8/8/2022: Crossing the border and Fundy National Park
When we completed the ArriveCAN forms we estimated we would cross the border around noon and that is just about the time we arrived. When Joanne’s sister Deb and her husband Tony crossed over into Campobello, they had to give up all their eggs and raw chicken. So yesterday Joanne spent the afternoon hard boiling some eggs and breading / frying chicken!
– Then of course we were not asked about it! The crossing was easy and we didn’t have to give up anything and no one came in to inspect the inside of our rig! That always makes for a smoother crossing! The drive is fairly easy and we arrive at Fundy National Park and Headquarters Campground late afternoon. We have a great site with peaks of the bay. Deb and Tony will have electric/water, but no view. We are dry camping, have a view and larger site than they have so again most evenings are spent around our propane fire pit. They will arrive tomorrow and we will get some hike planning done! Also- from this campground we can walk right down into the little town of Alma!!
Welcome to Canada…
Pretty nice campsite…
View from our campsite…
8/9:
It rains most of the night and looks like the morning will be the same. We decide to try to catch up on some laundry but that is the thought of most people in the park. (All the washers and dryers are full!). We decide to take the laundry (already gathered and in the car) the 40 miles to Moncton, New Brunswick. The drive up is along 114 with plenty of road construction. Not sure when the weather system had come in here, but it had destroyed much of this road. The drive there takes forever! But the laundromat is clean and we get this chore completed in about 1 1/2 hours. We decide to take the highway home and find a wine shop and gas station along the way!
When we arrive back to the campground Deb and Tony are already there! We decide, since the rain has stopped now, to take a walk down into Alma to investigate! The walk is down a set of steps (a lot of steps!) but an easy walk in. We find Alma’s Lobster Shop where we can eat outside and we all get Lobster rolls. It was great but we all agreed later that the lobster was very tough.
Alma, New Brunswick
They do have some tide changes here….
Lobsters….
Always love our Propane Fire-pit…
8/10:
Hiking at Fundy
Deb and Joanne had both made lists of things to do (including hikes) here. They decided to connect two hikes together since they both leave from the same parking lot. Moosehorn connects to the Laverty Falls hike and that’s the suggested direction to take. Moosehorn is the tougher of the two and there are a lot of roots on the Moosehorn trail. The entire combined trail will equal about 6 miles total. This was a great hike for all of us with lots of water to look at. It was challenging and we finished around 2:00. We had talked about heading directly to Hopewell Rocks , where Deb and Tony had been before, and we had heard mom and dad talk about when they were here. It is also known as the “Flower Pots.” When the tide is way out the rocks are standing so majestically above the sand and the part that is usually covered by water, that has eroded away, is visible. Very cool, but it is very commercial and touristy now which takes away from the experience. We headed home and were all exhausted. Joanne remembered about the breaded chicken in the freezer so volunteered to put together a salad and have that along with some of the breaded chicken. A great call!!
Along the trail…
Along the trail…
Hopewell Rocks…
Hopewell Rocks…
Hopewell Rocks…
8/11/22:
Today will be our last day together for quite awhile (until Jordan’s wedding). We found two somewhat less taxing hikes to do; Caribou Plains Trail and Dickson Falls. Both of these trails are fairly close to the campground, and both are lovely, pretty easy trails. We fell in love with the Dickson Falls hike- through some rain forest type terrain and along a babbling brook .The Caribou Plain trail is mostly along a boardwalk and out to a pond. Total distance for both trails a little over two miles. Afterward we walked through the gift shop at the visitor center and walked through Alma one more time. We shared a set of Sticky Buns from Kelly’s Bake Shop that we considered our appetizer because it was around 4:30! We thought about stopping to eat but it was a bit chilly for outside eating and no one really wanted to eat inside. We headed back to the campground for one last fire together and say good byes until we meet again in Ottawa in October! We loved Fundy National Park and could have spent easily another day or two here.
The trade mark RED Chairs in Canada…
2 Minis are better than 1…
Waterfalls too along the trail…
Kelly’s Sticky Buns…
8/12/2022: Pictou NS
This stop is a layover stop for us to break up the driving from Fundy to Cape Breton. Our site is OK but does have a great view of the cove. Mike had spoken to someone about a scenic drive called the Sunrise Trail so we decide to do this on the one day we have here. On the way , we decide a quick detour to scout out the Ferry to PEI (Prince Edward Island). which we will need to take in about 5 days from now after our visit to Cape Breton.
