A trip on a Zodiac inflatable this morning to whale-watch. a beautiful day for it, bright sunshine and almost flat calm.
No spectacular breaches by humpbacks or right whales to report, but lots of Minke whales and Belugas surprisingly close to the boat. Incredibly difficult to get a decent photograph, eventually I gave up trying and just watched. But I have a couple that I'll post when I have a better connection. Don't expect too much, they look small even with a 15x zoom. But a great experience. Funnily enough, it had never occurred to me that one would hear them breathe, but that is the most striking thing. Frequently the first one knows that there's a whale nearby is when it exhales and attracts one's attention.
And more good news. I can go to Gaspe after all. On reading my blog yesterday, my friend Jeanie e-mailed me to tell me there's another ferry across the St Lawrence operating 50 miles or so upriver. So that's where I'm going tomorrow, having (this time) checked that it is indeed operating according to the schedule.
Incidentally, don't come here in Spring if you have hay fever. The pollen count must be astronomical among the trees, I can see it falling on the screen as I type this. I am not allergic, and even I have been sneezing today.
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Monday, 30 May 2011
Day 22: Pointe-au-Pic to Tadoussac
78km/48m, 5hrs30mins, 14.2kph/8.8mph, 1148m/3731ft of climbing.
The forecasters were right. A beautiful day. Still the usual easterly headwind, but bright sunlight, warm but not too hot, riding through spectacular scenery with the St Lawrence - now absolutely massive, one can only just see the far bank - glistening on one side and the mountains on the other. It really is outstandingly beautiful here. I'll post a picture of the view from my campsite above Tadoussac, it's extraordinary.
I'm staying here for two nights and taking a day off tomorrow to go whale-watching. Hope I see some; I shall report back.
And I shall spend the remainder of my rest day undertaking a major revision of my planned route. I called at St Simeon today to check the times of the ferry sailings from there to Gaspesie, on the other side of the St Lawrence. The ferry runs from April to November, according to the Quebec tourism site on the basis of which I planned my itinerary. But not this year. This year the ferry operators aren't reopening the service until 15 June. Too late for me, by 15 June I need to be on my way back to Toronto if I am to catch my flight home. I could retrace my steps to Quebec, cross the river there and cycle three days up the south bank to get where the ferry would have taken me, but the time pressure would turn it into a race rather than a tour, and I don't want to do that. So Gaspe is out, unfortunately.
Still, nil desperandum. There's more than a million square kilometres of Quebec to explore on this side of the St Lawrence, including three highly-regarded national parks, so I'll do that instead, then return south by a different route and still do the New England tour as planned. One must be able to improvise, n'est-ce pas?
The forecasters were right. A beautiful day. Still the usual easterly headwind, but bright sunlight, warm but not too hot, riding through spectacular scenery with the St Lawrence - now absolutely massive, one can only just see the far bank - glistening on one side and the mountains on the other. It really is outstandingly beautiful here. I'll post a picture of the view from my campsite above Tadoussac, it's extraordinary.
I'm staying here for two nights and taking a day off tomorrow to go whale-watching. Hope I see some; I shall report back.
And I shall spend the remainder of my rest day undertaking a major revision of my planned route. I called at St Simeon today to check the times of the ferry sailings from there to Gaspesie, on the other side of the St Lawrence. The ferry runs from April to November, according to the Quebec tourism site on the basis of which I planned my itinerary. But not this year. This year the ferry operators aren't reopening the service until 15 June. Too late for me, by 15 June I need to be on my way back to Toronto if I am to catch my flight home. I could retrace my steps to Quebec, cross the river there and cycle three days up the south bank to get where the ferry would have taken me, but the time pressure would turn it into a race rather than a tour, and I don't want to do that. So Gaspe is out, unfortunately.
Still, nil desperandum. There's more than a million square kilometres of Quebec to explore on this side of the St Lawrence, including three highly-regarded national parks, so I'll do that instead, then return south by a different route and still do the New England tour as planned. One must be able to improvise, n'est-ce pas?
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Day 21: Baie-Saint-Paul to Malbaie, Pointe-au-Pic
45km/28m, 3hrs20mins, 13.6kph/8.4mph, 959m/3116ft of climbing.
A very short day today, curtailed by the weather, which was foul.
The region I am cycling through is called Charlevoix, and very beautiful it is even in the rain. The topography is apparently the result of a meteorite impact; a meteorite 2km in diameter struck more or less at my current location about 250 million years ago. Must have been a hell of a bang.
The scenery, when you can see it through the rain, is great. Panoramic views of the St. Lawrence in one direction, mountains (think Alpine foothills) in the other. And picturesque villages, notably Les Eboulements in the exact centre of the crater.
Dramatic scenery usually means challenging terrain, and today was no exception, as you can see from the average speed and distance climbed. Some very severe gradients; an OS map of the route would be peppered with double chevrons. If this continues, anyone who wants to race me up a hill when I get home had better have oxygen on standby at the top.
It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow...
A very short day today, curtailed by the weather, which was foul.
The region I am cycling through is called Charlevoix, and very beautiful it is even in the rain. The topography is apparently the result of a meteorite impact; a meteorite 2km in diameter struck more or less at my current location about 250 million years ago. Must have been a hell of a bang.
The scenery, when you can see it through the rain, is great. Panoramic views of the St. Lawrence in one direction, mountains (think Alpine foothills) in the other. And picturesque villages, notably Les Eboulements in the exact centre of the crater.
Dramatic scenery usually means challenging terrain, and today was no exception, as you can see from the average speed and distance climbed. Some very severe gradients; an OS map of the route would be peppered with double chevrons. If this continues, anyone who wants to race me up a hill when I get home had better have oxygen on standby at the top.
It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow...
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Days 18, 19, 20: Quebec City to Baie-St-Paul
Days 18 and 19. Rest days, Quebec City
Two very enjoyable days in Quebec with Pete and Jeanie. Did the tour of the Citadel (our guide repeatedly reminding us that although built by the British, it was designed by a Frenchman and was, therefore, entirely French), walked round the museum, had look at the excellent farmer's market and, in between, had some very high-quality food and drink.
Old Quebec is, as I said in the previous entry, very much a French Provincial Capital. One would be unsurprised to find it in the Dordogne but it is, of course, unique in North America and is therefore very much frequented by tourists. Well worth a visit, I'd say, and two days seemed about right. The old town isn't that big, so it's possible to get a good sense of the place in that time.
