Day 13-East Shore of Cape Breton

Must be something in the air here.
Right, the air this morning was pretty heavy.
Really heavy.
Actually thick fog had come in and the whole area. This is what Cape Breton is supposed to look like, or so I'm told.

I packed up my things and re-organized the bags I had. I was moving out of my room and into the next one later today as I had asked to stay another night and it was probable I'd move to another room. No problem. I was prepared. I could leave all my luggage for the staff to move to the new room but figured it would make Thursday an early start with minimal running around.

Again, I can't say enough about the staff here, they are so wonderful. Sometimes they remember what I've been doing the day before and ask. They are great! 

Last night, after I posted, I hung around in the Highland lounge and listened to the entertainer. Seems live music here is something that is a drawing card if you want to stay anywhere. Fran Doyle was an experienced guitar player who put his own spin on all the east coast favourites that you'd expect to hear while in Cape Breton. He had a great rapport with everyone and always asked where everyone was from when they came in the room. It was loads of fun and I met a couple who were from the south shore of the province and we had a great time singing along. Okay there were some beverages consumed too! The nights here end early with Fran finishing up around 10:30 pm! I guess they know that most folks are up and running around early in the morning.

With the fog this morning I figured I would stick to the plan I had regardless.
There is freshwater lake that's been created by millions and millions of cobblestones that the waves and tides have deposited closing off what was once a bay. It is fascinating!  The piles of stones are 12 feet high in places and this has taken 100's of years to complete by just the sea action.

 

The weather didn't improve after an hour's walk in the beach then I walked on the top of the natural levee just checking things out and marvelling at the incredible number of rocks. Each one so smooth, from the marble sized to the melon sized ones. So neat. The sound of the waves hitting the shore made such an amazing sound too.

Pretty soaked or at least my legs were from walking in the heavy drizzle I headed back to the car and decided to head north up the coast to Neil's Harbour.

As I drove, in typical seaside fashion, the weather changed about 3 times in the 20 minute drive. The temperature guage on the dashboard said it was 14 degrees out! Holy cow that's certainly a switch from what we've had! The drizzle mostly gone but the fog was around here and there so I took a side route up to a spit of land to check it out. Again, really lovely scenery and so ocean side. Rock, trees and the pounding waves. Very neat.

Neil's Harbour is known for it's Chowder House (as well as a working harbour for crab and lobster fishing) so it was time to check that out.
I have to wonder sometimes what folks do in this area when there aren't tourists or it's snowing. Again, other than the Chowder House there wasn't a soul to be seen. Weird.

Anyway, I wandered around the restaurant property in the drizzle (again) and took a picture of the shore that this little restaurant is perched. Literally. If the erosion continues to move in the direction it is there won't be a restaurant in a few years. When there's a big storm I betcha it's exciting in the place. Oh yeah, temperature outside 13!

What I noticed more of here was the stripes of granite through the rock. It looks like someone has taken a huge piece of chalk and drawn big straight lines on it. Neat!

I was not disappointed with my seafood chowder and my lobster wrap (natch!) and the restaurant is a quirky combo of take out and "find your own seat" type of place. You place your order and take a number on a stand to take to your table. The wait staff (all 50 something women) will bring you your courses. I was sitting out on the enclosed sunroom. Wish there was some sun but it was comfortable enough but I was bundled up pretty well.

The chowder was simply awesome! Every suggestion I had been given was right. Sweet and yummy, this was living. I enjoyed listening to a couple of other tables of people, one of obviously locals talking about boats and the work that has to be done and another table of visitors from the States. They were talking about how Canadians put vinegar on their fries. They seemed so convinced that this is the way that we eat our french fries. Interesting! I'm sure there are all sorts of things that they think Canadians do but I didn't want to intrude!

On the way home I stopped at a pull off for Black Creek. There are many pull offs at picturesque vistas but with the fog and drizzle there wasn't so much to see but this creek was neat. I did get a close up of the neat shores along the Atlantic coast.

Okay, I'm weird but I think that looks neat! Kind of surreal actually.

