EX'd Out

The fixture from Vaudreuil to St. Jerome was postponed a day but its survival was in doubt after A. T. Lane joined G. T. Bishop and Ruth (who has subsequently adopted the sobriquet of Kittie Knox - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittie_Knox) on the EXO train at Vendome announcing he would depart at Ste. Anne for another solo ride home.

The final spike in the route plan occurred one stop later when Louis Rubenstein hopped on at Montreal West and questioned the route plan due to the condition of the road between Hudson and Rigaud. G. T. suspected that this reticence to ride through Rigaud to Pointe Fortune might have something to do with some historical anathema between tony Hudson residents and regular Rigaudians but did not belabour the point and agreed to adjust the route from Hudson to Oka and Deux Montagnes; an oldie but a goodie.

From Louis: Au contraire: the nixing of the route twixt Hudson & Rigaud was not on account of avoiding less Tony ‘hoods but to escape the hideous condition of the road. The route thru OKA to DM is fabulous and very scenic.

A. T. waved goodbye at Ste. Anne as well as Kittie's son who is a regular user of the EXO train in the reverse direction to most morning commuters. The train also held a number of students as well as we few bikers and one wonders how many more users there would be if the trains ran more frequently.

Finally, the remaining members disembarked at Vaudreuil and quickly made their way over the 20 to distance themselves from the suburban 'paradise' around the station. It was a given that even though the members would now take the Hudson/Oka ferry, no ride to the area would miss a foray into Hudson town proper for further travels down Louis' Memory Lane.

Passing the Willow Inn, the members popped in to say hello to some of Louis' progeny before continuing to the necessary café stop. Café Mikko Espresso on the Main street was chosen for its inviting front lawn and re-purposed house.

A pillow-laden spot on the terrace was chosen and the members lingered languorously over their coffees and pastries; discussing biking adventures past and future, interspersed with Kittie's and Louis' memories of teaching in foreign lands.

The members finally stirred themselves and set off on their bicycles for a side trip down to the Hudson Yacht Club where Louis had spent many, fond summer's days as a young man not to mention the legendary Thursday evening teen dances. Unfortunately, cyclists were not allowed past the main gate of the yacht club; even famous, former members. The cyclists were invited to leave their bicycles at the gate and walk the grounds but were loathe to dismount, and Louis had to settle with reminiscing with the current yacht club members manning the gate.

At last, Louis grudgingly allowed the members to start making for the ferry as he said good-bye to Hudson once again.

The day was warming up nicely by the time they reached the ferry.

A pleasant crossing that included a joking ticket taker (Too bad you were not here yesterday, cyclists travelled for free!), an Indian motorcycle, a three-wheeled Spyder vehicle and a truck towing a classic pickup truck brought the members to the Oka side and the start of La Vagabonde path.

Many previous fixtures have included this route and there is not much more to add. It is enjoyable riding with a few little climbs in the Oka park section and, before long, the members were passing the under-construction REM station at Deux Montagnes and then the one at du Moulin.

Carrying on to pass into Laval via the dam, G. T. gave the members the option to choose how to proceed through Laval and Kittie voted for taking the cable ferry to Ile Bizard as this would be new terrain for her.

After receiving directions from the well-coiffed traffic agent at the REM construction site that still blocked the road, the members followed the shorter detour route around to the ferry.

Exiting the ferry, G. T. led the way onto the path for traversing the Parc-Nature-du-Bois-de-L'ile Bizard, a lovely stretch of gentle, sunlight-dappled trees. Prior to leaving Ile Bizard onto the island of Montreal, the members popped into a grocery store for some lunch items and then continued on to the bridge and along boulevard Gouin until they found a small park by the water to enjoy their lunch.

They had the park to themselves except for a gaggle of Canada geese that seemed to be drawn to Louis.

Finishing up lunch, the members discussed how to proceed for the final leg of the ride and it was decided to head towards the bike path along Pierrefonds and then Salaberry to reach the Parc-Nature-du-Bois-de-Liesse rather than brave the unpleasant section of Gouin at Roxboro.

Another serene ride along wooded paths in the park brought the members to more REM construction.

Exiting the park, there was an unholy noise along with masses of dust being thrown up along the rail line although it was unclear what work was going on. The best guess was a contraption that was throwing stone to create the rail bed.

A fresh example of artistic expression was encountered along the rail line. One hopes that future ones will be as inventive.

Louis declined the suggestion to push ahead along the rail line through the narrow, sort-of path under the hydro lines that parallels the rail line and the members followed the normal bike route along suburban streets and river-side parks until turning right onto O'Brien and heading south.

Passing under the 40, Louis bid adieu as he made his way back to Montreal West while Kittie and G. T. carried on into TMR and Outremont where she showed G. T. an excellent way to get from TMR to the Plateau near the new UdM Science buildings before parting ways at Laurier Avenue.

Ultimately, the alternate ride was as long as the original planned one of 88K although missing a final EXO train ride at the end but substituting an additional ferry trip. Still, a ride enjoyed by all on a late, summer day.

G. T. Bishop

(Postscript from Louis: I stopped @ the Orange Julep where I have not been for over 50 years and paid $10.46 for an orange julepy thing. I lamented about it with another golden ager.  I remember when it was .75 and a girl would deliver it on roller skates.)

  P.S. by A.T. Lane

Engrossed in his book, Song of the Dodo, A.T. took a second EXO train back from Ste Anne to Lachine.  He cycled back from there, pausing only to take a photo of the tunnel under highway 20 leading to the Lachine train station and the ghost bike near Ville St Pierre.