Deep in the Delta/Music of the Mississippi

The last third, or even last half, of this trip has been characterized by a deep connection to musical history. It all seemed to kick off in Asheville, N.C., where there was a huge African festival on the weekend we arrived. Music from gospel to rap to rock was on display all across the city. From Asheville we passed through the hometowns of Dolly Parton (Pigeon Forge) and Loretta Lynn (Hurricane Mills), Nashville, and finally Memphis. Memphis was the crown jewel of this section of the tour. Less touristy than Nashville, with the musical history depth of W.C. Handy, B.B. King, Elvis and Johnny Cash, Memphis was a musical history education. Outings were made to blues clubs, Graceland and Sun Studios, where a large number of early blues and Elvis recordings were first made.

Between Memphis and New Orleans, we were often reminded by the locals that we were “deep in the Delta now!”. The Mississippi River Delta it turns out isn’t a physical river delta – that was further south – no, the Delta, and being ‘deep in the delta’ was more of a feeling. Blues music was truly born in the delta out of the call-and-response music of the African American slaves, gospel and church music, with influence from folk and country. So travelling through the cotton fields, seeing the continued poverty and hardship that people of the region live with and endure and strive to overcome, still, after all this time, you start to personally feel the connection between the people and the land and the music.

The last days of the trip saw us passing through Baton Rouge and the outskirts of New Orleans, where the economic industry of the area picked up dramatically and the music also got a bit more upbeat. New Orleans is known more for the blues’ happier cousin, jazz, and the city delivered! Bob happily reported that as he cycled into Jackson Square in the French Quarter, a brass band started playing “When The Saints Go Marching In”. Walker got a bunch of us out to see some live jazz at Preservation Hall later that night.

As a company, we have never focussed on sponsors. We would rather spend our time on creating great tours. But occasionally we find a product partner that just makes sense – Clif Bar is one such company.

Being one of the most flavourful energy bars on the market and a brand that many of our cyclists already choose, it made a lot of sense to work with Clif Bar on our inaugural French Connection tour.

Clif Bar had sponsored our 2015 North American Epic cycle tour (read about it here – warning, gratuitous product placement) last year as well and they generously did the same for the French Connection – each rider getting a bar for every riding day of the tour.

So a big thanks to Clif Bar and we hope to continue our partnership in the years ahead.

Tour leader Max Dionne displays one of the Sierra Trail Mix bars. (You didn’t hear it from me but he might be known to hold back the Chocolate Chip flavour for only the most difficult stages. Nothing like a special treat at the top of a climb!)

Nashville saw a new addition to the French Connection staff – Jonah joined us for a trial period, a bit of a test run to see if he could potentially be a mechanic on a future tour. His arrival was rather serendipitous for this section of the trip, as we ran into more mechanical problems with bikes than we normally do. It actually started with my own bike troubles – Day 1 out from Nashville, my chain broke, which then caught in my rear derailleur, and that got pulled into the wheel … next thing you know, I was on the ground with a broken derailleur hanger and a slightly bent derailleur. Bob was my hero that day – it doesn’t take me too long to catch him after lunch, so when I hadn’t caught him, he stopped to look for me and found me walking along with my bike. He found a lovely local farm house, with a phone, and called ahead, and I waited for my pick-up by eating nachos and salsa and chatting about fishing with the locals.

I had brought a bunch of spare parts with me, but no derailleur hanger. Upon picking me up, Max says “Ah, yeah, that’s the one part you should bring with you if you go to Africa”. We’ll, at least I found out in North America where there’s a chance of getting the right part. In the meantime, we were down a bike and essentially a sweep. Warren’s bike is far too tall for tiny little me to ride. Welcome Jonah! In addition to my bike troubles, we had some issues with shifters and bottom brackets, so there was no lack of work for the mechanic over this four day stretch. After the flagging and lunch were done the second day of the section, Jonah and I did some reconnaissance in Jackson for parts. We didn’t get my derailleur hanger, but we did get the exact model number, tips on shops to try in Memphis, and enough cell reception to call ahead and locate the needed part.

We were always going to give Jonah a shot at sweeping too, but originally the plan was to do it with a buddy. Now down a bike, Jonah would be helping out by sweeping on his own part of the last two days into Memphis. After sweeping the morning, Jonah hopped into the lunch truck with me and we went in pursuit of my hanger as well as a shopping list of other bike parts. The hanger was located at a bike shop called Bike the Planet. These guys were fantastic! They’d gotten me my part in one day, and found a used shifter for Bob and gave it to us for free. The morning of the rest day in Memphis we started bike shop a bit early at 8:30 am, and our mechanics got to work on the waiting-list of bike repairs.

It was a great week to have a spare set of hands around – it helped make up for the lack of spare parts. Thanks Jonah!

Roanoke and Asheville were the entrance and exit points to the Blue Ridge Parkway for us. I had heard of neither before going to them. We hit Roanoke first. Walking down the street on our first night in search of dinner, we saw this.

Again, I’d never heard of either of these two cities before, and knew absolutely nothing about them, but I started to get a sense that there may be a bit of a Springfield vs Shelbyville vibe here.

I liked Roanoke well enough. When we asked the receptionists at the hotel what we should see while we were in town, she said “Well, of course, you have to see the Star!” ‘The Star’ is the “World’s largest man-made illuminated star”. There is actually a larger man-made star in Texas, BUT it’s not illuminated! So of course we went up the hill to see the star. It was nice, we made it up the hill just in time to beat the sunset crush, and were gifted with a beautiful view of the city at dusk under the gentle hum of this neon wonder (1700 W!).

I also liked that Roanoke was paying service to some of it’s Black History. Crossing Virginia, we were on the Civil War Trail a fair bit. Don’t get me wrong here – it’s absolutely fascinating – but there are many memorials and cemeteries and battlefields, but little reference to the history of slavery in the area. It feels like a big chunk of context is missing from the story. So I was very happy in Roanoke to find a plaque celebrating black film makers from the area, after having walked across the Martin Luther King Jr. bridge. Kudos to you Roanoke!

Four spectacular days of cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway later, we arrived in Asheville. After going for dinner, some of us went downtown to check out the local scene. Well, downtown there was a huge African American & Caribbean festival going on, the Goombay Festival. It was excellent! Two stages for music & spoken word artists, batiks, food stalls, all authentic African wares. The festival lasts three days, and is one of the largest festivals in Asheville. So we were there at the right time.

