The tale begins with a trip to Kitchener, Ontario to get my sewer hose replaced. As I’ve written many times before I would need at least 5 lifetimes to understand dealerships. Seems I have to remind them to order the parts needed for the work I need done. They did replace my sewer line.
The trip began in earnest at 3:30 AM Tuesday June eleventh in the rain. I’d filled my gas tank the day before so I headed east on the 401 through the construction hazards that litter the top of Toronto.
Stopped in Napanee for breakfast at Dennys and visited an En Route somewhat later. Refilled my gas tank in Morrisburg just before crossing into Quebec where I stopped to pick up bumph at the Welcome Centre. Paid the $3.00 toll to cross the Saint Lawrence on the new bridge and took the newly finished HWY 30 south of Montreal to Camping Aloutte. Passing through the countryside the bucolic odour of newly spread manure permeated the air. Note to self, don’t waste good money on crummy internet service again. Had supper and went to bed.
The rain continued off and on as I drove the pot-holed roads of the Eastern Townships of Quebec. Quite a bit of truck traffic near Quebec City but it tailed off as I drove down the Saint Lawrence. It was the construction I hit just before Rivière-Du-Loup that was the coup de grace. Stopped in town for a feed of St Hubert’s Chicken and a fuel up before driving across the new finally completed bridge to Rue de L’Ancrage and Camping Du Quai. It’s pleasant to receive a warm welcome from my host if not the weatherman. After driving 650 miles in two days it was time for a rest. The weather finally cleared on Sunday making the walk out to the point a pleasant one.
Monday morning dropped by IGA Extra for a few groceries before striking out for Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick. All but the last stretch of HWY 85 in PQ is complete but that last stretch is a doozy. Drove the temporary dirt road to visit the NB Welcome Centre which was actually open this time. Followed only a brief stretch of HWY 2 in NB before turning at Grand Falls for the drive through New Denmark and Paster Rock Game Reserve. The road through the reserve was pot-holed with broken shoulders a frequent occurrence. Fortunately I met only 15 vehicles in 200 miles. Once I reached HWY 11 South hit first a traffic light and then a train at the level crossing. Didn’t take long for 20 vehicles to get backed up.
Made the park just before the camping kiosk closed. Paid a brief visit to the Interpretive Centre before registering for my site. No probs there as the park was nearly empty. A walk over to the park store found a very bored looking clerk who sits and reads a Quebecois Romance Novel from 8 to 8. Little else open. The park is broadcasting a very strong Wi-Fi Signal but was not hooked up to any ISP, frustrating. In plentiful supply were millions of mosquitoes. Loads of rain, swamps, marshes and standing water make for ideal habitat. Keeping them out of my home proved impossible. What do you do when it rains all day? Read. When it finally stopped went for a walk on the nature trail and donated blood to the winged critters. I heard a ruffed grouse drumming and heard about deer and coyotes wandering the park. A fox walked by my RV and a groundhog resides under a nearby outbuilding. Rode over one morning to see the concession stand and walked out to watch the wet-suit-clad lifeguards in training. The 50º F water did not deter the children. Next day rode the trail system down to the interpretive centre, toured the displays and watched the introductory movie. One hundred and sixty-five families had their homes and livelihoods expropriated and destroyed to create the park. The gal at the desk and the one in the gift shop were both from displaced families.
Friday Morning, June 20 Set out for Nova Scotia. I had enough gas to make it to Sackville where I filled up before crossing into NS where it’s more expensive. Visited the NB Info Centre as well. Crossed into a drizzly NS and met the piper inside the NS Welcome Centre. No Halifax Chronicles on offer there. Got the info I needed and struck out for Masstown paying the Tollway fare on the way. Maple Syrup was in good supply as was honey. Picked up a loaf of raisin bread and fresh strawberries. Drove past the road to the Joudreys in HFX County before turning unto 101 for Falmouth. There I found an extension cord awaiting my hookup. Amy and Greg made it home later with his two daughters in tow, 18 and 15, the younger one has grown considerably in the last year. Saturday morning early a load of rock dust arrived which was wheeled into the pool enclosure where an above ground pool is to be installed. The day was spent dumping and later compacting the fill. Sunday was quiet and chore-filled though quiet was necessary as Greg took an overnight shift. Oscar and Jimmy, the dachshunds exercised my ears. I caught up on E-mail and cartoons after 6 days.