Welcome to Nova Scotia…
Pictou, Nova Scotia…
Cape George Point…
The Cape George Lighthouse…
The Sunrise Trail ends at The Cape George Lighthouse. The drive is very nice and we get our fill of water views and even stop for an ice cream cone at a renovated light house. When we get back to camp there is trick or treating going on as they are celebrating Halloween in August! We didn’t have any candy but no one minded.
Enjoying a Cone on the Sunrise Trail…
8/14/2022: Cheticamp and Cape Breton
We had been to Cape Breton and The Cabot Trail in 2014 and liked it so much we wanted to come back. This time we are staying in Cheticamp and will do day drives around to see things. Joanne had made a list of things to do/see, including hikes!
We get situated on our campsite (site # 36) and decide to pull in so we have a view of the little stream behind our site. We get plenty of sun for our solar and the bath house (super clean) and trash are right near us! Joanne see’s that there are two hikes that leave right from the campground, so we know we will most likely do those and try to fit in one more before we leave.
Welcome to Cape Breton!
Welcome to the famous Cabot Trail…
Our Campsite at Cheticamp…
The first full day we decide to take the Salmon Ponds hike which leaves right near our campsite. The hike totals about 6.5 miles then we take a drive north of the Skyline Trail just to see some views! Spectacular!! We get some pics, then drive into Cheticamp proper and look for the restaurant we ate at for our anniversary in 2014 (Gabriels Family Restaurant). A band was playing with traditional Cape Breton Music… A great day to start our short time here!
Nice Trail from the campsite…
Joanne leading the way on the trail….
8/15-16: Today wwe tried to get an early start as we heard The Skyline Trail parking lot gets crowded quickly. We were at the trail head by 10:00 and still plenty of parking; though at 12:30 when we were headed back to our car we noticed the parking lot was very full with people having to walk pretty far to get to the trail.
Of course when we got back to the car there was a ticket waiting for us because we forgot to put the park passes up on the dash! No worries though; the park ranger issuing tickets was still there and he ripped up the tickets when we showed him the pass. We were pretty tired from the amazing hike (5.5 miles with 270 steps down then back up!) and though we had originally thought we would drive over the top of the park to hike the White Point trail (shorter and easier) we got sidetracked by a drive to Meat Cove. We had gone to Meat Cove in 2014 and thought it was pretty cool; smaller campers and tents camping on a cliff at a cove with whales pretty close to shore. The drive is mostly on a dirt road with lots of pot holes that we felt like would gobble up the MINI! But we made it. The place had changed a lot since 2014 with many more people, tourists coming just to gawk, some food tucks…. Not the same for sure. We did see some whales along the drive in so that part was worth it! By the time we got back to the campground it was pretty late and we still had to eat. A good day though with rain beginning, and the wind picking up we called it a night and spent time inside playing a game.
8/17: This morning is Mikes Birthday! 65!! So it is his choice day! With it raining and a bit windy not sure if hiking is what we want to do but leaving it up to him to decide! We have a slow morning and then decide to do the Acadian Trail which leaves right from the park. Just as we walk out the door the rain picks up and within a few minutes it is pouring on us. By the time we get to the trailhead it is pouring and even though we have rain gear on we are soaked through before we even get very far! But we continue on hoping it will stop soon. We had read that the best way to do this hike is to begin counterclockwise. In the end this is a very good decision! The beginning of the hike is mostly though forested areas and then along a trickling river. Beautiful! But it is a challenging hike!! Once we get to the 2.5 mile mark the rain begins to taper off. Even though the wind is still going strong, this is actually a good thing as it dries our clothes! By the time we are at the top, with the great views, we are pretty much completely dry! The views coming down are very good and although the hike is a little challenging, it is an awesome hike. And the best part is we didn’t have to drive anywhere!!
At the summit of the Acadian Trail and we did get a pi eighth Red Chair at the top… (And our clothes were dry…)
View from the Top…
We get back to our campsite after the hike and noticed many campers had left. The ranger actually stops by to warn us about 100 km winds expected and severe thunderstorm warning with much rain expected. So we battened down the hatches! The tenters and pop ups had been asked to evacuate!! We are pretty sure we will be just fine with the training we got all those years from Assateague, and we were right. By morning we were fine and pretty much ready to head out since we had put most things away because of the storm!.
Finishing a long day with a beverage and Birthday Toast…
8/18/2022: PEI
We eat a quick breakfast, dump on the way out and are heading to our next destination (PEI) by 7:00am. The drive off Cape Breton, to the ferry for PEI, takes us about 4 hours. Our goal was to be there to catch the noon ferry. Though we do actually make it in time, there are too many stand by people and we miss getting onto the boat by 1 or 2 cars! Dang it! We hadn’t made a reservation, as the cost was over $100.00 and if we just went standby, it’s free, Standby was the option for sure. Unfortunately now we have to wait until 3:45- a total of a 4 1/2 hr wait. We knew this could happen, so we use the time wisely; Joanne working on catching up with journal writing and Mike cleaning the outside of the camper!!
