Everything deserves a second chance! September 22, 2012

Okay, maybe we were a little harsh with PEI yesterday.  MAYBE.  A few things unfolded today to help us rethink our position...

KOA Cavendish,
The River Runs Through It

Our "wake up call" several times throughout the night did NOT help our opinion,  We need to make that perfectly clear.  Remember hurricane Lesley?  That paled in comparison to last night's torrential downpour!  Pee time at 5:45am (sorry folks for submitting too much information here!) revealed to me red rock and sand does NOT absorb rain well at all!!  Seeing is believing, however I believe in CROC's - a fashion statement inspired by our BFM/BKM pages!!! PS - Luv you guys!  It may be a slight stretch of the imagination that goggles and snorkel may have been helpful to pack - but not too far off the mark!  See for yourself!

Despite the rain, I was determined to be the "Good Sheppard of PEI" to aid Ken's opinion of last night to a more positive experience.  It was a tall order, as I was not too far behind his thoughts, but truly, we needed to make our PEI experience work, for at least 24 hours!

We pulled off site by 8:15, with a feeling of relief to be rid of the experience.  Little did we now nothing would be open at this pathetic time in the morning!!  First, we needed to get our $20 deposit back from the gate key - nope, sorry, not until after 9am when they opened!  Second we wanted to drop the trailer at the Information Centre in Cavendish.  Nope sorry, not until 9 am!  Feeling like a clam in a fisherman's net, we headed to the only facility opened, the local Petro Canada/ Robin's Coffee Shop on the only intersection in Cavendish and at least bought Ken a morning brew.  The owner/clerk there was awesome and without skipping a beat offered great suggestions to us to "turn our frown upside down".  He suggested we leave the trailer with him, and be on our way to investigate what the PEI hub-bub was all about!

It honestly didn't take long.  We were less than 3 minutes away from amazing sand cliffs, ocean views and beaches that stretched beyond the imagination!  How did we miss these gems yesterday!?  Although our morning was rainy and dim, Petro Can/Robins Donut Guy turned our world upside down - a much better place for everyone!

The beaches stretched here for miles upon miles, accompanied at times with a strong smell of sulphur and a very pleasing eye of green grasses and redder than red rock and sand.  The cliffs which overhang the swelling seas below, truly questioned nature's defiance in withstanding the test of time.  The waves I am sure wreak havoc on the shoreline every day, but today it sat there waiting to demonstrate it's beauty to us, just so we could leave the island with a sense of renewed faith that all was not lost for coming here.  How did it know?

We travelled by truck through the Cavendish National Park - and as an additional bonus, no one was at the gate, so passage was free!  Yeah for September!  We were treated to scenic views of the oceans, infamous sand dunes and hanging red cliffs.  Doubtful the pictures even begin to boast their beauty, these walls of blood red cliffs and green dune grasses couldn't possibly do the justice they deserve through the lens of a camera!  Once again, not only did I take a quick "leg dip" into the Gulf of St. Lawrence (on numerous occasions), so too did Ken!  I love the influence I have had on this sheltered man!!


A harbour with PEI National Park,
neatly tucked away in preparation
for the coming winter.



There are two National Parks on the "Green Gables Shore" of PE:  Cavendish National Park and PEI National Park.  For the most part, the National Parks held the protective rights to the shoreline.  Beyond this, the properties reside farmers and cottage entrepreneurs alike.  As Davis has mentioned many times previous to us, Maritimer's seem to know how to capitalize on land and make the most of their properties.  We witnessed pristine estates of rolling hills and waterfront views we Ontarians only dream about.  There appears to be little shortage of money, or time for that matter in working the landscape to the tourist eye.  Good on them, we say!

Ken and I joked about the communities proximity to each other...likely only about 15 minutes between the two exist - if that!  Even more peculiar are the towns.  At any given time, on any particular peek of any hilltop within this region, you could likely take a picture of at least 3 towns down one highway viewed in zoom mode!  Honestly, the tourist map we have of PEI indicated 3 towns one half way down a hilled embankment, one within the same hilled valley and one within the same valley floor before you begin the ascent to the other side of the hill.  Ken & I joked about the local tavern conversation going on as;
       Local 1:  "Where d'ya come from boy?"
       Local 2: " Oh just over there by Rustico.  Ya familiar with Rustico are ya?"
       Local 1:  "Right, just before Rusticoville are ya?"
       Local 2:  "Right, just past Bob's fishin' shack"
       Local 1:  "Well, ya would be familiar with Ben from Oyster Bed Bridge then, would ya be?"
       Local 2 :  "Oh well sure.  He used to sell mussel's to my grand dad back in the day eh?"
..and so the conversation would go on.  The only thing is, Rustico, Rusticoville and Oyster Bed Bridge are all within a stone throw of each other and yet, they all seem incredibly impressed of their ability to be familiar within their circle!

