XCAN Day 91 Nimrod Park to Hyclass Campground Monastery NS

Distance:        84.85
Time:              3:35
Elevation:       617 m
Bathrooms:    7
Flats:              0

Day started of  a bit overcast but warm.   We started this morning with the arrival of the second tow truck to jump start the truck that Greg had left the key on the day before. He had called for a tow truck and it arrived at 9 the night before.  They hooked up the charger and it didn’t work. So of course Greg didn’t sleep much wondering the logistics of how to get things done and get to our next stop. Anyway the fellow who arrived this morning had the same charger.  Seems the guys last night had hooked the charger up to the auxiliary battery and not the starter battery. Truck started the fellow left and we packed to get on our way.

I started to leave and realized there was something wrong with my derailleur.

Seems the hanger got bent.  Maybe from the bike falling over. Anyway I couldn’t ride it and didn’t want to spend time trying to fix it so we dragged the Cervelo out of the back of the truck and set it up to ride.  We all brought our second bikes for this exact reason and I am the first to have to use it.  With only 4 days left of riding.   Not bad actually for all of us.

Nancy and Dave left camp before me but I caught up with them about 20 k in.  Seems they turned left out of the campsite and realized 3 km in that they were heading to Sherbrooke before they realized it. So they added on an extra 6 km just for fun!

There was only one hill today at 4% grade so it was fairly easy just a bit longer than we have had for a while.  But the down on the other side was nice!

According to Mr Google Maps At 38 km we had a right turn.  Onto 14 km of a dirt road.  It wasn’t great and even bumpier on my Cervelo without the suspension of my sworks bike.  But right got after the dirt road there was nice smooth pavement through a little town called Saint Andrews.  Nancy and Dave stopped for a snack.  Then a nice paved quiet road down to the highway which we were on for 15 km.  When we reached  the highway you could see the north coast of Nova Scotia. So we have traversed the mainland of Nova Scotia again.

Pink Roads

Looking at the map afterwards if that darn Mr Google has led us 400 m a little further along after 5 km on the dirt road we would have been on a nice paved road for the last 9 km.

Another 7 Km on quiet back road and we were at the Hyclass campground on the waterfront.

About an hour after we arrived it started to rain so we had great timing for our ride!   The rain didn’t last long but was off and on drizzle throughout the late afternoon.   Showers, a load of laundry and dinner by Heidi and Greg. Dave and Nancy watched a movie during the afternoon and we watched the same movie, a Hologram for a King after dinner. Then a bit of reading and lights out. Greg slept tonight!!

XCan Day 92 - Monanstery to Saint Peters NS

Distance: 71.4 km
Time: 3 hours
Speed: 23.76 km/hr
Ascent: 623 m
Weather: perfect for riding. Sunny but not too hot or humid
Bathroom Rating: 10. A provincial park.  Only downside is no laundry facilities.

We are on Cape Breton Island!  A bit of a shorter day but what it lacked in distance was made up for with elevation and headwinds.  So even though it was a bit cooler and not as humid, it was a tough day.  For the first 10 kms we were climbing - not steep but a constant uphill slog.  It was  pretty ride.  With the elevation gain we got some good views of lakes and river ways along with the ocean in spots.  We descended to sea level and crossed the causeway into Cape Breton where, all of a sudden the accents changed!  We have been told that Cape Bretoners consider themselves as Newfoundlanders who got lost on their way to Toronto.  Super friendly people!  Unfortunately, once we got in Cape Breton, we had to take the Trans Canada Highway which was busy but the shoulders were wide, the pavement was smooth and the hills were manageable.  Dave and I stopped for a late breakfast in Port Hawksbury while Heidi took her bike into town to get the rear derailer hanger straightened.  We then met Heidi and Greg, they were going out as we were going in to a bakery in Saint Peters. Then a final up hill climb to our campground and a great view of the ocean.  A good day! One more day in Nova Scotia before catching the ferry to Newfoundland!
Cheers,
Nancy and Dave

XCan Day 90 - Sheet Harbour to just north of Sherbrooke NS

Distance: 87 km
Speed: 25 km/hr
Ascent: 782 m
Weather: stinking HOT!  A bit overcast later in the ride was nice
Flats: 1 (Dave front) which took 1/2 hr to get the little wires out
Bathroom Rating: 8

