DAY 01 - 12 SEPTEMBER 2006 - FLIGHT TURIN - MONTREAL  

 

We took a transfer to Turin's airport and then We flew with Air France to Paris and Montreal where We arrived at 20.30. In Montreal I had booked a room in  a Laval's Motel. No problems at  the check in,  We sent directly to Montreal our luggages, bikes included. 

 

DAY 02 - 13 SEPTEMBER 2006 - LAVAL - MONTREAL 

 

After breakfast I begun to mount our bikes noticing they arrived without any damage. I also changed Anna's bike chain mounting an IG70 Shimano chain; Anna rode almost 7000 kms with the same Rohloff  chain. In the afternoon We biked, along the Voie Verte n.1, to Montreal and then back under a heavy rain. After a look to all fast foods there were around the motel, We prefered to have dinner in the room with some stuffs We bought in a nearby supermarket. Montreal is a very biker friendly town. 

   

KM  57 

 

DAY 03 - 14 SEPTEMBER 2006 - LAVAL (RESTING DAY) 

 

We decided to take a rest day because of  the weather forecasts. So We sleeped and watched TV all day long.  

 

KM   0 

 

DAY 04 -  15 SEPTEMBER 2006 - LAVAL - BERTHIERVILLE    

 

We left our bike bags in the Motel and We went through Montreal and then We followed the Voie Verte n.5 that has a very bad begining because it is always along roads with heavy traffic. It would be better to skip this section by bus or train, may be until Quebec. Most of the time the weather was cloudy. We took place a Days Inn Hotel (136 CDN$) and had a great dinner at Mikes Restaurant finding a very gentle waitress. 

 

KM 130 

 

DAY 05 - 16 SEPTEMBER 2006 - BERTHIERVILLE - CAP DE LA MADELEINE 

 

A great sun and most of the time a very pleasant cycling. We skipped Trois Rivière and We found a room in the good and cheap Motel Le Canadien (58 CDN$ the price included breakfast) that is run by a very friendly french woman. At the evening We took a cab to the local Mikes Restaurant. Lost a rear rack bolt and replaced it with a spare one.   

 

KM  90 

 

DAY 06 - 17 SEPTEMBER 2006 - CAP DE LA MADELEINE- QUEBEC 

 

During breakfast We talked a lot with the Motel's owner about Canada, France and so on. On the road We cycled this time under a cloudy ski, mainly along the Route 138 that has a not indifferent traffic and many, many bodies of animals killed by cars. We arrived  in Quebec at 7.00 p.m. and thanks to a nice biker We were able to find our goal: the Quebec Bridge who links Saint Laurent River's south and north shore. Near the bridge We found the Hotel L'aristocrate where We had a not so good dinner: "nouvelle cuisine" is not the top for bikers. Along the road We bought for cheap some wonderfull blueberries.   

 

KM  124 

 

DAY 07 - 18 SEPTEMBER 2006 - QUEBEC - MONTMAGNY 

 

We crossed Saint Laurent River to Levis and We cycled all the way against the wind and under a heavy cloudy sky, most of the time following the route 132. Again We had a section always along a busy road even if it is called Voie Verte (Greenway). We choiced the Motel Centre VIlle and had dinner at restaurant Bel Air.  

 

KM  76 

 

DAY 08 - 19 SEPTEMBER 2006 - MONTMAGNY - KAMOURASKA 

 

We decided to avoid this section because of the biking most  along the road's emergency lane We had the day before. So We went to the local tourist office where they told us where it was possible to catch a bus to Rivière du Loup. But the bike carrying required to dismount them and to pack inside some boxes. So We decided to keep on travelling by bike. The first 35 kms were cycled under the rain and the last part was always along roads with light traffic. At evening We arrived in the nice village of Kamouraska finding a  good accomodation in the Motel Les Mariniers where they gave us for cheap a  wide room with a kitchen fully equiped. For dinner We had some fish and chips in a nearby restaurant. 

