freaking miracle I did not crash. I stop on the side and clam down a bit. By this time it is getting dark. There is no way if the road stays this icy that I can make it like that!
I almost turned around. My back was hurting, my arms were throbbing and my nerves were being tested again!
I took about 15 minutes and while I was stopped on the side of the road I saw no one. Sorry to say this, but you hit the ditch down there and if you are hurt and have no way to reach anyone you will die of Hypothermia in a hell of a hurry!

This is when I realized that this is a lot more dangerous than the great likes in a snow storm.
What the hell am I going to do? I have another 800 clicks to Goose Bay and I have to do it all over again! I know they are forecasting snow in these parts and no accumulation but the weather forecasting system about Labrador is about as reliable as a Crack head you just sent to make your night bank deposit.
Anyway! I decide to move, but before I do I put the few studs I have left on my front tire.
Now I do not mind cold but standing by the side of the road with the wind blowing on your bare fingers while you are holding a cold drill and cold tungsten studs is something that gets you cold in a hurry! Even I!

After about 15 minutes of this I am done, but by now my fingers are hurting. I know I cannot take off like this and that my heated grips will not work fast enough. So I open my hack take a propane container out and start my little heater. It takes me all I have to strike the match to light it up, but it does the trick in about 1 minute!
Now I know why I brought that damn hack and I am happy. It is the second time in half an hour it saves my life. But the heater made me appreciate it more.

I take off again and I keep on going. I hope I will make it to Fermont for gas. Then I think! “Damn! I got an extra 8 gallons!” So I stop worrying.
The last 3 hours to Fermont/ Labrador City are really making me push my limits in a way that I am not sure about anymore.
At one point in the last 90 clicks before Fermont I saw 3 rigs in the ditch. There is so much snow everywhere I am thinking “Shit this stuff must be here till August!”
A few times I came across some rigs and even though they slowed down when they saw me the snow blinded me as they passed! This is fine if the road is straight, but believe me it is not! The last sign I saw said narrow road for 115 kms Caution.
I made it to Fermont where I put some juice in Frosty and mozie on to Labrador City for another 28 kms.
When I got there all i could was sleep! I was absolutely bagged. The combination of a very rough road, poor visibility, narrow road and the thought that if I got off in the ditch no one would find me till spring make for an exhausting ride.

Friday morning January 18, 2008
645 kms to here from Baie- Comeau
Labrador city

It is about -14 outside and I am ready to go! I could not take a picture of the Labrador sign! Just kidding!

I actually got a couple of nice guys from the SQ who knew I was in town and when they saw me at the sign as they were about to turn around they asked me if they could take a picture of me.

Of course I did and I also took one of them. Nice guys. We chatted a bit on the side of the road, they wished me good luck and I went on to Tim’s in Labrador city’s city limits, where I wanted to phone peter and Heather from the North 53 Magazine for the interview. They showed up about 5 minutes after I phoned. Others join in and we had a local get together. It was great! These folks were really excited to see me. They say they have never seen or heard of anyone coming through in winter on a motorcycle. Cool! As we are sitting down mike Power from CBC radio showed up and asked me if I could give him one as well! This is the least I can do! I finished with Peter and Heather.

And I went on to meet Mike at CBC.

I spent about 45 minutes with Mike in the studio and we went outside to make the interview with sounds of the bike and all! A whole bunch of people gathered as we were doing this! That was very humbling! Man! A crazy French Canadian shows up in winter and they want to meet him. Some also remembered reading about me in their paper last year when I came through in NL

After that, I had to find a way to fix my windscreen that I had taken off because the road had shaken a couple of bolts off Frosty and I was just about to lose it about 90 clicks away from Fermont, at night in the crappiest part of the day! Murphy’s freaking law!
If I ever meet this Murphy I am going to kick in so hard in the ass he will have to loosen up his tie to fart.
After farting around and cussing like a logger in the cold freezing my fingers off fiddling around with Tabarnac de colisse de petite bolts la. Could they make them smaller for F&^%#$ sake? Sincreme de sacraman de soufleux de trombone de frère bande de crises de soeur blindee de ciboire my fingers were hurting and I kept dropping the littlest little rubber washer about 100 tabarnac de fois in the colisse de snow. St- ciboire it was time I finhed otherwise calver I would have garocher le criss de windshield in the face of the next one who asked me if I was crazy to ride in this.
Souffleux de trombone de mule ensoleillee de crises!