After talking with the person at reception at our hotel in Asheville, he said the city was known for three main things: Food, Music, and Beer. Let’s just say the city delivered big time. The food was excellent, everywhere. Live music, between the festivals, street musicians, bands playing in bars and restaurants, was everywhere and of high quality. And the beer – the sheer number of craft breweries and microbreweries in the area means you need to be good to survive.

And so, in the Asheville vs. Roanoke rivalry, we came down on the Asheville side. The graffiti spoke true to us. If you’d like to judge for yourselves someday, cycling between the two cities via the Blue Ridge Parkway is definitely an excellent way to do it!

Taking a bus or train on a cycling trip feels a bit like cheating, but one thing you can’t bike on is water so taking a ferry is different. This last section of our journey has been filled with unavoidable ferry rides that have been interesting and thus an enjoyable addition to our travels.

We left NYC by ferry – it was beautiful cycling along the Hudson River to the ferry terminal the morning we left the Jane Hotel. We passed the Statue of Liberty and had some gorgeous views of the skyline as we left the city.

Our next ferry was two days later, from New Jersey to Delaware. It was a bit of an early morning, this one, but was a fun way to start the day.

Our final ferry was the very next day – Maryland to Virginia. Unfortunately, the vans couldn’t come on this ferry, so we had to take them the long way around. While the riders were off having coffee on Tangier Island in the middle of Chesapeake Bay, I was off on a 4+ hour car ride heading south down the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia peninsula, across the bridge-tunnel-bridge-tunnel that crosses Chesapeake Bay, and then up to the ferry landing point to start the flagging before the riders alighted. The riders definitely got the better end of the deal.

I wasn’t sure what to expect cycling the east coast of North America. I know it’s beautiful, but I also know it’s pretty heavily populated, so maybe not ideal for cyclists. Well, my fears were allayed: most of the way has been pretty fantastic for cycling. Here are some of the highlights.

Top Bike Paths and Trails

Quebec – La Route Verte

La Route Verte is an extensive network of bike paths webbing across the province of Quebec. Honestly, now that I know it exists, I don’t see why you’d ever need a car in Quebec! You can get anywhere you need to by bicycle. The path was well maintained, and passed through plenty of tiny towns off the beaten path. We may not have seen any elusive covered bridges in Quebec, but we did pass by the birthplace of the poutine, so some riders stopped to check out that local delicacy.

You can check out La Route Verte’s network to plan your next adventure here.

Vermont – Route 100 Scenic Byway

Not officially a bike route, but a favourite of cyclists. There were more people out there than just us biking these scenic hills. “Tomorrow’s a bit of a hard day – but it’s beautiful!” was the main way I took to describing the next day’s route to the cyclists, and it was fitting. If you’re looking for a challenging but rewarding ride, Vermont’s Route 100 was excellent, again with plenty of quaint stops along the way for delicious second breakfasts.

New Jersey and New York – The Hudson River Greenway

New York is a big city, with lots of people and lots of traffic. Entering the city was waaaaay easier than I’d anticipated! The Hudson River Greenway is a network of land and water trails on both the New York and New Jersey sides of the Hudson River. The New Jersey side was more gravel, and even went down to some fun single-track in places (where I swear I saw a bear!). The route goes through Palisades Park, then you cross into New York over the George Washington Bridge, where you can continue along dedicated, paved bike paths all around the coast of the island of Manhattan. It was an excellent way of entering the city – a beautiful day with stunning views.

Washington D.C. & Virginia – The Washington and Old Dominion (W+OD) Trail

We followed this trail out of D.C., to a lunch spot 80 km away where the trail ends, and it was a pleasure the whole time. Not only was the trail well maintained, every few miles there were signs directing you to local bike shops not far off the path if you needed repairs, local pubs and community centres where you could use the washrooms, get water, or more substantial refreshments if needed, and there was one spot, which I expect was a bit far from a town, that had a covered rest stop complete with charging stations, water fountain, port-a-potties, maps of the area, and a couple of stretching posts! Most amazing rest stop that I’ve ever seen.

Other Notable Mentions

The Vermont Bike Ferry with Local Motion

This was a short, fun ferry ride in the middle of a bike path in Vermont. The ferry is run specifically to connect up two ends of a bike path, no cars allowed. The guys working the ferry were also very knowledgeable about the Vermont cycling scene.

You can learn more about cycling in Vermont here & here.

Shenandoah Bicycle Company

In general, cyclists are pretty good, helpful people. When you need a part on a Sunday, and are passing a town at a time when all the shops are closed, it’s nice to find people who still work on an honour system. Calling ahead to bike shops looking for a bottom bracket, an acquaintance of Jason’s at the Shenandoah Bicycle Company was willing to leave out a bracket for us as we were passing by, as long as we left the cash behind in exchange. When the guys arrived at the secret hiding place where we’d exchange the part for the money, they found the added bonus of the part taped to a tall-boy – thanks Shenandoah Bicycle Company!

The Jane was an experience. Let’s put it that way. It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. We stayed at the Jane Hotel in New York City. The morning we arrived, we had an amazing time biking along the Hudson on both the New Jersey and New York City sides. We had excellent weather and breathtaking vistas.

But when we arrived at The Jane, the shit kinda of hit the fan. We were also coming off seven days of hard cycling, through the beautiful yet rather hilly Green Mountains. People were tired. People were sore. You could tell people were longing for soft beds, warm showers and some space to relax in. The Jane has some of that, but it was somewhat lacking in the space department.

What’s captivating about The Jane is that it’s built like a ship. It was built for sailors, well over 100 years ago, and one of its historic claims-to-fame is that it housed the survivors of the Titanic when they were brought to shore. But it is cabin-style bunk rooms, which means that for two people sharing, each with 2 x 90 L duffel bags, there’s no where to walk. Keeping your bike in your room was out of the question. After storing the bikes in a safe off-hotel location and booking another room just for luggage, people settled in somewhat more comfortably.

After the initial shock, however, the character of The Jane really started to charm the crowd. From the stuffed peacocks in the lobby, to the roof-top bar and patio, to the turn-of-the-century (the last century) lounge and bar on the main floor that’s only opened up twice a week, to the always helpful and courteous staff, the rest of the stay was a joy. In the heart of the Meatpacking District, near the start of the High Line Park, and a block from the Hudson, the location couldn’t be beat. Convenient to the bike lanes for easy city touring as well. Indeed, many of the people on the tour said that if they ever came back to New York, they would definitely stay at The Jane again.

