Saturday, June 9th, 2012

I knew you were coming

Quebec City, Quebec

Bonjour!  We drove to Quebec City in the province by the same name.  The only thing is, being confined to an automobile makes my legs very antsy.  It’s an austerity for me while being in a moving vehicle at 110 km/hour, while it is natural for Daruka.  But as usual, I find ways and means to find a trail and time to trek.  Before embarking on the journey, I put time in by taking on foot the route that we were going to drive.  While Daruka loaded up and turned the key into the ignition, I walked and eventually he found me. 

On the Trans Canada Highway, Daruka and I spotted a hitchhiker; we agreed to be the good Samaritan and to give him a lift.  In comes Michael, who is an Inuit, formerly referred to as Eskimos.  He was born in Nunavut, Canada’s supreme north. 

“I knew you were coming,” said the handsome young 23 year old.  “A crow told me.  He came near me on the road and cawed and then you showed up.”  By talking to him Daruka and I learned that he dropped out of school very young and that he learned more from being in the forest than anywhere else.  I asked him if he’s a nomad and the answer was yes.  He takes a knife and a rope with him and that’s all he needs to keep up survival for a two week stretch in the wilderness.  I got to Michael more since we got to walking together for a 5 Km jaunt along the highway as Daruka took a break and gassed up.  Michael struck me as being very promising for the future.  He’s given up hard drugs, but “still smokes pot,” he said.  Gradually, I thought, he could come out of these dependencies, but it all depends on the company you keep.  We talked about the wild things of vegetation that he could live on when he’s not in the city but in the wild.  It turns out I will be able to tell him a few things he wasn’t aware of about nature’s edibles.  I also learned a few things from him about the ways of his ancestors.  A friendship started.  I offered to be his big brother and he accepted.  “When in need, contact me,” I said.  Then on Daurka and I drove.  Michael was left to the road, heading west.  He stuck out his thumb, trying to get a lift.  What adventures await him, we are not sure.  We left him with the maha mantra for his exploration.  Daruka and I drove off searching for a campsite, roughing it up, it being our first night for tenting since starting the trip to PEI, New Brunswick, and now Quebec.

16 Km