July 27, 2024 Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! To Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec



   After breaking camp, we traveled a short distance and found the designated camping area that, not knowing what to expect, we thought we had reached last night! This small area had several wooden platforms for setting up tents, a pit toilet, picnic tables, and a fee for using it.  

   Today was pleasant riding, trending more downhill than uphill as we had reached the highest point of the trail and now were heading downward toward the St. Lawrence. Early on, there was construction along Route 185, part of the Trans-Canadian Highway, where they were cutting through the mountains to make another section of new expressway for the route. This construction wiped out a few miles of the old railroad bed and the trail on it. Signs in French had warned about this, and Kay had deciphered enough to know that there was a shuttle service that would carry you around the work area during certain times on certain days of the week and there was a phone number to call and they would be there in 20 minutes. Today was one of the days the shuttle was available, but we were at the spot before 8 am when the service became available. So instead of trying to call and not knowing if we would get someone that could speak English, and also having to wait, we studied maps and thought that we could work out a way to continue on. We went down a gravel road a short distance, then about 2 miles on the old Route 185 that wasn’t updated to expressway yet. This had wide shoulders so it worked out. Then we were able to take a side road and connect up with the trail again.   

       Jim looked dumb and Kay was challenged trying to chat with some French-only speakers, but were able to have a short, pleasant conversation.

  Raspberry bushes are plentiful along the route, and several short breaks were caused by spying enough red berries on the bushes in one spot to make it worth stopping. The best spot was just after crossing a road and going onto what appeared to be a gravel construction road. We stopped to make sure we were going the right way, then spying a huge patch out in the open right next to the corner, we spent some time picking and eating. 

  In Riviere-du-Loup, we worked our way down the bluff to our motel. From our doorstep, there it is—the St. Lawrence! We took the panniers off our bikes and rode along the waterfront, across the Rivière du Loup from which the town gets its name and onto the point made by the river where it empties into the St Lawrence. We went out to the very end and clambered out over some large rocks to the end of the seawall. We enjoyed our views of the water, the tidal flats, the clouds and the skyline of the hills across the water.

   Heading back, we stopped at one point along the shore where we could clamber down over some rocks to touch the water.  

   Seeing the St Lawrence got Jim thinking: I grew up near a small stream called Egypt Creek. I walked along its banks hundreds of times, saw fish spawn, and saw it flood. I knew its water eventually ended up in the Gulf of St Lawrence but now I have seen and tasted where that water finally turns salty.