Arriving back at the Keltic lodge I found out that my room was not changed and I was in the same one I have had all along. No matter I happily took a few things in and flopped on the bed and cozied in for a nap. Nothing beats a nice fluffy duvet on a dark, rainy day, especially when I was feeling bone tired and a little chilled from my travels and walks on a damp Atlantic coastline.

Tomorrow I leave this little haven and head north to complete the loop of the Cabot Trail and the Cape Breton Highlands. I don't know what the weather will be but I will drive it regardless. Hopefully there will be some clear weather at some neat parts of the drive.
I don't have a place booked as yet but there are a number of possibilities especially in Baddeck which will leave a short drive to Halifax on Friday.
I have certainly enjoyed my respite here at the Keltic Lodge.

Time to hit the road again!

Day 12-Keltic Lodge

We'll see if this blog will actually post in the time that I'm writing it.
The wireless internet seems to come and go around here. I am sitting in the lounge area listening to Nova Scotia music (I think it's the Rankin family right now) and enjoying an Alexander Keith's red.

Oh, there was a break in the action while I Skyped John. He came on line and we chatted for a while. It's something to have all this technology while travelling. We can share stuff like we usually do each evening and this way I can carry my computer around and show him where I am at the time of him calling.

Today was my Zodiac tour day. I had seen a flyer for this in the Atlantic room and thought it would be a cool thing to do. Now this tour place does not guarantee a whale sighting but it does offer a fun ride and some things to see that a regular boat wouldn't show you because it's smaller and can get closer to the cliffs and landscape.
Suited up in my bright orange survival suit I, along with a family from Manitoba and Sydney ventured out. The pilot, McKinnon, was a hoot telling us what we might see and just a hoot in general. 
They had seen dolphins and a whale earlier in the morning. Maybe we would too!
The waves were small but still fun to play in and McKinnon took us really close to the shore of the Middle Head land that I had been hiking on the day before. This was AWESOME.

We saw Lion's Mane Jelly fish the size of garbage can lids and with tentacles that were 20 feet long. This was the weird part. Jelly fish look very alien! I found out that leather back turtles eat jelly fish. We didn't see any turtles but lots of food for them. The cove where this picture was taken had hundreds of them floating around. They are safe to touch on the top but not to go near the tentacles.  They give you a sting much like a mosquito but lasts longer. You have to rub the sting with sand to get the little barbed thingy out of your skin. EWWW. The more I learn about these things the more I am fascinated by them. They are so relaxing to watch. Big burgandy blobs of jelly moving soundlessly through the sea. Very neat.

The Zodiac was 18 feet long and had two 100 horsepower motors on the back. McKinnon didn't open it up as there were some pre-teens on the boad and he didn't want to fly them over the side. Their parents didn't seem to mind! But he was cautious! We made good time going about 5 miles out into the see to find the whales and dolphins that had been seen earlier. After searching for a while McKinnon decided that we shouldn't be disappointed and see something so we went closer to the shoreline, or should I say cliffline, and see some seals. There we weren't disappointed. I couldn't get my camera out fast enough  to grab a picture of the seals but their heads were bobbing along in the sea and we got within 6 feet of one who found us most curious before disappearing below the surface. SOOO cute!

The coast line is really cliff into the sea. That's it. No beach no nothing. Just rock then water.
I can only imagine what it would be like to see this land for the first time. Wow!

After 3 hours on the water, covered in a salty spray and my hair looking like it had been spiked on it's end, we headed in to shore. Along the way we went around Ingonish Island and there saw at least a dozen bald eagles. The birds are HUGE! So easy to pick out with their very white heads and tails. I can see how majestic they are in the trees. No wonder they are used as a national symbol to the States.

The local gentlemen (brothers and brothers in law of the owner of the Zodiac tours) gave me the local gossip on what to see and where to eat. One old timer did have to repeat himself for me as I had NO idea what he was saying with his thick Nova Scotia accent. I LOVED listening to them.
So, I needed to go to the Chowder House in Port Nelson up the road and I needed to go to the Seagull for their seafood lingune. When they found out I'm here for another day they said I could do both with no problem.
I also got directions to go to the complete northern tip of Cape Breton. Not to be missed.

