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Canada East Coast Trip 2022

August - September 2022
This is my six week trip to the east coast of Canada. Read more
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  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 1

    Hamilton to Montreal

    August 8, 2022 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    Hi everyone. This trip is different from the last one. This is a driving trip to the east coast of Canada. I'm going for about 7 weeks. I am going to write this one a little different as well. I plan to write it based on the towns I'm in instead of each day adding a new entry. I will be having driving days when nothing really of note will be happening, so I thought this would be a better way of doing things. Let me know if you like it.

    I packed my Escape and brought the cooler with me for keeping stuff cold along the way. I haven’t been really worried about packing too much because I have the Escape. I put a couple of shelving racks in the back to hold little totes with shoes, kitchen stuff, camera bag, etc. I think this will work well for this trip. I want to see how this works because I’m planning on taking a 4-month trip next year to the west coast. (Stay tuned!)

    Let the trip begin: Hamilton to Montreal:

    I left on Monday August 8th at 5:45 AM. I wanted to beat the Toronto traffic so I thought leaving early would be a good idea. The traffic wasn’t really bad through Toronto, just slow downs but not stopped. So I guess my plan worked. Still took an hour to get through Toronto though. It is an overcast day today which will be good for driving. Once you get past Toronto it’s smooth sailing. Put on some counrty music and just watch the scenery go by. (As well as driving in a safe manner.)

     I only had to stop once for gas and a bite to eat and make it to Montreal by around 2 PM. Laura meets me and we find a place to park. They shut down Mont-Royal Avenue to cars in the summer and it becomes a pedestrian walkway. So, we find a side street for parking. Only a block from where I’m staying. I am staying at a place I have stayed before in February. It is only two blocks from Laura’s and two blocks and two store fronts from the best croissants I have ever tasted. (Yes, there will be lots of food in this blog as well!) I take up my stuff and then head back to Laura’s to catch up on family stuff. I have baked her some oatmeal cookies and brought the book I made from the Greece blog for her to see. Laura has to work and I’m tired from driving, so I make an early night of it.

    On Tuesday, Laura and I do what we do best. Go shopping! I’m not really a shopper but there are a few stores that I like. I pick up some clothes and a couple of pairs of sandals. The most fun I have is dressing Laura and she has no objections to me having fun. We stop for lunch at a crepe restaurant and then continue on. Laura has found a store that sells clothes based on the 50’s and 60’s! Laura has the figure for this, so I splurge for a few outfits. Check out the pictures! She even has crinolines on underneath them!

    Afterwards we head back to get cleaned up for dinner. We are having dinner with Laura’s friends; Kate and Zack. Laura went to school with Kate and I like the pair of them. We have dinner at a place called Boris Bistro. ( http://borisbistro.com/en ) This is a very nice place that is certified gluten free (for Laura). It has an indoor seating area but the outside terrace is so much nicer. It has a nicer menu for a more upscale dining experience. I chose the duck confit and it was wonderful. It was not really that expensive considering we all had a drink and dessert. Kate and Zack are planning to take a motorcycle trip to the tip of South America. I think this is going to be a year long adventure for them. I hope they will do a blog so we can keep up with them. I brought my Greece book for them to see. They were following the blog on line and they both liked the idea of it turning into a hardcover book. We had a great time with these two! When I was in Greece, I was knitting them each a pair of socks to take on their trip, so I hope they liked them. I’m looking forward to seeing them again in September on my return visit.

    After dinner I head back with Laura. We part ways and I head home to pack up for tomorrow. I will be heading to Rimouski and that will be about a 6-hour drive. Talk to you later!    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 3

    One night in Rimouski

    August 10, 2022 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    August 10th: Montreal to Rimouski

    Today I got up early and went to get my breakfast at the bakery. I headed off around 9:30 AM. Getting out of Montreal and on my way was fairly simple. I have created a trip on my Garmin and so far it is working well. The drive I’m doing is along the TransCanada highway. Traffic is good and the weather is overcast again and the temperature is about 20 degrees. It is actually very scenic. The farther I get the more scenic it gets. This route follows the St. Lawrence River and goes through rich farm land which then turns into a more rugged country side. You can see hills and valleys and the trees are turning more to evergreens and white birch. You know you are heading farther north when you see white birch.