Ok where was I?
Finally after I picked up the satellite phone at the hotel

I left Labrador city at 11:45 Am. DAMN! I have another 560 kms to Goose bay! I better get ready to ride in the dark.
As I leave LC the wind picks uo like hell and the temp drops a notch or 2 to about -14 as I ride. It is great though! They say the road from LC to Churchill Falls is smooth and wide biut the shit hits the fan past Churchill Falls! We will see!!!
Within 50 clicks winter meets me down the road! As if it was not there already!
Onmy way north as I am coming down the road a pick up truck is waving me to stop. We meet and I turn around to park in front of them as they ask me. Sure enough 2 minutes later a rig goes by.
The guys onboard are freaking out at the sight of me! We chat and laugh a hell of a lot for about 20 minutes and they warn me about many fresh caribou tracks.

I do no take their advice lightly because I know this is their stomping grounds and if they are worried?

SO should I Esti!!

I saw some pretty cool scenery that reminded me of where I am! IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!!

Where else can you ride for an hour two and not see a soul?? It is sobering! This is something I have not felt before! When I was on my trip last year and that they closed the TCH on me, I knew I was alone but I also knew there always was some people nearby! Not here! Not a soul! Something happens to you here, you can kiss your sorry frozen ass good bye!

Imade my way to Churchill and by about 4 O’clock I had eaten a nice pizza at the Churchill falls hotel and had my photo taken by a dozen of people from the Irving in town to the hotel where the restaurant was! One lady who worked at the Grocery store came running out as I left and told me “You know? Every one thinks you are crazy! And as she said that a guy coming out of his truck said “This is our way to say we are envious! You choose to do it when so many don’t” Good luck man!
As I come out of Churchill Falls it is dark, the snow is starting to fall heavily and I see this sign.

Goose Bay 285 kms!!! Damn! It is dark; they are forecasting 5 cms of snow with strong winds and down to about -20 with the wind chill factor! What the heck am I doing to myself? Very smart! Dark, alone on the remotest Highway in Canada, I can hardly see,, there are as many caribous on the road as there are men in the news stands when the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue comes out, I am on bike when and to top it off, this road is the pits in summer on a bike! So why am I here again??? I use to say I do things like this because one of my 2 brain cells is having a fight with the other. I am not even sure I have 2 anymore! I am sure most of the time if you could open up my skull/ brain all you would hear is the deafening sound of the empty vacuum like space.
Anyway! About an hour after Churchill falls (100 KMS) I stopped to rethink all this. I can hardly see, the road is so rough my bike has to be suffering somehow! (Will have a lot of bolts to retorque) and for the third time in 2 days I am contemplating the idea of calling it quit.
There is risk! And there is this! After what seem 10 minute I keep going, thinking, “Paul! You made it this far! He will take you there! Just do not do anything stupid and take your time! You get to GB when you get to GB!”

About 45 minutes after this I come across my first mistake! You know that pizza?? Well! It wants to go play in the snow! Yep! The wind is blowing, the cold is way down the scale you could freeze the balls of a brass monkey and I have to stop like------------------------------------------------------- NOW???
Yep! What was my mistake? Oh yes! Taking my coat and gloves off! Dropping my pants in th freezing snowing wind and answering the big # 2 call of nature! By the time I am done leaving something for the caribous and that I climb out of the snow bank (Cleaning station?

) my fingers, ass, nuts and all other exposed parts of my lower body are frozen. Now I have to suit up again with my skin covered with snow that will cause moisture and will make me cold in my suit! Within 5 minutes my lower body is hurting with cold and my fingers are too!
Rene gave me a piece of paper mill tarp to line the ground and it is pretty heavy duty and wind proof! The first pull over I see is about 10 minutes later. I get off the bike, open the hack, put the heater together, light it up and wrap myself in the tarp as I am standing up with the heater inside at the bottom! I am sure I look like a large beige Christmas tree. But the heat from the heater stays under and I warm up in about 10 minutes!
I get back on and again thank the hack for saving my hide again!

