Montreal to Monty's Bay Campsite: Answering Life's Big Questions

October 5, 2016

Today we have a great surprise for you--we'll be doing an exclusive interview with Stephanie Powell, touring cyclist extraordinaire, who is currently halfway through a tour around, but mostly nowhere near, Lake Ontario. With all her travel experience, Stephanie undoubtedly has an immense amount of wisdom to share.

Theoretical Interviewer: Thank you for joining us, Stephanie. It's great to have you here.

Stephanie Powell: It's my pleasure, Interviewer.

TI: First of all, I see you've added a new scrape and bruise to the collection, just below your knee. How did that happen?

SP: On my way out of Montreal, I had to cross a huge bridge with a two-way bike lane. Here and there they had barriers you have to weave around. The barriers on the uphill portion were fine, but on the first downhill one, I ran into it with my left pannier. I must have smashed my shin into the pedal.

TI: Ouch!

SP: Oh, it wasn't so bad. The worst part was there were two cyclists right on my tail, and an oncoming one who had stopped to let me through. I walked around the rest of the downhill barriers; clearly I have a new skill to work on.

TI: You had an interesting time trying to follow the Route Verte into Montreal. Did you find it any easier leaving the city?

SP: No, not really. I didn't meet up with the Route until Longueuil, and then I learned that it has something like 10 different branches and none of the signs indicate which branch you're taking, or even that you have a choice. I had to do a fair bit of backtracking. The fog didn't help.

TI: So how long did it take you to get out of the city?

SP: I'm not sure. It was a lot easier and faster from the outskirts of Longueuil. Once I saw the first sign pointing toward Chambly, I was able to let the signs guide me.

TI: And after Chambly?

SP: I have a printout of turn-by-turn directions of the Champlain Bikeway, which starts at Chambly and goes around Lake Champlain. The Route Verte signage and these directions were easy to follow.

TI: What surprised you about your route today?

SP: I didn't know there was a canal in Chambly. It was fascinating; I had no idea water could be such a murky green.

TI: You wouldn't want to go for a swim in that!

SP: Definitely not.

TI: How was the border crossing into the US?

SP: Pretty easy. The officer spoke with a throaty drawl that suggested bicycles are children's toys where he comes from, so I had to explain why I was doing this.

TI: Always a tough one. What did you say?

SP: That it's the best time of year for it. Then he commented on the distance, and I said I did a longer trip througb Europe last year. He flipped through my passport a second time, then handed it back and wished me a good trip--without smiling, of course.

TI: Sounds like it went smoothly. Sometimes when you cross a border, everything changes. Did you notice anything about New York that was different?

SP: Not much. American flags, of course. Distance signs--in miles now--that look a lot more promising than they actually are. Traffic lights hanging from tangles of wires instead of on poles. Lawns are bigger--everything looks like a golf course.

TI: You've been complaining nonstop about your tired legs. Why do such a long day today?

SP: It's simple: nowhere else to stay. The woman at Monty's Bay Campsites said they keep an area for cyclists because there's nothing else.

TI: Not a hearty endorsement. Would you recommend the campground?

SP: I'd like to, but I'm not sure I should. They only charge $5 a cyclist and showers are free, so they're providing charity rather than making any money off people like me.

TI: Maybe they'll read this and increase their rates.

SP: I doubt it... why are there so many mosquitoes here?

TI: Hey, I'm the one asking the questions.

SP: You're not doing a very good job. You promised everyone answers to life's big questions, but you're giving them the petty details of my day.

TI: Well, what big thoughts were on your mind today? Any inspirational quotes that summarize your day?

SP: "This is what a cornfield looks like."

TI: That's it? You complain about my skills as an interviewer when the most awe-inspiring, life-affirming thing you can think of is a 20-year-old, obscure Simpsons quote?

SP: I... this interview is over!

Proving that pool noodles are indeed the new duct tape, here they are being used as padding on the repair scaffolding on the bridge out of Montreal

Montreal from the Jacques Cartier bridge. I snapped this literally 2 seconds before the fog enveloped the view.

Bike spiral near the edge of Longueuil. Really weird, neverending ramp. Seemed like a lot of effort just to get above a set of train tracks. The great part is I didn't notice a staircase for pedestrians (but there might be one, I was kind of dizzy by the time I reached the top).

Today's ride: 110 km (68 miles)
Total: 1,374 km (853 miles)

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