We just missed getting 0n the Noon Ferry but are at the front of the line fot 3:45…
Ferry to PEI…
On the ferry, next stop PEI…
Once we load onto the ferry it is about 3:45, the skies have cleared and it is a beautiful 75 minute ride across the bay to PEI. We are one of the first to deboard as we were one of the last to get onto the boat! The drive to Panmure Island Provincial Park is pretty easy and very scenic. We didn’t make it to this part of the island in 2014 and it is beautiful! We pull into the CG around 5:30 and LOVE our site! It is on a corner with East and West views of a cove. There is a short beach for walking and the park is fairly small. Joanne checks out the bath house, very clean!! We get organized and get dinner going. Super excited to be here!
We know that a lot of what we like to do to explore places while driving in the MINI, with the top down. Today is a spectacular day to do so! We decide to drive (at least part of) the loop road called “The Points East Coastal Drive”. Most of the drive is along water and we know there are a few lighthouses on this route.
We pass through Montague, a good size town for PEI. Here we find some propane at Things To Rent right on rt 4. We get gas in town and picked up some wine then continue our drive north. Though it is a very picturesque drive, it is taking forever and we realize we won’t be able to do the full loop in one day!
Mid afternoon we come in to the town of Souris. It is a very cute little town with a short boardwalk to walk along the coast. Along the boardwalk Joanne spots some restrooms! Jackpot!! Also in that immediate area is The Lobster Shack with pretty good prices for Lobster Rolls and picnic tables overlooking the water! We indulge- Joanne more than Mike as she orders a glass of wine! Mike is driving so he has a Diet Coke instead. The Lobster rolls are some of the best we have had!
Once finished with our dinner/supper we head out for more driving but as we get to the northern most point we opt for the cut through to get back home at a decent hour! Maybe we will finish the drive tomorrow?! Once back at the campsite Joanne goes for a beach walk while Mike sets up the fire area for the evening. We sit by the fire pit and enjoy the views with a glass of wine!
Today we finish the drive we started yesterday. From the campground we head south to Cape Bear Lighthouse and Marconi Station where the first distress signals from the Titanic came in. We get some pics then head on.
Cape BEAR Lighthouse…
Cape BEAR Lighthouse…
Our ultimate destination for today is to get to The PEI National Park in Greenwich. The drive is again very scenic and we arrive at the National Park with plenty of time to walk through the visitor’s center and then do a walk on a trail with a floating bridge over water! This trail took us up the dunes to the beach. What a gorgeous beach!! Well worth the time and it felt so good to stretch our legs after being in the car for so long!
PEI National Park Greenwich “Floating Bridge”…
Beautiful Dunes and Beach here!
And a Red Adirondack Chair Photo opt…
Tonight we head to the beach to watch the sunset and talk with some people in an airstream across the street from us that had just come off a caravan trip to Newfoundland! Lots of stories to share!! Once we head in to the camper we get some things cleaned up for departure tomorrow- we are heading to another campground Linkletter Provincial Park – closer to Summerside. Another park right on the water!!
8/20: Summerside, PEI
As we move from Panmure Island to Linkletter, we get some beautiful views in! It looks different from the high seats of the motorhome, compared to riding in the MINI! We do have to drive through Charlottetown and we both agree that we saw enough of the city the last time we were here; no need to come back!
Next we drive through Summerside. This is a cute little town and though we would like to take some time to walk on the path next to the harbor, we know we just won’t have time this trip. We left early deliberately so we would have time to do something in the afternoon. We pull in around 11 and still have to dump as this will be dry camping. The dump station is actually in an awkward place- right near someone’s campsite! We get that job done and see that the campers have left our site so we are free to set up. We thought our site at Panmure was awesome! This one is even better! Wide open with super views of the water. So happy for this campsite that we decide to cancel any other plans we had thought about and just relax at the campsite and enjoy it! In the meantime we had seen that there is laundry facilities here with three washers and three dryers. So while we are enjoying our campsite, we get some laundry done! We relax well into the evening and chat with a couple in a van traveling over to Newfoundland. They pick our brain for things to do and then they finish getting organized and we head in for the night.
Campsite at Linkletter Provincial Park…
Campfire at Linkletter…
8/22: Dad’s Birthday.
Hard to believe this is dad’s second birthday in heaven. Doing these travels remind me of him very often as mom and dad have done a lot of these trips in their RV way back when.
