Donnacona QC

Monday, July 18, 2016 

Sainte‐Anne‐de‐La‐ Perade to Donnacona. 50 km 

Gîte aux Deux Pignons

400 Avenue St Denis, Donnacona, QC G3M 2L9, Canada  I haven't figured out how to post pictures yet. Lots of biking today  . Caught in a rain storm had to  wait out of thunderstorm in a church .  We had a great lunch saw some big barges on the St. Lawrence River And met some great people.  My French is getting better 

Sainte-Anne- de-la-Pérade, QC Sunday

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Orientation in the morning; Today you will cycle on the “Chemin du Roy” to Sainte Anne de la Perade Quebec. 50km

Auberge de Manoir
Dauth 21 Boulevard Lanaudière, Sainte-Anne- de-la-Pérade, QC.  Today we did a lot of biking 50 K  we discovered we were not  on the bike path for most of the trip we were on a bike road  there are a lot of motorcycles and it is very flat farmland .pictures are easier to post on Instagram.  

Nicolette Quebec

July 16, 2016  Hotel Montfort in Nicolett 

We have arrived at our first destination .  A monastery turned into a hotel. We explored a bird sanctuary and a lovely boardwalk.  We start biking tomorrow and the weather looks great.  We had dinner in an authentic Greek restaurant.  Tasty 

July 16, 2016

It has been over a year since I posted my holiday newsletter and there was a blizzard.   It is certainly not winter now and also extremely hot for once.  We have experienced very cool temperatures this spring and summer so this hot day takes a bit getting used to. Tomorrow Kathy, my adventure buddy and I are off to bike in Canada.  We are by ourselves on a self guided tour.   We will be biking to our next destination each time.  The trip to Nicolette tomorrow will start our adventure.  Follow this blog and I will hopefully post daily updates about what we see and do.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Arrive in Trois Rivieres - Extra night in Trois Rivieiers

Staying on your own at Hotel Montfort in Nicolett 

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Orientation in the morning; Today you will cycle on the “Chemin du Roy” to Sainte Anne de la Perade Quebec. 50km

Auberge de Manoir
Dauth 21 Boulevard Lanaudière, Sainte-Anne- de-la-Pérade, QC G0X 2J0, Canada Phone:+1 418-325-3432

Monday, July 18, 2016

Sainte‐Anne‐de‐La‐ Perade to Donnacona. 50 km

Gîte aux Deux Pignons

400 Avenue St Denis, Donnacona, QC G3M 2L9, Canada Phone:+1 418-285- 4862

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Donnacona to Quebec City. 50 km

Maison Sainte- Ursule

40 rue Ste-Ursule, G1R 4E2 Québec, Canada

Transportation from Quebec to Alma. Cycling to Chambord. 45 km

Motel Lac St Jean

577 Route 169, Chambord, Québec G0W 1G0, Canada Phone:+1 418-342-6334

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Chambord / Saint‐Felicien 50 km

Auberge des Berges

610 SACRÉ COEUR BOUL, Saint-Félicien, QC, Canada Phone:+1 418-679- 3346

Saint Felicien/Dolbeau- Mistassini 57 km; Return shuttle to Alma

Notre Hotel

450 Sacré-Coeur Rue O, Alma, QC, Canada Phone:(877) 917- 3222

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Departure after breakfast. Tranfer back to Trois Rivieres 

Blizzard to 2015 O'Connell Newsletter

Better Late than Never!

O’Connell Newsletter 2015

NEW greetings!!!!  January 27, 2015

 Blizzard of 2015. 

This is a good day to finish this newsletter and send it out.   While I know the fall out from this storm is to be about 2 feet of snow with more coming on the weekend I can’t help but be excited to finally have snow to ski.  I am trying to add YOGA and skiing to my plans for spring.   NO school today for most of Maine and we will see what tomorrow brings.  From the sounds of the weather reports we probably won’t have school tomorrow either.   I would rather go to school in June anyway.  All cat and dog are sleeping tucked up in warm places.   I didn’t get the snow blower yet so more shoveling.   I  hope this finds everyone well and I am sending this by email, facebook and snail mail to those who still use it to try to connect with you all.  I look forward to hearing from everyone throughout the year.   I know I usually send pictures so check some out on facebook if you can. 