About 10 kms passed the halfway mark I come across my first encounter with the caribous!i am coming down at about 60 klicks when Boom! Here they are right in front of me. Windy, snowy, slippery and with a hack1 YOU DO THE MATH!!!
I slowed down by about 2 inches an hour and managed to swing around most of them except one which managed to hit my left panniers!
‘Shit man! That was close! I am stopped and thinking HMMMMM! I just passed half way! Can’t stop now! I keep on going!
About 75 clicks from GB I come across my second encounter, but this time I am more prepared! I noticed a lot of tracks on the road for the last hour and a half! I quickly realize that when there are tracks there are Fuzz balls! Big freaking fuzz balls! With antlers that could hang me like underwear on a clothe line.
This time I am going slower and I ride away from the pack of about 10 of these magnificent creatures!
At one point there are about 5 running with me and THEY WILL NOT GET OFF THE ROAD! They are just running to where I am going. I try to grab my camera and the wind reminds me very quickly this is not a good idea! Let’s just say that you would have known what my last actions were when you would have found me in the spring.
He died snapping a shot of a large caribou’s ass!

Anyway off in the ditch they go and I keep going! 20 minutes later my third encounter. Except this time they came out of the ditch. I did not hit one full one but let’s just say the male running in front of me was so close that as he ran. He knocked off my spare jerry can of gas on the hack and also knocked my auxiliary light out of adjustment and knocked off the protector lid! He also kept running in front of me till I stopped!
I turned around and found the broken strap right besides the jerry can and the light cover.

Talk about close encounter of the furry kind! 45 minutes later I am entering GB. I stop at the Irving gas station to fuel where a bunch of kids cheer me on! Cool! I also notice that my rear parkinglight on my hack is not working. The reason is that the road (Bad freaking bumpy, potholey like hell road) shook the bolt holding my hack fender on the frame and it rubbed in the tire. No arm done to the fender or the tire but it rubbed the wire off the light socket! I will fix that tomorrow morning!

Now I am a the north hotel. I am 7546 kms away from home and they are forecasting 60 km/h winds tomorrow with accumulations of 5 cm of snow and temperatures of -38 in the afternoon with the wind chill! So guess what! I a hurting, I am exhausted and I have tears in my eyes that will just not stop! I am so burnt out! The last 2 days and 1146 kms have been by very far the hardest ride I have ever been on and definitely the scariest one as well in so many ways! So tomorrow I am staying here! For another day! I just can’t take off right away!
After that I am heading back to Victoria!!
Thinking about the ride here from Baie comeau maybe it was not the pizza! Maybe! Just maybe! I finally did something that made me shit my pants!

Good night!

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:58 PM

01-19-2008, 04:45 PM

#467

Coolhand
Puck slapping maplesucker

http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1125889171

Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Newfoundland
Oddometer: 462

I just got off the phone with Iceman. He's pretty much down for the night, resting up for the start of the return leg tomorrow, but he was still laughing, so he must be doing ok....that, or his brain got frost bitten....prob a combination of the two lol.

Good Luck on the return trip Iceman.

Jan 18th GPS update (Jan 19th edition lol)

__________________
There is allways something new to discover when you Ride The Rock! (even in winter)

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 02:59 PM

Gnarly Adventurer

Joined: May 2004
Oddometer: 315

Salut Bedo! Yes I kept an eye for open for Copeau's shack around Manic 5.
I will never forget this gentle old man! Sorry to say that his shack is gone and i am sure that his soul is now with God!

I am in Churchill falls right now and I just stopped shaking! I will write about it tonight, if i can! But for now all i can say is this!
For the first time in my life! Mr Cold has brought tears to my eyes this morning! That is all i will say! the last 300 kms were worse and harder on me than the whole trip down here + the whole trip last year together.
I knew i was going to hurt when i left Goose bay at -38.
Here is the last picture my camera was able to take

I could not! I repeat I could not do this again! This shit is made to be done with a support vehicle behind you! The terrain, the cold and the isolation are unforgiving. never more than this morning did i realize this!

Talk to you tonight IF I CAN!