Day 20: Quebec to Baie-St-Paul.
95km/59m, 6hrs 40mins, 14.2kph/8.8mph(!), 1049m/3409ft of climbing.
Bit off more than I could chew today and as a result had to change my plans en route for the first time this trip. The planned destination was a campsite in the Grands Jardins National Park, which would have entailed a ride of about 125km. This seemed perfectly reasonable as while I knew there'd be some climbing involved in getting to the park at the end of the journey, three-quarters of the trip was on highway 138 which sticks pretty close to the St Lawrence and would be, I thought, fairly flat.
Silly me. Getting from more-or-less sea level at Quebec to more -or-less sea level at Baie-St-Paul involves a proper mountain pass that took me up to 740m/2400ft and back again. And the wind was blowing from the east, and it was cold up there (I find that I am always faster when it's warm) and while it wasn't raining, it may as well have been as the cloud ceiling was well below the summit of the pass. All this conspired to make it slow going and by lunchtime I'd decided that there was no sensible reason for sticking to the planned route. It would have taken me about 9 hours of cycling and that's a very long day. So here I am in the Hotel Baie-St-Paul.
I probably haven't done a very good job of selling today to those who might be sceptical about the joys of cycle touring. Actually, I had a pretty good time. It was good to have some proper climbs at last and prove to myself that the weight isn't going to stop me covering decent distances in the mountains. And the long descent into Baie-St-Paul is completely untechnical, with long sweeping bends and excellent visibility, so I was able to come down without touching the brakes, in perfect safety, while sometimes getting above 60kph. Exhilarating.
Two very enjoyable days in Quebec with Pete and Jeanie. Did the tour of the Citadel (our guide repeatedly reminding us that although built by the British, it was designed by a Frenchman and was, therefore, entirely French), walked round the museum, had look at the excellent farmer's market and, in between, had some very high-quality food and drink.
Old Quebec is, as I said in the previous entry, very much a French Provincial Capital. One would be unsurprised to find it in the Dordogne but it is, of course, unique in North America and is therefore very much frequented by tourists. Well worth a visit, I'd say, and two days seemed about right. The old town isn't that big, so it's possible to get a good sense of the place in that time.
Day 20: Quebec to Baie-St-Paul.
95km/59m, 6hrs 40mins, 14.2kph/8.8mph(!), 1049m/3409ft of climbing.
Bit off more than I could chew today and as a result had to change my plans en route for the first time this trip. The planned destination was a campsite in the Grands Jardins National Park, which would have entailed a ride of about 125km. This seemed perfectly reasonable as while I knew there'd be some climbing involved in getting to the park at the end of the journey, three-quarters of the trip was on highway 138 which sticks pretty close to the St Lawrence and would be, I thought, fairly flat.
Silly me. Getting from more-or-less sea level at Quebec to more -or-less sea level at Baie-St-Paul involves a proper mountain pass that took me up to 740m/2400ft and back again. And the wind was blowing from the east, and it was cold up there (I find that I am always faster when it's warm) and while it wasn't raining, it may as well have been as the cloud ceiling was well below the summit of the pass. All this conspired to make it slow going and by lunchtime I'd decided that there was no sensible reason for sticking to the planned route. It would have taken me about 9 hours of cycling and that's a very long day. So here I am in the Hotel Baie-St-Paul.
I probably haven't done a very good job of selling today to those who might be sceptical about the joys of cycle touring. Actually, I had a pretty good time. It was good to have some proper climbs at last and prove to myself that the weight isn't going to stop me covering decent distances in the mountains. And the long descent into Baie-St-Paul is completely untechnical, with long sweeping bends and excellent visibility, so I was able to come down without touching the brakes, in perfect safety, while sometimes getting above 60kph. Exhilarating.
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Day 17: St Marc des Carrieres to Quebec City
81km/50m, 4hrs 40mins, 17.4kph/10.8mph, 362m/1176ft of climbing.
Cumulative distance so far, 1259km/779m.
A very gentle ride into Quebec City this morning. Until, that is, the Avenue de Saint-Sacrement, in the heart of the city, provided the steepest hill of the trip so far. Had me reaching for gears that I'd hoped to save for Gaspesie and the Appalachians. Mercifully brief, though, and at the hostel early enough to get myself unpacked before going out to lunch - which is where you find me. Hostelling again, very impressed by the Quebec hostel, which is excellently located in the old town. First impressions of the old town also very positive, just like a French provincial capital; which is, of course, what it is.
Tomorrow Pete and Jeanie arrive and we spend a couple of days here exploring the City, its bars and restaurants. Can't wait.
A few more pics here.
Cumulative distance so far, 1259km/779m.
A very gentle ride into Quebec City this morning. Until, that is, the Avenue de Saint-Sacrement, in the heart of the city, provided the steepest hill of the trip so far. Had me reaching for gears that I'd hoped to save for Gaspesie and the Appalachians. Mercifully brief, though, and at the hostel early enough to get myself unpacked before going out to lunch - which is where you find me. Hostelling again, very impressed by the Quebec hostel, which is excellently located in the old town. First impressions of the old town also very positive, just like a French provincial capital; which is, of course, what it is.
Tomorrow Pete and Jeanie arrive and we spend a couple of days here exploring the City, its bars and restaurants. Can't wait.
A few more pics here.
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Days 15 and 16: Berthierville to St Marc des Carrieres.
Day 15. Berthierville to La Mauricie National Park.
117km/73m, 6hrs12mins, 18.8kph/11.7mph, 457m/1485ft of climbing.
Terrific day today. On the road by about 0730, because I was expecting it be a fairly long day. That worked out well, too, as I took advantage of the first section being very flat to pile on a bit more pace than usual. 25km in the first hour - pedestrian on the road bike but electric on this - and about 35km, more than a quarter of the day's journey, by 0900. Very good for the morale to have made that much progress so early in the day. And I'm starting to see the physical benefit of putting in all these miles, I felt strong all day and able to press on at a half-decent pace.
A day of two halves, one might say. The first 60km through flat, largely arable, farmland. Lots of quite attractive little farming communities, the style of much of the housing now distinctly French. Then a gradual transition back to the wild, with the birch and pine forest first infiltrating and then entirely supplanting the agricultural land. Roads quiet everywhere; I believe it's the last day of a holiday weekend, so maybe that accounts for it. Weather overcast for most of the day...
