Day 49 – Victoria, Prince Edward Island (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)

Today was another 200km plus day.
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Miramichi was the absolute worst place for mosquitoes on my trip.   I hear they like some people more than others. At Miramichi Campground swarms would follow me and drive me mad while kids were playing happily in their shorts and t-shirts.

It rained during the night but stopped a few hours before dawn. I got up at about 5:30am to take a washroom break and made the error of leaving the tent open.   When I got back I estimate there were 200 mosquitoes inside the tent. My attempts to kill them to get a bit more rest woke me up entirely. Thanks to the pests I packed up my tent, shook off the rain, and got on the road in great time.

Nature served up just about perfect weather. It started quite wet but by mid morning the sky was partly cloudy and I was comfortable enough to cycle in my shorts for the first time in days. The weather was within just the right threshold of comfort.

I started off following highway 11 from Miramichi Campground because it appeared by far the most direct route. Because there are no stops or restaurants on the main highway I was forced to take highway 134 which turned out a much better alternative.
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Traveling on 134 (and later 133) exposes the small business and homes of New Brunswick. Unlike Quebec, the  Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick doesn’t go out of it’s way for tourism. There are practically no restaurants, or rest areas. Scenic areas which would have been promoted in many other places are left undeveloped.

From then on I continued to take the secondary highways determined to find scenic gems or trails but nothing that I saw held a candle to the Route Verte in Quebec,  or the Waterfront Trail in Ontario. It is as if the people of New Brunswick are too busy surviving to enjoy life – or something more sinister.

Generally everyone I talked to in New Brunswick was friendly. Even when their first language was french they went out of their way to be helpful. I notice that when I nodded hello in New Brunswick I seemed to always get a friendly nod back. (I had forgotten to mention that this was not true in Quebec. When I nodded I would often get a cold response as if I should have nodded in French. I even tried to nod differently – more subtly, with a French accent – but nothing seemed to work. And on rare occasions when people responded as I expected I immediately assumed that they were visiting from some other province.)

A few interesting things that happened today:

1. A large fly flew into my mouth. I immediately caught it in my tongue and spit it back out minus the wings as the occupants of a passing car watched with interest.
2. Because of the lack of restaurants I bought real food and discovered it was pretty good. Six muffins, four blueberry scones, two oranges, two apples and five bananas.
3. At 1pm at a critical fork I thought it would be nice to visit Prince Edward Island. PEI wasn’t on my original itinerary and it suddenly occurred to me that there was no good reason, after coming all this way not to see it.  Since touring PEI meant at least an extra day I immediately called Ann for permission. She said it would be ok only if I rode twice as fast the next day so off I went to PEI.

I arrived at Confederation Bridge at about 5:30pm and had to wait almost an hour for the shuttle to take me to PEI. But now I find myself at Victoria Village Inn (a nice Bed and Breakfast) after eating a great supper at the Landmark Cafe in Victoria PEI.

Apparently the host at the B+B, Steve, teaches at the Culinary Institute of Canada in Charlottetown so I am looking forward to a great breakfast. I am told breakfast is at 8am so I can sleep in (don’t tell Ann.)

The setting sun over the beach and hills from the wharf at Victoria PEI.

Maybe we should paint our Kitchener house this color.

New Brunswick…A workplace where there should be a play place.

A “real” ocean going fishing boat on lawn.

Look for a washroom and found a view with Ralph and lots of mosquitoes instead.

Murray’s Beach Provincial Park.

A view of Confederation Bridge and PEI in the distance from NB.

Field on lupines on the “Murray’s Corner” road.

Underdeveloped beauty in New Brunswick.

Stopped for construction on the shuttle bus on Confederation Bridge. (Bicycles are not allowed on the bridge.)

The wharf at Victoria PEI.

Day 47 – Miramichi, New Brunswick (Tuesday, June 23, 2015)

I had another good sleep and had a difficult time getting up. I had intended to get up a 5:30 but had slept in ’til 7.

There were no places that served breakfast close to the motel but I was told there were a few places to eat in Beresford. So I made my way to Beresford and stopped at Tim Horton’s where I repeated the order of two BLT bagel combos with a muffin and sorted out the route for the day.

New Brunswick does not cater to the bicyclist or the tourist.   The roads are generally in poor repair and the shoulders are often not maintained when the road is resurfaced. I believe the coast is beautiful but I had a long way to travel from Beresford to Miramachi and could not afford poor roads.

