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Bicycling, Birds, Travel

And now for some place completely different . . . .

February 2, 2023 No Comments

Juana and I, like a pair of elderly migrating birds, have made our way South (way South) to the Florida Keys to warm our bodies and souls. With the exception of the past few years, we have been coming to the Keys to vacation for over 20 years. The tiny apartment we rent is on […]

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A Therapist’s Garden

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GroHappy is a blog site that uses the concepts of horticultural therapy to bring joy and happiness to people though interacting with plants and nature.

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Erik Keller

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Revitalize your spirit through the beauty of plants and nature (#grohappyct). Check out my book, A Therapist's Garden.
While December has been colder than normal and we While December has been colder than normal and we have had a couple of snows, the last being nearly 4 inches, there are still harvests to be had from the garden. I have two large cold frames holding a half dozen different cold-tolerant greens. Carrots, Swiss chard, and sorrel are on their own as are the perennial herbs. I haven't been able to harvest anything in the past 10 days because of the cold and then the snow. The recent spate of near 60-degree weather and heavy rains, however, have melted all the snow and given my greens a chance to come back. Opening up the cold frames, I am enveloped with the smell of fresh earth. The greens have rehydrated looking fresh and ready to sample. I grab a leaf and hear its crunch as I bite into it. I pull a bunch for dinner. Between the more mature leafs are tiny claytonia seedlings, which no doubt were self-seeded from Spring's crop. I will need to wait a season before I can sample them. I then harvest some of the thyme and oregano that survived temperatures in the low 20s and snow. The thyme looks perfect and there is just a little burn on the oregano. I take both between my fingers squeezing them to release their scents. If I close my eyes I can almost believe that it is summer. I then grab a few leaves of sorrel and Swiss chard. The final harvest are the carrots. A week ago my trowel bounced off the soil as it was frozen solid. Today there is a thin crust of ice that can be broken through easily. The carrots are stacked next to each other with the soil holding its shape as I pry bunches out of the ground. I wash one of the smaller ones and bite down. It is very sweet, much more so than a typical carrot. I greedily sample another. I could go and also harvest some wild greens like plantain and garlic mustard for a savory pop in flavor but I am content with what is in my basket. This and the addition of a few dried blueberries and goat cheese will make for a delicious December salad. #grohappyct #gardentherapy #naturetherapy #wintersalad #wintergreens #growyourownfood #therapeutichorticulture #fourseasongarden #coldframe
An unexpected snow after a much needed rain greets An unexpected snow after a much needed rain greets us this morning. Remaining greenery and tree branches are coated with a thick, heavy layer of snow fattening up each plant and object in the yard. The birds are particularly put off as they no longer have the luxury of snacking on coneflowers, sunflowers, and other seeded plants that were knocked down in the dark of the night. They swarm to the feeders fighting with each other for a spot to grab a seed or two. There are still transient flakes falling this morning looking to further coat my yard. Juana, Olivia, Dori and I go out to survey the day. Though some trees, like the miniature Alberta spruces, hold up well to this event, others, like the bayberry bushes, strain to remain erect. They are bent over to the near breaking point. A distant group of Douglas firs look like a trio of sisters with their white mufflers on out for a morning stroll. Olivia on her sled and Dori running laps are marring the perfect white blanket on the grass. We enjoy this snow moment as we know it will melt away with the passing of the day. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #firstsnow #gardentherapy
