Back to New Brunswick

July 19
We had an enjoyable ride to the Confederation Bridge but could not cross until we stopped at the Gateway Village again for more souvenirs! You can’t spend this much time on PEI without getting an original PEI Dirt Shirt!

While we’re stopped here, we called ahead for a camp site in Alma, NB. We don’t normally make reservations but we found out that the Canadian National Parks charge for the privilege of making a reservation, the campsite and you are charged the daily rate to access the park. So for 3 nights in a National Park with a reservation could cost you $10 for the reservation, $30 for the campsite and $13 for the day pass would be $139! Ouch!

We booked into Bayview Cabins and campground and told the lady that we needed space for a 40 foot 5th wheel. She said ‘no problem’! As we roll up the campground driveway, she greets us smiling and apologizing! The only site left is only suitable for a camper to van type RV! She was very nice about the mix up – she admitted that she didn’t know how long 40 feet was! She suggested we leave our rig there in the yard while we go into town to try and find a more suitable camp site. After our short tour, we find nothing so we return to Bayview and agree to stay in the parking lot until AM when another more suitable site is available! We recommend this campground to anyone coming this way! Very nice to deal with!

July 20
We move onto a nice deep site and finish setting up for another 2 nights. After lunch we tour over to Cape Enrage and were not disappointed! The drive over was spectacular. We stopped at Waterside to walk on the beach with the tides out, view the seaside cliffs and just be in awe of the tides here too.

Cape Enrage provides spectacular views. We arrived just as the fog was clearing and we could just start to see the coast of Nova Scotia peeking through! We stood next to the lighthouse as it was sounding the fog horn – you could feel it as well as hear it! We went down the 90+ steps to the ocean floor for a little fossil hunting.

The tides are starting to come back in and we wanted to return to Waterside to see the difference. Wow, almost as dramatic as Hopewell Rocks! We continued back to Alma, we needed an ice cream fix! We watched the activities on the fishing wharf, talked to some of the fishermen on how they set the stand (cribs) for the fishing boats to sit on when the tides were out and watched one of them drop off frozen herring as bait for the lobster traps.

The boats are starting to return and the wharf is getting crowed with onlookers like us to see the catch. Wow, we watched one boat unload their cases. Each case averaged 120 pounds and they had 8 cases. There were 6 boats – that’s a lot of lobster in only one fishing village! Look at the size of these 2! There is enough meat there to feed a small country!

July 21
The day before moving day so we decide to kick back and have a slower paced day. We play a few games then head into town to pick up a lobster for dinner. The lobsters in the tank are huge! The same guy we spoke with on the wharf is also behind the counter here and helps us select one. Did you know a 1 pound lobster is 10 years old? He took us out the back to show us their process for the live lobsters. They have 2 tanks of cooled salt water. The first tank is used to purge the graded lobsters – let them poop out the bait etc that they have eaten while in the traps. Then they transfer them to the second tank that has cool, clear salt water. They will stay here for shipping and/or selling through their store.

We picked out a 3 pounder for Mack & I and ½ pound of scallops for Barb and back to the trailer for our little feast after a rousing game of Mexican train on the picnic table! Hummmm good!

July 17
Up and at’em today, no sleeping in! We’re off to Cavendish Beach and North Rustico for the ‘cardboard boat’ races! What, cardboard boats with people in them? Yikes!

Again, our navigator took us via the more scenic routes and we arrive in Cavendish and head to the beach. Beautiful white sand beaches with red cliffs is a very dramatic contrast. It is a terrific vacation area and lots of tourists with lots of things to do. We continue down the road and found a nice little spot to pull over and sit at the sea shore, have a picnic lunch, skip rocks and watch the ocean! And who forgot to put the lawn chairs in the truck?!

Soon we arrive at North Rustico for the boat races! There were 9 teams building their boats from sheets of cardboard, duct tape and plastic sheets (for water proofing). Some were decorated up and some were pretty simple! Then, down to the dock to launch! They had to paddle their boats out about 500 feet, around the bouy and back to the dock. Two didn’t make it out more than 50 feet before the ‘captain’ was fully in the water, dragging his/her boat behind them! It was good fun and something we had not seen before.

