Day 2: Charlottetown to Brudenell (60 km)

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Day 2: Charlottetown to Brudenell (60 km)

Written by Eric Mathurin

Monday, 25 June 2007

Cycling on RR 5.

We left the Aloha Amigo early in the morning and had a hearty breakfast. Afterwards, we walked through town and arrived at Smooth Cycle at opening time—9:00am—to pick up our rental steeds for the week. We readied ourselved back at the Amigo and loaded the bicycles. (Good thing I brought a guage and pump—my tires were only inflated to 30 PSI!) Before 11:00am we were on the road out of Charlottetown. It was a perfect, beautiful sunny day—not too hot, and with a nice breeze that turned out to be a tailwind for us.

We spent the first few klicks riding the shoulder of the TransCanada Highway—safe, but loud an unfulfilling as far as cycling goes. Before long, fortunately, we were able to turn off on RR 5—a typical scenic, quiet road. This, I told Gill, was why I love bicycle touring: we were able to ride side-by-side, chat, and just enjoy the scenery. We passed by farmers plouging their fields, families, horses, cattle, and forests.

Unfortunately, we rode with mild headaches due to some beer-induced dehydration from the previous night. Gill found the hills very tiring, but for the most part I was okay. I never really tested myself to any degree. Probably for the best.

After only a couple of hours we had ridden the roughly 50 km to Cardigan—a small village where we scoped out the "Cardigan Lobster Dinners" restaurant. They opened at 5:00pm. We'd be back.

A bridge in Brudenell Provincial Park.

We cycled in to Brudenell Provincial Park from there and secured a campsite. It wasn't hard to find a spot since only 5 of about 50 sites were taken! I love the shoulder season. We set up camp (which, really, is only our tent) and relaxed a bit: I smoked my pipe while Gill napped. We went for a walk later along the Brudenell river but I found myself pretty tired so we went back to the site and I napped on the picnic table until it was time to ride into town again for dinner.

My butt was a bit sore at first, but before long we were pulling in for our lobster feast. (I have a new Brooks leather saddle. After a few thousand miles it should soften up. Ha ha! Heeee...)

The author, waiting for his Cardigan lobster dinner.

We were the first ones there (it's actually a huge place—I can only imagine how packed it must get during the height of the season) and grabbed a table on the back deck overlooking a pretty harbour. This was my first experience with the famous PEI lobster dinners and I was not disappointed: fresh rolls, hot chowder, salad, mussels, lobster, and dessert.

In Charlottetown Gill thought she had spotted someone she worked with. It was, obviously, not that person. Now, near the mid-point of the meal, Gill said she thought she thought she saw Jim and Romi—family of hers from Calgary—walk in. I mocked her about it in the most condescending of tones. Then the woman—yes, it was Romi—spotted Gill and came over to our table and joined us for dinner! Jim is crossing Canada by motorcycle (now that's just lazy) and Romi and flown in to accompany him for this part of his journey.

Jim and Romi

What are the odds?

We had a great time chatting over our lobsters and dessert before parting ways again. Back at camp I enjoyed a nice cigar, shower, and retired to bed close to 10:30pm—since we hadn't sprung for firewood there wasn't much point staying up.

Hopefully tomorrow will be nice—we have to catch the 2:00pm ferry but since it's only 50 km away I don't think it'll be much of an issue—unless there is a wicked head-wind to fight again.

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