Thursday, September 22, 2005

Coteau du Lac, QB to
Driving Day 7
Biking Distance: 39.73 km

Another early morning bike ride – this time along a paved trail, which I had biked with Kim and Chris on our way east. It goes along an old canal, complete with bridges with curved supports, and non-operational locks. The air was warm, but birds were gathering, and geese were heading south already. A heron flew out, startled that he wasn’t alone. I took the trail from our campsite to Pointe des Cascades, where we had camped on our way east, and I just made sure I could still find Hwy 338 easily, in case I come this way again. I was very excited to reach the 7,000 km mark on my odometer – I still have a few kilometers to make up from our forced driving days, but at least I’ve reached my total distance goal.

I noticed I wasn’t stressing out about the wind; it was in my back going out, so that meant I had to fight it coming back. It’s just the difference between going out for a fun ride, versus being focused and goal-oriented in trying to get as far as you can each day. It felt like a morning fun or training ride, and I loved it.

The day’s drive was good; we were at Port Credit around 4:00 p.m., and when Cam gave me the option of driving all the way home instead of camping one more night, I of course took it. Also of course, our hopes of getting to Orillia in daylight were quickly dashed as we approached Toronto; the traffic got much heavier, and it started to rain. We were very interested to note the incredibly long lineups at the gas pumps; all of Toronto it seemed was trying to fill their tanks before prices went up due to Hurricane Rita. Of course, the prices never did go up - it was all a lot of hype for nothing. In order to try to get Cam back to Waubaushene, where his trailer gets parked, at a reasonable hour, we arranged for Pat and Terry Hehn to come pick me up at Crown Hill (Albert was at choir practice by the time we got there). We arrived at 7:40 p.m.; Cam headed off into the rainy darkness, and the Hehns treated me to supper. By the time we got home, Albert was getting anxious – practice and the start of choir season party had been over for at least half an hour!

I was too tired to unpack the van – that would wait until next morning, after a little bike ride.

Home hasn’t changed a bit, and it’s good to be here.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Notre Dame du Lac to Coteau du Lac, QB
Drive Home Day 6
Biking Distance: 25.75 km

It was a cool and breezy morning, with the sunrise still glowing in the sky when I set out on my bike at 6:30 a.m. Since we were camping right on the trail I had used to get from Riviere du Loup to Notre-Dame-du-Lac, I figured I might as well enjoy it a second time. This section skirts Lac Temiscouata, and is sheltered by rock and trees on the other side. The surface is hard packed gravel screenings, and is very flat. All in all, it was a perfect place to make up a few kilometers, and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so. I even went down to feel the lake; it wasn’t nearly as cold as I expected, and if I’d had more time, I might have gone in for a dip.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. After we got to Quebec, the landscape flattened out, and we were able to make better time than on the previous days. Cam managed to negotiate Riviere du Loup, Quebec City, Trois Rivieres and Montreal without losing his cool or his way. We took Hwy 40 (north side of the St. Lawrence) after Quebec City; it’s flat and not very busy (until we got to Montreal of course). We could see leaves starting to change colour in New Brunswick and Quebec; in another week, this route will be spectacular.

We arrived in Coteau du Lac at the KOA campsite there about 7:10 p.m. It was already getting quite dark, but the temperature was fairly warm, and mosquitoes were out in the thousands to greet us. Yay! We set up as quickly as possible, then had supper and went to bed, to the sounds of Hwy 20 traffic and the VIA go train.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Grand-Barachois, NB to Notre-Dame-du-Lac, QC
Drive Home Day 5

Monique, Christian and Chloe had come in very late the night before from their trip to Chesapeake Bay where Chloe had participated in sailing events and training (now they have to buy a bigger boat), so we hadn’t seen them yet. So it was a treat to see Monique for breakfast – she was surprised to see us there, since we hadn’t expected our paths would cross. However, our visit had to be short, since we needed to get on the road. Monique did mention she has a job interview for what would be a very interesting position if she gets it, with Immigration Canada and involving international postings, so keep her in your thoughts.

The most interesting event of the day happened at the Fredericton Mall – every time Cam went through a door at either Zellers or Sobey’s, he set off an alarm. No one could figure out what the reason was; Cam finally decided it must be something to do with his teeth!

Scenery for the rest of the day included lots of hills (mountains), starting of fall colours, and the beautiful St. John River. We had a bit of rain here and there, including when we got to our campsite, but nothing too bad. Since we gained an hour by crossing the Quebec border, Cam decided we could make it to Notre-Dame-du-Lac, which pleased me - being into another province made me feel a little closer to home.

Monique and Patapouf

Monday, September 19, 2005

North Sydney, NS to Grand-Barachois, NB
Drive Home Day 4
Biking Distance: 63.9 km

Because Cam had to do some tire switches for his trailer (six ply tire for a four ply one), we decided it would be more efficient for him to do that while I got on my bike and made up some mileage I had missed near Sault Ste Marie. The day dawned rather foggy, but by 7:15 I was on my bike and headed back along the highway to North Sydney (our motel was actually 20 km from there, at Seal Island). About 5 km out of town, the traffic started getting quite heavy, so I decided to take a local road along Mill Creek, which turned out to be delightful. I met a lady walker, and asked her the name of the road so I could tell Cam in case I needed to; it was Point Aconi Road. She also told me it would connect with another road just up the highway, all paved, so I had a little loop worked out. Those are always so much more satisfying than going out and back. Cam meanwhile couldn’t find his keys to the trailer, so he tracked me down, and the whole tire switch was delayed. Oh well, I just got to do the loop twice. Through a series of other lost articles, etc etc, we didn’t leave the KOA campsite where the trailer had been parked for the week we were in Newfoundland until after 1:30 p.m. I figured we’d never get as far as Monique’s house, but luckily Cam was game to keep driving, since we knew we would have a place to sleep once we got there, without having to put up the camper. The rest of the day was relatively uneventful; we drove highway 104 through Nova Scotia, so had lots of hills (very slow with the camper), but lovely scenery. We arrived in Grand-Barachois at 9:40 p.m., and went straight to bed.