    I stopped at a rest stop a couple of hours in to have a bathroom break and stretch my legs. This was a very nice rest stop that had flush toilets and a nice picnic area. You could take a walk around the place and get the blood flowing again. I don’t want to just drive straight through since my back will be toast in no time flat. So, I make a loop of the rest area, grab a croissant and some water and head back out.

    I stop for gas and then for lunch. I make to Rimouski by around 4:30 PM. The place I booked here is for one night only. It is nothing special and unfortunetly is on a busy street with train tracks across the street. Not sure how good I’ll sleep tonight. It is clean though and has everything I need for one night. I take a walk down to the river and find a little place where I pickup some cheese, bread and sliced ham for dinner. This is all I really need. I head back to the room and have a nice shower, some dinner and write up my blog.

    Tomorrow, I head to the Gaspe region for a few days. See you then.

    I went down to the water this morning. They have a very nice waterfront area. There are stores, restaurants and bars. The view was nice (tide was out)    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 4

    Rimouski to Gaspe

    August 11, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today started off okay. I got a good start at around 9 AM. The first few hours were nice. I stopped at a rest stop and had some lunch. I like having the stuff in the cooler. This is where the views just kept getting better the further I went. This region reminds me of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. The mountains and shale with the pines and white birch. Absolutely stunning to drive through. However, the drive itself was terrible.

    As with the rest of Canada, summer is road construction season! So, every 10 kms you had construction. They would shut it down to one lane and have traffic alternate using the one lane! This of course made the delays longer. This combined with small communities where the speed was reduced to 50 kms made for a long day of travel. On top of that I missed one of the turns on the Garmin and increased the trip by 150 kms. I thought it would be that far, but it was. Needless to say, I was very glad when I pulled into my home for the next 3 nights. I’m staying in a motel that has a kitchenette. I’m hoping to get some hiking in but they are calling for rain. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

    The pictures don’t do it justice to the scenery that I came through but take a look and see for yourself. Last note here. I want a refund because they had signs saying that there were moose but I didn’t see any!    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    3
    111
    Day 5

    Lighthouses and Good Food

    August 12, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I slept soooo well last night. Probably had something to do with yesterday's drive. The bed is a bouncy one and a little soft for me but I guess it was okay. It is raining when I get up but it will clear later. I want to see a couple of lighthouses today.

    I made it to the first one. It is about 40 minutes away. The road to get there is a little sketchy but my trusty Escape handles the road well. The road is a dirt road and goes on for about 3 kms. When I get to the parking lot, I see not one but two trucks that have pulled 5th wheels through that mess!

    This lighthouse is called Pointe-a-la-Renommee. They have a whole exhibit there, so get ready for your history lesson. The first lighthouse was built in 1880 and was a wood construction. This one did not weather well and was replaced in 1907 with a steel one that is there today. A little about the life of the lighthouse keeper. He not only had to keep the lighthouse lit (fueling it with oil every 3 hours/24 hours a day) but in foggy weather he had to keep the fog horn going (wood stoked) continuously as well. The really neat thing about the lighthouse is that this is where the first wireless transmission system in Canada. This was installed by the Guglielmo Marconi (famous Italian inventor of wireless transmission) company. This system allowed for communication with the passing ships. It was also used for telegraph messages and radio transmission. They have a wonderful exhibit on Marconi there which is very interactive. They also have a wonderful interactive video giving the history of the lighthouse.

    This lighthouse was decommissioned in 1975. It was then moved to a park in Quebec City. This outraged the locals and it took them 20 years to bring it back. The buildings currently at the site are all replicas of the original buildings and the lighthouse is back where it belongs. This was a marvelous exhibit! After which you can walk along the trails and just take in the beautiful scenery.