"Have to drive it. Must do. Don't not now because I'll know," my new friend Mason said, "I'll know your truck and I have friends that will keep and eye for ya". Oh what a hoot. I better go.
"Sit for a while", I'm told, "there will be whales and all ya get to see is the blow. The what? I asked. "The blow. The spout of water they blow up when they come to grab more air before going down again. If I'm lucky I'll see a tail go up in the air. Gotta make a wish then."
Right, I now have my marching orders.  

Oh I was having fun by this point.
These two guys have grown up in this area and wouldn't live anywhere else in the world.
So, heeding their advice I went to the Seagull for lunch.

8 Mussels, 4 scallops, 6 shrimp and 2 lobster claws on the most perfect bed of linguine in a cream sauce. Oh YUM!!! Forget dinner....

It's lunches like these that I'll remember while I'm chomping on my egg salad sandwich from the St. Mike's cafeteria.
Seafood, Soooo awesome. And so fresh.

I decided to stay another night at the Keltic lodge. What the hell. I'm only going around once.
I was supposed to check out tomorrow but I still have things to investigate! There is the beach shore, the freshwater lake (created by years of stones being organized by the tides to cut off a bay and it became desalinated, the other short hiking trail and the "beanery" down the road that roasts it's own special coffee beans.

I'm not ready to go. I could get so used to this lifestyle here and really I seem so at home here and everyone is so nice. This is what it's all about. Hmmm it's nearly 5:30 pm here and it might be time to spend on a nice chair overlooking the ocean for a while. Or I might just stay in this lovely lounge, with the local music playing and have another Alexander Keith's.

This is the life. So great!

Day 11-Keltic Lodge, Ingonish Nova Scotia

Today's post is actually being written tomorrow!
Huh??
I lost internet connection last night when I was just about done the post so ho, hum. I have to start again.

No matter!
I started my day (this is a Monday I think. It's so hard to keep track!) after an amazing hot breakfast with a hike on the Middle Head trail.
This trail follows a path to the end of a piece of land that separates Old Smokey Bay with Igonish Bay. It really is an amazing piece of 950 million year old rock.
The literature says it will take about 1 and 1/2 hours. So, packed with a jacket, sunscreen and water, my hiking boots on I headed out.

I'm certainly glad for the hiking boots because of all the roots and things sticking out on the trail. It was a walk that required focus because the one side was sheer rock wall and the other was a sheer cliff to the water about 100 feet below. Yikes. One miss step and it would be messy.

At the bottom of the picture you can see a bench, the legs indicate the elevation at this part of the trail.

The sun was shining and the air warm and it was quite a work out to get to the end but man was it worth it. Along the way there was the typical vegetation one would find in a  forest except for this one little toadstool. It was so perfect and cute I had to take a picture.

It was a walk that children shouldn't be on because the cliffs didn't have any barriers on them. At the end. Where I sat there was nothing stopping you from dropping down the great cliffs into the sea.

If I could only add in the sound of the waves, wind and seabirds it would make this all so perfect. I had to sit for a while and take it all in.



All I could say is "Wow" every time I looked around. The scenery was something I'll never forget. I'm glad I have pictures but really they will help my memory of the moment. It was great.

The return part of the trip took a loop back to the lodge that went on the other side of the peninsula and a different side of the rocks was seen. Again, all on fairly challenging trails. So glad I took the time to do that.

Really needing a jump in the pool I headed there after I got back. I include a picture because it's built into the side of the cliff and you can get a great view of the Bay as you float around in the water.

A few hours later, my tan worked on sufficiently I headed back to my room to catch some Z's. I was really tired and the very comfy bed was calling my name. Isn't that what vacations are all about? You need a nap so you have one. Oh it's soooo great!

Day 10-Summerside PEI to Keltic Lodge, Ingonish Nova Scotia

I can honestly say, right now (it's 9:30 pm), I'm pooped.
Warn out.
Spent.
Done....

For the moment.

I can't believe 13 hours ago I drove out of the parking lot of the hotel in Summerside and now am sitting in a lovely suite in Keltic Lodge overlooking "Old Smokey" and the Atlantic ocean on the Cabot Trail.

