Bike Gaspe Day 30

Yarmouth to Kingston. We are really fortunate that Hans and Betty are giving us a ride home. We loaded our bikes on the bike rack that they brought from Kingston. By 7 am we were in line for the Cat, the fast ferry to Portland, Maine;  the ship got underway around 8 am. The ocean was very calm and the temperature around 15C. During the sail we took the opportunity to to listen to a description of the history of the Cat; it is now owned by the US Navy and operating by Bay Ferries. We were cruising at 35 knots but it was so smooth it didn't seem that fast. At 10 am we had a bonus- whales on the starboard side. The rest of the day was uneventful.  Upon arrival in Portland we waited in line behind 4 cars, cleared US customs and drove Hy 302 through Maine and New Hampshire to the interstate highways. From I-93 then I-91 we cleared Canadian customs and drove home. My efforts to not lose weight seem to have paid off as I might have gained a pound or 2 in the last month. This is the last entry in this blog for now.

Bike Gaspe Day 29

Shelburne to Yarmouth. 100 of 3025 km. We had a great bike ride today. We had a choice of the 103 or 3 as roads to start the day and opted for the 103 because it would be safer at that time of day. The morning was warm enough and the winds were gentle for the first 2 hours. We had headwinds for only about an hour until we made the turn northward at Barrington. There were a few hills before Barrington but almost nothing afterwards. Thus, the ride up to Yarmouth was quite easy. We took the 3 the last stretch into Yarmouth and were lucky to meet Kerry and Jeanna, a couple from Florida, who were riding a beautiful tandem bicycle up the USA coast through the maritimes, Quebec and Ontario and back to Florida. We arrived at our motel before 2 pm and showed and rested before taking a walking tour of the town. We are staying in the same motel as our neighbors, Hans and Betty, who are driving us home. We are taking the Cat to Portland, Maine and then driving to Kingston. 

Bike Gaspe Day 28.

Bridgewater to Shelburne.  113 of 2925 km. This was an uneventful day. We ate a good breakfast at the Best Western, got on our bikes and rode down the 103 to Shelburne. The road was good and we made good time for about 3 hours; then the wind came up and we worked against it into Shelburne. This is a sleepy small town with a more vibrant past than present. Apparently it was born out of the British Empire Loyalist immigration and for a while was one of the largest towns in North America. Today its retail sector seems to be dominated by a single mall, which is in turn dominated by Sobeys and the liquor store. There is a very nice waterfront that must be populated by hordes of tourists during July, August and September. But for now things were quiet; for example, the two largest restaurants are closed on Monday.

Bike Gaspe Day 27

Hammonds Plains to Bridgewater. 141 of 2812 km. Today we were back on our bikes, leaving Hammonds Plains after a quick breakfast. There was a surprise in store because just past Lucasville Road, there was a loud bang; when I looked back my rear tire had blown. After changing the tire and tube, I called Blair and took him up on his offer of a tire that he had taken off his bicycle. Only now I had it delivered. With the spare tire in a pannier, we got moving again. After Tantallon we got onto Hy 3 and rode along the seashore; there was only one problem.  We couldn't see the sea for the fog. Eventually the fog burned off and we had fantastic views along the water. After lunch we rode on Hy 103 because Hy 3 didn't offer us ocean views. As the day warmed up, we decided to stay in Bridgewater rather than pushing on. We got a great rate at the Best Western.  After Susie had a nap, we biked to Lunenburg to see the Blue Nose II. This added about 40 km tothe day's ride and explains our numbers above. They allowed us on the ship so we got a close up look at the wood, ropes and sails. It was a really in opportunity and we took a lot of pictures.  After returning from Lunenburg, we went for a swim in the motel pool and I used the water slide. It was 2 stories tall and did a loop in complete darkness; then it fired me out as if I were shot from a cannon. Good fun.

Bike Gaspe Day 26

Hammonds Plains rest day,  no biking today. Finn and Sull were off training on their respective sailboats and Krista was at the yacht club as well taking the first day of an introductory sailing course. The winds were very strong which meant that the boys sailed very fast and Krista's group didn't get beyond land-based training. The rest of us went to the Shubenicadie River where we tried to catch striped bass.  This gave Susie an opportunity to see how it is done. Unfortunately the fish didn't cooperate and we didn't see anyone land a bass. Nevertheless we saw that lots of bait was eaten off the hooks by something. Eventually that something became hooked and was brought in;  it was an eel. It was interesting to see the critter that had been cleaning the hooks.
Dinner was a great feast of barbecued ribs, chicken, salad and quinoa salad finished off with freshly baked apple pie and ice cream. A perfect ending to a really nice family visit.

