4500 Mile Ride for Charity - June 29 - Day 31 - Part 2

Good morning all! I left Montreal yesterday afternoon following the Interactive LIVE Media event sponsored by Asita Informatica and Heart In Action/We Got Skillz. I wish I had seen more of you inside the online interface, it would have been good to meet more of you, but I understand everyone is busy and has things to do. We will hold another one on the 14th of July, so please attend, I think you will find it very interesting! It is very easy to use, all you have to do is log in through a browser...you don't even need a camera to participate, just turn your audio on and you will hear everything...participate using the chat...or if you have a webcam, you can use that. All you need is a computer and your browser...it doesn't cost anything as it is being sponsored by Asita Informatica. Thanks to Ashie, Colin, Luca from Asita and Tami and Michael from BikersWelcomeUSA for their participation, and Mike and the two other guests who took the time out of their busy schedules to meet!



I left Montreal and it was raining steadily and had been since early. I was dressed in my rain gear yesterday afternoon after dealing with some interesting financial challenges...I was out of cash, and my debit card was maxed out...so I was almost unable to get my bike (Pandora) out of the parking garage to leave. Thanks to my sister Catherine, her husband Kelly, my brother Crayden and my true friend Terry Gagneux from HP for their financial assistance which has enabled me to continue this mission for charity while I am going broke :) Much LOVE to them and to my Son Cristian, a true hustler who is making deals and selling some of my stuff back home to raise money for me to continue my mission. Cristian is becoming quite a young man, almost 18, I call him DA HUSTLA, because this young man can sell just abouot anything. I called him the other day and told him I was going to need to sell some of my guitars and such to continue the ride...within an hour my boy called me and told me he had interested buyers for my guitars, my Marshall amp, my big TV, my pool table and my car! I am so impressed with Cristian...MY BOY! I was advised not to tell this part of the story, as it would change my "image" as a businessman who had taken time out of his business for charity. You know what? I could care less about my "image" at this point...that is not why I am here. I am here to RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY! I am telling these details, because it is the true story. I also want anyone who reads this to understand my level of commitment to this mission I have chosen...I am not asking for anything for me, I am very blessed, have been my whole life, and will be in the future...

I want people who are following my 4500 Mile Ride for Charity to DONATE TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME...THEN TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO TELL THEIR FRIENDS!! Let's make a REAL DIFFERENCE FOR THE NEEDY!

More than one of my friends has suggested that I quit this mission and head to Texas due to my financial challenges...I am undeterred, and I WILL COMPLETE THE MISSION regardless of my finances... Join me to make this mission a success..DONATE TO ONE OF OUR CHARITIES AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS...AND TELL THEM TO DO THE SAME! Today I ride out from Victoriaville, BC headed for New Hamshire then towards Connecticut! I will update blog, pics and video before I leave town. I rode in serious rain all day yesterday...pray for some clear skys today!!

Back to the story...I left Montreal after a painful hour ride down a street busy with traffic, 10 miles an hour in the rain...talk about "clutch hand"...my hands are getting much stronger from this ride! Once out on the hwy 20 towards Quebec City, I eventually became more secure with the wet roads and put the hammer down. Rain at 80 miles an hour feels like needles hitting my bare hands! The speed limit was 100! Ok, that is in kilometres ;o



I stopped in Notu Dame du Bon Conseil, a small town famous for its Fromage...unripened cheese...I bought a small packed, which I ate later that evening once I stopped for the night...super salty cheese, but I really liked it. Everywhere here in Quebec is like being in France...everyone speaks French, with a smattering of English. All of the road signs, gas pumps, and even the coffee machine in the store are in French. I am sure my Texas accent turned some heads :)

I kept riding, and the rain never stopped, in fact, it got worse as I headed east. Near the town of Daveysville, I saw nothing but WHITE in front of me about a mile down the road. I figured it was just water misting off the back of an 18-wheeler...I was wrong! As I approached this white wall, it got colder, the wind picked up, and suddenly I was in what we in Texas call a "turdfloater"! OMG...there was so much water coming down from the heavens that I could not see a mobile home like 20 feet in front of me except for a glimmer of its tail lights! I decided that being "hardcore" was one thing...riding in this stuff was just plain INSANE! I saw an exit and eased off the freeway, very cautiously as I feared I would hydroplane off into the woods! I could barely see the signs for the Esso gas station 1km to my left, then I eased the bike over the bridge, now in such a downpour that I could hardly breathe from the water coming up off the road, and couldn't see much from the waterfall coming down off my helmet...I almost drowned on my bike! The people in their cars who had taken refuge at the gas station saw me coming, laughing like a madman and I am sure they were wondering who this fool was...it was just hilarious to me that I had survived this torrent. I truly have angels following me! I thank my Lord for his protection!

After about a half hour at the gas station, some coffee and a candy bar, I decided I had enough of heading east into this stuff, so I turned south towards New Hampshire on route 161 to 261 south and continued on. The rain lightened to a sprinkle by the time I hit the Municipalite' Saint-Valere, where I stopped to take pics of this beautiful church. While I was there, my sister called to see if the money she had lent me had cleared the bank and if I was back on the road! Much LOVE to my sister and her husband Kelly for their help...Semper Fi Kelly!

I continued riding until about 10pm, whereupon it appeared the rain would never stop, and I would not make the Parque Canadian near the NH border in time to get a campsite...so I decided to get a room in Victoriaville, where I could check my gear and get into some dry clothes...turns out the only thing truly wet on me was from my knees down to the puddles in my shoes...my dishpan feet looked disgusting from being in puddles all day, but all was good. I unrolled my bedroll, where all of my clothes are now riding...and ouala! all still dry...knew that Boy Scout and Marine training would come in handy...pack everything in plastic when you ride, that way no matter how much it rains, or how wet you get, you can always change into some dry clothing. Most importantly as any Marine or Soldier will tell you...DRY SOCKS!! An infantryman's FEET are his second most important weapon! Semper Fi to all my military brethren out there everywhere! Support the Wounded Warrior Project!!!


I'm going to sign off for now, as I have to re-pack the bike and get outa here while I still have some dry pavement to enjoy...it is supposed to rain today and for the next 2 days! I'd like to ride dry for a few hours :). Bon Voyage! Keeping the shiny side up and the rubber down!



Lawrence