The Halifax Diaries: Day 3 - "Ou est mon chapeau rouge?"

See how time flies? I’ve been home from Halifax for only 3 days and already I’m recounting the third day of my journey and editing another112 photos.

Day 3 - Thursday, June 10

After a great night’s sleep in Trois Rivieres, Quebec, I said good-bye to the north shore of the St. Lawrence, asked for directions at a gas station (“Ou est mon chapeau rouge?” “Go est, look for 55, go sud.”), rode across a giant bridge and headed est on the long and very lovely highway 132.

Destination - Riviere du Loup, Quebec.

Estimated mileage - 340 km.

Gord’s mileage - 388 km.

Why the 48 km. difference? Do you need to ask?

I got lost after safely reaching the outskirts of my destination because I met a traffic circle with a few confusing words on it, circled 270 degrees rather than 180 and would have reached Rimouski in about an hour if a little voice inside my head had not said, I bet Rimouski’s nice, Gordie, but your hostel reservation is in the town you left awhile ago.


[“A typical St. Lawrence R. scene. A small village dominated by a massive church”: photos GH]




[“Many houses closely hug the main street (highway 132)”]


["Dead flat fields with farms and villages sitting atop rocky outcroppings.”]


[“A warm welcome awaited me behind the hostel’s front door.”]

Impressions and memories:

Riviere-du-Loup’s hostel is a great rest stop. I parked my bike in a back laneway, then entered a warm kitchen.

My third-storey private bedroom was quiet. I slept like a rock.

A bountiful and free breakfast greeted me in the morning. I returned the following week, on the way home, gladly.

I left the hostel truly believing Day 4 would be the first day I wouldn’t get lost.

Insert laugh-track here.

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Please click here to read and view The Halifax Diaries, Day 2.

Please click here to read more about the trip.

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