Warm Ride to the Great Blue

 A. T. Lane, Louis Rubenstein, W. G. Ross, Doreen Thomas and G. T. Bishop met at the Shaika Café to embark on a short ride to Lachine via Verdun and Lasalle. Of course, time was taken to dose up with some caffeine though Louis was too engrossed in recounting his history of hairstyles to make it to the counter. Perhaps someday he will provide photographic evidence of his "Perm" era!

A. T. suggested we head to the Lachine canal via the Pullman bridge so he could show us the work proceeding on the Bande Verte. It involved skirting construction works along a yet-to-be-opened bike path along St. Jacques but this is typical with the club, known forever as 'Doing a Malcolm'.


Trying to imagine how this will all look when it is finished can be aided by referring to the consultation document available at this link: 

https://www.turcot.transports.gouv.qc.ca/fr/info-citoyens/activites-information/Documents/VersionFinale_Cahier_Ame%CC%81nagement%20bande%20verte.pdf 

From our viewpoint on the Pullman bridge, the plan shows what it might ultimately look like.


We then carried on to the Lachine Canal and on towards Verdun. A. T., full of ideas, suggests heading down Wellington street rather than going directly to the river path in order to check out the newly installed car-less street. Verdun has done quite a nice job; much more inviting than Ste. Catherine street last summer.



Passing south of Wellington street, we finally pick up the bike path that follows the river, though it was closed for a large portion around the standing wave. Continuing towards Lasalle, A. T. spotted a water dweller and the members stopped to check it out.



Coming to Lachine, the members decided to start heading homewards as the day continued to heat up and then split up at Dollard Avenue with some hardy souls heading for Devil's Hill and the remainder continuing on the Lachine Canal back to Montreal proper.


It was warm work but an enjoyable ride and with some nice surprises along the way.

The fixture ride was 30 kilometers plus whatever k's each member added depending on their start/finish location. For G. T., that made it 45k for the morning.


G. T. Bishop



Comments