Vieux port et Montréal

Yesterday I biked and walked around the old Montréal area. It's a very beautiful area with lots of shops and eateries. I spent the afternoon drinking sangria and a patio and enjoying the ambiance.

I have to say the ladies of Montreal really know how to dress. They all tend to drrss up even when just going out for a stroll. Also there is a lot of biking here with dedicated bike lanes.with concrete dividers even on many places. What is also interesting is that about half the ladies on bikes are wearing dresses or skirts. Something you rarely see in Calgary.

Well I have just left Montreal, it's 730 and its 22 out already. I am already sweating a lot. But I may be lucky and reach Trois Rivières today... I do see a break this afternoon if I can find a park.

Montreal - day 1

So day 1 was interesting, I walked again around St. Catherines st. as well as walked up to Mont Royal. I also caught the tail end of the fine arts museum. Very nice exhibits alas you don't get to experience much when you arrive 45 min prior to closing. But it was free to I still got my money's worth.

I did find a Montreal smoke meat pizza but it wasn't as good as the last one when I was here 18 years ago. The bartender Sam was very sociable and had his own Caesar recipe which had horse radish, olive juice and Dijon mustard in it.

I did meet a panhandler who I gave a little coin too but if her story was true she needed food for her puppies. I just realized the only photos I took are on my SLR so no photos of yesterday to share.

Back at the hostel late in the evening I met another fellow. He is from india and is a bee keeper. What makes story interesting is that he used to be a beekeeper in Berwyn a VERY small town near Peace River, Alberta. A town I visited every weekend one year as I had a GF who lived there. His name it turns out is Quentin John Henderson. It was a shock to meet another Quentin but that we had something also extremely rare in common was even more a astonishing.

The bartender Sam had given me a few pub recommendations so on my way there I met 3 damsels in distress, they were lost and even more surprising is that I could help them. They were from New York and were there to have fun. They were looking for a place called Ches Pierres. I new the street they were looking for. My pub was closed but I later walked by  the club they had gone too which is a strip bar.

What I have found as interesting is that many couples seem to be entering n leaving these establishments. In Alberta it's usually only men and the rare female who visits them. So what is different out here the people or the establishments...

So today is another very hot day. I have biked down to old Montreal via the docks. It's a beautiful place worth visiting again and again. Oh the bartender said that he has regulars who fly in to Montreal as it has such a vibrant night life, especially on St. Laurence st.

My breakfast (at noon) is now doe so time to explore.

Departure

<p>There is nothing like getting home at 4 am and packing after a lot of beer so you can leave at 4:30 am for the airport. Unlike last year I am so unfocused this trip.

The flight was nit to bad and I did manage a little sleep. Not nearly enough! When I arrived I called greyhound and my bike did arrive. Yeah!!! So hopped on a bus and went to get it. The one downside to shipping a bike is that it takes a while to put it back together. The bike needs to fit into a bike box for travel.

So far getting around Montreal has been fairly easy. I biked to the hostel and parked the bike there. The rooms are air conditioned so are really comfortable. After settling in I got some ideas for what to do here. I guess yesterday was the last day forthe "Just for laughs" festival. So I walked over to that and had a great time, web though I know so little French. I wonder if Shaw will open an office here... Probably not but would be great for me to learn French.

This morning I stopped at a restaurant for brekkie, wow they served me quickly. Very shocked! Plans for tiday are to get a little stand for my camera then walk up Mont Royal and check out the arts museum. It's supposed to be free today.

The New :West" aka Biking from Montreal to St. Johns NL

I have been way to quiet on my latest epic adventure of biking eastward from Montreal to St. Johns Newfoundland.  I am departing July 28th (in a few days) to Montreal where my bike should hopefully be waiting me.  I shipped it by bus last week.  

The past 2 years I have biked to Vancouver from Calgary, and each year I did a ride in Jun with the Ride to Conquer Cancer as both a fund raiser, but also to test my capabilities.  This year I didn't, which should prove interesting once I get to Montreal.  Part of that was I hate asking people for money, and the other is that I have not been as mentally focused as the past 2 years.  

But back to this year, the ride is about 2,700 km in length, it will cover Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in that order. Below is the itinerary for the trip and below that is the list of places I will be visiting and for each province is a link to the bike route I will be following (or I hope to be following).

I am estimating to be riding 100km a day on average, but based on the past 2 years that's usually closer to 120 km.  Alas I've not factored in that I have not been biking anywhere as much as I did to prepare for those rides, AND I am planning on taking my camera with me (which weighs almost as much as my trailer loaded) as it is an epic ride and I've never been east of Montreal before.

