Paradise revisited

August 5: Edmunston to Perth-Andover (100.68km)
The sky was gray upon waking this morning so I was slow to get moving. But I eventually got on my bike and was off. Since Erika and Marie-Anne were planning on different destinations, we left separately.

It eventually started to clear and the riding was generally pretty good. I stopped for my second breakfast in Saint-Leonard and as I was packing up to leave, I see Erika and Marie-Anne parking their bikes to go in a corner store. I joined them and we biked together until Grand Falls where they stopped for lunch. We decided not to say any goodbyes as we had already done so a number of times and since my progress wasn't as great as I had initially hoped, we thought that we might meet up at the campground which they were aiming for.

After I left them, I returned to the trans Canada, I rode with them on a side road that is quite nice, but a bit rougher than the highway. I chose the highway, because for some bizarre reason, my pannier "jumped the rail" of my pannier rack 5 times when I was on the rougher road. Once on the highway, the winds began to be in my favour and I was making very good time. I decided to go further than the campground that Erika and Marie-Anne were telling me about and checked into a motel instead. I'm thinking it was probably a good thing, because I have since learned that they are calling for a low of 8 degrees tonight (where has the summer gone?)

August 6: Perth-Andover to Pokiok (119.21km)
A good ride today. Even though it's relatively cool, there was no precipitation, so I won't complain.

I stopped at a motel in Pokiok at around 3:30, because it was the last one until Fredericton which was another 50km. There was nobody in the office, but there was a contact number which I called. The owner also has a motel in Fredericton and he was at the other place, but I was promised that he would be at Pokiok at 4:00. Three hours later, he arrived and I checked in. It wasn't all a waste however as I met Micheal - another guy who wanted a room and he drove me to the grocery store for supplies and we ended up sharing a room together.

August 7: Pokiok to Gagetown (113.70km)
I wanted to make as much distance as I could today in order to make tomorrow's ride into Moncton relatively easy. I was planning on reaching a motel in Youngs Cove because according to the information given to me at the tourism information center, it was the last one until close to Moncton. While I was eating lunch in Oromocto, I thought that maybe I should call ahead to make sure that they had room, because the accommodations are sparse around here. Calling ahead is something I never do during this trip, but this time around, I thought that it might be wise. Well lo and behold, they were full, because apparently there was a big dog show in Sussex. Holy crap! How could I have forgotten to check the dog show schedule? This just goes to show you kids that it's a good idea to listen to the little voice in the back of your head.

I called the next best option which was a B&B in Gagetown. This was not ideal as this little town is 10km off the highway, but alas, my options weren't numerous. I arrived at the B&B at around 3:30 and as it turns out it is owned by a former politician who I didn't know and it turns out he adores the sound of his voice. A nice man who has tried his best to liquor me up, but sweet Jesus can that boy talk. He will however remain nameless as I don't want to be pursued in law for slander:)

As a result of my relatively short jaunt today, I will have a longer ride tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will hold and not pummel me with rain.

August 8: Gagetown to the center of the universe - AKA Moncton (139.29km)

There are long stretches of the New Brunswick highway system that have absolutely no population. In this way only did it remind me a bit of northern Ontario (in all other ways, the highway system here is so much more conducive to biking). That being the case, I was a bit concerned about getting enough calories in me as I knew that it would be a long days ride. As a result, I had two breakfast and a lunch by 12:00 to make sure that I would make it to the Shangri-La of eastern Canada.

As it turns out, my sister Renee's family and my other sister Monique were going the opposite way that day to visit a friend in Fredericton. So I was keeping an eye out for their car. At around 11:00 I see a bunch of hands waving from a Previa that was slowing down on the opposite side of the highway. I stopped as well and I had a reunion with part of my family on the side of the highway:)

After a long days ride, I arrived in Moncton at around 5:30. As I was cycling up to my parents house, I see baloons attached to the tree next to the house and a "Bienvenue" sign in the door window - a very sweet gesture that I very much appreciated - un grand merci Mom et Dad.

August 9-12: Moncton to Moncton (0km)

It is nice to take a few days off and relax. Even when I was in Ottawa I was constantly on the go repairing my bike or doing some things for the house that needed to get done. So in a way, I'm getting my first complete break since Thunder Bay and it made me realise just how tired I was. It's as if now that I'm not straining myself, the body just wants to completely slow down. I figure that my body is trying to tell me something and I'm going to do as little as possible until I leave.

Luckily, I saw my whole family while in Moncton. This is a rare occasion as my sister Monique lives in Chicago and doesn't get the chance to visit often. It was really fun seeing all my family and friends while I was in town.

I'm currently looking at my options for the final step of my journey. I always said that St-John's would be my end point, but the stars don't seem to be lining up in favour of that destination. Halifax is another end point destination option, but I feel like I'd be cheating if I don't go to NFLD. Oh well, I have to make a decision in the next little while, otherwise there won't be any plane tickets left to go to Ottawa.

Later: well I just bought my plane ticket and the end point of my journey will be in Halifax. I was really torn about not going to St.-John's and debated with myself whether I was making the right decision, but in the end the little voice in my head that has served me well a number of times during the trip was telling me to not rush through the last couple of weeks and sort of putts around Nova Scotia for a few days seeing places that I haven't been to in years. I am a bit disappointed, but I told myself I'd try to let my intuition guide me along this trip. So I'll be arriving in Ottawa on August 20 and will have about 10 days off before returning to work.

Here are a few pictures.