Sunday, September 18, 2005

Port aux Basques, NF to North Sydney, NS
Drive Home Day 3

Despite all the hype and fears about the ferry ride due to tropical storm Ophelia, Sunday was an uneventful day in the end. The ferry left on time, and although the waves were very high at the beginning of the trip, they subsided after about 3 hours. I took my gravol, and once the movies started, settled in the middle of the boat and watched one. I chose a lunch which consisted mostly of fruit, since that would be easier on the stomach, and then read for the rest of the trip. No one was allowed on deck because of the wind and waves. We drove to our motel, had supper, and that was the day.

Thoughts and Impressions

Even though I’ve done the whole thing, I can still not comprehend the enormity of it. I still think of it as a day at a time, or at most, a section at a time.

I thought I might feel different at the end, but I don’t. I’m just an ordinary person, with all my old feelings of inadequacy and anxiety (sometimes). I’m hoping I’ll use this experience whenever I feel overwhelmed by a task at hand – “one stroke at a time” will win the day.

Thanks – to God for keeping me safe and healthy; for making things “happen” just when they needed to, for moments of sheer joy and face-splitting grins, for songs in the heart and strength in the legs, for sounds and smells, exquisite rainbows, breathtaking beauty in mountains, lakes and plains.

Thanks – to family and friends. Thanks especially to Albert for allowing this to happen and keeping the home front running smoothly. Thanks also to those who allowed me to cry when I was hitting walls, sometimes of my own doing by pushing too hard physically, not knowing if I could make it in time if I didn’t, and sometimes by circumstances beyond me. Thanks to those who gave me advice and encouragement. Thanks to my three drivers – I hope you had a good time with me, as I did with you. Thanks also to those who cycled with me, long distances (Monique and Cassie) and shorter ones (Kim, Chris, Hilda, Doug, Alec, Heather), and who visited me along the way (Albert, Nory, Robin). A great big thank you to those who hosted me along the way - almost too numerous to mention, but I really appreciated all the hospitality (and real beds and food).

Would I do it again? Possibly. Will I do it again? Not likely in the whole, but I will do parts again, especially in Quebec.

Advice? Go for it – whatever your dream, big or small, short-term or long-term, do it.

.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Grand Falls-Windsor to Port aux Basques, NF
Drive Home Day 2

I had fresh trout for breakfast – caught by Jack the day before. I had to learn how to fillet it (after it was cooked), so now I’m a pro (Jack says “yeah, right”). Cam came over (he had stayed at a B&B right behind the Sweeney’s house) around 9:00 a.m. and we left shortly after that. There were lots of concerns about whether Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ophelia was going to affect our ferry plans, but we eventually decided to stick with our original plans, and go on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. We did book a motel near North Sydney for Sunday night, since we heard there was lots of wind and rain there, and we didn’t want to have to deal with the camper in that kind of weather. The scenery through Newfoundland was wonderful, very barren in places, lots of beautiful lakes and of course, always a big rock. The west end was mountainous, and always, there were strong winds. One section is called “train wreck” because the winds used to blow trains right off the track (that’s when there were still trains running). We had a little tour of Cornerbrook, but I must say I like St. John’s better – it’s much more colourful. However, seeing all the logs at the paper mill there was fascinating; I guess that’s where most of the logging trucks I had seen passing me in Nova Scotia must end up.

Signs in Newfoundland are somewhat different than in the rest of Canada; often the speed limit signs are more elongated. I must say, they are very noticeable. One sign particularly caught our attention; it said “Bump 1 km”. We figured it must be a very large bump indeed, especially when that sign was followed by a “speed limit 50” and then “bump 500 m”. At the bottom of the not very large hill, there was a bridge, and indeed it had a bump – a very small one. We laugh about it every time we hit a bump now – where were our warning signs? I personally think it was an example of the Newfoundlanders’ quirky sense of humour.

Cam has also decided that the stories of moose in Newfoundland are just myths. We’ve been on the lookout for 3 days, and this is his third time here, and he has never seen a moose. He almost had to change his mind when we saw a truck on the side of the road with a dead moose in it, but he thinks that was just staged to propagate the myth, and keep tourists and hunters coming. I guess all you hunters out there will have to come over during moose hunting season and see what you think.

