June 2013: The Gaspe Peninsula

Day One: Quebec City to Levis – 30km
Monday, June 3rd.
Sunny with clouds 20C
We arrived at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto with plenty of time to spare, and it’s a good thing because I set off the explosive chemical detector. The three of us got separated in the security screening process, and it was so much fun I decided to exit the lounge and do the security screening again. Found Mom and Glor in a bit of a panic. They thought I had been taken away by security. The trip got a little better with some complimentary water, coffee, and nuts. The flight was nice and short with a small snack, and we got a great view coming into Quebec City.
After landing and claiming our bikes, we set up shop outside to reassemble them. Met a local couple who were out for a bike ride, and we chatted for quite a while. They reconfirmed our route from the airport to the Pont du Quebec, which would take us across the Saint Lawrence river. So we set off and we were making good time when Mom noticed that one of her pedals was feeling funny.
We stopped to take a look, and the pedal was crooked and cross threaded. After loosening it off, all the remaining threads were shredded. A man had stopped to offer assistance and he tried a little duck tape to get the pedal snug. That didn’t really work. So as we have learned, if in doubt, try a stick. We jammed one in, and that got us going a little further until it broke. So we put another one in. Eventually, Mom got the hang of just pedaling with one foot.

After walking up a long hill we finally crested and were coasting down and across the bridge. It was a single narrow lane and soon a lineup of other cyclists had formed behind us. No photo op on this crossing. Once across we were in Levis. It was 6pm now so we decided to stop for groceries and try to find our hotel for the night. We all rolled over a big patch of broken beer bottles and sure enough Moms rear tire was flat. It was a quick change and we were back on the bikes in no time.

The sun was setting now and we had a picturesque view of Quebec.

Finally made our way up from the shore to where all the accommodations are and found Hotel Kennedy. At 9:20pm we were in the room and eating supper. A nice salad plate with crackers cheese and brown beans. We only pedaled 30km but all our adventures have left us a little tuckered out. In the morning we will see how long it will take to get the bike fixed up so we can carry on. Stay tuned for more…
Day Two: Levis to Montmagny – 64km
Tuesday, June 4th.
Sunny with clouds and a strong tailwind. 11C
First thing after breakfast we went to the bike shop to see if they could fix Mom’s bike. Yes they had the parts but it would take 2 hours to fix. Excellent. We walked back to the hotel and got back in bed.


After relaxing and reading up about our travels we packed up and checked out. Back to the bike shop and the bike was ready. Glor had her gears looked at too and a minor tune up was all that was needed.

Once we were all set and ready to roll again we rode back through town to where we would pick up the trail again. Two more bike shops and a bakery later we were sitting having lunch by the ferry dock in Levis. By 2:30pm we had gone only 4km. So now we were ready to roll.
With the wind at our backs we were flying along, so much so that we missed our turn. We backtracked a bit and consulted the map.

Okay, so we go left. From here on we were really sailing. After an hour of pedaling we had covered 25km and stopped for another snack.

Halfway there. The scenery was beautiful as the route takes us all along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence. Everything was going well until we saw…

The road had a huge hole dug out of it and was encircled by construction equipment…

The only way past was to squeeze past on the left and crawl with our bikes through a honeysuckle bush…

We made it out the other side and walked around the excavation. Thankfully no one was home here but they sure have a lovely view.

Only 10km to go and we push hard into Montmagny. I have a slow leak in my rear tire at this point from more glass on the road and I have to stop three times to pump air into the tire. No real trouble finding a place to stay as we went straight to the Florimay where my Mom and I stayed a few years ago on our way from Quebec to Halifax.
Once we check in I patch the tire and then we walk down to the Maxi for groceries. It is 8:30pm at this point and we figure out that we are all craving a bbq chicken but they don’t sell them there. Across the street at IGA we score the last chicken! Combined with tomatoes, grapes, avocados, coleslaw, bread and butter we devour our supper back in the room.
Hockey is on en francais and we work on our respective journals and the blog. Another late night, it’s almost midnight and haven’t even showered yet. We all hope to get an early start in the morning, it would be nice to arrive at our destination before 5pm.
More to come…
Day 3: Montmagny to La Pocatiere 74km
Wednesday, June 5th.
Sunny and clear with a west wind. 15C

Woke up to a sunny morning and another continental breakfast. Mom and Glor were scolded for rummaging around in the kitchen looking for more plain oatmeal. You can’t leave these two alone for long. After eating we packed up and were on the road by 10am. Finally an early start. We rode for an hour or so before spotting a bakery coming into L’Islet.



I had just mentioned chocolate croissants and Boulangerie Gosselin delivered. One of the guys working asked where we were from and it turns out that he had spent nineteen years in Toronto. We took our treats down the road and found a small parkette across the street from the Musee Maritime du Quebec. We passed two couples on tandem bikes and then they passed us. This happened several times today.



Now we knew from a previous trip that there is a great bakery before La Pocatiere. Mom figures it is in the Village des Aulnaies. She’s been raving to Glor about their croissants and cookies. As we pass by this building up river I get hit with deja vu.



I remember the bakery she is talking about now. Situated by a stream, they have a water wheel and make their own flour. The place was really busy when we had gone there and had to eat outside on the steps. It can’t be that much farther to get there so we bypass a couple of potential food stops including Mamie’s Gourmet Patisserie. Now we’ve gone 50km at this point and must be getting close to it. Then up the road we see the dreaded sign, Rue Barre – DETOUR. We stop and talk to the Signal Man. “No way Through,” he says, “It’s only ten miles to go around.”
So it looks like lunch at the bakery will just be dessert. We stop and eat our leftover chicken, an avocado and some cheese we picked up along the way.



Well, by the time we go up over hwy 20 to Sainte Louise, then over and up and through…this is taking forever. We keep on pedaling, 60km, 65km. I notice two cyclists coming up fast from behind and I’m getting ready to take an action shot of them passing us. The guy pulls up beside me and says something in French. I don’t understand but he is holding up a grey jacket. Turns out that it is Glor’s and he found it on the road 2km back. He said he thought it was a dead racoon. Well we get chatting about La Pocatiere, the detour and the bakery. He tells us that because of the road work the bakery is closed all summer. So much for our lovely cookies. After the detour is over our motel is in sight. It is adjacent to a field with some horses grazing.