Monday Morning June 22 drove across HWY 14 in NS to 103 and thence to Lunenburg where I found an empty campground. After obtaining my site drove up and spent the day with my 96-year-old Aunt Muriel. Gossip, gossip, gossip. Tuesday drove up to Midville and stopped in to visit with my cousin Charles Smith and catch up on Midville Branch. Next visited the graveyard and walked up to find Milton Williams out. Learned the neighbour beside the cemetery is in hospital in HFX. Found Dan and Fred Gilbert home at the old Mailman place. Little is recognizable. The wood ticks are rampant. After giving a tour of my domain sat and had coffee and chat with Fred. Drove out past the old homestead on the Smith Rd and finding no place to stop drove through Cookville and back to Lunenburg. Walked out to the Top Knot for the recommended bacon-wrapped scallops with fries and a Propeller Bitter. A father and his two late teen sons sat beside me. Walked back along Bluenose Lane noting the forlorn vessel moored beside the fisheries Museum. Lacked the cash to get an ice cream so I walked over and picked up Pear Eau de Vie at Ironworks and raisin bread and sauerkraut at Foodland, no turnipkraut on offer. Settled in for the evening as the fog rolled in off the back harbour and the fog horn sounded.
Drove up to Halifax Wednesday Morning avoiding the Hammond’s Plain Road which read closed in any case due to construction. Made my sister’s just in time for Lunch. Got hooked up and got caught up online. Richard was working. On the only day it rained while I was there we drove out to the valley to visit the Annapolis Historical Gardens. It rained in torrents throughout our visit though the park offered good umbrellas on loan. I didn’t risk my camera in the wet. The days melted into one another. Richard did a second job Saturday Morning and in the evening we walked down for Strawberry Social at the United Church. Marguerite stayed to help with Cleanup. Seems they made $1306 on the day charging $12 each for ham, potato salad, and strawberry shortcake, coffee. Looked through Richard’s DVD collection and watched Leo a depressing unwanted child tale I’d not heard of before and Aurora Borealis with Donald Sutherland and Joshua Jackson. Albuquerque, one of four oaters proved predictable and standard western fare. After church Sunday we drove into Dartmouth for a feed of Clams and Chips. Fisherman’s Cove was crawling with traffic so we drove back home. On Tuesday visited Bedford having no luck finding a lighting fixture for my van. Did get Richard Wolf Hall at Chapters, he loaned me Bring up the Bodies. Richard was able to replace the light switch in my bathroom fixture for which I’m eternally grateful. And I washed my van and Richard and I polished it. On Wednesday drove up to Wilson’s and filled my tank for the first time in Nova Scotia, the price came down the previous Thursday Night. Shopped for a few essentials at Sobeys across the street. Shortly after getting home learned that Stanfest was canceled due to the approach of Hurricane Arthur. Decided to drive up to Saint John Thursday Morning before the wind could pick up.
Stopped twice along the way at RV Dealers with no luck finding lighting fixtures. I did see a 40-foot fifth wheel with working fireplace. Stopped at Masstown for more syrup and a few other bits and pieces. Drove HWY2 past Dieppe and Moncton encountering some crosswinds and turned south on HWY 1 to Saint John. The sarcastic old Quebecois Gatekeeper at Rockwood Park asked again, ‘Why would you want to spend a week in Saint John?’ Tom wasn’t home when I drove past. Set up backing onto young evergreens on the side bank opposite the washrooms in Site 106 finding it a bit downhill but hooked up my landline and settled in. In the fog and rain Wi-Fi can be dodgy and the electrical wires block the signal.
