May12 St.Georges-Quebec

Entering Quebec.

M-71.40,T-7:49.39,AVG-9:12,El-1904

Almost there with Quebec in the fore ground.  A great day of riding pristine country roads along   the Chaudiere River Valley which I had all to myself, again.With one last obstacle to go, this challenge in the pic, and I would be in Quebec. A city I always wanted to visit and the scene above happened to be  the end of one of my attempts to finding my way across the St.Lawrence, as I could see my goal.  But I wasn't worried to much as I still had 1 1/2 hours of daylight left. I just stepped back for a minute and read the map and shelved my beeline method of navigation which works the majority of the time.

Across at last whilst floundering with a street map on the corner again when Guy, a local, stopped and asked if I need some assistance.  Of course, I said, giving him the directions to my nights lodging. He bettered the directions and upped it to a lift to the motel as he seen where I needed to go. It was a fine ending to a great day.

This day of riding, beyond my expectations, totally offset my dinner escapade the night before. I always find the first few days in a country or province with a different language challenging or intimidating till I see where my language navigating skills take me or parameters. So anyway I decided to brush up abit on my french right before dinner last night using my 1988 berlitz european phrase book covering 14 languages in 299 pages. Needless to say its not to thorough and it wouldn't of probably made a difference anyway.
 A glass of red wine was going to be my first attempt at french in this fine establishment. Vin rouge pronounced "vang roozh" by berlitz as I practiced in the safety of my hotel room as someone might here me. Finaly the moment came as I walked into the dining area of the Grand hotel. The waitress obviously seen I was language challenged with my American "Bonsoir" a dead giveaway.  "Vin Rouge"my first attempt and then repeatedly to no avail as I could see the young waitress was getting more frustrated the more times I  repeated it, vin rouge, and a tipping point was coming I sensed . Finally one more time, "Vin Rouge" ,and she snapped and marched off then followed by a new waitress who helped me with the universal pointing method as I got my glass of wine finally. She also reccommended the english menu.   

Chaudiere Valley