Friday, September 16, 2005

St. John’s to Grand Falls-Windsor, NF
Drive Home Day 1

We spent the morning cleaning up (I tried not to leave the place any less immaculate than it was when we arrived; our host and hostess had already done far too much for us), shopping for a few last gifts and souvenirs, and looking into tire problems (“I guess ya must be losing air on rotation, then b’ye”). Thus, we did not leave St. John’s until after noon, and didn’t get to Grand Falls-Windsor until 7:00 p.m. This was unfortunate, because I found out after I got there that Jack Sweeney (Terry Rideout’s sister’s husband) is an avid cyclist, and I missed going out on a good ride with him. However, we thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Joan, who served up a wonderful “cold plate” supper, including potato salad made with beets. I hadn’t had that since Pauline brought some to a potluck supper (actually, I did try to make it once after that, but it wasn’t as good as hers). We also had cod au gratin – another recipe I’ll have to get. Jack and Joan were disappointed that we didn’t have time to see any of the Grand Falls attractions, but I was just as happy to get to know them – we’ll try to see the Falls next year.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Day 80 – Distance: 4.7 km
Wheel Dipping and Signal Hill Climb

Today was a day to revel in success, and experience St. John’s, thanks to Gerry’s chauffeuring and tour guiding. The first part of the morning consisted of getting blog updates ready, because I hoped I would have an opportunity some time during the day to let everyone know I had made it. Around 10:00 a.m., Gerry phoned to say he had arranged a photo op with the mayor of St. John’s, Andy Wells! By 11:00 a.m. we were in his office; I very much enjoyed meeting him, and really appreciated the few minutes he spent chatting. We then met the city clerk, who gave me a great coffee table book about St. John’s. Next on the agenda was having some traditional Newfoundland food for lunch, including cod au gratin, cods’ tongues, cod cakes and baked beans, at a lovely little restaurant in Portugal Cove. We were at a ferry crossing over to Bell Island, where Pat taught at one time; she had some great stories to tell about not being able to get over to school (or home) due to bad weather conditions.

Next was a visit to the school where Pat teaches, Roncalli Elementary School. Here I made a presentation to two classes of grade 5 students about my trip, followed by a question period. I’m afraid my presentation kind of jumped all over the place (I need some of Pat’s lessons too), but the kids didn’t seem to mind. I had my bike and gear with me; they were especially interested in the bike and shoes.

Next came the photo ops! We went back to the townhouse to get me geared up, and then I cycled to Harbourside Park, where there is a floating dock. I carefully lowered my front wheel into the water, but of course couldn’t get in myself. Then I started my climb up Signal Hill. I had to stop a few times, especially after the first leg, which is a very steep, fairly long section, in order to get the heart rate back down. However, I made it and was very proud of myself. As luck would have it, when I was at the top, Mom phoned from Holland. Fortunately the signal was great!

Gerry drove us to Cape Spear next, just so we could say we’ve been at the eastern most tip of Canada. It would have been a challenging bike ride for me, and I was glad to be in a vehicle instead. On our way back, Gerry found a place where I could get myself and bike into the Atlantic Ocean, so those are the photos I’ve blogged.

Gerry took me to his office so I could use the internet there, and there was another treat in store. He’s COO of Brookdale Dairies, which makes all manner of ice cream bars and other frozen treats for companies such as Zehrs, Costco etc. He took me upstairs to see the production of chocolate and almond covered ice cream bars – I felt like Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. I had to call Nory later that night to gloat – she would have loved it too.

Cam and I ended our last evening in St. John’s with a dinner at the Celtic Hearth – a nice place that looked like it had been in business for years, but in fact opened last December. I didn’t get officially “screeched”, which was a bit disappointing, but I was exhausted after everything we had done during the day, so I guess cod-kissing will have to wait until next year.

If any of you have a chance to visit St. John’s, snap it up. It’s an amazing city, totally different from any I’ve visited before. The colours of the buildings are incredible, and the whole city is set on hills – some very steep! I’m looking forward to coming back next year with Albert so I can do some of the walking tours; I think that would be a much better way of getting around than by bike (see, I’m still nervous of hills – when am I going to get over that? J)

Dipping the Wheel and Feet

Mile 0 -- St. John's

Nova Scotia Tire Change

Bridge to PEI

Goodbye Lobster

Hello Lobster

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Day 79 – Distance: 116.05 km
Somewhere on Hwy 100 to St. John’s, NL

How can I describe this day? An absolutely incredible roller coaster of emotions; the wind had me in tears at least twice. I was so determined that I wanted to finish today, and finally I did.

The day dawned with some overcast skies, and alas, wind. The weather report said “north winds gusting to 50 kph”. My old nemesis was not going to let me off the hook for the last day, not it!!! I was going to have to fight for my victory.

While Cam and I were driving back to where I had left off yesterday, I was very excited to receive a phone call from Mom and Dad, who are in Holland right now visiting relatives. That set me off on an emotional “high”. However, before I got to the TCH, I had my first bout of tears. It was such a constant struggle, between the hills and the wind. My knees were already hurting, and I had just started my day!

However, the TCH was in a more south east direction, and after I joined Cam (who had stopped for breakfast) for a hot chocolate and a piece of coconut cream pie, I had a slightly easier time (though not nearly as much as I had hoped). Unfortunately, I had to head north east again once I started on Hwy 90 and 60. I wanted to get to Holyrood for lunch, and did, but not until 1:30 p.m. However, that’s lunch time in Ontario, so I called Albert for some moral support, while eating my Mary Brown chicken. Then off I went again. I decided to take the Seal Cove road, which was spectacular for scenery, but set me off again emotionally when a gust of wind met me as soon as I got there. However, this time a granola bar got me going again and I persevered on.

Anyway, enough of all that nonsense. I got to the base of Hamilton Street (after Cornwall Street), and was at the harbour. As far as I was concerned, I was there! I started phoning relatives, and cried as I talked to each one (including Mom and Dad in Holland). It was 5:05 p.m. Newfoundland time.

