Bike Ride to Sorel July 14, 2003 The 4th day of my Summer vacation 

Monday morning.  After getting Alex up and having our breakfast "family meeting", we sent him on his way about 09:00. It was a bright, sunny day and I had requested the day for a bike ride.  I had asked Sheryl if she  could come and get me at the end, so that I would not have to ride both ways.  In this way, I could extend myself further.  (I have exhausted most of the places I can get to and back from in a single day.) 

My destination for the day was Sorel, riding down the south bank of the St. Lawrence.   Previously, I had only been as far a Boucherville (1991 or 1992?) 

I set off at 09:30, heading east along the deMaisonneuve bike path.  I was debating which crossing of the St. Lawrence to make: St. Lambert or the Jacques Cartier Bridge.  I decided to take the Jacques Cartier for I had recently heard that the sidewalks had been completely redone.  I would also bring me closer to the start off for my destination.   My next debate was whether to drop down and take the Canal and go through Old Montreal, or to continue through downtown.  I opted for the downtown route, in order to gain time, for I had gotten a late start.   

I followed my usual route in to work, and then continue on St. Catherine,  to past St. Denis.  I then took a small sidestreet up to Ontario and continued   east from there, so as to be north enough not to miss the bridge approach. 

As it turned out, I was well north, and had to drop down Papineau (?)  some ways.  It was 10:10 when I reached the bridge sidewalk.  As I had read, all was new!  [I had been across the Jacques Cartier only once before, in the mid-80s.  At that time, the sidewalk was narrow and in terrible shape, with large gaping holes where one could look down to the river below.  Now the new roadbed was wide enough for two cyclists to pass quite easily.] 

I started up the bridge, stopping often to take photos.  I took photos down each major street.  It turned out I went up the west sidewalk.  For future trips, it would probably make more sense to go up the east sidewalk, as I was dumped far to the west of where I wanted to go once on the far side. 

It was half an hour later, at 10:40 that I came racing down the Longueuil side.  I caught something in my eye, which would bother me for at least half-an-hour. At the very end, as I was leaving the superstructure,  the path got suddenly narrow and I had to stop and lean to the side for every approaching cyclist.  I was dumped off at St. Laurent Street. 

Not having any map of Longueuil, I just blindly headed east.  Past the shopping centre/terminus, I found a major street to take back towards the river.  This eventually brought me to St. Charles. At that point I think I was close to where the east side walk would have left me.  I followed St. Charles through old Longueuil.  I was looking for access to the waterfront bike trail.   

When I finally did find access, I saw that it was the 2nd passarelle.  I was several blocks east of the first one, which would have brought me down at the marina.  As it was, I crossed the highway and came down at the east side of the park just east of the marina.  It was 10:55. 

Once onto the Longueil trail, I was in familiar territory, as I had come this way a number of time, beginning in 1991/92?.  My last trip was my ride to  the Boucherville Islands to meet Sheryl.   

At 11:00 I was even with the Olympic Stadium and byu 11:10 I was at the end of the path. 

I had hoped that they would have closed the quarter-mile gap between the bike trails of Longueuil and Boucherville.  Standing at the end of the  former, underneath the Hwy 20 approach to the Tunnel, one can almost see the end of the the other one.  Although there is highway, I am sure they could build something along the shoreline. 

As it was, I had to portage the bike up these circular ramps they had  devised.  Luckily, it was not as bad as I thought.  I crossed over the highway and descended the other side.  I now had to find my way across the obstacle of the Hwy 20 freeway, for I was still on the west side.  I started riding up towards the main street, some blocks away.  When I  came to the first industrial side street past the railroad tracks, I turned around and rode down that street on a hunch.  At the Hwy 20, there was an exit and entrance ramp and lots of traffic.  I saw no bicycles prohitited sign to the left, where the road seemed to loop under the freeway, alongside the railroad tracks.  I figured I would follow the road as far as I could.  Perhaps once I got to the other side, some possibilities would open up.  There I was, a tiny bicycle amidst the big tractor trailers.  They were all quite polite, however. 

As I rounded the curve, I saw a bike path on the far side of the tracks. I carried my bike over the single track to join it.  I have no idea where it comes from on the Longueuil side, and I did not want to take the time to investigate.  That will be for another ride.   

