Grand Prix / Formula 1 Week in Montreal

On a beautiful Friday evening, June 23,2006, in the midst of all the excitement in downtown Montreal, during what is known as the Grand Prix / Formula 1 Week, we decided to do some exploring downtown, to see the sights and sounds of downtown Montreal, and let's not forget, the CARS!


Crescent St.


Pam, Allen, Trish, Tita Nil


interesting characters


exotic cars


and of course, dinner at Carlos and Pepe's

The rest of the photos in my Picasa-Google Album - click here

By Bike to Chateauguay,QC, Sainte-Catherine,QC, and Recre-O-Parc

Going to Chateauguay? It's that way >>> :-)


Tito Lits at the entrance of the 11km bike path that'll take you to the Recre-O-Parc, towns of Chateauguay and Sainte-Catherine



Behind Uncle Pilo is an 11km stretch of road and bike path that'll take you to the towns / municipalities of Chateauguay, Sainte-Catherine, and the Recre-O-Parc in Sainte-Catherine.

Estacade or Ice Bridge

Ice Bridge on the left, Champlain Bridge on the right

The Estacade (pronounced in French) or Ice Bridge links Nuns Island to an 11km strip of land, which is also a bike path, this leads to the Recre-o-parc.

Running parallel to the Ice Bridge or Estacade is the Champlain Bridge, steel structure segment is behind me, above- see photo below.



Behind me is a gravel, unpaved stretch of road that leads to the Victoria Bridge as well as to Ile Notre Dame where the Casino Montreal, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and the Olympic 'rowing' basin is.

This day we just rode across the Ice Bridge, stopped for photos, then headed to the Old Port of Montreal. Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was closed to regular traffic as the Grand Prix was on its way, setting up and preparation for the big race during the weekend.

Happy Birthday Greeting for Tiay Ergo

Tiay Ergo, even though we have not seen and been with each other for many, many years and we are thousands of miles away from each other, the memories of times spent with you during my younger days, while visiting with you at your former home in Phil-Am, are still very clear in my mind.

It was always comfortable sleeping over there at Phil-Am because your house was air conditioned :-). It was probably the only house I knew then that was air conditioned :-), wala pa lamok :-)

I remember the breakfasts and lunches, over that beautiful table of yours, with the lazy Susan. I did not know of anyone, then, who had such a table. Thank you for your hospitality, for making me feel at home with you.

I am amazed at how long you can stay in front of your dresser trying to get yourself ready and looking good for the day :-)

I remember the times I've gone with you and other family members to Tioy Tim's Mason functions.

Christmas was fun then whenever we could jump into your VW Kombi and go for a tour around the city to view the Christmas decorations on display in front of various businesses and department stores.

I remember the time at Phil-Am, Tita Inday was still single then, and we were hiding from one of her suitors or admirers, lights turned off, because she did not want to entertain the person.

I remember your smile, your laugh, I can picture you, as you looked then, just as if you are here in front of me.

I also remember your visit to Montreal - again, I am amazed at how long you can stay in front of the dresser trying to get yourself ready and looking good for the day :-) ha ha ha :-) ( I am laughing inside, with tears in my eyes as I recall these things, happy tears).

I have many more fond memories of you in my treasure chest of memories and even as I start to have more and more gray hairs and the hair starts to get thinner and fewer :-), I will cherish them all for the rest of my days.

Tiay Ergo, you are loved!! You are blessed!!

Happy Birthday!! May this be your "Bestest" birthday ever!! :-)

Let me quote from the Great Book, a blessing for you, from the Lord our God:

Numbers 6:24-26 (New Living Translation)
24 `May the LORD bless you and protect you.
25 May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.
26 May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.'

Love you!!

Lito, Nil, Paul, Pam (Allen), and Trish

Two Ferries Bike Tour / Ride- Damage Report

Senneville road to Gouin Blvd is not so cycling friendly; for the last few years we've ridden that route nothing much has change except maybe it just keeps getting worst.



Uncle Pilo's rear wheel is out of true; I have not checked for damage on my road bike yet.

Quoting from Pilo's email:

Elite to visit Cycle Roberts tomorrow as it couldn't handle the craters of Gouin Blvd.

I propose to ban Gouin Blvd. from our future cycling rides.

I am not a fan of that route - maybe someone ought to write the municipalities of Pierrefonds and Senneville.

Two Ferries Bike Tour / Ride

Data from Uncle Pilo's Garmin GPS shows the route of our "Two Ferries Bike Tour / Ride"

Two Ferries Bike Tour / Ride

A couple of years ago, Paul and Trish rode with Pilo and I through the multi-municipalities (Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson, Vaudreuil, Dorion, Pincourt, Ile Perrot, St. Anne de Bellevue, Senneville, Pierrefonds) ride or simply what we refer to as the Two Ferries Bike Tour.



Here are photos from that ride.

Have you ridden your bike lately?

Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson and more

75km round trip from Pierrefonds through Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson, Vaudreuil, Dorion, Pincourt, Ile Perrot, Senneville and finally back to Pierrefonds

For the rest of the photos from this ride- Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson and more

Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson and more

on board the ferry


Tito Lits enjoying the view and the beautiful weather


Tito Lits watching the boats on the lake


Uncle Pilo enjoying the ferry ride and a short break from pedaling 

Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson and more

Oka - Hudson Ferry


cooling under the shade while waiting for our ferry


Uncle Pilo, bike and jersey to match 

Ile Bizard, Laval, Two Mountains, Oka, Hudson and more

waiting for the ferry, I had to dismount off my bike to honor the sign posted to my right


Yes siree, I turned off my bike engine


somewhere in Oka, at the end of the of the bike path (part of the Route Vert / Green Route bike path system) that runs between Two Mountains and Oka

taking a quick break and a photo opp, getting ready to climb a couple of hills towards our left


downtown Oka :-), cars and cyclists lined up to board the ferry that would take us across to Hudson 

More from our June 20 Ride

Tito Lits. by the entrance to Rene Levesque Park- the park's a good place for family picnics, walkers, runners, bladers, as well as cyclists.

The small building to my right houses a bike rental / roller blade rental office.


Dragon boat team practicing


Paddling towards the the sunset


Uncle Pilo- behind are uniquely designed out houses for pee breaks and whatever else :). Notice the dark clouds in the background. Strong south easterly winds.

For the rest of the photos from this ride please go to my Picasa / Google Album 

Comfort Bicycles | Hybrid Bicycle | Chainless Bicycles | Mountain Bikes | Shaft Drive Bike - Dynamic Bicycles

Comfort Bicycles | Hybrid Bicycle | Chainless Bicycles | Mountain Bikes | Shaft Drive Bike - Dynamic Bicycles

Woh, woh, hold on - chainless bicycles?

Grazing in the Grass

Rene Levesque Park - Lachine, Quebec

Last minute decision to go for a weekday late afternoon or early evening bike ride - looked like we had a couple of hours of riding window before the rain fell, we decided to grab the opportunity for a leaisurely ride (define leisurely- hehehe)


photo opportunity at Rene Levesque Park, spotted a couple of road bikes grazing in the grass - veggy bikes.


Pilo's Veloci-Ti Guru - the owner was a bit nervous about the weather situation, he's bike hasn't been rained on, yet. :-)


Tito Lits' Bad Boy Cannondale Road Warrior, still going strong. 

Thrilla from the Grilla

 

Uncle Philip's back from the Philippines and we are so glad to have our Grillman back to serve us a thrill-a of a meal-a. 

Picasa Web Albums

Check this out - the all new Picasa Web Albums (Beta)

Lunch at Peter's Cape Cod with Trish

Trish had to take care of some school business at John Abbott this morning and so, just like a loving, caring father should be, I drove her to St. Anne de Bellevue.

Afterwards, right around noon time, we decided to visit Peter's Cape Cod, for lunch.


In front of the house of Simon Fraser in St. Anne De Bellevue, just across Peter's Cape Cod seafood restaurant


Trish ordered the Garlic Shrimps Platter while I ordered one of my favorite dishes at Peter's, Fried Calamare Platter.

It was a beautiful sunny day, lots of boaters, as well cyclists in St. Anne's.

Went for a 30km bike ride later in the afternoon around Dollard des Ormeaux and Pierrefonds.

More photos from our June 11, Sunday afternoon ride

Took these photos with my Nokia phonecam.


Old Port of Montreal


Pilo reporting our current whereabouts :-)


Health break, somewhere along the Lachine Canal bike path


By the Lighthouse


the luxurious $41M yacht, Blue Moon

What did EEG CS do on Pito's Birthday?

Why of course, we celebrated your birthday Pito. How, you ask? We went for a bike ride in your horror, ooops, sorry, I meant in your honor.

We suffered for you, but it was all for a good cause- your birthday remembrance :-)

Here are some meteorological stats, courtesy of Uncle Pilo's GPS tracking system:
WIND W 26 km/h
GUSTS 35 km/h
RELATIVE HUMIDITY 72%
DEWPOINT 12°C
PRESSURE 100.59 kPa
VISIBILITY 24 km
CEILING 4000 ft

What wind you ask?

Take a look at Pilo, yellow jacket, wind stopping outfit, but noticed how he almost fell over the railing because of the gusts.



Check out this photo (below), the direction of the branches and leaves of the trees, checkout the flag in the background. Gusts at 35 kph.



Checkout the waves pounding the wall behind me; in spite of all these we still went ahead, to ride in your horror, I meant your honor.



Let's change the subject, maiba ng usapan, when we got to the Old Port the sun came out from the cloud cover and lo and behold we see this beauty of a boat, almost similar to our Blue Lagoon, this one was the Blue Moon.



Uncle Pilo and I with the Blue Moon in the background.



How about an artistic photo composition from Uncle Pilo, one of his favorite, a silhouette shot.



I have a few more photos from a little ity-bity Nokia phonecam. Will add a little bit later.

Meanwhile, I'll go shower now and later on, visit with my sister Grace and my brother-in-law Uncle Philip who just returned from a trip to his hometown in the Philippines.

Hasta la vista baby!!