Eventually I made my way around the corner to the townhouse at 47 Pleasant St., and Cam and I went to the Mile Zero marker for some photos (the rest we will do tomorrow). Then I cleaned up and we made our way to Gerald and Pat’s house, where I also got to meet their son Neil, and Pat’s brother Roger (my ferry hero), for an amazing celebratory supper of BBQ steak. One needs to celebrate a feat like this with friends, and new friends qualify very nicely.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Day 78 – Distance: 17.99 km
Placentia to somewhere on Hwy 100

I met Cam for breakfast – one of the best “bacon and egg” breakfasts I’ve had in a long time. Everything was hot and fresh, and cooked to perfection. We then set off for the Cape St. Mary Ecological Reserve for seabirds. The drive was through spectacular barrens with views of the ocean; the day was incredibly windy (gusts up to 90 kph). We walked along the trail, with the warning not to go too close to the cliffs, as “they didn’t want to lose anyone over the edge, because then they might have to put up railings, which in turn might affect the bird life, and they come first, people second”. I like their attitude. It was really fun battling the wind on foot; the day was sunny and cool, and the wind felt very invigorating. At this time of year, basically the only seabirds left are gannets, but they were there by the thousands, all roosting on a rock chimney rising from the sea.

By noon we were heading back to Argentia, this time being able to see the scenery we had missed the previous night, but the noise we had been hearing from the brakes was getting considerably more worrisome. So, having been told that Placentia had some good mechanics, we decided to check out the noise. The first mechanic put his finger in the wheel, said we needed new brake pads at the very least, but didn’t have time to do the job. We took it to another service station, where they were able to do the work right away, while we went and had lunch. Since Placentia is the same distance from Hwy 100 as the ferry dock is, we decided I would leave from there. However, it was already 2:30, scattered showers were happening by then, and the winds had definitely not subsided. I kept having to stop to put on or take off my rain gear, especially since there were some major hills to climb to get to the highway. I backtracked to the information booth to get some maps etc., and then continued on my way. I had hoped to get as far as the TransCanada highway #1; Cam was going to wait for me there. However, he had visited Castle Rock near Placentia while I biked, and he stopped on the way by to see how I was doing. Since it was already 4:00 p.m. by then, and we had to find our way to St. John’s to meet Pat Smith (Terry Rideout’s niece), I decided to hope for more favourable wind conditions the next day, and to get going by car for now.

We met Pat at the townhouse she and her husband Gerald are allowing us to use while we’re in St. John’s; it’s a charming Victorian style building within easy walking distance of Mile One stadium, city hall, and downtown St. John’s. Their tenants had left recently, and it was still vacant, so she and Gerald put furniture in it just for us; Pat also equipped it with dishes, food, and other essentials. We’re feeling truly spoiled; I cannot believe the efforts that have been made for us, complete strangers, and feel truly humbled and grateful. Pat had a specialty pizza in the oven for us, as “appetizer”, and then we went out to a local restaurant for some supper. After we came back, we went straight to bed, and I slept in the most comfortable bed I’ve been in since I left home in Orillia.

Monday, September 12, 2005

Day 77 – Ferry Day
North Sydney, NS to Argentia, NL

It was a dark and rainy morning when we left at 4:45 a.m., and there wasn’t a single street light to show the way. Luckily Cam figured out immediately when we started down a wrong road, and turned around in time to get us to the ferry by 5:00. Pauline Rideout had told me there would be a surprise waiting when we got to the reservation kiosk, and sure enough, there was. The young woman manning the booth quoted the ferry price (accurate) but said we also had a cabin (surprise). However, the surprise was even greater when we got to the purser’s station, and were personally escorted to an “owner’s cabin”, which is a suite which includes a living room (with a futon), bedroom and bathroom. It even has two TV sets. Terry’s nephew, who works for Marine Atlantic, had arranged it all for us. The first thing we did was have breakfast, then we came back to take a nap. I worked on my photos, then went down for a cup of tea (to settle my stomach; I’m really not a very good sailor, and it’s incredibly windy and wavy today), then I came back for another nap. This one was really nice, and I was totally out of it. I appreciated the luxury and privacy of my surroundings all the more each time I came back to it, as it made the 14 hours on board much more tolerable. Especially after supper, when the baked cod I had didn’t sit too well, did I deeply appreciate being able to lie down until everything settled.

For the record, Cam asked about the size of the waves and the strength of the wind; evidently the waves were 3 to 4 metres high, and the wind did reach gale force. It also rained all day, so that water was sloshing around on the decks, preventing much walking about. The boat was creaking considerably at times (not in a scary way) and gave jolts like the camper does in wind. At least my body had got used to sleeping through that kind of movement – I didn’t realize I had been rehearsing!

There was some fun entertainment on board the ship; there were movies, which I didn’t watch, and also a pair of male singers, who played guitars and accordion, and sang Newfoundland songs. Cam and I both bought their CD “Songs to tap yer feet ‘bye’”. I thought perhaps Albert would get some ideas of songs he could arrange for choir…

I also enjoyed talking with a young couple who were just finishing up their cross-Canada trip as well; they had trailers behind their bikes, and we had spotted them at the ferry parking lot in the morning.

It was dark when we landed at approximately 9:00 p.m. Newfoundland time, so we took our time finding our way down to St. Bride’s. I can hardly wait to see the route in daylight; the hills on this road (Hwy 100) are very steep and winding, and I’m glad I don’t have to do them by bike! Cam assures me the trans-Canada hills are more moderate, and I’m sure hoping he’s right! We’re staying at the Atlantica Inn tonight; it’s a small motel, not luxurious but very clean and not expensive. Luckily, the heater works well too; the temperatures quoted for St. John’s today were 13, whereas for Toronto, they were quoted at 30. Quite a contrast!

