8/12/09: Off and on segments.
http://www.4thehealthofit.net/segment_htmls/Segment82.html Rt 15 east to to Rt 955 east, on and off routes along the coast. Cap Pele, New Brunswick to Chalottetown, PEI. 75 miles.
Check out Barney’s blog on http://www.nwpassage2.blogspot.com/
Ok, just got back from downtown Charlottetown, PEI, and we, thanks to our friend Ken in Edmonton, visited the Gahan Pub. This is a microbrewery, very similar to what we have in Cleveland as the Great Lakes Brewery. Ken……..you turned us on to a home run! This place had awesme brews and awesome food. What a way to end a wonderful day.
So……we started out the day back at the campground on the ocean. Woke up to nothing but sunshine and blue sky……and about 8am, a very late start to the day. But to me, I was totally good with the time. Hell, we’d just ridden 100+ the day before, and 72 the previous day into a headwind. So a nice, mellow day today – I was totally good with that. Barney was up, and I quickly began to pack the inside of the tent to catch up to him. Got it all done in under an hour. Then I actually got ahead when he went to take a shower. Me – tomorrow. I got done and went straight to the canteen for breakfast. Barney hooked up with me about 15 min later. Got the standard plus a “Sand Beach Campground” version of the egg McMuffin called the “gizmo”. Add to that 2 cups of java and I was ready to roll.
We got on Rt 15 east and had no choice but to get on the freeway for a stretch. But within 30 min of riding with a zillion cars and trucks, we exited onto Rt 955 east, the “Starfish” route, and began an absolutely incredible ride through the countryside along the ocean. Now this was adding a bit more to the ride by meandering along the coast, but the scenery, the quiet, the peacefulness, it was all just so amazing. Definitely well worth the slower pace, the hill climbing, and the sometimes rutted, bumpy road surface. This was just pure delight. We rode through miles and miles of farmland tucked right along the coast, with the pungent smells of the salt marshes wafting through the air, and then the cool ocean breeze blowing through the surroundings when we got right up on the ocean. The traffic was minimal, and the riding could often be done right out in the middle of the road. We were both in a state of complete bliss as we rode along the ocean and the massive salt marshes.
This was the case for the next 1.5 hours. And around 2 hours in, we saw the bridge to PEI, this massive span of highway going out over the straights and crossing to the island of PEI. And we could watch it getting closer as we rode along the coast. It was this giant arch that just rose off of the New Brunswick coast and arched up above the waters of the straights like a massive roller coaster. Very impressive to see from a distance, let alone close up. As we did this section of riding we both just noodled on our own, and enjoyed the spectacular countryside. This was definitely one of those moments where you felt graced with the opportunity to ride in such a spectacular setting. We finally had to get back on the freeway, Rt 15 east, and take that to an information center to get the shuttle across the bridge. You are forebode to ride or walk across this 12.9 K bridge, this due to the narrow shoulder and the precarious winds that occur on the straights. But the good news was that it would cost us nothing to take the shuttle.
Barney called the shuttle and scheduled a pick-up for asap, and they replied that they’d be there within the next half hour. I went off and took some pics of the massive bridge buttress and the span across the straights, while Barney got some coffee and a treat in the info center. The Shuttle was a 9-passanger van and a bike trailer. We loaded bikes and gear into the trailer, though my yak went into the inside of the van in the last 3 feet of the cargo area. We secured down the bikes, loaded the passengers, all 9 of us, and started across the bridge. It was pretty amazing, and kind of like taking the bridge out to Key West, FLA. We arrived in Gateway Village on the island of PEI. Gateway is a totally tourist trap of outlet stores and junk shope. You should have seen all the Japanese tourist here. It was like being in Honolulu. Barney tells me that they flock out here to pay their homage to Anne of Green Gables. I even saw an Anne plywood character with a face cut-out…… with Japanese standing in line to have their pics taken in the cut-out. I don’t know…….never read the book, never saw the movie……don’t really care either! But it was pretty interesting to see how they’ve made this chick their icon……… as they’ve done with Godzilla and Megladon!
So we exited Gatway Village pronto. Now we were going to take the seaside route, but then I remembered that someone on this trip had told me about the great bike trails in PEI (I forget who told me this so if it was one of you who’s reading this, please remind me!). And I had asked the information guy about it, and all of a sudden he brought us a map of the bike trails. DONE. We were going to take the Confederation Trail. No cars, no highways, no noise. Just us and the scenery of PEI. And it was a homerun from the get-go. This was Grade A spectacular. We had this crushed limestone trail, Rails-to-Trails, and it just went right through the heart of PEI. We started out north, and then when the trail junctioned with the next section, the west-east section, we veered east and rode towards Charlottetown. The trail was the same as the old bike and hike in northeastern Ohio, before it was paved. But this puppy goes on for nearly 80 miles west to east. It cuts through this gorgeous, rolling farm country. And every once in a while you cross a dirt road or an asphalt road.