Until Shawnigan, that is. It's a fairly substantial town north of Trois Rivieres and I stopped there for lunch. About five minutes after restarting it became very dark. I had just about enough time to don the rainjacket and switch on my rear light when there was a crash of thunder and the rain began to fall. And such rain. Rain of an intensity I have very rarely been out in, and have certainly never ridden a bike through. It was a deluge, a torrent, an inundation. C'etait incroyable. Fortunately it was also relatively brief - within about 15 minutes it eased to being merely heavy, and after half-an-hour it had stopped.
It gives me a chance to do a couple of product reviews. First, sealskin socks. For the benefit of the uninitiated, these are socks with a waterproof Gore-Tex liner that are meant to keep your feet dry even if your shoes get wet. I've used them for a while on the bike in UK winters and in general they work OK. However, I can now advise that in extreme conditions the rain simply runs down one's leg in such quantity as to get into the sock from the top. And once inside, the efficiency of the Gore- Tex liner means that it can't get out again! So one rides along for a while with one's feet encased in plastic bags full of cold water. This is not great, but makes for an entertaining spectacle at the roadside as the passing foreign cyclist stops and empties his socks!
Second, and in complete contrast, Vaude waterproof panniers. Despite the downpour, all my gear remained perfectly dry. Remarkable.
So, to my destination for the night, which is a campground in La Mauricie National Park. Just a small park, as the nice man at the entrance advised me when he pointed out that the campsite I had reserved on-line was 65 kilometres from that particular gate. A bit like entering the Yorkshire Dales National Park at Skipton and being told your accommodation was in Reeth. Since I had already covered 112km that day, I gratefully accepted his suggestion that he switch my reservation to a campsite just 5km away. And very beautiful it was. Another tranquil, solitary night in not-quite wilderness. And with one's food hanging in a tree, of course.
Day 16: Parc de la Mauricie to St Marc des Carrieres
103km/64m, 5hrs17mins, 19.5kph/12.1mph, 406m/1320ft of climbing.
Zig-zagging back south today, back into farming country en route to Quebec City. But on departing La Mauricie, a word in praise of the Canadian National Parks people. On the basis of my experience so far, these places are brilliantly managed and strike a superb balance between the tight regulation needed to protect the near-wilderness environment and the latitude needed to allow visitors to explore and enjoy it. Difficult to see how it could be done much better, I think.
It had rained heavily overnight but was dry when I got up, and my luck held. It constantly threatened rain, and at one point I took cover in a McDonalds, of all places, as a specially black cloud approached - memories of yesterday - but though I frequently rode through places where it had rained very recently, barely a drop fell on me. And the weather brightened as the day went on, so that for the last couple of hours I was riding in brilliant, and hot, sunshine. And for that couple of hours I even had a following wind, my first of the trip. it doesn't half make it easier.
117km/73m, 6hrs12mins, 18.8kph/11.7mph, 457m/1485ft of climbing.
Terrific day today. On the road by about 0730, because I was expecting it be a fairly long day. That worked out well, too, as I took advantage of the first section being very flat to pile on a bit more pace than usual. 25km in the first hour - pedestrian on the road bike but electric on this - and about 35km, more than a quarter of the day's journey, by 0900. Very good for the morale to have made that much progress so early in the day. And I'm starting to see the physical benefit of putting in all these miles, I felt strong all day and able to press on at a half-decent pace.
A day of two halves, one might say. The first 60km through flat, largely arable, farmland. Lots of quite attractive little farming communities, the style of much of the housing now distinctly French. Then a gradual transition back to the wild, with the birch and pine forest first infiltrating and then entirely supplanting the agricultural land. Roads quiet everywhere; I believe it's the last day of a holiday weekend, so maybe that accounts for it. Weather overcast for most of the day...
Until Shawnigan, that is. It's a fairly substantial town north of Trois Rivieres and I stopped there for lunch. About five minutes after restarting it became very dark. I had just about enough time to don the rainjacket and switch on my rear light when there was a crash of thunder and the rain began to fall. And such rain. Rain of an intensity I have very rarely been out in, and have certainly never ridden a bike through. It was a deluge, a torrent, an inundation. C'etait incroyable. Fortunately it was also relatively brief - within about 15 minutes it eased to being merely heavy, and after half-an-hour it had stopped.
It gives me a chance to do a couple of product reviews. First, sealskin socks. For the benefit of the uninitiated, these are socks with a waterproof Gore-Tex liner that are meant to keep your feet dry even if your shoes get wet. I've used them for a while on the bike in UK winters and in general they work OK. However, I can now advise that in extreme conditions the rain simply runs down one's leg in such quantity as to get into the sock from the top. And once inside, the efficiency of the Gore- Tex liner means that it can't get out again! So one rides along for a while with one's feet encased in plastic bags full of cold water. This is not great, but makes for an entertaining spectacle at the roadside as the passing foreign cyclist stops and empties his socks!
Second, and in complete contrast, Vaude waterproof panniers. Despite the downpour, all my gear remained perfectly dry. Remarkable.
So, to my destination for the night, which is a campground in La Mauricie National Park. Just a small park, as the nice man at the entrance advised me when he pointed out that the campsite I had reserved on-line was 65 kilometres from that particular gate. A bit like entering the Yorkshire Dales National Park at Skipton and being told your accommodation was in Reeth. Since I had already covered 112km that day, I gratefully accepted his suggestion that he switch my reservation to a campsite just 5km away. And very beautiful it was. Another tranquil, solitary night in not-quite wilderness. And with one's food hanging in a tree, of course.
Day 16: Parc de la Mauricie to St Marc des Carrieres
103km/64m, 5hrs17mins, 19.5kph/12.1mph, 406m/1320ft of climbing.
Zig-zagging back south today, back into farming country en route to Quebec City. But on departing La Mauricie, a word in praise of the Canadian National Parks people. On the basis of my experience so far, these places are brilliantly managed and strike a superb balance between the tight regulation needed to protect the near-wilderness environment and the latitude needed to allow visitors to explore and enjoy it. Difficult to see how it could be done much better, I think.
