PEI: August 11

Day 4: August 11

A good night's sleep despite “the boys” who pulled in behind us, hauled out a load of beers, and had a campfire though there was a fire ban. Nice to have electricity and a fairly decent TV signal, so I heard Brian Williams and the Olympics in the background repeating over and over!

We got up early to slightly overcast skies but got ready for a bike ride. We headed up to North Cape, new territory for us. It was so cool to be riding and enjoying the sights and smells (some sweet, some kinda fishy).

North Cape featured a lighthouse, the Wind Energy Interpretive Centre (and wind farm), a great craggy coast and an inukshuk farm:

The really interesting part was the Irish Moss gathering we were lucky enough to see. Two women and a man were collecting the “seaweed” which would be sold, mostly to the pharmaceutical industry, for 12 cents a pound wet and 40 cents dry. We first saw the tractor and the women raking:

But further down the beach were mesmerized by the man and horse dredging the shoreline. Amazing:

Here's a video of this age-old skill:

Irish Mossing

We also saw what looked like walrus or sea lions beached on a reef off shore. We found out they were Grey Seals, but huge nonetheless. A great stop:

Off we rode to the harbour at Skinner's Pond:

We were heading for Fish and Chips when we noticed the blackening skies, so back to the park for lunch, a snooze, walk on the beach and talking with a couple from New Jersey and a guy from BC who has driven across Canada and is heading to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland from here.

Sounds like the party behind us is starting again. Oh well!

Here's the view from my chair:

And, here's a new feature, the view from the bike. It's from Skinners Pond, the home of Stompin' Tom Connors:

PEI: August 8, 9, 10

Days 1, 2 and 3: August 8, 9 and 10

The ocean calls, as does the open road for our new Honda Goldwing motorcycle (yes, we ARE that retired couple!), so off to Prince Edward Island for a couple of weeks. It's kind of an anniversary trip: we went there on our first trip together AND we'll be married 25 years this November. Wow. This is our new tow vehicle:

Tricking out the cargo trailer for the bike took some time, so we left late Wednesday, whipping through Montreal with hardly another car (and way fewer construction vehicles) in sight. We stopped in a Rest Stop for a couple of hours' sleep (amongst all the tractor trailers) and left early for New Brunswick, so no view from my chair for Day 1.

Day 2 was a lot of driving (and the bike trailer seems to keep us steadier and a little quieter on the road). We got to the de la Republique provincial park in Ste. Jacques around 3:30, got a great pull-through site, and relaxed, had an early dinner and early bedtime.

Here's the view from my chair:

Day 3 was overcast but the drive was good (it's an amazing stretch of highway from the north of New Brunswick). We always look for “Prudence” the Moose (“prudence” is French for “be careful” or “watch for”) signs along this highway. FINALLY, after many trips this way, we saw a moose beside a creek along a railroad track under a bridge we crossed. Awesome!

We crossed Confederation Bridge and got into PEI around 4:00.

The Gateway Village is a new addition to the bottom of the bridge and it has a great Info Centre and some shops (and lots of people!).

Our drive passed lots of potato fields and a couple of wheat fields. And potatoes plus wheat (ground wheat that is and cheese) make pierogi, so I feel right at home!

We decided to go to Jacques Cartier Provincial Park and got a campsite, almost on the beach. We'll stay here a few days and do some motorcycle touring (finally!!!). The beach is long, red and lovely. I love the seaside.

Here's a view from my chair:

Erie Canal Days 5 and 6

Day 5 June 3

We got up early and headed farther north. We were disappointed that there were few bikers (especially since there was the Blessing of the Bikes at 9:00 am).

For those of you from Peterborough, this trip continued a theme. When we were waiting for the tow truck in Canastota, our GPS said we were on Peterboro St. We rode our bikes along a canal and stopped at a lock. Today, we drove along Highway 28 and are staying not far from Keene. Ha!

It was a nice, windy drive through the forests on the sunny morning. The landscape and buildings were typically Adirondack. We stopped for coffee and baked goodies in Tupper Lake a got to Lake Placid around noon. There were few people around (still so early in the season) and finding parking for the MoHo was difficult. As was finding a campground (PLENTY of hotels). We decided to park at the free Park and Ride (trolley) area and then decided, since it was raining, we'd take another train ride.

So, we found the Whispering Pines campground ($30 for electric and water), had lunch and headed back to the train.

We sat in the open car again and enjoyed the beautiful landscape and commentary from the old, volunteer conductor. We saw beaver dams, a flagman, a prison (converted from Olympic Village), an amazing cemetery and an eagle's nest:

We saw the carousel in Saranac Lake:

and had an ice cream.

Back to the campground, dinner, and no plans for tomorrow yet!

Here's today's view from my chair:

Day 6 June 4

Rained all night and was raining this morning, so we decided to head home. We had an uneventful drive home along the St. Lawrence.

The highlight was running in to George Raab at the Duty Free shop (in keeping with our "Peterborough" theme). For those who don't know, George is a wonderful artist (we own FIVE).


Here's an animated map of our Erie Canal trip.


See you next trip, everyone.

Erie Canal Day 4

Day 4-June 2

It rained most of last night, but things improved by morning. We decided to head to the Adironacks (and will save a visit with Nancy and Allen for the next trip here).

