Kouchi-what?!

Day 18

We have a chilly, damp morning ride today. I'm in full gear: rain pants over my jeans and my raincoat over my leather jacket. The sun doesn't seem to be coming out, and it's cold next to the bay. We ride past more charming sea side villages, a fair way to bid Quebec, which we have enjoyed so much, goodbye.

Around noon we take a break at a little rest area, and meet another couple on their motorcycle. They're riding in from New Brunswick, which they say is sunny and warm. They give us advice on directions and routes, and it's all the man can do not to ask the Pirate a billion questions about the Girl and our trip.

Within 15 minutes we are one hour ahead and officially in New Brunswick. It's bilingual here; signage is in French and English. A lot comes clear for us this way, an accidental translation of things we'd been reading for the past week. There is a strong Acadien presence here, and also Irish. Though I'm sure this province is quite lovely, we choose to zoom through it on the highway. So, instead of meandering through all of the presumably adorable seaside towns, we zip through the woods.

In Bathurst we break for lunch. There is a fast food chain up here called “Dixie Lee”, and we've been dying to try it. So far, these eastern provinces have 4 main American chains: IGA for their groceries, Subway, McDonalds (with all Canadian beef) and the PFK. PFK you ask? It's the Poulet Frit Kentucky, otherwise lovingly known back home as Kentucky Fried Chicken. Anyway, the Dixie Lee had Poulet Frit and Fruit de Mar, all fried. It has an old school feel with the food packaged in cardboard boxes. It's delicious, and it blows the fried chicken from Ingles away.

We break again in Miramichi, a town at the head of a giant salmon river of the same name. It boasts that it is Canada's largest Irish town. Soon after Miramichi we are in the Kouchibouguac National Park. It's koo-she-boo-gwack. Though it is lovely, at $47 per night it's the most expensive camping we've had yet. We're a little bummed. The campground is a kids paradise. Miles, literally, of paved and graveled bike paths, nature trails, programs about wildlife in French and in English, and a lobster boat marina within walking distance. We spend the evening strolling around, sitting on big boulders and watching the lobster boats, and listening to kids belt out camp songs as they zoom along on their bikes.

It's a bit of an uneventful day. We didn't take any photos, we're really just plowing through miles right now to get to PEI.