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04-04.-2005, 02:50 AM
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 5
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The Pope and I on a training ride
By Ed Arzouian
With the passing of Pope John Paul II last night I reflected on a fond memory I had of him when he joined me on training ride one morning. In September 1984 I was a 23-year old student at McGill University. I was also preparing for the Tour of Cape Breton to be held the first week of October 1984. The race was going to have two stages a day for five days, so I was doing two training rides a day, before and after classes. September 1984 Pope John Paul II was 64-years old. He was visiting Montreal for the first time a Pope, I believe. He had already been shot and a new Pope-mobile was built for his visit here. I think it was the first time the Pope-mobile was used. I remember it being a big deal in the newspapers. I was living in downtown Montreal near Chinatown at the time. I used to go training out toward the west of the Island of Montreal. To return home I often rode up the board Queen Mary Boulevard, past St. Joseph's Oratory and around Mount Royal on Cote-des-Neiges Road. I liked the view up there. People familiar with the traditional Mount Royal Race Circuit used for the Montreal Road World Cups will be familiar with that street but the races go in opposite direction I used to get home. So as I was riding up Queen Mary Boulevard near the Oratory I was directed by police away from the Oratory and not allowed to turn onto Cote-de-Neiges from Queen Mary. I rode past that intersection up towards University of Montreal and turned right there to get back on Cote-des-Neiges heading east. Again the street was closed but I was able to get onto the north side of the dived four-lane boulevard, riding in the opposite direction to the usual flow of traffic. Vehicular traffic was blocked from both directions. As I turned onto Cote-des Neiges to head east, exactly at the same time from my right the Pope-mobile and a full flotilla of police cars and motorcycles were heading east on the south lanes of Cotes-des-Neiges. The Pope and I were both traveling each side by side! A1l that separated us was a very thin median. I could see the police were looking at me from in front and behind but they did not want to break formation, they could not get across the median and there was not enough room between the Pope-mobile and the median for them to pass. The Pope was smiling. There we were, the Pope and I, riding side by side, not even a lane between us, going about 30 -35k/hr.. I waved. He smiled and waved back. I wave again. So did he. We rode along together for about 600 or 700 metres until the median widened and the road forked. The Pope was headed towards downtown. I had no choice but to go over the mountain towards Beaver Lake. As we approached the fork I made a sign to the Pope indicating the road was branching off. He understood and nodded. I waved once more and so did. We both smiled and went our separate ways. I’ll always remember his calm smile and shining, bright eyes. He was all enclosed in his plastic bubble, on his gold and red seat. He seemed very amused by the whole thing. So, again, I wave good-bye to the Pope. |
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