The Land Before Time

One thing I've noticed since near the beginning of my trip and continue to think about occasionally is how I am doing something that is not normal. Cities are set up for cars, not bikes. Highways I am a rare duck that cars feel uneasy being around. And don't get me started on elderly folk renting RVs for the first time... I remember pulling into Regina and it had lots of different roads merging onto the highway so I was constantly bombarded on both sides by high speed traffic. I don't know if I would have felt more out of place if I was driving a horse and buggy on the shoulder into town!
Then there is camping! Until I reached Ontario, I could count on one hand the number of tents I saw at campsites. Everyone else had their portable homes with their big trucks and a motorcycle in the back. So weird. But I guess random towns in Saskatchewan isn't where I would set up a tent either if I had the weekend off... the tenters are probably just all in the forest. Anyways, still made me stand out.
Then basically as soon as I reached Quebec I felt like Little Foot from the Land Before Time! You know at the end where he is reunited with a bunch of other longnecks??? Thats me in Quebec! There are cyclists everywhere! Like, everywhere. There was this group of islands just outside Quebec that they joined together with a series of bridges to make this beautiful 11km parkway with bike lanes. Then as soon as you get into Quebec there is La Route Verte, which is essentially paved bike lanes beside the road in a significant portion of south Quebec. Then you get into Montreal and half of the main streets have dedicated bike lanes.
Then theres the cyclists. You've got the hipster bikers on their fixies, no helmets, listening to Arcade Fire and generally ignoring most street rules except for "don't get hit". Then theres grandpa on his old ten speed, who is just as cool as the hipsters but stops for red lights. You've got the spandex rockets who pass you and don't even glance your way.
I'm not even an unusual sight here! I rarely get second glances because everyone is on a bike. Although I have had two people come up to me and start chattering in French until they realize I'm some ignorant fool from somewhere else and speak English to me.

I leave Montreal tomorrow and head towards Quebec City. I realized that I actually have to boogie if I want to make it to New Brunswick in time for when my sister arrives! I love Montreal and hope to visit again someday. Transit, old montreal, bike paths, Mont Royal, restaurants... there is too much to take in. Every block I see a cafe or restaurant I would love to eat at, but there are only 3 meals in a day.

Further on into French-land I go. I still need to have a poutine somewhere.