So, while perhaps this wasn’t the most practical place to stay on a cycling tour, it certainly was an interesting one. And we found a hidden gem in the city for sure.

“You know, Bob’s really quite dashing! with his earring and tattoo and smile.”

This was one of the rider’s comments this morning over breakfast, and I had to agree with her – Bob is definitely someone who makes you smile. Bob is a repeat TDA customer, and adventurer at large. The earring referred to by the rider this morning is a tiny seashell – the symbol of St. James and the Camino de Santiago which he walked a few years ago. He’s cycled our Indian Adventure, and climbed Kilimanjaro.

Hailing from Edmonton, Canada, Bob worked as educator and principal until his retirement. He and his fellow Edmontonian Wayne were on the North American Epic last year, and signed up together for this year’s French Connection tour. Bob’s an absolute pleasure to travel with – full of jokes, and grit, and a good attitude towards everything. He makes friends wherever he goes, and has met up with a number of them over the trip at our various stops – friends from the North American Epic in Montreal and New York, as well as others.

He celebrated his 74th birthday this week, the second time he’s celebrated a birthday on a TDA tour. In addition to a heck of a lot of hill climbing, we also had some cake and celebrations with him at camp in the evening.

Last year when Bob was doing the North American Epic, he was asked a lot of questions by locals about what he was doing, and why he was doing it. “You’re cycling from Anchorage, Alaska to Mexico City? You must be fundraising for something. What are you doing it for?” People were sometimes a little confused that he would just do something this intense for fun. All the questions got him to thinking: If his adventures could raise awareness for a cause, perhaps he could help do a little bit more good for the world while doing what he loves.

So the French Connection is a little bit more special for Bob because this is his first time supporting a cause on his adventures. His charity of choice is the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and North West Territories. A number of years ago, Bob lost his wife to a struggle with debilitating dementia. In a way, I think this helps to keep her present in his adventures. And he can help support other people who find themselves in the same situation and hopefully contribute towards a cure. You can link to Bob’s donation page, “Adventures for Alzheimer’s” by clicking here.

Bob, I’m glad I have the chance to travel on your adventures with you! Keep on rollin’, my friend.

We’ve only been cycling for three days, but already we see the impact of rivers running through the course of this tour. We left Quebec via ferry on a beautiful sunny morning, looking back at the chateau over-looking the St. Lawrence River. After the crossing, we started off on Day 1. Part-way down the directions for the morning, there was a line that read something like: “You’ll come to a bike path that will take you under the bridge – make sure you take the bike path – Don’t cross the St. Lawrence again!” Unfortunately, there was a group that missed that line and… crossed the St. Lawrence again! And then had to come back. So there were three major river crossings on Day 1 for a few people.

We’ve been lucky with the weather in general, with the days being sunny and dry for the most part, and only really getting rain over night. That said, the rain at night has been HARD. After a rather wet night camping, Day 2 saw us crossing a number of smaller swollen rivers and flooded fields. The Route Verte remained drained and smooth though, and we had another good day cycling.

Day 3 saw us cross the St. Lawrence again – but this time on purpose. The weather stayed brilliant and the riders were met with a stunningly beautiful view of the city and the river coming into Montreal.

We’ve refreshed ourselves on the rest day in Montreal, toured the city, eaten some amazing food, and dried out all our camping gear. Tomorrow we head off to cross the St. Lawrence again, for (hopefully) the last time on this trip.

We start our journey in Quebec City, a beautiful old city full of cobbled streets, culture and history. Founded in 1608 by the French explorer and adventurer Samuel de Champlain, it feels very fitting to be beginning our tour of Eastern North America in one of it’s oldest settlements.

Last night the riders started to arrive at the Hotel Clarendon and we had our meet-and-greet. We have a friendly bunch, and it looks like it’s shaping up to be a fun tour. We swapped stories over drinks, and the excitement started to ramp up. Finally breaking up for the evening, people went to sleep off their jet-lag, watch the Olympic swimming events in local pubs, or check out the local street performers.

This morning we met again to get down to business. Our Tour Director, Max, lead the proceedings. We started with some introductions, and found that we have a breadth of experience on this trip – a number of TDA alumni as well as cyclists who are new to touring. As we walked through the overview of the tour, how a typical day will work, and what they can expect, any apprehension people felt about the trip began to melt away and be replaced by anticipation.

Warren, our Tour Mechanic, ran a Bike Shop session in the afternoon. All the bikes with bumps and bruises from their air travel were patched up. The rest of the afternoon was low-key, with riders re-packing their bags, staff doing the final touches on packing the vans, and everyone getting their last chance in to enjoy all that this wonderful city has to offer.

Today, we start early to head off on our French Adventure!

Have you ever considered one of our tours, then stopped short and convinced yourself that its just too crazy for you? Well here is an opportunity to try out the TDA experience close to home, and at no charge!

Ride with Us for Free

This summer on our inaugural French Connection cycling tour, we are passing thru Montreal, New York City, and Washington, among many other cities. Let us know if you live nearby and would like to join us for a taste of TDA.

We would love to introduce you to what we do, and prove to you that this is not only for uber athletes, or experienced adventurers. It’s for anyone willing to aim big and take on a real challenge.

Learn the joys of camp life, new cycling friends, and the new routines that make our tours a special experience.

Here are three options to choose from, but if you live in Boston, Philadelphia, or elsewhere near our route, we would be happy to have you meet us as well. Please email us and we can work out the details. Limited spots available, so let us know soon.

We will carry your bags on our support vehicles and feed you most meals during the ride. We will also cover your camping fee. Transportation to meet us and hotel costs are not included and you will need to come with your own bike and camping gear.

Quebec City to Montreal

3 cycling days, covering 319 km.
Take a train from Montreal to meet the group at the start line in Quebec City (approx. 4 hours).

New York to Cape May

2 cycling days, covering 160 miles.
Bus back thru Atlantic City (approx. 4 hours).

Washington to Roanoke (Christianburg)

4 cycling days, covering 273 miles.
We will give you a lift to Christianburg, and then you can take a bus back to Washington (approx. 5 hours).

More Options in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand

With tours this year passing thru much of Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand, we may just be coming thru your city too. If you would like to cycle with us, let us know and we will see what can be arranged.

Français ci-dessous

Maxime Dionne lives in Quebec City and, was assistant tour leader on the South American Epic, and is now in charge of the French Connection cycling tour. Here is his update on the scout from Nashville to New Orleans. Be sure to check out his previous entry, New York to Nashville.