Greetings from cold and wintery Maine.  This is the year of the “O”s.   Orono Maine the home of the family O’Connell.  In residence 2 working parents, 3 crazy cats and 1 very funny dog. 

Oakland CA:  the residence of Fiona:  adventurer extrordinaere, currently a barista [coffee, tea and other beverages], working 2-3 jobs from bagel queen to nanny: figuring out next steps. 

 tORONtO,  Ontario Canada  Moira:  social media/marketing/business program finishing in Feb. and figuring out next steps and back to US. 

Steve: working for Office Max,  keeping busy listening to the scanner for accidents and news. 

And last but not least the writer of the newsletter-Tracey: in search of the bike and ski trails that are fun, working for the 13^th year at Leonard Middle School as a school counselor.  

I always start backwards with this letter, as I can’t believe where the time went.  When I look back I think really what did we do.  Long distance is the theme and it is really not a fun place to be in for our quiet house.  Steve hunkers down to almost hibernation.  Since he is growing a beard he looks like a bear too.   If I am not doing SCHOOL work, I am keeping busy with friends and activities more on that later.  We had visits via Skype and face time with the girls plus lots of texting and emails.  I try to read a lot into  “YUP”.  Both girls visited at two different times this year but the joy was our Christmas.  Moira and Fiona were under one roof for 7 days.  This was the gift we gave ourselves this year, to be together.    We spend time watching movies, making great meals together and with friends AND finally playing music together.  The old family band was up and rocking.  Both girls play guitar and sing separate from each other but what is funny is they both love the old songs of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan.  Then we get to add new artists for some fun.  Both are very private but some fun did appear on Facebook. 

SCHOOL:  My year has been filled with change at work.  This year my dear friend and principal moved on to another challenge.  This opened up movement in our school.  So within the school changes happened and  I have a NEW principal and assistant principal.  There were also many staff changes and new additions so sticking with the same old isn’t where it is happening in my life.  And change is hard at any time but I am going forward.  My school year is always fraught with many challenges the biggest being adolescents but add poverty, homelessness, academic woes, and the big one:  BEHAVIOR.  Life is never dull.   So when you see or hear something about school in the world think of me because I am probably experiencing it. 

ACTIVITY:  I did a lot of skiing and biking the whole year.  December and January are very tricky months but my first ski day for 2015 was January 9^th.  There was just enough snow to get out there and have an enjoyable ski.  Orono is a wonderful center for activity.  Every day I can hop on my bike and ride anywhere on some great trails.  I try to steer clear of the roads and traffic but that cannot always be avoided.  I do love my bike.  These same trails are also groomed but I like to venture off to other fun areas.  February and March saw me off with my skis in tow.  Off to Kittery for a cousin weekend and ski, Belfast trying some new ground and Acadia of course.  I skied on a fun trip last March with a friend at Moosehead and then had a Kathy Lena family adventure on a ski trip on the Maine Hut to Hut trail system.  So I am not in one spot long.  I try to get out be active and be social.   

Over the summer a splendid opportunity arose with family and cousins.  I spent A LOT of time at Orr’s Island summer home of the Dennis cousins.  I know the ocean is in my blood, as I love being seaside.  A big O’Connell family event happened in July.  Our niece Emily married her partner Heidi.  We welcomed a new fun family to our midst and it is amazing to me how the world opens up new friends and adventures.  This was a weekend event and we had Fiona home for this one, Moira couldn’t make it from Toronto as she was working on her marketing certificate for the last summer stint.   We had semi-big Siemion family gathering over the summer with visits from and Jode, Brandon and all the extra gang at the beginning of August and brother Bob and Christine the end of August .  It was SO fun to be together and every one is growing up. 

