For some reason I thought a sense of calm would prevail as soon as I left Toronto and officially embarked on my trip. I had visions of the open road, reading books under a tree, and having plenty of time to write on my blog. Well, it turns out I still had a lot of prep to do for my trip and Montreal conveniently had a lot of stuff I wanted to see! Which ultimately has led to a continued whirlwind, not much time to write updates on the blog, and my decision to stay here a bit longer to enjoy this city as well as tie up loose ends.

Since it’s been 4 days already, I’ve seen a lot of this city. Montreal is a fantastic city to bike in – there are many bike lanes (with counter-flow bike lanes too!), lots of bike parking, and the City of Montreal even has a sort-of Bike Share program where you can rent a Bixi Bike and pick it up / drop it off to one of the many locations around the city. It’s widely successful here.

I’ve spent a good deal of time in various bike repair shops which amidst the hustle and bustle of the streets outside, has been a nice respite for me. Montreal is well equipped to service the booming bike culture here. There seems to be a DIY bike shop in every neighbourhood. Check out this list. So far I’ve spent time at Concordia’s Right to Move and Santropol Roulant bike shops. Aside from learning about shifters, barrel adjusters, and chain breaking, I have learned that when it comes to fixing bikes everything ALWAYS takes longer than you think it will. (I suppose this wisdom could be applied in other areas of life as well.)

Aside from booting around town on two wheels, I’ve had some time to kick my feet up here in a cozy apartment in Outremont with my fantastic hosts. As soon as I arrived, I felt like I was back at home: Emily-friendly food was being cooked up on the stove and good conversation was cooking around the table. Shane, Danielle, Neily and Candace live intentionally, sharing chores, food, and even cooking meals for each other on a regular basis. While there is definitely a place for taking a dream for revolution to the streets, mobilization for a better world is happening every day around many a kitchen table.

There is much to see and do here in Montreal so I think extending my stay here by a few days is the right thing for me at the moment. (Deciding when to stay or when to go will be an ongoing struggle for me I’m sure!).  One moment at a time is my new mantra. It’s 11am on Sunday. Let’s see where this day goes! First stop? Breakfast. Something is smelling good out there…