The last section of the French Connection has a lot to offer! Going from Nashville to Memphis, you’ll enjoy some of the most beautiful back country roads that will lead you to the Big River, the famous Mississippi river! Home of Elvis Presley’s Graceland and many musical venues, time will pass quickly in Memphis. Then we cross the river on a newly (not yet finished!) bike path to Arkansas where we only spend 1 night. That stage gives us the good opportunity to explore some bayous in a state park! From Memphis, Tennessee passing by Helena, Arkansas to Vicksburg, Mississippi, you will ride in the region that gave birth to Blues music, the Mississippi Delta. On the way, you’ll have time and especially the pleasure to try all of the southern culinary dishes : tamales, gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish étouffé and catfish!

Vicksburg is famous for an important civil war battle and was a turning point for the Union states to secure their victory against the Confederate states, you can visit on your bike the huge and beautiful park where that multiple-day-battle happened. Vicksburg is also known for being the first place where Coca-Cola was bottled, learn more at the museum there. Leaving Vicksburg, we ride on the last part of the Natchez Trace Parkway, on the most beautiful and interesting part of it. Going back in time, you can see old sections of the trace first used by natives and then Europeans and finally Americans, passing by the Emerald Mound, an important ceremonial native site, the second largest Pre-Colombian earthwork in the country, you will learn a lot about history of the region.

From Natchez, we enter the last state visited on the tour, Louisiana, where the landscape changes to old plantation properties and Spanish moss hanging on the trees’ branches, you will also enjoy a flat ride on the levee with a view on the Mississippi until New Orleans. New Orleans, this unique town, known for the Mardi Gras festival happening there every year in March. There’s plenty to do in that mythical town! You will get the feeling of festivities going on here in the French Quarter watching all the people walking on Bourbon street at night. You’ll also listen to Jazz musicians in Jackson’s square, have your future sorted out by a medium, get some voodoo dolls, visit above-ground tombs, taste some pralines and Café du Monde’s beignets and cruise on a paddle wheel boat on the Mississippi. The scouting is done, I think it will be a wonderful journey and I hope to see you on the tour in August!

La dernière section de la French Connection a beaucoup à offrir! Allant de Nashville à Memphis, vous apprécierez quelques-unes des plus belles routes de campagne qui vous mèneront jusqu’à la Big River, le fameux fleuve du Mississippi! Le temps passera rapidement à Memphis lorsque vous visiterez Graceland de Elvis Presley et assisterez à une des nombreuses prestations de musique. Ensuite, nous traverserons le fleuve sur une nouvelle (encore en construction!) piste cyclable vers l’Arkansas où nous coucherons qu’une seule nuit. Cette étape nous donnera l’occasion d’explorer quelques bayous d’un parc d’état! De Memphis au Tennessee en passant par Helena en Arkansas jusqu’à Vicksburg au Mississippi, vous parcourrez la région qui a donné naissance au Blues, le Mississippi Delta. En chemin, vous aurez le loisir et surtout le plaisir de déguster la cuisine du sud avec des mets comme des tamales, du jambalaya, du poisson-chat et un étouffé aux écrevisses!

Vicksburg est réputée pour être le lieu où s’est déroulée une importante bataille de la guerre civile et qui fut un point tournant pour la victoire des états de l’union contre les états confédérés; vous pouvez visiter à vélo cet énorme et splendide parc où la bataille s’est déroulée durant plusieurs jours. Vicksburg est aussi connue pour être le premier endroit où le Coca-Cola a été embouteillé, vous pouvez en apprendre davantage au musée en ville. En quittant Vicksburg, vous pédalerez sur le Natchez Trace Parkway, sur la partie la plus intéressante et magnifique. Vous remontrez le temps en observant de vieilles sections du sentier originellement utilisé par les amérindiens, les européens et finalement les américains, en passant par Emerald Mound, un site amérindien important pour les cérémonies, le deuxième plus grand site pré-colombien fait en terre aux États-Unis, vous apprendrez beaucoup sur l’histoire de la région.

Depuis Natchez, nous entrerons le dernier état de la randonnée, la Louisiane, où le paysage change pour faire place à d’anciennes plantations et de la “spanish moss” qui pend aux branches des arbres, vous profiterez aussi d’un faible dénivelé sur la digue avec vue sur le Mississippi jusqu’à la Nouvelle-Orléans. La Nouvelle-Orléans, cette ville unique, reconnue pour le festival du Mardi Gras qui y a lieu à chaque année au mois de mars. Il ne manque pas de choses à faire dans cette ville mythique! Vous pourrez sentir l’ambiance des fêtes qui ont lieues dans le French Quarter en regardant les gens déambuler la rue Bourbon la nuit tombée. Vous pourrez écouter les musiciens de Jazz au Jackson’s square, vous faire prédire votre avenir par un médium, vous acheter des poupées vodous, visiter des tombeaux à la surface du sol, déguster des pralines et des beignets du Café du Monde et pourquoi ne pas terminer par une croisière sur le Mississippi sur un de ces bateaux à roue à aubes! L’exploration et la balisage du trajet est terminé, je pense que ce sera un voyage exceptionnel et j’espère vous y retrouver au mois d’août!

Français ci-dessous

Maxime Dionne lives in Quebec City and, having gained loads of experience as an assistant tour leader on the South American Epic, he is now in charge of our inaugural French Connection cycling tour. Here is his update on the scout from New York City to Nashville. Be sure to also check out his previous entry on the section from Quebec City to New York.

I can’t believe only 10 days have elapsed since I was in New-York city! This section really brings you from one extreme to the other. Starting your day riding amongst the tallest buildings of the continent, jumping on a ferry and landing at Sandy Hook, at the tip of New Jersey, to continue riding next to sandy beaches and infinite Atlantic Ocean, has something surreal. The moment you get off the ferry, you feel like on a foreign land and you’re filled with the joy of freedom by riding next to the sea. You continue your journey visiting some of New Jersey’s beach towns until you reach Cape May. There you cross the bay, blaze through Delaware and Maryland country roads and take another ferry across the Chesapeake Bay to end up in Virginia. A little further, arriving in Washington D.C., you are welcomed by the Washington Monument (the obelisk), the Lincoln Memorial and the White House! With all the free museums here, it’s a good place to have a rest day. Leaving the capital city on a beautiful bike trail, you are now entering my favourite section so far. You can witness some historic sites of the civil war and have just a few days to get ready for the big physical challenge of the tour : the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We’ll jump on this amazing drive in Roanoke and keep following it until it ends, bringing us to North Carolina. Conquering mountains one after the other, you’ll feel sometimes breathless, but mainly because of the spectacular views offered to you! And now that you’ve reached Cherokee you think you’ve seen the best of the Appalachian mountains, but hold your thoughts, because the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is waiting for you with plenty of surprises. Reaching Tennessee on the other side, it’s now time to head to Nashville, the music city. Live music at every door on Broadway, you can go to a Honky Tonk or listen to all other kinds of music. Don’t leave Nashville without a cowboy hat and a pair of boots!

