Women’s food

Feeding myself

It’s 9pm, I don’t know where I’m going to camp tonight…

After 120km of flats, climbs and descents on my own, I arrived in a beautiful tourist town on the river called Baie-Saint-Paul and I am recognizing the need to take care of myself…

Food is a must…
Here! A good restaurant calls out to me. And it’s called ‘La Batture’ !
Why not ! I feel like feeding myself with a bit of luxury !
To celebrate my solitary moment of physical overcoming by embracing this opportunity of western culinary richness !
As I don’t know where I will pitch my tent tonight and as I leave this restaurant I will be homeless, alone and vulnerable in the dark of this late June night, I fully savour this moment when, seated at a table, I feel secure, proud and female !

I thus begin what I could consider the second part of my journey. After a break in the Montreal area, a visit to Victoriaville at Répit-Jeunesse and finally some time in the beautiful Quebec City area, I am now climbing other beautiful mountains, those of Charlevoix. The presence of the water of the St. Lawrence River nourishes me in a different way than the absence of the Plains. And I hope to go back to the source of this road…

Thank you for continuing to follow me!

I slept in a city park… Haha ! it’s still crazy life !

2021-06-062021-06-29

The Bipeds

Humans are so generous!

Following my last text which mentioned my great difficulty in crossing the centre of this country, I would like to express myself on the beauty of the world… of humans!

All your hellos on the roadside, your encouragement and appreciation of my project, your smiles nourish me day after day.
In these times of pandemic, I feel like an intruder and the fear of not respecting people worries me, because the last thing I want is to be disrespected!

And then, on my way, I realise that people are so happy to be there for me. It feeds my physical body, my spirit, and my soul. So many beautiful encounters fill me with joy and help me to continue.

I see and understand the essence of this journey: the human encounters, the non-judgment of everyone and the happiness of sharing with each other.

You, gentleman at the grocery shop… I see you, I feel you. It’s been a long time since anyone has spoken to you or taken an interest in you… We sit and exchange a few simple words and we feed on this moment. Thank you to you whose name I do not know!

I am sitting on the side of the road, exhausted, hot and thirsty; a woman offers me water! Then, further on, the lodge, a good supper and a big breakfast! A hot shower. Ordinary moments for everyone, but they take on a whole new meaning after days of cold, heat, rain and drought.

Thank you to all those who helped me along the way, thank you for the hellos, smiles and everything else.

You on the side of the road encouraging me yes you… Thank you you made my day!

See you soon, dear reader, and thank you for encouraging Répit-Jeunesse, which helps young people in need by providing them with shelter, comfort and reassurance, in a non-judgmental and loving manner!

2021-05-252021-06-04

Water story

The plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The wind, the sand, the pesticides are coming at me, head on at 40km/hour. The dryness of the land dries my mouth, my eyes and hits my lungs.

I am thirsty, there is no water here. The small lakes are filled with minerals from the soil and chemicals from man to satisfy a material thirst for which we are all responsible.

I resist and continue to drive against the wind to get to the next gas station. Here I am not self-sufficient, but rather dependent for a proper drink.

Since I am in the plains, I make sure I have my 5 litres of water in the morning when I leave. I can’t carry more than that. I have to consider what stops I will make in small villages. Some of them don’t have a grocery shop or gas station. I am in a desert…

Ten kilometres separate me from the next gas station and I can’t get there anymore, the wind is slowing me down, the intense heat is dehydrating me and the sun that burns me doesn’t want to go to sleep and let me cool off. It’s 7pm, I look for shade, but there are no trees. So I rush on, exhausted, and hope to arrive before the closing of this gas station, otherwise I won’t have any water.

I see a mini lake, but I don’t dare to drink from it… A ring of salt surrounds it and all these fields full of pesticides slow me down.
Here, most of the inhabitants do not drink tap water.

The beauty of the plains that brings me inner peace is also violent and exhausting. I have been fighting for some time with this wind that does not turn. I resist, an overwhelming loneliness takes hold of me.

Today the weather will change.
It is announced, snow, wind and sub-zero temperature.

As I progress through these linear landscapes, I am almost tempted to believe, as some do, that the Earth is indeed flat!
But the Sun reassures me that tomorrow will be here, but not quite the same… Like the revolution of my wheels in front of endless landscapes. Like the ephemeral wishes that we make day after day…

Hydration

In these conditions, daily life is a challenge in itself. Every morning I pack my bags and every evening I make a camp to spend the night. My body works continuously to provide for my basic needs. It also works to keep me going. Hydration is a vital need, it plays an important role in maintaining my energy. I can’t afford to be dehydrated.

Taking minerals (ionic trace elements) is highly recommended for maintaining hydration; it helps with tissue formation and muscle function.

The SteriPen

To treat my water I use a UV lamp system commonly known as SteriPen. This kills bacteria, protozoa and viruses by 99%.
A simple and effective system for a trip of several months. But you need to have water sources on the way. This system has been perfect so far; except here with the limited accessibility to water and especially polluted water, as this system does not remove the chemicals accumulated over time.

2021-04-302021-05-10

Body & Mind

Often, during intense challenges such as climbing 1100 metres in 46 km on snowy, muddy, rock-filled trails, morale can falter and can lead to a state of mind of complaint and discouragement.