In November, there are still many fruits about if In November, there are still many fruits about if you just look carefully. Five of my favorites are within feet of each other in my back yard. My most favorite is the beautyberry of which I have the Japanese variety. (I tried to grow the American species (Callicarpa americana) but my yard is just a tad too cold for it to survive the winters.) Its clusters of bright purple drupes stand out amidst an otherwise dull background. These fruits are not too long-lived as the birds clear them out typically before Christmas. And for the adventurous, they can be made into a delicious jam. The next on my list are hollies with their bright red berries sitting against vibrant green leaves. (If you can get an American holly (Ilex opaca) so much the better as it is deer-proof unlike its Asian cousins.) But unlike beautyberries, its fruit is toxic to people but not to birds. Much duller in color are the northern bayberries, which are popular for use in scented candles during the Christmas holiday season. They are perhaps the least favorite berries of birds as their numbers do not change much from fall to spring. Bright red winterberries are much more distinctive than those of holly as they stand out in large clumps after the leaves have dropped to the ground. But they are a favorite of birds so they are short-lived in my gardens. Crabapple pomes are typically the food of last resort for squirrels and birds in late winter when all other nourishment sources have been extinguished. This year, however, a strong fruiting has been thwarted by our drought. There are only a few fruits left on the tree and the slightest touch liberates them from their branch. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #fallfruit #winterberry #beautyberry #crabapple #bayberry #holly #fallflowers
It's a cold start on an otherwise perfect day to r It's a cold start on an otherwise perfect day to ride from Brewster to Hopewell Junction on the Maybrook Trail. The sky is clear and the air dry and crisp. The trail has few travelers giving the impression that I am alone save for the sound of the wind rustling the seed heads of dormant plants and squirrels chasing each other in the leaf litter. It's late in the season with only mugworts and thimbleberries having any sign of greenery. Conifers are scarce; a few straggly white cedars grow along the trail and in the tracks of the old railroad bed I follow. The leaves carpeting the surrounding grounds have lost most of their color, transformed from a multi-colored vibrancy to a dull brown and gray. But this gives me the opportunity to see the skeleton and framework of my surroundings that are impossible to view when the trees are clothed in green. Abandoned telephone poles are in open view looking similar to their living albeit taller neighbors. The lake to my left is much lower than would be expected for this time of year exposing mud flats and the tips of water lilies approaching dormancy. A lone beaver lodge houses mammals with little to do given the current unusual seasonal dryness. Low in the sky, the sun creates distinct, sharp shadows dancing in and out of the trail. No water trickles out of the stones in the sunless mountain cuts I pedal through. A long downhill coast reveals waterless creeks to my right and left. Fields of dried corn stalks, most likely to be used for fodder, surround a prison to my right and its cemetery. Black chain link fences separate riders from inmates and guard dogs. A stand of oriental bittersweet is trying to take down a line of native trees that are struggling to keep their independence. But the bright berries will be welcome food for any birds remaining this winter. Approaching the end of my nearly 50-mile ride, the shadows are longer and the temperature lower. The sun hits a stand of phragmites, illuminating the thousands of seed heads. The cotton-candy like clumps of exploding cattail heads do not compare. #grohappyct #maybrooktrailway #naturetherapy #biking #biketour #fallplants #railtrail
This time in November, the only flowers that are t This time in November, the only flowers that are typically still in bloom sit on the branches of the witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Unlike most understory trees, witch hazel blooms in the late fall with delicate, little buttery yellow bundles of soft, slightly sweet smelling flowers. At the end of the season, all the leaves from the tree have dropped but the flowers remain. This tree is abundant in Connecticut, which is probably why the largest manufacturer of witch hazel, Dickenson’s, is located nearby. The tree has many medicinal uses such as healing sore muscles, an astringent clotting agent and a tea to cure colds and other ailments. Some even believe that by carrying a twig of it, it will mend a broken heart. But this year it is far from the only flower in the garden. A few shrub roses are sporting flowers as well as a few renegade dandelions. It is the zinnias, however, that are putting on the Ritz with a spectacular show even though I am not watering them (and it hasn't rained significantly for almost two months). The zinnias arrived late this year and with each successive pruning, every plant sprouts multiple heads like a horticultural hydra. And the diversity of blooms in shape and color is amazing. It is a very strange season. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #zinnias #witchhazel #hamamelis #fallflowers