The trail joined the Boucherville bike trail.  It was 11:30 First I rode along beside the cemetary and then in a marked lane along the frontage road.  Once I reached the point where Marie Victorin crossed the highway, the trail  was a nicely marked lane on the river side of Marie Victorin.  Usually  there was nothing between me and the river. 

At this point, there is only a narrow width of water, maybe 200 feet.  The  other side of the channel is formed by the Boucherville Islands. 

The bike path continued all across the town of Boucherville. It was 11:50 or so when I stopped at a small gazebo on the east side to call Sheryl. 

I continued along the bike trail. At one point, it left the main road to wind its way through the marshes along what was clearly the old road from days gone by.   

While on this old road, I crossed into the town of Varennes.  It was 12:10 when I crossed the line.  I was still in open fields until 12:20, when I came into the first houses of Varennes.  I was at the centre of town by 12:30 and stopped at the information kiosk for a bathroom break.  The attendant gave me a map of Varennes, which allowed me to see a sideroad  I could take, to avoid Route 132.  I was on my may at 12:40 

The bike trail came to an end at the heights facing the old church.  I continued around town on Ste. Anne, until I came to ?? road.  This tiny road, though open to cars, was virtually a bike path.  I wended its way up and down through the fields, in and around the industrial parks.  It looked very much like the old road. 

At 12:50 I was even with Repentigny and the Gauron Bridge.  I had climbed to some heights and so had a good view.  Up ahead, I had a big thunder cloud to watch.  When I first saw it it was a small white cloud in the distance.  It seemed to be homing in on me!  Even though I had a good tailwind and the cloud was ahead of me, it seemed to get ever closer.  I had, in my folly, decided not to bring my rain gear, as it was such a sunny day.  That will teach me! 

At 13:00, about 4km west of Vercheres, I came out at the Route 132 and had to continue eastward on that main road.  Luckily, there was a wide, paved shoulder.  Also lucky for me was the strong tailwind.  I would not have  wanted to go the other way!  I was able to cruise in my middle gear in front and my middle to next-lower gear in back.  I felt I was sailing along! 

I came to the Vercheres lines at 13:15 and was at the town centre by 13:25. [I recognized much from when I had visited Steven here in the late 80s. On the other hand, much had changed.  I saw the tavern on the hill and the big grassy expanse down which I had chased Alex.]  I rode down to the  waterfront and took a picture from the pier.  Then I found a picnic table in the shade and had my lunch of crackers and chumus.   

I finished lunch at 13:55 and climbed my way back up to the main road. I stopped at a small, rustic depanneur to buy some water, and then was on my way out of town. 

At 14:00 I passed a sign that announced Sorel to be 39km and Contrecoeur to be 12km.    As a sign of how fast the wind was pushing me, I made it to the town centre at 14:30 (having passed the town line at 14:10).  I must have been going 24km/hr!   I stopped to look at some of the big industrial plants west of town.  Once in town, I stopped at the Tourist Info and picked up maps and brochures for Contrecouer as well as Vercheres (which I had missed) and Sorel.  I would be glad of the Sorel map! 

I called Sheryl at 14:50 from a riverside gazebo in a park east of town. 

At 15:15 I was at St.Roch.  It had been a long, sunny stretch and I had  climbed up to a somewhat elevated view of the river.  I came to a sign that announced Tracy to be 12km and Sorel to be 18. 

At 15:50 I was at the Sorel/Tracy line.  I was a heavily wooded section with lots of old-style summer camps.  I passed one called 'Colonie des greves' 

I stopped at Park Massoui at 16:15, just inside the Sorel/Tracy line.  It was a narrow park, nestled in amongst shoreline properties, but giving some perfunctory access to the water.  Looking downriver through my field glasses, I saw the hydrofoil pass.  Upriver, I saw the docks for the  massive thermoelectric plant I had just passed. 

As I continued on into Tracy, Route 132 decayed into an urban wasteland which had seen better days.   

I passed through the steel refineries and took a side tour of St. Joseph de Sorel at 16:35 

By 16:50 I was at the bridge, crossing over the Richelieu River and into Sorel.   

I rode about until 18:00, when I called Sheryl from 'Parc Vue sur le fleuve' I gave her direction to the restuarant that I had found.  I then mosied over there and staked my 'starter' table on the terrace.  It was a very popular place. After half an hour I got to move to a better table.  I was there to talk Sheryl in when she arrived at 20:00.  We had supper and left around 22:00 

Sheryl drove me home along Hwy 30.