We check in at the Cap Martin and it’s only 4 o’clock. We relax for a bit and them ride into town on search of groceries. It’s much easier to pedal without our luggage, but all of our legs are tired. We are back in an hour and start prepping supper.



Lettuce, cucumber, carrots, cottage cheese and beans. Our new dinner wear is coming on handy.



It seems strange to be in bed before the sun has gone down but it has been a long day. We are all looking forward to getting into a good rhythm and tomorrow should be another great ride.



Next stop Riviere du Loup…
Day 4: La Pocatiere to Riviere du Loup 74km
Thursday, June 6th.
Sunny with a west wind. 17C

We ate our own breakfast this morning of yogurt and granola outside the motel, watching the horses frolicking. It was just after 10am when we left and we picked up the trail down by the water. Hoping to see the mirrored cubes by the tourist info center, we were surprised to learn that they were only a temporary installation. Another minor letdown. There was some graffiti there so I took a few pictures. We rode for awhile before stopping at a small store in Sainte Denis De la Bouteillerie for some fruit to snack on. We ate in front of the statue of Thomas Chapais, an historian, senator and politician from there.

With a little more fuel in our bellies we carried on heading for Kamouraska where we plan on procuring our picnic lunch. The goal is to have our picnic at a nearby micro brewery with a great view of the river. We climb a slight hill coming into Kamouraska and turn off of the highway to find this breathtaking view.

The road winds down to the water and we get our first taste of ocean air. Reaching the town center we are sad to see that the general store is closed. A few doors down we spot the cafe and go in to find some bread. Pricey croissants, but they’ll go nicely with the cheese, fruit and veggies we are carrying. Just after packing them in our bags we notice that next door is a Boulangerie. Darn!
We can’t resist a look and when we go in we realize that this is what we were really looking for. Olive bread and shortbread cookies and then we cut ourselves off. Outside in the parking lot a woman hears us talking in English and starts conversing. Four of them, sisters and friends are from St. Catherines, Ontario so we get chatting. Susan works in the cycle tourism industry and her sister lives in La Pocatiere. She questions us about our trip and experience, we exchange info and then we all carry on. Another great reason to travel. We are ready to eat now but it is a few more kms to Les Brasseries Breughel. It’s not long before we see the sign.



Set back from route 132, the micro brewery has a beautiful charm to it and we are eager to get our picnic started. One of the proprietors Marie gets us started with samples of smoked salmon and beer. Finally we decide and get settled out on the balcony.



We break out the olive bread, butter, avocado, tomato, cucumber, smoked salmon and the complimentary nuts, raisins and wasabi peas. The beer is delicious, Glor gas the rosee plum blonde and I have the brun forte. The view is more of the same, spectacular, and it takes a while for us to notice that we are being ravaged by black flies.

Once lunch is finished we quickly pack up and organize to leave, but not before one last photo.

Although we all felt like taking a nap we have 30km still to go. This is the hard part. I find its best to break it down into sections. The wind is still pushing us along but our legs are slow. More pedaling, more scenery, another town. 20km. Another climb, another descent, more cows and more horses. 10km. We bypass a big hill and take the low road which hugs the shore and is dotted with beach houses and mansions. We are getting close but we all groan when we see the sign Rue Barre – DETOUR…..
Yesterday was an exception, as a rule we don’t do detours. Mom is adamant that we are going through and gets the attention of one of the workers. Next thing we know, the dump truck pulls away, the excavator stops hacking at the sidewalk and we get a personal escort through the site.

He walks us through, moving this and that out of the way. We walk our bikes down the middle of what once was a road for nearly a kilometer. Home stretch, only 5km to go. Of course there is one more long and rolling climb and then we are in town. Down and around the corner and we are at Motel aux Vieux Piloteux.
It is 6:30pm and we are all ready to settle in for the night. We have leftovers to snack on and journals to write. There is a simmering sunset and we retire to discuss the next leg of our journey.


Tomorrow will be new for all of us. When my Mom and I rode from Quebec to Halifax We turned inland from Riviere du Loup. Now we will be continuing along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence. No more disappointment from unmet expectations. We’re just hoping that the hills aren’t as intense as everyone seems to suggest…
Day 5: Riviere du Loup to Trois Pistoles 58km
Friday, June 7th.
Cloudy with some sun. 17C.

All of us slept in a little today and it was just after 10am when we left the motel. We rode up to the IGA to complete our breakfast and pick up more food for our snacks. On our way out of town we spotted the Bis a Boulange bakery. We couldn’t resist.

We bought a few healthy cookies and a maple pastrie for good measure. We all realize the importance of keeping our strength up. We stopped on the far side of town at the bottom of a hill to eat our breakfast. After eating we powered up the hill only to notice that our bike lane ends. Perhaps we should have followed the Route Verte signs although they seemed to be pointing away from where we are headed. So we turn around and follow the signs down a steep and winding road towards the river. At the bottom, a beautiful bike path emerges that overlooks the Saint Lawrence.

The path leads to a residential street that unfortunately is a cul de sac. It was fun while it lasted. Back along the path, then we push our bikes up the steep and winding road, back to where we started. So we carry on our original route and sure enough our paved shoulder returns in no time. Finally, we are moving in the right direction. Several km later we reach Cacouna and make a quick stop at the post office.

Beginning to make up some time we have a great ride through the countryside with the river and the Laurentians in view. When we reach L’ Isle Verte we are ready to take a break. We snack by some rapids, but it’s not long before the black flies find us. Mom and Glor do their best to keep covered up.

After our break we attempt to take the bike path instead of following route 132. Only one U turn required, unfortunately it was after hiking up another steep hill. Our second try led us to a quiet country road which we followed for at least 10km. So quiet in fact that only one car passed us the whole time. Eventually we made our way back down past the new hwy 20 construction to the 132 which was laden with heavy traffic.
Only 10km to go. Just before Trois Pistoles we picked up the bike path again and it led us along a picturesque and somewhat circuitous route towards town. We came across a sign indicating the Fromagerie des Basque was 0.4km up a rocky slope. Again we pushed our bikes up a hill but this time it was worth it.