J’ai peine à croire que 10 jours seulement se sont écoulés depuis mon arrêt dans la ville de New-York! Cette section vous transportera vraiment d’un extrême à l’autre. De commencer votre journée en pédalant parmi les plus grands édifices du continent, de sauter sur un traversier et d’atterrir à Sandy Hook, à la pointe du New Jersey, pour poursuivre votre randonnée en côtoyant les plages sablonneuses et l’immense Océan Atlantique, provoque définitivement un sentiment surréaliste en nous. Du moment où vous mettrez pied à terre, vous vous sentirez sur une terre étrangère et vous ressentirez la joie de la liberté de pédaler près de la mer. Vous continurez votre voyage en visitant quelques stations balnéaires du New Jersey jusqu’à ce que vous atteigniez Cape May. De là, vous traverserez la baie, dévalerez les routes campagnardes du Delaware et du Maryland et traverserez ensuite la baie de Chesepeake pour terminer en Virginie. Un peu plus loin, en arrivant à Washington D.C., vous serez accueillis par le Washington Monument (l’obélisque), le Mémorial de Lincoln et la Maison Blanche! Avec tous les musées gratuits ici, c’est un bon endroit pour prendre une journée de repos. En quittant la capitale sur une belle piste cyclable, vous entrez maintenant dans ma section préférée jusqu’à présent. Vous serez témoin de sites historiques de la guerre civile et vous n’aurez que quelques jours pour vous préparez en vue du grand défi physique de l’expédition : le Blue Ridge Parkway.

Nous embarquerons sur cette route magnifique à Roanoke et la maintiendrons jusqu’à la fin, en Caroline du Nord. Conquérant montagne après montagne, vous aurez parfois le souffle court, mais ce sera principalement dû aux points de vue spectaculaires qui s’offriront à vous. Lorsque vous aurez atteint la ville de Cherokee, vous vous direz que vous avez vu la plus belle partie des Appalaches, mais détrompez vous, le parc national Great Smoky Mountains vous réservera bien des surprises. Arrivés au Tennessee de l’autre côté, il sera l’heure de se diriger à Nashville, la ville de la musique. Prestations en direct à chaque établissement, vous pourrez écouter du country ou tout autre sorte de musique. Ne quittez pas Nashville sans acheter votre chapeau et vos bottes de cowboy!

Français ci-dessous
Maxime Dionne lives in Quebec City and will lead our inaugural French Connection cycling tour. Having gained loads of experience as an assistant tour leader on the South American Epic, he is now in charge of the French Connection. So he has just filed his first report of the Route des Expos section, and will continue his drive of the entirety of the route over the coming weeks.

The scouting of the French Connection has started! Living in Quebec City, having travelled Quebec to New Orleans twice, once by car and once on my bicycle, I thought I would be revisiting many places I had seen before and things would look very familiar on the way, when I was first assigned the task of scouting this new tour. But I was wrong, this scouting is different from my previous trips, this route is far better! I want to take the best route possible to show you all the diversity North America can offer, while being the most pleasant on a bicycle. Making these choices brought me to new places, even in my own province!

You’ll be glad to see Quebec City from the best point of view, on the ferry crossing the St. Lawrence river. Once you reach the other shore, you jump on the Route Verte and you keep following it almost all the time until you cross the American border! This cycling network brings you to spectacular places, away from cars, by some lakes and rivers. I can imagine how beautiful it will be in August! You’ll have the chance to eat a poutine at one of the three disputed birthplaces of that famous meal. Following this first section of the road, sprinkled with covered bridges, very cool bike paths, scenic roads thru the Green Mountains of Vermont, possible wildlife encounter (turtle, moose, deer, racoon, beaver, squirrel, just to name a few), world famous cities, historic sites and diverse culture, you will be living a new experience everyday with its share of surprises.

Rapport de reconnaissance : De Québec City à New York

Maxime Dionne vit à Québec City et il dirigera notre première expédition French Connection. Ayant acquis énormément d’expérience en dirigant le South American Epic, il est désormais responsable de la French Connection. Il vient d’envoyer son premier rapport sur la section Route des Expos, et il continuera à parcourir la totalité du trajet au cours des prochaines semaines.

Le balisage de la French Connection a commencé! J’habite à Québec, j’ai fait le trajet de Québec à la Nouvelle-Orléans deux fois, la première en auto et la seconde à vélo, alors quand on m’a proposé de baliser ce nouveau tour, je me suis dit que j’allais revisiter les endroits que j’avais déjà vu et que tout me paraîtrait familier. J’avais tort! Ce voyage d’éclaireur est différent de mes précédents, cette route est cent fois mieux. Je veux choisir la meilleure route possible pour vous montrer toute la diversité présente en Amérique du Nord, tout en étant le plus agréable à bicyclette. Ayant cette philosophie en tête, j’ai fait des choix qui m’ont emmenés à découvrir de nouveaux endroits, même dans ma propre province!

Vous serez heureux d’observer la ville de Québec de son plus beau point de vue, sur le traversier, au milieu du fleuve St-Laurent. Quand vous aurez atteint l’autre rive, l’aventure commence sur la Route Verte que vous suivrez presque tout le temps jusqu’à ce que vous traversiez la frontière américaine. Sur ce réseau cyclable, vous découvrirez des endroits spectaculaires, loin des voitures, sur la rive du fleuve, de lacs et de rivières. J’imagine à quel point ce sera beau au mois d’août! Vous aurez la chance de déguster une poutine dans 1 des 3 restaurants qui se disputent la création de ce met désormais très populaire. En suivant cette
première section de la route, parsemée de ponts couverts, de pistes cyclables vraiment cool, de routes panoramiques à travers les Green Mountains du Vermont, de rencontres avec la vie sauvages (tortues, orignaux, chevreuils, ratons laveurs, castors, écureuils, pour n’en nommer que quelques-uns), de villes renommées mondialement, de sites historiques et d’une diversité culturelle, vous vivrez une expérience renouvelée quotidiennement avec son lot de surprises.