It had rained heavily overnight but was dry when I got up, and my luck held. It constantly threatened rain, and at one point I took cover in a McDonalds, of all places, as a specially black cloud approached - memories of yesterday - but though I frequently rode through places where it had rained very recently, barely a drop fell on me. And the weather brightened as the day went on, so that for the last couple of hours I was riding in brilliant, and hot, sunshine. And for that couple of hours I even had a following wind, my first of the trip. it doesn't half make it easier.
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Day 14: Montreal to Berthierville
76km/47m, 4hrs10mins, 18.3kph/11.4mph, 91m/295ft of climbing.
The day started poorly. I left my watch and sunglasses in a bathroom in the hostel, and didn't realise until I was ready to leave an hour or so later. Inevitably, they were gone. However, I've replaced the sunglasses for a few dollars and I'd brought my cheapest watch. And what do I need a watch for anyway? I have no appointments to keep.
Perfect cycling weather, not too hot, very little wind, dry. I opted for a navigation-free day, simply riding the highway 148 along the bank of the St. Lawrence for as far as I wanted to go. Not a route I'd have chosen normally, but it's Sunday and I guessed - rightly as it turned out - that there'd be very little traffic. So, a pleasant and easy day, and maybe the flattest route I've ever cycled.
The St Lawrence is some river. I'd been riding beside it for many kilometres before I grasped that what I had thought was the opposite bank was in fact an island, and there was an equal breadth of water on the far side. Immense, and still about 800km before it gets to the sea.
Tonight in a nice little motel absolutely on the riverbank. I like motels, they all seem perfectly happy to let the bike stay in the room with me. Tomorrow, back to camping in a National Park.
The day started poorly. I left my watch and sunglasses in a bathroom in the hostel, and didn't realise until I was ready to leave an hour or so later. Inevitably, they were gone. However, I've replaced the sunglasses for a few dollars and I'd brought my cheapest watch. And what do I need a watch for anyway? I have no appointments to keep.
Perfect cycling weather, not too hot, very little wind, dry. I opted for a navigation-free day, simply riding the highway 148 along the bank of the St. Lawrence for as far as I wanted to go. Not a route I'd have chosen normally, but it's Sunday and I guessed - rightly as it turned out - that there'd be very little traffic. So, a pleasant and easy day, and maybe the flattest route I've ever cycled.
The St Lawrence is some river. I'd been riding beside it for many kilometres before I grasped that what I had thought was the opposite bank was in fact an island, and there was an equal breadth of water on the far side. Immense, and still about 800km before it gets to the sea.
Tonight in a nice little motel absolutely on the riverbank. I like motels, they all seem perfectly happy to let the bike stay in the room with me. Tomorrow, back to camping in a National Park.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Days 12 and 13: Rest days, Montreal
Two days relaxing in a very sunny Montreal.
I have done what I usually do when visiting a new city, just walked and walked, looking around, getting a feel for the place. The old port, Outremont, Mont Royal, Westmount, I've wandered for miles. And I am warming to it.
I wasn't that impressed, initially. Not an especially good-looking city architecturally, I don't think, lacking the quality that makes Vancouver seem such a nice environment despite its shining modernity - something that downtown Montreal shares. But as I continued to roam around I began to like the feel of the place. It has a relaxed ambience, there's obviously a load of interesting places to eat and drink and a host of festivals of one type or another. I'd quite like to be here for the jazz festival in early July, it's clearly a monster. Unfortunately I have a prior engagement with Niagara falls about that time. There are loads of cyclists here, by the way, many of them on hipster fixed-gear bikes.
Speaking of eating, I came across an absolutely superb vegan restaurant Crudessence, on Mackay north of Sainte Catherine, which makes a version of a Waldorf salad that I would happily nominate for the world Waldorf salad championship. And a drink called a Bombe Verte made of mango, pineapple, kale, spirulina, matcha(?) and almond milk which is unexpectedly delicious as well as luridly green. Highly recommended if you're planning a visit here.
So, two very pleasant days. But I find myself quite keen to get back on the bike. Four more days riding before my next major destination, Quebec City. In the meantime, here's a link to some pictures. There'll be more as the weeks pass.
I have done what I usually do when visiting a new city, just walked and walked, looking around, getting a feel for the place. The old port, Outremont, Mont Royal, Westmount, I've wandered for miles. And I am warming to it.
I wasn't that impressed, initially. Not an especially good-looking city architecturally, I don't think, lacking the quality that makes Vancouver seem such a nice environment despite its shining modernity - something that downtown Montreal shares. But as I continued to roam around I began to like the feel of the place. It has a relaxed ambience, there's obviously a load of interesting places to eat and drink and a host of festivals of one type or another. I'd quite like to be here for the jazz festival in early July, it's clearly a monster. Unfortunately I have a prior engagement with Niagara falls about that time. There are loads of cyclists here, by the way, many of them on hipster fixed-gear bikes.
Speaking of eating, I came across an absolutely superb vegan restaurant Crudessence, on Mackay north of Sainte Catherine, which makes a version of a Waldorf salad that I would happily nominate for the world Waldorf salad championship. And a drink called a Bombe Verte made of mango, pineapple, kale, spirulina, matcha(?) and almond milk which is unexpectedly delicious as well as luridly green. Highly recommended if you're planning a visit here.
So, two very pleasant days. But I find myself quite keen to get back on the bike. Four more days riding before my next major destination, Quebec City. In the meantime, here's a link to some pictures. There'll be more as the weeks pass.
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Day 11: Papineauville to Montreal
133km/82m, 7hrs50mins, 17kph/10.6mph, 412m/1339ft of climbing.
Cumulative distance so far, 882km/545m.
Montreal! I had planned to take two days to do the 130-odd km from Papineauville to Montreal, but at lunchtime I felt pretty strong, the terrain was pan-flat and therefore uninteresting as well as easy, and the weather - foul when I started this morning - had turned nice. So, I decided to exert myself and do the whole distance in one shift. Really pleased I did, too. Montreal was the first real goal I had set myself, so to have got here a day early and in good shape feels rather good. And an extra day in Montreal can't be a bad thing.