Enjoy my journey with me and lets see what interesting encounters befall me this year.

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Total Trip Distance: 2700 -> 3200 (@120km/day = 23 -> 27 days biking)

Itinerary

July 28^th

·        Arrive in Montreal, get bike

·         

July 29^th

·         

July 30^th

·         

July 31^st

·         

Aug 1^st

·        Depart Montreal: 141km to Trois-Rivieres

Aug 2^nd : Trois Riveriers

·        Arrive Trois-Rivieres

·        Depart Trois-Rivieries: 148 km to Quebec City

Aug 3^rd : Quebec City

·        Arrive Quebec City

Aug 4^th

·         

Aug 5^th

·        Depart Quebec City: 380 km to Grand Falls, NB

Aug 6^th – 7^th

·         

Aug 8^th

·        Arrive in Grand Falls

Aug 9^th

·        Depart Grand Falls 99km to Hartland

·        Arrive in Hartland (covered Bridge) 120 km from Fredericton

Aug 10^th

·        Depart Hartland, 76 km to Mactaquack

·        Arrive in Mactaquack Provincial Park

Aug 11^th

·        Depart Mactaquack Provincial Park: 27 km to Fredericton

·        Arrive in Fredericton, NB

·        Visit Farmers Market  in Fredericton

·        Depart Fredericton 113 km to Saint John

·        Arrive in Saint John, NB

Aug 12^th

·        Depart Saint John 50 km to Saint Martins

·        Arrive in Saint Martins

·        Depart  Saint Martins 76 km to Alma

·        Arrive in Alma

Aug 13^th

·        Depart Alma 16 km to Cape Enrage

·        Arrive in Cape Enrage

·        Depart Cape Enrage 32 km to Hopewell Rocks

·        Arrive Hopewell Rocks “The Rocks Provincial Park”

·        Watch Time come in… NEED TIDE CHART FOR THIS DAY

Aug 14^th

·        Depart Hopewell Rocks 41km to Moncton

·        Arrive in Moncton

·        See: Magnetic  hill

·        Depart Moncton 31 km to Shediac

·        Arrive Shediac

·        See: Giant Lobster

·        Enjoy Beach

Aug 15^th

·        Depart Shediac  90 km to Bridge (Borden-Carleton)

·        Arrive in  Borden-Carleton

·        Depart  Borden-Carleton : 21 km to Victoria

·        See Play

Aug 16^th

·        Depart Victoria, PE

·        Arrive in Green Gables  39 km

·        Visit Green Gables

·        Depart Green Gables 12 km to New Glasgow

·        Arrive in PEI:  New Glasgow

·        Eat Lobster

Aug 17^th

·        Depart New Glasgow

·        Arrive in Charlottetown 40km

·        Visit Historic Downtown and the place of confederation

·        Take Ferry to Pictou

·        Arrive in Pictou

·        Depart Pictou: 148 km to Halifax

Aug 18^th

·        Arrive in Halifax

Aug 19^th

·        Do a Tour of Peggy’s Cove

·        Depart Halifax:  418 km to Cape Breton

Aug 20^th

·        Travel

Aug 21^th

·        Travel

Aug 22^th

·        Travel

Aug 23^th

·        Arrive in Cape Breton

Aug 24^th

·        Depart Cape Breton:  71 km to Cheticamp (start of Cabot Trail)

·        Arrive in Cheticamp

Aug 25^th

·        Depart Cheticamp: 210 km to North Sydney via Cabot Trail

·         

Aug 26^th

·        Arrive in North Sydney

·        Take Ferry to Argentia, NL

·        Arrive Argentia, NL

Aug 27^th

·        Depart Argentia, NL to Cape St. Mary : 68km

·        Depart Cape St. Mary: 139 km to Cupids

Aug 28^th

·        Arrive in Cupids

·        Depart Cupids: 3km to Brigus

·        Arrive Brigus

·        Depart Brigus: 73 km to St. Johns

Aug 29^th

·        Arrive St. Johns

·        Visit Cape Spear

·        Become a “Newfie”

Aug 30^th

·        Take day trip to Bonavista : 310 km

Aug 31^th

·         

Sept 1^st

·         

Sept 2^nd

·        Travel HOME!!!!! From St. John NL

·        Aprox $400 for flight + tax.  3.5 hrs

Sept 3^rd

·        …. Monday before working.