At the top we saw the back of the Motel Trois Pistoles and across the street was the cheese factory. We crossed over to a full parking lot and learned that the Fromagerie is open 24 hours. Awesome. Famished again at this point we had no trouble picking out some cheese, bread and smoked trout.

I kept watch over the bikes while Glor and Mom went over to the motel to investigate. Still on the outskirts of town it was not our first choice, but they returned jubilated with the key to room 25.

It didn’t take long to get settled and lay out our spread of food.

After eating it was only 5 o’clock so we relaxed for awhile. Mom and I took a stroll into town while Glor caught up with her people. There was not a lot to see in town although we spotted the hotel we were aiming for and we are thankfull we’re staying across from the cheese factory. On our walk back there was another gorgeous sunset happening.

Back in the room Glor already had the hockey game on and at the second intermission we all walked back over to the Fromagerie. Chocolate éclairs this time. The game is over, everyone is in bed and I am writing this post. Almost finished and ready to wake up to another day of unknown adventure.
Tomorrow should be interesting. We are heading for Rimouski, possibly the hilliest part of our trip. There is also a section of the trail that the National Geographic Society calls “The most beautiful bike path in the world.”
We will let you know what we think…
Day 6: Trois Pistoles to Rimouski 73km
Saturday, June 8th.
Rain and clouds with a north east wind. 11C.


Woke up to rain this morning for the first time on our trip. We bypassed the bakery on the way out of town for the first time too. Trying to get into a good rhythm. We knew we would be pedaling into the wind today so we powered up on oatmeal before we left.
Followed the the 132 for roughly 10km until be turned off in search of the aforementioned “Most beautiful bike path in the world.”
Now no words can really describe it and on this rain and fog filled day, no pictures can either. I will do my best.
None of us were certain exactly where where this portion of the trail started. After we veered off of the 132 we were on a gravel road that decended down towards the water. Quite lovely. We spent the next two hours climbing and diving up one side and down the other of varying heights of hills. The trees were green and the sky and water were grey. We met another rider going the opposite direction and stopped to chat for a bit. Eventually we climbed and crawled our way back within earshot of the highway. Then there was another route marker, maybe this was the trail?

We followed another gravel road for awhile before stopping for a snack. A sign had indicated a lookout in 7km so we were hopeful. Eventually we came to a yellow gate and a narrow, paved trail began. We went up and up and pushed our bikes higher, then we sailed down a steep slope. No sooner had we reached the bottom, we were climbing again. So steep that we would dismount and push our bikes up. There was a lookout marked 120m. Then we rode down and down and then up and up and walking again to the crest to another lookout. 180m. The path wound its way down again with slippery moss covering the pavement we had to be extremely cautious on our descents.
This up and down repeated nearly five times until we reached the lookout at 226m. There was a constructed stairway and viewing platform that hung out over the edge with treetops below and the tiny waves crashing ashore. We rode up one last little bit before a huge steep descent.
Signs marked Caution, next 100m 10% grade followed by Caution, next 100m 15% grade. We must have gone down for nearly fifteen minutes, braking the whole way. It was pretty incredible and entirely exhausting. This trail is more like a roller coaster than a bike path. At the bottom we exited a yellow gate, just as we entered and it was a short ride back up go the highway.

Now it’s almost 2 o’clock and we are exhausted from hiking and pushing our luggage up hills on our bikes. We still have 30km to ride to Rimouski and there is a pretty strong headwind. So yes the trail is beautiful, stunning to say the least. It might have made more if an impression with better weather, but it was like nothing else we had ever seen.
Back up at route 132 the wind was driving in our face and our legs were spent. We crawled along at 15 km/h with vehicle traffic rushing past. Getting to Rimouski seemed next to impossible. After an hour we stopped to refuel, eating what we had left for food. I thought it was funny that within one hour we went from the most beautiful bike path in the world to taking shelter from the wind by huddling behind the back of a gas station.
We got back on the road and set off. There were a few downhills on the way to Rimouski, but there were also ups as well. Amazingly we crawled into town and found our hotel and it was not yet 6 o’clock. Exhausted, but thrilled to be off our bikes we settled in and hung up some of our things to dry.

We decided to treat ourselves to some restaurant food tonight and it just so happens that there was a nice place nearby, some sort of bovine grill. The place was filled to capacity so we had to wait until 9pm to be seated. We killed sometime in the grocery store drooling over just about everything. It was well worth the wait. We all had burgers and fries if some sort and made our way back to our room. Thankfully we have a short ride planned for Sunday. 35km to Grand Metis. We could all use a break and the weather is supposed to be wet and windy again.
Day 7: Rimouski to Saint Flavie 36km
Sunday, June 9th.
Rain with a north east wind. 8C.
Knowing that we would awake to rain today we slept in a little and took our time packing up. We decided that after yesterday’s ride we shouldn’t attempt the 90km to Matane. Instead we would have a short day and rest our legs, knowing that the weather would be more in our favour on Monday.
The hotel provided breakfast, nothing too special and we supplied our own oatmeal and butter. We found a bike path right behind the hotel and it ran parallel to the busy 132. We followed it down to the water and through downtown. After we were moving for awhile we warmed up, so we stopped to adjust our layers of clothing.

It was nice following so close to the water and the smell of salt water was very refreshing. Slowly but surely we started getting wet. Shoes then gloves, but nothing to worry about. The sky looked like it wanted to break but the rain persisted. We thought about investigating alternative means of transportation to see the Gaspe and this looked like a possibility.

This is the Onondaga in Pointe au Pere. There is also a museum for the Empress of of Ireland and the second tallest light house in Canada there. We pedaled on. The next place we passed through was Sainte Luce which looked like a little beach resort with lots of cottages, shops and motels. We didn’t linger mostly due to the weather and we weren’t too far from our destination. Before long we were back on the 132 and after another 10km we arrived in Sainte Flavie.
We found a quaint motel on the 132 with a great view of the Saint Lawrence. Rita, the proprietor recommended a restaurant to eat at and gave us directions to the supermarket as well. The restaurant is called La Rose des Vents and the food was delicious. We all had seafood pasta and loved every bite. After supper we set off up the hill to find the IGA. We came across some interesting sights along the way including this Shepherd and his sheep.

