Tuesday, 15 August 2006

Saint-Andre to L'Islet-sur-Mer (Quebec)

It was windy all night and yet strangely warm - about 20 C - so I was too hot under the sleeping bag. I was in no rush to get up in the morning as I knew I was destined for another day of wind-blown hell. At least the rain clouds had blown away and there was some sun. It was about 8 am when I set off to plod the 12 km to the next village, Kamouraska, where I stopped for breakfast. From Kamouraska I followed the 132 to Saint-Denis and on towards Riviere Ouelle. I didn't even bother taking the longer 'Route verte' route as with the wind I wanted to cycle the shortest possible distance between two points.

I bear grudges, and already I was beginning to hate Quebec. After days of relentless headwinds with little of interest by way of compensation, I was looking forward to leaving, hopefully never to return!

The road into Riviere Ouelle was closed for roadworks - 'Route Barrée' - so I had to follow the detour which added a kilometre or two to my ride. By now it was noon and I had managed only 35 km for two and a half hours of cycling. I stopped to give my aching bum a rest, at a little Casse-Croute for a creme-glacé and a tea. Sitting out of the wind, it was a scorching hot day. From Riviere Ouelle I was only on the 132 for a little way before 'La Route verte' became a 'piste cyclable' once again with the scenic wetlands and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on one side and the unscenic route 20 on the other.

The cycle path ran all the way to the Tourist Information Office at La Pocatiere where I had to stop to get a guide and cycling map for the next region; I was leaving Bas-Saint-Laurent and entering Chaudiere-Appalaches. All of a sudden it had clouded over and was spitting with rain. Inland over the hills there were flashes of lightning. I followed the cycle path a little further only to find that is was closed for repairs and blocked off. I turned inland to find the route 132 again and followed that back to the coast at Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies where I ducked into a lovely little tea-shop to avoid a shower. I had a proper pot of loose-leaf black tea and indulged in a gateau trois mousse au chocolat.

It was quite a muggy, sweaty day and I was looking forward to having a shower at the campsite as I set off again into the blasting wind. After 4 days of cycling into the wind I was looking forward to getting to Quebec City (hopefully tomorrow night) and having a rest. Enough is enough. Or, presumably as they say in Quebec 'Un oeuf is an oeuf' (Best said in an Inspector Clouseau accent)

I continued along the 132 - it seemed as if almost every other house was an artisan selling paintings or sculptures. I ducked into the Information Touristique in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli to avoid one passing shower and at a little picnic shelter a few kilometres further to avoid another, but then the wind eased and the cloud began to break up as I rode the last few kilometres to L'Ilset-sur-Mer. It turned into quite a pleasant evening, not that I had the chance to relax and enjoy it; having pitched the tent, I had to take the flysheet off again as I wanted to dismantle the rear derailleur again to try to fix it. (Last chance before I smash it with a hammer!) I then just had time to have that much wanted shower, set my washing going, cook some dinner, tumble-dry the washing and then flop into bed to try to read up on Quebec City before my eyes closed of their own accord...

(Campsite $11.40 - bargain, showers free)

Distance: 83.5 km
Cycling time: 5:34
Total distance: 6252.5 km