 

KM 103 

 

DAY 09 - 20 SEPTEMBER 2006 - KAMOURASKA - RIVIERE DU LOUP 

 

Short transfer to Rivière du Loup after visting the museum of Kamouraska where two gentles guides explained us everything about the Region and its history. We cycled under the sun and only in Rivière du Loup We had a little rain fall. We sleeped in a bed and breakfast (Auberge de la chutte - 60 CND$ included breakfast).   

 

KM  44 

 

DAY 10 - 21 SEPTEMBER 2006 - RIVIERE DU LOUP - RIMOUSKY   

 

We begun to cycle at 8 a.m., all day long with a strong tailwind, in a down hill i cycled at 80 kms per hour. We skipped some sections indicated in the book "Cycling Quebec" because of the many up and down hills, anyway cycling became a lot better than the days before. At Hotel Navigateur they gave us a whole four bed appartement with a fully equipped kitchen where We sheltered our bikes. In the nearby railway station We booked the train tickets Gaspé - Montreal finding a gentle clerk who told us everything about travelling by train in Canadà (thanks Denis). As usually We had dinner at the local Mikes Restaurant.    

 

KM 118 

 

DAY 11 - 22 SEPTEMBER 2006 - RIMOUSKY - AMQUI 

 

We always had good panoramas, good wind and a sunny day. In Sainte Flavie We left the coast and after many ups and downs We reached Amqui. In Saint Noel We had a stop and I gave to a little cat that suddenly appeared all the cheese I bought some days before.  We took place at Hotel Ambassadeur that  was the first who asked us money for sheltering bikes in its cars park (5 CND$ per bike). Got a bad dinner at Restaurant "La Gourmandise" where They gave us a very little piece of salmon almost missed in a rice sea for a big price. 

   

KM 116 

 

DAY 12 - 23 SEPTEMBER 2006 - AMQUI - MATAPEDIA 

 

We left Amqui at 10.00 a.m. and along the beautiful Matapedia Valley We cycled towards the Chaleur Bay the last 30 kms under a heavy rain. Before We begun cycling We had breakfast in a "cantine" that is a local sort of fast food always better than the mayor fast foods chains. We sleeped in Motel Restiongouche that is another biker friendly accomodation, infact for cheap they gave us a four beds room where We could shelter our bikes.  

 

KM 82 

 

DAY 13 - 24 SEPTEMBER 2006 - MATAPEDIA - CARLETON SAINT OMER 

 

This was the worst day: always a strong rain and the last 20 kms even with a headwind.  In Pointe de la Garde We stopped in a parking area drying our wets clothes with the help of the air handsdryers there were inside the toilet. The weather was so bad that during our trip a gentle man stopped his pick up asking us If We wished a lift to our destination, We refused and thank but We were not persuaded to have done the right thing.  So We arrived completly wets at Motel La Baie Blue where We also had dinner.  

 

KM 76 

 

DAY 14 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2006 - CARLETON SUR MER - PASPEBIAC 

 

A great biking following a wonderful path always near the sea. We prefer to avoid some section of the Voie Verte to permit us pedaling more along the seaside. This was one of the best leg We had, even with a good tailwind. In Paspebiac We choose the Motel Carol and We had a very bad dinner full of frieds stuffs. 

 

KM 93 

 

 DAY 15 - 26 SEPTEMBER 2006 - PASPEBIAC - CHANDLER 

 

The weather was cloudy but We were lucky because We had rain only for fews kilometers. In Port Daniel i felt from the bike during a railways crossing, that because the front wheel followed the rail instead than the road. I hitted the shoulder and the hand. Took a room at Motel Saint Laurent and had dinner with lobsters in a restaurant near the sea.   

 

KM   70 

 

DAY 16 - 27 SEPTEMBER 2006 - CHANDLER - PERCE' 

 

Another short transfer to one onf the most known spot of the whole Canadà. I cycled all the time with some pain in my left shoulder. Took the Motel Riotel. We sent some postal cards. After many days We found a bakery who selled expressos. We Had always a perfect weather and in Grande Rivière I got a puncture on my rear wheel. 