Today started off hot and sunny and got hotter but a bit overcast.  I have to say, the heat is making this more difficult.  We started off in Sheet Harbour and worked our way along the south coast of Nova Scotia. The route took us through quite a few little villages but none that offered coffee or food until we hit Sherbrooke at the 80 k mark.  It was beautiful riding along the coast with lots of views to the water.  At one point we were taking a break on the side of the road and I looked up to see an osprey nest with some babies calling for food.  Before long both the mom and dad arrived to keep them happy but as I rode closer to get a picture the adults left.  So no picture opportunity.  After we had ridden approximately 60-65 km Dave noticed he had a flat on his front tire.  It took us awhile to find the culprit and even longer to extract it as the length of the wires were about the thickness of the tire.  We then rode on to Sherbrooke without incident.  Dave and I stopped at the liquor store to get our final wine provisions and then Beanies Bistro for lunch.  I wish I could show you the lobster sandwich I had for lunch but, trust me, it was delicious!  As was Dave's club sandwich.  The owners of the restaurant were pretty impressed when they found out we had biked from BC and even gave Dave his Latte free!  If you are ever in Sherbrooke Nova Scotia it is a great place to stop.
Pretty exhausting day for everyone.  I'm blaming it on the heat, Heidi's blaming it on the gusting wind that started out in our favour and quickly turned nasty.  We are hoping for a better ride tomorrow.
Cheers,
Nancy and Dave

XCAN Day 89 Dartmouth to Sheet Harbour NS

Distance:          117.37
Time:                4:39
Elevation:         1096 m
Weather:            16-30 c.  Perfect
Bathrooms:       6
Flats:                0.  Loving the new gatorskins!!

Woke up to a beautiful day after yesterday’s day “off” and was raring to get on the road.  It was a fantastic day yesterday touring around Halifax with Dustin before we had to take him to the airport.

Anyway. Today. Started off a few road winding out a bit to get on Highway 7/107 and then when Hwy 7 separated off I went on that. It was great to be on a quieter highway even though it did not have a shoulder.  Nova Scotia brought in the 1 meter rule a year ago, where cars/trucks have to be 1 meter away when they pass a cyclist.  To me it seems that 99 % of the people follow that rule so not having a shoulder is not to bad.    I find when the road is busy and if you move over as far as you can the drivers appreciate it.  I always wave at cars on merging roads who stop for me as well as those who sit behind me going slow until they can pass.

The road was twisty but around almost every corner there was another beautiful sight to see.

Lake Echo...Not sure it if echoed but the reflection was perfect!

 For most of today we followed the coastline and through so many little towns and harbours.

  A bit of the route was away from the ocean but was a lot of ups and downs to keep it interesting.

Again today I had to turn off Mr Google Maps as it lead me down to Blueberry trail which wasn’t a trail for my bike.  I was actually quite pleased how she handled on the very dirt bikey trail.  About 1.5 km along the “trail” I came to a big ditch washout and had to hit the trees and walk around.  I have a video and once I download it I will post the url here.  At that point I got smart and took the next road out that I could to the paved road and turned off Google.   The Patterson’s were lead to the same spot but turned around when they saw the trail.

A bit after that on my water break I got a text from Greg who was 7 Km down the road so I met him for coffee.

A great photo op spot as you can see.

Greg met a "maid".

A quick break and then back on the road for the last 46 km to camp.

Cormorant Rock!

The Patterson’s had stopped in the shade at one point for a rest and a woman who lived nearby brought some ice out for them.  That was nice!

Folk Art!  You Think?

But is there going to be a moose there?

River just outside of Sheet Harbour.

I arrived at the campsite and Greg had just gotten back from a run to the store for a few items and water refills.  So we sat down and had a drink together as he was hot from trailer setup and everything.   Poor guy.  We get all the fun and he gets all the work, but I make sure I tell him every day how much I appreciate every thing he does for all of us.

Bromley’s were on dinner duty and then cleanup.  Greg and I headed out for a walk down to the bridge on the highway.  Nice new bridge with some nice memorial banners on it!  We were able to look across the bay to a loading dock at the port.  Also the RV park we are in was the site of the first sulphite pulp Mill in Canada 1885.  Interesting!

I think some reading and bed is in my near future. We are down to our last 7 days!  6 riding days and 1 ferry to Newfoundland day!  All I can say is WOW!

Mike update:  We talk to him at least once a week and Yes he is back on his bike 🚲!!  Go Mike!

