Montreal to Ausable Chasm, NY

August 18, Sunday
Montreal

Sleep in until 6 – mid 50’s.  Clear and calm all day with a high around 80.  Go with Peter for coffee and roll and a brief skype with Cathy before I have to head back for breakfast set up at 7:30.  Pancakes and bacon at 8.  After clean up I give my bike a good cleaning and lube, and shine.  At 10 three buses leave for downtown for the 11 am service at St Andrew and St Paul  Presbyterian Church.

Black Watch flag on the sides, a stained glass for St Columba / Iona and a very good service in a great sanctuary. 

Leave the church a bit after 12:30 for a short ride (1.5 miles) to the old town.  In an attempt to generate  community favor there is gay pride parade but very unfortunately they bring the city to a standstill with gridlock and what would have been a walk of as long as 20-30 minutes turns into a pathetically long bus ride that doesn’t get us there until 2 pm.   Going with Peter and Elly we go to the Basilica of Notre Dame

We walk around town and get croissants at Bar de Beurre

,and wander around the very busy shops, restaurants, and artisan booths in the old town.  

Back to meet the bus at the waterfront at 5, back to camp at 6 for supper:  chicken stir fry and rice, ice cream.    Peloton, meeting those joining the tour and small groups – meet Taylor, the pastor of the RCA in Hopewell Jct.   Bed at 9, lights out at 9:15.

August 19, Monday

78.4 miles Montreal to Ausable Chasm       

Leave camp at 6:45 with Dave and Russ again and we head through some very confusing roads through the reservation, including a mile of gravel road.  A flat rail trail heads due south with steady west winds until we stop at the last Tim Hortons for coffee (mile 12).  Some very rough roads afterwards including a very rough 2 mile section of unpaved road through some farm fields which was very slow going for a long time.   Finally we got on another 11 mile section of very nice rail trail.   After another sag at 30 miles we made it to the border (around mile 40) at Champlain a nice rural and low volume entry point that doesn't take long at all.

Back in the States where English is the first language and my cell phone works again.

The day gets pretty warm and my bike computer is fading.  I stop in Plattsburg and find the train station,

I eat lunch as I wait for the southbound Adirondack to come south across the Saranac River bridge.

Get a battery at the bike shop and a cold sports drink at a bakery and then head south meeting up with Peter and Elly at the last sag stop about 12 miles from camp.  South of Plattsburgh, we come upon a field with metal art in it (Stoneledge Sculpture Garden), including a creative version of The Lord's Supper:

We ride up two long steep hills before we arrive at the Ausable Chasm camp.  Set up camp, shower, and internet, phone calls with Cathy and Mom.  Chili for supper, peloton, and small groups.    Tomorrow’s ride should be in the mid to upper 80’s and have the single greatest rise (6700 feet) of any day on the entire 9 week tour!