I'm back from the trip to Montreal. Actually, an hour from Montreal, in the mountains and lakes. I added over a 1000 miles on my little 250. Well, on our way there, we did slab all the way to White River VT (or Lebanon in NH). Then we took route 5 all the way to the border. The roads were awsome, no wind, sun, mountains and everything. It was just great. We drove by Crystal Lake, WOW. Shortly after the border...that when it got bad. No more mountains, it's flat, so the wind is free to blow, and it did hard. Everyone's bikes were fish tailing. I started to breathe faster, trying to keep up the speed, and then the last straw was draw when a big ass pick up truck went by me by just a few feet and blow me big time. I had to stop, and I was crying, I was so nervous, dizzy and in fear. Patrick took my bike and I took his car (yes, he really got his bike stolen...the night before the trip ). We stopped for lunch and then took the road again. We got into huge traffic before Champlain bridge in Montreal. It cleared up a little before we got to the mountains in the Laurentians region. We got to the chalet and enjoyed a time there that, everyone agreed, was too short. On our way back, I did a few hours without much problem. Then near the border of NY, the wind started again. That was too much at this point. I was tired, upset for not being able to reach my kids all weekend (they got sick while we were gone, and I came back home with my youngest having a rash all over her body. Both were vomiting. Grr..) so at one point, I told the group to leave me behind, that I could never keep up with them. The wind was awful for me, and I was too proud to ask again for Patrick to take my bike. I was going 55 to 60 miles an hour for a long time, not able to go faster. Each time I was trying to, it was getting worse, and the bike was being blown away even harder. My husband stayed with me and we did the trip alone. We stopped in Lake George for a quick McDonalds dinner and got back on teh road. At this point, the wind was pretty much easier on me, and I was able to go faster at 80-85 miles an hour. When I saw my home at teh corner of the street, I was so glad I made it alive...because when that wind was blowing me, I was not sure if my bike would be faithful to me and bring me home safe. But I'm here...and will need to sleep at some point today. I'm exhausted! One thing...I would do it again.