    The next lighthouse of the day was Cap Madeleine. This one did not have an exhibit, so I just took a couple of pictures. They do have a campground (of sorts) there. Only $20.00/night. I noticed quite a few campgrounds along the way. I’m not sure what kind of services they have but I can say most of them have killer views of the coast line!
    One thing about this area is the amount of time it takes you to drive from one area to another. I was going to head to a third lighthouse but I only had a couple of hours until sunset and didn’t want to drive home in the dark. You know that is when I’d meet that moose on some lonely stretch of road up in the mountains! So instead, I went to dinner.
    I found a place called Captainerie in Riviere-Madel. This was a place at one of the local ports where a few fishing vessels were moored. I saw a sign and followed it. Thank goodness I did!! They usually take reservations but they had a table that was open for an hour. I jumped at it. This has been the best food I have had this side of the Atlantic in forever. I ordered was they called a rib steak. This was marinated and cooked to perfection! Juicy, tender, flavourful. I was in culinary heaven. The salad and fries were okay. The wine was very good. The price $24.00 for the dinner, was excellent! The view was great! I’m so glad I stopped.

    It took me another 1.5 hours to get home and the shadows were getting very long by this time. I’m glad I didn’t do the third lighthouse.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 6

    Finally a Waterfall and a Lighthouse

    August 13, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Today I set out to find a waterfall. The national park here in Gaspe is called Forillon National Park. It is huge, it takes up the entire point here with 244 square kilometers of trees and hiking trails. They have camping as well for those of you who like the great outdoors. There is a waterfall here down one of the moderate hikes. This is all downhill or uphill (when your done down there). The waterfall is not spectacular (remember I live by Niagara Falls!) however, it is a waterfall. It is 17 meters tall and during the summer months it is not flowing at full power. If you want to see it ‘at full power’ you need to see it in the spring with the thaw. In the summer you can see the moss on the rocks and it looks pretty. There is a small pool at the bottom where the kids like to splash around in.

    Just before you reach the park there is a lighthouse. It is called Cap-des-Rosiers. It was built in 1858 and stands 112’ tall. It is the tallest lighthouse in Canada and the stone walls are 7’ thick at the base and taper to 3’ at the top. The lighthouse site 136’ above water level to help ensure safe passage of the ships. Once again, I’m drawn to the rugged beauty of the shore line. This area never disappoints for scenery.

    I head back to the hotel for a bite to eat and pack up. My time in Gaspe and Quebec is done. Onto New Brunswick and more adventures.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 7

    Bye to Quebec, Hello to New Brunswick

    August 14, 2022 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Today is a driving day. It is overcast with light rain. When I start out there is a mist coming off the mountains. Just adds to the appeal of the area for me. I’m heading to New Brunswick and I am staying at an Air BnB for the next few days a few kilometers outside of Bathurst. This place is amazing! This is why I stay at Air BnB places. The last place was a motel and not very good. I got it off Booking.com and the pictures they showed on line were for the ‘new’ section of the motel. Apparently, it was full and I got the room in the ‘old’ section which hasn’t been renovated since the last millennium! However, this place is WOW. I have a two-bedroom house in the country side, with a wraparound deck. This place has a really nice kitchen (yes there is a dishwasher), nice bathroom with a washer and dryer, nice sitting areas and a huge bedroom with a cedar lined closet. All for less money than the motel.

    The drive is good but long. You have to travel along the coast of Gaspe to get to New Brunswick. The scenery is beautiful so the drive doesn’t take to long. I hit the grocery store in Bathurst first and pickup some food and head to my new place for the next few days. I throw in some laundry while I eat and settle in for a pleasant evening.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 8

    Shy Waterfall and a Nature Preserve

    August 15, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today I start out looking for the South Tetagouchie waterfalls. I did find it not too far from me. You can hear the waterfall gushing over the rocks and it sounds like it is going to be a good one. However, after getting to the viewing platform, you can’t see anything! There is too much brush and trees covering the view. So, I try to see if there is a way down to the falls to get a different view. No luck. This area is quite rocky with steep slopes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get a real photo! It does exist, honest! I was there but I just have little evidence of it.

    So next on the list was Daly Nature Preserve. It is just outside of Bathurst. It has a welcome centre but that was closed the day I got there. The trails are easy to walk and laid out nicely. There are not too many people here but bring the bug spray, there are many mosquitos! They have many information signs along the way that tell you of the trees as well as the animals that are around there. There is one trail that heads along the bay. I take this one down to the water. Unfortunately, there were no birds or wildlife to take pictures of. Just some tourist ;.) The weather is a bit warm but the trails are secluded in the trees which shield you from the sun. I always bring my water and trail bars, so I’m good.

    I head back for some dinner and a pleasant evening in my quiet little place.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    1
    Day 9

    Family Time, Warning Cute Kids!

