Quebec bikers head to final stops

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Eric Campeau of Montreal, Rene Girard of Sherbrooke, Maryse Racine of Montreal and Dominic Racine of Montreal sit in the area outside Pizza Bono and Woodstock II in Plattsburgh to have lunch. According to Campeau, the roads he traveled in the North Country are very good for cycling.

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August 12, 2010

Grand Tour cycles through Rouses Point on way to Canada

By LOIS CLERMONT, and KELLI CATANA News Editor, Staff Photographer The Press Republican Thu Aug 12, 2010, 06:36 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH -- The Velo Quebec Grand Tour is heading out today.

Nearly 2,000 cyclists have been staying at a makeshift village on the campus of Clinton Community College as part of their trip from Glens Falls to Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec.

The bikers made stops in Ticonderoga and Essex enroute to Plattsburgh and will move on today to Rouses Point.

They have been taking special side rides at several of the stops and have also visited area attractions and restaurants.

After a breakfast catered by Ground Round this morning, they will be leaving Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh and traveling to Rouses Point via Lake Shore Road and Route 9B.

The cyclists are expected to arrive, in small groups, in the village from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch provided by the Smoked Pepper at the Rouses Point Civic Center.

The Rouses Point Event Committee has scheduled entertainment for the bikers at the new Samuel de Champlain Center Stage. Vocalist Laura Capito will perform at 10:30 a.m. and Charlie Stone's Split Rock Band at 1 p.m.

Town of Champlain residents will be handing out water to the cyclists at the intersection of Point au Fer Road and Route 9B.

Champlain Centre mall and many businesses in Plattsburgh put out welcome signs to greet the bikers.

Rod Conant of Heritage Printing Center said they were one of those to post a sign.

"Many (bikers) have been pleased, and some have taken pictures of it," he said.

Downtown Plattsburgh restaurants and businesses such as Maui North were packed with cyclists.

This year is Eric Campeau's fourth Grand Tour. The Montreal man, who pedaled into the City of Plattsburgh for lunch, praised the roads, noting the nice pavement and wide shoulders, which makes cycling safer.

"It's definitely a good place to come cycling," he said. "The cars have been really good to us."

Campeau didn't find Plattsburgh as pretty as other tourist places he has visited and said there aren't enough restaurants with outdoor seating, but he said he enjoys riding the shady roads of the North Country.

The tour, he says, attracts people to an area, and some places become known for their good cycling.

Saverio Minardi, owner of Pizza Bono and Woodstock II in Plattsburgh, said Wednesday that anything that happens in this community that brings more people to the area helps local businesses.

"I wish they would do more things like this."