| July 1, 2006had thoroughly enjoyed my
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| | cycling map and a free bottle of water is
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| guided bicycle tour with Ça Roule and
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| | included in every tour.
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| Bruno, a licensed city guide from
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| | His customers come from all over the
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| Guidatour, really introduced Montreal up
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| | world including the USA, the rest of
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| close to us. And my own independent
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| | Canada and a wide variety of European
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| explorations of the bicyle trail along
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| | countries. Even Australian, Korean and
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| the Lachine Canal introduced me to a side
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| | Japanese travelers rent muscle-powered
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| of Montreal I had never been exposed to.
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| | equipment from him and many of his
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| After returning my bike after a full day
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| | clients are referred by hotels and the
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| of exercise I wanted to find out a bit
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| | Montreal Tourist Office. In addition he
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| more about who is behind this operation,
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| | also offers bicycle repairs and some of
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| Ça Roule, or Montreal on Wheels, as it
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| | his repair clients are part of the 3500
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| is known in English.
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| | permanent residents that now live in Old
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| Montreal, by the way, is a fabulous city
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| | Montreal, or employees that work in Old
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| to explore by bicycle. The Old Port area,
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| | Montreal and commute there by bicycle.
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| the bicycle path network along the
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| | Ça Rule has six staff members: two
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| Lachine Canal and alongside the St.
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| | bicycle repair technicians and four tour
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| Lawrence River, as well as the islands of
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| | leaders. Recently he has started to
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| Ile St. Hélène and Parc Jean Drapeau in
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| | collaborate with Guidatour and both
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| the St. Lawrence are eminently bikeable.
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| | companies combined have developed an
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| Of course the trail network on Mont Royal
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| | Official City Tour By Bike that is led by
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| also adds some interesting terrain for
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| | a licensed tour guide. This morning I
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| cycling enthusiasts and many of
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| | participated in this official city tour
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| Montreal's quaint neighbourhoods lend
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| | and in my opinion exploring a city by
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| themselves perfectly to be discovered en
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| | bike has to be one of the best ways of
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| vélo. Montreal was actually voted the
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| | discovering a new place.
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| number 1 city for bicyclists in 1999 by
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| | In any northern country, the bicycling
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| Bicycling magazine.
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| | business is seasonal, and the high season
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| Ça Roule is a Bicycle Rental and Touring
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| | at Ça Roule goes from May to October,
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| Shop located on the harbourfront
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| | sometimes stretching into November,
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| boulevard at 27 De La Commune Est. André
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| | depending on the weather. During the
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| Giroux, the owner, created this company
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| | winter André works on updating the
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| 12 years ago. He originally studied law
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| | website and preparing the strategies for
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| and spent 7 years as a lawyer,
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| | the next business years and last year he
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| specialized in litigation and legal
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| | had a chance to go to Florida for 3
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| consulting for large real estate
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| | weeks. During the summer the shop is very
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| developers. As an avid sports person,
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| | busy and André and his staff members
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| André plays hockey and tennis and he
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| | work very had, but he tries to go out
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| really enjoys cycling and in 1994 he
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| | bicycling himself in the evenings between
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| decided to open a small rental store that
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| | 7 and 8 pm. He loves to cycle over to
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| initially focused on renting roller
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| | Montreal's islands: Ile St. Hélène and
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| blades, a big craze in the mid 1990s. His
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| | Jean Drapeau Park.
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| original stable of equipment also
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| | André also pointed out that Ça Roule is
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| included 12 bicycles. In the meantime his
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| | able to offer customized bicycle tours.
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| fleet has grown to more than 70 bicycles
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| | One time a group of people asked to start
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| which include touring bikes, tandems,
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| | a tour on top of Mont Royal. So he rented
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| trail bikes, electric bikes and electric
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| | a cargo van and carted several bikes up
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| scooters. His store also rents kids
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| | to the top of the mountain so the tour
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| trailers and child carriers.
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| | group could start their ride at their
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| I asked him what the name "Ça Roule"
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| | intended starting point. All sorts of
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| actually means and he explained that this
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| | special assignments can be done, they
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| French phrase literally means "it's
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| | might just require a bit of notice to
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| rolling", but is generally understood as
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| | organize.
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| "it's going well", "it's running well".
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| | With all this exercise I was ready for a
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| He explained that his store specializes
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| | very solid dinner, so I thanked André
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| in customer service, his staff is
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| | for his time and for putting on the
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| knowledgeable, and they are available to
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| | Official Guide City Tour, one of the best
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| provide advice on all sorts of biking
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| | ways of getting to know the city and
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| activities in and around Montreal.
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| | continued my explorations of Montreal on
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| Everyone gets outfitted with a city-wide
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| | this Canada Day.
|