Before leaving, we drive out to the lighthouse for a view and ice cream, then to the fish market for some fresh mussels. Hummmm good! Back to the campground for a snack and to watch the kite boarders zipping up and down the shore.

July 18
Today we try a lobster roll at a local eatery then bike our way into Summerside and arrive at Spinnakers Landing, Summerside’s harbor shopping spot! The remainder of the day was hanging out at the park, putting stuff away and getting ready to move on.

Our next entry will be from New Brunswick as we start our trek homeward. It’s been a fun filled time on this beautiful island paradise!

I forgot to mention that a ‘guy’ came around the campground on Tuesday, July 13th selling ‘fresh’ clams, $2 for a pound. I said sure, lets’ try them. Dinner was ready and it didn’t include clams so we put them in water for the next day. Well, I think if some of us were to see the food before we eat them, we probably wouldn’t, especially with clams! Not appetizing and they even looked worse after we cooked them up (we only did a few so not to waste them)! So I gave them to a neighbor – who was a local – and he took them and cooked them up right away. Later the next day, he said they did not smell good and looked worse, so he didn’t eat them either – so we must have bought ‘old’ clams!

July 14
It’s raining today so no biking or hiking but we do a road trip that takes us to a wool mill and a potato museum! The potato museum was fascinating. Did you know potatoes originated in the Andes of Peru? Lots of information including how nutritious they are for us! Imagine that, and we thought they are not good for our bodies! So what can be so wrong with chips and French fries!

July 15
Moving day again. We’re not far from our next campground so we take the more scenic route along the north shore of PEI and across the island to Summerside. We arrive to a great welcome by the park staff and they have done everything they could to accommodate us. The sites are small but they gave us one of the bigger ones and we could park however we could to fit! So, we pulled it in on a 45 degree angle – getting out may be a problem but we’ll worry about that when we get there!

We got set up, took at look at the beach and decided it was suitable to launch the boat. Finally, we’re able to get out on the water! The three of us took turns in the boat and had a great time. This park is ideal for launching out little craft! The rest of the day was hanging out and enjoying the weather and the beach area. As the tide waters receded, Mack and Barb ventured out several hundred feet to see what goes on under the sea! They found lots of hermit crabs, quahogs, and tusk shells. The tides here are not as dramatic as Fundy Bay but the shallowness makes it neat none the less!

July 16
Today, we spent the day in Charlottetown. It was a relatively short drive over from Summerside but a side trip to the Haunted Mansion in Kensington made it seem shorter! As we entered the Mansion, I had to watch my step because I knew all 3 of us would fall as the other 2 ‘fraidy cats’ were right on my heels! It was well done with a great garden area after the Mansion tour.

We carried onto Charlottetown via the lesser traveled roads for a more scenic route with less traffic! We decided to follow the small walking tour they provide by following a scavenger hunt through the downtown while learning about some of the history of the city. We wandered around the harbor shops and had lunch on a balcony, overlooking the harbor and park. It was very enjoyable! After a fun filled day, we boarded the Hippoboat for a city and harbor tour. It was a great way to end a busy day!

July 7
We’re here on PEI. Our trip was uneventful and only took us about 2 hours from Hopewell to the island. We brought the bridge over and stopped at the ‘touristy’ Gateway Village for lunch, tourist information and to stretch our legs. There was every trinket you could think of on sale there and we’ll probably stop there on the way home to pick anything we missed along the way.

We decided to take highway #2 up to Souris and stay at the Red Point Provincial Park. Somehow, #2 disappeared in Charlottetown and we had to quickly make route adjustments so we took #3 to #4 and made it without any more difficulties. We find that PEI is like Toronto, 2 seasons – winter and construction season. Our trip took us longer than expected due to several construction stops. But we made it and the park is great. We chose 2W hookups so we could be closer to he beach and a better view. The 3W hookups were up the hill and away from the beach. We thought the water was just over the crest of the rise but when we walked down toward the beach, we found we were on a 30 foot bluff, overlooking the beach. It could be a difficult walk for Mack & I carrying the kayak down the 27 steps!