I am staying at the "Auberge de Jeunesse" - the youth hostel, in our language. Miraculously, there is at least one guest who is even less youthful than me; and by a significant margin. The hostel is excellent, and costs less than most of the campsites charge you to pitch a tent. (Plug for hostelling international - no charge)
For anyone who is eccentric enough to want to do this sort of trip, the section of highway 148 between Thurso and Grenville is the only road I have so far encountered that I would go out of my way to avoid. My friends in the North East will know what I mean if I say it is like cycling the A19. However, at Grenville it completely changes its character, because most of the heavy traffic turns onto the 50; and for the next 30 km or so everything is sweetness and light. After that cycling into the heart of Montreal is like any other big city, but with more red lights; they seem to appear every 100 metres.
As I mentioned, the decision to do the whole distance in one day was made at lunchtime. This was probably influenced by the lunch itself - three courses, including a pea soup you could stand your spoon up in, in a no-nonsense transport cafe on the 148. Very sustaining. $10.20.
Cumulative distance so far, 882km/545m.
Montreal! I had planned to take two days to do the 130-odd km from Papineauville to Montreal, but at lunchtime I felt pretty strong, the terrain was pan-flat and therefore uninteresting as well as easy, and the weather - foul when I started this morning - had turned nice. So, I decided to exert myself and do the whole distance in one shift. Really pleased I did, too. Montreal was the first real goal I had set myself, so to have got here a day early and in good shape feels rather good. And an extra day in Montreal can't be a bad thing.
I am staying at the "Auberge de Jeunesse" - the youth hostel, in our language. Miraculously, there is at least one guest who is even less youthful than me; and by a significant margin. The hostel is excellent, and costs less than most of the campsites charge you to pitch a tent. (Plug for hostelling international - no charge)
For anyone who is eccentric enough to want to do this sort of trip, the section of highway 148 between Thurso and Grenville is the only road I have so far encountered that I would go out of my way to avoid. My friends in the North East will know what I mean if I say it is like cycling the A19. However, at Grenville it completely changes its character, because most of the heavy traffic turns onto the 50; and for the next 30 km or so everything is sweetness and light. After that cycling into the heart of Montreal is like any other big city, but with more red lights; they seem to appear every 100 metres.
As I mentioned, the decision to do the whole distance in one day was made at lunchtime. This was probably influenced by the lunch itself - three courses, including a pea soup you could stand your spoon up in, in a no-nonsense transport cafe on the 148. Very sustaining. $10.20.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Day 10: Wakefield to Papineauville
95km/59m, 6hrs31mins, 14.5kph/9mph, 768m/2496ft of climbing.
It would be nice were the wind to blow from the west one of these days. The headwind was relentless today, turning it into one of those days when all you can do is put your head down and slog it out. The only day so far when I have been focussed on getting to the destination as opposed to enjoying the ride. Hard going.
Still, it had its moments. A very close encounter with a golden eagle that cruised along the road only 20 or so feet above my head for maybe 100 metres or so. And an extremely quirky lunch stop. I was hungry and it started to rain so I took advantage of a birdwatchers hide for shelter while I ate. Not much to see in the way of birds, though, beyond a big flock of Canada geese. There are a lot of them about here, surprisingly.
And at Papineauville a nice B&B and an excellent dinner served by the first waiter I have encountered who had virtually no English. We managed, though.
It would be nice were the wind to blow from the west one of these days. The headwind was relentless today, turning it into one of those days when all you can do is put your head down and slog it out. The only day so far when I have been focussed on getting to the destination as opposed to enjoying the ride. Hard going.
Still, it had its moments. A very close encounter with a golden eagle that cruised along the road only 20 or so feet above my head for maybe 100 metres or so. And an extremely quirky lunch stop. I was hungry and it started to rain so I took advantage of a birdwatchers hide for shelter while I ate. Not much to see in the way of birds, though, beyond a big flock of Canada geese. There are a lot of them about here, surprisingly.
And at Papineauville a nice B&B and an excellent dinner served by the first waiter I have encountered who had virtually no English. We managed, though.
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Day 9: Rest Day
While eating a genuinely excellent meal at Cafe Chez Eric yesterday evening I decided to make today a rest day. My accommodation in Montreal is booked for 20 and 21 May, so I have four days to get there and am only three days away. Also, I've ridden for eight successive days and it's probably good policy to give my aged muscles a chance to recover even though I have been taking it relatively easy so far. Speaking of fitness, here's one for the students of cycling training, otherwise known as my fellow nerds. My resting heart rate is 43 today, 5 lower than it was at the start of the trip. Long steady distance training clearly still has its place. Though to be fair, not many people can afford the time to spend 5 hours a day on the bike.
Pause for reflection on the trip so far. In particular, how does cycle touring in Canada compare with the UK?
First, the traffic is different. Roads that Canadians clearly think are hazardous for cyclists seem pretty quiet to me; some that are designated as highways are virtually deserted by British standards. And they tend to be straighter, so sight lines are good, and many have rideable "shoulders" that can keep you out of the main carriageway altogether. It would be silly to overstate this, I've been passed too close by some pretty big trucks, but the contrast is there and I suspect that cyclists accustomed to Canadian conditions would find a British "A" road a pretty scary proposition at first.
Second, there are fewer cyclists here. This may be a function of my starting very early in the season - the snow isn't long off the ground in parts of southern Quebec - but in 8 days and well over 600kms I have seen one other touring cyclist.
Third, DOGS. Some dogs chase cyclists in the UK, of course, but it's a minority interest. Here it is clearly the canine national sport. Virtually every dog I have passed has set off in pursuit, one with such enthusiasm it snapped the chain that was supposed to restrict it to its own front lawn. Only one has looked like catching me, forcing me into a demonstration that I can still accelerate hard even with 25 kilos of luggage. So what is it that Canadian dogs have against cyclists? I don't get it.
A veggie restaurant tonight followed by a couple of pints in the rather good, and very friendly, local pub. Things could be worse.
Pause for reflection on the trip so far. In particular, how does cycle touring in Canada compare with the UK?
First, the traffic is different. Roads that Canadians clearly think are hazardous for cyclists seem pretty quiet to me; some that are designated as highways are virtually deserted by British standards. And they tend to be straighter, so sight lines are good, and many have rideable "shoulders" that can keep you out of the main carriageway altogether. It would be silly to overstate this, I've been passed too close by some pretty big trucks, but the contrast is there and I suspect that cyclists accustomed to Canadian conditions would find a British "A" road a pretty scary proposition at first.