Came to Saint John to visit with my friend Tom and for two weeks we shared time together. Had him over for a multi-course spread on Friday night. On Saturday around 4:30 AM got the first tendrils of rain from Arthur and torrential rain sluicing down my windows by 6:00. Around 8 the wind started picking up rocking my RV less than gently by mid afternoon. By 6:00 that evening it was all over. Elsewhere 290,000 homes and businesses lost power as far as Fredericton and throughout NS and PEI. Hart Isle Resort in Fredericton was flooded and three RV’s and a car were swallowed by a sink hole. Sunday morning I walked to church in sunshine noting the fallen leaves, twigs and a tree at one point. Ten for worship with coffee after.
Highlights of two weeks in Saint John:
Seeing my friend’s new apartment.
Eating out at Mother Natures, Subway, and Vitos
Compline at Trinity Anglican Cathedral
Worship at Loch Lomond Senior Centre
Tuesday Night Historical Walk with David Goss
Wednesday Noontime Concerts
Harbour Walking Tour to Reversing Falls
Exploring Rockwood Park and Hilly Saint John
Backyard BBQ
Britt’s Pub Theological Discussion
On Wednesday arranged to move to a site where I could access a sewage line. Filled my interior 40L water tank while I was at it and got resettled. Thursday. Didn’t feel like doing anything and took my time getting off. Didn’t feel like driving in heavy fog anyway. The fog followed me all the way to Woodstock, NB where I stopped for fuel. With a rest stop of sorts at the Quebec border drove on to IGA in the Loup. Got a few essentials and a six-pack of Sleemans Cream Ale. Local Quebec Strawberries were almost the size of the wild variety. Stopped for a feed of Saint Hubert’s Chicken after emptying my milk container to make room. Got my usual site at Camping Du Quai. The kids were on duty now that school’s out. Liked the lad but the gal signed me in. Wi-Fi remained poor but I managed and wasn’t up to much Friday as I stayed over. Didn’t stray far. A noisy crew moved in Thursday night but left Friday Morning as I lazed in bed.
Somehow I forgot to change time zones and didn’t discover my mistake until I tried to visit St Hubert’s in Lèvis at 11:35 by my time keeping. They open at 11 EDST. Oh well. Watched a very red sun rise Saturday morning in what felt like the West, I do get turned around. Driving up the Saint Lawrence is a journey to the South-West. Got off around 9:00. No fog and no wind for which I should be thankful. Just a 300 mile drive on Quebec Highways that could be better. Not so much truck traffic Saturday Morning west of Quebec but more ‘Sunday Drivers’. Podcasts relieved the monotony. Gas in Drummondville was 3¢ cheaper than the fill-up I got at the retarded pump in Lèvis. Oh well.
Camping Aloutte saw me stuck beside a 3-generational family grouping nearing 20 with a petit garçon with his belly hanging prominently over his trunks and a butt crack smiling above the band at his rear. At least the A/C covered the racket. Opera on CBC. Toward evening walked up over the hill for the first time to see the extent of this campground. Should have had my camera as I had an excellent view of the ‘mountain’ to the south of HWY 20 whose noise followed even to the nature trail-woods road I found eventually at the back of the site. The insects drove me home again. The rear section extends to 400+ sites including group camping and is mainly residential seasonal camping. I needed the exercise.
Got off slowly again Sunday Morning though this time was off by 7:30. Most of HWY 30 and in particular the bridge across the Saint Lawrence is not in my GPS so it had kittens when I crossed the water. Had just enough cash for the toll booth. Stopped at the Ontario Border to visit the new En Route/Welcome Centre. Picked up a pile of Provincial Park info. Had brunch at the Lancaster Denny’s in part to read the comix. Their Wi-Fi was still in my tablet, my server was a ditz but I wasn’t in a hurry and the food arrived eventually. Had to ask for a coffee refill and it was scalding hot, almost boiling. Gassed up in Napanee and natch found cheaper gas later. Encountered a light shower in Kingston providing an extra reason to slow down beyond their proclivities for speed traps. Stop and go trom Thickson Rd until the highway expanded to 6 lanes before the collectors. Thundershowers around HWY 400 bunched traffic somewhat but I made it home unscathed by 4:30 traffic adding an hour to the journey. Always good that my passkey still opens the door.