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Day 76 – Rest Day
North Sydney, NS

I saw the Northern Lights last night! I haven’t seen them for many years, and I don’t remember them ever being this spectacular (although no real colours other than pale green). I normally haven’t been getting up in the night, preferring to “hold it” until morning, but I had a big cup of tea around 8:00 last night, so was forced to. It was well worth it! I only had on a thin jacket over my t-shirt, so I couldn’t stay out too long, but what a treat.

We tried to sleep in a bit in the morning, but knew we had lots to do to get things organized, as to what we should take and what should be left behind. By the time we had a big breakfast, and things organized and the trailer taken down, it was about 2:30. Cam suggested going to Fortress Louisbourg for a visit and lunch, so that’s what we did. It’s quite a fascinating place, although of course one should have a full day to do it justice. However, we had a taste of period life in the 1740’s and also of pea soup and soldiers’ bread as it would have been served then. The soup was delicious – I wouldn’t extend that to the bread, although with cheese it might have been good. We passed some “authentic” Nova Scotia fishing villages as well, and hopefully got some good photos.

We came back to North Sydney and checked into the Clansman Motel around 6:30; we’ve asked for a wake up call at 3:30 (Cam) and 4:00 (me) in order to get down to the ferry docks by 5:00 a.m. How exciting! Now it’s off for dinner, then an early night.

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Day 75 – Distance: 98.41 km
Whycocomagh to North Sydney, NS

Spectacular scenery, good roads, and fairly good wind – sun shining brilliantly on wet leaves – all made for a great biking day in spite of occasional showers. Cape Breton is surely one of God’s masterpieces; of course I didn’t go all the way around it (this time), but I saw enough to make me want to come back. I understand there are supported bike tours of Cape Breton; maybe that would be the way to do it. I’ll have to keep in shape though; I passed a sign saying “you are at the base of Kelly’s Mountain. You will climb 7 km to an altitude of 240 meters.” That’s not a very steep grade, fortunately, but the legs still feel it by the time you’re at the top! And of course, the descent has all the cross winds and sharp turns that I thought I had left behind in BC. That reminds me of the other thing that’s similar to BC – logging trucks. There aren’t as many, and the logs are stacked sideways on the flatbed, rather than lengthwise as they are in BC, but I still got the smells of fresh cut logs. That, and the sweet smell of clover – I’ve smelled it in every province.

I haven’t seen too many animals in the east coast (other than road kill), but have seen lots of herons and kingfishers, along with a few osprey. Birds are definitely starting to gather; you can see them lined up on hydro wires, chattering to each other. I’d love to get a photo, but they tend to fly away when I get close.

My timing with showers was pretty good. There was a lovely rainbow in the sky before breakfast, as I was getting my bike out and ready. Shortly after that, it started raining, which ended while I was having breakfast. It started again briefly, so I didn’t leave until 8:30 a.m. I had to wear my rain gear of course, because of road spray (I should have put plastic bags into my shoes as well, but didn’t think of it), and a little shower, but the sun came out and warmed and dried things up nicely. I decided to check out the Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts, which was supposed to be just off my route (it was, but all uphill). As I was getting ready to leave, the rain started again, pouring this time, so I waited in the shelter provided by a breezeway, and had my lunch until it stopped. The rest of the day was fairly cool, except while climbing Kelly’s Mountain, but that was fine, as I tend to keep extra clothing with me now that I am basically unsupported during the day. I got to the KOA campsite, which is right at the base of the mountain and where we were planning to spend the night, by about 2:30; I phoned Cam, and then continued on to North Sydney (another 20 km) to the ferry dock. I really wanted to get that part of the trip done with so that Sunday could be a good rest and organizing day. I reached North Sydney about 3:20, and phoned Mom and Dad, just before they were about to leave for the airport for their trip to Holland. I was glad to be able to tell them I had made it safely this far. I then phoned Cam again to come pick me up, and found out he had had another tire blowout (the tire that had been the spare before). He’s getting to be a pro at changing tires! I arranged to meet him at a Tim Hortons’ near a Canadian Tire store; unfortunately they didn’t have the size of tire he needed. However, they phoned their Sydney store, which had one last one in stock, so we headed there before coming back to the campground to set up. Supper was extra late, and we were doing laundry in the dark, but that’s okay. The campsite is in a beautiful location, next to a lake and nestled against a cliff of red rock (left over from a gravel pit). When we got to the campsite, there was a double rainbow, ending right on the lake (appropriately named “Bras d’Or – arm of gold). What a celebration of reaching the ferry today – only two more biking days to go. I should be putting in some more extra mileage, but I’m feeling cautious – I don’t want to jinx my good luck in not having any flat tires yet. Maybe Cam is having them for me.

Friday, September 9, 2005

Day 74 – Distance: 105.21 km
Antigonish to Whycocomagh, NB

The manager at our campground in Antigonish told me Hwy 4 would likely be flatter, and nicer to bike on than Hwy 104, which I had taken the previous day – and in spite of not asking 3 people, I took his advice and was very glad of it. The morning dawned beautiful, with none of the rain that had been forecast, and the road was smooth with no traffic. I finally got to see some of the nicer aspects of Nova Scotia, and took the opportunity to take some photos. I also called Jean, because the road reminded me of some of the roads we took in Quebec. Just before I had to go back onto Hwy 104, there was a long, long hill (not too steep) of about 2 km; however, I noticed, from what I could see of the other highway, that it had many ups and downs that I had avoided.