Second, there are fewer cyclists here. This may be a function of my starting very early in the season - the snow isn't long off the ground in parts of southern Quebec - but in 8 days and well over 600kms I have seen one other touring cyclist.
Third, DOGS. Some dogs chase cyclists in the UK, of course, but it's a minority interest. Here it is clearly the canine national sport. Virtually every dog I have passed has set off in pursuit, one with such enthusiasm it snapped the chain that was supposed to restrict it to its own front lawn. Only one has looked like catching me, forcing me into a demonstration that I can still accelerate hard even with 25 kilos of luggage. So what is it that Canadian dogs have against cyclists? I don't get it.
A veggie restaurant tonight followed by a couple of pints in the rather good, and very friendly, local pub. Things could be worse.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Days 7 and 8: Pembroke to Wakefield
Day 7: Pembroke to Otter Lake
96km/59m, 5hrs58mins, 16kph/9.9mph, 559m/1817ft of climbing.
Fairly tough day today courtesy of a pretty stiff north-easterly headwind for the first couple of hours. Much colder than it has been, too. However, it stayed dry and in that I was lucky, because from what I picked up from the weather forecast this morning, virtually the whole of southern Ontario and Quebec were expecting rain. In any event, I started the day well: I had treated myself to a night in the Pembroke Travelodge, so set off with the benefit of an enormous hotel breakfast.
Immediately crossed the Ottawa River and entered Quebec. I continue to be impressed by the scale of the landscape. One crosses enormous rivers only to realise that they are mere tributaries of the St. Lawrence. There is an awful lot of water here. I seem to remember being told that one fifth of the world's fresh water was in the Great Lakes and another fifth in the Amazon Basin. If one adds in Ontario and Quebec, not to mention the Nile, it's no wonder there's a shortage elsewhere!
Stopped for lunch at a roadside cafe that could be described as unpretentious. Soup, the spaghetti special and dessert for $10.50. On this admittedly slight evidence it seems that Les Quebecois like their carbohydrates. Spaghetti Bolognese comes with two rounds of buttered toast on the side. Not that I was complaining; today was probably a 3000 calorie session on the bike.
Camped at the Parc Leslie, a campground on the shore of Lake Leslie near Otter Lake. Another campground that doesn't officially open until the coming weekend, but let me stay anyway. As a result I was the only camper; they checked twice that I understood they'd be leaving for the night and that I'd be on my own. I have certainly never spent a night in quite such isolated circumstances. Nobody around, no human-generated noise, no signal for phone, nothing. Just me and the local wildlife. Feeling slightly foolish, I did what the books tell you to and hung the bag containing my food in a tree. Though I must say that were I a bear, I'd be much more interested in the contents of the much more accessible tent.
It's never silent, of course. The birds go to sleep but there's the continuous exhalation of the wind in the trees, and other small noises. Nonetheless, the quietness is vast.
Day 8: Otter Lake to Wakefield
86km/53m, 5hrs58mins (again!), 14.4kph/8.9mph, 548m/1781m of climbing.
Much colder day today, about 8C. Rained on and off, though not heavily; the rain jacket was required for the cold rather than the wet. And my slowest day so far, principally because of a lengthy and ultimately abortive off-road foray in the middle. I intended to ride across the Parc de la Gatineau which meant using dirt tracks with pretty loose surfaces. That was working out fine, though, until about two-thirds of the way across the rains had washed away a small bridge over a river. A couple of planks had been laid across, but there'd have been no chance of making it on the laden bike, so I had to return whence I came. Still, got to see the inside of the Parc and was still early enough to find a decent B&B in Wakefield. Wakefield is not remotely like its West Yorkshire namesake, it's quite a pretty little town on a river. Seems well-stocked with restaurants too, one of which I am about to investigate.
96km/59m, 5hrs58mins, 16kph/9.9mph, 559m/1817ft of climbing.
Fairly tough day today courtesy of a pretty stiff north-easterly headwind for the first couple of hours. Much colder than it has been, too. However, it stayed dry and in that I was lucky, because from what I picked up from the weather forecast this morning, virtually the whole of southern Ontario and Quebec were expecting rain. In any event, I started the day well: I had treated myself to a night in the Pembroke Travelodge, so set off with the benefit of an enormous hotel breakfast.
Immediately crossed the Ottawa River and entered Quebec. I continue to be impressed by the scale of the landscape. One crosses enormous rivers only to realise that they are mere tributaries of the St. Lawrence. There is an awful lot of water here. I seem to remember being told that one fifth of the world's fresh water was in the Great Lakes and another fifth in the Amazon Basin. If one adds in Ontario and Quebec, not to mention the Nile, it's no wonder there's a shortage elsewhere!
Stopped for lunch at a roadside cafe that could be described as unpretentious. Soup, the spaghetti special and dessert for $10.50. On this admittedly slight evidence it seems that Les Quebecois like their carbohydrates. Spaghetti Bolognese comes with two rounds of buttered toast on the side. Not that I was complaining; today was probably a 3000 calorie session on the bike.
Camped at the Parc Leslie, a campground on the shore of Lake Leslie near Otter Lake. Another campground that doesn't officially open until the coming weekend, but let me stay anyway. As a result I was the only camper; they checked twice that I understood they'd be leaving for the night and that I'd be on my own. I have certainly never spent a night in quite such isolated circumstances. Nobody around, no human-generated noise, no signal for phone, nothing. Just me and the local wildlife. Feeling slightly foolish, I did what the books tell you to and hung the bag containing my food in a tree. Though I must say that were I a bear, I'd be much more interested in the contents of the much more accessible tent.
It's never silent, of course. The birds go to sleep but there's the continuous exhalation of the wind in the trees, and other small noises. Nonetheless, the quietness is vast.
Day 8: Otter Lake to Wakefield
86km/53m, 5hrs58mins (again!), 14.4kph/8.9mph, 548m/1781m of climbing.
Much colder day today, about 8C. Rained on and off, though not heavily; the rain jacket was required for the cold rather than the wet. And my slowest day so far, principally because of a lengthy and ultimately abortive off-road foray in the middle. I intended to ride across the Parc de la Gatineau which meant using dirt tracks with pretty loose surfaces. That was working out fine, though, until about two-thirds of the way across the rains had washed away a small bridge over a river. A couple of planks had been laid across, but there'd have been no chance of making it on the laden bike, so I had to return whence I came. Still, got to see the inside of the Parc and was still early enough to find a decent B&B in Wakefield. Wakefield is not remotely like its West Yorkshire namesake, it's quite a pretty little town on a river. Seems well-stocked with restaurants too, one of which I am about to investigate.
