Saltscapes Road Trip Day 9
Sunday was a sunny day too. We started the day with a ton of puppy laundry and a thorough sprucing up of the RV prior to crossing the bridge to PEI.
We made many unexpected discoveries in our week long visit to NB and know there are dozens more untouched "finds". This process of playing tourist in our own region and seeing things anew in that context has been very enlightening so far. Our overall impression has been very positive. We travel a fair bit ourselves, and we have been applying those experiences of seeing different places for the first time to our tour. Get off the beaten track, we conclude, and we have a great deal to offer in terms of variety, relaxation and authenticity.
After crossing the Confederation Bridge, we were amazed to see a kilometer- long lineup waiting to go through the tolls and across to NB. It reminded us of the old ferry days at Borden.
We took a leisurely drive exploring the Malpeque, Darnley, and the New London area and enjoyed a lovely visit with our friend Bruce MacNaughton who runs a superb operation at the PEI Preserve Company. Sorry to have missed the noon hour ceilidh held each weekday at the River Theatre (the aspiring young musicians are none other than Lenny Gallant's nephews).
After a stop at PEI's only ski hill for a puppy pit stop and feeding, we arrived for a fun dinner, much good wine and an overnight at our friends' cottage (Mark and Joanne MacDonald) in Augustine Cove by Dawson Farm off route 10. It was a welcome temporary respite from campground dwelling!
Many seasonal cottagers and kids of all ages simply materialized to see the puppies and brought their own pets along for what turned out to be an impromptu canine gathering with no fewer than a dozen dogs. It was amazing how they just came out of nowhere (and a trifle noisy for a bit).
The southern coast of PEI is carrot top red and vivid green after the wet weather we've experienced - just an idyllic drive this morning.