The Adventures of Rivendell Academy's Outing Club

SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2018

(I apologize for skipping a couple of days...I am finding that between my inexperience with this and spotty internet, it is hard to get a full blog with photos put together and uploaded. We are now at the youth hostel where I hope to catch up a bit....I will back track to the days prior to this soon, but perhaps Quebec City will be next on the docket)

Today was a “short” day...just 38 miles along one road (route 138) on the northern banks of the St. Lawrence Sea Way. We decided to pack up snacks and lunches on our bikes and make sure that all of the adults had some Canadian cash for spontaneous stops along the way. The cyclists traveled in 3 “pods” while the two sag wagons met them along the way to enjoy some of the stops. The goal was to have more spontaneity and choice given that we had more time.

THE TASTING POD

Just a mile or two out of camp I was driving along looking for a coffee spot where I might be able to work on the blog a little. I soon spotted tell-tail bikes and people in yellow vests at a roadside stand. Shan, Sarah, Ms. Keefer, and Ms. McConnell had just enjoyed warm muffins and were purchasing fresh bread to go with cheese to be purchased up ahead. Attached was an ice cream stand...yes, it was only 9:18 in the morning, but Shannon, Sarah, and I had an ice cream pact at the start of the trip. Shannon and I were all for it!! Heck, breakfast for me had been 4 ½ hours earlier. Sarah and Ms. McConnell didn’t really take long to join us!! YUMMMY!!!

For the remainder of the day, this group had a goal of tasting Quebecois food whenever possible...homemade organic cheese on fresh bread, delicious chocolates, and at least one Tim Horton’s donut.

Can't wait for that first bite!

It's never too early for ice cream

SO TASTY!!

Cheese Shop Number 1 visited by the Tasting Pod

PARKS r US POD

(This group was so far ahead, I never got the chance to take a Pod Photo, and I haven't yet figured out how to get photos from Doc's Android onto my Mac Computer...check back soon because I hope to update this post after we figure that out)

Doc, Emily, Maddie, and Sammie opted to take off early this morning to get some mileage in before the rest of the group headed out. By the time I finished enjoying my ice cream with the “tasting pod” and caught up to the Tasco Truck at mile 15, they had already passed through. This crew also had ice cream as a mid-morning snack break...just not quite as early as the others. While enjoying their sweet treat, they got to see a little parade – a fire truck blocking the entire road, followed by about 100 children riding bikes. Their lunch break was at a park; the coolest part of that park was a fence made of bike parts. Later in the day they took a rest stop at a beautiful spot along the St. Lawrence. Once at the campground (first ones by a long shot) they enjoyed Nutella sandwiches on the French equivalent of graham crackers while playing a game of war.

THE CHEESE MONGER POD

These guys stopped at a different ice cream place along the way, but were out of luck –not open yet. I met them at the 15 mile SAG stop, and we decided that maybe they really did want to go back and take the 4 kilometer (one way) detour to a cheese place. I quickly backtracked in the CRV to make sure it was open and texted to give them the thumbs up. Mr. Bardos joined them in the Tasco Truck. Later they met up with the TASTING POD to try out some chocolates, prior to eating lunch (fresh bread and cheese), and followed by their first ice cream of the day. Yes, this was a second ice cream for Shan and Sarah J. The next stop brought a huge smile to Zach’s face. He’d been asking to go to Tim Horton’s since seeing it on his Bike Bingo board. Donuts, frozen lemonade, or iced coffee was enjoyed by many.