September 06, 2012

Day 68 - Fantastique Aventures de Vélos

After the half day yesterday I wanted to make good time today but the cold weather didn't lift and I was riding in 10° for the first little while. The fog had lifted but the wind was still chilly but as long as I kept moving I was able to stay comfortable. The route directed me off the highway and onto paths that cut along the coast through farms and along tractor roads. It was extremely hilly and made for slow difficult riding. Once I was back on 132 I decided I'd stay on the highway for today and ignore any diversions the green route took so I could make good time.

I arrived in Rimouski and traveled along the boardwalk through town while watching the fog roll over Saint Barnabe Island just off the coast. Northeast of town in Pointe-au-Père I was surprised to find a submarine pulled up on shore and setup for viewing. Unfortunately by the time I got there the place was closing but it was still pretty awesome to see from the outside. I had to laugh as two guys in full body snow suits on dirt bikes gawked at me in my shorts and t-shirt and jovially asked if I was cold. Next to the submarine was the first lighthouse I've seen since leaving Manitoulin Island in Ontario. With the weather and scenery this was feeling like the familiar Atlantic surroundings I had been away from all summer.

I carried along 132 as the evening approached and into Mont-Joli where I found a Petro-Canada gas station that had a shower and rest area for truckers. I tried asking the lady working the station if it would be ok if I got a shower but she spoke no english. After some hand gestures and, to my own amusement, repeating "Douche" the lady understood I wanted to use the shower. She insisted I store my bike inside and refused to accept any money for using the shower. After a much needed shower she once again refused to charge me for a coffee I poured up and even gave me a chunky soup and some bread to eat before shuffling me into the rest area to relax and watch tv for a bit. After that great meal I bid the lady farewell with a hug and peck on the cheek and set off into the night clean and hopped up on coffee.

In an hilly area out of town I encountered a pair of eyes I recognized as a cats but they sat unmoved in the middle of the road until I came within a few feet then just vanished. It was a bit unsettling as cats usually don't hold their ground that bravely. Lightning also flashed in the horizon and a few times I saw a glowing light just off the shoulder that would stop when I approached. I guess they were fireflies but it was all very unsettling. The darkness let my imagination run wild and my coffee powered legs pushed me on at a good speed away from the unseen monsters that surely lurked in the woods.

A few small towns passed by as I kept watch for a place to camp. A few areas I investigated turned out to be peoples yards. The houses in these areas sat on massive plots of land and I didn't want to find myself waking up in someones yard and unable to explain what I was doing there (in their language). Eventually I found a trusty rest area in Sayabec and set up my tent next to Lake Matapedia. After 9 hours of riding and 155 km I'm more then satisfied I've made up for yesterday.