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 03:00 PM

Coolhand
Puck slapping maplesucker

http://www.advrider.com/forums/image...ine=1125889171

Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Newfoundland
Oddometer: 462

Jan 20th GPS update.

__________________
There is allways something new to discover when you Ride The Rock! (even in winter)

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 03:01 PM

Today, 10:09 AM	#512
paulmondor Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2004 Oddometer: 315	January 20, 2008-01-21 Goose bay, Labrador -38 and with Wind chill it is -48 “Paul! Habille-toi? Tu vas prendre ton coup de mort!” « But Mom! I am warm and i do not like to be warm! » “Paul Get dressed? You will die out there like this! “But Mom! I hate being hot!” Out I would go skiing with dad in my jeans and jeans jacket with my back showing, while Bruno and dad are dressed like Eskimos. I would take major falls and spills, scrape the snow out of my T-shirt and keep going. This was nuts. My dad was worried but at the same time knew he could not make me do what I did not want to do! Time has passed but many things haven’t changed This is the scene playing out in my head and the words ringing in my ears as I get outside this morning. It is 7:00 when I get up. I am glad I stayed in Goose yesterday. The ride to here was scary to say the least. As I get out the wind and cold hit me like a freaking wall. Frosty is sitting there all alone, frozen solid and I feel bad for her. She had to spend the night out, and she is the one doing all the work! Is it actually possible to feel for a mechanical thing what I am feeling? It has to be! If she bails out on me, this could very well mean my end depending how she decides to quit. The scenarios are endless and the outcome of every single one of them really spooks me. I have always been proud to say I am not afraid of being alone. But THIS gives a new meaning to the word isolation. I decide to change the tape playing in my head because I know what it can do to one person. Doubts set in, fears sows fear and before you know it you make a mistake that is last. Out here IT CANNOT AND WILL NOT HAPPEN! I walk to Frosty and ask her to wake up. I sweep the snow off her and break the ice of the seat. I am still convinced she can hear me. I caress her and ask to come to life for me. One more time again! As I hit the start button, she turns but will not fire. She hesitates a few times, probably because she has low grade in her ( I am sorry Frosty that is all I could find) and it does not light up the way it does normally. After a few tries she comes to life without a funny sound or anything. She is purring quietly in the cold Labrador morning air and I can hear her wake up just like I. I go inside and start to load her up as she warms up. This takes about 15-20 minutes. It is a ritual I have learned from last year! I go in, suit up real good and take off! I am on my way to Tim’s. As I make my way there I know it is freaking cold cause I can hear the squeaking of the snow under my tires. I make it to Tim’s and as I get off, I realize within one minute that even with my gloves I can feel the cold. I will not go in and turn Frosty off, nor will I leave her running all alone outside while I am sipping on some decaf! I take a picture of her proudly idling inform of the most north easterly Tim’s in Canada and I take off. Ice and nothing but ice everywhere! As I climb the first hills coming out of Goose bay I look at my thermometer on my tank bag and it reads -43. This will be the last time it will show something. I guess one year plus this cold is all the battery could take. Within half an hour I am starting to worry. The cold is intense and so far I am ok except for my feet that I keep moving. But I am worried about Frosty and what can go wrong. I do not want to be stranded around these parts any more than the Pope wants to be caught in whore house! I quickly realize I will have to stop every 15 minutes in order to do my cold bacon dance and move my feet! After doing this a couple of times I also know I am in deep shit in so many other ways it is not even funny! First I have to take a leak! My suit is frozen solid on me and it is hard to undo the zipper. I will not take the chance and than break it. So I lift my coat, undo my zip from the bottom and “Holy crap! Where is it?” oh! There it is! Then quickly reverse the process. By now, my fingers a frozen! I put my gloves on but they are too cold and I cannot do what I normally do which is to tuck my gloves under my sleeve. I take off one glove and put it over the muffler tip so the exhaust goes in and warm it up! Hmm! That works! Cool! now I get back on frosty and within 5 minutes I have to stop. As good as this helmet is it has one flaw. The mask sits well over my mouth but because some air makes it in in an otherwise sealed environment that is warmer than outside, a thin layer of crystals is starting to build up! I have to scrape it with my gloves every 2-3 minutes. Otherwise I cannot see anymore. I try to compensate by riding with my visor cracked open but within 30 seconds my exposed skin is stinging like hell! Stinging means frost bite. No good! I develop another technique. I have some towels in my