We decided to head to Old Forge on the advice of neighbours and the mention in the books of "Thunder in the Forge", a motorcycle rally this weekend.

It was a nice drive in the Adirondacks, climbing higher and full of forests. We got to the Visitors Centre in Old Forge and were kind of disappointed by the few bikers we saw. So, we decided on the Adirondack Scenic Rail Road trip from Thendara to Otter Lake (next to hiking and biking, trains are a favourite thing to do).

Well, almost a private tour: just us and another couple (and two conductors and an engineer). It was a lovely ride with great commentary from one Conductor (a volunteer who's really a vet). We rode in the CNR baggage car (evidenced by the bilingual safety signs!). The line we were on was built in 1892 and was once called The Banana Train since it transported bananas (and other) freight from Gulfport, Mississippi to Montreal, PQ. This portion of the line was also used to transport the rich folk to their camps (in private cars added to the train). We followed the Moose River but no moose; there WERE some exotic deer in the "Deer and Boar" hunting business along the route:

We then headed to Nicks Lake State Campground ($29.75-no electricity or water!), a busy place despite the cool, damp weather. We hiked a couple of miles before dinner and settled in for a chilly night:

Here's the view from my chair (and the view of David with his hiking stick!):

Erie Canal Day 3

Day 3 June 1

June already. The promised rain didn't seem to come, so we decided to head to Rome (where many roads DO lead) and see the newer Canal.

We wanted to see the Erie Canal Village, a recreation of an 1840's local village and see about a ride on the steam train. We were too early, so we checked out Rome. There's a Wal Mart (and Lowes for WiFi) and a nice old downtown. We got info (but not a lot on the Canal Trail; we're wondering why they're not "selling" this gem, but maybe we're just not looking in the right places) and headed out of town.

We stopped in Oriskay near Lock 20 and decided to ride for a while. This is the newer canal and we saw a barge (rusty) and some dredges. AND we officially rode "15 miles on the Erie Canal" right about about here:

Actually we rode 18 1/2 miles, but who's counting.

Did shopping in Oneida then the rains started, so back to The Landing, dinner and movies. We'll head to The Andirondacks tomorrow.

Here's a wet view from my chair:

Erie Canal Day 2

Day 2-May 31

End of May and another gorgeous day (though those geese woke us up early, feeding en masse all around us (the sites next to us are empty).

We decided to head to Canastota, via Sylvan Beach, where we knew we could pick up the Erie Canalway Trail.

Sylvan Beach is a real waterfront summer spot full of small cottages, cute restaurants and shops, and an Amusement Park. I can imagine how busy this town would be in the height of the summer. No one there today.

We stopped at the Saveon in Canastota for some info on where to access the trail. When we headed out of the parking lot, the Moho clunked and thumped and it felt very wrong, like a flat or something worse. David checked the tire pressure (fine), gave a look underneath and decided we better call Coach Net (RV insurer). He suspected a drive train problem.

We were told the Ford dealer in Oneida would take a look tomorrow, a tow was ordered, and an offer to sleep at the Ford dealer was made. The tow truck driver arrived, and while he looked below for how he would hook us up, he said “Here's your problem” (very sweet words!) and held up a softball-sized hard mass of tar that we'd picked up and was attached to the inside rear tire. Papers signed, advice given for riding the canal, and bullet dodged. To fellow Rvers, buy the insurance!

We found a place to park and headed out on the trail. It was a nice ride along the old canal, crushed gravel and flat. But, after a mile, I discovered a flat rear tire (my THIRD flat, second on this new bike). So we found the puncture, David patched it and we headed out.

Yes, there was a “low bridge, everybody down”:

Okay, so that was two bad things. A third had to be waiting. But it didn't really happen unless you can count the geese who hissed at us on the trail, or David dropping (but finding) his sunglasses (just avoiding the poison ivy that was everywhere), or the drawer almost falling out (I didn't close it tight), or the chocolate ice cream David dripped on his shirt (another Rver saviour is Dawn dish detergent which takes out any stain). I'm counting any one of those as number 3.

We rode 10.5 miles and the rest of the day remained sunny and problem-free, and we're contemplating a trip to Rome tomorrow for some history, maybe more riding or a trip on a steam train. Phew!

Here's another view from my chair:

Erie Canal Day 1

May 30

Though the weather in Ontario has been great, it's time for a spring trip before the rest of the world is on vacation!

David recommended the biking trails on the old Erie Canal, and after research (and a weather delay on Tuesday), we headed out.

We had an uneventful (thankfully) trip down with a bit of an Amish theme, including a family working the fields with horse and cart and a horse and buggy at Wal Mart:

The drive down Highway 81 took us past some beautiful small towns, especially Williamstown and Camden, both with large cemeteries bedecked with American flags post Memorial Day.

We found The Landing Campground via Passport America ($17.50 Electric,  Water and Sewer) and booked two nights. We're on a tiny penninsula on Fish Creek that leads in to Lake Oneida. It's quiet (mostly seasonal people) and filled with Canada Goose families, a Mallard family, Purple Martins, Bank Swallows and a very talented Kingbird:

We chatted with the neighbours and had an early night.

Here's the view from my chair: