Bonjour!

(OK, this is dated Sunday 10 July, but it's actually yesterday's post. We just haven't had wi-fi until now!)

Leaving Nova Scotia, we've travelled deeper and deeper into French Canada!  In fact today (Saturday), rolling along "off the beaten path" here, English speaking folks are hard to come by here in New Brunswick. We'll be coming into Quebec City soon, so hopefully that will change as once again we need a laundro-mat and are soon to be needing an RV station! 

. . .  Anyway, backtracking a little . . . 

Monday - 4th of July -  found us at Prince Edward Island! For us the day began with breakfast "French Canadian" style:

And here at PEI, jubilation all about as Will & Kate were welcomed by the throngs! YES!  Apparently all over the island, hordes of residents and foreigners alike, were jockeying for a glimpse of the royal couple visiting today!  

But we were oblivious!  We spent the day wandering through the bucolic scenery of the farm region of Prince Edward Island . . .  relaxing views from the navigator's chair as we rolled along our rural route!!

Lots of farms, small and larger, all across the island . . . 

Potato crops in neat rows all along the drive

And the most-ever RVs at Camp Walmart -
Fifteen rigs in the parking lot in Summerside, PEI.

From Prince Edward Island we crossed back into New Brunswick on the Confederation Bridge - reportedly the longest bridge in the world to cross over ice!  It's 12.9km long (7-3/4 miles) and took us 15 minutes to cross!  That's one long bridge!

The next leg of our Canadian exploration took us north again, and here we go, putting the Atlantic coastline behind us!  Wanting to cover miles again we traveled TransCanada 2, their version of the Interstate.  What can I say - more awesome spectacular scenery, the gorgeous St. John River, wildflowers covering the roadsides all along the way.

Plenty of these warning signs -
We were so hoping to see a moose!

A couple of days just moving north in the general direction of Quebec City - a most pleasurable drive - emerald landscape, rugged rocks, great scenery all along.

Profusion of wildflowers dotting the roadside

Fields beyond bands of wildflowers

More fields, farms & wildflowers!

. . . and more . . .

"Flying" the friendly skies!

Come Wednesday we were relieved to find along the highway an RV service centre with "tank facilities!"  Woohoo!  We took care of the "emptying" part, but unfortunately not able to completely fill our fresh water tank.  Oh, well, we'll find water soon somewhere, right?

Our next little diversion was to get gas.  Price of fuel in Canada?  Outrageous!!

So Harold devised a route where we'd cross over into U.S. and save $1 gallon.  When you're talking 60 gallons, it's worth it to go a few km out of your way!

Coming into the US at tiny Van Buren, Maine, the customs folks searched our rig and came upon a bottle of painkillers with Cathy Harvey's name on them. Red flag!! We were detained at the border while the local cops were called! Apparently they considered arresting me for trafficking a controlled substance! Fortunately for me they got side-tracked by a little excitement around an illegal border jumper, apparently a more pressing problem, and, saying they believed my explanation about my friend inadvertently leaving her prescription at a visit, they decided to let us go on our way - but not before a bunch of paperwork for the US border patrol! 

Welcome to Van Buren?  Hmmmm.

And now - - - return to New Brunswick . .

International Border
Middle of the St. John River

Happy "camper" coming in to Edmundston.
"We're about to get some water!!"

Winding through little Edmundston

After gassing up in Madawaska, Maine, we were met with fast-darkening skies as we headed back into Canada at Edmundston. Remember, we are searching for water? No luck so far, but Harold found a place beyond Edmundston (on the GPS) - Baisley Lodges near St. Jacques - and called. An amiable-sounding fellow told him, "no, we're not an RV park, but come on out and we'll take care of you."  

So we pressed on - under not-so-friendly skies -  and thus began our next adventure . . . .  and what an adventure!!  Tune in again . . .