The BEST bakery hands down was discovered by us on route today.  Best of all, they were pulling out all the stops, as it was their last opened day until April.  No sense waisting flour and what-not!  Might as well bake up everything and anything just to use up the over stocked materials! We're telling ya, 'twas good enough to make a second appearance, using needing to buy a little 'thank you' something for Petro Can/Robin's Donut Guy as an excuse to go in for a second time on our way back through!  Can I help it the peanut butter cookies and the ginger cookies screamed for me to take them home?  I don't think so!

View from Sun & Shade Campground

The western part of the "central" district in PEI was quite beautiful as we made our way to the southern part of the province to camp at Sun & Shade Campground.  This facility is clean and well organised, and we were pleased to find a camp that made us comfortable again.  Upon entry our first encounter was with Carole in the office.  What a hoot!  She chatted to us about how crazy we were to not have running water or cooking appliances in our trailer, and from there conversation quickly escalated to how folks would need to be well drugged if she were to get up and sing during tonight's "open mic"  entertainment feature.  THIS is the kind of "welcoming committee" KOA Cavendish was lacking, and Carole more than made up for it! 

Our paths crossed with a couple from British Columbia who also stayed at the Cavendish KOA the other night.  We discovered they were travelling Canada and the US for a year to see the sites and volunteer in not-for-profit organisations as they went.  Picking pecans in Georgia and assisting in Habit for Humanity Builds across the country are only some of the examples they offered us.  See Aunt Linda, recruits come from everywhere!!  We were to be sure to mention your involvement In Habitat and suggested they look you up if they ever make it to Sault Ste. Marie - we offered your place too if they wanted to crash with their VW Westfalia!  As we head to Saint John, so do they,and you never know, our paths may cross again!

The Confederation Bridge is literally on our door step and tomorrow's 13 km, 12 minute journey across the bridge is within decent distance to make it happen with ease.  Might as well start the day with Ken on the edge of his seat and get it over with!  He'll be fine...especially after his Bran cereal and Gravol!  You think I'm kidding??  We'll see...

This evening the campground hosted a concert and "open mic" session (a ceilidh) on site to entertain us.  Apparently the campground is known for this as part of their "claim to fame".  Those present filled the house leaving us on the porch to watch and listen.  This was a great option, as apparently it was wickedly hot inside the hall.  Sitting on the porch, rocking in the facilities rocking chairs hand in hand with my groom, caused moments of smirking with me!  Could this be the future for Ken and I?  Sitting in rockers upon our porch of the great investment campground in the Mari?  Many before us I believe, have tried and succeeded.  Perhaps THIS is retirement planning?

So we believe we gave PEI the good "olde college try".  We definitely benefited from it, beyond doubt "fer sure". I doubt PEI will be our favourite stop along our Maritime journey, at least during this particular trip.  In fairness, the weather wasn't the most cooperative, but let's not put too much on Mother Nature, that simply wouldn't be fair.  We leave tomorrow, and so does this storm front.  It appears we are back to sunny days and blue skies for the next week.  Temperatures as well are to remain unseasonably warm.  No complaint here, but I would like to say to Joyce, the Almanac knows!!!  Not far off the mark, the weather has been almost mirror-like to the prediction stated. 

We've positioned ourselves on the shores of PEI and New Brunswick tonight as we anticipate a fairly long travel day to St. John New Brunswick tomorrow.  We would rather consider this leg of our journey not as the beginning of our return home, but rather a continued look at New Brunswick of places we have not yet discovered.  Somehow, that just seems to make the reality of what this next leg of our journey really is...our last week, our return via New Brunswick to the place we started.  We'll be focused on the first outlook rather than the second.  It's the only way we can cope with reality right now.  Besides, we have 4 weeks out here, not three, so why are we considering it coming to an end already.  This reality will happen soon enough, when we start seeing signs to Guelph.  Until then, we remain the happy travellers, looking for that next adventure just past the next rock, sand dune or tree.  Besides, to think otherwise would leave us feeling as "awkward as a crow on an icy rock" as they say here! 

I love this place!  The whole kit and caboodle!  Tomorrow we look for the "fogeater", 'cause we KNOW it's out there...somewhere! 

Until then, we bid you fond wishes from PEI.
We'll chat tomorrow from New Brunswick!
Cheers,
Ken & Tricia