Although it is tempting to just stay back at the campsite again today, today is our last day on PEI and we feel like we should get out and see a little more of the island. We decide to drive up to the Cavendish part of the PEI National Park, hoping it will be as nice as the Greenwich side. As we get closer to Cavendish we both agree we don’t like it as much. We always prefer the more remote areas like what we saw in the southeast, northeast sections or down near Summerside. It is very commercial and touristy in Cavendish . We enter the National Park and do a drive through part of it. Not what we were expecting at all.
We leave the park and drive around to Darnley,where we stayed in 2014 (Twin Shores RV Park). This is a beautiful Island and if it weren’t so far away from everyone, so remote, and such a short season of about three months a year, we would consider looking to buy property here. We purposely head home early so we can stop for provisions in Summerside. and then still have time to enjoy the campground. One last afternoon here at our spectacular site before packing up tomorrow to head to Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick. This time we will take the bridge back across. Here’s the DEAL – you only pay to leave the island and the bridge is cheaper than the ferry. (Part of our travel plan….)
We lucked out when leaving Linkletter this morning; it wasn’t raining… yet! But the mosquito’s were killing Mike out there! Thankfully we had cleaned everything up last night before Joanne saw that rain was heading our way overnight. Although it was drizzling just a little, it wasn’t bad and Mike had even hitched up the car, the night before, which was possible because of the type of site we were on! It will be hard to say goodbye to this campground; and this island! The views from our site were awesome, and the bath house and showers were awesome. Nonetheless time to move on! As we approach the Confederation Bridge we are a little confused about which lane to be in and end up in a lane that we think we won’t be able to pay in😳 so Joanne sticks her hand out the window to see if someone in the adjacent lane will let us cut in. No problem! That is what is super nice about the people in this whole area; everyone is so accommodating! No one is in a hurry, no horn honking. People only want to be helpful!
We get into the “blue sign lane” , the one that says, “Tap to pay” and we are all set! Once over the bridge we have about another 1 1/2 hrs drive. Of course we get into a routine construction zone process about every 5 Km. This adds a little more time. We pull in around noon and luckily they allow us to get right to our site. We dump and take on water on the way in as we will only have electric here. The site (20) is an awesome site! We can’t see our neighbors and the site is HUGE! We get backed in right away, level out and get set up pretty quickly.
Right after we are all set up we want to get out to explore though it begins to rain! REAL rain, not just drizzle. We sit under the awning for a bit then decide to drive to find a wine store. We drive to a local place, about a 15 minute drive then on the way back in we stop at the Visitor Center. This was a great stop! The woman there was very helpful and because it is not busy she tells us a lot of the history of the park. We find out about walking and biking paths and make a plan to bike tomorrow. Once home we find it is too wet and chilly to sit out so in we go, make some dinner, quick call to catch up with Deb and Tony and then watch a movie. Hoping tomorrow is better weather.
PS- the mosquito’s are very bad here!!
Kouchibiuguac Campsite…
Kouchibouguac Park
Kouchibouguac Visitor Center
8/24: Kouchibouguac
Today we wake up to more rain drizzle. We think we will have a slow morning then get the bikes off the rack! First thing though… showers! The path to the bathhouse is directly across from us so we gather our things and head out. At the end of the path is a sign pointing in either direction for bath house. We turn right and walk, and walk, and walk. Finally we decide to turn around and look at the campground map! We see on the map that we should have turned left for a closer bath house so we head back out! Get there and a big sign across the doors “closed for cleaning”! Of course! The rain has let up so after we get back we decide to wait on the showers for later and get a bike ride in. Mike gets the bikes down and of course; the tires need air! He gets that job done and we start to head out when it begins to rain. Well we already have made the bike ride decision so we just put our rain jackets on and continue on our way.
We had already put bug stuff on but apparently not enough and have had to put more on several times along the way. We eventually get to the boardwalk for Kelly’s Beach and lock the bikes and walk across the boardwalk to the island that Kelly’s Beach is on. It’s beautiful though still a bit wet out so it is not crowded. There is a young man there (college kid) that comes out of the small building there and starts to chat. He gives us a lot of information then Joanne asks about getting lobsters right from the fisherman at Loggiecroft. At first he seems surprised that I would know about it then he tells us where and how.
Kelly’s Beach…
We get back on our bikes and begin to bike again but when we look to see how far we have ridden and think about the bug situation, we both decide it is time to turn around. The bike path is super nice though so we may bike again tomorrow.