What a journey!
Oh yeah, and I forgot to look at the milage when I finally stopped the trusty Equinox today. I'll give a summary when I remember to get that info!

The ferry from Wood Islands to Caribou, Nova Scotia was uneventful and I was certainly wind burnt from the trip. The clouds and rain had lifted at one point and it was just lovely on the top deck watching the Northumberland Strait go by. It didn't appear wavy but the ferry was definatly rocking from side to side. I think ferries are a neat way to travel and it certainly cut a significant amount of time off of my journey.

 

Bye Bye PEI, from the NFL Ferry Confederation on the way from Wood Island PEI to Caribou NS.

So, onto a new province! I've never been to Nova Scotia and so many people have told me how awesome it is and what a beautiful place it is. I thought PEI was pretty special but I'm going to be awed by this place I'm sure.

The transCanada highway is well planned out through this mid part of the province with many passing lanes up hills created so it doesn't create a back log of traffic. There is work on a divided highway too but it will be many years before it is completed all the way to Antigonish.
After a short lunch break in Antigonish (home of St. F-X university!) I continued on my way.
The sun out now and it was becoming a beautiful drive.
I began to see the twisting turning roads of the Cape Breton and the lovely green hills to remind me of Vermont. Traffic was steady and behaving itself.
Once on the Cabot Trail itself the roads are narrow and require a lot of attention to navigate them. I did see one car off the road in the ditch going the other way and that just solidified to me that 100% focus is needed to drive this. There is no need for maps though because there is only one way to go and no side roads to worry about.
I can only imagine what this road would be like with some snow on it! Yikes!! I'm glad it was dry and sunny. Every turn was a truly amazing picture!

I have 3 nights booked at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish Nova Scotia. It is within the confines of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. I was told I had to pay the park fee, which I did but I'm wondering if others did. Hmmm. I'm helping the whole national park thing anyway. It's their 100th anniversary so I figure it's a birthday present.

The Keltic Lodge is a site of a golf course, cottages, Inn, main lodge and spa. There are hiking trails and nice chairs set up all over the grounds. It's spectacular! My room has a WALK IN CLOSET! How cool is that! I've never had one of those ever!
There are 3 restaurants on site (one of more formal dining for dinner) and a lounge that has live entertainment each night.
Many of the staff wear kilts (this is lovely I might add! ;-)

I unpacked my things and decided a swim was in need. The pool is set a little down the hill from the Lodge and a lovely place to lounge around and enjoy the view of the ocean below it. Really something.

After a nice dinner with a spectacular view (really that's why you're here, the view) I ventured back to the Lodge and took pictures as I went.

Tired and needing to unwind I returned to my room to review my information pamphlets and think about how awesome the drive was today. I'm glad I'm taking a couple of days to regroup!

Some photos for you all. Though you don't get the full effect without the crying of the sea gulls and the wind and waves crashing on the cliffs. That you have to BE here for.

Keltic Lodge; Ingonish, Nova Scotia. Entrance in on the right an my two windows are on the second level, fourth and fifth from the right.

Old Smokey from Keltic Lodge. Yes, I drove to the top of that and back down. Quite a drive! The water is the Atlantic!

 

Me and the cliffs of Cape Breton Island at Keltic Lodge (yup, the wind is blowing quite hard!)

So another successful and safe arrival at my spot for the next few days.

I can't wait to explore the next part!

Day 9-The Eastern section of PEI

This morning I awoke to the world shrouded in fog. The good old Southampton type fog. The kind you want to cut with a knife just to see what's on the other side. Hmmm what to do today?

Islanders have been complaining of the humidity. The what? Here? Naw, not like what I've been used to. Guess it must be REALLY bad in other places when the locals are complaining. The fog this morning certainly didn't help.

So, sight seeing out (for the moment) it was off to Charlottetown (or Ch'town as it's abbreviated here) to see what's up there. As I was heading there the fog lifted. Just kind of floated up into the sky and disappeared. The weather is so weird here and I think it's because it's an island and things can change quickly because there's no land for any weather pattern to get established.

