Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

Me and Bob are on another adventure. There are two provinces left on the bucket list, Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Newfoundland (NFLD). In the process we will also cover a good part of Nova Scotia (NS) by bike.

We left home on June 6 under grey skies and cool temperatures. This is the fourth time that we bike the route from home to the New Brunswick border so no surprises here. The first night we camped wild at the Mastodon Ridge near Stewiacke.  While eating a simple meal at the Chinese a light rain started, forcing us to make camp in the wet.

The rain stopped sometime during the night but the next morning the sky was just as grey. The target for day #2 was the Railway Station Inn in Tatamagouche where I met Lucy. This Inn is one of our favourites and our room was located in an original railway caboose converted into a hotel room.  We enjoyed a few beers at the local tavern and a good feed of panfried haddock. Later in the afternoon the sun came out and I was able to dry my tent.

Target for day #3 was the Amherst Shore provincial park but when Bob and I got there the park had not opened for the season yet. Makes you wonder why we have provincial parks at all if they are still closed on June 8. We pushed on to Port Elgin just inside New Brunswick, adding 30km to today's trip, where we made camp in the center of town on a grassy field near the harbour. We selected Port Elgin because there is a small diner there but unfortunately that one was closed as well. Without facilities to clean our pots we selected to eat chili straight out of the can after warming it up in the sun for a while. To make up for this inconvenience we treated ourselves to a can of "Canadian" from the liquor outlet across the street.

On day #4 we had to cross the Conferation Bridge that connects PEI with the mainland. This bridge is 13KM long and bicycles are not allowed to cross this bridge. There is a shuttle service for pedestrians and bicycles. The shuttle is not on a schedule, it goes on demand. When arriving at the foot of the bridge the shuttle happened to be right there to bring a load of golfers to the island. When I told the driver that I needed 15 minutes to take the side bags off my bike and to unhook the trailer he decided to come back for me later. While waiting for the shuttle to arrive it started to spit  and we arrived in PEI in the rain. From tourist information we got a lead on a simple motel just down the road and we stayed the night in the Carlton Motel in Borden.

Next morning on day #5 we picked up the Confederation trail near the motel. This trail is a former railroad bed converted into a multy purpose trail and it goes all across the island. The advantage is that one does not have to deal with other traffic and the grade is never over 1%. The disadvantage when I was travelling the trail was that the surface was soft due to yesterday's rain, giving the impression that one is biking on very soft tires. Also the wet reddish PEI dirt is picked up by the tires, spilling it all over my side bags and trailer. It is another grey day with drizzle off and on but that does not spoil the views of the beautiful PEI countryside. At one time we spot a fox at the side of the trail. The plan was to follow the trail until Hunter River but at the small town of Fredericton we changed to the hard surface of the main highway #2. We soon find out that PEI has some very steep hills as well. The target for today is the Vigeant Residence in Cove Head, about 55KM from the motel. We have been friends with Rosemary and Robert Vigeant since our Churchill Falls days and Leanne just started walking when we first met them. Leanne is now 35. Lucy arrived at the Vigeants the day we left the Railway Station Inn and is waiting for me. I had an early start this morning and will be arriving early. With 10KM to go I called Lucy to expect me around 12am. With about 5KM to go I met another bicyclist going the opposite direction and at closer range I see that it is Rosemary. After I had called she got dressed quickly and jumped on her bike to meet me! What a nice surprise and together we cover the last stretch.

We have very nice visit with the Vigeants. I planned a rest day for day #6 and use that to clean my bike and side bags. We visited one of Rosemary's sisters and picked up her mother, who just turned 92, in Charlttetown. She will join us for supper at R&R.
Rosemary surprised me by announcing that she will join me for day #7 cycling the 85KM from Cove Head to Wood Island where I will take the ferry to Caribou in NS. Robert will pick her up from there by car. She is part of a bike group that almost daily cycles their neighbourhood and four members will join as as well for the first 25KM. We meet at 8am at the house of Sue and Bernard where John (76) and his brother Ewen (78) are waiting as well. I set the pace since I have about 35KG hanging from my bike and will be the slowest. Shortly after 8am the group of 6 is on their way. When we reach Mount Stewart, the turn-around point for four of the group, my front derailler acts up. Looks like the bracket that holds it to the frame became loose and it turned. After this is fixed we say goodbye to our friends and Rosemary, Bob and myself head for the hills. Not an easy route that I selected. Quite a few long steep hills and a head-on wind all the way.