 

KM 47 

 

DAY 17 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2006 - PERCE' - GASPE' 

 

We had breakfast in the same bakery We drunk expressos the day before and then just after Percé We had the hardest uphill of the whole journey, luckly it was not too long.  We cycled along some very nice sections reaching Gaspé that was our goal.  

 

KM 61 

 

DAY 18 - 29 SEPTEMBER 2006 - GASPE'  (RESTING DAY) 

 

We had breakfast in a Tim Horton (a Canadian fast food), then We bought some food in a local supermarket and We spend the rest of the day reading, washing clothes and watching TV even because the wheather was always rainy. Had dinner at Adam's restaurant.    

 

KM  0 

 

DAY 19 - 30 SEPTEMBER 2006 - GASPE' - MONTREAL (BY TRAIN)  

 

At 2.30 p.m. We took the "Chaleur" to Montreal. We had a very pleasant trip on the panoramic wagon for the first 4 hours and had dinner with salmon in the train restaurant. We booked a bed room so We sleeped a little bit during the night.  

 

KM  2 

 

DAY 20 - 01 OCTOBER 2006 - MONTREAL - OTTAWA (BY TRAIN) - OTTAWA -  PLAISEANCE (BY BIKE) 

 

Barely arrived in Montreal We decided to keep on by train to Ottawa. Here  first We biked to Gatineau and then to Plaisence along a boring path mostly on a crowed road again with a lot of death animals such foxes, frogs, cats, snakes, squirrels, birds, porcupines and so on. In Plaisence We found the cheapest motel of the whole trip (55 CDN$ included the breakfats in the next "cantine"). Few kilometres before Plaisence at least one hundred gooses took off  from a corn field giving us a great show.    

 

KM  70 

 

DAY 21 - 02 OCTOBER 2006 - PLAISENCE - SAINT EUSTACHE 

 

The greatest distance cycled  ever with a loaded bike. First We had a 20 kilometers tour in the beautiful Plaisence National Park and then We cycled to the east many time under the flight of hundreds and hundreds of gooses engaged in their migration to the South. We arrived in Saint Eustache at 8.30 p.m. The Motel where We sleeped was the Saint Eustache.   

 

KM 150 

 

DAY 22 - 03 OCTOBER 2006 - SAINT EUSTACHE - MONTREAL 

 

Following the Voie Verte n.1 We cycled to Montreal downtown, later We went to West Montreal but here We decided to find a Hotel closer to the center and We choosed the  pretty Hotel de la Fontaine. Bought an Alaska bike guide at the "Maison du velo".    

 

KM 75 

 

DAY 23 - 04 OCTOBER 2006 - MONTREAL (RESTING DAY) 

 

We did not cycle so We took a walk in Montreal downtown confirming at the local Air France office our flights. Had dinner in a greek restaurant.   

 

KM  0 

 

DAY 24 - 05 OCTOBER 2006 - MONTREAL - LAVAL  

 

We waked up late and slowly We went to our Motel in Laval to recover our bikes bags.  

 

KM  33 

 

DAY 25 - 06 OCTOBER 2006 - LAVAL  

 

After breakfast We dismounted and packed our bikes. Had dinner for the last time again in a Mikes restaurant.   

 

KM   0 

 

DAY 26 - 07 OCTOBER 2006 - LAVAL - TRUDEAU AIRPORT - MONTREAL DOWNTOWN -TRUDEAU - FLITGH TO PARIS 

 

We went by cab to the airport leaving here all our luggages and then with took a bus to Montreal downtown and Montreal plateau. At evening We got back to the airport to take the plane to Paris. 

 

KM   0 

 

DAY 27 - 08 OCTOBER 2006 - FLIGHT TO TURIN - HOME 

 

Home. At the airport customs  asked us if our bikes have been used (!!!!!!!!), the VAT imposing needs to know that. We laughed answering yes. End of trip.  

 

KM 0 

 

TOT. KMS BY BIKE: 1617 

 

DONE BY TRAINS: ABOUT KMS 1250 

 

PUNCTURES: 1