Varennes by da sea

GT Bishop, Dorothy Coles and Louis Rubenstein met up in the Old Port as they frantically raced for the Navark ferry after being blocked by an endlessly long freight train rumbling through Old Montreal.

They made it down to the dock just in time for Dorothy and Louis to bluff their way onto the boat for a free passage to Varennes with their Senior ABC Opus cards.

It was a cloudy and cool day but cozy in the enclosed zodiac ferry that first stopped at Pointe-aux-Trembles before continuing on to Varennes.

On arrival in Varennes, the three members headed for a coffee stop but took the time to check out a quaint chapel that was open.

GT's promise of a coffee stop was postponed when the one place nearby had no seating and no pastries! Not sure how they will survive just selling coffee to go!? Google came to the rescue and, after a pleasant ramble along the shore path and a slight detour, a perfectly fine boulangerie with coffee, pastries and seating (but no bike rack!) was found.

With their present needs met, the members jumped on their bikes and started to ride towards Boucherville. Just outside Varennes, an enticing sign indicated wine tastings and the members decided 'Why not?!'.

Their sommelier was very generous with the pours as the three members sampled four different wines from their stock. Two out of the four were serviceable enough that the members purchased some wine to add to their panniers and then wobbled back onto the bike path.

The weather did not warm up as promised but the members enjoyed the historic homes along the bike path through Boucherville before passing the Longeuil marina and beside the seaway towards St Lambert lock.

The bridge went down just as they arrived and, when the guard finally ambled along to open the gate, the members made their way along the dyke, under the Champlain bridge and across the Estacade.

Continuing across Nun's Island and then to the Lachine Canal, Dorothy and Louis said good-bye to GT as they made for the Lionel-Groulx Metro and GT continued back to the Old Port and then home.

Distance for the day 50K.

GT Bishop