Cheers!  (That is for Mike).   Heidi

XCan Day 88 - Rest Day in Halifax

Today was an opportunity to play tourist in Halifax, however before any sights were seen Dave and I took our bikes into a bike shop in Halifax for some TLC.  Finding our way either to the campsite from the bikeshop or the other way around proved to be quite difficult for us technically-challenged old people.  We did find it eventually and left them there for the day.  After lunch D&N did a quick tour of the maritime museum where we thoroughly enjoyed the 35 minute lesson on crime and punishment on the waters of Halifax.  The guide was very entertaining!  We then climbed the hill for a guided "free" tour of Halifax.  We started doing these free tours when we were in Europe a number of years ago and found them to be excellent with a few exceptions.  The way they work, for the uninformed, is the tour guide relies entirely on tips.  If you think they did a good job you tip them accordingly; if not you leave without tipping.  Our guide of Halifax certainly knew his stuff.  The only down-side was starting at the citadel and walking DOWN to the water for the finish.  We then had to walk back up the hill to get back the the bike shop.  After picking up our bikes we went to arguably the best restaurant of the trip, so far.  We both opted for the fixed-price dinner where we had different starters, entres, sides, but the same desserts.  Half way through the meal we decided to go for a second glass of wine and take a taxi back to camp.  Wise choice.

This was Dustin's last day on the tour and the Bromleys spent the day together. They took in a tour of the citadel, Peir 21 (where all immigrants were processed including Heidi's father-in-law), and walked around the waterfront before heading to the airport. 

It was a busy day, certainly not what would be called a regular "rest" day but very enjoyable.

Tomorrow is a longer ride to Sheet Harbour on our final leg of Nova Scotia.

Cheers,

Nancy and Dave

XCan Day 86 - Rest Day in Lunenburg Area

Busy day of sightseeing.  We left early in the morning to drive out to Peggy's Cove for a coffee, some pictures and a visit to the memorial for a Swiss Air flight that crashed off Peggy's Cove in 2001. We had heard good things about BlueRocks so we also paid a visit there thinking we could get lunch at one of the quaint restaurants the guide book talked about. Not to be!  There was an ice cream truck and that was about it.  It was pretty though.  Next stop - Lunenburg!  We opted for a walking tour of the town which was lead by a tenth generation Lunenburger.  Very interesting and informative!  At the end of the tour our guide recommended a book that covered the fishing industry challenges in the area from 1926 and 1927 where many fishing boats and sailors were lost at sea.  Once I work my way through the book, I can fill you in on the exact numbers!  At this time, one fishing boat could hold a number of men from the same family but after 1927, they changed to rules so that only one man/person per family could work a boat because whole families could be devastated.  In fact, in 1926 or 1927, the entire adult male population of BlueRocks was lost on the fishing boats.  Afterwards, we walked around the town and checked out the shops, visiting the Cranston art shop where various works by Toller Cranston, his brother and sister in law were displayed.  We had an interesting chat with Toller Cranston's sister in law while admiring the pieces. Finally we met Heidi, Greg, and Dustin for dinner at Dustin's choice which served delicious seafood while overlooking the Bluenose.  For dessert we took a stroll on the upper deck of the Bluenose.  Can you walk on a dime?  You betcha!
While we were taking out tour of Lunenburg, the Bromleys were checking out the maritime museum and the hill opposite the downtown of Lunenburg where the early settlers dried their cod. It was a really interesting and busy "rest" day.  I only wish I had the ability to post my pictures to better show what I've tried to explain.  Good day. Tomorrow- Dustin's last ride.
Cheers,
Nancy and Dave

XCAN Day 85 - South Mountain to Martins River, NS

Distance: 71.8 km
Time: 2:53
Elevation: 666 (OMG!)
Weather: Sunny with a bit of overcast later on
Bathroom: 7
Flats: 0

What goes up, must come down! Of course I'm referring to us.
After scaling the North side of Blue Mountain yesterday, we were able to cruise down the other side toward Nova Scotia's South Coast.
We still worked up a sweat with some climbing here and there, and were rewarded each time with casual coasting.

Dustin, being a coffee addict, made Heidi stop at the first decent looking cafe (called Vittles) about 30km in for a fresh mug. Dave and Nancy rolled up and inspected the joint, but opted for C Squared bakery down the road where Dave worked his way through a piece of carrot cake roughly the size of his head.