hack. I put one in my tank bag. When I stop to wiggle my feet for a few minutes I wrap the towel around the exhaust canister. After a couple of minutes I take towel, bunch it up and stuff inside my helmet (With my head in) and as I stuff it in I rub it on the inside of the shield and close it. The layer of ice melts. I wipe it dry and move on! There is something special about the fresh smell of exhaust in your helmet, every half hour in the morning! Now the next time I stop my heart almost stops. My feet need wiggling, I can’t see and there is a puddle of oil under Frosty! Remember my engine case breather return that freezes and sends the back pressure out through a vent problem? Well! I had come up with a solution which is to run an extra line of vent from the engine to under the seat and terminate it with a small K&N filter. The idea works but with the mild weather we had I had forgotten to plug it in. Now what! I can take a picture with my gloves on but I cannot work small tools. I need my fingers to unscrew small screws and to work my tools. I am literally dancing on the road as I try to figure what is next! I have no choice! I whip the tool kit out and state while I am leaving frosty running. As I work my way in my fingers get frozen. I walk back and heat them up with the muffler. Meanwhile I am dancing to make sure my feet are ok. The rest of my body is fine but the anxiety is starting to get the best of me. I drop everything and I walk away thinking things I really cannot print. One of them is “Where is the F%$#& help button?” then I catch myself and calm down. After about a 5 minute walk I go back to Frosty! She is spewing oil and needs me to connect that other line. I get all the right tools out and one step at the time eventually disconnects the stock line and reconnects the custom one. Normally at home this takes about 1 minute the way I got it designed. But in these conditions it takes me about half an hour. I cannot help but think how horrible it would be to be stranded in here! I have been on the road for 2 hours by now and have not seen a soul. I repack my tools, reheat my hands, warm up my feet and take off! There is 285 kms between Goose Bay and Churchill falls! I am trembling because I have on what I have always worn. 1 t-shirt, my long sleeve military spec under garment and my jacket. Down I have one pair of sock and my long fleece underwear and my pants. I have more stuff but I have nowhere to stop to put some more on and if I try on the side of the road I will not be able to warm up again and then only go downhill from there. Churchill Falls is still about 130 Kms away! At 70 km/h I will be there in 2 hours at least! The tripmeter is showing 155 kms when the reserve light comes on! I have been making less than half the 88 MPG I normally have on average! Maudit colisse de tabarnac de niaiserie de cochonnerie de colisse! Why don’t you give me a F%^$# break for a bit. I am not saying this to Frosty! I am just whining! I pull over and untie the 2 gallons Jerry can on the side of the hack and I come to turn Frosty off but the key will not turn. It is frozen in the lock! AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH! Tabarnac the AARRGGHHHHH! I drop the can and walk away! “Calm down Paul! You will make stupid mistakes if you keep this up! It is all ok so far! Think! Think!” my spare key is buried in my luggage! And even if it was in my wallet I would not take my gloves off unless I absolutely have to. Ding! Ding! An idea comes to mind. I take off the tank bag and as I lift up my jacket and reach for my zipper I say “Forgive me Frosty” as I am about to pee on her! This will thaw out the lock! But I suddenly remember something. The guys at BMW Toronto gave me a little spray bottle of WURTH de-icer. I reach in the left pannier and there it is! I spray it on and TaaDahhhh! Out comes the key! I was so happy I did not have to pee on Frosty! I refuel and take off again! About 10 minutes later my face is hurting! Here is why! I have freaking popsicle growing out of my face! And they are stuck on my helmet liner as well! Every time I frown or something I pull my brows, plus the shield is freezing inside still and so is my exposed skin. How far to Churchill Falls? Still not t soul in sight! I take this picture http://paul-iceman-mondor.smugmug.co...45716462-L.jpg And then of my face and the camera dies! The battery is fully charged from this morning and it is gone already! “Battery exhausted” reads the display! Battery exhausted? What the F%$&# “what do you think my F%$# meter is saying you F%$@!& piece of shit! Let me show you exhausted when I shove you up some dead caribou’s ass so you warm up. I am out here trying to have fun and fighting this with al I have and you give up on me because of the little bit of fu…. Cold you feel from within the tank bag you ugly stinking piece of tabarnac de shit! $1500.00 for you? “Calm down Paul! Calm Down! I am sure the animals who are hearing me scream from within my helmet are wondering! 