Laura Snowball, fresh from her adventures in Scotland and Portugal, joined G. T. Bishop on the EXO train to Sainte Catherine; he embarking at Lucien L'alliers and she at Vendome. The first topic of conversation was the continuing mystery of how to purchase a ticket for the train under the new fare system with your Opus card.
Once again, an MBC member gave up in frustration and jumped on the train, sans ticket. Laura recounted how a kind person had informed her that apparently not all Opus cards are created equal and a second, 'special' Opus card is required to use with the EXO ticket machines.
Just then, the train conductor stopped by the two members and they tensely waited to see if he would ask to see their tickets but he only wanted to tell them to go to the lower level if they wanted to talk as the upper level was the quiet area. Phew!
In short order, the train was crossing the bridge over the Saint Lawrence and rolling towards Sainte Catherine. The diligent conductor didn't feel it necessary to announce the stop so the members had to keep a keen eye out for the station and get their bikes ready to descend.
Successfully on Terra Firma again, the members set off on this cool but lovely day on the nearby bike path through a local park before turning northwards to pick up the path that follows the river. Eschewing the Tim Horton's option near the 132, the members stopped for a coffee at a new cafe just off the bike path.
This turned out to be a wonderful find with good coffee, nice breakfast offerings and full of young mothers and their children using the available games and books on offer. Highly recommended.
Descending down the other side of the bridge there didn't seem to be much activity happening on the REM line.
But there was no lack of construction at the end of the bridge where a newly paved bike path was torn up for some hard to fathom construction work.
The members managed to weave their way around the ubiquitous orange cones and set off on a circuit of Nun's Island. What a shame that most fixture rides race across the island from one bridge to another as the tour around the island is enchanting.
Exiting Nun's Island, a final ride along the Verdun shore to pick up the path along de l'Eglise street, over the aqueduct and along Saint Jacques to the Lachine Canal and, finally, up de Courcelle where Laura and G. T. bid adieu after a very enjoyable fall ride of just under 50K.
G. T. Bishop
Postscript: This most excellent ride was marred at the end for G. T. as he rode through downtown on the de Maisonneuve bike path for home. Stopped at an intersection to await the green light, a mindless cyclist rode past him at full speed through the interestion without looking left or right and forcing a vehicle to jam on its brake to avoid broadsiding him.
Sorely, tempted to catch him up and berate him for his behaviour that gives all cyclists a bad name, G. T. was thwarted by the fact that the idiot did the exact same thing two blocks later! A very, strong candidate for a Darwin award.
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