I woke up to rain dripping it's way through the tree cover onto my tent. It was heavy enough to warrant waiting a few hours before I left the comfort of my tent and ventured towards Quebec. On the way to the bridge I stopped into the war museum and gawked at the tanks on display from the windows outside. I also visited Parliament Hill where it struck me (as it has on various points of my tour) how incredible it is that I have made it this far by bicycle.
After a few wrong turns I found my way to the bridge to Quebec and bid my home province of Ontario farewell and thanks for a month of travel and experience I'll never forget. It was bittersweet but the subtle changes I expect to find in Quebec were something I've been looking forward to for a long while. I also can't wait to ride the famous La Route Verte across Quebec. It should be a relaxing change from the sometimes hectic and shoulder-less roads I've had to ride on occasion in Ontario.
Immediately across the bridge I was greeted with a bike path that curved along between the road and river east of the bridge where many geese and a few gophers hung out. The path at times went onto quiet side streets where cars were of little concern and through all sorts of well marked turns. It may not have been the most direct route but certainly a pleasure to ride.
I felt it was mandatory to eat a poutine or two in Quebec so I stopped for one on the corner of Georges and 148. A few hours later my stomach decided that was a critical mistake and well... lets just hope the owner of certain garage near Papineauville didn't go venturing out back the next day. I also dealt with a small bit of rain but nothing serious which left an aftermath of thick and extremely amazing looking fog that cut across the farm lands and along with the full moon made for some incredible looking landscapes.
I did a bit of night riding as La Route Verte had brought me onto 148 which had some very wide and clear shoulders to safely ride on. The night atmosphere was fantastic and a welcome change from the sun I have come to be very familiar with since BC. It carried me on safely for as long as I felt like riding until I decided to camp alongside an outdoor hockey ring in Pointe-au-Chêne for my first night in lovely Quebec!