Once back at camp we look to see what time it is and decide to try to figure out the lobster thing. We get in the car and drive over (probably 15 minute drive). We park and Mike speaks to a few people before he comes back with 4 (small) lobsters!! They weighed in about 3.75 lbs and we paid $21.00 for them!! They were delicious! But both Mike and I agree it is easier to just buy lobster rolls and skip the work!! But it made for a fun adventure to go to the docks and buy them right from the lobstermen!
Yesterday when we made it over to Kelly’s Beach we thought it might be fun to come back over if it were nice out and take a nice long walk on the beach. So that’s what we did! And it didn’t disappoint at all!! We rode our bikes over to the boardwalk again then walked 2 miles out and 2 miles back. Lots of exercise!!
Kelly’s Beach with some sun…
Friday 8/26/2022: Arriving at Carleton Sur Mer QC
Today we thought we had an easy, fairly short drive to get to our destination. It turned out to be much longer than we thought.
Along our drive we do stop for gas (both MH and MINI), we get propane (both MH and portable tank), and we stop for some groceries. Still, all in all, we drove from 9:00 until 3:30! But with the time change it would have been 4:30.
Crossing into Quebec today…
Once there we got set up; again it is raining out! BUT we love this spot! The campground is on a narrow peninsula so there is water on both sides of the campground. Our site has us looking out over a small cove directly at the small town. We see a church with a steeple and can hear the bells chime from the bell tower! We are lucky to have the front table to set up and be able to sit at our front window and look at such a view! Without much to do, because it is raining, we call it an early night and get to bed early; tomorrow looks like it should be a better day!
Today Mike suggested going for a drive up to the top of a mountain we can see across the cove. We have a leisurely morning, get showers in the rig and set out. The drive is very steep but we can see peeks of the views even before we get to the top. We didn’t expect to see a gate with a fee to get in but it’s not pricey ($18.00 CAN for both of us). So we pay the admission and park. The views are amazing!! Mont St. Joseph park is a definite must when you are here!
Nice views from the top…
There is a chapel with a light show that is iffy but was included with admission. Reading the interpretive signs is interesting. But just looking at the views is so worth it! There area a few hiking trails around there either starting along the drive or from the top but we didn’t do any of them. Once down from the mountain we take a drive around town. This is just the cutest small town! We both wish we could find something exactly like it somewhere in New England. We park to take some pics then walk along the boardwalk adjacent to the water and then Mike finds a brewery, which is perfect. We sit in the sun with two different flights and listen to the band and people watch for a bit. We talk a little about what we could do tomorrow but make no decisions at this point. We head home to a salmon dinner then sit out by the campfire for a bit.
A flight in Carleton Su Mer…
8/28/2020: Carleton Sur Mer:
Today we think about a few things to do but the campsite is so beautiful we decide just to relax at camp and have a quiet day. Mike starts out lubing up a few things while Joanne goes for a walk along the water. We have breakfast then relax outside with a cup of tea and then each of us does a few chores that have been nagging at us. Once finished we take a walk on the beach and Joanne finds some sea glass to add to her collection :-). On the way back we come across two new campers that have just arrived and are setting up camp. Both tow newer mini convertibles!! Of course we had to stop for a chat. The chat was a little broken as they don’t speak English well and we speak no French. But we all tried!! Of course we all know Mike and as soon as we get back to camp he started scouring the internet looking for used, newer-than-ours mini convertibles!!
A great day overall!!
Carleton Su Mer and the peninsula behind us…
Adding Quebec to our map…
Great sunsets from our campsite here…
8/29/2022:
We depart today heading for Gaspe and Forillon NP. The drive is nice though just as we pass through Perce the hills get very steep. We did wish we had booked a site in Perce, but at this point think we hope to drive back in the Mini while we are in the Gaspe.
Perce…
We pull in to the campground and try to get moved to a waterfront site but no deal; the desk girl says they are all taken. So we set up on site # 7. It is a long site and does have privacy on both sides. And the park is far from full so no one is actually on either side of us (or in front or behind). We have plenty of privacy. Once set up we check things out. The rest rooms and laundry are immaculate! But showers are pay so we will likely shower in our own RV which is fine since we have full hook-ups. We also plan to get some laundry done since it is so clean! Though we don’t have a water front site we do have some peeks of water from the RV and there are sitting areas for anyone to use near the fencing overlooking the water and cliffs. Tomorrow is an iffy day so Joanne plans some things that are short in duration just in case we get caught in some rain.
Camping Griffon campground on the Gaspe Peninsula…
Today upon wake up it appears to be a nice day. But in looking at AccuWeather there could be some rain. So Joanne has planned some activities that would be OK if we get caught in some rain. We start out at the visitor center to investigate. We want to view the film but the English version doesn’t begin for 30 minutes so we do the short loop trail right behind the visitor center. Next up is the film. Very good and interesting. After that we do the moderate trail from the visitor center to the
lighthouse. The Phare de Cap des Rosiers is a 37-metre lighthouse and the tallest in Canada. It was built in 1858.
