Our Time in Lac-Mégantic

One other interesting encounter with the authorities that I forgot to relate in the last blog occurred at the quiet US-Canadian border crossing in Maine on our way to Lac-Mégantic. We pulled up to the border and were greeted by a smiling black man, who wore a name badge that looked African. Before we said a word or gave him our passports, he looked at us and said, in lightly accented English, “You must be Jack and Carol.” We were stunned into silence for a moment, and then I replied, “How did you know that?” “Oh, that would be telling secrets!” he said. He gave our passports a cursory look and waved us on through, smiling all the while. We pondered various explanations for our reputations preceding us to the border (including the thought that the policeman who had stopped us earlier had called ahead to warn them!). We strongly suspected our friend Pierre had a hand in it, which proved to be the case. Pierre is a retired attorney, well-known in this area, and had apparently called the border to alert them!

Shortly after our arrival at Helen and Pierre’s house, after hugs all around as reported in the last blog, we skewered and grilled some shish-kebabs and made a salad for supper. We set an extra two places for their daughter Melanie and her friend Mathieu, who were arriving around 9 or 9:30 pm, on their way to Maine for a few days’ holiday. They showed up as expected and we had an enjoyable and companionable meal outside on the porch. The conversation turned to French occasionally but Helen would quickly bring it back into English for our benefit—very gracious of her. It amazes me that Helen can go back and forth between the two languages so easily. Both of their daughters are completely bilingual too. (FYI, Helen is the sister of our friend and Oriskany neighbor Lewis Hopkins, and was a classmate of Carol’s from Mary Washington College back in the late 1960s. We discovered each other through Lewis and have become good friends over the past several years. She married Pierre 30+ years ago and has lived in Quebec all that time. Jack and Pierre also enjoy each other’s company very much. We always look forward to spending time with them.)

Melanie and Mathieu with his vintage VW Westfalia camper.

The next morning we had breakfast, outside again since it’s turned very warm especially for Canada, and then Melanie and Mathieu took off on their vacation. Helen and I share a love of horses and she had scheduled a ride for us at Auberge d’Andomède, a charming country guest house that offers riding and gourmet dining packages and where she occasionally works as a horseback guide (and sometime photographer). Her friend Lisa, an American with a summer place nearby, joined us for the ride. Pierre and Jack planned to stay at home and take advantage of the lake’s cool waters.

When we arrived at Andomède, after figuring out which horses we were supposed to ride—not so easy since most of the horses at this stable are Canadian breed horses and look a lot alike!—we tacked up and headed out on the trail. The trails here are beautiful, going through pristine streams, old rail beds, fields of wildflowers, and beautiful views. The three of us had a canter or two where the trail allowed. My horse, Angel Queen, is apparently part Arabian, like my little horse at home, Nula. I was surprised when Helen told me she was about 20 years old, as she was rarin’ to go! Fun times! The little knitted caps on the horses are to keep the flies off their ears--they work great!

Lisa and I on our ride. The wildflowers were beautiful!

Helen's horse was a prime example of the Canadian breed, like the majority of Andromede's horses.

It was getting late when we got back to Lac-Mégantic. Lisa had houseguests waiting for her at her house. She and her husband Ed kindly invited us all over to their place for dinner the next night.

Our boys had given up on us and were having leftover salad on the porch when we drove up. They regaled us with stories of their day, kayaking on the lake (with lots of suspected made-up details, like how Jack saved Pierre's life when a great storm appeared...). We cooked out on the grill again (pork chops) and ate on the back porch this time, with the lake sounds as background. A delicious maple syrup pie, a specialty of the region, was dessert. Another great time of good food and hilarious conversation.

The next morning Helen gave Jack and me a tour of the aftermath of the horrific train accident that struck this town almost exactly one year ago. We were dreading seeing the damage, because when we were last here we’d had a nice tour and lunch in the charming little downtown area and we had pleasant memories. All that is gone now, along with 47 people who were killed that terrible night, many of them young people. The damaged downtown area is still contaminated with oil that spilled from the many overturned train cars. The whole area is fenced off and a guard gate is manned 24/7. The amount of damage to the center of town from the huge explosions and fire is almost unbelievable. So many buildings are gone, or are declared uninhabitable and boarded up. Basically the town is being rebuilt in a different place. The shockwaves from that accident are still being felt by everyone here and will be felt for many, many years to come.

The accident scene of burned, overturned train cars in Lac-Megantic right after the accident (taken from internet)

The scene today, with fenced-off disaster area and ongoing clean-up. Train tracks have been moved.

(Ironically, a similar accident occurred in Lynchburg, Virginia in April, when a train carrying crude oil derailed in the downtown area, starting a fire and causing a partial evacuation of the town. Fortunately there was no loss of life that time. Numerous other recent derailments/fires of this type are shining a spotlight on the increasing hazards of transporting crude oil from the Midwest and Western states to refineries all over North America. Some evidence points to the fact that the shale crude oil now being shipped by rail, mostly from North Dakota, is much more volatile than other types of crude and that is the reason for so many explosive accidents with fires. Most communities along the rail lines are not aware of the dangers, like Lac-Mégantic…)

Back at home, Helen and Carol decided to go for a swim in the lake—chilly at first but it felt really good! Then it was time to get ready to go to Lisa and Ed’s lakeside cabin for dinner. We met their friends, who are visiting from Maine, and had fancy hors d’oeuvres outside by the lake—they have a beautiful lakeside property—and a delicious dinner in the cabin, topped off by a fresh Maine blueberry pie. Another lovely warm night and great company. (Unfortunately, we all forgot cameras so no photos from Lisa's place.)

A refreshing swim in the lake! Jack stayed ashore to take photos.

Seems like our time at Lac-Mégantic went all too quickly. Wednesday morning we had breakfast on the porch, packed up the RoadTrek, and said our fond farewells to Helen and Pierre. Hopefully it won’t be too long until we meet again.

Farewell to good friends as we get ready to hit the road again.

Our plan is to take two days to drive across Quebec and Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced “Soo Saint Marie” meaning “rapids of St. Mary,” referring to the big rapids on the St. Mary River), really two towns with the same name, one in Canada and the other in Michigan, connected by the huge International Bridge. The Soo Locks here is the busiest canal in the world in terms of tonnage. We hope to see some of the 1000-foot laker ships pass through the locks.

Sault Ste Marie seen from the International Bridge as we wait in the border crossing line.

 We just arrived this evening in Sault Ste Marie after a relatively uneventful two days drive (and no border-crossing incidents!). Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, so we’re not sure what that will mean for touring the Soo Locks. Stay tuned….