    August 16, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Today I get to go see my daughter Annie and her family. Annie, Chris and the kids moved out here last fall and I haven’t seen them since. Chris’s parents bought a RV Park and Annie and Chris moved out here to help them with it. So today I take the drive down to visit with them for the day. I haven’t seen my grandson, Sullivan, since he was born in February.

    The drive down to where they are is about an hour and 15 minutes. Once again, the scenery is beautiful! You don’t see much traffic on the back roads and even the highways are not congested like in southern Ontario. I make it there and finally get to see everyone. Chris has to work for a couple of hours, so Annie and I can catch up. Gideon, who is 2.5 years, and I play Frisbee and I get to hold Sullivan for the first time. Gideon is a bundle of energy and Sullivan is a very happy little guy! We head inside for a bit to cool off and catch up on stuff.

    The RV Park is right on the river and this is going to be a place to raise the kids. They have tons of room to run around! It is a slower pace out here and people are much more friendly and helpful. It is a little isolated since they are outside the town but that adds to the peace and tranquility.

    Afterward we head down to a restaurant for a late lunch. I have forgotten what it was like to have two small children. I’m so glad that I am past that stage of life. I don’t have the energy or patience anymore. However, that said it is nice to see them all again.

    I head back to pack up, tomorrow I head further down the road.    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 11

    Fishes, One Night Stand and a Bridge!

    August 18, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I have to leave my quiet country home this morning. It is so pleasant to wake up to birds chirping! I’m not much of a city person and the drone of cars and trucks annoys me to no end. I head out this morning and am going to head to the aquarium in Shippagan. It is a lovely drive with tons of trees. (Still no moose though!) Along the way I spot a beautiful church and decide to stop in. This is the church of St Simon and St Jude, located in Grande-Anse. Built in 1868. I take a moment or two to sit and thank God for all the blessings I have. My health, my family, the ability to travel among other things. There is no one else here and it is quite peaceful. There is a cemetary on the property and backs onto the water. A nice pit stop to stretch the legs. The day is slightly overcast but no rain here yet. I make it to the aquarium and head inside.

    They have a well laid out, interactive display about the marine life in the area. Then you go into the tank areas where they are brimming with life. Each tank area has a display of what is in each tank. I miss scuba diving and playing with my little friends, so this is a real treat for me. There are many tanks and it takes a couple of hours to go through this area. Warning: some of these fishies are really, really ugly and look much better once served with a lemon wedge and some tarter sauce! Outside the building they have three cute seals in an outdoor area. I missed feeding time but they are still cute to watch as they swim around. I think one is a baby one.

    After the aquarium I head down to Shediac, where I’m staying the night. The rain starts to come and slows down the drive a bit. It is not too far of a drive so the delay is okay. Then of course you have the construction that slows you down again. The place I’m staying in is an old manor house converted to an Inn. (https://www.aubergegabrieleinn.com/en/) Because it is a historical building, it has all the charm of long ago but with the conveniences that you like. I’m only here for one night before I head to P.E.I. I check in and head down for some dinner at the restaurant. I have a lovely linguini with lobster and shrimp. Pared with a glass of white wine and carrot cake for dessert. I head back to my room for some reading and then some sleep.

    The next morning, I have breakfast at the Inn and head off to P.E.I. My first stop there is in Charlottetown. The drive there is great since the rain has left. I get to go across Confederation Bridge that joins P.E.I. to the main land in New Brunswick. Warning! History lesson coming. This was competed on May 31, 1997. Previous to this a ferry ran from New Brunswick to P.E.I. It spans 12.9 kilometers (8 miles) across the Northumberland Strait. It is the longest bridge in the world that spans ice-covered water. Yay Canada! It took 5000 workers 4 years and 1.3 billion dollars to build. It is only a two-lane bridge and no pedestrians or bicycles are allowed (there is a shuttle that takes pedestrians and bicycles across). The construction of the bridge has significantly increased the amount of tourism in P.E.I.

