7/2 gentilly

Things to do when Quebec is having a record breaking heat wave:
Set the bike alarm for 7.30am departure (yeah, sure, that happened)
Find a shaded path to ride on (well, for 5 miles)
Thank God for a decent tailwind most of the day (check)
Stop for milkshakes and smoothies (this did happen)
Water breaks, shade breaks, a/c store breaks,
Put ice is water bottles (works for 10 minutes)
Be grateful for a totally flat ride (check)
Break your arm, skip riding, and walk around (check - see Lisa entry below)
Skip riding and Sleep off your dehydration/heat poisoning (check for paula)
Visit pierreville who's claim to fame was building a pope-mobile. (Really)

Devour a huge meal at 5pm and go to sleep early.
63 miles (plus a little extra if you ride by the hotel) through the farmlands of central Quebec.

After the bikers left and abandoned the invalids (Paula and Lisa) and their driver (John) in Sorel-Tracy, Lisa took a walk to explore the city with the half-assed excuse of trying to get postage.

Heading along the river road where the Hotel de la Rive is situated, I then turned on to a residential street. Lots of cute small, low homes. Pretty basic. Lots of bikers, many in their 60s and 70s. I ended up following signs to the Parc and Marina. Turns out there’s a beautiful park alongside the water. A little museum/historical societe that talks about Pierre Saurel. Sculpture garden, climbing structure. A split pedestrian and bike bath along the water, shaded by trees, where lots of older folk were gather at concrete/stone tables and benches playing games, many of the men shirtless. Lots of people out for walks. It was only 8:30AM. Not huge, but a decent sized park. A nice refuge from the oncoming heat.

The streets were fairly deserted – some cars, just a few people.  I found the post office a couple of blocks down from the library.  It was closed; the Monday after Canada Day is a holiday.

A couple of blocks down from the PO was the town square. A big gazebo, and nice-sized green common in the middle, with, of course, bike paths criss-crossing the green. Most stores were closed. Most looked like they hadn’t been updated in a while, really a while, like a something straight out of The Last Picture Show. It’s as if commercialization has not made it to Sorel – no chain stores, no ubiquitous shopping, not the huge focus on acquiring lots of stuff. People (and houses) didn’t seem to have lots of stuff. Looking at the people, it didn’t seem as if they were poor – more like lower-middle to middle class. There were some Victorian-type houses interspersed between the modest, lower structures. Many seemed to be inns or places of business. But not all. A lot of services – A big court house, lots of mental health centers, a day care center, and the big hospital that Paula had the pleasure of visiting. Those all looked new, newer than the homes, generally.  Maybe vacationers have been upgrading the place, people with 2nd homes revitalizing (or invading) the small town?

Many who passed me said “bon jour”. Maybe my cuff-and-collar sling-like thing makes me look pathetic. Or maybe they’re just nice people.

I walked 4 miles in total.

John is on a business call.

Paula is sleeping.

Maybe we’ll leave someday, or maybe we’re staying.

And that’s the report from Sorel-Tracy

Now some typing rest for the purple and yellow appendage.

Lisa, 7/2/18