Mike's Motorcycle Misadventures: Hemmingford, QC

After residing in Montreal for the better part of a month, it was time to bid au revoir to the big smoke and catch the bus out to the country. Mat is a good friend of mine is originally from the small town of Hemmingford, and I have been lucky enough to be invited to stay with Mat, his girlfriend Sofie (also from Perth), and his parents Glen and Guylaine.

Mat's family owns and operates an apple farm and business , Enderle apples. Apples are a popular crop in southern Canada, and the township of Hemmingford reflects this with several other apple businesses (including cideries) in the area. The family house is located down the road from the warehouse/cooler/office, and is surrounded by apple trees (when the trees are in bloom, I imagine it would be quite a picturesque place to live).

Thankfully for my health, there is an indoor pool, hot tub & treadmill so my fitness level can get back on track even when it's snowing. Countering that are the delicious meals that are being cooked for me everyday. It's a lifestyle I've missed after I moved out of the family home, and it feels
(and tastes) good.

There isn't much in the way of classic tourist destinations in Hemmingford, but there is still plenty to do. The international border with the US lies at the southern border of the Enderle property, and is easily reached by a leisurely stroll through the woods. It's not much of a secret that this is not the border the US is worried about, and this section is guarded by a dilapidated fence that wouldn't contain a herd of sheep. The closest thing to border guards that I've seen were a pack of wild turkeys I startled in the woods. That been said, there isn't really much to be gained by crossing the border (northern NY state is pretty much the same as QC scenery wise), and during hunting season walking in the woods unannounced could be dangerous. I'd forgotten how prolific hunting in North America is, but the multitude of hunting hideouts quickly served to remind me.