Day 77

After the best day ever, woke up around 8am. We wanted to get into montreal at a decent time, so unfortunately didn't spend tons of time in the hotel in the morning (but with a trip like this, you can't do everything and can't relax forever!). We got everything packed up and hit the road around 930. It was a really nice day! We had another wicked tail wind (just as the weather network predicted)! Our first stop of the day was in St. Philippe, where we got some chocolate milk (and where Philippe obviously took his picture). It was a big deal for Philippe (I'm sure). It was an easy route (stay on the same highway 148). Our troubles started after following the highway up into Lachute then back down. We followed all the "148" signs, and then all of a sudden, the signs changed and it appeared we were on a different highway! There were no roads branching off or anything, the signs just changed! We were so confused! And the map I had wasn't good enough or detailed enough to understand if we were lost or not! There was nothing around, and all the industrial buildings around were closed (because it was a Sunday). Luckily, we found two people working (I think it was a cleaning staff) who told us we were on the right road still (it was just apparently poorly labelled). So we continued, and there were still some sketchy areas where the labelling was less than adequate, where we were never actually lost or off track, but definitely thought we were.
Our next break was at a fruit market where we ate fresh fruit, which was amazing! Philippe got a message from his prof saying he needed him in the lab tomorrow (so he had to sort out when he needed to get back (ie tonight or tomorrow morning)). So we didn't stay too long so he could sort stuff out in Montreal if he needed to.
We got into laval and found bike route, which was wiked! (esp the one beside the tracks). It was really nice and scenic and well kept! We really enjoyed the bike route! That is, until we had to cross over into Montreal. The signs just stopped and we didn't know where to pick it up to cross the bridge. So we were a bit lost and asked a pizzaria for help, but their directions were useless (they told us the bridge that we ended up crossing didn't exist). Needless to say, we found our way in the end.
In Montreal, the bike path was a beautiful route. We did get lost a bit (happens without a map!). But we found our way (and had a lot of conflicting advice along the way which didn't help). Philippe knocked a girl over with his bag accidentally. He didn't get the memo it's not an extreme sport, cycling across Canada. (He obviously felt bad about it, and the girl wasn't going fast or anything and it was more of a gentle, slow motion fall).
We finally found Michael's lab just in time for dinner. Michael, Rohith, and Mark were waiting outside the building for us to go for all you can eat sushi. It was such a fun dinner! Mark and Rohith were a lot of fun! We couldn't stop laughing all night! After dinner Vishya met up with us and we went to check out the Just for Laughs street festival. Unfortunately all the tickets were sold out so we couldn't see a show, but we walked around the streets and there was a lot going on! (on way, Philippe booked his ride share (for too early!) tomorrow). Michael went back to the lab to do more work and Mark left to study. The rest of us went down and saw some random shows, including some weird artsy thing where vishya and I got told off for touching someone's costume (it was a big ball type costume that looked like it belonged in Alice and Wonderland, and we were too curious not to touch it!), then got cleared away by creepy ninjas on stilts and a man with a flare to make room in the center of the crowd. It was really scary, and weird, and random, but funny in a weird kind of way!
When the shows were all over, we went back to the lab then went home and fell asleep!