A month, in short form

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Hello all,
Wow has a lot happened since the last time I updated this blog... I guess work and french girls will do that to ya. So, I figured that I would do one entry capturing the highlights of the last month in bullet form... here goes:

Week of the June 24th
-Spent the week working at Lev-Co, getting some funds ready for baguettes for Delphine's arrival on the 29th
-Highlights include: sailing with captain Robin, taking Mom on a motorcycle ride, a surprise visit from Daniel, a dinner/movie with Carol, and Dim Sum
-Delphine arrived on the Friday; we took a tour of Toronto, watched Canada Day fireworks from the CN tower, ate more Dim Sum, and went for another sail.

Week of July 2nd
-Left on the 3rd for Ottawa, taking the scenic route. We stayed one night and enjoyed great weather, the parliament buildings, and eachother's company. So far, only 53 baguettes. We stayed in a remodeled jail, which was cool.
-Got to Montreal the next day on an eventful, wet ride on Le Doigt where I lost one of my lenses from my glasses. Shit.
-Montreal was fantastic: the jazz festival kept us busy, the food kept us stuffed, and both kept us in great spirits.
-Highlights include: eating another 53 baguettes; hearing Delphine speak French and proudly announce that she was from France; cool, massive, free, outdoor music; old Montreal
-I think we stayed four nights.

Week of July 9th
-I think we got to Quebec City on the Sunday where we had to sleep in separate beds. In separate rooms. On separate floors. Lovely. But, Quebec city was charming (when not pouring rain) and we got to experience our first B&B, which was great.
-Highlights include: strutting around in a bathrobe at the B&B, feeling mighty badass; navigating the one-way streets in the pouring rain looking for an address that doesn't exist (slight communication error); the Citadel and the old wall; more baguettes
-I think we stayed three nights
-The next stop was Gaspesie, Quebec, which is a scenic peninsula on the south side of the St. Lawrence.
-Highlights include: Lobster; the nice view of the ever widening St. Lawrence; Acadian French (especially Germaine); the ten minutes the weather didn't suck; narrowly avoiding hitting a dear in Gaspesie National park (which was beautiful); Mussels and oysters; nice B&B's and their nice breakfasts (probably not one of Delphine's highlights, though); camping in New Brunswick with b awe-inspiring view of the stars.
-We got to Nova Scotia on... hmph... Maybe the 13th or so? We headed towards Cape Breton, the most scenic place I have seen of its sort in my life. It desrves its own header:

Cape Breton
Wow, wow wow. What a place. First of all, the weather was absolutely perfect - for once. Secondly, the road was wind-y, which I loved (and Delphine was less of a fan of). Thirdly, the scenery was spectacular. Big, rolling hills (so gentle they almost seemed lazy) rose suddenly from the Atlantic covered entirely in thick trees. The road hugged the ocean, occasionally dipping into the mainland to give our retinas a break now and again. Absolutely gorgeous scenery, absolutely perfect company. A major highlight from my trip.
Highlights include: well, of course, the view; more seafood; ludicrously friendly Nova Scotians; camping for two nights (sorry 'bout the allergies, Del); finally thinking backwards in time change to my family; awesome, curvaceous, scenic roads; canoe-ing (sort of, haha); sunsets; Delphine repeatedly saying "I'll fill the water bottles up in the toilet"; romance up the wazoo
-We got to Halifax on the 19th, spending two rainy days before Delphine flew home late on the 20th.

All in all, we put on about 3,800 KMs on the bike, ate 3,216 baguettes, changed beds almost every single day, saw four provinces, got three sunburns, and loved eachother's company the entire time. I miss you already, mon petit bijoux.

Now I am leaving for Portland, Maine, tomorrow, taking the high-speed ferry from Yarmouth at 4 pm. I am still suffering from stomach problems, though, but i don't think it's anything that Gravol won't take care of in the morning. Wish me luck - heading West!

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