Bike Gaspe Day 25

Hammonds Plains rest day. 2 of 2671 km. Our treat this morning was to have breakfast cooked for us for the second day by a grandson. Yesterday it was Finn who made eggs for our break and this morning it was Sullivan who made a very large omelet for all of us; I was the sous chef aka bull cook. After supper we did the traditional hike up Blue Mountain,  which is very small but it is the highest point in the area.  Sullivan, Reilly and Mattie set a new record for going up and down the trail- somewhere in the order of 20 minutes.

Bike Gaspe Day 24

Hammonds Plains rest day. 2 of 2669 km. There is a tradition when we visit our Hammonds Plains branch plant. At 6 am the grandchildren roar into the grandparents bedroom to make sure that we are alive. This is our 3 or 4  grandchild alarm clock. After they have a sweet treat, they climb over or onto us. I got a picture of Reilly,  Mattie and Sullivan with Gramie this morning.
After riding to school with the three youngest kids this morning, Blair and I went to the Shubenicadie River to check out the striped bass. The setup for catching these fish is different from any kind of fishing that I have ever done. We parked on the river bank very close to the high tide line. The rigging is 3 large hooks attached just above a 5 ounce sinker. These are baited with fish segments  (or squid) then the baited rigging is cast well out into the river and allowed to settle on the bottom. The rod is stuck into a holder, which is anchored in the dirt. Then you watch the rod tip to see if any fish are biting and shaking the rod. If you are lucky,  the rod bends and you have a fish on a hook.  Blair caught 2 that were about 18 inches long; too bad they have to be 27 inches to keep. In any case, I found it interesting to see how striped bass fishing is done and to see their environment. For starters, the silt load in this river makes the Red River look thin. You can see evidence of fish right in front of you as the surface of the river had ripple patterns in circles or vees as the fish came near the top. Unfortunately we couldn't see the fish at all because the visibility through the water was only about a mm. I didn't even see the bald eagle dive for a meal.

After supper we watched all 4 kids doing Tae Kwon Do. It was interesting to see how they have progressed with practice. 

Bike Gaspe Day 23

Hammonds Plains rest day. 50 of 2667 km. We got to enjoy a bike ride to 3 of the kids school this morning and to meet them there again in the afternoon. In be we biked to Mountain Equipment Coop in downtown Halifax. Susie had bought her new bike there last August and we were bringing it in for its free tuneup. It had more distance on it than most bikes its age; they had to replace the chain.

Bike Gaspe Day 22

Lake Charlotte to Hammonds Plains. 80 of 2617 km. Today we made it to Blair and Krista's where we will spend a few days visiting, enjoying the family and resting our bodies. When we walked to the restaurant for breakfast this morning,  it wasn't really raining but there were droplets in the air. Afterwards when we started to ride, it had started to rain. It rained intermittently all day long,  some times it rained hard, some times it rained lightly and sometimes it even stopped. We started out on Hy 7, then switched to Hy 107, which became 7 again as we entered Dartmouth. Hy 7 was the safest in that it had at least a small paved shoulder throughout its length and its hills weren't as steep albeit they were longer. Through Dartmouth  the road got quite busy; between the traffic and the rain the ride was difficult. Eventually we stopped at a Tim Hortons to warm up and dry out a bit over a bowl of hot chili. The hot food did the trick because Susie fell asleep after eating. We arrived in Hammonds Plains about 14h30, which gave us lots of time before attending Mattie's highland dance recital. We won't be doing much bicycling for the next few days.

Bike Gaspe Day 21

New Glasgow to Lake Charlotte.  146 of 2537km. From the Travelodge motel we looped back to access the NS-374, whi we followed to its southern
end at NS-7 near Sheet Harbour. The road was actually pretty good for bicycles. There were a few potholes but nothing that we couldn't dodge on our bikes. After about 10 km, the only traffic was trucks with pulp logs and after 40 km we lost those too. While we had to climb over the middle of Nova Scotia,  the vertical wasn't a problem. The major obstacle was the wind, which came from the SW at 25 kph steady with gusts. At Sheet Harbour we talked to some people and decided to go Lake Charlotte a perfect 37 km away.  Somehow reality grew it to 56 km. In any case our dinner was fish and chips at Ralphs Diner on the way to Webbers Motel. As the wind was from the SW it was still a good headwind after we turned west bound.