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Day 6: Tramore to Pembroke
60km/37m, 3hrs34mins, 16.7kph/10.3mph, 256m/780ft of climbing.
After (b)logging off last night I had a magical wildlife moment. I was sitting on the riverbank in the campsite, having a glass of wine and just enjoying the silence, when a beaver swam past me, pushing a birch branch before it, not ten feet from the bank. As it drew abreast of my position it looked right at me and dived out of my sight. But the fact that I just stayed where I was presumably persuaded it that I was no threat, because it made two further return trips in full view and in no apparent hurry. Terrific.
Slept for about nine hours - presumably the impact of yesterday's being the longest ride so far. But I was on my way by shortly after 0900, and had only a relatively flat 60km to go to the town of Pembroke, on the Ottawa River and, therefore, at the border between Ontario and Quebec. As predicted, my luck with the weather finally ran out and it rained pretty steadily throughout. And there's more of the same during the next few days. Quel dommage. (as you will see, I am preparing for Francophone Quebec)
After (b)logging off last night I had a magical wildlife moment. I was sitting on the riverbank in the campsite, having a glass of wine and just enjoying the silence, when a beaver swam past me, pushing a birch branch before it, not ten feet from the bank. As it drew abreast of my position it looked right at me and dived out of my sight. But the fact that I just stayed where I was presumably persuaded it that I was no threat, because it made two further return trips in full view and in no apparent hurry. Terrific.
Slept for about nine hours - presumably the impact of yesterday's being the longest ride so far. But I was on my way by shortly after 0900, and had only a relatively flat 60km to go to the town of Pembroke, on the Ottawa River and, therefore, at the border between Ontario and Quebec. As predicted, my luck with the weather finally ran out and it rained pretty steadily throughout. And there's more of the same during the next few days. Quel dommage. (as you will see, I am preparing for Francophone Quebec)
Friday, 13 May 2011
Days 4 and 5: Apsley to Tramore
Day 4: Apsley to Bancroft.
61km/38m, 3hrs37mins, 16.9kph/10.5mph, 477m/1550ft of climbing.
Sorry to be so painfully repetitive, but each day is more glorious than the last. They tell me it's going to rain tomorrow, though, so one day soon I'll be able to gratify my readers - assuming I have any readers- with tales of my toiling miserably through hideous conditions. But today is not that day: it started superbly and got better.
A relatively short ride today along highway 620 from Apsley to Bancroft. A wonderful, rolling, almost empty road through largely forested areas peppered with the inevitable lakes. And it provided the wildlife highlight of the trip so far, in the form of a moose drinking from a pool at the roadside as I rode by. Sadly she was unwilling to pose for a photograph, and ambled away into the trees as soon as I stopped. Not the most elegant of quadrupeds, the moose, but an animal I'd always wanted to see and one that had eluded me on previous trips to Canada.
So the wildlife score is one moose, one beaver, three eagles and a multitude of blackflies. The latter are only abroad in the spring and are enthusiastic enough to make one think twice about stopping - I seem to be able to outpace them on the bike. However, the 30% DEET spray I invested in seems an adequate deeterrent (groan). Scoring the west highland midge as a ten, I'd so far give them a tentative six.
The moose wasn't highway 620's only surprise. About half-way between Apsley and Bancroft, absolutely in the middle of nowhere, I came upon a general store with a bakery attached, turning out superb still-warm-from-the-oven Danish pastries and exceptional slightly chewy ginger biscuits. Quite remarkable; even if they supply absolutely everyone within a ten-mile radius they can only have a few hundred potential customers. But in this case they did well from the passing trade.
I wrote this at my campsite just outside Bancroft. Fairly basic, but plumbing and hot showers, and several cups of green tea courtesy of my jetboil stove. Green tea beats the pants off energy drinks as a restorative. I wonder why that should be, given that it hasn't a calorie to its name.
Day 5: Bancroft to Tramore
109km/68m, 6hrs 33mins, 16.6kph/10.3mph, 606m/2294ft of climbing.
Cumulative distance so far, 411km/255m.
Life on the road is full of surprises. I am blogging this from the comfort of my
Yurt at the Covered Bridge Campground, Tramore - a tiny place north of Killaloe near Golden Lake. I arrived looking for somewhere to pitch my tent but Andrew, the Polish owner, suggested that I save myself the bother and sleep in the Yurt instead for the same price. It's so early in the season here that most of the campsites are just opening and apart from a few people arriving to clean up their RVs and trailers after the winter, I'm his first visitor this year. Unfortunately I don't have any fermented Yak's milk to complete the Mongolian theme, so a glass of red wine will have to suffice. I've discovered that a wine bottle fits exactly in the bottle cages on the bike. Most convenient.
Today the longest so far, and undulating: which means, as those who have cycled with me before will know, decidedly lumpy. Much shorter ride tomorrow to Pembroke.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Day 3: Bobcaygeon to Apsley
68km/42m, 4hrs24mins, 15.4kph/9.6mph, 398m/1294ft of climbing.
The weather gets better and better. 22C and glorious sunshine. I know it can't last, of course, and in fact rain is forecast for Sunday, but it's nice to have started in such benign conditions. Makes me optimistic.
Today felt more like the Canada I had imagined, riding through birch and pine forests virtually throughout. It felt hillier, too - though this was clearly my imagination as the garmin says I climbed less than on either of the previous days. Some beautiful scenery, not least in the
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park an entrance to which is just across the road from my B&B. I had intended to ride right across the park but was forced to skirt most of it because there is no road that goes from one side to the other. I could have risked riding a hiking trail, but it would have made it a very slow and tough day even if I'd managed to avoid getting stuck.
Two striking examples of Canadian hospitality today. This morning I stopped at a "trading post" in the hope of buying a coffee. They didn't sell food and drink - hunting gear and fishing licences was their game - but the nice ladies who ran it simply made me a coffee anyway. No charge. Then this evening my hosts at the Creekside Inn B&B, Brian and Maureen, advised me that there was nowhere decent to eat in Apsley and invited me to dinner with their family. No charge.
