Longue-Rive to Baie-Sainte-Catherine, QC
Traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq
83 km
Overcast, cloudy, sunny, extremely windy, 15 ÂşC
When I woke up this morning, the outdoors looked like a river filled with piranhas. This photo is maybe a third of the bugs which were actually waiting for me. So I felt a similar sentiment to one of the funniest tales I’ve ever heard, about someone in their 80s upon seeing someone they cannot stand approach them ends, “I gotta get the )&(&#()& outta here.” So we hit the road in a hurry, I zoomed away faster than Jonathon because he is, still, immune to mosquitoes.
I had a short exchange with a fascinating Frenchman who was traveling with his grandmother back East.
And another during our second lunch with someone from Ivory Coast who’s been in Montreal the past ~three decades. Since he’s new to the community, he’s been fasting during the month of Ramadan with his Muslim neighbour and getting to know members of the community.
There was a long wait at a stretch of the highway with construction and a cautious and slow climb out of it. Some good photos and a real good workout for des jambes (read: the legs).
We arrived to the beautiful town of Tadoussac but couldn’t linger for too long, oh time and schedule and tides.
Quick and short ferry ride towards Baie-Sainte-Catherine.
We were reminded of the silliness of not lingering by Daniel who was biking here from Montreal during his vacation before heading up to Nunavut for work. “It’s your life,” he said upon hearing that we didn’t spend much time there.
He also recommended going back to the south shores because of the easier terrain. “We just took the ferry to the north shore yesterday!” we told him.
“Well, if you’re willing to pay the price you will earn some great views.” There is no doubt we have some memorable kilometres ahead before reaching Quebec City. The sunset told us as much, as did my rear bicycle wheel. More on that, some other time.