Making the most of Montreal

I'm lucky enough to have a bonus weekend in Montreal. And the weather is fantastic!  I've rented a lovely canondale from the bike hire shop at Atwater.  Although I could easily have turned up at Atwater on a bixi, I decide I could not face the humiliation of riding a bixi in full Lycra and cleats, so use the metro instead. .

Today, I am riding with Stuart's cycling buddies, something I couldn't have imagined 2 years ago.  With my "Uncle" Keith, Michel, Marion and Angelo.

Michel asks how fast I ride these days, so I say that I am happy at 15mph on the flat.  Michel thinks I mean kilometers per hour and is horrified at the thought of such a slow day out!

However, although they ride fast, particularly, Michel.  I keep up in a fashion, but Keith notices that I don't draft, so I'm expending a lot more energy than I need to.  He convinces me to give drafting a try, and I do spend a small portion of the ride drafting, and it does make things easier, but I think it is something that will take a lot of practice to feel really comfortable with.

Relaxing with a coffee at Pointe Claire after most of the ride has been completed.

A fabulous 50 mile ride averaging 14.2 mph (ok there were no hills, but still very pleased!). Great company and great day out!

No, I've no idea how I managed this either!

View from my hotel room at the end of a fabulous day!

It's a beautiful sunny and hot Sunday and I'm back to Pointe Claire on my own (we won't mention the average mph, it has dropped quite a bit).  En route to Pointe Claire, I am stopped by a policeman and told to ride on the side walk, which is pretty unusual.  It soon became clear why, when a convey of hundreds of cyclists and about 50 police outriders came through.  A big charity bike ride.

It was lovely to catch up with Ti for a girlie  natter, coffee and a muffin.

On the way back I go into amble mode and start taking photos again.  I loved this roadside sculpture of a dragon made of plants, above a "hobbit" burrow.    There are even hobbit footprints painted on the ground that lead from the burrow and across the road!

It's 32 deg today and the heat take its toll.  I start to feel like I am heading towards a bonk, so head into the Dairy Quuen for an emergency peanut butter parfait ice cream.  Medicinal purposes only.

At Verdun I meet up with Adrienne, Stephane and Cecile.  They have picked a perfect shady swimming spot.  A wonderful place to wile away a couple of hours.

I even go for a paddle in the St Lawrence, for a much needed cool down.

Finally, at the end of a ridiculously, hot, sunny, lovely weekend, more ice cream at Atwater.  Marvellous!