This is Eco1...
Have set camp in a wooded meadow on the grounds of The Mission de L'Esprit. A light sunshower has begun to fall as I write inside my tent. Hope the missionaries - nowhere in sight - don't mind me camping here....
I'm glad the day's over and Montreal is behind me. I'd been dreading this section for months and now it's done.
No misfortunes to report. Think the helmet stopped my head from exploding many times today as I twisted and turned the EcoRocket over potholes, cracks, sunken storm drains, and protruding manhole covers. The road had the poor velo going in three different directions on a regular basis. I do pity the north shore drivers with the UPdown twist-turny hwy 344. How can it be a highway if there's a 4-way stop every two blocks? It's madness! MADNESS!!!
Had no problems at all with the drivers. Montreal - like most of Quebec, I understand - is cycling-friendly. There were many fine bike paths along the way. I must have had more smiles, waves and 'thumbs up' in Quebec so far than other provinces. I'm glad to be here though my lack of French language bothers me.
When I begin to speak French to people, they realize right away that I'm an English speaker. Either I stumble through withmy French (If they don't speak English, or they switch to English (if they do). I'll continue to respond in French as they speak in English, as a show of mutual respect and effort, I suppose. Maybe I shouldn't feel bad about speaking English in Quebec, but I do. I'll only speak English if I absolutely have to.
The sad part is my inability to talk about Global Warming and the Kids Can EcoChallenge with the kids here. To try and make up for this, I'll park the EcoRocket in some park or shopping mall where kids are hanging out and they just instantly flock to the velo. I answer what questions I can - parents or camp counsellors help with translation - but mostly let them look. Kids want to check it out because they think it's cool.
Today I stopped at Parc Rochefort and the day camp kids there just mobbed the thing with a camp counsellor doing some translation for me. I waited for the North-East rush hour traffic to passby, jumped in the waterpark spray, and read a little. Now and then I'd look over and see a kid or two peering inside the EcoRocket. And I go back to my own childhood.
The message of human-powered transportation doesn't really need words. That was the idea and it's gratifying to see it work. It's on the faces of everyone I pass during my 9-10 hour ride. It's an amazing thing to see the changing expression on someone's face when their world just got a bit bigger, more wonderful..
Tomorrow, I hope to cross south at Trois Rivieres and continue north-east along the south shore on hwy 132.
This is Eco1...Out.
-- Major Dude
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network
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