Many people think of crocuses as a Spring flower b Many people think of crocuses as a Spring flower but my favorite ones emerge in Fall. And my most treasured among those is the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Dormant through Summer, it pops out of the soil in early-to-mid October with a colorful display of purple leaves, yellow stamens (male) and bright red stigmas (female). It's the stigmas that are the fragrant and rare/expensive spice of interest. Like many crops, once the flowers emerge, I check and harvest the flowers every day as they come and go much more quickly than a Spring crocus. Yesterday was a particularly fruitful day with many new stigmas to pull. Because of the delicate nature of the flower, I use a pair of tweezers to pluck each saffron thread from the flower: there are usually three. Bending over the raised bed, the floral, honey-like scent of saffron hits me hard as I patently pull each stigma. The tips of each are marked with yellow pollen from the stamens that have been disturbed by one of the half dozen or so bees that are buzzing around my head harmlessly. It is careful and slow exercise that must be done by hand: there is no potential for automation in harvesting this crop. It is also the most valuable thing I grow as a single gram of saffron is priced between $10 and $20 dollars per gram. The squirrels look to steal this valuable corm each year but are thwarted by the steel cages I have built around them. After 30 minute or so, my haul for the day is complete and I set them out to dry. I can begin to taste the paella in my future. Yum! #grohappyct #therapeutichorticulture #gardentherapy #naturetherapy #crocus #saffroncrocus #saffron #fallharvest #spices #growyourownfood
Last year, I needed to divide a huge Montauk daisy Last year, I needed to divide a huge Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum) that was crowding out the asparagus and adjacent strawberry patches. There were tons of baby plants that I harvested and placed along the fence that protects my yard from the deer. My efforts were rewarded this year with a line of flowers untouched by hungry ungulates. Montauk daisies are one of my favorite autumn flowers for two reasons. The first is they remind me of the east end of Long Island, where I learned to love the beaches and the ocean. The second is that its flower brings back bittersweet memories of summers past when daisies were in bloom over nearby lawns and fields and I was much younger. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #montaukdaisies #daisy #fallflowers #fallperennials #gardening #gardenlife
Rather than let the birds and bugs attack my sunfl Rather than let the birds and bugs attack my sunflowers with abandon this year, I decide to harvest and dry them early on. Olivia loves this as she gets to dispatch the disk florets with abandon. These tiny yellow flowers are arranged in clockwise and counterclockwise patterns spinning their way around the large flower head. She does a great job, though her enthusiasm sprays the florets in such a manner that they cannot be collected for a tea mixture. Perhaps next year. After she is finished, I hang them on a rack in the garage to dry. I will save a few seeds for next year but will put out the heads this Winter for the hungry birds to feast upon. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #sunflower #sunflowerseeds #sunflowerharvest #sunflowerhead #gardeningwithchildren
It's time to harvest the tomatoes. I can't wait an It's time to harvest the tomatoes. I can't wait any longer as I must plant the Fall and Winter greens in the two cold frames, one of which is full of mutant tomato plants. Anyway, I don't think the fruits will ripen much more on their own as the chill of autumn arrives. This has been a great year in the garden with only the strawberries delivering a disappointing harvest. In contrast, the tomatoes have been pumping out fruits faster than we can eat, preserve, and give them away. For the last three months, we have had fresh tomatoes every day in a variety of forms. The morning is bright and warm with a hint of humidity. I slowly clip each stalk and remove