Day 53: 116.53km

June 28, 2012

Montreal- Saint Antoine- Saint Barthèlemy

Today was interesting, but so much fun! I got a later start because the bike shop didn't open until 9:30am (which was AWESOME) but an even later start because there was an accident and so much traffic! There is 1.8 million people in Montreal, and I'm pretty sure the population of Cranbrook (25,000) was on that highway!!! Alain said that when he went to a hockey game there, they announced that there was 21,000 in the arena! It's so hard to picture!!!

We got to the bike shop, and not only did they babysit my bike for the night, but as I asked they had made sure my tires were good and also did extra to my bike! And it didn't cost much at all! I think they gave me a deal! Originally I had called and the person I had spoken to didn't speak English so I thought it was going to be tough to explain what I needed but the guys there that helped me spoke great English and were so supportive! So everything worked great!!!

I biked a bit down the road and had breakfast at Tim Horton's. It was my first meal I had to fully order in French. The lady helping me must have had extraordinary problem solving skills, but I finally spit out some words and got my meal. I'm so proud!! The language barrier is frustrating, but in a way, entertaining and fun.

I continued on highway 158, but knew I needed to eventually end up on highway 138 down south. So I went down highway 339 south. I passed through some of the most beautiful little towns I have ever seen! I loved it! They reminded me of the story the hockey sweater. They were all so colorful and there were so many flowers! I loved it. Small Quebec towns are not like small Ontario towns. It's the same sized dot on a map, but the towns have 1000 people in Quebec, where as in Ontario it's a town of 3 homes.

My future house. Not the best picture of it but it is the cutest little stone house with that twisted wood fence, and so many flowers on their fence!!

 

My favourite town ever. The buildings were so colourful.

 

 

As I biked into my favorite small town, l'assomption, I found out that I was lost. Turns out highway 158 goes through, and turns into highway 138 and highway 339 did not go to highway 138. I had to forage a way to highway 138. 3 highways later, I was on the beautiful highway 138.

It was so sunny, and I was biking right beside mansions backing onto a beautiful river. It was so nice! 

I also got to chat to Michelle, Andi, and Brittany! That took up 3.5 hours! It was fantastic to catch up with them!!! So occupying as well. I have a microphone in my headphone so it's hands free chitchatting. As Brittany and I ended our conversation I could tell I was bonking. I had no energy, the sun was setting, I had been out of water for a while, and I had no idea if there was a campground near by. I charged my phone and found out about a campground a little off the highway, and went there to set up. It was a really pretty campground, I went to bed early. Turned out to be a perfect day.

 

The water mill thing