We always choose our path, but it is not always easy…

I will tell you about something that happened in Australia in 2003 that was a great lesson for me. This learning has served me well ever since and has changed my outlook on life.

Even in the night, you have to move forward…

We are penniless, we have no job and suddenly a man offers us the opportunity to work in a garlic field picking garlic. It’s 45 degrees Celsius, the wind is constant and the dust whips around our bodies.
We are bent over and our backs hurt…
As we are paid by weight, we want to go faster, but we are too slow and it is impossible for us to go faster because of the pain our bodies inflict on us.

The road is far and high, but a glow guides us…

Suddenly, between a few complaints, I notice a group of Africans gathering garlic so quickly that I decide to watch them.
They are singing, laughing and having fun as they work and their harvest is immense compared to us. I start to listen to their singing and even sing with them… After a few hours my body hurts less, I feel happier; I don’t focus on my pain or the heat anymore. I realise that I am collecting much more garlic than before! So I make more money…

Now, whenever I face a challenge, I think of them as they helped me to transform my mindset and not to dwell on the difficulties, but to see the good and the beautiful even in difficult times.

2021-04-232021-04-30

Comfort zone

Travel, adventure, nomadic life is a way of life that feeds my soul, my mind and my heart!

I am in my comfort zone and this helps me to reduce the symptoms of post-concussion syndrome !

The stress of a life that doesn’t suit me is behind me.
It feels so good !

It takes me back a few years and makes me realize that :
for all healing, no matter what the trauma, illness or even depression, the minute we are on our life path or doing what we are passionate about, we accelerate our healing.

It’s a safe bet that if I had gone through the government’s head injury program, I would still be on the treadmill three days a week. I’m so lucky to have the great scenery flash before my eyes and to feel my legs burning up from the miles of asphalt !

Nature, the outdoors and intense exercise energise and nourish me. I have more stamina than I used to, but when my body gives me a signal, it is sometimes impossible to keep going… So I have to manage my energy carefully; keep hope alive with realism.

Still on my way in the Rockies, the challenge is great, of course… And pushing a bike through two feet of snow is extremely difficult ! However, an inner music accompanies me and the intense happiness that this adventure gives me helps me to continue despite all the physical pains.

2021-03-152021-07-23

Goodbye Grandmother

My grandmother ! This woman who fascinates me day after day.

It took me many years to finally be known and recognised by you ! You are an important woman to me… I had the chance to live with you, to love you, to cuddle you and to live in intimacy with you. We have shared beautiful moments and it has been an absolute joy to be close to you; me who has always loved you.

Today, I came to see you just before I left, before leaving to live this longed-for adventure. You were there, present during this difficult moment of my concussion; we were on the same wavelength: me with my head trauma, and you, a beautiful aging woman, with all the difficulties that this can involve. Luckily we had this third woman, my mother, who supported us in our difficulties.

Today I am leaving this room, where you now live alone; I am leaving with a heavy heart, but happy to have had you close to me in order to know you better in order to know myself better.

I leave with a lot of you in me and a lot of understanding of myself. Thanks to you. You are now 96 years old and maybe this will be the last time I will have seen you… you may not be there when I return !

I love you Grand-Ma !

2021-02-192021-05-09

Interview on Youtube

2018-01-282021-01-09

How’s your head ?

Montreal, in January 2018.
I’m on my bike to join a friend for brunch at a nice little restaurant on Parc Avenue.
I am well, happy and in great shape.
It’s nice and warm, the cold of winter makes me vibrate!
I am riding fully aware that it is winter in the city and that it is freezing. So I’m very careful with my studded winter tyres, even though I’m on a well-defrosted bike path on Rachel Street W. I slowly turn north in the one-way direction of Avenue de l’Esplanade.
Suddenly a white SUV backs up at high speed, it doesn’t see me?
How come? Yet I’m wearing brightly coloured clothes and a fluorescent yellow helmet! I try to get off the street quickly… On either side of the track, there are mounds of ice and parked cars…
And then… nothing more…
I’m on the floor, alone with a man talking to me and apologizing…
I don’t hear anything… I get up, get on my broken bike and ride to the restaurant. My helmet is cracked, my shoulder and collarbone are recessed, I walk in and my friend looks at me helpless; I don’t understand but I think I must look a little shaken.
The adrenaline is going down and I don’t understand anything anymore. Her lips move but I can’t hear. My arm hurts and I can’t sit up….
So she takes me quickly to the hospital!
They tell me to rest, that I have a concussion… No more… Without instructions or follow-up.
A few days go by and nothing goes right.
I go back to the emergency room. They tell me to rest, that it will pass.
I move in with my mother and old grandmother…
I’m still not well after 3 weeks. I can’t walk without having to hold the walls; the light, the sounds, the noise, my mother talking to me, the food, etc….
Everything is unbearable!
Angry outbursts, and a headache that is hard to describe.
A return to the hospital by ambulance is necessary because the headache is getting stronger and stronger. I feel nauseous, I shake and repeat the same sentence over and over again. My relatives are worried.
Now they tell me to take antidepressants and tell me that it will pass… I refuse to take them and understand that I will have to cope with this concussion on my own or take my life!

When the accident happened, it’s a good thing I was wearing a helmet, because my head would have been much more injured; in fact, I could have lost my life…
I have nevertheless had a head injury that was serious enough to completely turn my life upside down over the last few years.

I can’t wait to wear a helmet!