tiny bundles of mostly green tomatoes. When I find a rip one, I pop it into my mouth for a morning snack. It is a slow somewhat sad process removing the jungle of tomato vines to open the space up to the sun. This year, even though there was lots of rain, we didn't have any viruses or fungal infections, leading to the health of the plants. It looks like I will have at least half a bushel of tomatoes when I finish. I also pull a good amount of pole beans, basil, and rhubarb to eat and freeze over the next few days. Juana and Dori come out to join me, shocked at the amount of tomatoes I have harvested and the amount I still have to pull. "What do you expect me to do with all of that!" she exclaims. I shrug my shoulders and continue to pick. #grohappyct #growyourownfood #tomatoes #rhubarb #polebeans #basil #therapeuticgardening #gardentherapy #naturetherapy
It has been a great year for hydrangeas. The bloom It has been a great year for hydrangeas. The blooms have been numerous and large. As we start to cut them down for the season, Olivia wants to make her own bouquet to bring home to her mother. I think she has done a wonderful job. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #gardeningwithkids #hydrangea #driedflowers #driedhydrangeas #therapeutichorticulture
The sunflowers have opened for business attracting The sunflowers have opened for business attracting many customers. During the day, it is a quick take-out cafe visited by a wide variety of patrons that sample its ample supply of pollen. But as night approaches, it becomes a real B&B with many bees taking an evening rest on its numerous disc florets. They will be gone with the warmth of the morning sun. #grohappyct #bees #sunflowers #therapeutichorticulture #naturetherapy #gardentherapy
With the girls away on vacation, Juana and I have With the girls away on vacation, Juana and I have a better than even chance to harvest and save some of the berries for Winter. While the blueberry bushes are now exhausted, the blackberry bushes are heavy with fruit, hanging down to almost the breaking point. We haven't picked for a few days and are rewarded with a full tray of harvests. Our fingers are dark, stained with the juice from today's pickings. I pop a few into my mouth, savoring their sweet and potent taste. Even Dori, our new dog, gets into the act by grabbing and swallowing a few low-hanging fruits. Some we will keep to eat, others for jam, others to freeze. It's a busy time as tomorrow we will be doing the same for the tomatoes. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #therapeutichorticulture #blackberries #canning #canningfruit #growyourownfood
Today, the girls spent the morning working and pul Today, the girls spent the morning working and pulling fruits and vegetables from the garden. The blueberries have perhaps one more harvest left but the blackberries have come in strong with many more on the way. Their tiny fingers are much more adept at picking berries than are mine. Charlotte is more partial to blueberries while Olivia attacks both with gusto. Juana has managed to freeze a few pints of each, however, for us to enjoy in the colder months ahead. We turn next to the green and red pole beans that are climbing up the fence. The bush beans I planted earlier were consumed by (I think) a rat or two that live near the garden. We fill a basket that we will consume later as a stir fry. As the girls rest on the park bench in the garden, they pull and eat a few of the frying peppers that are near the sunflowers. The cherry tomatoes have started to come in and Juana grabs most of these while I get the ones she can't reach. We then harvest the potatoes in grow bags. I pour the soil onto the floor of the greenhouse and the girls rub their hands through it looking for tiny tubers. "I found a potato," exclaims Olivia. She and her sister are stepping and spreading the soil all over having a great time as they place their harvest in a blue wire basket. I then bring an old potato over to Charlotte. "That's disgusting," she comments. "What's that?" I tell her that this is a potato that has sprouted and if she wants, we can plant it and harvest its babies in Fall. She thinks that is a great idea and she and her sister put the tuber into a grow bag and partially fill it with soil. After the harvest, they both are a bit of mess and need to be hosed down, something they enjoy given the head and humidity. Even though they have been eating their way through the harvest, they are hungry and ready for lunch. The dog days of summer (named for the fact that the star Sirius appears before the morning sun at the end of July) come with both ample harvests and a new dog. Her name is Dori. #grohappyct #gardentherapy #grandchildren #growyourown #therapeutichorticulture #horticulturetherapy #summerharvest