Once on 104, I happened to look ahead, and thought, oh no, that’s going to be a really tough climb. Then I noticed I was on a lane going away from that hill, and that I was headed for the Canso Causeway. Yay! The hill was for another route, not mine! I got onto Hwy 105 into Cape Breton, and of course the road direction, and number of hills, changed. That meant, too, that the wind, which was strong enough to keep laundry which was hanging out to dry standing at attention, was often straight into my face. No wonder I keep obsessing about wind. However, by this time I only had about 30 km to go to get to our campsite, so I figured I could tough it out. Luckily, the road had a lovely smooth shoulder, and the last 10 km or so seemed to be more or less downhill. I got to our campsite by 2:30, as clouds were gathering overhead, just about ¾ of an hour before Cam. I didn’t mind, as I knew I could at least get under a shelter if it did start to rain. Fellow campers were very friendly, and several asked about my bike trip. It was great to be able to say “only 3 biking days left, if I’m lucky”.

When Cam arrived, he showed me what he had shopped for (after he got a new tire for his trailer), and the first thing he pulled out was a folding chair for me! Nice, hey? We had a lovely cup of tea, with cheese and baguette, after the camper was set up, and I got to sit in comfort.

Pray for no rain tomorrow – I really want to get to North Sydney with no problems, so we can organize for Newfoundland. We’ll be leaving the camper parked at a KOA campsite while we’re across the pond, and we have to figure out how to take what we need in the station wagon, which doesn’t have much room once my bike is inside. However, we’ll manage! I can hardly wait.

Thursday, September 8, 2005

Day 73 – Distance: 139.94 km
Charlottetown, PEI to Antigonish, NS

So, am I in British Columbia or Nova Scotia? I kept asking myself that question as I worked my way up the hills (a couple of them were over 1 km long).

I got up quite early, and couldn’t eat much for breakfast because I was nervous about getting to the ferry on time. I knew I needed to get to the 11:00 a.m. one, or I wouldn’t have enough time to get to Antigonish, which was where we had decided we wanted to camp. I was on my way by 7:30 a.m., which turned out to be perfect, because I was at the ferry by 10:20 a.m. As long as I was headed east, the wind, which was from the south west again, was perfect, but of course the route to the Wood Islands ferry is also south, so I did have to fight the wind for quite a while. I guess I should be used to that by now. The ferry ride was great; I slept for much of it. Too bad to have to miss that lovely water on such a perfect, sunny day, but I figured I’m out in the sun enough, and I was tired from getting up so early. I did manage to get a picture of a lighthouse before we left the “ruby jewel” that is PEI; it’s famous for its lighthouses and I realized I hadn’t snapped a photo yet. Luckily there are several at the ferry landing.

The day was very warm, up to 26, - I hadn’t been using sunscreen for awhile, but I sure needed it again today. The scenery so far in Nova Scotia has been much like New Brunswick; lots of trees and hills - quite a contrast to the perfectly-kept-up homes and gardens of PEI. Cam passed me en route, as he had taken the 1:00 p.m. ferry; he stopped to offer me water etc. then went on his way. I was quite surprised to see him pulled up along the side of the road a few kilometers later – he was on the ground in process of repairing a flat on the trailer! I stayed to offer morale support (I’m not much good at fixing flats on cars), and we both managed to be on our way again by about 4:10. Unfortunately that meant I didn’t get into the campground until about 5:30, but since the weather forecast is for thunder showers tonight, and rain tomorrow, I wanted to get the distance in today.

We’ve just finished supper (9:30 p.m.), so I’m going to help clean up a bit, then be off to bed. Four more biking days left, if all goes according to plan!

Wednesday, September 7, 2005

Day 72 – Distance: 45.94 km
Charlottetown to Cavendish, PEI

We woke up to a fairly strong wind from the southwest; since it was a partial rest day, we got up relatively late. I actually wakened fairly early, and did my blog for yesterday, but that’s beside the point. Nory and Robin were up and about when I was going to start my breakfast, so they joined me, which was great. The sun was already fairly warm, so we could “eat out”. Cam wanted to tour Cavendish (not Green Gables, though), since he had never been to that part of the Island, so I set off about 10:00 a.m. to bike there, with the idea that he would join me, load up the bike, and then we would walk the dunes together. I was hoping for a good “make up the mileage” day, but unfortunately, my northwest direction didn’t allow that. The route was beautiful, but hilly, and I really struggled with the wind. However, by 1:30 I finally made it, and had lunch while I waited for Cam. He unfortunately had several errands to do in Charlottetown, so he didn’t leave until the time I got to Cavendish, plus he took a wrong road which gave him a beautiful scenic tour, but didn’t get him to Cavendish until 3:00 p.m. However, we finally got together, and really enjoyed walking the beach and dunes; it’s one of the prettiest spots on the Island, I think. We then headed back to Charlottetown to pick up some groceries, and then found a restaurant for supper. We both chose fishcakes (made with salt cod and PEI potatoes), and found them to our liking. Cam struck up a conversation with a couple from Florida, who were seated at a table next to us, and who were also going to Newfoundland. I think Cam has now convinced them they should travel the Alaska highway another year; he considers it, along with Newfoundland, to be Canada’s jewels. I’m just looking forward to seeing Newfoundland – hard to believe in a week I’ll be finished the cycling portion of my trip. Wow!!!

Tuesday, September 6, 2005

Day 71 – Distance: 135.57 km
Grand-Barachois, NB to Charlottetown, PEI

It was a grand day for cycling, and my grin stretched from ear to ear many times, especially on the fair isle of Prince Edward.

