Heading out of Baie-Comeau north to cross the 50th and 51st parallels today we got an abrupt introduction to northern roads. The first 60km was marked by one of the roughest sealed roads we have ever driven and one that twisted around small lakes with almost continuous short but steep (10-12%) climbs and descents. Fortunately the road improved after 60km. Hydro power is the other signature feature of this road. Large power line towers march beside the road as far as the 200KM where sits the 5th hydro station of the day Manic 5. These power stations get their name from the Manicouagan River which in turn is fed by the Manicouagan Reservoir a large circular lake clearly discernible on a map, this is the 5th largest meteor crater in the world.

We were held up a couple of times today by a crew of trucks and support vehicles hauling the engine and chassis of a large mining dump truck. This load so tested the main truck on the short steep climbs that a heavy duty tow truck preceded the main truck and from time to time hitched onto the main truck to assist up those hills.

At our lunch stop I just happened to look through the skylight (one does these things) and noticed two loose nuts and a bolt just lying on the roof. How they could still be there after the rough roads? So out with the ladder, onto the roof and put them back in place.

Towards the end of the day we found a large secluded sand pit for a nights camping spot. This gave Nina an opportunity to finish the washing. She had been experimenting with a technique we heard about years ago in Australia, one that requires a rough road. Place your dirty cloths plus soap and water in a bucket, drive on a rough road for some hours, replace the soapy water with fresh and repeat the drive. The agitation from the road is supposed to act like a washing machine. So when we stopped for the night all that remained was to wring the water out and hang them out to dry. Meanwhile I busied myself with a camp fire and and eventually cooked dinner.