Quebec Day 19

Start: Joliette
End: Saint Sauveur
Mileage/cumulative:  48.73 / 770.48
Elevation Ascended/cumulative: 3,166’ / 28,757 
Weather: Start – Sunny 42 degrees / Sunny 52 degrees 
Flat tires (entire group) day/cumulative: 0 / 6

The best way to describe this day is completely demoralizing. The route had some beautiful fall scenery but it was loaded with endless steep climbs of upwards of 15% that we didn’t expect, making both of us frustrated and cranky. Neither one of us are afraid of climbs on the bike but when combined with drivers speeding along their mountain roads and not expecting to see cyclists, it was, to say the least, not the most enjoyable day. 

As we cursed our way up and down the road, we took solace in knowing that there was a brewery with outdoor seating at mile 45, less than four miles from our destination.  Our hopes were crushed when the nice hostess told us that the outdoor seating was closed due to a shortage of employees. The indoor seating was crowded with no room for our bicycles, which we never leave unattended outdoors, even with locks.  (The employee shortage is a common problem throughout Quebec, but more on that later.)  So, back on our bikes we went, riding on a nice path for 1.5 miles before coming across a boulangerie with delicious pastries.

We finally arrived at our hotel and, after cleaning up, set out on foot for a family-owned pizza restaurant that received five star reviews.  It was open but to say that they were completely disorganized would be an understatement. Their problem was not a lack of personnel, but rather, too many Italian family members who couldn’t seem to agree on how to do anything.  The good news is that we got wine in short order, so we just sat and watched the chaos unfold, sipping red wine and taking bets on what, if any, food would actually be delivered to our table. The more wine we drank, the funnier the “show” became.  Our salads and pizza did finally arrive and they were very delicious.  However, if the Three Stooges had popped out of the kitchen it wouldn’t have come as a surprise.

On a trip this long, there’s always going to be at least one day when the universe conspires to beat you down.  Luckily, at the end of the day, we were able to laugh at the absurdity of it all and hit the reset button.

Even on a frustrating day, Bev managed to get some nice photos!