Sep 13, 2013

With predictions of thunderstorms strong winds and possibly hail we headed out ready for a day more on the side of endurance rather than enjoyment and within a few minutes were riding through road works with the road dug up and inundated with water. Not very friendly but we soldiered on and headed north east on the motorway and when it wasn’t raining it was pelting rain until we headed for Joliette for a coffee and we even glimpsed some patchy faint blue sky in the direction we were heading. We found some coffee and by the time we finished it had stopped raining and the sun was out

We had previously decided that the US and Canadian favourite pastime was to play golf given all the manicured courses we have come across ,both public and resort on this trip but today with all the many and varied Church’s, Cathedrals and Basilicas we have seen we think Church building is right up there as well.



Joliette Cathedral. With all the adjoining buildings this looks like a University / Seminary type arrangement but the road was ripped up so we couldn’t get all that close and didn’t really have time either



Joliette square with a water feature to the right. We had coffee at the end of this part of the square



Heading out of town Norm spotted a motorbike shop and I needed a bolt in the back of the Pillion backrest so we wheeled in there and got one and he discovered this Victory bike and the mini snowmobile which needless to say we haven’t seen in Australia



Sanctuary du Notre Dame Basilica du Cap at Cap-de-la-Madeleine. A relatively new building and very nice and HUGE! Had lunch at the restaurant



Inside the Basilica



The Visitation Champlain (I think) Church



Cute house not far from the church

Thankfully the weather stayed dry from lunch on but remained very humid and was hot when we got into Quebec as we negotiated one way lanes and barricades in place for a bike grand prix tomorrow



The yummy view from our hotel room and the tower to the left is the tower from the Seminary

Bits and Bobs:



A sign we don’t have at home – notice that there will be snowmobiles crossing ahead



And another one – a Weighbridge sign…love the old fashioned scales and weights. Cracks me up

Last night’s Accommodation:



Couldn't get back far enough to get the full 24 storeys in but we got two good bikes in so a bonus.

Intercontinental Montreal
360 St Antoine West (Ouest)
Montreal QC H2Y 3X4

Beautiful hotel, beautiful room (big), beautiful bed, fantastic and helpful staff, great restaurants and bar areas serving up delicious food and drinks and parking underneath and even the heating / cooling controls on the wall are connected to something and they alter the temperature as they are supposed to…what more can I say?