Day 3: New Brunswick & Summerside

From: Edmundston, NB
To: Summerside, PE
Total KMs: 675.6
Sim's Iced Cap Tally: 3

I would like to start by saying, all photos from this adventure are care of Sim and her amazing photography skills.  I feel like a pro having these photos to post along with the stories.  Thank you thank you thank you.  Also, you rock.

We have arrived on the island!!!  Today has been a really good day.  We gave ourselves a good two hours to get up and out this morning and it was a good idea.  We took our time packing up, had a nice breakfast in the restaurant downstairs.  We knew we had to get out and on the road by 9am to make it to Hopewell Cape in time to see the end of low tide.  It was about 5 hrs to get over to Moncton and down to the Bay.  It was a really really beautiful drive.  The lush green countryside of New Brunswick made it an incredibly enjoyable drive. 

We were hoping to get a time lapse of the tide eroding but that was a pipe dream.  Time caught up with us, and after a few unplanned stops, an abundance of traffic (really NB?), and the walk down to the Bay from the parking lot, we had time to play on the Bay floor but not stick around for a time lapse.  Sim set up some really stunning photos that I had the privilege of pressing the capture button for.  After some fun in the mud it was back up the stairs and inclined ramp back to the car.  Honestly, my resolve to take the stairs at home had a lot to do with mentally preparing to escape from Hopewell rock with my lungs intact.  I made it back to the parking lot with only one or two breaks, and very minimal complaining, win!  The Flowerpot rocks are really just stunning.  And now Sim and I have two flower pot trips under our belts.  Hopewell Cape and Tobermorey.

I have to post the above mentioned Sim set-up to be taken of herself.  She actually envisioned it en route and tried to explain it to me but I couldn't see exactly what she meant.  As you can see, it was pure genius:

After the Cape we stopped at a roadside diner.  I don't think Sim or I want to comment further about that.  Sim took a stab at a half Lobster and I had the fried scallops.  Don't fry scallops, just don't.  The view was great, and the drinking water was alright, and moving on.

Our next stop was another Canadian favourite, Magnetic Hill.  We decided to use the Go Pro to document the moment.  At one point I got out of the car to show a bottle of water rolling back towards the car.  And I almost fell on my ass, because it felt like I should be walking downhill but it was uphill.  My brain could not comprehend.  We had the hill to ourselves for a few runs.  Someone showed up just as we were finishing so we hit the road and buckled up for one of the coolest 12km of the whole trip, the Confederation Bridge.

We followed two giant trucks for about 30km leading up to the Bridge.  They turned off at literally the last turn before the bridge and we zipped past them to make sure we were out front and had a clear view.  The crossing was gorgeous and serene.  I want to read up on the bridge a bit more because I've heard some interesting facts about the engineering feats involved in the construction.  As soon as we got off the bridge we were surrounded by gorgeous red clay coloured fields.    Sim made a quick call into the fam.  And then we continued on to our current hotel.  I picked a place I thought was a middle tier stay.  We have both stayed in some questionable hotels/motels before.  I'm not happy with this place.  The AC is loud and obnoxious.  The parking lot is shit.  I have double bolted the door, and I mean it.  The good news is, after tonight every place we're staying at is going to be ni-ice.

Before checking in we did a drive by of downtown Summerside.  We kind of fell for a cute little collection of multi-coloured businesses on a wharf structure, called Spinnaker's Landing.  We decided to check-in and head back over for a quick dinner and a beer.  It was 7:30 and we were quickly learning that everywhere closes at 9pm.  On our way Sim quickly looked up the bar recommended by her PEI friends.  The Silver Fox.  At first it was uncertain from the road what we were getting ourselves into but we decided to forgo Spinnaker's.  As we pulled up we saw that it was the bar for the Curling and Yacht club.  The location was amazing.  The patio overlooked the yacht club, and when it got too chilly out we went inside.  Sim ordered a PEI Brewing Co. Blueberry Wheat Ale and it was a stunning beer.  I'm not a fan of wheat beers and it had me won over.  I had the Island Red and it was really really good.  We each tried one of their house chowders.  It was the best meal we've had yet.  Along with the ambience, it was a winning stop.

We're back at the hotel.  Hunkering down for a doozy.  Tomorrow we zip around the island and then pay our way off the island and head to Halifax!!  If the Go Pro ever finishes offloading we might be able to upload some cute snaps.