It was a busy morning at the Leblanc-Libotte household, as Chloe started school again, and Christian and Monique both went back to work after a long weekend. It was just as well they had to rush off, or I might have got a bit emotional saying goodbye to Monique; as it was, we were able to keep things fairly light. We had planned I wouldn’t start biking until after 9:00 a.m., to give Cam time to take the camper down and get to the PEI bridge by noon, so he could shuttle me across. I had a lovely ride, taking Hwy 133 to Hwy 15, then later taking Hwy 955 to Murray Corner, from where I could see the bridge (even though there was another 10 km to go). The country roads were great; little traffic and gentle hills. I arrived at the information centre near the bridge about 11:30, and had some lunch while I waited for Cam, who arrived about 12:20 p.m. The building is an eco-centre, with composting toilets etc, and there were interpretive trails around it was well. It would have been fun to have more time to spend there.

After we loaded the bike into the station wagon, and took some photos of the bridge from the excellent vantage point, we headed across, parked, and walked over to the PEI information centre. Who should be having lunch at a picnic table there but Nory and Robin! We hadn’t planned to meet until supper time at our campsite, so this was an unexpected pleasure. Cam and I got information and maps; I shared an ice cream cone with Nory, and then Robin came back to the “welcome to PEI” sign so that I could be in one of my border crossing photos (it’s only been Carpe Momentum in the last few).

The staff at the Info centre advised me to take the scenic route to Charlottetown, which I proceeded to do. It was really lovely, much of it along water, although it was about 15 km longer, and I was starting to get a little anxious to reach the campsite by 5:00 p.m. I didn’t get in until 6:00, which is a little later than I like; however, I did have a 2 ½ hour lunch break, so I guess I can’t complain. Nory and Robin arrived not much before I did, and after a much needed shower (for me), we had a little drink before heading out for dinner on the waterfront in Charlottetown.

Nory and Robin will be heading out tomorrow, while Cam and I take an extra day on PEI. We did our mileage calculations, and I have an extra two days to put in before the ferry crossing date I booked. If we had checked this out at Monique’s house I might have left a day earlier from there and tried to change my ferry reservation to this Friday; that was my original target date but I was persuaded by Albert that I should give myself extra time in case I was delayed for some reason. In any event, we’ll do some touristy things, and I may try to get in some more biking to make up for lost mileage before Sault Ste Marie.

Monday, September 5, 2005

Day 70 – Rest Day
Grand-Barachois, NB

After all these rest days, I’ll be hard pressed to get back onto my bike tomorrow. Today was basically restful, but did include a long walk along the beach with Nory, Robin and Cam. Christian and his mother hiked ahead of us pretty quickly, and Monique started out with us, but headed back with her 14-year-old Golden, Patapouf, when he could go no farther. After our walk, Monique took Robin, Nory and me out in the jeep to pick up the poutine rappe which we were trying out for lunch (a typical Acadian food, consisting somewhat of mashed potato wrapped around a ball of pork, then cooked in a pork broth). We also bought some poutine a trou (pastry wrapped around apple, raisins and cranberries). We came back for lunch, and intended to go into Shediac to check out the sights, but ended up taking a short nap instead. Monique took us into town a bit later, then we came back for supper. We managed to talk Christian into telling us the story of how he met Monique (he’s a great story teller) before he joined his mom and aunt to watch “Shall we Dance” dubbed in French. I guess I’ll have to watch that one when I get back (in English, of course).

Since tomorrow is “back to school, biking, work” for most of us, we’re all heading to bed fairly early tonight. It’s been a great rest time, especially with my “babe” with me, and I’ll hate to leave. However, I’ll be on the ferry in a week! Hard to believe, for sure.

Sunday, September 4, 2005

Day 69 – Rest Day
Grand-Barachois, NB
Once you’re into an early morning routine, it’s hard to sleep in, even on a rest day, so I got up and looked after a few details on the computer. Cam is converting me to having a cup of tea in the morning with a few biscuits (very civilized, you know); a quick bowl of cereal after that sufficed before we headed into Shediac to St. Martin in the Woods, a little Anglican church that served Queen Elizabeth a few years ago. I can only hope she brought her own priest. What this gentleman lacked in quality, he made up in volume. Actually, he did have a few good points in his sermon; he just didn’t tie things together very well, and I’m spoiled by Cam’s sermons.

We met Monique at Tait House for brunch after church. We then headed out to pick up the lobsters and wine for our lobster feast with Nory and Robin when they came, then prepared as much as we could. We were settled down with a glass of wine when they arrived, and the fun began. They waded into the ocean to get the water to boil the sacrificial creatures in; we got it boiling and the corn husked. Meanwhile, Monique had bought some quahaugs for us to try (an oyster-like creature you pry out of its shell and eat raw). Nory managed about a quarter of one; I think Cam and Robin each managed one; I ate the rest of Nory’s plus one more, and Monique actually enjoyed them. I didn’t mind the taste, but probably wouldn’t go out of my way to repeat the experience. The lobsters were then duly cooked and cooled, followed by the corn, and the feast began. Monique demonstrated how to eat lobster (very much a hands-on experience), and we went to town. Because the lobsters have recently changed shells, we bought fairly small ones, and so had two each (I think Robin managed three). I don’t know if Monique can tolerate my visiting her at least once a year for a lobster feast (not just the lobster, honestly…), but you just can’t beat the taste of the fresh ones. We four visitors all settled into our respective tents for the night, while Monique headed into Moncton to pick up her family (including Christian’s mother and aunt visiting from Belgium) from the airport, where they had returned from their weekend in Toronto.