2 caribous on the side of the road are having the following F5^&%$ conversation Hey Joe! Isn’t that guy normally carrying a gun? Yeah! Why is he talking to himself and his camera? Don’t know! Maybe it is a new gun! I don’t know but if it is I do not think we are his target! Yeah! You’re right! I think he sounds like he is his own target! Something cool happened this time as I was talking to my camera. I realized that my temperature was going up and I felt warm! HMMMMM! I knew that! So for the next 100 something kms I was dancing and screaming on my bike and in my helmet. I made it to Churchill falls where I fuelled up and went to the restaurant at the Hotel. From there I could see Churchill Falls pretty much closed on this Sunday. I wolfed down a bowl of turkey soup and a large French Fries with Gravy! I need the freaking protein! I stopped quivering after about half an hour and I went down and got another pair of socks and a long sleeve sweater. Put my new life saving layers on and went outside. Damn! It cooled down a few degrees I am sure since I came in as the sun is slowly making his way into the Pacific. I take off from Churchill Falls and as I ride past the Ultramar for the 4th time in 3 days the guys’ wave at me. I wave back and go back on 500 for the last 240 kms to Labrador City! By now it has to be at least -45, -48. At least that is what the locals tell me in Churchill Falls. But I am now warmer and refreshed. While I was having a quick light lunch,(Yeah! Yeah!) I reminded myself to not let the isolation and the thought of what if get the best of me. Even though the thoughts were there I quickly replaced them with how lucky I am to be able to see this from my helmet’s point of view Churchill River drained and sleeping Sunsets that can only be seen and felt here at this time of the year. The magnitude of the TLH mixed with the isolation make for an experience that can only be lived. No words or explanation could ever come close to produce or duplicate what I felt as I was watching the sun go down on my cold word that night! I was reminded of Ian and Dad and how much they would cheer me for me if they were here to witness this. When I stopped to take a picture of that one, which was to be the last one after my camera warmed up in Churchill, I sat on the snow bank and took a deep breath and started to cry! Yep! There was something about the ice shining on the road, the sun disappearing slowly, the cold whipping my face so hard it hurt and the thought that all this could be taken away from me in an instant that soothed me. And suddenly? Calm came! I am sure we all can remember a time when the rawness of a single moment carved a deep mark in us! A mark that leaves a scar! A good scar! A scar that reminds us how precious life is and how fragile it is at the same time. And that it is in this conflict of logic that we spend our lives deciding what we WILL do and WILL not do! I looked up and I could feel my tears freeze on the layer of ice that had already welded my beard to my baklava as they fell down and I smiled! From that mile marker on the TLH till I hit Labrador City I was in the moment and not it on top of me. I could still feel the cold but now I was lucky to be able to feel it. I still had to stop to move my feet but now I was lucky to be able to walk and to just that! My back was killing me because the roughness of this road had beaten to a pulp, but I was happy to feel it and thinking that I would not have any trouble finding someone who is wheelchair bound who would give their life to feel what I was at that very moment. Then it dawned on me! THIS is why I am out here! I have always answered “Why not?” when asked why I do this! This answer also included “To feel”. As simple as that! To feel! As I rode I felt Ian and dad were riding right beside me! And somehow I also felt like I felt last year when I said I felt “You” on the pillion seat. Since this morning this 535 kms from Goose Bay to Labrador city was a challenge but at that moment it was more than that! It was something I had and wanted to enjoy because no matter how hard it would be, I will never go on ride like this again! Amazing what the right perspective can do to one’s heart! I made it to Labrador city by 7:30 where I met Wayne! Wayne is the manager of the Hewitt Caterpillar branch in Labrador City! He was driving on the road when quote” I saw these 2 lights thinking “Nooooooo This can’t be! And I turned around to come and see it myself! As I was fuelling at the Shell on Premium ( I could hear Frosty say “Thanks”) Wayne came to me and started chatting and asked me where I was going and if I knew about the -55 tomorrow and he offered me to shelter Frosty in his shop for as long as I need and that he would give me a ride back to and from the hotel if needed! Here she is with the Hewitt Caterpillar crew. Fine people! Typical happy going Labradorean/Newfoundlander! Thank God for them! Here is Frosty taking a warm break standing in front of her grandfather 250 tonne dump truck 2000 HP Cat engine. I am sure she asked him all sorts of questions on how to safely use her power to take me safely home I know she felt safe being guarded by him all night! This morning I fixed her up, lubed her up and thanked her again for carrying me through this again! I also asked her to rest the whole day because tomorrow will be the hardest day she will ever go through! The forecast calls for -50 again and I will attempt to make to Baie-Comeau. We are going to sleep now!! Iceman & Frosty
Blame John™