The top of Blue Mountain was covered in various Christmas tree farms, and (maybe not so) coincidentally, the town of New Ross holds a Christmas Festival each year, and has a rather large store dedicated specifically to "tree farming supplies". Seems they've found their niche.

Once at the bottom of the hill,  around the Chester area, there were a few possible routes to take. Nancy & Dave opted for the Chester Connection Trail which made for a good ride, with only a couple sketchy spots and mud puddles. They said it wasn't labeled as well as it could be, and they ended up on a bridge about 40 feet above the road they were supposed to turn off on.

These shots are from a few days ago, but I forgot to post them then!

Heidi & Dustin took Highway 3 along the coast where Heidi kept exclaiming she loves looking out at all the islands. Probably because it looks like home. They called Greg and met up with him on Oak Island which still, apparently, has a buried pirate treasure which no one has been able to successfully reach for 200 years or so because of the tides constantly flooding the tunnel. They think it was buried by Captain Kidd or Blackbeard. This is true – look it up.
Sounds to me like their diggers are lazy bums. Give me a snorkel and a shovel & I'll have that gold out in a fortnight.

In either a stroke of brilliance or lack of creativity,
they called the treasure shaft "The Money Pit".

After Oak Island, the Bromley clan stopped at Island View Restaurant in Western Shore for a seafood lunch, and split an obnoxiously sized brownie sundae for desert.
Stuffed full of sugar and seafood, they struggled through the last 8km to camp where they met up with Dave and Nancy.

Before

After

Everyone had a relaxing afternoon before enjoying the fresh haddock & corn Nancy & Dave had picked up at a local market.

Day off tomorrow. Looking forward to taking that photo at Peggy's Cove and exploring Lunenburg.

As a bonus, here's a behind the scenes of the wild world of blogging. Oooooh! Aaaah!

Thanks for reading! Leave us a comment, won't ya?
Dustin

XCAN Day 84 - Cheverie to South Mountain, NS

Distance: 91 km
Time: 4:09
Speed: 22 km/ he
Ascent: 972 m
Weather: another beautiful day!
Flats: 0
Bathroom Rating: 5

The morning started a bit on the cool side with a 10% grade just to get our of the campsite  so that warmed us up pretty quickly.  We rode through rolling hills for the first 35km into Windsor NS where Heidi and Dustin stopped for coffee.  At this point Dave and I got a tip that highway 1 (the old highway) was the route we should take, which we did.  Glad we did - highway 1 was a quiet two-lane road winding through small villages and ending up on Wolfeville, home of Acadia University.  Going this route we were able to see the tidal bore reversing the direction of the Avon River.  We stopped in Wolfeville for lunch - Dave is determined to try every local beer he can find! We then took a rail-trail from Wolfeville to Kentville.  Railtrails are generally ok to ride on although they are not paved. So what you lack in speed you make up for in shade and no cars.  In Kentville, we made a left turn and started climbing up the south mountain.  A few people warned us that we had a big climb ahead of us but, hey, we've ridden through the Rockies, Norther Ontario, and the Gaspe Peninsula, this was nothing!  The beautiful thing is, the campground was at the top of the mountain and tomorrow we're going "down to the sea Billy"! A great day!
Cheers,
Nancy and Dave

XCAN Day 83 to Cheverie

Distance:      68.3
Time:             2:51
Elevation :     769
Weather:         Warm overcast and misty with light rain at the end
Bathroom:       5.5
Flats:             0

Leisurely start to the day.  Seemed like it had rained overnight as the dew and mist were so heavy.

Dustin Sporting his flowered kit to help the sun make an appearance.

It was a good ride along the coast with lots of ups and downs and ups and downs.  Had one hill that was up to a 15% grade but most were 8ish and all were short so fun to ride. You never know what is coming next.   Sometimes the hills in the distance look so big but then you go downhill and get to the bottom of it and it ends up being an easy grade.

Went through some older settlements with nothing in them.

A lot of farm lands. We had a horse run alongside the fence with us for a bit. That was cool.  Also we had some  dogs who came  out barking but not on the road.  We had one come out to great us on the road but we talked to him and he settled down.

We kept getting views of the Bay of Fundy and could see over to the New Brunswick side as well.  The Bay of Fundy!   How cool is that?

Dustin managed to spill his coffee first thing so he went without caffeine until about 42 km into the ride where we were able to get a cup at a corner store.