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The French Connection is our newest tour, covering 4,500 km from Quebec City to New Orleans. Click here for more details. Read on for 10 Reasons to cycle this fabulous route.

1. One of the 10 best cycling trips for 2016

One of America’s fastest growing magazines, Men’s Fitness – circulation 700,000 and growing, just named the French Connection as one of the 10 best cycling trips of 2016! Listen to their advice and join this incredible cycling expedition, pedalling 4,500kms over 6 weeks from Quebec City to New Orleans.

2. Experience the past and the present of French culture in North America

Quebec City was founded way back in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America while New Orleans was founded just over a 100 years later in 1717 by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. See how these 2 cities have managed to retain their unique French culture in a sea of English-speaking North Americans.

3. Enjoy the best food on the continent.

Foodies rejoice. On the French Connection cyclists can chow down on poutine in Quebec City, smoked meat in Montreal, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Vermont, cheesecake in NYC, fresh seafood on Chesapeake Bay, corn bread in the Appalachians, bourbon in Tennessee, BBQ in Memphis, crawfish on the shores of the Mississippi & jambalaya in New Orleans.

4. Visit some of the most interesting cities on the continent

The cyclists on the French Connection will have the opportunity to cycle into some incredible cities: the European atmosphere of Quebec City, the bilingual ambiance of Montreal, the frantic pace of NYC, the historic gravitas of Washington DC, the musical genius of Nashville & Memphis and the southern hospitality of New Orleans.

5. Cycle the Blue Ridge Parkway – America’s favourite ride

This 750km route was voted ‘America’s Favourite Drive’ and is equally popular with cyclists. It features split-rail fences, old farmsteads, mountain meadows and scenic overlooks with endless vistas. French Connection riders will enjoy all this while they pedal from Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smokey Mountains.

6. Cycle along the two largest rivers in North America – the St. Lawrence and Mississippi

These 2 rivers are among the most important and well-known, not only in North America, but in the world. Both are economic powerhouses – the St Lawrence providing a vital outlet for the cities on the Great Lakes while the Mississippi carries goods from the American Heartland to the Gulf of Mexico.

7. Kick back and gorge on Maryland Blue Crab along the shores of Chesapeake Bay

South of New York City French Connection cyclists can plug in their earphones and listen to some Springsteen as they pedal along the Jersey Shore. This musical ride will lead them to beautiful Chesapeake Bay, renown for it blue crabs, oysters, clams & rockfish. Here the riders can spend their afternoons sailing, kayaking or swimming.

8. Stroll through the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Spend your rest day walking through Washington’s National Mall, which includes such iconic monuments as the Lincoln Memorial, the US Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of Modern History & the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

9. Listen to country & blues in Nashville & Memphis

Nashville is the home of country music and you can take in any number of bands in the local clubs or maybe even in the famous Grand Ole Opry. A few days later the cyclists will pull into Memphis, home of blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. The music spills out from the clubs along Beale Street every night. Elvis Presley, B.B. King and Johnny Cash all recorded albums at the city’s legendary Sun Studio.

10. Pedal the rolling hills & historic covered bridges of Vermont & Quebec’s Eastern Townships

Departing from Quebec City, cyclists will enjoy following part of the province of Quebec’s famous Route Verte, a network of trails covering over 5,000kms. Upon leaving Quebec, the route will pass through the scenic Green Mountains of Vermont, taking the riders over historic covered bridges and through friendly small towns.

1. Un des meilleurs périples à vélo de 2016

Un des magazines les plus en vogue en Amérique, Men’s Fitness (tirage à plus de 700 000 exemplaires et en augmentation), vient de designer la French Connection comme l’un des meilleurs périples à vélo de 2016 ! Suivez leurs conseils et rejoignez cette incroyable expédition cycliste, pédalant pendant 4 500 km sur plus de 6 semaines partant de Québec pour rejoindre la Nouvelle-Orléans.

2. Vivez la culture française passée et présente en Amérique du Nord

La ville de Québec a été fondée en 1608 par Samuel de Champlain, ce qui représente une des plus anciennes installations européennes en Amérique du Nord alors que la Nouvelle-Orléans a été fondée seulement 100 ans plus tard, en 1717 par la Compagnie du Mississippi, sous la direction de Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. Découvrez comment ces 2 villes ont réussi à maintenir leur culture française au milieu de l’environnement anglophone d’Amérique du Nord.

3. Appréciez la meilleure nourriture du continent

Les amateurs de bonne nourriture peuvent se réjouir. Sur la French Connection, les cyclistes peuvent dévorer une poutine à Québec, de la viande fumée à Montréal, de la glace Ben & Jerry’s ice cream dans le Vermont, un cheesecake à NYC, des fruits de mer frais à Chesapeake Bay, du pain de maïs dans les Appalaches, du bourbon dans le Tennessee, un barbecue à Memphis, une langouste sur les quais du Mississippi et un jambalaya à la Nouvelle-Orléans.

4. Visitez quelques villes parmi les plus intéressantes du continent

Les cyclistes sur la French Connection auront l’occasion de faire du vélo dans certaines villes incroyables : l’atmosphère européenne de la ville de Québec, l’ambiance bilingue de Montréal, le rythme effréné de New York, le sérieux historique de Washington DC, le génie musical de Nashville et Memphis et l’hospitalité du sud à la Nouvelle-Orléans.

5. Pédalez sur la Blue Ridge Parkway – la route touristique préférée en Amérique

Cette route de 750 km a été désignée la route favorite aux États-Unis et est aussi très populaire chez les cyclistes. Elle dispose de clôtures à balustrade, de vieilles fermes, de prairies montagneuses et de points de vue panoramiques. Les cyclistes de la French Connection vont profiter de tout cela en rejoignant le Shenandoah National Park et le parc des Great Smokey Mountains.

6. Faites du vélo le long des deux plus grandes rivières d’Amérique du Nord – le St Laurent et le Mississippi

Ces 2 rivières sont parmi les plus importantes et les plus connues, non seulement en Amérique du Nord, mais dans le monde entier. Ils représentent des moteurs économiques – le St Laurent fournit l’électricité aux villes des grands lacs et le Mississippi permet de transporter les marchandises du cœur des États-Unis vers le Golfe du Mexique.

