Day 4 - Part 2

Good news is, we arrived at Motel de L'energie (which is a few km south of Manic Cinq), but it was about 2 hours later than we expected. Left Bais-Commeau at about 10 am, arrived at the motel at about 3 pm.

Pat worked hard on my bike, at the hotel for a few hours in the intermittent rain because I flippin' crashed again getting here! I'm okay, few bruises, swelling, cuts where my left shin slammed into the handle bars/controls, but very glad the bike & I hobbled out of there.

 Entering the construction area from the paved section of Hwy 389.

Pat took this as we waited for the construction boss to come check things out. I was still a bit dazed, my lip starting to swell, wet, covered in mud. The bike also muddy, windscreen broken, faring, handlebars bent. Pat did a quick check & repair, making it driveable to get to the hotel

Both shins ached afterwards & I could especially feel the left one swelling as we rode another 120 km in the cold rain. With not even a small windscreen to deflect the wind, I faced it head on and it took my mind off my shins

Pat working on my bike post-crash at hotel

Yes, a combination of over confidence and slick ridges of mud meant I lost control & landed in the ditch. 

Pat was ahead of me as we have done few times today with no issues. I didn't assess the conditions which had deteriorated due to ongoing rain & truck traffic, leaving deep ridges of muck.

Didn't take long for me to lose it, standing on the pegs bad idea! Should have grunted it through, feet down, slip sliding away if needed and it would have only fallen over on crash bars. 

Nope! I end up off the road down in the ditch with more soft, wet sand & a creek. Luckily my head bounced off the soft, wet sand on the upside of the ditch.

The Hotel de L'Energie is a kind of pre-fab accommodation, individual units, all the same.
No shampoo/conditioner, the water temp is opposite (cold is left, hot is right), which took my tired brain a bit to sort out...

The food was plentiful in amount, reheated, not very flavourful & pricey. I asked for some ice to keep swelling down & told I had to buy a block of it! Gas here was $1.39 litre. Luckily we didn't need a fill, just a top up, as the next gas was 100 km further.

I am thankful all worked out okay, that we can continue our trip & for my phenomenal co-pilot, riding buddy & personal mechanic.😂