  He perked  up a bit after that. 🤪   While we were drinking our coffee Nancy and Dave caught up to us and they were looking for lunch. However the Walton’s Pub and Eatery was not open until 11:30. I believe Dave had chips and chocolate at the store.

After coffee we had 21 km to meet up with Greg at camp. It started to drizzle about 7 km out when we were going through Cheverie. So we got a bit wet. Nancy and Dave were a bit behind us so they got a bit wetter getting to camp.

The campsite is empty, only one other camper. They host 3 music festivals here throughout the summer, one last weekend during the horrendous rain on Saturday.

Bromley's had a walk down the beach on the afternoon sunshine. Really cool red sand, looks like Mars.

Bromley's were on dinner duty (burgers) and a sudden downpour had us picking up the picnic table and moving it mid meal. Then a rip roaring game of Bananas which Heidi cheated at during the last game.  Who knew that gem is not spelled “jem”?

Thanks for reading!
Heidi

XCan Day 82 - Tatamagouche to Maitland, NS

Distance: 96 km
Time: 3:53
Speed: 24.74 km/hr
Ascent: 719 m
Flats: 0
Weather: sunny and warm
Bathroom Rating: 2

Cool and sunny to start the ride today. There were 3 parts to the ride, the first 30k was a progressive climb, no really big hills just rolling with a steady gain in elevation through really pretty countryside. Then it was a long descent into Truro, again nothing really steep, just nice ride at 30 to 40 k/hr. Nancy, Dave, Heidi and Dustin all stopped in Truro for a bite to eat but we spread our business around, Dave and Nancy in one spot, Heidi and Dustin in in another. Nancy and Dave picked up some fresh local peaches for supper. They don't travel well in a bike bag attached to the seat...a little battered by the time we got to camp. The third part of the ride after lunch included about a 10k stretch along a gravel path on an old rail bed. It was hard packed so we were able to make reasonably good time. Then onto a regional road with good pavement, very little traffic and mostly flat, the perfect combination. Google is a bit behind in updates to the roads here so Nancy and Dave were a little confused...no cell service to check where to go...luckily Heidi and Dustin happened along at just the right time and lead us to our final destination in Maitland.

XCAN Day 81 To Brule Point Nova Scotia

Distance: 102.3 km
Time: 4:18
Speed: 23.8 km/hr
Ascent: 653 m
Flats: 1
Bathroom Rating: 5 (lots of hot water, but a "keep footwear on in shower" sign

Aha! Tis I, Dustin J Bromley here. I've joined this motley crew for a week, and as such, have been placed into the official blogging rotation.

Now, as is the style of the blog, I'll switch to typing in the third person.

Big Day! Stepped foot in 3 Provinces: PEI, New Brunswick, & Nova Scotia, but only bought souvenir magnets from 2 (so far).

Heidi, Greg, and Dustin drove back across the Confederation Bridge to Cape Jourimain, to have a morning coffee with Peter, another cyclist crossing Canada. Jazzed up on caffeine, Heidi and Dustin jumped on their bikes in Port Elgin heading East. No 'Welcome to Nova Scotia' sign on this route. When they asked someone on the side of the road "How far until Nova Scotia?", they replied, "Oh you're here. New Brunswick ended about 20 kilometres back".







Greg scouted ahead and found a nice bakery halfway, in Pugwash where Dustin & Heidi stopped for treats and a coffee. 
Lots of salt piles in Pugwash, no clean dogs though.

Fairly flat riding all day with small rolling hills. Dustin with his weak day 1 of riding muscles drafted Heidi most of the day. They had stopped in Wallace for more water, when a woman approached saying she had noticed the matching bike kits a couple times that day and exclaimed how impressed she was, so Heidi gave her a BC pin. Ain't that nice!

Dave had booked a great campsite on the end of Brule Point called Sunset Watch. So, after a big spaghetti dinner care of Heidi and Greg, we sat on a bench with a bottle of fortified wine and... watched the sunset.

XCAN Day 79. Rest Day Cornwall P E I

I don’t know how we do it but a lot of our rest day coincide with some amazing low pressure systems that come through wherever we are.  Saturday was no exception. The rain started around 6:45 am and did not let up all day.  As everywhere,  PEI needed the rain so the farmers were happy.

Nancy and Dave spent an hour or so under the awning cleaning their bikes in the morning.

