Tuesday July 4th - Canadian Maritimes to New York 2017

Happy Independence Day everyone!

We departed the Cornwall KOA after most everyone else from the caravan had departed. We have a short travel day and waited until later in the morning to leave. We started traveling on the Trans-Canada Highway 1.

The town of Bonshaw was named by WW Irving. It is named after Bonshaw, near his native Dumphries in Scotland. The scenic highway from Borden to Churchill passes through, providing access to many great views. You can experience the 32 km Bonshaw Hills Trail between Victoria and St Catherine’s, taking hikers past farmers' fields and through dark hemlock forests.

Along TCH 1, you can stop at the Car Life Museum. Its exhibits include restored antique cars dating back to 1898, farm machinery from the early 1800s, and farm tractors form the early 1900s. It is only open from June through September. I am surprised that Walter did not make us stop to take a tour!

The Bonshaw Hills Provincial Park is also located on the Trans-Canada Highway within the Red Sands Shore touring region. You can enjoy almost 10 miles of hiking and mountain bike trails along the Bonshaw River at the park. The trails are for all fitness levels from walking trails to challenging climbs. There are also picnic facilities, and a natural adventure playground featuring swings, balancing ropes and the "Crosby Hill." The main trail was named Ji'ka'we'katik Trail, after the traditional Mi'kmaq name for the West River. Ji'ka'we'katik, pronounced Jih Ga Way Ga Dig, it means "the place where bass are plentiful" in Mi'kmaq. We can see blue skies ahead, maybe it will be a good day to travel!

Victoria is about 30 minutes from Charlottetown, about halfway to the Confederation Bridge along Highway 1. The town offers many historical churches of all denominations. The town's history is rich with shipbuilding, and at the time of Confederation was one of the island's busiest ports. As the age of wooden sailing ships ended, Victoria became the point of departure for cattle herds, though now it is best known for its several blocks of craft shops and its arts colony. The town features the PEI Summer Playhouse theater, and has a traditionally rigged schooner offering cruises from Victoria harbor.

We entered the town of Bordon-Carleton. Borden traces its history to Prince Edward Island's requirements for transportation to mainland North America whereas Carleton was a surrounding farming community to the north and west of the port. The town’s motto is, "We Are The Link," it makes sense, with its transportation history.

Borden's development is related to the fall of fortunes for another nearby community during the First World War. A winter iceboat service crossed the Abegweit Passage between nearby Cape Traverse to Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick for many decades during the 19th century and early 20th century. The SS Prince Edward Island arrived in the Northumberland Strait in 1915 during the early years of the war but the port at Carleton Point had not been constructed, so the vessel operated in year-round service out of Charlottetown and Georgetown from 1915 until the port at Carleton Point was ready. 

The new port was commissioned in early 1917 when the SS Prince Edward Island began regular service from the new pier, carrying railway freight and passenger cars; she recorded 506 crossings to Cape Tormentine in that first year alone. The winter of 1917 saw a spectacular sight as dozens of houses and buildings that had been constructed in the port of Cape Traverse to the east were moved by horse and sleigh across the winter sea ice along the coast to the new port at Carleton Point. When the extension of the railway line to the new ferry port was completed, the remnant of the line running to Cape Traverse was abandoned. In 1919, the community was incorporated as the town of Borden, taking its name from Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden. The area outside of Borden remained with the community name of Carleton. 

Welcome Center Prince Edward Island is located in Bordon-Carlton at the edge of the Confederation Bridge. We stopped there, because our commute to Moncton was very short. We toured the shops and even purchased a few items. 

Naturally, we had to stop at the Cow Ice Cream store. You might think it is just another ice cream shop, but you would be mistaken! If you ask any PEI native where to find the best ice cream, the answer is always COWS. They produce cheese, butter, T-shirts and most famously, super premium ice cream. 

Some of their inspirational flavors include Chip Chip Hooray made with sea-salted toffee swirl and COWS signature chocolate covered potato chips, or Island Strawberry, naturally using only PEI Strawberries grown in their red soil! How about Cookie MOOnster, a vanilla ice cream with natural blue coloring, then stuffed with chocolate cookie dough pieces and Oreo crumbles.

We crossed back over the Confederation Bridge. I told you all about the bridge then, so I will share some useful trivia about the bridge. The almost 8 mile long Confederation Bridge is comprised of three parts: The West Approach Bridge leaves Jourimain Island, New-Brunswick and consists of 1 mile over 14 piers; The East Approach Bridge leaves Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island and consists of ½ mile over seven piers; and the Main Bridge, 6 miles, joins the approach bridges and rests on 44 piers. The Bridge is curved to ensure drivers remain attentive and reduce the potential for accidents. The Bridge has a hollow core interior and acts as a utility corridor for electrical services, telephone, and other utilities to and from the Island. 

The high concrete barriers on the Bridge prevent drivers from seeing directly down over the side of the Bridge as well as acting as a windbreak. The Bridge's highest point is located at the Navigation Span is 190 feet above water with the average height being 130 feet. There are 310 streetlights illuminating the Bridge. Emergency telephones and fire extinguishers are on the Bridge every ½ mile. There are 17 closed circuit television cameras for full surveillance coverage of the Bridge. There are 7,300 drain ports on the Bridge to allow for the runoff of rainwater and melting snow and ice. There are 34 traffic signal units on the Bridge - in normal conditions all signals will be green … and I don’t remember seeing any of them! LOL

Once off the bridge, you are back into New Brunswick. We followed Route 16 to 1^st roundabout and exited onto Route 15W. The roundabout had a homemade sign commemorating the 150^th anniversary of Canada, we were pretty lucky to be able to tour Canada during this special year.

This is one of those areas where you go, and realize Canada still has SO much land for population growth/development. There are many, many parts of those highways where you don't see a dwelling for miles and miles and miles...or alternatively, kilometers, and kilometers! Then, in the middle of nowhere, there is a beer distributor, but then some do love their beer! Pretty, but quite boring to drive really.

This is the Shemogue marsh, in between the Confederation Bridge to PEI and Moncton. The Shemogue marshes are salt marshes. Salt marshes are dynamic systems that can and do respond to changes induced by natural and unnatural disturbances. For example, salt marshes can respond to rising sea level by expanding vertically, if there is sufficient sediment or by migrating inland, if there is sufficient land behind the marsh. Salt marshes hemmed in by roads and/or buildings and breakwaters or dykes are less able to adapt. This phenomenon is referred to as ‘coastal squeeze’. The consequences of coastal squeeze can be a loss of salt marsh and other coastal habitat.

We got onto the Trans-Canada Highway 2W and exited in Moncton. Arriving at Camper City in Moncton. We came to this campground to meet up with Andy & Rejeanne. They are going to lead us back to their place for a few days of relaxation!

We were sitting around relaxing, when a class A pulled in and we commented that their rig was decorated for the 4^th of July. Then we noticed the Tampa Bay Rays plate on the front of the rig. Then I looked at the driver and I thought I recognized him from Zephyrhills. Yup, can you believe that it was Gary & Kay Lynn, from Southern Charm RV Resort. Kay Lynn and I used to work at Southern Charm at the same time.  

After our Dixie Chicken dinner, we went to see the tidal bore in Moncton and take a driving tour of the area. We were closer to the water for this tidal bore, it was just as amazing this time around! We could actually see the wave come around the corner and move down the river. What made it more amazing, is our friends from New Brunswick had never seen it! Amazing!