Day 28 - Iles du Havre-Maison, Grosse-Ile & Grande-Entrée

0 km - Total so far 1,836.40 km  

RWGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15381161
Relive: https://www.relive.cc/view/g12334557203  (Driven and not pedaled)

An update on the tire situation. Thanks to you, we got information on four sports stores on the islands and ended up purchasing a tire at a place called Véli Vélo. It is not a Schwable Touring tire but it is close enough in dimension and can be inflated to a high pressure. We will use it on Hélène's front wheel and if found suitable we will use her Schwable front tire as my rear tire. Once we get on the mainland in Nova Scotia, we will look into ordering a tire for delivery at the post office. So again thank you to all those that got involved to help.

It is hard to concentrate on the blog as we are listening to CFIM 92.7 radio bingo (plays at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and is bilingual)

Hélène on her scooter on her way to exchange it for a rental car.
You can see Ile du Havre-Aubert in the background

In the first picture posted for Day 27 the caption said: "Waiting to leave to pickup the scooters. Far behind me is l'Ile d'Entrée". That is an error that should be "Ile du Havre-Aubert". We apologize for the error. 

These caution signs are everywhere near the cliffs. On the bike path,
parts of it had recently collapsed in the sea

Once we got the rental car, we headed North on Hwy 199 to drive and visit as much as we could of the remaining three accessible islands. On the must see places was the Fumoir d'Antan at Havre-aux-Maison. Being just the two of us, we got a grand tour of the place by the great-grand-daughter of the founder. There used to be 42 fumoirs in the good old days but there is only one left now that the hareng has all but disappeared. The hareng is smoked for 60 to 90 days depending on the temperature and humidity. The absolutely delicious smell just makes you hungry. At the end of the tour, you get to taste the product and it is delicious.

Fires are made of maple and birch (from the mainland) and saw dust. The smoke just sticks to you and everyone will know where you have been

Each piece of wood has up to 14 harengs and has to be hung by hand.
80,000 lbs of fish can be hung per fumoir

Smoked hareng shelflife is 12 months  

They just announced the name of the $3,000 bingo winner!

Cattle grazing on what is likely the highest piece of land in the islands

From the fumoir, we continued exploring inland and finally getting back on Hwy 199 towards Ile de Grande-Entrée on the North Sand Dunes. It is a straight stretch of road with few buildings until you get to the Seliene Salt Mine, just before you get to Grosse-Ile. The mine produces road salt used in Québec, Ontario and the Eastern United States.

Some of the many boats in the Grande-Entrée wharf

No warning that Hwy 199 ends just that the road disappears
 in the ocean 80.5 m hence

Looks like a big truck until the boat is completely loaded onto the trailer.

Saturday is boat moving day in Grande-Entrée. 
The boat on the left is also on a trailer

There are many little rocher percé all over the Magdalen Islands

We were waiting for the waves to come smashing again. 

The rocks near Old Harry Beach

It is a terrible picture below to show what I speak of but on the Magdalen Island there are a lot of brightly colored homes and they are all over the place. There are no perfectly laid out developments as we see back home. It looks like someone just sprinkled the houses about like rainbow colored sprinkles on cup cakes.  Behind the blue car in the picture below, you can see the three large garbage containers (compostable, garbage and recycling) found everywhere on the islands.  

You have to take my word for it about the rainbow colored
sprinkles on cup cakes. Here is someone else's photo that is a better rendition

As we sit here in the shelter, having supper, listening to CFMI music we can also hear the wind just howling out there. As we look out over the bay we can see the whitecaps getting bigger. We should have an interesting last night aux Iles de la Madeleine as the wind is expected to pick up. We will be wearing merino wool underwear and socks, puffy jackets and for some a warm tuque as we get to bed. I don't think it is cold enough for the wool gloves, yet! 

0 miles - Total so far 1,141.68 miles

Day 27 - Iles de la Madeleine (QC)

0 km - Total so far 1,836.40 km

RWGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15356494 (done on scooters)
Relive: No relive today

The plan for this first day of our vacation (within our vacation) was to pick-up two scooters and ride as much as we could of the two south islands. After a quick run through of the two scooter, the owner watched us as we practiced in the parking lot before heading out on our own. It was recommended that we ride side roads to get comfortable before we get on Hwy 199.

Waiting to leave to pickup the scooters. Far behind me is l'Ile d'Entrée

We quickly became comfortable riding the scooters in the traffic and headed West on Hwy 199 South towards L'Étang-du-Nord. There we spotted 'Le Flâneur' an art gallery that had been recommended to us by Hélène's sister, Jocelyne. The ad for 'gâteau au chocolat et poire' caught my eye. You walk up to the gallery through a garden inhabited by interesting characters. We entered through the tea room entrance and were met by the owner and artist 'Arthure' (aka Pierrette Molaison). She gave us a talking tour of her gallery and we were left with bated breath. The place is filled with large to life sized fabricated fantasist dolls. A must see.

The lady doll in the picture is 'Germaine' who marries often
 but has yet to keep a husband. 

As we were watching the action in the wharf, Arthure was describing what was happening to other customers, She pointed out that all of the 'bots' (pronounced same in french as they would be in english) are backed in and not tied side by side. It was amazing to see how quickly those bots can be backed in.

A view of the wharf from the tea room.  

From L'Étang-du-Nord, we headed south towards l'Ile du Havre Aubert. As you can tell from the RWGPS, the islands' are not flat. Had it not been for those scooters, we would never have been able to see as much of the islands'.

Hélène rides the red scooter. In the distance, a lighthouse (Cap-Alright) on
the southern tip of l'Ile du Havre Aubert

 Following Hwy 199 to its southern end, we came upon 'La Grave' a historical site. It has little shops with artisans and a few places to eat. Just about everywhere you gaze aux iles could be the subject for an incredible post card. 

La Grave with an ocean view

La Grave with a store front view

Yet another view of La Grave

We found many surprises along the route today. In the picture below, you can see a catapult. A catapult was used in ancient times to launch rocks at an enemy. A very large catapult could be used to launch big rocks with the aim of damaging/breaching castle fortifications (siege weapon). Across the street from the catapult is a counterpoise trébuchet. Much like a catapult, this is also used as a siege weapon. There was an ad and a phone number on the trébuchet if you are interested in hiring it. It has reportedly launched a rock 939 feet which is pretty impressive.

A well built catapult and as best as I can gather, still in working condition.

Just past the yellow sign is the panel indicating the end of
Hwy 199 South

We saw quite a few cyclists pedaling on the route with us. Had we driven here that is something we would most certainly have done. Anyone who bicycles here has to sooner or later deal with serious headwinds. The winds are forecasted to be steady at 38 kp/h tomorrow. According to the locals that is just a breeze. 

Hélène was asked when we checked in at the campground office, where our car was: 'Well, it is at home in the garage!' 

We are so much taken by les Iles de la Madeleine with its incredible scenery and very warm and friendly people. We understand that the Madelinots can tell when speaking to each other from which of the islands' they are from. I think that is pretty amazing considering the size of the place.

The forecast for tomorrow is nasty so we will conclude our tour of the islands in a rental car. We should be able to show you the road sign indicating the end of Hwy 199 North in our next blog.

0 miles - Total so far 1,141.68 miles