We also passed the Mont Joli airport, a Fromagerie des Basques and numerous gas stations. After about 4km we found the IGA. We went in and picked up our breakfast and snacks for the road. On our way home we passed through this enchanted forest.

We finally made it back to the motel just in time to watch the sunset from our beds. We said good night to our bikes and laughed the night away and recounted the days events.

Tomorrow should be another interesting day and we are looking forward to sunshine and a south west wind!
Day 8: Saint Flavie to Matane 68km
Monday, June 10.
Sunny with a strong south west wind. 21C.
Today was a perfect day for riding. Warm, but not too warm and a tailwind one could only dream of. We all slept soundly last night and woke up to our amazing view of the Saint Lawrence. We were on the road by 9:30am and on our way towards Grand Metis. It was still cool out when we left but we soon warmed up and had to stop to shed some layers. This seemed like the perfect spot to do it.

Sailing along with the wind, we were in Metis sur Mer in no time. We figured we should just keep riding. 20km done already. The wind was so strong that we were traveling at 30km/h on the flats and faster going downhills. We were going faster uphill today than we were pedaling into the wind yesterday.
After 50km we stopped for a quick lunch. Grapes, cucumber, crackers and cheese. Oh no! We left our nice Trois Pistoles cheese in the fridge at the motel… Only 15km to go to Matane.

Once we reached Matane we did some scouting and found a nice motel on the east side of town and it was close to the grocery stores. We got directions to the laundromat and the bike shop. After dropping off our luggage we rode into town to do our errands and then picked up our supper on the way back.
There is a Patisserie next door to the Motel that was closed today, but it opens at 7am and we’ll be there waiting when they open. We are all ready for bed now and eager to set off early tomorrow as the wind is forecast to change direction later in the day.
Bon soir from Motel Campagnard.

Day 9: Matane to Cap Chat 77km
Tuesday, June 11th.
Sunny with a slight north east wind. 17C.
Up nice and early this morning, we were in and out of the Patisserie with some molasses cookies, and on the road by 9am. The day’s ride started out much like yesterday’s, but as we made our way east the hills seemed to get bigger. First rolling and then a few steep ones. We passed through Petite Matane and then Sainte Felicite before taking our first break.

Typically our morning breaks are quick. Firstly because we don’t want to sit for too long and secondly because the black flies find us and we have to keep moving. It never fails either that when we finish our break and start riding again, we always come across a beautiful spot with a picnic table or a bench. If we wait and look for a spot like that, one never appears.

The latter part of our morning seemed to be one hill after another, each one bigger than the next. It seems like we were spoiled yesterday with a relatively flat ride and that awesome tailwind. One good thing about going up a big hill, is coming down the other side.

Somehow we managed to climb the hills today without dismounting. We seem to inspire one another, so if one can do it we all can do it. When we find ourselves with energy to spare we stop and exercise our other muscles.

We made our final push into Cap Chat and found our way to Motel Nootka. We all basically collapsed inside the door and caught a quick nap. There was a tiny diner down the road where we went for dinner. Both Glor and Wendy were excited to finally be getting french onion soup. Unfortunately when the waitress came back she placed two orders of onion rings down on the table. Better luck next time.
Back in our room we did some planning of our upcoming itinerary. I took a walk over to the depaneur for some refreshments and returned via the beach.

There was a sneaky sunset that erupted into hot pink and smoldering red. We all got up out of bed to witness it. We are all working on our journals now and it will undoubtedly be an early night.

PS We have been without cellphone service for three days now and it is bound to continue. Seems like most places we stay in do have wifi so if you want to get in touch, don’t rely on phoning or texting.

Day 10: Cap Chat to Sainte Anne des Mont 15km
Wednesday, June 12.
Sunny with a strong north east wind. 15C.
Before breakfast we took a stroll down the beach. There was a ton of driftwood washed up on shore from the tide. We decided to write a message to a special someone.

Special someone.
Just a short ride today because we will be catching the bus in Sainte Anne des Mont tomorrow morning to Gaspe. This will have us bypassing the most treacherous part of the highway. Between heavy truck traffic, lack of paved shoulders and grueling hills, our safest option is to fast track our journey. Before we left Cap Chat we took a moment with Nanook.

It took no time at all to reach our destination and we checked in early to the Motel a la Brunante. Finally with time to check out the town, we did just that. Little shops, Grocery stores and a highly recommended restaurant. The Restaurant du Quai, also a poissonerie, was so good at lunch that we decided to go back for supper.

After dinner we climbed the lookout tower at the Quai for a beautiful view of the town.

On our way back we stopped in at the gas station/bus terminal to pick up our bike boxes. Back in the room we dissembled the bikes in no time and packed them. We are getting pretty adept at this now.
We are all pretty excited about the next leg of our journey and by skipping ahead to Gaspe, we will have more time to enjoy the remainder of our trek.
Our bus leaves just after 9am and our motel is only across the street. We’ll have time for a quick breakfast and our picnic lunch is already packed. Next stop Gaspe.
Day 11: Saint Anne des Mont to Gaspe to Perce 350km (a l’autobus).
Thursday, June 13th.
Sunny, light wind from the south. 21C.

We slogged our boxed up bikes across the road in plenty of time to catch the Orleans Express. I bought a coffee and we already had some snacks for the five hour jaunt. The bus stops in basically every little town along the 132 so there was lots to see.

This whole bike trip has been rife with fantastic scenery and our road trip today was more of the same. On the bus the first few hills didn’t look that severe and we all were second guessing our decision at first. However, after Riviere Madeleine we knew that we made the right choice. No one in their right mind should be riding those hills on a bike for fun. They truly are like a roller coaster for motor vehicles.
Atop the hills, majestic panoramas would unfold. Then they would disappear as we sunk back into tree covered valleys. Frighteningly beautiful. The land flattened out a little as we were approaching the town of Gaspe where we switched buses. Our second driver questioned why we were not pedaling from there. We had read that there are four major hills just before Perce and we were hoping to avoid those. The driver said that it’s ok, not too bad for pedaling.
As we left Gaspe en route to Perce, again we were wondering if we were too hasty in skipping ahead along the peninsula, until we saw those four hills. They were incredible. Just when we thought we’d be cresting the hill the road would curve sharply and climb again and again. Even the downhills looked absolutely treacherous. Then it seemed to level out and we were in Perce staring at Perce Rock.

