Wanders East - August 19, 2023 - September 11, 2023

Finally, we are on the road again. So far in 2023 we have only made a couple of brief trips. A combination of weather, wild fires and family and other obligations has kept us at home.

We have opted to head east since out trip last year was cut short by the approach of Hurricane Fiona. We had previously encountered lesser storms down east and had no desire to try a bigger one. Turned out to be a good decision.

As usual, our plans were loose since it was late enough in the season to reserve as we went. We did have the objectives of visiting Rod's cousin in St. Jean, spending some time with our friends Jane and Michel who have left Pointe-Claire to take up residence in NB and finally to visit with Rod's brother and Charlene in NS. We hoped to make it to Cape Breton but we never did.

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Contents

Day 1 - August 19, 2023 - On The Road Again

We were on our way before 8:30. We popped by the Tim's near Fenelon for road breakfast then found our way via the Champlain Bridge and A30 to A20. We took a right at Rivière-du-Loup heading for Edmundston, NB. We lost and hour as we moved from EDT to ADT. We set up camp for the night at Camping St Basile. We have stayed here in the past. It is under new management this year but still a good mid-way break when heading down east.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	582.6 KM
Average Fuel:	13.6 L/100KM
Time On Road:	6:40
📸Click for pictures from Day 1

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Day 2 - August 20, 2023 - On To Sussex, NB

On the road again by 9:15 following the Trans-Canada Highway across NB. We had hoped to stop at The Acorn Restaurant in Lower Prince William for a "brunch". You can imagine our disappointment when discovered it had been taken over by Denny's. We will especially miss their milkshakes which brought us back to the soda shops of our youth.

We turned toward St. John and made our way to Sussex where we set up camp at Sussex KOA Journey. Sussex is a great stop for practical shopping. The Gateway Mall is handy to the highway and has all the important stores. Sussex is also home to Picadilly Coffee Roasters. We made a stop on the way in to be sure we had lots of good coarse ground coffee for our French press.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	395.9 KM
Average Fuel:	15.1 L/100KM
Time On Road:	4:41
📸Click for pictures from Day 2

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Day 3 - August 21, 2023 - A Run To Alma

We have our camp site booked for another night so we are using the day to take a run over to Alma near Fundy National Park. Lillian had some shopping requests. It is also day 3 and we have not had any seafood yet.

We left camp a bit after 11:00 and headed along NB-1 and NB-114 to Alma. We renewed our Parks Canada Discovery Passes on the way in to the park.

When we got to Alma, we made our way to Alma Lobster Shop. Lillian had her lobster roll and Rod had some scallops. After lunch we hit some shopping spots then worked our way back to camp for 3:30 PM.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	121.3 KM
Average Fuel:	17.8 L/100KM
Time On Road:	2:50
📸Click for pictures from Day 3

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Day 4 - August 22, 2023 - A Visit in St. John Then On To St. Andrews

Today's destination, as suggested by the title, is St. Andrews by-the-Sea but first we are stopping by St. John to visit with Rod's cousin Denis and see his "new digs" on the east coast after many years on the west coast.

We set out about 10:20 and arrived Chez Denis & Darryl about an hour later. We introduced the dogs (they have an Australian Kelpie Dog) who hit it off at once and had a grand time chasing around the big yard. After a visit and a tour of the "house", we packed up the dogs and headed to Lily's Lakeside Casual Dining for a great lunch on the deck. It is nice that many places with outdoor dining are dog friendly down east. We had a cup of chowder and some bacon wrapped scallops. Both were outstanding.

By 2:45 PM we were again on our way to St. Andrews.We made a stop at The Butcher in St. George to pick up some protein to share over the coming days. We then raced over to Wolfhead Smokers Ltd. The good news is that we made it just before the closed for the day. The bad news is they did not have any cold smoked salmon left. We bought some of the hot smoked salmon for Michel since we were there.

We finally rolled in to Kiwanis Oceanfront Camping around 4:40 PM. When checking in we noticed some packages of Wolfhead cold smoked salmon in the cooler. A bit more expensive than the smoke house but it was there.

Our friends, Jane and Michel, already had bugs (lobsters) on order for dinner so we set up camp and treated ourselves to "un a glazele vayn" (yeast-contaminated grape juice).

It was a grand dinner. Michel did the big work digging the meat out of the bugs. He likes doing it and does a thorough job. They had ordered 4 big lobsters from the camp ground. They are always fresh and arrive perfectly cooked.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	205.7 KM
Average Fuel:	16.6 L/100KM
Time On Road:	3:14
📸Click for pictures from Day 4

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Day 5 - August 23, 2023 - Hanging Around St. Andrews

We mostly hung around camp for the day catching up various tasks. We had a late lunch at The Herring Pub & Kitchen formerly known as The Red Herring. Dinner was the steaks from The Butcher in St. George and leftover lobster salad.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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Day 6 - August 24, 2023 - Hanging Around St. Andrews

Today we paid a visit to Jane & Michel's new house. The views are amazing. They gave us a full tour then we had some drinks on the deck.

