Tuesday August 11 Riviere Ouelle (Municipal Campground with over 200 sites, pool, on the St. Laurence River)

Spent most of last night hanging out at the little pub downstairs until closing time which is about 11;30. Big hostel and only ~ 10 people both nights. Based on my 7 room mates I am the late owl but I doubt that with Quebec's night life, First up (I had to open the kitchen) and got out to the bike to discover another slow leak on the front - changed tube, rode around the old city and on the ferry at 8:00 am. Great off road bike route (former r/r) in Levis and yet again great La Route Vert and Hwy #132. Didn't get as far as I had hoped due to head winds. Like going into Quebec, La Route Verte got me again with a ~20 km gravel section. Caught up to a young girl from Markham doing the trip solo from mid May to mid September!!! We rode together for a while but when we got to the road for the last 12 km to the campground she fell way back as expected. She is well prepared (all the right maps, makes campground reservations etc) unlike me and travels light (2 rear bags and a foamy). I got to the campground and noticed another solo cyclists across from me, however another neighbour came over and asked me if I wanted some of their leftovers so I sat with them for a while, Chatted later with the two solo cyclists then had some beer with G. He is doing a short trip from Quebec to Labrador or Newfoundland via the Gaspe Peninsula but he has had bike problems and knee problems already and it's only been two days. It feels like summer is fading - when Kevin and I rode in the Fraser Valley you could hardly tell that the plants in the fields were corn b/c they were so small and now I sometimes can't see the horizon b/c the corn is so tall. And also once again I am writing this in the tent just after 9:00 pm b/c it gets dark at 8:30. Even ate my dinner and washed dishes in the dark tonight. Looking at the map I may be able to get to Edmunston NB tomorrow if everything goes well.

OD 5763.8 km, 7:24:40, 138.13 km, 18.6 ave, 46.1 max