7. Détendez-vous et prenez du bon temps sur Maryland Blue Crab le long des quais de Chesapeake Bay

Au sud de New York, les cyclistes de la French Connection peuvent mettre leurs écouteurs dans leurs oreilles et écouter Springsteen en pédalant le long de la Jersey Shore. La route musicale mène à la Chesapeake Bay, renommée pour ses crabes bleus, ses huitres, ses palourdes et ses sébastes. Les cyclistes peuvent passer leur après-midi à faire du voilier, du kayak ou bien nager.

8. Déambulez à travers le National Mall à Washington, DC.

Passez votre journée de repos à marcher dans le Washington’s National Mall, qui comprend des monuments emblématiques comme le Lincoln Memorial, l’US Capitol Building, le Washington Monument, le Air and Space Museum, la National Gallery of Art, le Musée national d’histoire moderne et le Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

9. Écoutez de la country et du blues à Nashville & Memphis

Nashville est le temple de la musique country et vous pouvez écouter n’importe quel groupe dans les bars locaux ou peut-être même dans le célèbre Grand Ole Opry. Quelques jours après, les cyclistes atteignent Memphis, la ville du blues, du jazz et du rock ‘n’ roll. La musique se déverse toutes les nuits dans les clubs le long de Beale Street. Elvis Presley, B.B. King et Johnny Cash ont tous enregistré leurs albums dans le légendaire Sun Studio de la ville.

10. Pédalez sur les collines et les anciens ponts couverts des villages du Vermont et de l’est de Québec

Partant de la ville de Québec, les cyclistes profitent de la célèbre Route Verte à Québec, un réseau de chemins couvrant plus de 5 000 km. En quittant le Québec, la route passe par la pittoresque Green Mountains du Vermont, emmenant les cyclistes sur des ponts couverts historiques et à travers de petites bourgades conviviales.

Français ci-dessous

If you are of a certain age, the words ‘French Connection’ conjure up a trio of some of the best hockey players in the NHL during the 1970s. Arguably, they were the best line in the league at the time. The city of Buffalo lionized them so much that they even built a bronze statue of the trio.

If you are a film buff, than ‘French Connection’ brings to mind Gene Hackman in the 1971 Oscar winning film about a New York narcotics detectives.

If you love cocktails, and who doesn’t, you no doubt would know that one of the best ways to enjoy young cognac is to have a ‘French Connection’ mixing the cognac with Amaretto.

If you are into fashion, you may think of the ‘French Connection’ company known as FCUK.

And now to add to this mix, the cycling world has its own ‘French Connection’, a bike tour from Quebec City, the epicentre of French culture in Canada, to New Orleans, the centre of French culture in the USA.

History buffs will know that the French competed with the English, Dutch and others to establish colonies in North America. In 1803 Napoleon needed a few bucks for his endless military adventures so he sold large parts of what is today mid-western and southern America to the newly independent republic. What became the deal of the century, the Louisiana Purchase, of course, included New Orleans.

But why is a tour from Quebec City to New Orleans called French Connection? Well, for one, we thought that, putting aside the fact that the route allows cyclists to enjoy many highlights of eastern Canada and the USA, it connects two French solitudes. Perhaps more importantly, it allows riders to go completely decadent and enjoy a variety of tasty French food without going to France. Of course, it goes without saying that when you cycle over 100km a day, you do not have to worry about going overboard when it comes to consuming calories.

French food in America? Yup, there is more of it than you may think. And I do not mean only Poutine Galvaude in Quebec, Ragoût de pattes de cochon in Montreal and those expensive French restaurants in Manhattan. You should take a look at the American first foodie, none other than the writer of the American constitution and the 3rd US president, Thomas Jefferson. There is even a book by Thomas J. Craughwell called “Thomas Jefferson’s Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America”.

So the riders, as they spin their way southwards from Quebec City, will be able to hunt for any possible connection to French food, whether this will be ‘hors d’ouvres’ (otherwise known in US as appetizers) such as Foie Gras, rich desserts such as meringue, crème brule, mousse and crepes, an endless variety of stinky cheeses, fondue or a tasty dish of escargot.

When the cyclists get tired of searching for French food in America, they will have plenty of opportunity to enjoy seafood in Chesapeake Bay, corn bread with bean soup in the Appalachians, Cajun chicken in the south states and to wash it down with a wide variety of craft beers, local bourbons or moonshine.

To finish your culinary quest for French foods in America, you may end your trip in Suite 730 at the century old Le Pavilion Hotel near the French quarter in New Orleans. There you can sip champagne and take a bath in Napoleon Bonaparte’s famous marble bathtub – the one in which he supposedly signed the Louisiana Purchase.

What do you think? Is cycling the French Connection from Quebec City to New Orleans the thing to do this summer?

Si vous êtes d’un certain âge, les mots « French Connection » vous rappellent un trio d’excellents joueurs de hockey sur glace actifs en NHL durant les années 70. Beaucoup diront qu’il s’agissait à l’époque de la meilleure ligne de la ligue. La ville de Buffalo les appréciait tellement qu’elle a érigé une statue en bronze du trio.

Si vous êtes un amateur de cinéma, alors « French Connection » vous rappellera Gene Hackman dans le film de 1971 primé aux Oscars sur un détective new-yorkais de la brigade des stupéfiants.

Si vous aimez les cocktails, comme tout le monde, vous saurez certainement que la meilleure façon de déguster un jeune cognac, c’est de le mélanger à de l’Amaretto pour créer un « French Connection ».

Si vous suivez la mode, « French Connection » vous évoquera peut-être l’entreprise FCUK.

Maintenant, pour compliquer encore tout ça, le monde du cyclisme possède sa propre « French Connection », une épreuve de cyclisme reliant la ville de Québec, l’épicentre de la culture française au Canada, à la Nouvelle-Orléans, le centre de la culture française aux États-Unis.

Les fous d’histoire sauront que les Français affrontèrent les Anglais, les Néerlandais et d’autres en vue d’établir des colonies en Amérique du Nord. En 1803, Napoléon avait besoin de quelques sous pour financer ses interminables campagnes militaires, il vendit donc des vastes régions de ce qui forme aujourd’hui le Midwest et le Sud de l’Amérique à la jeune république indépendante. Le Louisiana Purchase, ce qui devint l’affaire du siècle, comprenait bien entendu la Nouvelle-Orléans.

Mais pourquoi nommer une épreuve reliant la ville de Québec à la Nouvelle-Orléans la French Connection ? Tout d’abord, car en plus de permettre aux cyclistes d’apprécier de nombreuses beautés de l’Est du Canada et des États-Unis, l’épreuve relie deux régions françaises. Et, ce qui est peut-être plus important, elle permet aux coureurs de déguster une variété de plats français sans devoir se rendre en France. Naturellement, il va sans dire que lorsqu’on parcourt plus de 100 km par jour en vélo, on n’a pas à s’inquiéter de sa consommation excessive de calories.