Quebec

http://goo.gl/maps/y0AU

Montreal to Grand Falls: 690 km

-          Montreal

o   Airport shuttle which leaves directly from the bus terminal. Visit this website for more information: http://www.autobus.qc.ca/anglais/horaire

o   Greyhound

§   GARE D'AUTOCARS DE
MONTREAL INC
1717 RUE BERRI ST
Montreal (e), PQ H2L4E9

Telephone Numbers
Main: (514) 843-4231
Customer Service: (514) 842-2281

o   Staying at HI-Montréal 1030 Mackay Street

-          Trois-Rivieres:  141 km

-          Quebec City: 148 km

o   Stay in old Quebec city

o   Crepes places Informal is the one to visit, not the Formal one. (Old Quebec City)

o    

New Brunswick

http://goo.gl/maps/Udsa

Grand Falls to Confederation Bridge (Borden-Carleton PEI side):  640 km

-          Grand Falls : 398 km

o   Nice Falls, biggest East of Niagara Falls

-          Hartland  : 99 km

o   The longest covered bridge

-          Mactaquack Provincial Park : 76 km

o    Great place to stay at Mactaquac Provincial Park

-          Fredericton : 27 km

o   on a Saturday morning for farmers market. Have Samosa’s there.

o   Kings Landing (historical village)

o   Art Gallery – really impressive for small city.

-          Saint John:  115 km

o    Reversing Falls

-          Saint Martin’s : 50 km

o   High and Low Tides

o   Some caves accessible at low tide.

-          Alma : 76 km

o   High and Low Tides

-          Cape Enrage : 16 km

o   Light house

-          Hopewell Rocks : 32 km

o   HopeWell  Rocks –(provincial park) be there just before low tide.

o   Hopewell Rocks (at low tide – see http://www.bayoffundytourism.com/tides/times/)

-          Moncton : 41 km  (152 km direct from Saint John)

o   Magnetic Hill (in town)

-          Shediac (Near Moncton - east): 30 km

o   Near to PEI… Parlay Beach – much nicer then beaches in PEI.  White sand, warm water

o   Giant lobster!

-          Borden-Carleton - Confederation Bridge: 90 km

PEI

http://goo.gl/maps/nuR5

Borden-Carleton (Bridge) to Charlottetown :  109 km

-          Visit beaches on NB side. (locals go)

-          Victoria : 21 km

o   Play House, 20km from bridge

o   Must visit, small quaint town

-          Green Gables: 39 km

-          New Glasgow : 11 km

o   lobster dinner http://peilobstersuppers.com/

o   Lee Weiss knows Erin & Mike Forrest

-          Charlottetown: 38 km

-          Ferry to Pictou, NS

Nova Scotia

http://goo.gl/maps/vxcr

Pictou, NS to North Sydney, NS (take ferry to Channel-Port aux Basques, NL): 911 km

-          Pictou

o   Visit on way back from PEI, really cool hotel train cars converted.  Really pricey

o   Take Ferry from PEI

-          Halifax: 165 km

-          Peggy's Cove: 50km

o   Beautiful Light house

-          Cape Breton: 418 km

o   Fortress Louisburg

o   Leave by Ferry to NL

-          Cabot trail (ride it): 71 km

o   If you do the Cabot trail you’ll have to bike through Cheticamp, they have whale watching tours if you have the time

-          North Sydney: 210 (via Cabot Trail)

o   take Ferry to Newfoundland à Port aux Basques or à St. Johns

Newfoundland

http://goo.gl/maps/em9j

From Argentia to St. Johns: 282 km

·         Ferry from North Sydney to here is 14 hours

·         http://newfoundlandandlabrador.ca/

·         Argentia

·         Cape St Mary's: 68 km

o   birdwatching again

·         Cupids : 139 km

o   the largest British flag at the very first permanent British settlement

·         Brigus : 3 km

o   a kind of hole fishermen used to catch their fish

·         East Coast Trail (http://eastcoasttrail.ca/) along the East coast starting a little to the North of Saint John's

·         St. Johns: 73 km

o    Icebergs! http://icebergfinder.com/iceberg-map.aspx

o    Don't forget to apply for a newfie in St John's: http://www.screechrum.com/screechin

o   Where to apply: http://www.georgestreetlive.ca/25-bars/ at bars Christian's Bar, Trapper John's Museum N' Pub.

·         Cape Spear : 150 m

o   the most East point

·         Bonavista

o   Take a Tour!!!! à birdwatching - puffins