ta DAH!

ladies.
and.
gentlemen.

We have arrived in Montreal.

It was totally worth the 3 flats (all mine, all rear), 1 lost towel (also mine), 1 lost lock (mine again), 1 lost pair of gloves (yup, mine), and the 7million pounds of trader joe's spaghetti with flax we had to eat (again, my doing. the food will get its own designated post forthwith, I promise. There's something called Meat Stick Syndrome that I must explain.) The city is gorgeous and the rain can't dampen our spirits a bit.

I was making a mental list of the amazing things I saw today and my brain (though it's well-conditioned by grad school) became overful, so here's just a sampling.

The bike paths in Quebec are astounding. Wide. Paved. Well-tended. Totally distinguished from regular car lanes. Some are part of a network of paths called "routes vert," numbered like highways, that run through forests and along the shore of Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence river. Too beautiful- it makes urban biking feel like being in a fairy tale.

We encountered some completely entrancing cottages and houses today next to the Lachine canal (do a google image search. Seriously.)- it was a sort of gray and overcast sky, and we passed a little stone home with a glossy tin roof that was so red it made my heart jump a little... Then there were the houses that butted up next to the canal with canoes and kayaks docked-- charming, sure, but rendered unforgettable by the giant blue heron that was roosting on one of the boats-- the 30-k ride in along that canal was the very definition of serenity.

Within minutes of arriving we stumbled onto a lovely little organic/local slowfood place in Old Montreal- I had a phenomenal gazpacho and some chipotle hummus and Melissa got a sunflower loaf panini (chris brunn- we must make this)- and now that I'm showered and nearly human again we're getting ready to go out on the town.

I wish you all were here in person- but you're definitely here in our hearts. Merci, darlings.
xoxoxoxoxox,
meg

If you wanna

know the cool and interesting and provocative things about canadian political economy, ask an old farmer. While waiting for Melissa outside the library in South Lancaster, Ontario, I had a 30min chat with a guy named Gordon and learned more from him than all the official plaques and museums and whatnot I've passed in 2.5 weeks. So awesome, you guys.

Also I heart the metric system. Kilos and kilos I heart the metric system.
Onward and quebecward!
xoxoxoxox,
m

Goodbye, Ontario

This is the last posting from Ontario. We have been following Brian Hedley's Toronto to Montreal route (see sidebar), and we really can't say enough great things about it. Canada's definition of a bike path is much different than mine - sometimes it means 2 inches wide dirt path through overgrown shrubs or 2 inches deep gravel. Brian's step-by-step guide leads you around the mountain bike stuff for your touring pleasure, while still saving some pleasant surprises. So, thanks, Doug at Boulevard Bikes for passing it on. When I log off, we will go straight to the Ontario/Quebec border, then it's Montreal tomorrow. Sorry we haven't been posting, but we've been having some trouble locating public libraries for free internet and there was a holiday. We have much to report. Gene, got your comment and I'm working on a list of "how-to bike tour" for ya! Thanks for subscribing! See you all soon, melissa & meg