I have lamented for several years that the 1998 Q4 random vacation, the very first of the true random vacations, did not have a full narrative like the rest of the random vacations. This was the trip to Lac Megantic, Quebec that I took with my mother the weekend after Thanksgiving that year. It was only a two day trip, but it started the whole random vacation thing for me. However I only started writing up the trips and posting details about them with the next random trip. For years this website has had a note apologizing for the lack of a narrative and pointing to a few pictures.
Recently though I asked my mother if she could write up something about the trip since she had been with me. She kindly obliged, and now the Lac Megantic trip has a full narrative like the others. Click through below to see the whole thing.
1998 Q4 Random Vacation
There were fewer and fewer tracks as we passed uninhabited summer cottages. I kept suggesting a driveway etc where we might turn around as I looked straight down a very steep bank to the stream in the distance below on my side of the car. Roads were treacherous and getting stuck was a very real possibility - as was sliding out of control. However, this was Sam's trip and he was in no mood for suggestions - especially from a parent - so I TRIED not to either boss or panic! But I was REALLY anxious - and increasingly annoyed at Sam's pigheadedness at continuing forward, higher and deeper into snow! Finally Sam had to really persist - going forward, then back - trying and trying - spinning wheels - to make it up one hill only to decide about a mile further that we should turn back after all.