The surroundings were primo, with these vast rolling hills of green and yellow, that being beans, potatoes and corn for the green, and wheat for the yellow. We’d pass dairy farms where we had to open and close a chain at the gates so that the cattle would not escape. It was around at this point that we met the “Bike Nazi”. Yup, Canada’s version of Duggly Doright. We were stopped, talking to a local girl about the next town, Hunter River, when this elderly guy stops and starts to quiz me about not wearing a bike helmet. He told us he was a member of the local bike patrol, and that I was violating not only Canadian law, but Provincial law, and that he could fine me 60 bucks for not wearing a helmet. And Barney tells him that I’d just ridden over 5000 miles without a helmet. But this guy is livid, reading me the riot act about how I’m breaking the law. Now the girl we were talking to was just kind of looking totally taken aback. And me, I just want to tell the old bugger that he should get a life. But I’m cordial, and just listen to his endless tirade. He finally tells me that he won’t “fine me 60 bucks” but that I’d better get a helmet.
Now most of you guys know me. I fully admit that I’m a dumbass for not wearing a helmet. But that’s MY choice. I like the feel of the wind in my hair, and I hate the feeling of a helmet head for a day’s riding. Not smart, but my choice. I’m a grown man, and I don’t need to be lectured by younger or older people on the subject. Just like seatbelts – the state tells me to wear them – I say: “stick it up your ….” My body, my life. Don’t tell me what to do for my own personal safety. Period! So with all this in mind, I just zip my lips and let the old guy have his say. But let me tell you, Barney and I just had a field-day with this, joking and goofing on it for a good hour. I nicknamed him both the bike nazi and Duggly Doright. Both very appropriate for the situation. Once the old guy left the girl was almost apologetic, saying that this old guy regularly patrols this area, and that’s just the way he was. No harm, no foul. So Barney and I ride on, laughing and joking about the incident, seening that I’ve not had one police officer in over 5000 miles take me to task about this issue.
After about 20+ miles we stopped at a place called Hunter River for a late lunch – actually it was already 5pm when we stopped. And we had intended this to be our end point, but there was only a B&B available, but no camping or motels. So we go in to this “By the River Bakery”. It was out of a movie…….fresh breads and bakery, and the smell just wafted over the whole area, like a beacon beckoning you to it’s center. Go in and the menu board is massive, with just way too many choices to try to make. Now by this time we had decided that we would just get some “gas in the tank” and continue on to Charlottetown for the final destination. But that sure didn’t keep me from getting a good chow down going.
We both got the soup and sandwich special, and I added a bag of 6 muffins to the bill, that to use to dunk into my homemade corn chowder. I could have just cashed my chips and stayed here for the day, eating all the bakery on the menu. It was that good. Well, after munching a great late lunch, we got back on the bike trail and continued on for the next 27 K to Charlottetown. We had a couple of long, false flats, followed by these great low angle descents where we could get it rolling to about 18 mph. Again, the scenery was just spectacular. Just about 1 hour past Hunter River we crossed paths with another rider who told us about lodging at the University in Charlottetown. DONE!
So we had a place to ride to and a goal in mind. And we continued to ride as the sun was setting low in the sky. By this time it was 7pm, and we’d already put in a 6 hour day of riding. Not bad considering we were looking at a light day with a very late start of 10am. So we made another turn at a trail junction and headed toward the downtown. The cyclist had told us that the U was easy to miss, since the trail went by it’s western periphery. We kept an eye out, and when we saw the stadium, we knew were there. Ended up circling around the whole U, and then finally got to the residency area. Barney picked up a room for 60 bucks, up on the fourth floor. Deal was that he got the room, I got the beer. DONE! So we humped our gear up to the dorm room, cleaned up, and headed downtown to Ken’s suggestion – the Gahan Pub and Brewery. Walked about 3K into town.
The downtown of Charlottetown is really a very cool place. Not too big, not too small. It’s a mix of some eclectic shops, great looking pubs and eateries, and filled with a vibrancy and electricity we’ve last experienced in Quebec City. There were bands playing music on the streets, a quite big crowd for a Wed night, and a great vibe to the place. So we found the pub, got seats at the bar and ordered beer – two of the Red Ales. Great! And it was Red Ale for me and Barney both from there onward. Then the food. We both had these bacon wrapped scallops – ARE YOU KIDDING ME? And I got some beer smothered muscles with garlic and onion. Again, great. I also got a seafood pasta – awesome! We ended up talking to some of the local guys about our trip, traveling, Canada, and anything else beer can help you to get going about. We had a great time, and the hospitality was …….well, just as awesome as I’ve experienced for the last three months.
Pete, never realized your great accomplishments until I went on line. Stay safe and hurry back to Summa where you will be greated by all of us old warriors. And, Judy will tell you how easy I was on her when she took one of your classes! J Chapman
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