I think the biggest change this year in my life and my siblings  life is our Dad.  After 37 years of being away from Maine we had to move Dad to a memory care unit in Bangor.  He will be 90 in March and can no longer care for himself and needs 24 hour supervision.   He is in a nice place and has wonderful care providers.  But he is an escape artist.  After several dangerous escapes we made this decision.  This is an extremely reflective process, which I am not that psyched about.   But we continue. 

I am still reading lots of books and I am having fun with a web-based program called Good Reads.  Look me up. I have a nice cat picture.  I continue with genealogy and hope to have a break through with a few of the family trees.  It is so fun and relaxing. 

Take care everyone.    LOVE TO ALL.     Tracey

Back to Maine: what an adventure

The wandering travelers have returned, and what a great trip we had.  

Miss Tracey's Driving Me

On I95, back in the US after our Scottish sojourn. Now it's hard to stay on the right side of the road! We realize how beautiful the countryside over there was when we see all the billboards and fast food restaurants we have here. No sheep lining the roads! No porridge! No castles! Rats! 

Our last day of travel was spent exploring Stirling Castle. It was an amazing place, 500 years old and full of history. I think we finally have a good handle on Scottish history, as we have travelled from standing stones and cairns to Pictish stones, Robert the Bruce, the Jacobite rebellion, to the Kings and Queens from ancient to present. Rob Roy's grave, even though he may not be buried in it. Learning about the Highland Clearances, crofting, forest management, tourism, woolen exports. The  charm and kindness of Scotspeople. The beauty of the countryside, the excitement/fear and dizziness of roundabouts. The smell of roses and honeysuckle. Purple flowers, foxgloves, thistles by the roadsides. Mist rising from the glens. Green hills and sparkling blue water of lochs. 

  It is hard to pinpoint our favorite places and things we did, but I think Tracey's was the biking in Ballater. And the Highland cattle. Mine was the beauty of the countryside, and of course the wilder the better, and narrow roads with passing places. 

We finally got through customs and found the bus to Portsmouth, and as I put my backpack in the overhead bin, shrieks were heard from the people sitting nearby as my water bottle compressed and sprayed water all over them! All I could do is laugh. At least it was water and not the whisky I brought back!

Quotes from the trip: 

"Stop and smell the roses. All of them."

"Take the road less travelled.. Even it it's a sheep track."

"Look at the half naked guy... The Queen would not approve."

"it's another housing development!"

"We need a wee ice cream."

"Get OVER!"

"You're hitting the curb!"

"Look at that! I'm stopping to take a picture!" ....."AARRG....Put the car in park!!"

That's all from Miss Tracey's driver! back to reality... Goodbye to Brigadoon.

"Caledonia you're calling me, now I'm going home

And if I should become a stranger

No it would make me more than sad..."  ( From the song Caledonia, by Dolores Keane)

Kathy

Last night in Scotland

Today we woke up to rain in Aberfoyle.  We headed out for Stirling, the same place we were more than a week ago sitting in traffic and eating ice cream for lunch.  This time we were going to tour the castle.  Stirling is the seat of the Kings of Scotland and England.  This is an amazing place high on a cliff in Stirling.  We drove right up to the top parking lots staring straight at Robert the Bruce.  We grabbed  our raincoats and rushed to beat the six huge bus loads of tourists that were getting ready to go in. We didn't let the rain stop us.   I used my iPad this time for pictures and I think they came out okay. Stirling Castle has a great set up for historical learning.  The time lines of the Scottish kings is amazing and they have beautiful rooms that date back 500 years to James the V and VII.  He built Castle Stirling for his Queen, Mary de Guise who is the mother of Mary Queen of Scots.  

We viewed many amazing spaces and saw where the famous Unicorn and the Lady tapestry was hanging originally.  The Scottish national trust is providing funding to reproduce it as it was originally made.  After the museum I was on the hunt for my final tribute to Scottish ice cream.  After the rain the mist started rising and I m I got have to send Kathy to Brigadoon if she doesn't stop singing.  I rather like the poetry of Robbie Lena Burns.  Highland mist is amazing.  Our last graveyard adventure was to drive on a sheep again, Kathy's last time to view the grave of Robert MacGregor, Rob Roy.  A great final way to end my fabulous time in Scotland.