Both couples were  planning to explore around Charlottetown so we headed in shortly after lunch.  We hit the information centre first and Nancy and Dave headed off after getting the information they wanted. We spent a bit of time asking about our plans for a bit of a road trip tour for the next day. The woman was very helpfull.
We then headed out to look at a couple of places around town.

The KOA had some umbrellas they lent out so that was very nice to have.  We wandered down the street and looked at a few areas and made it to the arts Center where we watched a small vignette on pre confederation. It was very well done and we enjoyed it.  As we headed back outside the rain had not let up at all.  So Greg and I decided to head to the grocery store to do the shopping and then back to the trailer.   So that is what we did.

Had a quiet afternoon and I won at Bananas.  Dinner was left over Chinese from the night before which actually was better than the night before.

Nancy and Dave had done some sights and then out for dinner and arrived back to the trailer with very wet feet.   We all headed to bed in our waterfront trailer for all the puddles from the deluge of rain.

Greg and I were getting up a few hours later to pick up Dustin from the Charlottetown airport.  His flight from Vancouver to Montreal was changed that morning but he was able to get on a flight from Vancouver/Toronto/Charlottetown.

We arrived at the airport and the Toronto flight was a bit delayed so it was 1:30 am before it arrived and about 2:30 by the time we got back and into bed.  So a bit of a sleep deficit this night.

I am excited about having Dustin here for a week and riding with me.   Should be a good time.

I  afraid there are no pictures from today from me as it was so grey and miserable.  

Supposed to be sunny tomorrow!    Heidi

XCan Day 80 - Cornwall/Charlottetown to Murray River, PEI

Distance: 75.3 km
Time: 3:27
Speed: 21.8 km/hr
Ascent: 715 m
Flats: 0
Bathroom Rating: 10

Today we had a divergence: Dave and I rode from Cornwall to close to the ferry between PEI and NS while Heidi and Greg went with their son Dustin did a driving tour through Charlottetown, Summerset, and the north side of PEI.  Today was the first day Dave and I felt lost.  Google had us going on the Confederation Trail a bit through Charlottetown, which was nice, and into the country. The Confederation trail is a lovely trail but it's gravel, which is nice for mountain bikes and walkers but not great for road bikes and none of the intersecting roads are marked.  After turning this way and that, we ran into a woman who directed us to the driving route (rather than the biking route) and after that we made good time.  UNTIL we hit highway 24 with 11, 12, and 13 percent incline hills - one after the other after the other.  Every time we said it's got got to go down to the water, we met met another steep incline.  Fun but tiring! We stayed at a B&B in Murray River that is owned by a couple from Newfoundland - our first introduction to the Newfoundland accent and we could only understand every third word.  But a lovely couple who leant us their car to drive into Murray Harbour first for beer and later for supper. Above and beyond our expectations! We went to a super cute little cafe in Murray Harbour called #5 Cafe - if you are ever in Murray Harbour go to this cafe and order the pear and blue cheese salad - you will not be disappointed!
Cheers,
Nancy and Dave

XCan Day 78 - Shediac to Cornwall/Charlottetown PEI

Distance: 123km
Time: 4:59
Speed:24.7 km/he
Ascent: 861m
Weather: sunny and warm...perfect for a day of riding
Flats: 0
Bathroom Rating: 8...disappointing for a KOA site

Today we arrived in PEI, our 10th province.  Just two more to go!

The ride was in 2 halves because you can't ride bikes across the Confederation Bridge. The first 1/2 was from Shediac along the coast with some inland sections. We were on back roads most of the way with little traffic in rolling terrain. The sections on the major highways were busy and noisy. At the bridge there is a free shuttle for bikers and walkers that runs continuously from one side to the other but there is a bit of a wait. It took about 1 hr from the time we arrived at the bridge until we landed on the other side. The bridge is about 13 km long, the highest point is 191ft high and took 4 yrs to build...all of this from the shuttle driver. Greg met Heidi at the bridge and took her across and she took a more direct route to the campsite. Once in PEI, Nancy and Dave took a back roads route along the coast with a stop in Victoria by the Sea. Lobster rolls for lunch and a visit to the shop where Tony sold his cut glas art work. Even took time for a photo op with his friends Kim and Maureen, while they reminisced about Tony and how much they miss him. Then on more back roads to our campsite in Cornwall. A beautiful day for a beautiful ride through the PEI countryside.

Cheers
Dave and Nancy

XCAN Day 77 Rest Day in Shediac/Moncton

Well after 8 days straight of riding we had our rest day in Shediac.  We all slept in a little...some of us very little.