Before the heat cranks up, the girls and I go out Before the heat cranks up, the girls and I go out into the garden for an early morning harvest. We grab over a pound of blueberries and a few blackberries that have started to arrive (quite early actually). As we fill our baskets and tummies, so do others. The hummingbirds are taking turns at their feeder as do the woodpeckers at the suet block. A lone spicebush swallowtail jumps from coneflower to coneflower sipping nectar. But has the heat and humidity increases, we retreat to the shade and coolness of the front bluestone steps. #grohappyct #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #swallowtailbutterfly #coneflower #echinacea #hotsummer
With a few hot and rainy days behind us, the blueb With a few hot and rainy days behind us, the blueberry bushes are bursting with ripe fruit. Charlotte and Olivia are keen to help me (and themselves) and Juana harvest this new bounty. It's early in the morning and there is still a little shade on the bushes. We want to get the picking done early as it is supposed to be another scorcher today. Charlotte leads us into the patch ready to pick (and eat) her share of berries. She is getting better about not eating everything she picks, but the temptation of perfectly ripe berries is sometimes too much to resist. Olivia, on the other hand, is mostly an eating machine deftly picking the lower berries with her tiny, delicate fingers and then popping her bright blue harvests into her mouth. Both girls today, however, are being very good about not eating too many berries as Juana has promised them any excess berries beyond what is needed for her blueberry muffins. We have 11 bushes and half are loaded with ripe fruit. Charlotte is perhaps the quickest picker of the bunch as her small hands and fingers can navigate in between bushes and netting easily to grab a berry. I am perhaps the slowest as my large hands and fingers have the opposite effect. I find my inner child comes out every so often as I pop a few of the ripest, largest blueberries into my mouth. They are perfectly flavored and sweet to the taste. I want more but I need to control myself and be a good example. We pick nearly a quart of berries and Juana spends her time separating the ripe ones from those that will be ready to eat tomorrow. As promised, the extra berries go to Olivia and Charlotte, who sitting on the front stoop insert one after another into their mouths. I come by asking for a taste and they oblige me: I grab a few and then leave to start the next morning garden chore. #grohappyct #therapeutichorticulture #horticulturaltherapy #naturetherapy #gardentherapy #blueberries #blueberrypicking #grandchildren #gardeningwithgrandchildren #growyourownfood
Arriving home after a long trip, there is lots to Arriving home after a long trip, there is lots to do in the garden. Luckily I have my two granddaughters, Charlotte and Olivia, to help me out. The first thing we do is to harvest the snap peas and beans. Juana tried to keep up with the harvest, but there were too many plants growing too quickly. Charlotte is deft in balancing on the raised beds to grab each and every pea pod. Her sister is more content to eat them rather than keep them in a basket. Next is the garlic. Charlotte loves to harvest it feeling the gentle tear as the bulb separates from the soil that is holding it so tightly. She keeps track of how many bulbs she has pulled and lays them out on a rack in my greenhouse. I then remove all the straw from the beds and Charlotte is amazed at all the worms in residence. Shrieks of laughter and ickiness emerge as she and Olivia exam these long, cool and slimy invertebrates. Olivia is playing with some weeds while Juana collects wheat seed heads that have found their way into the garden. Such good work deserves a treat, and while I am weeding the lettuce beds, I pull a few carrots for the three of them to enjoy. It's early in the season, but they chop down on them with hungry pleasure. We then go to the lower vegetable garden where they watch me weed. Juana clips a few yellow peppers that we will have for lunch. Charlotte helps me pull off the floating row cover that is protecting the squash and cucumber plants. But not before she spots a pair of grasshoppers sitting on it naming them 'grassy' and 'hopper'. These plants have exploded in size and so have the weeds around them. They have yet to flower so after weeding, Charlotte and I replace the row cover. Everyone is hungry, so Juana heads in to make tuna-fish salad for lunch. Sated, it is nap time but once we all arise will be time to harvest some blueberries. The day is windy, and the sky is clear. A perfect summer afternoon to spend with my granddaughters. #grohappyct #horticulture #growyourownfood #garlic #grandchildren #gardeningwithgrandchildren #naturetherapy #therapeutichorticulture #organicgardening
