PEI on the Fly

Day 19

It stormed like crazy last night. The lightning coming in over the ocean woke us first. We got everything tucked away in case it rained, it was another 2 hours before the storm reached us. There is something both triumphant and comforting about a big storm when you're in a tent that's dry.

By 11 am we're packed and ready to hit the beach for breakfast. We've heard that the beach within the park is really nice, so we decide to visit it on out way out. There is a nice wide boardwalk that leads out from the woods to the sandy beach. It's warm and windy and, most importantly, free of mosquitos. We plunk down near the water and have our boiled eggs, salami and crackers, and look on as a few brave souls get in the frigid water. The water is not only frigid, but chocked full of jellyfish; all about 8 inches in diameter, and the color of canned cranberry sauce.

After our little beach-y feast, we are on the road to PEI. We think it will be a relatively quick drive, maybe 2 hours or so. Our plan is to get a hotel room for tonight, then, when we can easily get online and watch TV and relax, we'll research more about this Province. We stop at the Kouchibouguac visitors center to use their internet and book a room on the way out.

Within a couple hours we are at the foot of the Confederation Bridge, an epic structure spanning the entire sound between New Brunswick and PEI, about 13 km. It heaves us up over the water so we can see pretty far. PEI begins as a distant blue line on the horizon, and slowly comes into focus.

Our first glimpses of PEI are of the the red dirt, the rolling farmland, the white flowering potato fields and the big, beautiful barns. The air smells like ocean and manure. We found a room at an Econolodge in Summerside, west PEI's big town. Upon arriving, we discover that we can eat a Lobster Supper right there in the dining room, so we do. We have a view of potato fields and of those giant white windmills. We get a dozen PEI mussels for $6, complete with drawn PEI butter. It's coming clear that PEI is a local food movement all by itself. The meal is not the very best we've ever had, but we appreciate not having to drive anymore today, and that so much of what we just ate came from this island.

One reason we're glad to not be driving is that the Girl has been suffering a little. She's leaking some fuel, and she having trouble starting. The Pirate plans to get some tools and do some diagnostic surgery on her when we settle in to a campsite tomorrow. For now, her fuel gets switched off when she's parked, and we're riding without the main headlight to conserve the battery (the Ontario mechanics suggested we do this). Poor Girl.