Bike Gaspe Day 20

Charlottetown to New Glasgow. 83 of 2391 km. Today was a day of decisions. Do we try to make the 9h30 ferry from PEI to Pi or be sensible and take the 11h15 ferry. So we got up at 5h30 and got going. Do we take the Trans-Canada Hy, which is probably smoother and less hilly, or do we take the locals' short cut, which is shorter but probably rougher and hilly. We took the latter and about half way to the ferry we resigned ourselves to not making the early ferry because of the strong headwind. Then about 10 km from the ferry the wind eased a bit and the hills became more reasonable. Susie put her heart into it and we were at the toll booth by 9h25. Basically we pulled in, paid and walked on. We then relaxed over a good breakfast of bacon/sausage and eggs and had to decide which route to take into Halifax. With the help of various people we have decided to take the coastal alternative along the eastern shore. Since there are no places to stay between New Glasgow and Sheet Harbour, we are in New Glasgow for tonight and we cannot go further today . As luck would have it there was a Chinese - Thai restaurant near the Travelodge with a nice buffet dinner. After this many days of extensive energy output, we are consuming a lot of food. So the buffet was very convenient. After 4 plates of entrées and 2 of dessert, my hollow leg was filled. Susie also acquitted herself quite well- pretty good for two 70+.

Bike Gaspe Day 19

Charlottetown rest day. 69 of 2308 km. Today we were tourists as the first activity was to ride out to Brackley Beach National Park. It was beautiful in spite of the weather being dreary and wet. You have to be impressed with the red of the sand and sandstone. The dunes were big but apparently there are some that are twice as tall further east. On the way back in we St at at Andy and Maureen Tasker's house for a quick visit.
After getting back to the hotel, I changed the tube in my front tire because of a slow leak. There was a small hole that could have been made by a pin or equivalent. This was the fourth tire that needed attention. We cleaned up and rest before going to see Million Dollar Quartet; what a show!!!!! Best entertainment in a long time.

Bike Gaspe Day 18

Confederation bridge to Charlottetown. 54 of 2239 km. After checking on line, it seemed that a good place for breakfast would be Anna's country kitchen about 45 minutes toward Charlottetown. We walked into a cafe that was plain and not inviting but it had locals. The menu was just hand written on a white board with only a few prices. We ordered the standard breakfast and were pleasantly surprised to receive plates with generous servings of tasty food.   We also got to talk to the locals. I noticed that they had rhubarb pudding and asked what it was. Our waitress said that they had one piece left from  yesterday and did I want to try it. She brought it with a dollop of ice cream; it was delicious so I got the recipe from Anna.
After arriving at our hotel, we wondered if we had made a mistake in booking it be it seemed to be just a large old house and there was no one present to register us. After a phone call and some waiting,  we were in a very nice room getting cleaned up to meet with Andy Tasker, a former student.
Andy gave us a wonderful tour of UPEI that culminated in his laboratories. He is doing very well and has a number of trainees and international collaborators. It was really gratifying to see.

Bike Gaspe Day 17

Kouchibouguac to Confederation Bridge PEI. 148 of 2185 km. We arose early and left the motel at the park entrance to ride to the closest Tim Hortons; it was 20 minutes away by Hy 11. While we were enjoying breakfast, we started talking with one of the locals who told us that the store had only been open for 5 months. Without it, we would have had to eat our standby rations or keep going to the next town. He showed us pictures of a smashed car that had killed a moose last night. There used to be a lot of wildlife in the area. In addition to the moose, we saw 11 porcupines, 2 hawks, 1 racoon -all dead- and 1 scruff but alive coyote today. We arrived at the bridge by 3 pm but by the time we got the shuttle across it was a bit late to ride the last 50 km into Charlottetown. We are in Borden - Carlton for the night. On the shuttle bus we met 2 other cyclists- a woman from Quebec City and a man from the Moncton area. Compared with us they were loaded down be caused they were camping.

Bike Gaspe Day 16

Tracadie to Kouchibouguac. 128 of 2037 km. The Auberge Centre-Ville was convenient for us because it had a front room with some kitchen facilities and 2 small bedrooms. We took one and the bikes took the other. With the facilities, we were able to buy supper in the deli section of Super Store and have lots of excellent Greek salad.
The ride into Miramichi was pleasant with just a bit of a headwind. We encountered several road repair projects but they delayed us only a bit. After Miramichi we had a change of direction and benefited from the tailwind for 3 hours. Then the wind changed direction and was into our faces for the last hour. The locals were very good to us cyclists.  Various people waved and tooted their horns. When we stopped for a break a woman came back in her car to see if we were having bike problems. The Acadiens are very nice and helpful people. They are also very proud of their roots as evidenced by the number of Acadien flags.

