Friday August 10th
I did it, I got up by 6am and got shower etc and on the road by 6:45. It was a good thing because I was riding into the wind totally exposed near the ocean. The cyclist from the camp beside me didn’t get up as early but she was packed and ready before me, go figure – I did take a hot shower though!
It was lightly raining when I started and cool for the first time since BC if I remember correctly. I took the 132 which is the cyclist road but it is now one of the two main roads heading toward Gaspe an was quite busy by about 8:30. I was feeling a little tired so I pulled into a bakery/cheese store outside Trois Pistols and bought chocolate milk and chocolate croissants! The place was packed and even had people making cheese in the back. I wish I had more space for food because this is the type of store I have been looking for since coming to Quebec.
Today was going to be a long one since my goal was to cut down as much distance to Belledune as possible with the result allowing me to bike it in 2 days including today. Even with the slow progress I had made it to Rimouski which was about 105km into the ride before 1:30. Compared to the last couple of weeks this was pretty good although I was much better in the Prairies. The road is very close to the river at this point and with the clouds I was unable to see the North shore of the St. Lawrence. It also had the smell of the see plus there was seaweed draped across the beaches where there was sandy spots between the rounded rocks. I speculate this is sort of how it will look for the rest of the way and other than the language it feels like I have entered another part of the country.
After Rimouski I decided to cut South East to avoid the wind and get a taste of the mountains. Similar to Ontario it is quite hilly with steep grades. I zigged and zagged along country roads before coming to the little tiny town of Sainte-Angele-de-Merici just before getting back on the 132 which also heads South East at this point. It was a good time to stop since it was near dinner time and the rain was picking up. I pulled up next to a restaurant where a gentleman who just walked out of the restaurant said “tres bien” to me. That sounds pretty good. I went in and I couldn’t order food for another 20 minutes but my phone was practically dead and the patron, Jaques, said the other restuarant at the gas station was a grease pit. While waiting I talked with the waitress Annick and Jaques at the bar who both donated to the cause. One other man walked in and sat at the bar and started working on this laptop. When discussing the point of accomodations the Jaques mentioned that I should stay a Motel close by and he spoke to the guy with the laptop. He called and found out the price of a room before I knew what was happening. $65 a night was the reply. Well it is 10 more kilometers to a warm shower or another 50 kilometers to a campground. Option A please.
The restuarant was called Bottine Gourmande and it was the best meal I had in Quebec so far. After dinner I headed off to the 132 highway which for the first time is a full on 2 lane highway with big hills. By the time I pulled into the Motell I was soaked. Hopefully tomorrow I will be in New Brunswick!