After a tough 39 miles on Corridor Aerobique the o After a tough 39 miles on Corridor Aerobique the other day, we decide to alter our trip. We were supposed to bike back the same way, which would have been a 55 mile ride to St. Jerome in a direction with even steeper climbs. Instead, we grab a shuttle bus to take us from Amherst to Mont Blanc, giving us an easier and shorter ride. Because we have already travelled most of these miles twice, this last trip posting focuses on things I didn’t mention in prior ones; it represents our entire trip. Trail facilities and signage is great: Both Le P’tit du Train Nord and Corridor Aerobique are in great condition. Even after the torrential rain of the prior weekend, downed trees were cut and moved off the trail, ruts marked with cones and tape, and repairs started. These trails have ample rest and repair stops and signage. Car drivers are respectful, bicyclists not so much: At most road crossings, there are crosswalks requiring cars to yield to bicyclists. In only a few instances, cars did not stop. Ironically, a majority of bicyclists ignore the speed limit rules (22 km/h (around 13 mph)) flagrantly, bombing down the trails with no regard of others’ safety and rarely letting fellow riders know they are passing. I got punched in the arm once by a rider who must have thought I was in his way. Enough poisonous plants for dozens of murder/mystery novels: Like the Katy Trail, this part of Quebec is chock full of poisonous plants. There are ample quantities of water hemlock, poison hemlock, wild parsnip, and occasional giant hogweed. Lovely plants and wildflowers: When ever enough light reached the trail, there were tons of wildflowers and pollinators surrounding them. Milkweed and daisies are common to the trail as are dandelion-like flowers. Both white and pink roses have a heady and intoxicating fragrance that cannot be missed upon passing. In certain sections there are lumpy carpets of lichen. Great meals: Like our trip to Prince Edward Island, it was hard to find a bad meal. Ted is in his element as a gourmet and I discover that I could become addicted to poutine easily. And then it all comes to an end at 348 miles. A great trip. #grohappyct #biketrip #railtrail
After a hearty breakfast, we are fueled and ready After a hearty breakfast, we are fueled and ready for our trip on Corridor Aerobique. This 58-km trail rests on an old rail bed and will take us from Morin-Heights to Amherst. But to get there we need to take a 10-km side trip on a highway. Passing a lovely church in Saint-Sauveur, we start up a hill. We quickly find, however, that not all hills are meant to be ridden on a bike and we hop off, walking the steepest sections. Reaching the entrance of Corridor Aerobique, this is the hardest 6 miles we have done all trip. The Corridor is named accurately because trees hug the sides leaning over to encase us intimately. The only sounds are that of the wind and rushing waters of a nearby stream. We start encountering incredibly scenic lakes, each vying with the next in sheer beauty. We must come off the trail for 5 miles as a bridge is out. Google maps indicates that this stretch is relatively flat: A big lie. Rejoining the trail, it continues upwards and we are becoming spent. We stop for lunch a few miles away in Lac-des-Seize-isles. Corridor Aerobique is more varied and challenging than Le P’tit Train du Nord. The base varies from stone dust to dirt to sand to soil. The day is still chilly and with increased wind, I don a fourth layer of clothing: my rain jacket. With this addition, I warm up and push ahead hard. Leaving the forest, we stop at the Montcalm rest stop, next to a bench with a bear carving. Across the lake, however, are multiple satellite dishes, incongruous to the bucolic surroundings. The trail now follows a main highway. Farms and fields of waving wheat surround us in a valley between mountains. A barrier of lupines, wheat grasses, and cow parsnips separate us from vehicles. The Rivière-Rouge rejoins us in all of its frenetic splendor. As is often the case when we cross a body of water, we start another climb. It starts with farm lands around us and then transitions to woodlands. After another 45 minutes of effort we arrive at the luxurious Selenia lodge. We have biked only 39 miles today, but it is probably the hardest 39 we have ever done. #grohappyct #biketrails #railtrail #biketrip #biketouring #laurentians #corridoraerobique
