We have spent most of the past week working our way around the Gaspé Peninsula. This is the southern boundary of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The scenery is spectacular to the point that the travel brochures literally run out of superlatives to pile on. The Fontenelle National Park was spectacular and with the help of a naturalist we learned about and observed Herring Gulls, Double Crested Cormorants and Red Legged Kittiwakes. Think of the Oregon coastline without the crashing breakers. Picture a four lane divided super highway like I 84 running along the edge of the seaway arching up over the mounting ranks of cliffs alongside the seaway. Now back off on the highway. Instead of four lanes picture two lanes. In fact narrow those lanes down to just inches wider than our coach. Now beat the pavement to a pulp with cracks and sink-holes at every corner. Instead of gently lifting you to meet each rank of mountains, just go straight at them. Picture eight percent grades. Now stretch your imagination and picture eighteen percent grades. Third gear going up and third gear coming back down. There is a village every ten miles or so. Surprisingly there are very few boat basin facilities along the whole St. Lawrence Seaway on this shore. The unemployment is said to be very high in this region, yet the houses are well kept, all painted and clean. The villages are picturesque and most of them have little roadside parks that you can pull off and take a break.
Today we crossed over into New Brunswick, and it was a relief to be able to read the signs again. At Cambelton we stocked up on New Brunswick literature and headed for the Acadian, French corner of the Province. We were headed for a campground in Shippegan. A couple of ambulances passed us heading the other way, and we were blocked from our campground just a couple miles short of our destination by a police blockade, there had been a bad accident. With the help of the flagger we got the rigs turned around and chose a secondary destination near Lameque, NB. This required us to cross a very narrow bridge in heavy traffic and I scraped the front step on the end of the curb leading into the bridge. Unfortunately I flinched to the left and that threw the leading trailer tire full onto the corner of the curb and that tore the sidewall out of the tire. I was able to get off the road at a safe spot. That happened to be a service station that does indeed sell tires. The attendant gave us permission to boondock in his back lot. This happens to be at the side of a very beautiful bay and we have the village of Lameque to look at over the water. I see a church spire and white cottages across the bay. A blue Heron just glided up and settled into the shallows in front of the coach. I even have a good wheel to replace the bent wheel with. It was given to me by Bob Kapps last winter. Tomorrow we will buy a new tire for the wheel and everything will be back to normal.
Was I upset? Yes. Did it ruin my day? Well for a little while, but the people around me, including complete strangers were helpful, and with the prospect of a speedy recovery it just becomes part of the adventure. Tune in again next week and see what happens next.
Judy and I send our love to all.
P.S. The bicycle is back together and seems to handle about the same as before.
Gary