July 8
We did some touring today and our first stop was the historic Souris Lighthouse. We carried on and met friends that made it to the HFH build in Souris. The 2 story house is almost in the finishing stages, they are installing the drywall now. We chatted for a few minutes and made plans to meet up on Friday.

We made our way to the access to the Confederation trail at Harmony Junction, ate our picnic lunch, unloaded the bikes and started out toward New Zealand – yes that’s correct, New Zealand! The ride was good but no photo ops or views to stop at. We rode through woods all the way so after 4.5 Kms, we turned around and headed back to the truck. 9 kms overall isn’t a bad start but the next time we’re going down the trail further so we can experience a more scenic ride.

As most of you know, we don’t retrace our travels as much as we can so we turn out of the parking at Harmony Junction and head north toward East Point and the light house. We’re all hot and sweaty from the ride and trying to find ice cream! We arrive at the light house and see hundreds of gulls dropping out of the sky, diving into the sea for food! It was quite a sight. We all scramble out of the truck and walk over to the edge to watch, I think to go back and get the binoculars only to find the doors locked AND the keys in the ignition! Who the hell was driving and did that? Oppssss….. thank goodness for road service! After an hour or so, we were on our way again, still looking for ice cream! What a day!

July 9
Another great day in paradise! We ride the Confederation Trail again today and do 5.5 Kms before we turn around. It would be so much better if we had 2 vehicles! Oh well, at least we’re doing some of the trail! Later in the day, we joined our friends from the HFH build for a pot luck dinner and chatted and caught up on each others stories and adventures. It was a fun evening as we said our goodbyes until next time we meet up on the road again!

July 10
We decided that we’ve had enough of the bike rides through the woods of PEI and drove down to St Peters and road the trail along the bay. This time, we only did 2.5 Kms but the views and scenery of St Peters bay was magnificent! On route back took us to Georgetown, through small towns and fishing villages. We walked around Georgetown and on the beach, reading about the history of the area. As we were approaching Souris, the skies opened and the rained poured! Lightening and winds greeted us back at the campground. Wow, it was quite a storm.

July 11
On Sunday, we were supposed to leave but it was still raining and we decided to stay another day and wait it out. As the rain slowed and stopped during the day, we started putting stuff away and found that the shower drain had leaked during our stay and the basement was soaked. We had Mack’s bike in the basement and during the rough roads between Toronto and here, it must have shifted and pushed the drain pipe aside and broke the connection! Another repair while on the road!


July 12
We’re on our way but have to detour to the Home Depot in Charlottetown to pick up supplies to repair the shower drain. Barb suggested we fix it in the parking lot so if we need something else, we can get it before driving out to the boonies of PEI! Another good idea! Done and onto Jacques Cartier Provincial Park. This park is not as nice as the Red Point Park but we have site with a view of the Gulf of St Lawrence and the beach is more suitable to launch the kayak from.

After we get set up, we drive up to the North Cape and the lighthouse to get Mack’s Tip to Tip certificate. The sight is beautiful, red cliff walls, calm seas and gulls and seals feasting and NO, I did not lock the keys in the truck again! As we walk along the beach, we run into a gentleman raking up the Irish Moss. His partners are around the point using a horse and tractor to gather the moss. They gather it, spread it to dry then sell it to a couple of plants so the Carrageenan can be extracted. An interesting side job for some lobster fishermen when the season is closed!

July 13
Today we washed the rig, walked along the beach and toured the coastal drive from Tignish to West Point.

As Barb & I were walking along the beach, we find lots of mussels washed ashore with seaweed. Curious, I asked our neighbor about the mussels and he said they were fine to eat, as long as they were still closed! So the 3 of use went back and gathered a dozen for a mid day snack! After cleaning them and then steamed them for 3 minutes, they were ready! Yummmm, very good, even the sand! But then we all need a little roughage for our own digestion don’t we!

The coastal drive was spectacular! The coastal views awesome and the farms are well maintained with beautiful farm houses. We arrived at Miminegash Harbour, toured the Irish Moss interpretive centre and ate a slice of seaweed pie! Yummm, another delicious treat! That’s all we’ll say about it, for more, you’ll have to come out here yourself for this delicacy!