Now we have finished with the Visitor Center area we head into the north section of the park and get to the trail head for the Chutes trail (to a waterfall). As we are driving there is begins to sprinkle so we put our rain jackets on and continue to do the trail. This trail is more difficult than the other two but it feels like actual hiking. There is more elevation and many steps. With the rain it is not crowded and we are walking through the woods so that helps with the rain. As we get past the pool under the falls and continue on the hiking trail there are three teenaged girls skinny dipping in an offshoot of the falls! When they see us coming they try to cover up and just giggle a bunch. We mind our own business and continue with the hike!
Chutes Fall Trail…(Forillon National Park)
Once finished the hike we head home since it is raining and already after 4:00. A nice day and although we didn’t feel like we did a lot we are tired and sleep well.
8/31: Joanne’s Birthday:
Upon wake up it is already raining. Mike takes some time to create an amazing birthday slide show to post on Instagram & Facebook for Joanne’s birthday. Once breakfast is over we decide to spend some time at the Gaspe Museum. Because it is raining we feel it will make good use of our time. The museum (although quite small) is interesting and not sure why, but the girl only charged us for one! Once finished we head to a wine store and find one right next to the McDonalds in Gaspe and then head right up the upper road to a restaurant to celebrate #65 for Joanne. We eat at Brise Bise. The food was OK and we were able to eat outside on a covered patio. Next up the chore of grocery shopping which was right in the same parking area for the restaurant! A great day considering the rain!
Happy birthday Joanne…
Happy birthday Joanne…
9/1/2022: Hiking in Forillon
When looking over the guide book and online for the park and things to do Joanne had seen a hike along the coast. The Les Graves trail leaves from three places; we chose to depart from the Hyman General Store and hike to the Land’s End at Cap Gaspe Lighthouse. Total miles in the end was 10.6. And we were def feeling it! We saw a ton of bear scat but no bears. The views were spectacular! We stayed mostly on the hiking trail though there was a gravel road you could follow if you wanted. Once we left the lighthouse we stayed on the gravel road for a bit as we thought the views of the water would be better than hiking in the woods the way we came. We were right! Once back to camp we got showers and had dinner (and soaked our feet!!). But we felt great about our accomplishment!
Along the trail…
Cap Gaspe Lighthouse
9/2/22: More hiking in Forillon
Mike had read someplace that Cap-Bon-Ami was very pretty and Joanne had seen a hike (Mont-Saint-Alban) that takes you to a tower to see 360 degree views of the area. Though leaving for the hike from Cap-Bon-Ami was supposed to be more difficult we decided to combine them to save drive time. Cap-Bon-Ami was spectacular!! But the information we got was true; beginning the hike from the start point was brutal! We got it done but it was a grueling hike because of the way we chose to go. With the hike we did the day before, this was a lot and we were truly exhausted by the time we finished. We got home and packed some thing for tomorrow’s departure. We know we will have FHU at our next location so we don’t worry too much about the tanks. A good night sleep and we are off tomorrow for Sainte Flavie! This is officially our turn around point; the furthest north and east we go this year!
The view from the top!
360 views from the top of the tower & hike…
9/3/22: The drive from Gaspe to St. Flavie:
Because of how our site is situated, we are able to hitch up the car the night before making departure that much easier. Once we depart we have no idea what is in store for us! This drive all day long is truly amazing!! The views all day are awesome and indescribable. To top it off we pull in to a campground that is right on the water with absolutely beautiful views!! We pull in to the site to take advantage of the views of the water. Also we are on site # 1 giving us much more space than the other campsites in the park. There is a seafood restaurant on site so we planned on taking advantage of it during our stay. We saw that it closes the next day so we will go tonight. This is a perfect day!!
Driving South along the St Lawrence River…
A fair amount of road construction…
Along the drive on this day…
9/4/22: Ste. Flavie:
We had read about an art “gallery” right down the street from the campground called Le Grand Rassemblement. It is a gathering of crude figures placed in the St. Lawrence River. We find our way there and it is actually pretty cool, though it only takes about ten minutes of time there to view it. From there we head to the Point Au Pere Lighthouse. Once there we realize it is much more than a lighthouse! It is also the location of the memorial for the Empress of Ireland (a ship like Titanic). There is also a submarine there. Upon entering the admission area we get a bonus- today is free admission day! So we spend several hours there at the museum, Mike going up to the top of the lighthouse (Joanne freaked out bc of the narrowness and steepness of the stair area), and then touring the submarine! Very interesting afternoon!