Bike Gaspe Day 15

Petit-Rocher to Tracadie. 127 of 1909 km. Since we have been doing lots of pedaling, we need energy and thus calories to keep us going. So the first task after getting packed and on our bikes was to find breakfast. About 10 out we found a very appropriate restaurant. We both had their big breakfast combo- 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 slices of bacon,  ham, beans, home fries, pancake, toast and coffee. It really held for the day with just a snack around 1 pm. At breakfast we take with a couple of ladies who mentioned the Acadien village about 50 km further. We stopped there in the late afternoon and had a great time talking to the people who were stationed in each of the buildings. They were just as interested in our bike ride as we were in the Acadiens. We had a tail wind all day and were able to get to Tracadie where we booked in for the night.

Bike Gaspe Day 14

Mari to Petit-Rocher, NB. 158 of 1782 km. There was no place to eat near the motel so we rode for about half an hour, stopped at a restaurant where we got a nice breakfast. Then we rode toward Campbellton NB blest by the sun and held back by the headwind. It was quite flat so it was mainly the wind that slowed us. Just before we left Hy 132 we were stop by another cyclist going the other  way. He and a friend are riding from Nfld to BC via Inuvik and documenting their view of Canada at 150. They plan to publish a video and also a book. Of all things he has lived in Kingston and plans to return there. After lunch and picking up a NB map we started riding eastward with the wind at our backs. That got us close to Bathurst even though we lost an hour crossing into NB. Thus we are in Petit-Rocher tonight.

Bike Gaspe Day 13

Chandler to Maria.148 of 1624 km. We had a nice breakfast and talk with our hostess at the Petite Auberge. While we were eating, the rain started. This was a surprise because the forecast was for sun, heat and wind. While the rain made us wet and cold, it didn't impede our cycling as the forecast 20 to 40 kph winds were absent. After an hour or so, the rain let up and riding became pleasant. By late afternoon we were in New Richmond and decided to go on to Maria. We were surprised by a detour that added to 11 km to the day's ride. Unfortunately we encountered the forecast  strong winds and a couple of hills on the detour. We arrived at the motel after 7 pm. Tomorrow our target is New Brunswick.

Bike Gaspe Day 12

Gaspe to Chandler. 112 of 1476 km. The Adams Motel gave us a nice breakfast to start the day, bacon,  eggs,  potatoes,  toast and coffee. The ride started on a paved dedicated bicycle path through the woods and parallel to the train tracks, which meant flat and protected from the wind. Eventually this ran out and became a sandy road with no direction markings although it presented us with the railway bridge to cross the mouth of the bay. So we hauled our bikes up and crossed the river and bay via the train bridge, which clearly looked abandoned. Subsequently we ended up back on the road for the rest of the day. The terrain was quite hilly to Percé after which it became much more moderate; we saw a hill warning sign saying 17% in the hilly section. On arriving in Chandler, we booked into a b&b; it is really nice and we may have the best room as it has a walkin closet and an attached sitting room with a view.

Bike Gaspe Day 12

Gaspe to Chandler. 112 of 1476 km. The Adams Motel gave us a nice breakfast to start the day, bacon,  eggs,  potatoes,  toast and coffee. The ride started on a paved dedicated bicycle path through the woods and parallel to the train tracks, which meant flat and protected from the wind. Eventually this ran out and became a sandy road with no direction markings although it presented us with the railway bridge to cross the mouth of the bay. So we hauled our bikes up and crossed the river and bay via the train bridge, which clearly looked abandoned. Subsequently we ended up back on the road for the rest of the day. The terrain was quite hilly to Percé after which it became much more moderate; we saw a hill warning sign saying 17% in the hilly section. On arriving in Chandler, we booked into a b&b; it is really nice and we may have the best room as it has a walkin closet and an attached sitting room with a view.

