Where ever I may roam

I’ve been making my way to the Maritimes over the last few days, having entered New Brunswick 3 days ago. The trip through the rest of Quebec involved a lot of highway and, on occasion, some dirt roads. The dirt road was 42km from Saint Omer to Lac de l’Est and then out to the highway again. A short, scenic hike through the woods took me to the lake side.

Bridge in Woods

Lac de l’Est

After spending the night at an RV park, I was a lot more relaxed when I hit the road the next day. My senses were feeding me a lot more information: The smell of the trees, or fresh cut wood as I passed a mill, the vibration of the bike through the foot pegs and handle bars, the sound of the wind roaring through the helmet, the sight of an eagle circling over head. I was also paying attention to how the landscape changes as the trip progresses. It’s for those experiences that I do long road trips, there’s nothing like the feeling of an open, empty road as it winds through farms, fields and towns.

The route took me through Grand Falls, on the way to Fredericton, where I stopped for a bit and had a look at the markets and museum, as well as having a look at the falls.

Grand Falls

I passed by the worlds longest covered bridge, in Hartland, at took to opportunity to ride up and down it. It was a similar experience to riding through a tunnel, except made of wood.

Hartland Bridge

I got to Fredericton around 5pm and got a place in Student Residence at the University of New Brunswick. It was a change from the hostels and the tent as I had a large room, with a queen bed, and my own bathroom. While the place did have a large commercial kitchen, there were no pots, pans or plates. I ended up using my small camping cookware on a giant 6 burner stove. Getting in a 5pm allowed me to explore the town a bit. It had a good vibe, there were pubs and restaurants with people in them, things seemed to be happening around town.

Bridge Footings

Earlier that day I had been singing a bunch of ACDC songs while riding, incuding Thunderstruck, T.N.T. and Dirty Deeds. The acoustics in a helmet are fantastic. Later that evening I went to Smoke’s Poutinery to get some dinner and as I walked in, Dirty Deeds was playing. That made me grin.

The ride to Saint John was fairly short and I took the opportunity to stop often. I got in to town around 3, which gave me heaps of time to explore. I ended up wandering the streets, admiring the old red brick and stone buildings, as well as checking out the museum.

Brick and Stone buildings

Saint John High School

After the exploring I went and had a lobster dinner. When in the Maritimes…

Lobster Dinner

The ‘hostel’ I’m staying in is a bit different. It’s basically an old town house with a bunch of beds crammed into the rooms. There are a few other people here, which was nice for a chat. It serves as accommodation, but it’s totally different from the expectations of a hostel. I was initially thinking of spending two nights in Saint John, but I’m glad it’s only one.

Today I’ll be taking the Fundy Trail Parkway up the Bay of Fundy towards Hopewell Rocks. From there it will be into Nova Scotia, heading towards Annapolis Royal. I’m planning on spending a week in Halifax, doing day trips to Peggy’s Cove and other places, as well as relaxing. I may even work on a project or two.