The BiQUE Ride - Day Seven - Part Two

It was total chaos in the city yesterday. The moment we arrived on the island, there was traffic and there were pedestrians and there were cyclists. The place was crazy!! And the closer we got to Vieux Montreal, the worse it became. There was a cruise ship in the port so that didn’t help.

I arrived at Place Jacques Cartier and WOW!!!!  Wall to wall people. I remember when the artists were “contained” in a small alley to the side, but now the ENTIRE plaza seems to have been taken over. I walked my bike through that part. There was NO way I could ride through there.

Then biked over to Place d’Armes. This is the square in front of the Bank of Montreal (old head office) where I worked for many years. The square has all been redone and is quite nice. Brings back a whole lot of memories. Way more people (musicians/dancers) than when I worked there but then the city seemed to be much crazier than years ago.

Then I arrived at the hotel. The truck was there and again I was the first one in. The family of one of the riders was also here to cheer Mike in when he arrived. I had a brief chat with them and then off to have a shower and was expecting these guys to arrive soon. Hours later - well almost two hours after I arrived the entire gang arrived all in one group so we got to cheer them in. Trust me - I’m not that much faster and I bet some of them are faster than myself. But I don’t waste time and I try not to get lost.

I did stop along the way - I really did. But it’s different to stop when you’re one than when you’re a group of 10. I watched the surfers on the Lachine Canal, but how long do you want to watch that? I took pictures and I was on my way. Don’t get me wrong - I don’t mind groups, but smaller groups or as an individual, you can be WAY more efficient with your time. I’m just very selfish with my time.

After everyone was in, I walked over the Norte Dame Basilica because I was hoping I could get a ticket to the light show which was sold out when I went to buy a ticket on line.  NO CHANCE the lady said. Oh crap - well - that will teach me a lesson. Plan better. I’m not good with that kind of thing and I tend to go last minute with everything. I guess I’ll have to plan a return trip just to see the show - or I ride my bike to Montreal again next summer.

So I walked down to the restaurants along the port and had a great dinner. A beer, smoked meat and a crepe with chocolate and bananas. How decadent. My last decadent meal - I have to say that I MISS veggies and fruit. That seems to be lacking EVERYWHERE. Sides are mostly fries - I don’t eat fries.

I sat in Place d’Armes for a long while last night and enjoyed the dancing and watched as FOUR fire trucks attempted to maneuver the traffic. What a joke that was. The building burned down or the person would have died before those trucks could make it.

Back to the hotel and I was in bed and asleep before 9 PM. Totally exhausted, but now I’ve been up for hours and managed to entertain myself (and not even reading). It’s almost breakfast time - yeah as I’m hungry.

I’m pretty much packed up so I’ll have time to take a walk before the bus leaves this morning at 10:30.

Total trip mileage - 689.5 KM - shoot - should have gotten lost one more time and I might have made 700 K.

Have a great day!!!

Ciao!