Bike Gaspe Day 11

Grande Vallee to Gaspe 111 of 1364 km. Today was our most challenging day physically because we were a bit tired from yesterday and we encountered lots of hills today. It seemed like we were slogging our way uphill most of the day, and I guess we were; we would spend 10 minutes going up for every one that we went down. Even the "shortcut " through Forillon Park was a challenge. The dedicated bike path was mostly covered with loose gravel, which made both up and down a challenge. The villages along the coast were really in as they all seemed to have a church and tourist facilities, except for restaurants. We ate lunch from a grocery after not finding a restaurant in many kilometers. Gaspe per se seemed to be the start of regular Canadian facilities in the sense of outlets from the major chains such as Tim Hortons.

Bike Gaspe Day 10

Cap Chat to Grande Vallee. 126 of 1253 km. This morning we rode in really good conditions; the temperature was good,  the wind was from the rear and the terrain was nice and flat along the river. We stopped in Mont St Pierre for lunch and continued on along the shore with mountains on our right. It was absolutely gorgeous. At about 105 km they hit us- the hills. We slogged our way up one and coasted down the other side hitting a new speed record of 63 kph. Then we hit another hill that went on and on only to be followed by more uphill road. One of the best pitches couldn't be used to our advantage because the first curve said to slow down to 35 kph, then the road got rough with more slow signs. Susie got to test her disc brakes.  We arrived in Grande Vallee ready for showers and food.

Bike Gaspe Day 9

Rimouski to Cap Chat. 168 of 1137 km. Today there was no breakfast at the motel and nothing open until Mont Joli so we had brunch at the Normandin restaurant there. Then we enjoyed the tail wind for the rest of the day. It was about 12 kph almost all day. At Matane we stopped at the Canadian Tire store to buy a spare tire to keep with us. As we were there in good time we continued on to Les Mechins as that was a spot that we picked as the furthest destination for the day. Over an ice cream cone we decided to go on to Cap Chat after booking a room there at the Pirate. The ride today was great as the scenery was great and the cycling conditions ideal. If it hadn't been so much fun, we would have stopped earlier. Part of the fun was coasting down a hill after climbing up over a headland. This afternoon we had one with a wide smooth shoulder to ourselves that allowed us to really let go. During the run, I peeked at the speedometer and saw 58+ kph; after the run, the bike computer read my maximum speed being 60.5 kph, which was probably the best ever. 

Bike Gaspe Day 8

Riviere du Loup to Rimouski. 118 969 km. Today we got off to a great start. Firstly we had a nice substantial breakfast courtesy of the Comfort Inn. Then we set out on our bikes in sunny weather with a modest headwind; it was nothing like the previous day. Between 20 and 25 km out, Susie noticed a bump with every rotation of the front tire. She showed me the bump on the tire and the damaged tread. So we reduced the tire pressure and rode on to a rest area where we could change the tire and dispose of the damaged one. It was a good decision to carry a spare tire yesterday. That made it 3 tires that had to be replaced on this trip.
Later we detoured into Bic National Park. It was the kind of thing that we came to see- great views. It's got the river in front and a small steep mountain at the back. We entered via a rough paved road and exited via a nice smooth bike path through the woods. We didn't book accommodations on line today and just called a motel after stopping in Rimouski. We lucked out as it's clean,  reasonably priced and our back door opens onto a deck overlooking the St Lawrence. What a view.

Bike Gaspe Day 7

La Pocatiere to Riviere du Loup.  72 of 851 km. We started with a nice large breakfast at Mikes. This really held us for most of the day with a small top up later. Then it was off to Canadian Tire where I was able to buy a tire for my bike and also a spare to carry with us. I changed the tire in the Canadian Tire parking lot making sure to recover my  $20 bill that had served as a tire reinforcement. We crossed the autoroute and headed NE on the rail trail. That's when we encountered the headwind that would dictate our day. It was blowing very hard,  perhaps 30 kph with additional gusts. We were often limited to just 8 kph on level terrain. That made us decide that Riviere du Loup would be a reasonable destination for the day. So I looked on Hotwire and ended up with a nice room at the Comfort Inn;  it has a hot breakfast included so we should have a good good start tomorrow.
The vegetation along the way has been really lush and healthy looking. The dandelions were the largest and healthiest that I have seen.

