Finally a sunny day again. Joel and I were getting ready for a ride along the Lachine canal. I first wanted to rent a real bike, but with prices of 25$ a day, I opted for a Bixi bike instead, the rental bike system in Montreal. 15$ get you a 3-day-pass, with all rides under 30 minutes for free.

Ok, the bikes are on the heavy side and a bit sturdy, but I thought it would not be a problem along a flat canal bike path… Well.

We rode downhill from the Plateau and over into Vieux Montréal and to the Vieux Port, which has been transformed in past years into a nice park area. It cannot and does not try to deny its industrial past, and I like that.

It was the port after all, so docks and warehouses, mills and rusty cranes are omnipresent. Train tracks criss-cross the park, and huge former mills or factories lines the canal and the bike track.

One of them, Farine Five Roses, a flower mill, has become somewhat of a landmark in Montreal, it’s huge logo towering over the silos. You can find it anywhere in Montréal on T-shirts, mugs and postcards.

Joel had a proper bike, and I think he slowed down considerably for me… The Bixi with its three gears and heavy weight wasn’t an ideal choice, especially with the head wind we had all along the 12 kilometer ride.

They are more made for the short rides in town, but overall, it served me well. Extra exercise for my butt.

We crossed over the canal several times, Joel knowing all the right ways. Along the canal, the park runs for the entire 12 kilometer stretch.

It’s ideal for joggers, bikers, dog owners… people relax in the grass or on the many wooden banks. Along the canal, there’s either old warehouses and abandoned factories, or newly transformed condos and lofts.

It slowly transforms into a more residential area, and I can imagine these apartments are highly sought after and appropriately priced.

Further down the canal, the area becomes more and more industrial, the highway bridges cross over the canal a few times, and the whole area is less residential.

Until, finally, you come to Lachine, the little neighborhood I had been to with Fabio a few days earlier. We drove on the other side of the canal this time and into a large park at the tip of a peninsula that was lined with art and statues. There, at the very tip, we had a great view onto Lac Satin-Louis.

Back those 12 kilometers, which seemed faster and easier with the wind in our backs, we made a stop at Atwater Market, a beautiful old Art déco building, for some drinks and a much needed sandwich!