I settled on taking highway 134 out of Bathurst which seemed the most direct route but as I crossed an overpass I noticed that the highway 8 appeared to be well maintained with a better shoulder. I changed my course.

The trip from Bathurst to Miramachi along highway 8 was a burden. The wind was howling so I couldn’t hear my music, the geography was uninteresting, I missed the quaint towns and houses, and the smell of lilacs. It would be nice if I could sleep and put my bike on cruise control. My mind started thinking of things I’d rather do that did not involve biking.

There were a few positives:
It didn’t rain.
The road had an adequate but slightly narrow but good shoulder.
My bike didn’t breakdown.
And there was a roadside restaurant about 20km north of Miramachi which offered me a welcome break.

After lunch I ordered a pie partly to delay facing the remaining 70km.

I arrived at Miramichi Campgrounds around 4:30pm, had a shower, did my laundry, and cooked lentils with rice and vegetables. Yum!

While I was doing my laundry I met a friendly young couple who were moving back to Hamilton from St. Johns after a three year adventure. As it turns out he had cycled the trip from Victoria to St John’s.

Tree houses at the Miramichi campground. I slept in my tent.

Highway 8 from Bathurst to Miramichi.

House and barn on the road to Miramichi campground.

Day 47 – Nigadoo, New Brunswick (Monday, June 22, 2015)

I had a very good sleep and woke groggy; not quite ready to get up. The time change to Atlantic time doesn’t help; it says it’s 6:30am but I still feel like it’s 5:30am. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be more in sync.

The Quality Inn in Campbellton had everything I needed for breakfast. This included scrambled eggs, bacon, typical cereal, yogurt, juice, bagels and best of all fresh fruit. I stock up on oranges and bananas which are a nice treat on the road. I had my fill and took to the road later than normal – around 9am.   I only had a little over 100 planned for today, the weather was cold and raining, and I had not plans in pushing it.

At about 10am I got my second flat tire of the trip. I discovered a piece of glass lodged in the tread.   It took longer than normal to fix because of my rain gear, and the important step of checking for a cause before putting the new tube and tire back on.  ‎

While I was working on my bike a few people asked if I need help. Pretty much everyone is bilingual in New Brunswick and it was nice to converse in English without any apology.  One of the would-be-helpers was a man in his 50s traveling with his wife on their full loaded bicycles from Montreal to Prince Edward Island. ‎

I had a strong head wind in the morning. That coupled with the cold, rain, and frequent hills made the going a bit tough.

There were no restaurants when I wanted to eat. Unfortunately I had passed two small restaurants earlier without realizing there were not going to be any further along.   Around 2pm the lack of energy started to affect my performance and was forced to stop and grab a few cookies, pop, V8, and a gatorade at a variety store.

The weather was unsettled with threatening rain so I stopped to get some supper about 9km from my destination at Parc Malybel.  When I noticed the forecast for tomorrow was once again rainy I decided to stay at the Motel H just north of Nigadoo. Again I am disappointed.‎

River emptying into the Atlantic.

Day 46 – Campbellton, New Brunswick (Sunday, June 21, 2015)

Tough day.

Raining and cool. Cool enough to wear a sweater. You end up getting a clammy filling inside the gore-tex, feet are wet, legs are mostly wet. If you stop you get chilled.

At one point just after a rest stop my rear rack came apart. Ralph wanted to keep going but couldn’t because the rack was dragging on the ground behind him. To my surprise all the parts were accounted for and after reassembly and tightening things were as they were and we set off.

oh – and I saw a moose. I saw him standing on the road from a distance and managed to pull my BlackBerry out to take a picture. He was looking directly at me as I approached. At first he appeared curious and then defiant, perhaps taking a combative stance – or so I thought. Then he was spooked, turned and trotted off up the path into the forest.

I didn’t find a place to eat lunch. None of the local canteens beside road are open on Sunday. I was relieved at the end of the day and looking forward to a dry place to spread out and get some rest. I stayed at an unimaginative Quality Inn in Campbellton near the south side of the bridge to Quebec.

Riviere Matapedia.

Quebec town.

Riviere Matapedia.

A moose looking a bit lost on the road.

Riviere Matapedia.

Day 45 – Berges, Quebec (Saturday, June 20, 2015)

Today was another day I managed to ride 200 kilometers.

