Reached the east coast of Canada

25th August: Rogersville to Bouctouche (8km south of)

Odometer: 115 km, Start: 9.15am, Finish: 6.00pm, Avg: 21.0 km/h,
Weather: Sunny, Temp: 15-24°C
Road Conditions: #480, no shoulder, some rough surface sections, deserted. #134/505/475 (from Saint Louis de Kent I followed the “Acadian Coastal Drive” signage), gravel shoulders, average road surfaces, very light traffic. Gas station St. Louis (40km). Services: Richibucto (50km), Bouctouche (105km). Ascent: 220m/260m.

I left Rogersville refreshed from my day off. Thanks to Freda and Garry at Chez Freda Restaurant & Motel for making me so welcome. (Garry even took me on a drive around the local area one evening). I was also upbeat, I was about to hit the east coast of Canada!

“And to my right we have the Atlantic Ocean” (Northumberland Strait)...

I began to look for glimpses of open water around St. Louis-de-Kent and Richibucto, straining my eyes up estuarial rivers, but an archipelago of islands sat just off the coast and blocked my view. It wasn’t until I got to Cap-Lumière that I took in my first view of open sea in 2½ months! I’d reached the east coast of Canada! I could also just make out Prince Edward Island 20km off the coast. I should be on the island tomorrow evening.

Is that a galleon I see before me?

I continued southwards hugging the coastline and following the Acadian Coastal Drive, a signed scenic tourist route. It was very quiet, although the roads were a bit bumpy and the wind was whipping in off the sea.

Err... no.

Just after Saint-Eduoard-de-Kent I met another two female Trans-Canada cyclists who had also set out from Vancouver! We chatted for a while about our experiences. They’d just ridden the infamous Plaster Rock to Renous #108 and had done a wild camp half way. They’d found it equally as tough. Funnily enough, they’d even heard of me from various sources over the last few days. (I was a day or so ahead of them, on the same roads from Quebec, until my rest day synchronised us). My reputation precedes me!

At Saint-Edouard-de-Kent

I stopped for an evening meal in Bouctouche and they carried on a while. (I should see them again tomorrow, I think). After the meal, I asked Madame about places to stay. Within a minute, she’d rang a couple of numbers and fixed me up with a nice B&B right on my route going south! Merci Madame! What a nice day it’s been…

Just before Bouctouche