On our way back to camp we stopped for Dinner at The Herring Pub & Kitchen.

Back to camp for the evening camp fire.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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Day 7 - August 25, 2023 - Hanging Around St. Andrews

Today we mostly hung around camp taking care of various chores. We made a shopping run to St. Stephens in the late afternoon hitting Canadian Tire and the liquor store.

On the way back we stopped at the Cotton Mill Workers Monument and Jane & Michel's house. It seems that a bunch of wild turkeys like to hang out in the area.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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Day 8 - August 26, 2023 - A Visit to New River Beach

We spent the morning around camp. While chatting I mentioned my regret at not picking up a Caravan pop-up shelter that I spotted at the Bass Pro Shop in Niagara on sale for $99. It would give us more dry area for the dog X-Pen on rainy days. We spent some time checking around online without much luck. We made a note to stop at the Bass near Moncton when we were passing that way.

In the afternoon we decided to take a run up to New River Beach Provincial Park where the Race Against the Tide television show is taped.

On the way Michel wanted to stop for gas near St. George. While filling the Jeep we noticed Boyd Bros. Home Hardware just along the road a bit. We decided to go poke around. I did not spot any shelters that would meet our needs. Lillian spotted one that was a bit bigger and more expensive. Michel found the perfect one - an EZYFAST 8' x 8' Blue Folding Sun Shelter on sale for $69 reduced from $129. We snapped it up along with a couple of other items we did not know we needed.

By the time we got to the beach a fairly thick fog had moved in. We had an interesting visit none the less.

On the way back we poked in to Stewart's Village Mart and Smoke House for a few supplies.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
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📸Click for pictures from Day 8

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Day 9 - August 27, 2023 - Hanging Around St. Andrews

A quiet day today. Laundry to do, dogs to brush etc.

We went for a nice dinner at The Gables Restaurant in St. Andrews. Their sangria is especially noteworthy - not too sweet and lots of fruit. Everybody's food was great.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
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Day 10 - August 28, 2023 - Off To Nova Scotia

We finished packing up and set out just after 10:00.

We moved on to the Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre near Amherst. Lillian shopped for a bit while Rod took the dogs for a walk. We then followed some signs to Hawkes Blueberries Unfortunately they sold in wholesale quantities only.

We then headed over to Loch Lomond RV Park where we checked in about 2:45. After that we did a bit of shopping nearby in Amhearst and picked up some cooked chicken for dinner. We took the dogs for a nice walk around the park then enjoyed a fire before bed.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	329.7 KM
Average Fuel:	15.6 L/100KM
Time On Road:	4:45
📸Click for pictures from Day 10

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Day 11 - August 29, 2023 - Moving To Upper Sackville

The weather forecast today was passable but looked "damp" for tomorrow so we decided to hit some spots along the Northumberland shore before heading over to Upper Sackville for a couple of night.

We left camp around 10:30 heading along NS-6 through Pugwash and on to Wallace. We stopped at Charman's Home Hardware Building Centre to look for some small pads to stop the sink cover from rattling. We also found some good, kiln-dried kindling which was scarce in NB. We used to deal with these folks when we used to help with a friend's cottage out on Smith Point back in the early 2000's. Their service is as good as ever.

Our next stop was Jost Vineyards on the Malagash peninsula. We treated ourselves to a nice lunch on the terrace with the dogs then picked up some product to keep is going. This winery has improved incredibly since we first started visiting in the early 2000's.

We then moved on to Lismore Sheep Farm & Wool Shop near River John. Lillian got into the knitting stuff while Rod was delighted to find they sold eggs and meats. We grabbed some eggs and some lamb sausages.

The day was getting on so we made our way pretty directly to Halifax West KOA with only a brief stop in Truro for gas. We arrived at camp just before 5:00 PM to find they had assigned us site 14 which suited us well. It is high with good drainage. We found a nice level area where the picnic table fit under the awning.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	275.2 KM
Average Fuel:	15.1 L/100KM
Time On Road:	4:17
📸Click for pictures from Day 11

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Day 12 - August 30, 2023 - A Rainy Day Grooming Dogs

Not an exciting day but not unpleasant either. Lillian did various chores around the Roadtrek while Rod groomed both dogs. Since we were to visit with Rod's brother for the next few days we wanted to start with the Beardies looking halfway decent.

