| Bridge at Ile Paton in Laval |
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Roger Kenner
Montreal, Qc,
Canada 2003
Foreword
It was a cold, blustery Sunday, when I skipped church in order to get in one last late season ride. I rode around the Two Mountains/Oka/Hudson tour, which I had not done for some years, leaving at 09:10 and returning home by 18:20. Of the nine hours on the road, I spent about eight cycling, for a total distance of 79 km at a speed of about 10 km per hour.
Significant on this ride was that I successfully made my way eastward across the top of Ile Perrot for the first time, away from the busy shoulder of Highway 20. I had tried this on a previous occasion, but had not found my way through and had had to backtrack. I then did succeed, later, in finding my way westward across the top of the island.
Read the Original Notes of the entire ride.
Click to Enlarge (La Cartothèque) The Grand Two Mountains/Oka/Hudson Tour [Map Removed]
| 09:10 | I am on my way.... |
| 09:20 | I stop at Cote St. Luc Road to top off air in my tires. |
| 10:00 | I reach the LaChapelle Bridge in Cartierville. The roads are quiet on a Sunday morning. From the bridge I follow the bike trail along the water's edge to the waterworks. Then I ride along the shoulder of Levesque Blvd. as far as Promenade des Iles, which I descend along a trail of sorts: a painted laneway along the shoulder. I come to three bridges. |
| 10:00-15 |
I follow Promenade des Iles down to Ile Paton, where I stop to take some photos of the quiet waterway nestled amidst the condo high-rises. [I bracket the shots made into light: metering straight & off the dark shore.] |
| Bridge at Ile Paton in Laval |
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| Looking West from Bridge | Looking East from Bridge |
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| 10:30 |
I cross Hwy 13 at 10:30. From Ile Paton I had climbed back up to Boul. Levesque. The trail led along the of edge the road, but it was in bad shape, so I took the road. This was clearly the old road, which ended at Hwy 13. The trail climbed up through an empty field to Boul. Samson, on which I crossed the freeway. I descend back to the old road, now called Bord de l'eau. There is a big new nursury now at Samson. Bord de l'eau is now all built up. |
| 11:10 | I reach the dam at Two Mountains. In Two Mountains. I follow the bike path (shoulder) up 8th ave to Montclair, then over to 16th, and up 16th to trailhead. |
| East along Milles Iles from Grand Moulin |
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| 11:25 | From the Trailhead, along La Vagabonde, I reach the new Two Mountains train station |
| Old CN Locomotive in Two Mountains | |
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| 12:10-30 | I reach Pointe Calumet, where I hand out until 12:30. I had left the trail at the Aqua Park and had ridden down the road to the shoreline. I then rode along the shoreline, separated often by a retaining wall. I call Sheryl from the beach and have my lunch of cheese & salami. |
| Beach at Pointe Calumet: Looking East | Beach & Marina at Pointe Calumet: Looking West |
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| Spur from Pointe Calumet to Main Trail |
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| 12:30 | I pick up the trail spur at end of the road by the Pte Calumet Marina. It climbs up to join main the trail. This is my first time on this section. |
| 13:00-30 | I reach Oka Beach. The route has changed and the new trail now comes out at eastern end of the beach, after a long passage through the woods. The is no more road travel, as before. The beach is deserted and the water level is very low. They have built a brand new clubhouse. I buy myself a coffee for $1.50 to warm up on the cold, blustery day. |
| Eastern end of Beach at Oka | |
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| Looking East | Looking West |
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| New Clubhouse at Oka Beach | |
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| Looking East from New Clubhouse |
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| 13:50 | I arrive the Oka ferry, where they are running four boats because it is so busy. I board right away! |
| Oka Ferry Tow Boat |
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| 14:10 | I arrive at the Hudson side |
| 14:30 | I arrive at the Vaudreuil built up area |
| 15:00 | I arrive at the Dorion Bridge, where I stop to call Sheryl. I had seen, in Dorion, where the commuter trains are stacked up, waiting for Monday. I will succeed in taking the northern route across Ile Perrot for the first time in an eastbound direction. |
| Commuter Trains in Wait at Dorion |
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| South from Dorion Bridge |
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| 15:25-30 | Train crossing at eastern end. Big freight train waiting. for what? |
| 15:40-45 | Stop at Ste. Anne for cheese break |
| 15:50 | Baie d'Urfe |
| 16:05 | Beaconsfield |
| 16:25 | Pointe Claire headwind building, muscles slowing |
| 16:40-17:05 | Stop at Jason's Cafe au lait $3.00 |
| 17:10 | Dorval line |
| 17:30 | Lachine line |
| 18:00 | VSP |
| 18:20 | Home |
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| Ste. Anne: Interesting Boat Channels to the South |
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| Valois Bay: KLM Jumbo on Dorval Approach |
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| Valois Bay: Sunset with Plane on Approach |
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| Lachine: Dorval Island View at Sunset |
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Comparing these two photos, it is clear that it was not nearly as dark as the photo above would have it seem. It was more the effect of shooting into the light of the sunset which makes it seem so dark.
| Lachine: Lachine Wharf Lit by Setting Sun |
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