Back in Montreal

We've been back in Montreal for over a month now. It's been a busy time. Not a spare moment to update the blog with the development of our plans. I had meant to describe at length the harrowing bicycle ride from downtown Halifax to the airport, which is a good 40 kilometres away, and then the even more harrowing bicycle ride from the Montreal airport in the pouring rain during rush hour traffic to our new (temporary) home... but I never got around to it. Here, instead, is a brief synopsis.

In Halifax, we stopped by IdealBikes on Barrington Street where we got our hands upon the very detailed cycling map of Halifax. The map describes how to get to the airport by bicycle, and the staff gave us some pointers too. The map is online as well: the latest link (2009) that I could find is on the Halifax Cycling Coalition website (www.cyclehalifax.ca). An excerpt from the description of the bicycle route to the Halifax airport:

Bicycles and other slow moving vehicles are normally prohibited from 100-series highways, but there is an exception for this short stretch because there are no alternate routes at present. While there is a paved shoulder on the road, riding on the highway is not for the faint of heart!

As for cycling from the Montreal airport, the best way is to take the pedestrian underpass at the Pine Beach commuter train station (that takes you under Highway 20) and then continue south until you pick up the Lakeshore bike path, which then connects to the Lachine Canal bike path, and onwards to downtown Montreal. This, by the way, is the route that Benoit and I should have taken upon our return. The route that we actually took was so insane that I am too shamed even to describe it.