A leisurely coffee and breakfast.  Nancy and Dave had to do laundry today so they got that in.  The weather wasn't sunny today, so Greg decided to wash the truck.  I helped by cleaning the inside.

After finishing laundry, Nancy and Dave had lunch and we headed toward Moncton, which was only 26 km on a nice hwy.  Along the way Dave spotted a sign for the "Magnetic Hill" so we made a quick decision to head there as we had lots of time.

The Magnetic hill is an optical illusion that makes you feel like you are coasting uphill.  So you pay your $6.00 and then wait in line.

When it is your turn you drive to this white pole and put your car in neutral and let off the brake.  Then you coast backwards,  seemingly uphill.  I think we had more fun joking with the workers than our 1 minute ride.  But we can say we did it!!

After our thrilling life changing event above, we headed for downtown Moncton.  We parked and the girls at the Info Centre said we had a good hour before the tidal bore so we headed for a coffee and treat.

Once we got back to the seating for the viewing, there was this young person from the Museum doing the presentation on tides and what caused them,  the tidal bore and other interesting stuff.  He did a great job and then it was time to wait for the bore.

Then around the corner it came.  It was actually quite amazing to see and hear the water rushing by as well as feel it as it created a bit of a breeze.  We watched for about half an hour as the water steadily crept up the bank.  After most people left our young presenter was answering questions and we learned that the river used to be much wider.  The creation of the causeway, see the info from Wikipedia below,  created a lot of new land in the river.

In 1968, a controversial rock-and-earth fill causeway was built between Moncton and Riverview to prevent agricultural flooding and to carry a crossing between the two communities. The causeway caused many problems for the river and its surrounding ecosystem. An estimated 10 million cubic metres (13 million cubic yards) of silt was deposited in the 4.7 km (2.9 mi) of river downstream from the causeway in the first three years following construction. The causeway restricted the movement of fish and reduced the region's salmon catches by 82 percent. Water quality has also dropped thanks to industrial expansion around the area. In 2003, Earthwild International designated the Petitcodiac River as the most endangered river in Canada because of these problems. On 14 April 2010, the causeway's gates were opened permanently as part of a $68 million three-phase project designed to restore the river, to be completed by 2015.

Our interpreter went on to tell us that the river bank is eroding now that the causeway has been removed and that they hope it will go back to some wider form and hopefully become healthy again.  He said they have tried to plant salmon back into the river but they have not taken hold yet.  Very interesting!

After our tidal bore experience we decided to meet up for dinner at 5:30 and the Tide and Bore Gastro Pub.

Greg and I headed to the museum which was quite interesting.  Definitely a place to take kids as it was very hands on.  After the museum we headed back to the river to see how high the tide had risen.  Nancy and Dave were doing the same thing after getting hair cuts.  So we decided to head for dinner right away.

Dinner was good.  We all had fish again tonight.  We were all tired so we walked back to the car and headed back to Shellac and the trailer after a quick stop to pick up a few groceries.

Back "home" we settled down for the night.  Trying to stay up for a while so we can get a good night sleep.

So on to Prince Edward Island tomorrow.   Another Province down.

That's all from Shediac for now.   Heidi

XCan Day 76: Miramichi to Shediac, NB

Distance: 121 km
Time: 5:02
Speed: 24.21
Ascent: 560m
Weather: hot, hot, hot and sunny
Flats: none
Bathroom Rating: 8.5

The ride today was through a mix of terrain from rolling hills on a major highway to farmland and seaside towns on a much quieter secondary road. Today, August 15th was Acadia day in New Brunswick and along the way there were many houses in the rural areas festooned with red, white and blue with the Acadia Star in a prominent spot. And in one of the seaside towns we rode through it was a full blown festival going on. Nancy and Dave basically followed a highway route that was very straight forward while Heidi followed google maps exactly which, although 5k shorter, took her through some major mud puddles. We finished the ride by going through the middle of Shediac and again, the Acadia day festivities were rocking on. As is our custom the day before a rest day we go out for a low key meal but the party was only getting started in Shediac...the Main Street was closed to traffic on our way to the restaurant. We were able to navigate around the party and had a nice meal. There was a singer at the restaurant playing songs from the 70s and surprisingly was able to play all of our requests...including a Valde song. Anyone remember Valde. So Day 76 is done.