Road trip change! Off to East Point.....

I have been to one end of the island and East Point is the other end. I have to get there. A goal. I love goals.

Driving along the Atlantic coast was quite dramatic compared to the other side and I happened upon a lovely harbour.

Naufrage Harbour isn't listed on any "look out" point on any map but there is a lighthouse! This picture is PEI to me. Maybe it's because I've seen too many jigsaw puzzles The Mother has done over the years but this is so picturesque. I loved it. After a few pictures and a little walk on the shore I continued on my journey.

East Point is the part of the world where two converging waters meet. It's really quite something to see. The warm waters of the Northumberland Strait meeting the cold waters of the Atlantic. The warmer water creating the weirdest looking waves when it meets the cold water. It's no wonder the marine life likes it there. In fact I saw a SEAL! Just one. All by itself playing in the colder side of the point. It was a grey seal I was told (I had to ask in the Lighthouse) and they are seen periodically but more in the cooler weather. If the fish are plentiful so will the seals be. Very, very cool.

East Point Lighthouse with Fog Horn Building to the right

The fog started to roll in again and it made it rather damp so I toured on the "other side" of the point down the Strait side to Charlottetown. There were many pull offs to take pictures but with the fog moving in and out and the sun being in the wrong spot they didn't turn out so well. Without the fog it was downright steamy so it was off to my PEI favourite ice cream place. COWS.

If you've never been to COWS it's the island's version of Ben and Jerry's or Hagen Das. There are also whimsical things to buy. I love COWS. It's cute and fun and the ice cream is awesome. I had cowberry. This is blueberry really but soooo good.  Ice cream and purchases in hand (yup, I got a t-shirt and towel) I played tourist and sat on the main street of Charlottetown and watched the world go by. I went over my mental check list of things still to do in PEI before I head out tomorrow. Better get going!

Back to Summerside to ride my little folding bike along the new 6.5 km boardwalk along the shore. Sun shining, breeze blowing on shore and waves crashing it was a fantastic ride on a very nice paved bike path beside the wooden boardwalk. My little Dahone carried me along quite nicely. With the wind (the first I've experienced on a salty shoreline) giving me a briney scent to pedal along to I thoroughly enjoyed my tour. Check that off the list.

Off to the pool at the hotel! oh yeah, another thing off the list.

A rest then off to the laundromat to get some clean clothes for the next part of the journey. I have a feeling that the super hot weather will be gone on the Cabot Trail and I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity to do this  chore until maybe Halifax. Check that off the list too.

Subway, the sub sandwich place have an Atlantic Lobster sub. Well now, I guess I might as well complete my list of things to do by having one of those. Dinner!
Check!
By the way it was YUMMY! I wish we had them in Ontario....

As I finished off my check list there was a storm gathering. Again, not understanding how the weather works in this province I watched it with some interest. No, they've never had a tornado here, hurricanes yes, but no tornados. hmmmm don't want it to be a first time. I was safely back at the hotel when it all came in. Just a dramatic cloud and a complete change of wind direction and cooler air but the rest of the guests (many from Nova Scotia) were in awe of the whole thing.
I took pictures of course. I love my clouds.

Trivia time! Did you know there is a Southampton, PEI? yup but there's not a whole lot going on. The sign was the most remarkable part of the tour there.

One final picture.
I haven't had any problem with traffic in this province, I think everyone drives very responsibly and the locals are tolerant of us rubber necking tourists.
When there is some construction it appears out of no where with little warning. The road we were directed on to today (Saturday I remind you all) was quite a challenge with the recent rains and dampness making it very slick and made me glad I have all wheel drive.
I add, also, that TRANSPORT trucks were also on this road. Thankfully I was not behind one.

So it's good bye to PEI tomorrow as I take the ferry across to Nova Scotia and up to the Cabot Trail. It's been fun!

Day 8-Prince Edward Island-375 km

This province has lots of nick names and one of them is the green isle. I understand why. With the rain that this place gets it's no wonder. The weather changes here with each tick of the clock and you have to be prepared for everything. Today I was initially wearing a jacket then the sun came out and it became a sauna outside.

