Day Four

This morning up at 6:00 and on the road before 7:00. I knew I had along drive and how far I drove would affect how much time I had on PEI the next day. I was still having to aim for the ferry departure from Sydney, NS, at 11:00 PM on the 9th. The first main stop was Rimouski, NB. Lunchtime there was very busy. It was here that I lost cell service. I took time cruise around downtown & grab a sandwich. I'm getting the idea that fast food is still novelty up here. Like every town regardless of size, there is a big or little church in the center with a very tall steeple. Downtown Rimouski had a church that a cathedral version with multiple spires and was constructed of stone. Photos to follow at some point. From here it was on to Campbellton, Bathhurst and Miramichi. The road was far enough away from the coast that the scenery was all very similar. Scrubby spruce, pine & endless stands of beech. There were several long construction delays as well. At the last minute, I decided not to attack Moncton at 5:00 and stayed north toward the bridge to PEI. The road dead ended in the little town of Port Elgin before turning north the PEI. Concerned that I wouldn't find a room across the bridge in PEI at 7:00, I stopped in a little family restaurant with a crowed parking lot to ask about a B & B for the night. The owner, waitress and generally salt-of-the-earth type lady picked up the phone and reserved a room for me at the Pumpkin Inn located just across a little crook of water from the restaurant. She said I should stay and eat since she would be closing soon, so I did. That turned out to be the best plate of fried whole clams(as opposed to clam strips) I ever tasted. If you're reading Dad, they were as good as those we had in Maine years ago. I closed the place down and went on to the B & B. Immediately I had concerns. I couldn't figure out where to park. The parking was all grass and it didn't look like anyone had parked on the grass in a while. The owner met me at the door and seemed very proper. She explained how things operated, told me breakfast in the morning would be at 8:00, showed me my room upstairs and the bath down the hall. She then left and locked the door behind her. In the morning breakfast was very pleasant(French, I think).