De la cuisine française en Amérique ? Oui, il y en a bien plus qu’on pourrait le penser. Et on ne parle pas de la poutine galvaude au Québec, du ragoût de pattes de porc à Montréal ou des restaurants coûteux de Manhattan. À commencer, par exemple, par le premier gourmet américain, qui n’est nul autre que le rédacteur de la Constitution des États-Unis et le troisième Président américain, Thomas Jefferson. Il y a même eu un livre rédigé par Thomas J. Craughwell et intitulé « Thomas Jefferson’s Creme Brulee: How a Founding Father and His Slave James Hemings Introduced French Cuisine to America ».

Les cyclistes, alors qu’ils pédalent depuis la ville de Québec en direction du sud, auront donc l’opportunité de rechercher tout lien possible avec la cuisine française, qu’il s’agisse des « hors d’œuvres » (aussi appelés « appetizers » aux États-Unis) comme le foie gras, les desserts comme la meringue, la crème brûlée, la mousse au chocolat et les crêpes et l’infinie variété des fromages puants, la fondue ou les délicieux escargots.

Lorsque les cyclistes se lasseront de chercher des plats français en Amérique, ils auront l’opportunité de déguster du poisson et des fruits de mer dans la région de la baie de Chesapeake, du pain de maïs avec de la soupe aux pois dans les Appalaches, du poulet Cajun dans les États du Sud et ils pourront faire descendre tout ça avec une grande variété de bières artisanales et de bourbons et alcools locaux.

Enfin, pour compléter votre quête culinaire de la cuisine française en Amérique, vous pourrez terminer votre voyage dans la Suite 730 de l’hôtel centenaire Le Pavilion, à proximité du quartier français de la Nouvelle-Orléans. Vous pourrez y siroter du champagne et vous baigner dans la célèbre baignoire en marbre de Napoléon Bonaparte, dans laquelle il aurait signé le Louisiona Purchase.

Qu’en dites-vous ? Voudriez-vous parcourir la French Connection de la ville de Québec à la Nouvelle-Orléans en vélo cet été ?

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Introducing the French Connection (full details here).

The name of the tour quickly points out the connection between Quebec and New Orleans, and as two of the most unique destinations in North America, it’s reason enough to want to travel this route, but that is only the beginning of the highlights.  The diversity of people and rich cultural history as one travels south on this route will amaze you, as will the geographical highlights such as the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi River.  It is easy to say that we are as excited for this tour as any of our participants.

Starting off in Quebec City by the Plains of Abraham where the English and French battled for rule of New France centuries ago, we follow the Route Verte, a combination of small roads and cycling paths, to make our way to the diverse city of Montreal with it’s music and abundant culinary scene.

After experiencing the small towns and lush greenery of Vermont we will head into New York State and towards what has become the very bike friendly city of New York.  Two rest days will allow us to take in a show on Broadway, or just explore the hipster-defined streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  It won’t be long after that we reach Washington D.C. where perhaps a tour of the White House is in order.

From Washington the tour takes a turn from what is the center of the American government toward a region famous for the Appalachian Mountains, and a fiercely independent populace often at odds with that very center of government not so far away.  Undulating climbs will greet us in this stretch as will lush greenery and the beginnings of famous southern hospitality.

The States of Tennessee and Mississippi will illustrate the diversity of the American south.  Country music in Nashville, Graceland in Memphis, a whole lot of Blues in Mississippi and perhaps a few sips of Bourbon along the way.  The thick heat of the southern states will welcome us into Baton Rouge and finally our last day’s travel into New Orleans.

To say the least it will be an eye-opening ride, that we feel will introduce many of you to areas of North America you’ve never experienced and add to your understanding of this beautiful and complicated part of the world.

For all the dates, prices, and wonderful details for the 2016 tour, click here.

Le nom de ce tour fait immédiatement référence à la connexion entre le Québec et La Nouvelle-Orléans, et le fait que ce sont là deux destinations parmi les plus uniques en Amérique du Nord est une raison en soi pour faire ce voyage, mais ce n’en est là qu’un des nombreux attraits. La diversité des gens et la riche culture historique que l’on rencontre alors qu’on se déplace vers le sud sur cette route vous éblouiront, tout comme les attraits géographiques tels que les montagnes Appalaches et le fleuve Mississippi. Il est clair que nous sommes tout aussi enthousiastes que nos participants à l’idée de ce tour.

En partant de la ville de Québec, tout près des Plaines d’Abraham où les Anglais et les Français se sont battus pour le contrôle de la Nouvelle-France il y a plusieurs siècles, nous suivons la Route Verte, un mélange de petites routes et de pistes cyclables, pour nous diriger vers la très diverse ville de Montréal, avec sa scène musicale et son abondante culture culinaire.

Après avoir fait l’expérience des petites villes et des paysages luxuriants du Vermont, nous nous dirigeons vers l’état de New York et une ville très accueillante pour les cyclistes, New York City. Deux journées de repos nous permettront d’aller voir un spectacle sur Broadway, ou encore juste d’explorer les rues branchées de Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Nous arriverons ensuite rapidement à Washington, où une visite de la Maison-Blanche sera peut-être de mise.

À partir de Washington, le tour nous transporte du centre du gouvernement américain, vers une région fameuse pour les montagnes Appalaches, et sa population fièrement indépendante dont les vues sont souvent en opposition avec ce même centre gouvernemental situé tout près. Cette section nous accueillera avec des montées ondulantes, une verdure luxuriante et les premiers accents de la fameuse hospitalité du sud.

Les états du Tennessee et du Mississippi illustreront la diversité des états du Sud des États-Unis. De la musique country à Nashville, Graceland à Memphis, beaucoup de blues au Mississippi et peut-être quelques gorgées de bourbon tout au long. La chaleur intense des états du sud nous accueillera à Baton Rouge et nous terminerons le dernier jour du voyage en arrivant à La Nouvelle-Orléans.

Ce sera sans doute une randonnée de découvertes, qui, nous croyons, fera connaître à plusieurs d’entre vous des régions de l’Amérique du Nord que vous n’avez jamais explorées ou expérimentées, et rehaussera votre compréhension de cette partie du monde si belle et complexe.

Pour toutes les dates, les prix et les merveilleux détails concernant le tour de 2016, cliquez ici.