Perce Rock.
After we got off of the bus and reassembled our bikes, we spent the rest of the afternoon on the wharf opposite the rock. We had our picnic and took pictures and chatted with some other tourists. Around 5 o’clock we found a room for the night and did our grocery shopping for supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. We were all still a little tired today and I’m sure our legs needed the rest. It will be exciting to be back on our bikes tomorrow.
Now we have plenty of time to finish cycling the peninsula as well as the Matapedia Valley without having to feel rushed or pressed for time. Stay tuned for more adventure from Land’s End…
Day 12: Perce to Chandler 55km
Friday, June 14th
Sunny with some light cloud. 18C.
Set the alarm for 4am this morning so we could get up and watch the sunrise. Glor heard it and woke me up and we bundled up and out the door. We could have watched it from our room, but decided we’d have a better view from the boardwalk. There was pink in the sky already and sure enough, at 4:15am the sun broke the horizon.

Perce sunrise.
Glor and I snapped away in awe, trying to capture the colourful morning display. Only a few minutes later the yellow glowing orb was too bright to stare at anymore so we ambled back up to the motel and back into bed. By 8am we were all up again. Mom and Glor took a walk to the house on the hill by Perce Rock. I took a walk down the beach .

We all met back at our room an hour or so later and ate our oatmeal together. We packed up our things and loaded them on the bikes, ready to say goodbye to Perce. To leave town we had to climb a medium sized hill but we attacked it with gusto. Halfway up I noticed that my rear tire was flat, again.
It was another very scenic spot to break down. Ended up changing the tube and swapping the old spare tire I was carrying too. Once that was fixed we had no trouble making it up and over the hill. The landscape is quite different here from the north shore. Reddish coloured cliffs and more rolling hills. Feels more hospitable than the ruggedness we had been used to seeing.
There was a beautiful beach in Cap d’ Espoir where we took our first break. After eating we played in the sand and did a little beachcombing. Eventually we figured it was time to get going again. The pedaling seemed relatively effortless today for some reason, perhaps our two days of rest helped. At our second break we were intrigued by an elaborate wooden structure. It seemed innocent enough, but it took us a while to figure how to get back out.

The final 15km into Chandler took no time at all. We popped into the tourist info center when we arrived and got some useful information. They recommended a motel and gave us directions to the bike shop and the grocery store. We inquired about catching the ferry to the Isle de la Madeleine, but it us a 10 hour sailing and happened to be sold out too. A la prochain. We bought a new inner tube at the bike shop and the makings for curry from the grocery store. Dinner was hot and delicious.
We are planning an early start in the morning with a possible 5am departure. I’ll let you know how that goes, tomorrow.
Day 13: Chandler to Paspebiac 67km.
Saturday, June 15th.
Sunny with a light west wind. 21C.
The alarm was set for 4am again but the sun was out of view. No one really jumped out of bed to get going so we slept until 5:30am. After our porridge and packing we were on the road at 6:20am. Our route out of Chandler led us along the water on a brand new path to a pedestrian bridge over the Salmon River. The bridge is so new in fact that it’s not even open yet. There is an iron train bridge right beside it so we walked our bikes across that one. This saved us several kilometers as the 132 meanders around the inland lake where the river empties into Chaleur Bay.

The first 20km were lovely. A few hills but nothing we couldn’t handle. Stopped for our first break at a rest stop overlooking the water in Colbourne. The hills continued but were fairly moderate. We are getting the hang of climbing them now. One nice thing about going up hill…

Is the view from the top. And zooming down is fun too.

As the morning went on the wind picked up. It was getting stronger and stronger, blowing right in our faces. By midday is was 30km/h and gusting to 50km/h. This continued for the rest of our ride. Our second break was fairly sheltered from the wind and it wad tough to get motivated again. We pushed on for another 15km and eventually stopped in at a camp ground to take refuge.
Only 7km to go, but it took us an hour to pedal it. I’ve never ridden into wind like that before and would prefer not to do it again. Somehow we crawled into Paspebiac and with a little help, found the Motel Carol. After six hours of pedaling we were done. I can’t imagine what the ride would have been like if we had left later in the day.
Hot chicken and sweet potato were the main features of our lunch and afterwards while Glor took a nap, Mom and I took a walk down to the beach. There was a historic site there too that we poked around until we were politely asked to leave. Turns out there was an admission fee. It was pretty interesting while it lasted with old buildings and depictions of life over a hundred years ago.
We carried onto the beach which was a massive spit of a sand bar. It was quite relaxing walking barefoot, watching the birds fish and combing the beach. We found a whale vertebrae, some unique looking stones and several pieces of beach glass.

Back at the motel, we roused Glor for another trip to the IGA for supper. Soup was on the menu this time, taking advantage of the microwave in the room. We had doughnuts for dessert from a popular unnamed chain and are presently snug in our beds watching the hockey game.
Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for more strong wind in the morning so we will wait and see when we get up. While toiling on the bikes today I posed this question. Would you rather pedal hills with no headwind or no hills with a headwind? We all would rather the hills…
Day 14: Paspebiac to Bonaventure 22km
Sunday, June 16. Father’s Day.
Sunny with another strong west wind. 21C.
Woke up early again today but the wind had beat us to it. It was already blowing hard from the west, gusting to 50km/h. We were dreading facing that headwind again but we had little choice. Or did we? I suggested that we go as far as Bonaventure and them spend the day at the beach. The wind is supposed change to an east wind on Monday and we have a few days to spare on our itinerary so why punish ourselves? Everyone was in agreement so we put our heads down and pedalled our asses off for two hours. After one short break for bananas and peanut butter, we arrived at the tourist office in Bonaventure.
The young woman working there was quite proficient in English so we chatted for a while. Next we went out to see which hotel would give us the best deal. We were quoted a price at a small motel, but the fancy hotel beat it by a few dollars. King size beds tonight! In between, we found the Boulangerie and enjoyed a sweet or two. They had way too many tempting looking treats and they also had a cool mural.