Once finished the fun parts of the day, we now have to get our chores accomplished; groceries and propane. We find propane at Rony’s and groceries at Super C in Rimouski.
Back home at our RV we set about enjoying the absolutely beautiful views from the campsite. The sunset is spectacular!! Another perfect day!!
Camping at Capitaine Homard along the St Lawrence at Sunset…
Our campsite at daybreak… What a view & location…
The view and Restaurant right behind our campsite….
9/5/2022: St. Flavie
As the MINI has been struggling some Mike has been researching new car options. One turns up this morning and he ends up spending most of the day negotiating and researching what all would have to happen if we decided to buy a car while on the road. Seems with the market the way it is car manufacturers are making less manual transmission cars and the used car market is crazy. Not much out there! So while Mike spends the day working on that Joanne walks the beach a few times (looking for seaglass!) and also a bit of time investigating things to do in Quebec City; our next destination. Turns out to be a somewhat relaxing day with another beautiful sunset!
9/6/2022: Travel day to Levis QC
Today’s drive is not as spectacular as the one from Gaspe to St Flavie but still very nice. It is an easy drive and takes about 4:1/2 hours. We are able to get gas along the way in a small Petro Canada station (easy in / easy out).
When we get off rt 20 as per GPS we end up doing the final 8 Km on a rd full of construction! It is horrendous! Dusty, gravelly, full of machinery making not much room for us on a one lane section. Made for a stressful ending to the day of driving.
Once into the park we realize that where we will be parked for the 4 days will be pretty noisy with I-20 running right in front of our camper! But the rest of the park is pretty nice. It is a Passport America park so we are paying half the price!
After setting up we take a walk around the campground. We see a 40’ Canyon Star with an orange Jeep and Mike begins to strike up a conversation. When the guy turns to answer Mike we all realize it is Gordon and Joanne that we met in January of 2020 at the Quartzite rally!! We bring our chairs over and chat until way late that night! They leave tomorrow for Gaspe as they are doing similar stops but in reverse of us! So funny how small this world really is!
9/7/2022: MINI Service day
Mike had made an appointment at MINI of Quebec several weeks ago when our AC stopped working and we also need an oil change. This is convenient and the service needs to be done. Mike leaves to take the car leaving Joanne with some quiet time for what turns out to be the day. Since the car needs more work than we thought and the parts need to be ordered we realize we will be without the car on Friday as well. With one less day in Quebec we will have to try to fit everything we wanted to do in three days into two. So Joanne is recommending that we drive Isle d’ Orlean’s tomorrow and Friday after we drop the car off they will give us a ride into QC. Hopefully we can get everything done in QC in the time we have there 🙁
9/8/2022: Ile d O’rlean’s
Today as we drive over to get onto the island we notice that the brakes we will have repaired tomorrow sound absolutely horrible! How did we not notice this before? Joanne suggests going back to camp and not doing the drive but we continue on. The drive is awesome. Such a pretty place with lots of farmland, little farm markets, and places to pull over for pics. We stop at several farm markets to get some apples and end up getting corn! And it was very yummy! There was some construction on the roads which slowed us down some but we were able to pull over to get some great pictures, walked to the top of the tower and had lunch at the food truck there. There are also public rest rooms there. Nice view from the top of the tower.
Once we finished the drive and crossed the bridge back we get to the Montmorency Falls just on the other side of the bridge. The website shows a lot more to do at the falls but much is closed due to construction. No matter; we weren’t planning to zip line over the falls or walk along the wall using rails anyway! We walk up the many steps to get up to the top of the falls and walk across the suspension bridge. The walk down the steps is much easier than going up!! There is a gondola to the top as well but we were looking to get some exercise.
All in all a great day!
Ile drive d O’rlean’s…
Beautiful drive with the Laurentians in the background…
Today is our day to spend in Quebec City. First we have to drop the car at MINI of QC. This means we will not be taking the ferry across from Levis to QC. Joanne was really looking forward to that but we must stay flexible if we live on the road! We arrived at the MINI dealership around 8:30 but by the time Mike spoke to the rep and our driver (Pierre) came out to gather us it was already after 10:00. Then as he was driving us in he told us he would be picking us back up around 2:30. Feeling the pinch!
As we got to the Old Quebec area and were surprised to see the Grand Prix World Cycling Tour was going on! So fun to watch as we strolled through Old Town! We saw the cathedrals and historic buildings, stopped for lunch in the upper area then noticed we should have waited until the lower area! Oh well…. While eating lunch we could watch all the cyclists wiz by; we were at a table with the two windows wide open for great people (and cycle) watching. We were right across the street from the Notre Dame Basilica and heard the bells go off at 12:00 (can’t believe they tolled for about 30 minutes!!)