    I make it to my destination for the next 3 nights. Once again it is an Air BnB place. This one is a basement apartment in a quiet neighbourhood. Since I’m on an island for the next week you know there are going to be lighthouses to be had! Stay tuned!    Read more

  • TravelerCanada East Coast Trip 2022
    Day 12

    More Lighthouses and My First Chowder

    August 19, 2022 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    I get to my new home yesterday. It is a basement apartment in a quiet subdivision. The downstairs is large. The bathroom is big with a full-size bathtub and shower. The finishings are all new. The kitchen area has a hot plate instead of a stove but that’s okay. The bedroom is comfortable as well. Once I settle in, I start to notice a few oddities. There are only two windows, which are in the bedroom. So, the rest of the place is without natural light and no way to get air circulation. It seems cold but I then realize that it is that dampness that comes to all basements. They have baseboard heaters down here with several thermostats but I’m thinking they have the breakers off because they don’t come on at all. The furniture is from the 70’s and I quickly realize that they don’t really care about their guest’s comfort. The outside is also unkempt; the lawn needs mowing the shrubs need trimming. I’m wonder if anyone actually lives here. I do hear people in the morning walking around upstairs but I don’t really see anyone for the three nights I’m here. Ah well, I’ll deal with it and make a mental note to not book basement apartments again.

    My first full day I head out to find some lighthouses. Prince Edward Island has 63 of them apparently, I head to the north shore to see if I can find some. The drive is very beautiful, through lots of farm land (potatoes, corn, potatoes, hay, potatoes, etc.) The day is overcast but promises to clear up as the day goes on. I get to the first one in Dalvay Park. There is also a huge beach there as well. I head to the beach first. I make my way down to the beach and find no one there. This is a very big beach with red sand. The sea is calm and it looks like a nice place for a dip. Maybe if the weather was nicer. I make my way back to the car and head over to the lighthouse. This one is called Covehead lighthouse. It is not that tall and it is made of wood, but I’m sure it can be seen for miles. It is painted white with red trim. It is still in operation. You can’t go into these lighthouses. Okay onto the next one.

    It is a pretty drive along the coast. There are little hamlets and lots of farms and wide-open spaces. The next one is in North Rustico Harbour. This little place is a larger village. It has a nice harbour and a walk way to get to the sea. I might as well get some exercise since I’m driving so much. I see a statue of a fisherman in the water and have to take a look. He is making a very good roost for a sea gull! The plaque states that it depicts a typical Rustico Acadian fisherman bringing home a 30-pound cod for dinner. This area was first settled by 6 Acadian families in 1767 and it honours the perseverance of these families. It also celebrates 250 years of fishing the bounty of the sea. Nice! I continue walking toward the lighthouse. You can see many buildings that were probably used for fish processing back in the day. There are quite a few houses and it looks like there are quite a few families living here. I make it to the lighthouse which again is white with red trim. There is not much of a beach area here though so it must be more of a fishing harbour. I did notice a few restaurants though and it is almost 2:00 PM.

    I choose one and have my first bowl of chowder with a cheese biscuit and a glass of raspberry lemonade. It is delicious, full of potatoes, whitefish, some clams and maybe crab? In any case it is great! Yes, there is a picture below. I walk back to the car and head off to find the next light house.

    As I drive, I head through a town called Cavendish. I’m thinking that this is the main town up on the north shore. It is very large and seems to have a carnival atmosphere to it. There are several camping places like KOA’s and other private campgrounds. There are several motels as well. There is also an area with rides and go carts and I also see a golf course. This where the Anne of Green Gables homestead is located. There is the house where Anne was supposed to have grown up in. It is quite busy and loud. So unlike the peaceful towns I have passed through. Anyways I’m just passing through.

    The last lighthouse for today is in Cape Town. I have programmed all of these into the Garmin and have just been following along. Now Garmins are great but you have to stop and question it when it takes you off the main roads and down a red dirt road. I’m glad I drive an Escape that can handle some ‘off-roading’. Down the one lane road I go. Good thing no one else is here! I come up on a crest and actually see the lighthouse! Well, I guess technology knew what it was doing this time. It is once again a white and red lighthouse (I’m starting to see a pattern here!) made out of wood. You can see the light going around like a quiet sentinel keeping the ships safe. This one has some interesting shoreline with what look like caves. There is no way down there from land, so I can’t check them out. You can really see the red clay that makes up this island.

    I head back down the red dirt road (going to need a car wash) and then head home. Hope you liked the lighthouses, more to come.    Read more

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