Then we took a walk on the Promenade, a paved pathway alongside the shoreline. 4km each way got our appetites going again. Next we rode our bikes to the Poissonerie du Pecheur for lunch. That was 4km each way too so at least we are still earning our meals. Mom had scallops, Glor had lobster and I had Bourgots otherwise known as giant sea snails. During lunch the wind changed direction slightly and wr pedalled back to town with the wind at our backs. Dropped off the bikes again at our place and with full bellies it was the perfect time to go to IGA.
We bought a few things for breakfast, mostly fruit and then a final stroll back to the hotel. We’ve been holed up in our room watching the world go by and waiting to get hungry again for our bedtime snack. Looking forward to riding with the wind tomorrow, even if it means doing it in the rain.
Day 15: Bonaventure to Carleton sur Mer 65km
Monday, June 15.
Cloudy with light rain. Slight east wind. 12C.
The wind changed direction overnight, but brought some rain with it. We didn’t need our rain gear by the time we set off, but the clouds looked threatening. Such a treat today to be able to pedal without being blown around. We had a few hills too, but our legs are getting stronger now. We took our first break after 20km just before Caplan. There was a covered picnic table that suited us just fine.

After our snack of bananas, peanut butter and dried apricots we were ready for the big hill into New Richmond. We had been warned in advance by a man in a bike shop in Chandler and have been fearing the worst ever since. So the climb started and we could see another big hill in the distance with the highway going straight up. We kept our heads down and kept pedalling away. One hill, two hills and then it was over. Surely that wasn’t it, there must be another one.
Coming into New Richmond we had to make a choice, follow the 132 north of town, or take the route through the downtown. I thought it would be a nice change to get off of the highway for a bit and then we could see what New Richmond had to offer. We rode down a huge hill before leveling off at sea level and coasting through town. We stopped at a bakery for a piece of lemon poppyseed cake and we stopped at a gas station to top up the air in our tires. I figured for sure that our descent into town would mean a big hill on the way out, but one never materialized.
We rejoined the 132 and stopped at the tourist office for a quick break. We got chatting with the two women inside as per usual and picked up some more maps. We told them we were stopping for ice cream in Maria and they echoed the recommendation. Mam’ Zelle is not only renowned for her ice cream, but also for her poutine. Mom and Glor had the soup de poisson and I had the frites du maison chou chou (poutine with coleslaw in it). We were all in gastronomic awe. We had ice cream afterwards too even though it was a cool day and it was pretty good too. All fueled up again we rode the final 20km into Carleton sur Mer.

We scouted out three different places to stay and settled on the first one, Motel de Fani. It is a little dated but we have a nice view of Chaleur Bay. We couldn’t ask for much more. We walked through town and both the bakery and brewery were closed today. Found our way to the Metro and bought stuff for our supper and tomorrow’s breakfast. Back in the room we filled our little faces. We earned it today. After eating we did some planning for the final leg of our trip. Now we have our feet up and the game on. Looking forward to dessert and then bed. We’ll be ready for another day of riding.

Day 16: Carleton sur Mer to Pointe a la Croix 63km
Tuesday, June 18.
Cloudy with light rain, light west wind. 12C.

Wendy discovered her rear tire was flat before we even left the motel this morning so that was the first order of business. She had it repaired in no time and we took a quick trip to the gas station to top up the air.

The wind wasn’t too bad today, but it wasn’t great either. We toiled away for 20km before we stopped for a snack at the rest stop in Nouvelle. We didn’t stay long as we wanted to keep our legs moving. There was a hill on the horizon, but it ended up not being that big after all.
Passing through Escuminac we saw a sign on the road for a soap factory, just one minute off of the highway. We decided to check it out. The Savonnerie de la Village is a quaint seaside farm where a couple opened up their own soap making business. They have a small herd of goats and use the goat’s milk for making the soap. The woman opened up the shop for us and we got to watch a short video that explained the whole process. It was very interesting and we also got to meet the herd.

Shortly after we left the Savonnerie it started to rain. We came across another rest stop near Pointe a la Garde and it had an indoor rest area. Perfect timing. No one else was there so we took over and spread out our picnic. By the time we had finished eating the rain had eased off. We used the hand driers in the bathroom to dry our damp clothes and warm up one last time before setting off again. Only 15km to go.
The sun began to break through the clouds although it was still raining a bit. With the roads still wet there wad a lot of spray coming off of the passing vehicles, especially the trucks. One good thing about the truck traffic is “truck surfing”. This is when you pedal hard right before a big truck whizzes past you. The wind displaced by the truck and the wake that follows it can boost your speed considerably. This also helps to pass the time, keeping your mind occupied.

The closer we got to Pointe a la Croix the better the weather got. We finally got a glimpse of what it must be like here in sunny weather.
We found the only motel in town with little trouble and secured our room for the night. The motel is named after their restaurant, Pastali, and we were intrigued. After previewing the menu in our room we decided to try it. Took a quick ride into town for some fruit for breakfast and then back to the restaurant to eat. None of us were disappointed and we learned that they have another location in Amqui, where we will be staying on Friday. We are pretty excited about that.
We have finalized all of our accommodations for the remainder of the trip, so one less thing to worry about. The weather is to be sunny for the next few days and it will be a welcome change. Tomorrow is our last day of riding along Chaleur Bay. Then we will be heading north up the Matapedia Valley. We will keep you posted.

Day 17: Pointe a la Croix to Matapedia 23km
Wednesday, June 19th.
Sunny with puffy clouds and a light west wind. 22C.
Today’s ride was nice and short, sort of a rest day before we attack the Matapedia Valley. We pedalled along the river with spectacular views of the tree covered hills.

We stopped for a short break just to soak it all in before reaching town and the Motel Restigouche. The menu in the restaurant sounded very tempting but we had eaten breakfast only a couple of hours earlier. We had noticed a class of school children embarking on a path up a hill from the highway. Moments later they were calling and waving to us from the lookout atop the cliff.

They inspired us to do the same so off we went and up the trail after them.

This was part of the Appalachian Trail and the three of us hiked a small portion of it last year in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. It was a short, steep hike to the top and sure enough the school kids were eating their lunch. We laughed and conversed with them and their teachers and they even offered us a sandwich. We admired the scenic views overlooking the confluence of the Restigouche and Matapedia rivers. After their lunch it was time for hide and seek, but we elected to hike back down for our own lunch.