But Rosemary is quite the trooper, took all those hills without complaining and had no trouble at all keeping up with me. She really enjoyed my Crazy Creek chair when taking a rest. Weather was great, full sunshine all the way and warm. It took us a little longer than expected to cover the 85KM and we reached Wood Island at 4:30pm, just when the ferry was leaving. When we drove up to the terminal Robert arrived as well. Perfect timing! Rosemary's bike was tied to the bike rack and we said our goodbye's. The next ferry leaves at 8:00pm and it will be almost dark by the time we get to the other end. I select to stay in Wood Island to take next day's ferry of 6:30am and make camp on a grassy field near the terminal.

Not a good night sleep. Trucks rolling in all night to line up for the early morning crossing and most of them leave their engines idling. Boarding the ferry was uneventful and we are back in NS by 8:00am. Had a meal of bacon and eggs on the ferry. Target for day #8 is Arisaig Point on the Sunrise Trail. Weather is good again but once more I have a headwind. Just 5KM short of our target we run into the Red Roof B&B at McArras Brook. The sign reads "Vacancy" and the place looks very inviting. I learn that the home is modern and solar powered and is two years old. I am greeted by several barking dogs and the Inn keeper ensures me that they are friendly and that he was expecting me. After my reaction of surprise he realizes that I dropped in unexpected and there is another couple of cyclists on the way. No problem, they have a room for me.  I take a quick shower to wash all the sunscreen off me and I am presented with a complimentary beer. That is a first for NS! I can also sign up for dinner with complimentary wine for $15. I don't have to think long over this one! A short time later a Dutch couple arrives with real Dutch looking bikes. They flew in with Iceland Air and only paid 39 euro to ship their bikes. They started in Truro and are following the Sunrise trail and are also planning to bike the Cabbot Trail. Going to bed early. Breakfast will be at 7am, the earliest the Inn keeper was willing to go.  The Dutch couple will have their breakfast at 8:30am, far too late for me!

On the road by 7:30am on day #9. It is now Thursday June 14. Today we plan to bike to the Hyclass Ocean Campground. Lucy and I have been there before and have good memories. The weather could not be any better. Sunny and warm but once again I have a headwind. We arrive in the early afternoon and relax the rest of the day. Macaroni and a can of salmon for dinner.

Another nice day on day #10. Today we will cross the Canso Causeway that separates Cape Breton from the mainland. Only 22km from where I start today. To my surprise I find that the causeway has a good paved shoulder. Only the bridge crossing the lock is a bit tricky. I have to swing into the traffic lanes but there is no traffic at that moment. Short stop in Port Hawksbury for a breakfast sandwich at Tims and from there we follow the old trunk road #4 to St. Peters. We find the Battery Provincial park at the channel that connects the Bras d'Or Lake with the Atlantic Ocean. We make camp at a great spot overlooking a big inlet.

Mostly cloudy the next day #11. A fierce headwind develops shortly after we start and that combined with lots of steep inclines makes for the toughest day so far. The wind is no surprise, we are right at the shore of the Bras d'Or Lake. After 86KM of this we reach Sydney River where we pay a quick visit to the Superstore to bring up our supplies and have a quick bite to eat at McDonalds. Using their WiFi and internet I find a small motel just down the road but once we get there there is a small sign in the door "no vacancy". Find that hard to believe since there is not one car to be seen at the rooms. We are forced to go on for another 8KM to North Sydney where we get a room at the Highliner Motel. This made for a long day but we are less than 10KM from ferry terminal to NFLD.

We can take our time on day #12. The ferry departure time is 11:30am. When I reach the ticket booth I am asked if I have a reservation. No. Next I am told that the 11:30 is full and I can be booked on the next one leaving at 5:30pm. My insistence that there must be room for one person and a bicycle pays off. After a phone call I am OKed for the 11:30 sailing. Around 11:00 we board the MV Highlanders, a modern vessel that loads at 2 levels simultaniously. I make use of the time on board to work on my blog. The crossing takes about 6 hours and the Cabbot Straight is very calm. We reach Port aux Basques at 6:30pm (we are now on NFLD time, 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic time). By the time we are on the road again it is past 7:00pm and we check into the first hotel we see. Not surprisingly it is called Hotel Port aux Basques. To celebrate fathers day we have a beer and panfried cod at the restaurant. The cod was delicious. And now some more work to bring the blog up to date and that is it for today!