Cheers
Dave and Nancy

XCan Day 74 - Belledone to Bathurst NB

Distance: 50.5 km
Time: 2:03
Speed: 24.5 k/hr
Ascent: 232 m
Weather: sunny and hot
Flats: none
Bathroom: 7.5

A short, flat, ez ride today.  Sometimes you have to ride longer or shorter than you would prefer just to find a campsite. Today was one of those shorter ones.  But, it was a good one!  Dave and I used today as a bit of an errand day - looking for sunscreen and bike chain degreaser. Just outside the drugstore, I  asked a woman where a coffee shop was.  She explained to me that this was a very small village and they didn't have a coffee shop other than Tim Hortons but they did have a little Bistro.  We said that was perfect so she gave us directions and we headed off down the road.  A few minutes later a car pulled up beside Dave (on the shoulder side!), the same woman showing Dave the Bistro was across the street.  I was about 200m further along the road when I heard a car honking and then pulling in front of me - the same woman telling me that I missed the Bistro and had to go back.  When Dave caught up she said "she was speeding, you would have never caught her,". So we go to the bistro and find it's closed and end up at Tim Hortons after all, sitting on a bench by the drive thru.  And wouldn't you know it - the same woman drives through and said "you didn't go.,". We all had a good laugh.  Then, shortly before our campground we stopped at a bakery to buy a pie for dessert and Dave was asking where a road was.  There was a customer in the bakery who overheard the conversation and as I was standing outside waiting for Dave, this customer pulls up again on his motorcycle.  He had driven off to find out where the road we were looking for was and then came back to tell us.
Two random acts of kindness from perfect strangers in New Brunswick!  We live in a wonderful country!
Ride on,
Nancy

XCAN Day 75 to Miramichi

Distance:         98 km
Time:              4:20
Elevation:       654 m
Weather:         17 - 28 c. Overcast in afternoon. Headwinds
Bathrooms:     5
Flats:               0

A good night sleep and up and at em.  It was a pleasant ride today but nothing spectacular to see as we left the coast behind and travelled inland through wooded uninhabited areas.  Lots of sign for moose but none spotted. Saw a couple of people picking blueberries along side the road and thought on my next break I would pick a few. But seeing the fresh blueberry bear poop changed my mind and I kept going.

We first rode through Bathurst to try to stay off the big highway.  The roads through town were a little messy but once we got on Hwy 134 it was clear sailing for 26 km. There was a small community we passed and brought to our attention again the red white and blue with the yellow star decorations of the Acadians that we have been seeing for the past couple of days.  So when I got in to camp tonight I asked Mr Google and it is National Acadian Day tomorrow August 15th.  That would account for all he extra decorations.  It would be nice if we can partake in some of the festivities...but will have to see what tomorrow brings.

After reaching Hwy 8 the sides of the road were tough. Narrow and in some places non existent or so rough you couldn’t ride on them.  Luckily on any hills they had the extra passing lane so it gave a bit of a break from cars wizzing by.  It always make for a tense ride and I really feel it in my shoulders.

There was not really any place to stop today except for an Esso Gas station/restaurant about 60 km out.  I didn’t stop but Nancy and Dave did and said it wasn’t great.   The headwinds were against us all day but not that strong for most of the ride.

I headed on to Miramichi and got a text from Greg asking me to walk the bridge in Miramichi  as it was very narrow.  When I arrived at the bridge the approach was so rough and overgrown that I got off my bike anyway.  Also the wind was blowing sideways quite strongly and whistling in the guardrails  and with the very narrow walkway it would have been dangerous. It was scary enough walking over the bridge in control. Not much room when the big trucks went past.   Anyway I thanked Greg and he texted Dave and Nancy as well about walking the bridge.

Dave and Nancy received the text just before the bridge when they stopped to pick up some items. They were contemplating going to the info bureau but it was a ways out of the way and so they decided to walk the bridge as well.  During their stop they met a nice couple who just arrived home from Newfoundland yesterday, Genevieve and Kevin.

Nice afternoon relaxing and even went for a dip in the pool to loosen up my shoulders from today’s ride.

Nancy and Dave made a great dinner and had a pie for dessert. Yum!

Tomorrow will be our 8th day riding in a row before a rest day.  So am looking forward to a day off and seeing the sights of Moncton.

That is all for today.   Looking forward to some seafood and lobster soon!!!

Thanks for reading...Heidi