This was supposed to be the shortest day of our tour (36 miles) so we delayed our departure to 10:30 to allow us time to visit the Arcadian Art shops we missed yesterday. Doris, Dianne, Diana and I walked over there and Doris took our photo communing with the musicians.
It was almost 11:00 when we finally lined up for a photo among the travelers just outside our hotel. We pedaled toward town because Stan and Fred found out about a route verte that utilized a section of road and a bridge that was closed to all motorized traffic. After a couple of wrong turns we found it and took a roundabout way to get to Highway 132.
Baie des Chaleurs was still on our right with its gorgeous vistas. We passed s couple of small towns where the fishing boats were in the quais.
Our lunch stop was in the park at the small town of Pasbepiac, only about 17 miles into our ride. While there Fred suggested that we ride an extra 10 miles today, since our scheduled ride was so short. That would make tomorrow's 50 mile ride 10 miles shorter. We all agreed to do that and Bill and Doris agreed to meet us there with the trucks and trailer. While still at the lunch stop I looked at the confirmation letter from our B&B and found that we were short one bed! I told the group that I was going to stop there and sort it out on my way to our new destination.
Dianne and Diana rode with me to Tranquil Acres where we spent half an hour working out the logistics of tonight's stay. We had to relocate Tom's bed and put Otis on a pullout couch but it all worked out. On the way out Dianne found a buddy on the bench out by the road.
As we were pedaling out of Tranquil Acres I saw Bill and Doris go by on the highway below us, then Stan and Barbara. I hustled to catch up to Stan and Barbara and rode with them for a while. There were some challenging hills, but the views were breathtaking!
On a long downhill stretch Diana came screaming past me, then Dianne, just as I saw Bill with the trailer in a parking lot on the right. I stopped there and had a snack and refilled my water bottle. When I arrived Otis, Tom and Fred were there. Tom got in the truck, I turned around and everyone else was gone!
I did not ride solo very long. Fred was waiting for me about a mile ahead (I think Doris told him to wait but I did not ask). We passed a hotel with the shiny silver colored roof like on so many of the churches in this area. Not sure what it is, but it sure shines in the sun! Fred and I rode together for several long climbs at 7% grade, and he dropped his chain near the top of a hill when we were creeping along... he bit the pavement but got up in seconds and insisted he was OK.
The hills continued; I guess I should have looked at the elevation profile when we discussed riding an extra 10 miles! The water to our right is now the golfe de Saint-Laurent. Bill noticed while driving to the new meeting point that we were going to encounter a lot of climbing, so he stopped a few miles short of Newport. That was perfect! Our last mile was a sweeping downhill with the incredibly blue water to our right. I slowed down to make it last a little longer.
The rest of the riders piled into Fred's truck and headed for the B&B while I waited with Bill for Barbara and Stan to arrive. I drank the rest of my water and sati n an Adirondack chair drinking in the view until they arrived about 20 minutes later.
We had prearranged to eat dinner here and it was great! Myra cooked everything from scratch, including the cakes and pies; all the vegetables and fruits were from her own garden and orchard. What a treat after eating in restaurants for so many days.
The house is very homey, including a bathroom downstairs made up to look like an outhouse (the toilet flushes). There is a hand operated pump in the corner, and the sink is cleverly placed on top of a wooden barrel.
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