Time for a New map!

Yo! I am in Gatineau, and finally done with Ontario!
My stay in Sault Saint Marie was pretty relaxing and I set off that day with the goal of doing a short day. First stop, after 3 blocs, at the Thyne's Family Bakery! Since I left Vancouver, I've been on a quest to find the best cinnamon roll in all of Canada, and this bakery made it in the top 3 yesterday with some extra fresh confections. The baker was very friendly so I stop there to say goodbye. We started to chat, he offers me coffee and starts giving me some stuff for free. Then I noticed a book on a shelf, and start reading it. very interesting read, it takes a scientific approach on why the fat we eat is good or bad. After a final goodbye, a very full belly, it!s time to leave. Geese, it's after noon! I ride about 30k when I notice someone waiving at me, and as I turn my head I see Garry. We had camped together in hope, and I thought the chance of seeing him again was really slim, but luckily it happened. Garry has toured all over the world on his bicycle, more than 100 000 km in total and it took him a few days to get his legs back, but then he rode long days and chose a route mostly south of the border. We fill in the 4 week blank in half an hour and decide to ride together for a while. His legs are as massive, remind me of Jan Ullrich's, and can keep up with mine no problem. We rode until late and camp in Iron Bridge,a mosquito haven.
We accidentally parted for the next day, when he woke up earlier than me, after a cat peed on his tent in the middle of the night, and he decided to go for breaky and meet me afterward. I had already left, not knowing where he was, and we met again the next day.
Next day was marked by the highest calorie lunch I've ever had. I usually don't eat anything until I have done 30km in the morning, but that day I was stuck on the Subdury bypass without anywhere to stop for a long time, and ended up doing over 60km without eating anything. I needed a fix, and decided to treat myself at a chip truck. Upon hearing about my adventure, the waitress goes ''don't worry, I'm gonna take care of you'' and she gave me a delicious fish burger with a huge amount of french fries, that I generously covered with ketchup and swallowed down in no time (it was challenging to finish). 1500 calories I figured. Then I decide to go shopping for dinner at the market next door. I get a 6 pack of muffin, and eat 5 of them. I look at the nutrition data and MY GOSH, they each provide 400 calories, mostly fat. that is another 2000 calories. Then Garry finds me. He arrives with a big smile and a bucket of ice cream. Down goes a third of it. The count adds up to over 4500 calories in one meal, and topped up with a coffee, we made an impressive average speed that afternoon. We were lucky to find a good campsite by a river, and could bath in the brown water amongst jumping pickerels and swarming mosquitoes.
Next day, we make it to North Bay, and as we were enjoying breakfast, the rain start to fall. It didn't stop until next morning, and this day became the rainiest day of my trip. The downpour was heavy and relentless, and quickly soaked us to the bone. At least, it was warm so we could keep going. The wind was from the east, of course, and there was no way we could draft each other because of the spray from our wheel, even with fenders. For 3 hours, we battled the element and it wasn't that bad after all, the meditation was really intense. We made it our own pace until Mattawa and stopped for a burger. Getting back on our bike was hard after getting comfortable in the restaurant, the dampness and the wind chilling us for the first few km. The road became very quiet, and we could ride side by side and talk. We decide to make it to Bisset creek, hoping to find a shelter for the night. No way we are going to pitch our tent in the pouring rain. To our surprise, this wasn't a town, rather a bunch of empty summer cottage by a lake. We decide to camp on the patio of one of them, it had a small roof and some mosquito net all around. Didn't like trespassing, but it was a matter of life and death! While enjoying our dinner, we got attacked by some tiny tiny little black flies, so small you couldn't see them until they bite. I was sure happy about the mosquito net, since it was the worst I have ever seen after the rain.
The next day ended up being very good, with lots of ground covered and decent conditions. There was thundershowers throughout the days, but we managed to find a shelter for all of them, sometimes at the last second. We enjoyed a good lunch in Petawawa, a town that host the biggest military base in Canada. That must pay well to be in the military, they all drive huge brand new trucks! Gary was in charge of buying lunch, and he kindly got us each a 6 pack of cinnamon buns for desert! I had 7 of them, my record so far. Resting in the sunny break was good. We stopped in a dairy farm for the night, the farmer allowed us to camp in his hay barn, and we got inside just before curtain of rain started to fall. It was good to talk to the farmer and his family, and once again, to see the happiness of a close knit family.
Next day, we crossed the Ontario/Quebec and were to part in Gatineau. I had a contact there, Benoit, who could host me for a few days rest, and Garry would carry on on the north shore of the Saint Laurence river all the way to Labrador. We lazily enjoyed a breakfast in Shawville, then decide to ride all the way to Gatineau in one push, 70km away. But the plan didn't include meeting Jojo in a gas station where we had stopped to refill our water bottle. Thrilled to talk to some travelers, she invited us inside her house and prepared a 3 course lunch for us. he fresh cannelloni were a delight and we listened to her story while watching the Saint Jean celebration on TV (Quebec's national day). She was so kind and welcoming it really touch our heart
We set off again, and after only 25km, another thunderstorm hit us and in a split second we decide to take shelter under someone's front porch. The guy invited us inside and for an hour explained to us how he build his log house himself, from cutting down the trees to putting it together. He also showed us some pictures of  his 'cabane a sucre' on his acreage where he harvest maple sap and makes his own maple syrup. Very interesting. He gave me a bottle of his best syrup, and we set off again. Garry and I said goodbye, hoping to meet again near cape Breton, and I finaly arrived at Benoit's after being completely soaked by another storm.

Gatineau!
I got Benoit's contact a few weeks ago when I met one of his friend, Louis, who was canoeing from Ottawa to the mouth of the mackenzie river, in Terrace Bay (check our their blog http://www.transcaneauda.ca/).
That night, there was a concert for the Saint Jean, and I decided to go along him, his girlfriend and his roommate. It was 12km from his place, and we decide to go by bicycle since they were about to drink A LOT! (by the way, I am still holding strong with my no alcohol policy and I would not even kiss a girl who just had a beer!). We set off in the pouring rain, and follow a bike path that weave through the forest on the edge of the Ottawa river. It was really fun to race on the track and sometimes go through some puddle more than a foot deep and 100 foot long. Needless to say we were soaked, but we didn't get cold since we were in the middle of a huge crowd cheering for Loco Locass, a famous rap band from Montreal, singing with the symphonic orchestra of Gatineau in the back. This band openly supports the sovereignty of Quebec, and between each song were making the crowd cheer by preaching Quebec's independence. 'If you go in a business where they don't speak french, don't give them your money' or  'Gatineau, you are the at the front line. Across the river (Ontario), these people want to buy our properties and not pay our taxes. resist and bout them out!' I remained neutral but was still clapping after their songs.
Yesterday I got to visit Ottawa and was delighted to discover the government buildings and the downtown core. The Gothic architecture is truly stunning, and the by ward market was a haven of specialty food (some good bakeries in there, I still have to check a few of them for my cinnamon roll contest). On this side of the country, the history shows and the cities feels more European, and are not just a grid system and modern buildings.
It looks like the crepes are ready. Happy breakfast everybody, thanks for your numerous comments.

David