Summer arrives - but first one more COLD day

Day 50
July 2, 2018

Early morning on Seal Cove with the lobstermen working their traps.  Forillion National Park and Land's End are in the distance

Seal Cove is hard to leave because it is such a beautiful spot.  But, we have to get out early in case it's actually a crime to sleep here.  We wake to sunny skies and lovely foggy clouds hanging over the mountains and peninsulas all around us.  It's cool and it looks promising for a great day to be on the bike.    We get on the road at 5:45 in the morning and we have planned short mileage day, but we are having a hard time finding potable water.  The rest areas all have a "do not drink" sign posted at their faucets.
We find a woman at a very small general store in the town of Barachois who fills our water bottles.  Her store looks like it is right out of the 1940's or so.  She has a few large appliances, homespun Canadian yarn, some very old looking produce, canned goods, rope, and hardware.  I think you could find just about anything you would need here, or ask her and she would bring it from home for you. While we worried about our night of stealth camping at Seal Cove, the woman at the store quickly guesses where we stopped and remarks on  how beautiful a camping spot it is  - everyone apparently uses this rest area as an overnight tenting spot.

The day is overcast, but Perce Rock is often in view

We are still following Route Verte and its

We have to watch out as the path shifts to a beach trail

surface is about to get interesting.  It has been following  route 132, but takes a turn along the water on a much smaller road.  And, then it becomes a beach.  Literally.  We push our loaded bikes across the sand until the sand yields to some broken asphalt.  The great part here, though, is that we can watch the seals peeking up out of the water and swimming around just off shore.

Pushing through the gravel beach that duals as the Route Verte bike path

The view inland is equally stunning.  These are all salmon rivers and we dream of coming back during the salmon run.

The trail along the beach came complete with a nice swing.  The picnic pavillion, on the other hand, was falling into the ocean similar to the roadway.

As we round the point, we have a steep

climb up and into that cold fog.  I am concerned about the cars being able to see us and we have to descend a 17% grade on a wet route 132 to get to the town of Perce.  For me, its a scary ride down and I am freezing in the misty fog.  Tom is fine because he reasons that we will be out of the cloud very soon and we have very bright flashing lights on our bikes.

Pit Caribou has its brew pub in Perce and that is the next microbrasserie on our Tour des Biers.  Their beers are very good and the pub is warm and welcoming.  They offer generous sized free tastes of any of their beers so that the customer can make an informed decision before ordering a whole pint.  It's a tough choice and just gathering information takes awhile.  And, since it is Peter's 28th birthday, we drink a toast to our youngest child.  We have come a long way since 1990!

That evening we have a gourmet seafood dinner at a restaurant that overlooks the sea and the rock.  We watch the gannets splashing down and spend a very long time at our prime table, but the staff doesn't seem to care.  We sleep that night indoors.  It is cold and blustery and 48 degrees, and the fog keeps blowing down to the ground.  We can't see Bonaventure Island click here at all and the rock drifts in and out of view.  Tomorrow is supposed to be warm and sunny, so we will have to get some photos of that iconic rock tomorrow.  I have transferred the "entertainment" line item in our trip budget to "tour des biers" so we decide to skip the $70 boat trip to the bird colony. 

The morning light on Perce Rock

Day 51
July 3, 2018
Perce to Chandler (Pabos)


Summer has arrived suddenly and with force.  We wake up in Perce and it is already hot after breakfast.  What happened to last night's cold and damp weather?  We ride all day in the heat and the blazing sun.  Our bodies are having a hard time adjusting to the sudden change in temperature.  Yesterday I was wearing my down coat as we explored the town.  There is nothing noteable to tell you about today except that Canada is in a heat wave and most sensible people are sitting under trees and resting.  The heat is oppressive and at one point I think I might be nearing heat exhaustion which I have experienced once before.  So, I know what it feels like.  Even though we are just three miles from our destination, we stop in the shade and drink a bunch of water and try to cool down.  All over Quebec it is hot.  http://time.com/5330635/canada-heat-wave-death-toll-quebec/
Crazy hot.

Lupines are in bloom everywhere

It has taken us 5 hours to ride a total of about 30 miles and we were battling a  headwind and the heat all day.  Once we cool off, we head out to the sea to sit in the shade and read.  The sea is cold and the shade is wonderful.  Tomorrow is supposed to be just as hot.

Day 52
July 4, 2018 (Happy Birthday, USA!)
Chandler to New Carlisle

The next morning we get up at 5 am and leave early to try to avoid riding in the heat and the headwind.  We are able to pass the 20 mile mark before the winds get too bad.  But, it is unbelievably hot.  We stop at Port Daniel at 9:30 am to rest and it already feels like its 100 degrees.  Unfortunately, we are still in the area where potable water is scarce.  We keep stopping to check at rest areas, but to no avail.
We spend three hours in the shade of some big old trees outside the public library in New Carlisle just reading our books and staying cool.  And, finally we have an unlimited water supply.  The library doesn't have AC, but it is actually very cool and comfortable in the shade.  We just go a few miles outside town and camp in a shady place.  Our planned stop was a campground out on a beach, but it is in the direct sun so we change plans.
Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler.  Thank God!

The meadows along the route are filled with flowering plants and grasses and help to show off the many quaint farms dotting the landscape.

Our mapping for the days: