Joséphine Péloquin raced professionally in Europe the last few years and had the pleasure of racing Paris-Roubaix and Circuit Het Nieuwsblad, two races on the World Tour, amongst many others. Recently she decided to come back home and focus on her education. And now back, she is discovering her own backyard on two wheels in Quebec.
When I think back to this week of cycling 850km, it’s not so much the kilometers traveled that I remember, but rather all the moments that marked this adventure.
From the first minutes after my departure, I had no choice but to adopt a true state of mind of adventure. I left Montreal on a Monday morning, under a cold, spring rain. After only a few kilometers, I was already completely soaked and I was seriously wondering what I had gotten myself into... The deserted streets of Montreal accentuated both the feeling of solitude and that impression of freedom that accompanies the beginning of a journey.
After crossing Montreal and Laval, I took the P'tit Train du Nord to Mont-Blanc, where I set up my tent for the night. The next morning, after a good oatmeal, I went to fill my water bottles at the village stop. There, I met a municipal employee with whom I discussed his work and my journey. Before leaving, he wished me a good trip with a contagious good mood that carried me through the 150 kilometers I had to cover that day.
So I left Mont-Blanc with a smile on my face, ready to start my day. Towards the middle of the afternoon, I started to feel my back burn slightly, without worrying too much about it. But when I arrived in Berthierville, after my day of cycling, I saw my reflection in the window of an IGA and I realized the extent of the damage: my back was scarlet red and the pain became more and more intense.
I decided to take a motel for the night to treat what was expected to be a serious sunburn. The night was rather horrible. I was trying to find a position where my back and shoulders didn’t touch the mattress in order to manage to sleep for a few hours.
I then adapted my course for the third and fourth days, since my body needed to recover a bit if I wanted to make it to Quebec City. However, these days offered me a completely different setting. While walking along the Chemin du Roy, I discovered some of the most beautiful landscapes of the trip. The historic villages, the river and the peaceful roads made every kilometer particularly pleasant. Despite my still sore back, I was fully enjoying the moment and feeling happy.
When I arrived in Quebec, I devoured an incredible pizza on the recommendation of my friend Florence, who was hosting me for the night. That evening, my boyfriend joined me after taking the bus from Montreal to finish the adventure with me.
His presence has changed many things. He helped me take care of my sunburn (which eventually degenerated into a second-degree burn), carry some of the luggage (and the mental load related to organization), as well as keeping up my spirits when the pain became more difficult to manage. After several days traveling alone, I was happy to share the rest of the journey with someone.
The last three days went by like clockwork. We crossed the Quebec City bridge before following long bike paths sheltered from car traffic, passing through Lévis, Victoriaville and Richmond.
I finally returned to Montreal in the evening, after seven days of cycling, 850 kilometers traveled and a lot of learning. Despite my tired legs, I felt my heart full and my head light after this adventure. I retain a huge sense of pride, a renewed confidence in my abilities and, above all, the desire to go back on the roads of Quebec.
- Josephine