Bike Gaspe Day 6

Levi to  La Pocatiere. 121 km of 779 km.
Much to my surprise, we woke up to sunshine and nice biking temperatures; granted the wind was from the north east at about 15 to 20 kph which added to the energy required. Our motel was on Hy 132 and we will follow it all the way into New Brunswick.  Last time when we biked through this area, my bike needed a new cassette near L'Islet. The people at Tibo bike shop were so nice that we planned to bring them some business this time. When I looked at my rear tire in Levis it had some small cracks in the rubber so I thought that I could have it replaced at Tibo. Wouldn't you know it; it was Sunday and they were closed. So we continued on toward La Pocatiere. About 9 km out my rear tire blew so I changed the inner tube using a plastic bill as a patch for the tire. With 50 psi and a prayer we made it to a motel for the night. There is a bike shop listed on the Internet so I hope it's open when indicated tomorrow morning. There is also a Canadian Tire store so I should be able to do something. Adjoining the hotel was  a Mikes restaurant, which we tried and found to be quite good so we'll return for breakfast. This is useful information because this is part of a chain in Quebec. 

Bike Gaspe Day 5

Danville to Levis. 142km. 658 km from Kingston.  Since the restaurant near the motel has closed, we ate a breakfast snack from our reserves and started out toward Victoriaville. By the time we made it to Victoriaville,  it was drizzling - what else. That made it easy to decide to have brunch and stay dry and warm.  Susie tried their breakfast entrée of bacon and cheese on egg whites. It's not a winner. In contrast my foot long roast beef sub was good and also substantial. Just before we left, I made adjustments to the front derailleur so that it would shift into high reliably. Today we switched back and forth between the rail trail and Hy 116 as they ran parallel most of the way. We had rain a few more times although it wasn't really hard. From Victoriaville almost all the way into Levis it was straight and quite flat. The rest stops along this part of the rail trail are frequent and really well done. They appear to be adopted by various groups that groom the grounds and installed  various sculptures.  Our route took us right past a Costco store so we stopped there for carrying food and decided to eat in the cafeteria. We booked a motel room from Costco and then ate leisurely because all our necessities were in place. It was nice eating before going to the motel because we didn't have to go out again.

Bike Gaspe Day 4

Walking in Portugal and Spain certainly got our legs in shape even for bicycling. So they haven't given us a lot of trouble.  But walking did not prepare our bottoms for sitting on bicycle seats for hours at a time. To help Susie, we exchanged bike seats and spent quite a bit of time adjusting the seat height, fore and aft position,  and tilt. To explain,  my bike seat is bench style so the pressure points are quite different.  We ran into some detours on the rail trail due to culvert replacement. From Grandby to Waterloo we rode on a perfect rail trail; it was paved a very smooth. Along the way we encountered a man whose wheel chair  batteries had died. So we got the gears disengaged,  loaded him in it and pushed him a few hundred metres to his home. Just before noon we decided to get something warm to eat in Waterloo. As we entered town it started to rain so we stopped at the nearest rest which happens to sell a lot of poutine; so we had poutine and Montreal smoked meat. Lots of calories. Our food break was extended by the and the other customers who wanted to talk. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed their interest in our bike trip.  The afternoon was less eventful and we made better progress through Richmond and finally to Danville where we booked into the St Regis motel.

Bike Gaspe Day 3

Valleyfield to Farnam- 130 km. We packed up, and dropped in at the  Subway store downtown for breakfast. After that we got off Grand Isle and started the real Quebec bicycling - on dedicated bike paths. The first section was along the  Beauharnois Canal- perfect bicycling.  After that we would ride a bit then stop to check the maps as moving from one section of bike path to the next proved a bit challenging.  The weather conditions were similar to yesterday's with lots of westerly wind. It wasn't as helpful as yesterday because we had change directions so often; occasionally we even rode into a headwind.  Eventually we rolled into St Jean Sur Richelieu and stopped to buy new biking gloves for Susie. This bike shop was right on the Trans-Canada trail so we just continued along it to Farnam. About 15 km from Farnam, the fun began.  Susie's rear tire blew so I changed inner tubes and we saw that the tire appeared to hold albeit with a small bulge where the weakness was. After putting 70 psi into it Susie rode carefully along the hard gravel piste hoping that it would hold for the 12 km into Farnam. About 3 km out the replacement tube gave out so we walked to the motel. It is Le Pigeonner, which is where we stayed 8 years ago; that makes 2 out of 3 same motels.  Fortunately there is a bike shop in Farnam and the website said that it was open until 21h00. So we had showers then walked to the bike shop with the rear wheel in hand. The guy at the shop was great. He disappeared into the back room for what seemed to be a long time. I was concerned that he might come back apologizing that they didn't have the right size- WRONG he came back with a selection of 5 different types. I selected a slick with Kevlar which is supposed to be puncture resistant. For the princely sum of  $5 they installed it sent away two happy customers.