Day 11 – Vaudrueil-Dorion to St-Jean-sur-Richelieu – 109 km
Trail: Mostly flat, 101 km paved, 8 km unpaved, A
A long day. There were no rooms in Chambly so I had to ride an additional 18 km to St-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Only 15 minutes of rain.
Last night I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It was clean, comfortable, and just off the trail. The bed and shower were excellent. Breakfast was included. Recommended.
Today’s ride was along smooth paved bike paths, allowing me to ride at a higher speed. I followed the St. Lawrence River to Lachine and it was incredibly beautiful. The shoreline, quaint villages, and homes were impeccably manicured.
It was Saturday morning and most towns and cities had farmers markets or art shows.
There were bikes everywhere. I didn't go one minute without passing a bike. Montrealers surely love biking.
In Lachine, the sun came out and so did the boats. Dragon boat racers were enjoying the day.
i find that the world is a much happier, more colorful place.
In these Montreal apartments no one unit can see into another. Total privacy. Also used for the 1976 Olympics.
Around Montreal trails were not well marked. Constant use of the AllTrails app and Google Maps was a necessity.
While I was crossing the Concord Bridge, from Montreal to the south shore, I thought to myself that it would be cool to see some Formula 1 racing. I need to be careful what I wish for. As I got to the end of the bridge, a security guard stopped me and told me that I couldn't proceed and that I had to go back because of Formula 1 preparations. This just sucked. I had to double back and take the Samuel de Champlain Bridge, adding about 1 hour and a half to my day.
The TCT was marked with a limited number of "Sentier Transcanadien" signs. Signs using local names were much more prominent. I followed Route Verte 5 and then Route Verte 1 to Chambly. At Chambly I took the Piste du Canal Chambly.
Blanche de Chambly on the lake in Chambly. I (my butt) needed a short break. On the way to Chambly time flew by. The ride was essentially through Montreal suburbs, with homes to look at and plenty of bikers.
Hot air balloons took off from the parking lot of my hotel.