After lunch we rode our bikes across town the small grocery store to stock up for tomorrow. Back at the motel we sat out in the sun for an hour just basking.

This is the first time during our trip that its been warm enough to do that and today we had the time to enjoy it. Next we decided to walk over to New Brunswick.

Only 2 km back up the highway and across the bridge. We found a short cut by following the railway tracks and an ATV trail. There were great views of the river and the hills in the late afternoon sun. After a few photo ops we slowly made our way back and enjoyed supper in our room.
Every one is working on their respective journals now and soon it will be bedtime. We have a big day of pedaling tomorrow as we are aiming for Causapscal. If what we have seen of the Valley so far is any indication, then we are in for the ride of a lifetime.
Day 18: Matapedia to Causapscal 55km
Thursday, June 20th.
Sunny with a few clouds. Light west wind. 22C.
The alarm went off at 5:30 this morning and we were on the road by 6:20am. The sun was trying its best to shine, but it was only 6C and the fog was still dripping down from the hilltops.

We warmed up in no time, it only takes a hill or two to get the blood pumping and we were peeling off layers before our first break. The scenery heading up the valley was truly amazing. It helped that it wasn’t raining and the first morning light today only amplified the beauty.

We stopped to snack after pedaling 25km at rest area by the river. There was a picnic table in the sun so we could keep warm. We didn’t linger as the wind was supposed to pickup as the day went on. A few kilometers later we saw a red covered bridge and stopped again to poke around.

There were some salmon fishers there whom we chatted with and two others that offered to take our picture. It was getting pretty warm in the sun at this point and it was nice to be on the bikes again, creating our own breeze.
By the time we got to Sainte Florence we were roasting. We bought some cool drinks from the depanneur and set out in search of a shady place to sit. The best place I could come up with was under a bridge by the river. It was nice and cool there, although a little buggy, but we enjoyed our lunch anyways.

With only 15km to go we were in no rush and able to take in the countryside. The surrounds were a little flatter now with farmers fields here and there. We were near sea level when we started today and 104m above sea level here in Causapscal. The Motel du Vallon is on the far side of town, that much closer to tomorrow’s destination.
We were pretty pooped upon arrival and conveniently located across the street is a cantine called Spot Lunch. It looked pretty plain from the outside and all the other eateries seemed too far to go so we went in and instigated. The place looked very nice on the inside and the menu read delicious. We decided to just have a snack, but also to come back for dinner.
After sharing a tasty veggie pizza we scooted back across the street and spent the afternoon doing very little. When supper time rolled around, we rolled back across the road. We already knew what we wanted for supper and we quickly ordered as the place filled up with people. Lasagna, poutine with coleslaw on top, more fries, a guedille (fries and coleslaw in a hot dog bun~who knew) and a healthy piece of sugar pie which we shared in bed back in our room. Giggles ensued and after we came down from our sugar highs, were ready to go to sleep.
Day 19: Causapscal to Amqui 31km.
Friday, June 21st.
Sunny with a few clouds. Slight west wind. 23C.

Our ride today started out by heading east back into downtown Causapscal. We crossed over the Matapedia River and pedaled back out of town on the other side of the river. This road was considerably less busy and for a time all we could hear were birds singing. There were a few more hills on this route but they were short ones. The bumpy road led us to the town of Lac au Saumon which is situated on the lake of the same name.
After taking a break to finish off the fruit and cookies we had been carrying we set off again. The wind seemed to be picking up again as the morning went on and we are literally getting tired of pedaling into it. We arrived in Amqui and rode through it’s center to the far side of town where our hotel is located. It was only 11am at this point and too early to check in. We were able to drop off our bags at the reception desk and then we got back on the bikes to do some exploring.

We found two grocery stores, a bike shop, a microbrewery/boulangerie, another bakery, a couple boutiques, a covered bridge, the Appalachian Trail and a bike path through a lovely park. We were busy. We had an awesome lunch at La Captive which is the combination brewery and bakery and it is in an old police station complete with a garage and jail cells. We tracked down Boulangerie Levesque which was hidden down a side street. We had seen their products in a grocery store back in Chandler and vowed to find them when we reached Amqui.

All in all it was a beautiful day. It was nice to have time to be tourists albeit unlikely ones and to get a chance to get a feel for the town. By the time we were making our way back to the hotel for supper at Pastali’s we almost felt like locals. It was another great meal and only a short walk across the parking lot to our room. If there is one thing we haven’t done on this trip is experience any local nightlife. We’ve been too tired to stay up past 10 o’clock.

Day 20: Amqui to Lac Malcolm 55km
Saturday, June 22.
Sunny, not a cloud in sight. Stiff west wind. 25C.
We left the motel in Amqui just after 9am and took a narrow path through the woods to the Beausejour covered bridge. We tried taking a photo with the self timer but a man and his son took a much better one for us.

We followed a road through a residential area before reconnecting with the 132. The sun was out in full force and seemed to be getting hotter all the time. There was a strong breeze that helped to keep us cool. The pedaling seemed easy as there were relatively few hills. At the Parc des Bois & Berges we stopped for a snack. It was a lovley spot shaded by trees overlooking Lake Matapedia.

Farmland predominates this part of the Valley and their were some impressive vistas.

Also some curious locals…

Sayabec wasn’t far after that and we stopped at a gas station to ask for directions to our Auberge. Through the translation I got something about 4km, something about a big hill and on the right. Sure enough after a few kilometers there was a sign on the right indicating that the Auberge du Lac Malcom was 5km and it pointed up a big hill. Well, half way up the big hill we were able to see the rest of the hill. It just kept going up and up and then it turned and still went up.
Somehow we were able to climb it and then down again, but it led to another hill and then another. Sure enough, 5km later we made it. The Auberge also has a camp ground full of RVs and is situated around a small lake. Its quite beautiful and thankfully there is a restaurant here too. We failed to pick up groceries passing through Sayabec figuring we would be staying close to town. After checking in we took a walk through the grounds trying to locate the restaurant.
Turns out they closed the restaurant a year ago. This means we are going 10km back into town and then back up 10km into the hills. What choice do we have? It’s one of the highlights of biking: eating. So down we go, with the wind and we reach the marche in no time. We fill our bags trying to keep it light, as in not heavy, and then buckle down for our second climb. Again, it us into the wind and up. After about an hour we are at Lac Malcolm again and our appetites are in high gear.
Another delicious spread and we are all satisfied. With the sun setting we can hear the distant murmur of 100 RVs and their inhabitants and the nearly full moon is rising in the east. There were fireworks coming from the campground, but we can barely keep our eyes open to watch the hockey game.

