I forgot to mention that Dave, the guy who bought us dinner and would not take any money, has four jobs and three children to support. It just blows me away that people go out of their way to give us something. We woke fairly early, ready and waiting by the time Fred opened the doors and gladly took our time cleaning up in the ultra clean restrooms. Fred has lived a fascinating life, spending time in England and Saudi Arabia. He is quite the storyteller and we happily listened to his stories before taking off toward town for breakfast. Also, Fred gave us a $25 gift card to Tim Horton's, the Starbucks of Canada. What a guy.
Getting off the highway at Saint John, we opted for the free ferry to the Kindston Peninsula. A windy and hilly road through forest and farmlands along the river. The road quieted but a short stream of cars would come by periodically when the first cable ferry in the world crossed the river. We continued east -northeast up the Kennebecasis River valley. There are plenty of Dairy farms and forests that stretch for miles, making us feel like we were back in Vermont. This really is a wonderful place to ride bikes.
Making it to the town of Sussex two hours before dark, we got our requisite ice cream and were given directions to the outskirts of town for a free place to camp behind a local community hall. Although there were not many trees to hide behind, we set up camp just as the sunset and slept like babies without anyone the wiser. For unknown reasons, possibly the hillier roads, we were exhausted even after a full 10 hours of sleep.
After a stop for coffee to accompany our peanut butter sandwiches (which are sometimes tough to get down without some liquid), we followed a locals advice to ride the back road to a farm cafe for lunch. We enjoyed a plate of nachos under a trellis covered with 30 year old grape vines, the sound of a fountain in the background and plenty of flowers everywhere. We relaxed for almost two hours and chatted with the Connecticut raised owner. Again, the best part of travel are the conversations and the people we meet, always putting a spin on how we perceive life. We rode through the afternoon on any road that was not the highway, at times coming across a few of the 25 historic covered bridges that are spread throughout this region.
Making it to the 2nd biggest city in New Brunswick, Moncton, we quickly stopped at a grocery store and were back on the bikes by 8pm. I wish we had more time in Moncton because the short ride through, it seemed to be quite European. The downtown area had a walking mall and the main strip held plenty of local restaurants and outdoor cafes. Right up our alley. Wishing we had a place to sleep for the night to spend a bit of time here tomorrow, we had no such luck and had to scurry our way as far outside of the city to find a place to stash our tent. Riding on the highway is not always the most desirable option, but we rode on highway 15 a few miles before coming across a wooded area with a path leading down to a forest. Yep. 8:40pm, the sun is almost down, no cars coming from either direction, we ran with our bikes to go unnoticed and found a space for our tent. As I write this, I can hear and see the cars and trucks whizzing by a mere 50 yards away. Beggars can't be choosers.
Getting off the highway at Saint John, we opted for the free ferry to the Kindston Peninsula. A windy and hilly road through forest and farmlands along the river. The road quieted but a short stream of cars would come by periodically when the first cable ferry in the world crossed the river. We continued east -northeast up the Kennebecasis River valley. There are plenty of Dairy farms and forests that stretch for miles, making us feel like we were back in Vermont. This really is a wonderful place to ride bikes.
Making it to the town of Sussex two hours before dark, we got our requisite ice cream and were given directions to the outskirts of town for a free place to camp behind a local community hall. Although there were not many trees to hide behind, we set up camp just as the sunset and slept like babies without anyone the wiser. For unknown reasons, possibly the hillier roads, we were exhausted even after a full 10 hours of sleep.
After a stop for coffee to accompany our peanut butter sandwiches (which are sometimes tough to get down without some liquid), we followed a locals advice to ride the back road to a farm cafe for lunch. We enjoyed a plate of nachos under a trellis covered with 30 year old grape vines, the sound of a fountain in the background and plenty of flowers everywhere. We relaxed for almost two hours and chatted with the Connecticut raised owner. Again, the best part of travel are the conversations and the people we meet, always putting a spin on how we perceive life. We rode through the afternoon on any road that was not the highway, at times coming across a few of the 25 historic covered bridges that are spread throughout this region.
Making it to the 2nd biggest city in New Brunswick, Moncton, we quickly stopped at a grocery store and were back on the bikes by 8pm. I wish we had more time in Moncton because the short ride through, it seemed to be quite European. The downtown area had a walking mall and the main strip held plenty of local restaurants and outdoor cafes. Right up our alley. Wishing we had a place to sleep for the night to spend a bit of time here tomorrow, we had no such luck and had to scurry our way as far outside of the city to find a place to stash our tent. Riding on the highway is not always the most desirable option, but we rode on highway 15 a few miles before coming across a wooded area with a path leading down to a forest. Yep. 8:40pm, the sun is almost down, no cars coming from either direction, we ran with our bikes to go unnoticed and found a space for our tent. As I write this, I can hear and see the cars and trucks whizzing by a mere 50 yards away. Beggars can't be choosers.
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