ZZR_Ron · 01-21-2008, 03:14 PM

Once again, I'm not the one doing this ride...

PaulMondor is...I'm just cross posting for him from Great White North.

The original whole thread is here...

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230898

01-21-2008, 02:48 PM	#19
ZZR_Ron Underground Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 5,935	This a repost from Paul Mondor: Ok! I am back in my hometown and alive! I got here last night for diner and it was good! I slept 11 hours and I am still alive. I got out of TO at 8 o’clock Friday and I am forever thankful for the guys at BMW for taking so much care of me and Frosty. They did an incredible job and BMW was 100% behind me. Tim and Christina’s hospitality was awesome and Tim went also as far as fighting TO traffic for another hour on Friday morning to go home and get me his 15 teeth front sprocket because this is something that was not stock at the dealer. Thanks Tim! You da man! By the time I left tropical TO it was almost 7 degrees and I was sweating like the Mobster at a tax man inquiry! The crack of my butt was like a river! Then I fought traffic on 401 which is absolutely unreal. It is like a bunch of killers on day parole driving on crack cocaine! I saw women driving at 130 kmh putting make up on and holding a cell between their shoulders and what looked like a head! Went I got out of that zoo I phoned Woodgrain (Dave) and we met in Napanee! I wanted to stop and we have been trying to meet since we met in SK in 2004 and to be honest with you I heard he was waiting for me with a sawed off 12 gauge shot gun on the side of 401.we stopped at Tim’s where I had good coffee but the crappiest service and food I have ever seen on this side of hell! We went to his place and stayed up till 4. last time I stayed up till 4 was in my mother’s womb. We got up went for breakfast and I left for Joliette! I got here for diner. It was nice to see my family and lots of snow. I will leave on Tuesday morning and I will post pictures of winter land again! It is cold here today and I love it! __________________ Great minds think alike;small minds seldom differ... Last edited by ZZR_Ron : 01-21-2008 at 03:03 PM.

01-21-2008, 02:49 PM	#20
ZZR_Ron Underground Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 5,935	Hi! Repost from Paul Mondor on the Trans-Labrador Highway..winter. Hey! Looks like I got what i was wishing for! Plenty of snow and it is getting cold. I like that! I will be leaving tomorrow and hope to get in Goose bay Friday or Saturday. Someone from Labrador 53 magazine phoned me and they will have someone waiting for me in Labrador City. Others have already contacted me. Thanks to all of you who have contacted people. Frosty is ready and I am ready! Aa a matter of fact i am more than ready because I cannot sleep anymore. Looks like I am resting enough. I will start taking lots of pics again and posing them.I am leaving tomorrow because my nephew (My only one) wants me to pick him up at school on Frosty today. Of course I am more than happy to do this for him. Talk to you soon! __________________ Great minds think alike;small minds seldom differ... Last edited by ZZR_Ron : 01-21-2008 at 03:04 PM.

01-21-2008, 02:56 PM	#24
ZZR_Ron Underground Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 5,935	__________________ Great minds think alike;small minds seldom differ...

01-21-2008, 03:14 PM	#30
ZZR_Ron Underground Joined: Nov 2004 Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 5,935	Disclaimer Once again, I'm not the one doing this ride... PaulMondor is...I'm just cross posting for him from Great White North. The original whole thread is here... http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230898 __________________ Great minds think alike;small minds seldom differ...

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