Overall, it was a good way to spend a rainy day. As the weather cleared we took some walks around the park to check things out. Joe and his team are always great and were happy to see is back. He even offered to find room for us over the Labour Day weekend.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
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Day 13 - August 31, 2023 - Over To The South Shore

Today we are taking a round about way to the South Shore.We hit the road about 9:30 and made our way to Just Us! Coffee Roasters to pick up some coffee and chocolate. We grabbed a breakfast snack at the Tim's in Wolfville then made our way to Gaspereau Vineyards Where we picked up some product. We mostly bought some of their Lucie Kuhlmann but we also took a 2021 Gaspereau Rosé to try.

Next stop was Gaspereau Valley Fibres where Lillian spent some time around the wool shop. We also picked up some eggs and frozen ground beef from the farm products. Next we made a stop at Greenwood Mall where Lillian headed to Maxwell's Quality Footwear She found a deal on men's Birkenstocks so Rod got called in and scored a new pair.

Our next destination was the Digby Pier Lighthouse. Normally we can pull up in front of the lighthouse and park the enjoy a walk along the waterfront. This visit they were gearing up for the big motorcycle Wharf Rat Rally. We still managed to make our way to Dockside Restaurant & Bar of the Fundy complex. We took the dogs down to the lower deck where we shared some bacon-wrapped scallops, mozza sticks and deep-fried pepperoni on the dogs shared a bowl of water.

We then topped up the gas and made our way to Daniel & Charlene's "Lighthouse". We arrived about 6:30 PM as predicted.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	369.6 KM
Average Fuel:	15.6 L/100KM
Time On Road:	5:47
📸Click for pictures from Day 13

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Day 14 - September 1, 2023 - Poking Around Lunenburg County

Daniel & Charlene loaned us their EV to run some errands around the county today. We wandered off around noon making our way to Bluenose RV Centre in Bridgewater. Rod was seeking a new switch to control the sofabed in the Roadtrek. Even though armed with photos, we needed to extract the old switch for a proper selection. He did find a prime candidate so took a bunch of pictures of it. We then moved on to Heidi Wulfraat WoolWorks Studio in Mahone Bay. Lillian and Heidi had an extended chat and she walked out with some product. We then went to Jo-Ann's Deli Market & Bake Shop with thoughts of picking up a lobster roll to share. They were out of them for the day so we moved up scale and popped in to Oh My Cod! and split a Lobster Croissantwich which was excellent with some Smoky Bay Pinot Grigio.

We then made our way back to "The Lighthouse" via Lunenburg.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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Time On Road:
📸Click for pictures from Day 14

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Day 15 - September 2, 2023 - Hanging Around with Daniel & Charlene

We spent most of the morning chatting and letting the dogs run in the yard. Around noon the boys took of on a bunch of errands.

First stop was back at Bluenose RV Centre to pick up the sofa switch. We made a stop in Pleasantville then made our way to LaHave River Books situated behind the LaHave Bakery We next made a stop at Petite Riviere General Store where we grabbed a snack. We then moved on to Petite Rivière Vineyards where Rod picked up a bottle of their Lucie Kuhlmann base fortified wine (like Port). We made a last stop at Wile's Lake Farm Market before heading back.

For dinner we found our way to the Osprey's Nest Public House. While service was not speedy, the food was good as usual, the entertainment passable and the company great

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
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Day 16 - September 3, 2023 - A Beach Walk

One of Lillian's requests when we arrived was for a beach walk. That was on the agenda for today. We spent the morning around home base then headed into Lunenburg around 2 PM. Lillian took a run into The Mariner's Daughter (a wools shop) then we all got some ice cream at Sweet Treasures Confectionery.

We then made our way to Hirtle's Beach and took a nice walk. We then headed our way back to "The Lighthouse".

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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📸Click for pictures from Day 16

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Day 17 - September 4, 2023 - Back To Upper Sackville

We said farewell to Daniel and Charlene around 10:00 AM and made our way back to Halifax West KOA. We spent the day walking the park and doing some planning.

Our original plan was to head up to Cape Breton for a few days but the weather forecast for the area was awful. Given that there was nothing planned for Cape Breton that was worth several days of soggy dogs, we changed our direction.

The forecast for the NB Fundy coast below Saint John looked decent. A quick check with Jane & Michel ensured that there was space at the campground and they would be delighted to have us back. So plans were changed.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	111 KM
Average Fuel:	16.1 L/100KM
Time On Road:	2:02
😞No pictures for Day 17

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Day 18 - September 5, 2023 - A Return To St. Andrews

We packed up and set off about 10:00 and made quick stop for a snack at Tim's in Enfield, NS 40 minutes later having cleared by the Halifax area. We also made a stop for Gas at Canadian Tire in Amherst.

Our next stop had us back at The Gateway Mall in Sussex where we stocked up on edibles and potables. We also popped by Picadilly Coffee Roasters for more coffee.