The wind is always blowing here and it's a challenge to figure out what window to keep open at any one moment. Oh yeah and it's just plain damp here too. I don't know how many people would do with arthritis living here.

My initial destination today was North Cape.  I've never been there before and I thought it was a good place to head. It's where the Gulf of St. Lawrence meets the Atlantic ocean. After a great scenic drive along the St. Lawrence coast line I arrive at the north tip of the island. There were the wind turbines that I had seen from the beach in New Brunswick. This is an experimental area where several types of wind turbines are being tested. The University of New Brunswick is also experimenting with the creation of Hydrogen using wind power to split the molecule from regular water. Way too educational for me. I just walked all around the tip of the point and took pictures. With the low tide it was interesting stuff.

The most northern part of Prince Edward Island.

I'm fascinated by seaweed, naturally we don't have this type of stuff in Ontario so I love all the different kinds.

PEI is a unique place for so many reasons. The north area is very flat, where the centre part is very hilly and some of the roads take dangerous drop offs (kind of fun actually!).
From North Cape I took a tour by another lighthouse at Northport and checked out more scenery and the omnipresent typical maritime fishing boats. Many are up on dry dock as the true lobster season is not until 3 weeks from now and many repairs and repaintings are happening.

With no direction after my picnic lunch I found myself in North Rustico. I realized I was following 2 tour buses. Uh oh! I guess this would make a busy visit. Oh well I'd find my own things to see. Really though there isn't much to see other than the seashore and that is more than enough.
I spoke with a gentleman (who didn't want his picture taken!) who was restringing lobster pots. This is a very intricate and time consuming job. Kind of like macrame but there are secrets to how to tie the knots so they don't come untied underwater. Good tiers have their way and don't want to share. Interesting. I took a picture of the finished product and the specific floats that the fisherman uses.

Throughout my drive around North Rustico and Cavendish I saw a lot of Vacancy signs infront of cottages and motels. I guess this is a sign of the times here too. Though Cavendish with it's Anne of Green Gables tourist grab it was busy at the usual touristy areas but the roads were flowing nicely.

Though one of the things I wanted to do was sit on Cavendish beach, today wasn't it. It was raining and the forecast is for thunderstorms. It was after 3 pm anyway and time to head back to the motel. I'd been on the road since before 9 am.

Things I've noticed:

• Humpty Dumpty, McCain, Frito Lay, Cavendish Farms and O'Leary's all have processing plants on the Island, can you blame them?
• When you drive past the huge Cavendish Farms plant the air is filled with the odour of hash browns....don't go by hungry!
• Potato blossoms smell really pretty when there are millions of them in bloom. Which is kind of everywhere.
• O'Leary (the town) has not only a potato blossom festival they have a potato harvest festival as well. Just one party after another with the mighty spud.
• The laundromat at the far end of town is also a tanning salon and is open until 8 pm. Oh yeah and they sell soap by the scoop. (59 cents) I love multitasking establishments.
• Gas is cheaper on the island ($1.22/litre)
• You can drive onto the island for free but they getcha leaving ($63.00 by ferry, $49.50 by the bridge).
• 102.1 SPUD fm in Summerside sounds like 98 the Beach in Saugeen Shores, even the morning guy sounds like Joe Carter. Weird.... made me think of home...
• PEI red dirt does not look pretty on a white truck....but at least I look like I belong!

I leave you with one last picture of the Church of Notre Dame in Mont Carmel. The church is right near the shore and the cemetary over looks the Northumberland Strait. Really a nice final spot I think. It's also the largest building in this end of the island by far.

Day 7-Shediac NB to Summerside PEI-260 km

On to the next province! Today I leave New Brunswick behind and head on to the next Maritime province. I can't belive a week ago I was cleaning up the cottage and packing the Equinox for the beginning of this tour. Wow!

Seely's motel in Shediac is really a stopping place for travellers, business people and long haul drivers. The accommodations were fine and everyone seemed to be scrambling to get going in the morning. I have found the maritime pace now, it's only taken a few days, and I took my time packing the car and getting things organized for the next stop.

