The weather up until day four had been hot but not horribly hot. On day four we got our first heat alert. The Road Safety crew were real champions keeping us all hydrated and reasonably happy (I particularly loved the folk who misted us with water). Riding in heat actually isn't too bad, its the stopping. I find that there's a bit of a breeze whilst riding, when you come to a stop, you get the full blast of heat. Thankfully all of our breaks had some nice shady spots.
On day four we started to pick up more bike trails. These were great trails, they either meandered through the woods or ran parallel to the highway (no, not the 401). In my mind they were proper bike trails in that they were paved (granted there were some killer bumps and potholes) and not like so called recreational trails that are all gravel.
Day four also meant that the route started to flatten out. The subject of hills is one that can be endlessly debated by bike rally riders. I think hills are pretty subjective. Often a hill looks worse from a distance and then doesn't end up being all that hard once you get to it. Others are slow and grueling to climb. I guess it all depends on how peppy you're feeling at any particular hill climbing moment. Anyway, from about day four onward I found the route easier.
Our campsite was in a campground alongside the St. Lawrence with a view of a bridge to the United States. The campground also had a tuck shop where popsicles were purchased and enjoyed. Mmmmm cold treats.
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