Since we were asked to find some good steaks, we stopped at The Butcher in St. George. We finally rolled in to Kiwanis Oceanfront Camping about 5:30 PM

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	537.8 KM
Average Fuel:	15.8 L/100KM
Time On Road:	6:33
😞No pictures for Day 18

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Day 19 - September 6, 2023 - Hanging Around Camp

A quiet day today. Took care of various chores and took the dogs for a nice walk along the beach in front of the campground. We got our exercise on the rockier parts.

We finished the day with a nice Turf & Surf dinner followed by a visit around the campfire.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
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📸Click for pictures from Day 19

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Day 20 - September 7, 2023 - Still at Kiwanis

There was leftover steak from dinner last night so Rod took it and mooched a Russet potato to go with it. Today the lot became leftover steak hash for Rod's lunch. It was awesome.

As the day progressed we started packing up. For dinner we made a return visit to The Gables Restaurant in St. Andrews. We indulged in another pitcher of their sangria and more excellent food.

We wrapped up the evening with a farewell campfire.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	Roadtrek Parked
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📸Click for pictures from Day 20

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Day 21 - September 8, 2023 - Up To Fundy National Park

We got under way about 9:20 after dumping "The Ugly Tanks". Our plan was to stop for a while to watch some of the The UKI Canadian Open Dog Agility Competition at The Irving Oil Field House since we knew some of the competitors. We arrived there only to find that the event was NOT open to the public. Bummer.

We made another stop at The Gateway Mall then made our way toward Fundy National Park. We poked in at the Wolfe Lake visitor centre before going on to Headquarters visitor centre where Lillian found what she was seeking. We then made our way to Chignecto Campground where we had a site booked.

We set up camp around 2 PM the enjoyed a nice walk around the camp with the beardies. We chatted with a number of other campers. The dogs tend to start conversations.

We then made some dinner and sat by the fire (they had lots of free wood).

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	783.4 KM
Average Fuel:	16.1 L/100KM
Time On Road:	10:59
📸Click for pictures from Day 21

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Day 22 - September 9, 2023 - Up To Up To Shediac

Since the park is pretty full for the weekend we decided to make our way up to the NB Northumberland shore. We booked a night at Ocean Surf RV Park in Shediac. We set off just after 9:00 and went hunting for some breakfast in Alma. We first tried the Muddy Rudder but it was closed for a wedding. Next we tried Kayak Fundy Cafe which was just Fundy View Drive. The menu was short but the presented some fine Eggs Benedict.

We then took NB-114 past Hopewell Cape until we came to the New Brunswick Railway Museum We have passed it many times in the past but it is only open on weekends 11 am – 3 pm. Having finally landed on a weekend we went in for a visit. Most parts of the display were dog friendly so we were able to share the time with the beardies. Not a huge display but interesting.

Back on the road, we made our way to camp and checked in around 1 pm. We then went hunting for a dog-friendly place to grab a bite of lunch. After many failures, we were able to get a couple of lobster rolls to go at Giant Lobster At the same location they had a new version of the Homarus Centre. While Lillian waited for the lobster rolls, Rod popped in briefly for a memory check. The last time we were here we remember the Centre being a small building on a wharf. It seems we were right - on nearby Pointe-du Chêne Wharf. After lunch and a visit to Adorable Chocolat we headed over there for a walk.

We got back to camp around 4 pm. Lillian went for a shower and Rod toured the dogs. We took a look at the forecast and decided it was time to head home before the weather deteriorated. Hurricane Lee was still over the Atlantic but it was heading our way.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	141.9 KM
Average Fuel:	16.3 L/100KM
Time On Road:	4:13
📸Click for pictures from Day 22

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Day 23 - September 10, 2023 - Heading Toward Home

We were on the road before 9 AM today. We decided on a secondary road route home. We took NB-126 to pick up the "Renous Road" (NB-108) through to Plaster Rock and Grand Falls. This is the first time we took this route in about 25 years. We used to use it to avoid traffic when the Trans-Canada was mostly 2 lane.

We made it back to Camping St Basile. just after 1 PM.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	397.3 KM
Average Fuel:	14.0 L/100KM
Time On Road:	5:14
📸Click for pictures from Day 23

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Day 24 - September 11, 2023 - The Final Stretch

We were on our way before 9:30 AM. We made a couple of rest area breaks, a gas break and a quick stop at Plaza Pointe-Claire (about 2 KM from home) and backed the Roadtrek into its home spot before 3:30 PM. The drive weather was decent unlike many other trips down the same stretch.

The Numbers For Today			Click Map For Larger Version
Distance:	583.8 KM
Average Fuel:	13.3 L/100KM
Time On Road:	6:45
😞No pictures for Day 24

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The Numbers For The Trip