June 12, Part 1 - Nova Scotia

Getting ready to check out soon, so I thought I would post quickly. You will get another "twofor" today!

Slept really well (I love these hotel pillows so far; I want to know where they get them!), and up early enough for breakfast again. The free breakfast here only runs until 8:30, so I missed it the first day by about 20 minutes. Thank goodness for in-room coffee!

Had a hot breakfast this morning - pancakes! They have a cool machine that looks like a big toaster oven. You just press a button, stick your plate under the roller at the end, and voila! A pancake comes out! Pretty neat. Juice and coffee (two glasses of juice). Figured I would fuel up for the road!

Thank heavens for elevators :) I have been slowly packing the car this morning as I really did not want to deal with the cart trolley by myself - it is large and unwieldy. Took some stuff down last night, and have made about 3 trips this morning already. Fortunately the really heavy stuff has wheels; the rest I tried to lighten up a bit, or as much as possible. Glad I packed light.

As a side note, having made so many trips up and down in the elevator, I looked at the operating license. It is called "License to Operate an Elevating Device" here. Sometimes it does not take much to amuse me!

One last trip down, and checkout. Then head to PEI. Most directions want to send you via the ferry, which I do not want to take. It takes just as long, and there is a hefty fee for vehicles (plus tax). I will drive across the Confederation Bridge (which is a hair over 8 miles long). There is still a hefty toll - $46 CAD - but it is less than the ferry. Plus I will get to see some of the countryside!

The whole point of my trip :)

As promised, the weather today is cold and drizzly. Showers off and on, and a bit windy as well. In addition to a long sleeve T-shirt I have on a light sweatshirt and will wear my rain jacket. If this weather keeps up I forsee myself buying a heavier sweatshirt in PEI.

So until tonight! The Defiant Traveler travels on :)

June 11 - Nova Scotia

Before I forget... I edited yesterday's post about Smileys Provincial Park a bit. I was so tired last night I could barely keep my eyes open! Got a good night's sleep, and actually got downstairs in time for some of that free continental breakfast at the hotel. Coffee, juice, bowl of cereal.

I was undecided last night on today's destination; I did not get to the Bay of Fundy yesterday, and I had wanted to go to Halifax today. So I did it the scientific way: tossed a coin :) Actually I took my sister's advice and listened to my back (yeah I know you are all tired of hearing about it by now). Besides, today being Saturday I figured the traffic in Halifax would be pretty bad, and it is about 2 1/2 hours each way from New Glasgow.

The Bay of Fundy drive was only 1hour down and 1-1/2 hours back, and that is something I really, really did not want to miss having come all this way! I knew that I would miss the high tides; they come in at around 6 AM and 6 PM. The 6 AM was not happening, and 6 PM was too late for me!

Today dawned clear and warm (around 60), so it was a gorgeous day. Even at almost low tide, the Bay of Fundy is extremely impressive. I headed toward the Minas Basin area (that is where the highest tides occur). When I drove down the hill and stopped at the stop sign over the rise, my jaw literally dropped. There it was - right in front of me. I think I waved a bunch of cars by. There was no place I could stop and take a picture (houses, people, cars) right there, but I did get some good ones in other spots.

Minas Basin

Receding tide

There are a lot of houses that are right on the Bay, moreso than I expected. I found myself wondering if the people who lived there ever took the sight for granted? How could one!

Edge of Minas Basin, receding tide

Stopped for gas in a small town, and it was not self-serve! The fellows pumping gas had uniforms and everything. Most cool. Also the gas price was a little less than at some other stations. I start to get nervous when it gets down around 1/4 tank; going through some of these small towns as I have, I have found the gas stations to be few and far between. So I fill up when I can. (Mustang + back roads = lots'a fuel! Excellent highway mileage; back roads not so much!)

I followed the Glooscap Trail for a bit on the way back, which roughly runs along the western coast of Nova Scotia. Absolutely gorgeous! Stopped and took a few pictures of a tributary of the Bay as well.

Tributary, tide receeded

Tributary, tide receeded

 The reason the mud is red: The red mudflats of the upper Bay of Fundy are exposed with each low tide. The accumulated sediment supports an abundance of life, such as mudshrimp, which only thrive in this consistency of mud. It is these life forms which give the mud its rich red hue.

Your science lesson for the day!

Of course there were a lot of farms along the way. Here are a few pix of one I pulled over to the side of the road to snap.

Cows

More cows & farmland

 
I also took a random shot through the windshield as I was driving back, just to give an idea of the countryside here. (If you click on any of the pix in this blog, it will show you a larger version.)

Back in New Glasgow, I did a little exploring of the downtown area. There was not a lot to see, and not really any shops that caught my eye. There were a few pub type places, but they did not look like the sort where I would be comfortable solo.

I am also starting to rethink tomorrow's itinerary. Originally I was going to head up to Cape Breton Island and do the Cabot Trail Loop before heading over to Prince Edward Island. HOWEVER.... CBI is an hour from here, and the Cabot Trail Loop takes a good 4 hours. From there it is a 4 hour drive to PEI. Plus it is supposed to rain (and be cold) again tomorrow. Not so sure I am up for that. That will be a very, very long day.

Whereas if I just drive to PEI from here, it will take about 3, 3 1/2 hours. Hmmm.....  Plus I have to load my car myself. Despite my call to the hotel to confirm my reservation and ask if there would be someone to help with my bags (of course! I was assured), there is not. When I arrived I think the manager took pity on me and my bedraggled look (it was raining that day as well), and she helped with the heavier things. At least they have a cart trolley here, and an elevator. I have already taken what I absolutely do not need out to the car today.

Thus far it has truly been an adventure! I cannot believe 4 days have flown by so fast!

I do not regret missing out on Halifax; it was more of a curiosity factor than anything. I had just planned to wander about, see what was what, etc. Maybe take in some shopping. I am much happier having seen the Bay of Fundy, and the Minas Basin today :)

So tomorrow.... PeI here I come!

June 10, Part 2 - New Glasgow, Nova Scotia

Entrance sign at the Park

 Yes, yes I did visit Smileys Provincial Park today! The Canadian version of Mapquest said it would take about 1 1/2 hours; it was closer to 2 with patches of bad road and trucks. The road to get there is only 2 lanes, with limited passing.

Very scenic, however! Lots more farms. And I saw several goat farms. They were cute and I would have loved to have been able to stop, but the road I was on had no shoulder, and a sharp cut-down on the edge. And very winding; it was not safe to stop could I have.

Smileys Park is actually quite large; much larger than I had imagined it would be. Most of it is dedicated to RVs and camping, and there were even a few people tenting! In today's weather.... (cold and drizzly). Although by the time I arrived the sun had broken through it was still quite chilly.

Right now I am beat. I am exhausted and in much need some zzzzs. I leave you with these pix of Smileys Park; most of it is similar. It is very beautiful, and appears to be very well kept. There are quite a few RV stations in addition to a few areas that look to be dedicated for tents.

This tree.... just because it's so cool!

 

I had intended to drive back via the Glooscap Trail, which roughly follows the west coast of Nova Scotia (and thus the Bay of Fundy). It would have added another 4 or so hours to the drive (as opposed to the 1 1/2 to get back to the hotel), and my back was protesting. I was chilly and damp - actually had to put the heat on in the car! In June. So I opted for the shorter route back today, and will rethink the plan of attack for tomorrow!