Tags
Acadians, Edmundston, Fredericton, Highway 20, Lévis, New Brunswick, PEI, Quebec, Temiscouata
I do not do road trips, since I do not enjoy driving that much outside the City. In the city we live near shops, so we can walk. In this case with the move I had to drive to Charlottetown from Ottawa, crossing several Canadian Provinces to get there. The road all along is the Trans-Canada Highway and is an easy drive with beautiful scenery. The highway from Rivière du Loup on the Saint Lawrence river which at that point is so broad that you cannot see the other side, to Edmundston in New Brunswick is really glorious passing by Lake Temiscouata. The highway which is only a few years old passes high on the ridge so you can admire the panorama. There is also a fence all along to prevent herds of Moose from crossing the road, special tunnels under the road allows them to move across in safety, warnings all along to watch out at night when this is likely to occur. You should dial 511 if you see a moose who has cross the fence or is on the road. These animals weight upwards of 3 tons, you do not want to hit one. This is an area sparsely populated and with few service stations, so fuel up and keep your tank full the next gas station could be 70 Km away. I never let the tank to go pass half full and was doing 6.5 Km per litre of gas.
We stopped in Edmundston on the way to Charlottetown. Ottawa-Edmundston is about 8 hours of driving, I was very tired but had a second driver with me, an old friend who also took the wheel. I discovered while stopping at a gas station to fuel up in New Brunswick that you can buy hard liquor, beer and wine, the last time I saw that was in Texas. In Quebec you can buy beer and wine, in Ontario it is simply not allowed to sell any alcoholic drinks.
Edmundston is on the border with Maine, the border is just across the river St-John. The area is called the Republic of Madawaska, the story is about complicated negotiations between the USA Government and the British Government about the exact border between the two countries which were established in the latter part of the 19th century. In the end the population led by an American by the name of Baker established in name this Republic.
Edmundston is a small town of 16,000 people with pulp and paper mill and lots of cross-border trade with the USA. We found a good pub and had a nice meal. Edmundston is named after Governor General Edmund Walker Head who was the Head of the Royal Government in Canada prior to Confederation in 1867. The population is 95% French speaking Acadians.
The ride to Charlottetown the next day to PEI is 5 hours, easy ride by-passing Fredericton, the Capital of New Brunswick and then Moncton to the sea bridge to PEI. Once the bridge is crossed you are minutes away from Charlottetown.
I always have to remember once in Charlottetown to slow down to 30Km or less, you cannot drive fast because you will overshoot your destination easily, also pedestrians have priority always.
The ride back was uneventful, we drove to Lévis which is across the Saint-Lawrence from Quebec City. My ancestors settled there around 1662 in the St-Romuald area. Had not been there in many decades and was surprised to see how affluent and developed it has become, no longer a farming community.
The driving portion of the Trans-Canada Highway 20 between Drummondville and Montreal is unpleasant on week days because of all the big transport trucks, dozens of them in the right lane, you have to be vigilant. Lots of police patrol also to check on speeding.
All in all a good trip to open up the apartment and organize things. Oh, did I mention I manage to get invited to two cocktail parties while in Charlottetown, loads of fun.
At the Art Gallery of the Confederation Centre of the Arts, late night party
Dave said:
From out of all that lovely travelogue, leave it to me to ask: What on earth were you doing in Texas? I know it’s awfully presumptuous of me to picture you anywhere, but I simply do not see you in Texas.
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larrymuffin said:
Well enquiring minds need to know, I was in Texas in 1987 when my brother lived in San Antonio and I was posted to Mexico City and came up to see him. Back then Texas was a nice place.
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rjjs8878 said:
A road trip and two cocktail parties! Sounds like a great time.
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JACQUE DENNEY said:
you are bubbling with happy…
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underswansea said:
Larry good to see you arrived! Did I read right, your ancestors settled along the St. Lawrence in 1662? Looking forward to your posts from PEI. Take care! Bob
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larrymuffin said:
Yes that is correct 1662, a soldier with the Regiment de la Reine sent to Canada
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underswansea said:
Wow!
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Mitchell is Moving said:
I used to love driving trips. But, oddly, I preferred being on my own. However, I also hate highways filled with trucks. I wish there were video (with sound) for that final photo.
By the way, the banner photo of the new place is wonderful. Can’t wait to see more. That woodwork alone would make me want to move in.
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itsmyhusbandandme said:
I have to ask. Did you see a moose?
JP
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larrymuffin said:
No because it was day time, they only come out at night. I would not want to see one on the road. They can be very dangerous.
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Urspo said:
No road trips? Eek! I love’em for life is a road trip. And you get gas-station snacks and do crosswords while someone drives. bliss.
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larrymuffin said:
Agree that Life is a road trip in more ways than one.
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