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Avery's Ride for PKU blog

I will be blogging about my preparation and planning leading up to the ride and will try to Blog as much as possible as I pedal across the country.

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  • Aug5Tue

    Quebec City and St. Pascal

    August 5, 2014
    One of the rest days I was looking forward to the most was the day in Quebec City.  We left Trois Riviere in good time after a great breakfast at the bed and breakfast and made our way to Quebec.  It was a great ride into Quebec city and was not hard to navigate as hwy 138 basically took me all the way there.  It was another hot day which I actually enjoyed.  The ride for the most part was flat and right along the river.  There were a few hills close to the end of the ride and the total ride was about 145 km.  I also met a man named Rejean on the way to Quebec, he was parked on the side of the road and I noticed two large wood fired ovens so I stopped to see what he was doing.  He was just setting up to bake some bread in the ovens.  He then planned to sell them in a little shop close by.  If I would have had time I would have stuck around to taste the finished product.  He also made fun of me for having a french name and not knowing any french.  Svend had arranged for us to stay with a friend Jolyane and her partner Olivier and daughter Sarah. Svend had met her on his bike trip in Africa.  Thanks to them for hosting us.  When we arrived in Quebec John and I headed into the old part of the city to meet Helene (our laval host) and Luigi who was in Quebec on a holiday work visa and he also has PKU.  It was interesting to talk to Luigi about his experience travelling to another country and trying to manage PKU including including trying to access low protein food etc.  These are challenges I had never thought of before.  We were able to go out for dinner with Luigi and Helene and Helene was taking Luigi back to with her so he could experience Montreal.  It was great to meet another adult who is successfully managing and living with PKU.  After a long ride and a long afternoon touring around old Quebec we headed back to our hosts and watched the Bills lose their first of what is likely to be many losses this season.  Perhaps this is the year they turn it around?  Them and the leafs!  

    The next day was a scheduled day off and all I had on my list of things to do was 1. Laundry and 2. Eat Poutine!  I successfully did both before noon!  Svend made it back from his town reunion in one piece and joined us in Quebec for the rest day.  We headed back down to old Quebec and walked around the city.  This history in that place is unbelievable.  We didn't exactly rest on the rest day with all the walking we did but it was a nice way to spend the day and was relaxing.  After dinner we headed back to our place for the night and mapped out a route for the ride to St. Pascal.  When we had planned to head to St. Pascal we really didn't have any idea where we would stay or if there was even a place to camp there however we found out that Olivier's (Quebec Host) parents lived in St. Pascal and he had called them and they were willing to have us stay at their place.  Another great story of how we have benefited from peoples generosity on this trip.

    We left for St. Pascal by 7:30 and found our way down to old Quebec again where we caught the ferry to Levis and made our way out of the city.  It was a great ride today mostly out in the country away from traffic etc.  The ride was less flat today but not to hard.  It was another hot and sunny day.  The ride today was about 160 km.  Svend was battling a cold but still pushed through to the end.  We also rode for a short time with another guy who was heading to St. Johns from Victoria.  Our hosts tonight have been fantastic.  Yesterday morning they had never even heard of us and today we are staying in their home.  They also treated us to a great meal. Our trek into the east coast starts tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to meeting some more people from the pku community in Edmunston.  






    Comment

    On Wednesday, August 6, 2014, Diane Little said:

    I really enjoy reading all about your adventures Kevin!

    Keep up the great work, looking forward to meeting you and the team...!!

     

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