The sun is playing with the clouds as we head sout The sun is playing with the clouds as we head south on Le P’tit Train du Nord. It’s an easy pedaling day as the trail will tend to be downhill (mostly) and unless we take detours, our mileage should be around 35. A few kilometers outside Mont-Blanc, the trail becomes a thin ribbon of soil running through a open mining pit of gravel and sand pit. The pit on both sides is deep and massive. We now are on a long, steady coast downhill. More cyclists start to pass us, headed north. Ted and I line up as traveling abreast is now too dangerous. Unlike our other cycling adventures, there are many families and individuals with saddlebags attached to their bike implying that they, like us, are on a multi-day journey. We stop at Sainte-Agatha-des-Monts to tour the town a bit and grab a coffee and pastry. It is situated next to a large lake and the houses we pass are nondescript and the Main Street crowded with cars. Rivers and streams are still running fast, high, and loud. This sound will follow us for most the day. Clouds are thickening and it appears that a funnel cloud is moving over the adjacent mountain. We need to keep an eye on the weather. The trail transitions to stone dust from asphalt giving us a little bit of resistance and making me pay better attention to the road conditions. Rolling down the hill, I almost spin out as I hit a patch of soft material. A few drops of rain reach us under the canopy of trees surrounding us. A squirrel darts in front of me slamming into my front tire, then bouncing off my ankle before running off into the woods. It appears unhurt. We stop at an outdoor cafe along the trail in Sainte-Adele for lunch. We are very close to Saint-Sauveur, where we will spend the night, but decide to travel to Prévost for a souvenir stop. Ted and I both purchase shirts and I a sign. It’s a short trip back to our exit for Saint-Sauveur. We must get on the road and the final mile is a killer as we have to bike (and walk) over a mountain. Approaching the hotel I look at the odometer and we have biked 265 miles in 6 days. Two days to go. #grohappyct #bikelife #biketouring #railtrail #bikeride
It’s a clear sunny morning, not a cloud in the s It’s a clear sunny morning, not a cloud in the sky. We have nearly 50 miles to ride today. There are no other cyclists on Le P’tit du Train Nord this morning. Within 15 minutes of starting we strip layers next to a beaver den. The trail stretches here are long and straight. Along side the trail are many different pollinating flowers. Tiny butterflies fly around looking for a drink. There are a few yellow swallowtails in the mix and I see my first monarch of the trip. The Rivière-Rouge is truly a deep red. It is raging loudly and flowing fast. There is a sign in French that instructs about canoe camping along the river. It and the current condition of the river reminds me of some of the canoe camping trips (and misadventures) I took in my youth. There is no way any canoe could survive the current set of rapids and is such a contrast to the river of a few days ago. More cyclists are now on the trail, which in sections is becoming crowded. Among these groups are many families with children of all ages some of which who ride their own bikes and others who are towed. After a water break and rest at Labelle, we are back on stone dust. The prior rain has dampened the trail so our tires are not tossing up plumes of dirt. Bluebird boxes sit on posts to our left. In fact, there are quite a few along the sides of the trail. I see one resident make an escape. Flies are out in force today and even though we are moving at 10 mph, they find ways to stick to my clothing and extremities occasionally taking a nibble. Keep moving. We reach the trail bypass of a few days ago and follow it into the village section of Mont-Tremblant for lunch. After 32 miles on our bikes, it’s a good time to stop as the temperature is well over 80 degrees. After refueling at the restaurant, we make our final push, which will be mostly uphill. We appreciate the shade when we can find it, particularly the last 5 miles, which is a quite steep climb. Approaching the turnoff for our B&B, a fence is topped with whirligigs. Across the road are newly painted farm tools used by Town founders. #grohappyct #biketrip #railtrail #biketravel #bikelife #laurentians
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