The drive along route 2 through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine was not as hilly as expected and we had some beautiful scenery along the way. By mid day on Sunday, June 27th we arrived at the Pumpkin Patch RV Resort just northwest of Bangor Maine. The sites are large and easy access. The cg is located fairly conveniently to Bangor and points of interest further east. We spent a few fun hours (when it wasn’t raining) playing ladder golf with Mackenzie.

On June 29th, we toured Bangor Maine and stopped to take some pictures of Stephen King’s residence. Quite beautiful as expected but his gates were really neat. Note the picture of us in front of the house!

June 30th we head for Charlie and Norma’s home in Fredericton, NB. After a discussion with some locals in Bangor and were advised that route 1 would only take us an hour or so out of our way, we decide to take the scenic route! We traveled the ‘costal drive’ along route 1 through Maine to St Stephen, NB. We expected to see lots of ocean vistas and small coastal villages – wrong! The road was extremely rough with road patches, weeds growing through the pavement and broken road – not expected for a major tourist route!

We arrived at the border crossing at St Stephen, NB later than expected due to the road conditions and proceeded to be searched, again! Now we are really late for our arrival at Charlie and Norma’s and they were holding dinner for us! After a very warm reception and a short discussion, we get parked in their driveway and settled for the next few days.

Canada Day Charlie and Norma took us to the 1900 era train station in the throws of restoration in McAdam NB. Charlie and Norma as kids took the train from this station. The beautiful façade that greeted us was magnificent! The tour guide took us through the train station, dinning rooms, lunch counter and hotel. There was even a jail for the bad guys. Of course, we had to stop for an ice cream before we headed back and toured Fredericton and then back for dinner and games.

On July 2 we went golfing where Charlie and I continued our long time match and Barb and Mackenzie played alternate shot! A great day was capped off by meeting some of Charlie and Norma’s dinner club friends over dinner at the downtown Delta. We had dinner on the patio, overlooking the Saint John River. The weather was perfect and the company was fun.

July 3rd, we headed off to Saint John to view the Reversing Falls. We arrived just before low tide and watched the river flowing into the bay. We waited around to see the gorge at slack tide where there was no water movement – kinda erie! High tide was 6 hours later so we retreated back to the rig for lunch and a game of Wizard while we waited. About an hour before high tide, we returned to the viewing platform and experienced the difference! Now the water was flowing hard up river and the rapids were running backwards. The whole experience was a little disappointing as we were actually expecting a waterfall, not rapids but all in all, it was interesting to see the water running hard one way then running hard the other way. So really it should be called the Reversing River. One point of interest is the abundance of shore birds and seals when the tide is coming in as they follow the fish coming in with the tide! We stayed the night in the WalMArt there and headed for Hopewell Rocks in the morning.

Our trek over to Hopewell Rocks took us through the Fundy National Park. This is someplace that we will have to return to! There was a descent that made me thankful that the brakes were working!

We arrived at the Ponderosa Campground early. We got a site where the back window looked out over a lake to the bay. Our neighbors were just breaking camp and we stood and talked for awhile.
They suggested we see the Rocks at high tide then low tide for a more dramatic affect. By the time we were set up and sat out back watching the world go by, we headed over to see the Rocks at high tide. Ooppssss, our clocks were still on EDT and we almost missed the event as the park closes at 8 PM and we rolled in there at 7:15 PM! So a quick walk down to the Rocks viewing platform to see them at almost high tide then back to the truck before they lock the parking lots and we have to sleep in the truck!

We made it and we’re back to see the Rocks at low tide and walk on the ocean floor around the Rocks that were flooded yesterday! Wow, so much water! After this we drove into Moncton to try out Magnetic Hill! It pulled us up the hill and our speed increased as we went up! The only give away that it is an optical illusion is the water in the ditch was also going up hill!

We needed to do some shopping and found an Atlantic Super Store. Wow, I know we need to help the Canadian farmer make a living but why are the fresh fruit and vegetables so much more expensive here than what we experienced a couple hundred miles south in Maine? Ok, I’m off the soap box!

Today (July 6) is rain and more rain. So we’re going to have a day of games and kick back. July 7, we’ll be heading to PEI so our blog will pick up then.

Thanks for reading about our adventures…