Tour de Quebec City…
Tour de Quebec City…
Quebec City…
Old Quebec City… (Lower area)
Quebec City…
Quebec City…
Totally enjoyed the day and headed back to our drop off place to meet our driver at 2:30 and while we were waiting he called to tell us he would meet us at 3:30 instead🤦♀️. So we did walk back to the lower area for a little bit but by the time we got there it was time to head back to the meet up place. We picked up the car and talked about parking at the ferry in Levis and ferry back in for dinner but the traffic was so bad getting back to Levis we scrapped it and prepared to move on to Montreal tomorrow. We totally loved Quebec City and are already talking about returning
9/10/2022: Montreal
The drive to Montreal takes about 3 1/2 hours and is uneventful. We get in around 2:00 and get situated on our site. The campground (Camping La Cle des Champs) is an RV resort and we are pretty excited about having some nice amenities! Once we are set up we head up to the pool. The water is a bit chilly so we switch to the hot tub instead!
Camping Near Montreal…
Not a bad campsite here…
Our neighbors are very nice and we spend some time chatting with them for a bit. We find out it isn’t too difficult to drive in to Old Town Montreal and park, so that is our plan for tomorrow. Joanne gets a plan together for the day and we are ready to have a great day in Montreal!
9/11/2022: Old Town Montreal
Getting onto Old Town and parking is no issue at all! Actually quite easy on a Sunday! We are hoping to get on a walking tour but aren’t sure where the Cycling event (same as in Quebec City) is running today. We just know it is Montreal; just not sure where and if it will interfere with our day. As it turns out the cycling tour is in an entirely different area of the city and we won’t be effected by it at all! We are able to get onto an 11:00am walking tour and in the meantime we wander around a bit. The tour leaves right from in front of the Notre Dame Basilica so thinking as soon as the tour is over we will do the tour of the basilica. The walking tour is great as it gets us to many of the sites Joanne has marked off to see, unfortunately the guide is probably the weakest guide we have ever had. Following the tour we go inside to tour the Church of Margarita Bourgeoys, then head back to tour Notre Dame Basilica (with about a $15.00 admission for two).
BreWsky’s…
After that we wander the streets and into a few souvenir shops hoping to find a Canada sweatshirt for Mac- but no luck! After a bit we settle in at the BreWsky, in the shade, for a flight and some nacho’s talking about what a great few days we have had. Almost time to head back to the USA. We head home through a bit of traffic where Joanne takes a nap and Mike chats with the neighbor! A great day!
9/11/22:
Today looks like the best day to do a hike to the top of Le Mont Royal. It should be sunny where as tomorrow looks to be rainy! This park is like Central Park- in the middle of Montreal so a drive through the main part of Montreal to get to parking. Once we get to the parking lot we try to figure out how to pay! The pay station is there but the directions are all in French😳. Joanne finally asks someone walking around to help us out and then we are set! Off we go to the top of Mount Royal! The walk itself is pretty boring on a gravel road similar to the Carriage Trail in Acadia. Once to the top the views are awesome! And there is a Chateau at the top with public restrooms and a place refill water bottles. The trail is not well marked and there are quite a few off shoots so using AllTrails to keep us on track was very helpful!
Montreal, Quebec from the top of Le Mont Royal…
Mont Le Royal Cross…
Descending on our hike from the top of Mont Le Royal we fortuitously arrived with only about 20 minutes left on our parking spot, so very good planning! More traffic on the way home and a bit of construction in the whole area driving across Montreal back to the campground.
The next day it rains so we catch up on laundry, family calls, and some planning for our return to the states. The Canadian Maritimes and Quebec Province have been an incredible trip. We both reflect on how fortunate we are for this continuing Revolutionary Journey… Tomorrow we head back over the border passing thru Plattsburgh, NY where our lives together started 46 years ago !
Mike Nunan is a committed life long learner... Deciding to sell their Connecticut home after 30 years in 2018, where they raised their family, and then selling his business, followed by his wife Joanne deciding to retire from her 34 year teaching career, together they embarked on this full-time RV adventure... traveling, exploring, photographing, hiking, and enjoying this incredible world and gift we call life...
We are the Nunan's. College sweethearts who married 43 years ago. Joanne a teacher & Mike a professional photographer. We have 2 incredible adult children that we take pride in everyday and are thankful for the life, experience, and adventure we have on this "Revolutionary Journey"....
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