One last stop in Shediac was to take pictures of the worlds largest lobster. Just a sculpture but supposedly the best rendition. He really is quite large and of course a touristy thing to do. One of the few things touristy that I've seen in New Brunswick.

Can you see the small child in the bottom right of the photo? That'll give some perspective.

In New Brunswick there is one neat place to go in the area that I'm in and that's Magnetic Hill. Yeah, it's the place where you put your car in neutral and the vehicle goes BACKWARDS up a hill. Yes, UP a hill.

Right, I had to do this.

So, off I go. It's well marked on the locator signs on the highway. Can't miss it. Of course there's an amusement park there too.

For $5 you drive to a spot marked by a white pole on a seemingly boring little dirt road on the side of a hill, then you put your car in neutral and take your foot off the brake.

What the????

The Equinox simply sailed UP the hill. I had to steer of course (no, the rear view camera was not working in neutral despite the fact that I was going up hill.)

How Cool Was That????

True to form I was there early and there was no one else in line so I begged the nice young lady at the top of the hill to let me do it again. She hesitated but then let me!!!!! Wheeee!!!

I have no idea how it works but even on the second time it was just as weird and it's not a slow ride, you MOVE up the hill backwards with no engine assistance what so ever. I'm glad I was a tourist today.

In many maritime provinces there is not much originality in place names. Yes, there is a Toronto, Southampton and Cornwall, PEI I have discovered but there is also a Port Elgin New Brunswick and since it was on my way I headed there for some pictures. The town is really a hamlet and not much goes on but it was still neat to go.

Okay, so the picture isn't great because I had to set it up on the hood of the truck then run to the spot to point at the sign. Hey, I'm trying....Yes I'm wearing a Toronto Argo shirt.

Taking back roads to the base of the Centennial Bridge to PEI I saw some beautiful country side and the long salt flats of dune grass that grows on the calm side of the Northumberland strait. The perfume coming off of the weed flowers (kind of like a baby's breath flower and a queen Anne's Lace) the drive was lovely but the road quite uneven and the Equinox was bucking like a bronco! It was a fun ride.

There used to be a ferry that ran from Cape Tormentine to PEI. That is the last way I got across. The bridge was being built at that time. Now the ferry docks are left to ruin and the little town is all but closed up. Sad really. Even the light house, which looks identical to the range lights in Southampton ON, was faded and broken. That was very sad to see.

The bridge is 12 km of 2 way traffic that can only be called exciting in inclement weather. It was neat to drive it and the temperature dropped about 5 degrees as I continued along the bridge. It was overcast and the visibility was hazy but you get the idea.

A change of maps before I headed over the bridge at my picnic lunch and I was ready to tackle PEI.

First impression.

Potato fields.

Miles and miles of potato fields.

It is understandable given it is the major import from this province.

I checked in at the Inn outside of Summerside and rested a bit.

Then off to be a tourist again.

I had done a drive through of the town and had an idea of where to go so I headed back to the harbour. I bought myself a "PEI dirt hat". It's a thing here to have clothing or something dyed using the red PEI dirt. The Man has a shirt and I think it's a cool idea to have something like that as a keep sake. So. I got a hat. Need one with the sun roof open in the truck. Goofy but fun.

The rain was coming down in buckets and the wind starting to pick up so for the first time a jacket was needed. I wandered down to a seafood restaurant on the wharf and found the friendliest people and the most amazing scallop dinner. (I'm taking a break from lobster for just one day.) The rain was getting worse and I figured it was a good time to head back to the Inn and beat the humidity for the evening.

The weather report for here was for increasing rain and some fog. The radio stations in PEI are SPUD fm and The Ocean 100 and CBC of course, personally SPUD fm makes me laugh so I'm going to listen to it.

Again another fun day with lots of different things to do and see. Tomorrow I plan to go to the North Cape which I saw in the distance when I was at the beach in New Brunswick a few days ago, I could see the wind turbines in the distance. This will be a nice tour on the North Cape Coastal Drive.

Isn't there a song about being "a spud in the red, red mud" ? Hmmm I'll have to check on that.