Day 37
My night in the Gazebo went well. The stars were incredible - and I've never before looked at them far enough north to see the big dipper under the pole star - and the sound of the surf on the nearby beach was also very nice. It did get cold, but I wore my bicycling hat and my head net (for bugs, but it this case it also helped keep my head warmer. My hostess provided a comforter (as well as an expedition weight down bag which she had used in Nepal!). The comforter and my light weight bag was good enough to keep me warm. Breakfast was excellent and mostly very home made - you could hear the hens that laid the eggs, etc. My hostess (The Poplars B+B, Beresford, NB and she has an email address which I'll send to any one who requests it) charged me $15 CD. Best lodging buy of this trip!

The weather deteriorated rapidly after a nice start. When I left about 9:45 (B+Bs are hard to get away from!) it was heavily overcast and about 65 F. Within 10 miles it was raining and less than 60 F. Mid July? I guess I should not come so far north...

I rode about 50 miles in light to moderate rain today, mostly wearing my Campmor rain cape. I was actually more comfortable than I was in yesterday's cold headwinds and lots faster (about a 12.5 mph avg versus around 11 for most of yesterday). My feet did get a bit cold and passing traffic could create wind bursts that caused problems with the cape, but usually there wasn't much traffic, what there was polite, and the road, the scenic route (134?) had mostly very good shoulders. It was actually pretty good riding despite the rain. There were some logging trucks and other big trucks going to industrial sites in the first half of the ride, but the scenic route pretty much parallels the main route, 11, so the vast majority of the traffic was on 11. Some of the views across the bay to Quebec were quite nice.

Quebec as seen from New Brunswick
I stopped for lunch in Charlo (good lunch, cheap, at La Source) and stopped at the info booth in Dalhousie - not much useful info. I stopped again at the info station in Campbellton and decided to cross the bridge to Quebec (there was construction later on the NB side) and check out the Quebec info that was "just across the bridge." It was actually about 3 miles past the other end of the bridge, but I did meet some Quebec bicyclists there and I did, after a few language problems, get the small map I needed for tomorrow's ride.

It was an easy ride, if a bit hilly, to Matepaedia. Quite pretty even with the lousy weather. I had some problems adjusting to the every thing in french and little or no English signage on the road. I'm staying at a motel (costing about $65 CD with tax) because I wanted to spread my stuff out to dry after today's rain and because I want to phone my daughter on her 14th birthday.

There is a good Hostel almost next door ($15 CD a night) but no B+Bs except up (very up) in the hills. I had an excellent supper at the cafe associated with the hostel for $13 CD - that included wine. It was a bit difficult ordering since the menu and the waiter were both strictly in french. I did finally get what I ordered (a fish casserole) but only after the waiter brought me spaghetti which I didn't order and then I had to wait again while the fish was prepared. Ah well, it was worth the wait. I also got to visit again (in English) with the bicyclists I met at the Quebec info station. Nice.

It turns out that there is a cheap ($35 CD) motel 2.5 miles up the main road from Matepedia. It looked OK and, if I had known about it, I might have stayed there.

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