Surprise Encounter

Hartland Covered Bridge

Grand Falls, New Brunswick

New Brunswick Border

Sarah's Church

Dinner in Quebec City

Mae Cox's Home Town

Grizzly Grill in Kingston

Swinging Couple in Bloomfield

Great leg contest (Hilda won)

Jean on ferry to Tobermory

Saturday, September 3, 2005

Day 68 – Distance: 30.93 km
Rest Day – Grand-Barachois, NB

Yes, I actually have mileage on a rest day. Monique hadn’t been able to go for a bike ride in over a week and she was anxious to have one, and I couldn’t resist joining her to make up some of my “driven” mileage. We took a route I have joined her on before; we flew on our way out, and pushed like mad on the way home. If I had been biking to PEI, I would have made it half way there in the time we took, the wind was so strong. It was fun to be biking with her again; we visited a harbour, biked through bike paths, and saw the roof of Frank McKenna’s house.

The rest of the day was taken up with catching up on my blogging (finally, I’m connected to the internet again, as you know), driving all over Shediac and area in Christian’s jeep to do grocery shopping, and just generally enjoying being here. We’ve started to organize the week in Newfoundland, thanks to help from Terry and Pauline Rideout and their relatives; Cam and I agree that we have in common being “anal” about liking to have arrangements in place in advance. For me, it means enjoying scenery and pleasant thoughts while biking instead of worrying and planning the next stage.

Supper consisted of Digby scallops fried up in herb butter (rich, but oh so good), local beans and rice fried up with green tomatoes. Delicious. I have gained two pounds since I got here, according to Monique’s scales. By the time I’ve finished my brunch after church tomorrow, and the lobster dinner tomorrow night, I should weigh about as much as I did when I left Orillia. All this biking for nothing – sigh.

Friday, September 2, 2005

Day 67 – Distance: 167.16 km
Gagetown to Grand-Barachois, NB

Cam was determined that I should be able to start biking by my usual time, so he got up at 5:30 a.m. to get himself ready for the drive back to Gagetown. My head felt a bit dizzy when I sat up at 6:10, so I settled back down for a few more minutes. We were on the road by 7:10, however, stopping at Tim’s for my breakfast of muffin and French vanilla – nutritious, hey?

It was another perfect wind-in-the-back day, although it wasn’t quite as strong as the day before. I stayed on Hwy 2, enjoying the wide shoulders and relatively little traffic. The scenery wasn’t great, just bushes mostly, along with some creeks and ponds, but that was okay – I was on a mission to make it to Grand-Barachois if at all possible. I knew I had to get to the other side of Moncton at least, since the roads around Magnetic Hill were going to be closed tomorrow for the Rolling Stones concert. With perseverance, and a little visit from Monique near that site, I made it! I finally saw a glimpse of salt water by 3:20, and pulled into her driveway at 4:10. It felt so good – I’ve been thinking of this Labour Day weekend here since I started the trip. Nory and Robin will be joining us Sunday afternoon, and since I’m here already, I actually get 3 days off! It feels like a real holiday. This is one of the greatest spots in Canada – overlooking the Northumberland Strait; on a clear day you can see, not forever, but at least PEI.

Monique poured a beer for me, and two minutes later the phone rang; Cam had arrived at the corner where Monique had said she would meet him to lead him to her house. Perfect timing again. We figured out where to put the camper, but relaxed for a while first before getting to that job. We had a great evening with a steak barbeque (better steaks than in Alberta…) and too much wine. I paid for that during the night, but it was worth it!

Thursday, September 1, 2005

Day 66 – Distance: 105.57 km
Pokiok to Gagetown, NB

Well, Cam had to deal with Katrina during the night while I slept (sort of). He decided the wind was too strong for the awning, so was in process in taking it down when the wind caught one of the braces and snapped it. Then he thought he should lower the ceiling vent, but again the wind caught it first and broke the hinge. Red Green would have been proud of the plastic sheet and duct tape that came to the rescue to catch the rain that subsequently fell. I heard some noises and wondered why he didn’t just go to bed, but I didn’t poke my head out from behind my curtain to find out what was going on. I had asked him the night before if the camper was okay in this kind of wind and he assured me it was, so I took him at his word and didn’t worry.

In the morning I could still heard wind and rain, and knew biking was out of the question for a while at least, so I went back to sleep. I was still tired from the hills from Hartland to Woodstock, so didn’t mind the enforced rest time. By 9:00 a.m. things had started to clear quite a bit and Cam went across the road from the campground to an RV sales and service business which happened to be conveniently located there. The owner came right over, and took away the broken parts. By noon, while Cam drove me back to where I had left off the day before, the camper was repaired.

By 12:25 I was biking again, only this time the wind was in my back, the shoulders were great, and the hills, though long in some cases, were very doable. I was back at the campsite by 2:35, having completed 53 km. I put out a few wet things to dry, then headed off again (Cam having agreed to pick me up about 5:30 p.m.) I missed the turnoff for the secondary road I had intended to take out of Fredericton, and so ended up on Hwy 7 and 2 (both major), but it was great. The shoulders were a full lane wide, and I was able to make very good time, making up for at least half of the distance I had lost due to the rain Wednesday.

I didn’t dare go further than Gagetown, because there was a good interchange so Cam could pick me up easily there, plus he had to drive me back again in the morning, and I didn’t want to make things too difficult! After he picked me up, I changed at a service station (where he also managed to get gas at $1.19/litre; Albert had told me in Orillia it was up to $1.28), then we headed into Fredericton to see a few of the sights and have supper. It really is a lovely city, and worth another visit for sure.