Ok, so after a dreary day yesterday (although truly only about 2 hours while at Canadian Tire were dreary), I have had a FANTASTIC day today.

This morning, not sure where to go, I looked at the map and saw greenery - Mont Tremblant. Perfect! So, that is where I am right now. And, I found a Youth Hostel, so cheap accommodation, a room currently to myself (4-bed dorm, so fingers crossed nobody else arrives) and wireless internet! How could things get better than this :)

I drove to Drummondville, which is about 100 km north of Montreal, for breakfast at a little coffee shop. My French is really coming along nicely! Egg and cheese croissant with extra strong coffee got me on my way and geared up for navigating Montreal.

Wow, it seemed like the network of high speed highways went on for hours. I felt like laundry on the spin cycle! This way, that way, go here, no, go there, drive in that lane, pass the slow driver, watch out for road works! OMG.

But, now I am up in the Laurentians and have 2 days to saunter around before going to Ottawa (which is apparently just a 2 hour drive away - all downhill).

I got out into the woods for a walk this afternoon; a paultry 6 km, but I am aching from being seated so long behind the steering wheel. The forest is alive. The leaves are rustling with the tiniest bit of wind (see what I call the Tremble Tree below) and there are chipmonks, flickers, crows, ravens and goodness knows what else. I am sure I found a couple of owl hang-outs, too (judging by the amount of poop on the pathway), I should go back there tonight to check them out, but too tired!

Tremble Tree

This is an Intrawest resort (think Whistler) - full of huge oppulent "cabins", but almost everything is for sale.

Taken purely for it's abstract nature - this is what emerges after the snow leaves.

My first Lake Superior (frozen still) and quite a bit smaller than the next I am likely to find on my travels.

Ok, that is all for tonight. The light is fading and I ate too much KD so need to walk it off. Bye for now.