The wind predictions were in my favor. I felt good physically and the temperature was in the twenties without any rain. I was determined from the outset to make the most of the conditions and aim for Rimouski, about 100km, by lunch time.

The day was as predicted and I arrived in Rimouski in good time. Rimouski was a highlight of the route on the south side of the St Lawrence.   There was a road which catered to bicyclists, and tourists.  The road wound for several miles along the shore through scenic inlets and stone beaches.

Because the wind was so good at Rimouski I made the decision to ride through to make up a day and aim to stay at Berges for the night.

At Mont Joli the road cuts inland away from the St Lawrence and through hilly country side.   I managed to make good time and arrived at Val Brillants Camping near Berges by about 5:30pm and had supper at a nearby roadside canteen.

Ralph with the lake in the background at Val Brillant Campground near Berges.

Typical Quebec village.

Bicycle path in Rimouski.

View of the river looking north west from Rimouski.

Road winding along the coast in Rimouski.

View of the river looking north east from Rimouski.

Day 44 – Berthier-sur-mer, Quebec (Friday, June 19, 2015)

There wasn’t any breakfast offered at the Motel Beausejour so I set off around 7am on an empty stomach anxious to find something before hunger set in.

Luckily I found a Tim Horton’s in Montmagny and ordered two Bagel BLT Combos and a muffin. I figured that would cover me until about 1pm if needed.

As per the forecast the morning started with a strong head wind and tapered off in the afternoon. I planned to make Riviere du loup which would have been considered too short a distance with any tail wind.

Throughout the day I retraced the roads and trails that Katie and I took on the south shore in 2013 on the way to St John, NB.  The St. Lawrence River basin is a unique blend of water, flat fertile farmland, and outcrops of bedrock. I read on a plaque somewhere in North Dakota that a glacial lake existed in the area which is now prairie in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, and parts of Ontario. Apparently as the glaciers melted in the east the massive lake drained through what is now the St Lawrence river basin. Now as I ride I imagine, in fast motion, a great river of water rushing along and leaving the flat deposits; the farm land I see all around.

About 10km from Riviere du loup I am sure I was passed by “Big Calves”‘ sister who waved as she sped by me on her time trial bicycle. No two people could have such big calves who aren’t related. I was going to call out “Say hi to your brother in Calgary. I really enjoyed the trip through the States!” but thought better of it since there was a remote possibility I was mistaken and she was Quebecois.

I arrived in Riviere du loup at about 4:30pm and booked a room at the Comfort Inn instead of camping which I now regret.

Tomorrow I will be taking a new route toward the Gaspe. The weatherman says I will have good winds. We’ll see!‎

A view of the St Lawrence River from the south side looking south west near Montmagny.

A view of the St Lawrence looking ‎south west.

Route de Verte along the St Lawrence.

New a welcome center that Katie and I stopped at in 2013.

Typical farmland.

Near a town.

Day 43 – Berthier-sur-mer, Quebec (Thursday, June 18, 2015)

I took advantage of the continental breakfast at the motel (Motel Marquis) where I was served home made swiss bread. I struggled to communicate with the proprietor and his wife. It turned out that they were from a french area of Switzerland, were taught German as the second language, and had no impetus to learn English fluently.   I spite of that they were very friendly and hospitable.  They looked after their motel with care and attention and as a result their quality ratings were quite high.

The hosts also pointed out that route I was taking along highway 138 was Chemin de Roy.   The road was commissioned by the king of France in 1707 making it one of the oldest roads in Canada. Apparently, as I found out, it took a carriage six days to travel from Montreal to Quebec. With fast horses you could do the trip in two days (or a bicycle.)

It was a good road with nice wide shoulders, relatively light traffic, historic town names, and occasional striking glimpses of the St Lawrence River.

The breakfast lasted me ’til lunch were I stopped in Batiscan for a tuna sub.

After lunch a nice tail wind had picked up and I made good time to Quebec City.   Although I enjoy Quebec, visiting the Plains of Abraham, and the old city this time there was no one to enjoy it with. Instead since the day was sunny and the wind westerly I resolved to take advantage, cross over on the ferry to Levy and cover as much distance as I could before supper.

Around 5pm I could feel my strength diminish so I stopped at a good little motel on the St Lawrence River with a decent restaurant within walking distance.