Tomorrow should be our last full day of pedaling. After we arrive in Mont Joli again we will hang out there over the holiday (St Jean Batiste) and then catch the train from there to Quebec City.
Day 21: Lac Malcolm to Sainte Flavie 59km
Sunday, June 23.
Clear but hazey and humid. 25C.
Breakfast was included with our stay last night so we indulged in their fruit, cereals and croissants. It was a nice change from porridge, but a little heavier than we’ve been used to. We navigated back to the 132 and made good time with very little wind. We stopped for a quick snack in a gravel lot and the black flies got us moving again in minutes. The next 20km went by fairly effortlessly as we seemed to have crested the high point of the peninsula. There were a few hills to go up but the descents far outweighed them.
There was one last hill climb coming into Mont Joli and once we were at the top we could see down through the town all the way to the St Lawrence. Sainte Flavie, our destination today, is 5km beyond Mont Joli right on the river. Before our final descent we made a couple of stops for supplies and then coasted down to Motel Rita, our home for the next two nights. This is the motel where we left our cheese two weeks ago. We got room number 10 again, but alas our cheese was gone.

After lunch we took a stroll and checked out some of the local shops and tourist boutiques. Had a nice walk along the beach and passed our favourite restaurant Le Rose de la Vent. We took the bikes back up the hill to Mont Joli to do some more grocery shopping as all the stores are closed tomorrow for the big holiday. It was a pleasure riding without all of our luggage and it was neat to retrace some of our steps from two weeks ago. We knew where the bike path was, through the enchanted forest. We also scouted out the train station where we will be departing from Tuesday night. The downtown looks quite interesting with many murals and we plan on seeing them more indepth during our stay.
After getting back to our room and putting our shopping away, it was time to go to Rose’s for supper. It was just as good as we remembered and our server recognized us too. The sun was setting by the time we finished eating and we watched another incredible sunset. It is a short walk home and we are relaxing in bed, catching up on our journals and discussing how to pass the time tomorrow. Visit the Jardins Metis? A day at the beach? Only time will tell…

Day 22: Sainte Flavie / Mont Jolie 13km
Monday, June 24. St Jean Baptiste Day.
Sunny, cloudy, windy, hot and cool. 25C.
We woke up today wondering what to do. Started with a walk down the beach before breakfast during a low spring tide.

Later, we saw the high spring tide…

After breakfast, a plethora of fruit and our usual oatmeal, we rode up the hill to Mont Joli. We toured the town center in search of the 20 murals they have and found 17 of them in a couple hours. It was quite hot up there and after an ice cream we were eager to get back down into Sainte Flavie where it was almost 10 degrees cooler. Heading back for lunch in our room we noticed a bunch of kites flying around over the water.

There where a dozen kite surfers out around the wharf zipping past and catching some pretty big air. We watched them for at least an hour before we ate lunch and afterwards we walked back across the road to watch them again. It was fascinating to watch and quite hypnotic as well. Pretty soon the day was spent and it was time for supper.
Another visit to Rose’s and another great meal. Seafood poutine, consider me converted. It was 9 o’clock by the time we got back to our room and the sunset tonight was subdued by clouds. There will be a huge bonfire later that we may go see. That is if we don’t fall asleep first.

Day 23 & 24 Mont Joli – Charny. Quebec – Toronto.
Total Distance : 1131km
Tuesday, June 25th and Wednesday, June 26th.
Cool and windy with some rain. 12C.
It was a little sad knowing that it was the final full day of our trip. We thought it would be fitting to commemorate our journey at the beach. Before breakfast while the tide was still out, we got our drawing sticks and our cameras out to capture this shot.

After breakfast we took a ride to the Jardins Metis. Only 10km down the highway, but pedaling into the wind made it feel like more. We had a picnic outside at a table and took a look around. Now for the fun, riding back to town with the wind at our backs. We zipped along at 30km/h and were back at Rose’s for our last lunch in no time.

The weather was looking a little threatening at this point in the day so we decided to ride up into Mont Joli and start killing time. Our train is scheduled to leave just before 1am so we were hoping to find something to do. It started raining so we stopped for shelter at the train station. This would be our home for quite awhile today.

The rain stopped and the sun was trying desperately to shine, so we went for a walk in search of the 3 murals we didn’t see yesterday. All of a sudden it started to pour. We got a little wet before taking shelter under a porch roof. We waited for the rain to stop again and then went back to the train station where we had left our bikes. We made a picnic on the steps and tried to keep warm.

After a while we needed to go warm up and find a bathroom. IGA came to mind and wasn’t too far away. We took our time walking up every aisle and then sat inside eating the crackers we bought. Eventually 10pm rolled around and the store was ready to close.

Next door was McDonald’s and they are open until 11pm. So we rolled our bikes over and loitered there for another hour. When we rode back to the train station the lights were on and it was open. Finally, we could wait inside where it was warm.

After a bit of a delay, the train arrived at 1:30am. We boarded and found our seats and tried to get as comfortable as possible. Hopefully we would get some sleep. At 4:30am it was light out and we could see the scenery rushing past.

We arrived in Charny just before 7am, a little late, and after the train juggled around a bit we were able to get off. We made our porridge in the station and then pedaled the final 20km to the airport. The ride was relatively uneventful although crossing the St Lawrence on the Pont du Quebec was pretty wild. There was a strong east wind, but on the bridge we could hardly stay upright and we were walking the bikes at this point. After that excitement we made it to the airport. It was very cool being able to pedal right up to the departures door.

Once inside we had more waiting to do. Eventually the check in counter opened and we got the bikes ready to fly. Cleared security without any trouble and boarded the plane on time. An hour and a half later we had landed in Toronto where it was 30C. Quite a change from our last two days in Quebec.

We had a lovely drive back to Ajax in peak rush hour and had a warm welcome waiting. Glor couldn’t stay for supper, but we had another great meal to bookmark another great trip.