Tomorrow a relatively short ride to Bancroft and my first night camping.
The weather gets better and better. 22C and glorious sunshine. I know it can't last, of course, and in fact rain is forecast for Sunday, but it's nice to have started in such benign conditions. Makes me optimistic.
Today felt more like the Canada I had imagined, riding through birch and pine forests virtually throughout. It felt hillier, too - though this was clearly my imagination as the garmin says I climbed less than on either of the previous days. Some beautiful scenery, not least in the
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park an entrance to which is just across the road from my B&B. I had intended to ride right across the park but was forced to skirt most of it because there is no road that goes from one side to the other. I could have risked riding a hiking trail, but it would have made it a very slow and tough day even if I'd managed to avoid getting stuck.
Two striking examples of Canadian hospitality today. This morning I stopped at a "trading post" in the hope of buying a coffee. They didn't sell food and drink - hunting gear and fishing licences was their game - but the nice ladies who ran it simply made me a coffee anyway. No charge. Then this evening my hosts at the Creekside Inn B&B, Brian and Maureen, advised me that there was nowhere decent to eat in Apsley and invited me to dinner with their family. No charge.
Tomorrow a relatively short ride to Bancroft and my first night camping.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Day 2: Port Perry to Bobcaygeon
88km/55miles, 5 hrs 31 mins, 15.9kph/9.9mph, 490m/1590ft of climbing.
I won't be updating this blog every day, but I may as well take advantage of a wireless connection while I can...
Terrific day on the bike today. Left Port Perry by the old main road which has long been superseded by a highway and largely abandoned by through traffic. So for the first couple of hours I was riding in beautiful sunshine and splendid isolation, sometimes not seeing a car for twenty minutes at a time.
Rolling farmland for mile upon mile. Already, not very far from Toronto, I begin to get some sense of the scale of this country and I expect that impression to grow stronger as the days pass. It's simply enormous. And places seem even further apart when you're riding into a headwind, as I was this afternoon.
Bobcaygeon isn't as picturesque a town as Port Perry, more a place one would pass through rather than making a special journey to visit. It's at the head of Pigeon Lake. There are lakes everywhere.
Tomorrow, Apsley: another 50 miles or so to the North East.
I won't be updating this blog every day, but I may as well take advantage of a wireless connection while I can...
Terrific day on the bike today. Left Port Perry by the old main road which has long been superseded by a highway and largely abandoned by through traffic. So for the first couple of hours I was riding in beautiful sunshine and splendid isolation, sometimes not seeing a car for twenty minutes at a time.
Rolling farmland for mile upon mile. Already, not very far from Toronto, I begin to get some sense of the scale of this country and I expect that impression to grow stronger as the days pass. It's simply enormous. And places seem even further apart when you're riding into a headwind, as I was this afternoon.
Bobcaygeon isn't as picturesque a town as Port Perry, more a place one would pass through rather than making a special journey to visit. It's at the head of Pigeon Lake. There are lakes everywhere.
Tomorrow, Apsley: another 50 miles or so to the North East.
Monday, 9 May 2011
Day 1. Toronto to Port Perry.
Monday 9 May. Toronto to Port Perry. 85 km/53m, 5hrs 28mins, 15.6kph/9.69mph, 710m/2343ft of climbing.
Flew into Toronto on Wednesday 4 May and spent four extremely convivial days with Paul and the Gearys. Really enjoyable - so enjoyable, in fact, that my intended start on Sunday morning had to be deferred for 24 hours due to a subsequent engagement with premiership football in a pub. Proper pub, too, I was impressed.
So, the tour started this morning in downtown Toronto. Having consulted my bicyclist's atlas of Ontario, I ignored the most direct route and instead left Toronto along the waterfront, skirting Lake Ontario to Oshawa before turning due north for Port Perry. Slightly fiddly route but didn't get lost too often, and never for very long. And a simply beautiful day, around 20C, sunny, light winds.
The bike looks as if it is going to live up to expectations, too. It's not the sportiest, and when ridden unladen feels pretty dead compared with a road bike. But it's built for load carrying, and with 90-odd kilos of me and another 25 of luggage it is as steady as a rock and handles beautifully.
Obviously, with all that weight I'm not going to break any speed records. Even moderate hills had me moving down through the gears and working quite hard, and though I deliberately took it fairly easy - there's a long way to go - an average speed of 10mph sets new standards of slowness. Having said that, Ontario isn't quite as flat as I had been led to believe. From Lake Ontario to Lake Scugog is rolling countryside with a distinctly upward trend.
Port Perry is a pretty little lakeside town and the Piano Cafe has very decent rooms. Tomorrow to Bobcaygeon another 50 or so miles north. And, remarkably, the forecast is for an even more beautiful day than today. Joy.
Flew into Toronto on Wednesday 4 May and spent four extremely convivial days with Paul and the Gearys. Really enjoyable - so enjoyable, in fact, that my intended start on Sunday morning had to be deferred for 24 hours due to a subsequent engagement with premiership football in a pub. Proper pub, too, I was impressed.
So, the tour started this morning in downtown Toronto. Having consulted my bicyclist's atlas of Ontario, I ignored the most direct route and instead left Toronto along the waterfront, skirting Lake Ontario to Oshawa before turning due north for Port Perry. Slightly fiddly route but didn't get lost too often, and never for very long. And a simply beautiful day, around 20C, sunny, light winds.
The bike looks as if it is going to live up to expectations, too. It's not the sportiest, and when ridden unladen feels pretty dead compared with a road bike. But it's built for load carrying, and with 90-odd kilos of me and another 25 of luggage it is as steady as a rock and handles beautifully.
Obviously, with all that weight I'm not going to break any speed records. Even moderate hills had me moving down through the gears and working quite hard, and though I deliberately took it fairly easy - there's a long way to go - an average speed of 10mph sets new standards of slowness. Having said that, Ontario isn't quite as flat as I had been led to believe. From Lake Ontario to Lake Scugog is rolling countryside with a distinctly upward trend.
Port Perry is a pretty little lakeside town and the Piano Cafe has very decent rooms. Tomorrow to Bobcaygeon another 50 or so miles north. And, remarkably, the forecast is for an even more beautiful day than today. Joy.
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