Perhaps I have been fortunate but the motels that I stayed at in Quebec have been excellent. The care and attention by the proprietors is similar to what I have come to expect in bed and breakfasts. The hosts are attentive and friendly, they are generally less expensive, they don’t have any frills like antique furniture, artwork, and quaint ornaments (which are lost on me), and are more private. I highly recommend the three motels; Motel Capri in Repentigny, Motel Marquis in Trois Rivieres, and now at Motel Beausejour in Berthier-sur-mer.

Beach on the north shore of the St Lawrence between Trois Rivieres and Quebec.

Church in a town on the North Shore. Typical of old Quebec towns.

View of Quebec (Hotel Frontenac and the old city) from the ferry crossing to Levy.

An inviting path going north east along the Route de Verte from the ferry terminal in Levy.

An inviting path going north east along the Route de Verte from the ferry terminal in Levy.

The Gulf of St Lawrence from the restaurant window in Berthier-sur-mer.

Day 42 – Trois Rivieres, Quebec (Wednesday, June 17, 2015)

The route today followed highway 138 on the north shore of the St. Lawrence< River.   Between Montreal and Quebec the road is generally flat and at various points runs close to the river. As expected the road had wide shoulders and clearly marked bicycle signs. The day started somewhat overcast and cool with a slight head wind but overall turned out generally clear with a helpful north west wind.

I had breakfast along the way and lunch in Louisville where I had originally planned to stay.   I now plan to cut out at least one day by covering the distance between Montreal and (at least Levy) in two days instead of three. I had a late lunch in Trios Rivieres and settled for the night just west of the town in a clean Motel, Motel le Marquis, managed by a friendly couple from Switzerland who knew very little English.

Day 41 – Repentigny, Quebec (Tuesday, June 16, 2015)

It started to rain just as I was getting up in the morning – the timing couldn’t have been worse.  Luckily it didn’t catch me with the tent partly down.   I waited until it had subsided a bit (which wasted time) and managed to pack everything, save the tent without getting wet, ate a chocolate bar, and got going.

It rained in varying degrees for the first part of the trip. Sometime lightly like a falling mist and sometimes quite hard. I had breakfast just west of Cornwall in a deluge with rivers of water running down the road.

The last time I went through Montreal with Katie I booked a B+B in the downtown core. Driving through traffic, being stuck with buses and cars on both sides was an ordeal I was not keen to repeat. Because of this I spent a bit of extra time making sure to follow the famous scenic bicycle routes.

I ended up following the Lachine Canal route which was easy to find coming from the west.   This was one of the best routes in the tour so far.   It is reassuring to see that it was well used with bicyclists, runners and pedestrians.   I imagine that there was significant investment in creating the trail system through Montreal.  The high use forced you to be alert. Commuters on bikes were leaving and entering the main trail from other trails which were not always as clear to visitors.

As I was passing through the heart of the city the rain poured down again.   Many commuters took refuge under bridges but the majority simply got wet.   The rain doesn’t effect me too much but it does poise some technical challenges:

1. Dynamo Issue: Normally I turn my lights in the rain for additional visibility. Unfortunately only my lights or my gps can effectively powered by my dynometer at the same time.  I end up disconnecting my gps or turn off my lights out of frustration.
2. GPS Touch Screen Issue: When it is raining very hard drips of water confuse the gps making it almost impossible to keep the map visible rendering the gps useless.

As you may imagine these issues, in the pouring rain, in the heart of Montreal, with frequent trail forks make the going slower than I had anticipated.

In a deluge I rode past my planned stop at the Montreal Hostel which happened to be quite close to the Lachine Canal trail. Perhaps another time it would have made a good place to spend the night.

My idea was to follow the route for the next day and stop at a Motel or Gite along the way but the delays caused by the rain and the now dwindling daylight introduced urgency. As I stopped to look up the closest accommodation in East Montreal I was approached by a friendly man name Andrey who pointed a Motel Capri in Repentigny on the outskirts of Montreal.  It was well past 9:30pm when found the place to stay for the night.

It was the first day when I had to use my lights because of the dark.

Day 40 – Long Sault Parkway, Ontario (Monday, June 15, 2015)

Physical necessity often puts you in a bit of a pickle twenty kilometers from nowhere about 1 hour after breakfast. Today I happened to find I nice spot at Peck’s Marina with a bonus view of the lake in the misty rain.