One of the highlights of any bike tour is dinner after completing a ride. The increased appetite from a day on the bike, combined with the need to replenish essential calories, makes almost everything on the menu look appealing. Sometimes choices are limited, but we always find something that works for us. Other times, the options are overwhelming, and you may just want to order the entire menu. Relaxing with a Nova Scotian craft beer before dinner Last night, we had one of o

Another day in Nova Scotia! (flags and lawnmower included!) We left the village of Auld's Cape under sunny skies in the morning, crossed the Canso Causeway, a narrow road built on a man-made crossing of rocks designed to get trains and traffic across the Canso Strait which separates Cape Breton Island from mainland Nova Scotia. We then headed northeast along the northern shore of St. George's Bay with stunning views. The undulating road climbed and then dipped down to the s

We enjoyed an awesome evening in Antigonish, a beautiful college town and gateway to Cape Breton Island, home to the Cabot Trail, a primary goal of our tour of Canada’s Atlantic provinces. Leaving Antagonish This morning, we woke to rain, cold temperatures, and high winds. Normally, this combination would mean a day off, but by 11:00 AM, the rain had tapered off, and the winds were forecasted to be a tailwind all the way to our destination. So, we decided to wait out the rain

Saving Nova Scotia for the end of our trip was the smartest decision of this journey! Nova Scotia is a treasure trove of beautiful landscapes and experiences, and we are just beginning to explore it! We are headed to the Cabot Trail on the northern section of Cape Breton (which is really the northern island of Nova Scotia). The Cabot Trail is famous for its dramatic coastal views, mountains, and the picturesque Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Map of the Cabot Trail The

The Scotsman Inn, Pictou, NS After enjoying an awesome evening with our friends Katie, Ben and family and a night at the Scotsman Inn, which honestly is one of the best B & B’s we ever stayed at. We headed to Antigonish, a small university town near a big goal for our ride, the Cabot Trail. The ride started with complete uncertainty. That weather apps around here are not necessarily predictable since it changes by the moment, but we knew today would be variable in terms of wi

We apologize for the lapse of time in writing in our blog. We enjoyed a day off in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and then rode the next day to the ferry to take us to Nova Scotia, where we met our friends from the days of teaching at the American School of Guatemala last night and rode again today to our current location of Antigonish, Nova Scotia. A lot to share, so will break it down in sections. Our day off in Charlottetown A well earned day off to get laundry done

We’ve been looking forward to today since we planned our trip through Canada’s Atlantic Provinces. One reason for our excitement is that Katie and Ben, friends and colleagues from our time teaching in Guatemala, live in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and our route takes us near their home. We planned to meet them and their two young children for dinner in Pictou, Nova Scotia, our current location. Lobster Roll! Getting to Pictou involved a bit of a challenge. After indulging in ex

A picturesque view along the ride. Molly bringing me coffee at the Foxy Fox. Today, our mapping apps promised a flat and relatively easy ride to Prince Edward Island’s largest city, Charlottetown. It started off that way. After a Timmy Horton breakfast—our breakfast of last resort—we set off. The terrain was indeed flat and easy, and we rode lazily toward Charlottetown. Less than an hour into our ride, we spotted a sign for the Foxy Fox Coffee Shop and couldn’t resist stoppin

Our first full day on Prince Edward Island was full of surprises and hidden gems. The tiny town of Carleton, where we stayed, had no real place for breakfast or coffee other than the Tim Hortons attached to the gas station. So, we biked there, grabbed a muffin and coffee, and sat on a couple of crates in front of the gas station, watching all the locals come and go. It was definitely a popular spot! An old style farmhouse We then set off on our bike ride, thinking it would be

We enjoyed a much-needed day off in Moncton, New Brunswick. Although it’s considered the largest city in the province, it feels more like a large town. We appreciated our rest, but most of all, we loved the delectable seafood and craft beer. Fresh lobster, oysters, and salmon were on every menu, and we happily took advantage of these delicious offerings. A statue to the lobster! Today was our last day in New Brunswick, and we felt a bit sad to leave. Riding through the provin

We took a day off in Moncton, New Brunswick, to rest our legs, and it was a good thing, too, as the wind was still blowing strongly all day. We were able to watch the tide coming in and the tidal bore moving up the river. I updated the photos and videos of this phenomenon on my previous blog, Of Wind and Water... Two versions of the New Brunswick flag, We enjoyed our last days in New Brunswick, finding it fascinating that as we traveled further south in the province, there we

We made it to Sussex before the storm, but this morning we woke to a howling windstorm with gusts up to 49 mph and rain. Conditions like that usually signal an off day, but we also knew that the high-powered gusts were at our backs. There was a strong possibility we could catch that tailwind and sail at high speed to our next destination, Moncton, New Brunswick, about 50 miles away. We didn’t spend much time deciding whether to wait out the storm or take off and hoped the rai

Where we are today: Moncton, NB Welcome to Moncton, New Brunswick! It is the most populous city in the province, yet it still feels like a relatively small town. Moncton sits near the eastern border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, right at the northernmost tip of the Bay of Fundy, LIlacs along the Petitcodiac River near where it meets the Bay of Fundy. where the Petitcodiac River empties into it. The Bay of Fundy is famous for having the highest tides in the world, ri

New friends in Gagetown Our evening in Gagetown was hands down the best evening of the ride. The locals we met at the Gagetown Grill were quite concerned about us getting caught in a big storm today. One couple even offered to host us at their home until the storm cleared. They were genuinely worried and wanted to ensure we wouldn’t get stuck, providing us with their contact information in case we ran into trouble. The weather apps, which have been quite accurate, forecasted

Bruce and his partner, proprietors of the Gagetown Grill and Smokehouse, today's highlight of people who make a difference in their community. We had the most wonderful time last night at the tiny Gagetown Grill and Smokehouse/Bunkhouse. Bruce and his girlfriend run it with such down-home charm and graciousness. Gagetown doesn’t have much in terms of places to eat or even places to stay; it feels like a tiny community from a bygone era. But Bruce and his girlfriend are the gl

Gagetown Grill I'm not exactly sure how we ended up in Gagetown, New Brunswick, but here we are. Routing has become a bit complicated due to the remoteness of the area and the limited options for places to stay. However, we managed to plot a route that brought us to the Gagetown Grill (originally the first Ford dealership in New Brusnwick) which happens to have three rooms above the restaurant. We were fortunate to get one, as the owner has blocked out the rooms for the remai

How can you not love pancakes? You know you've found a jewel of a town when you can't see it for the trees! Such is the case with Fredericton, New Brunswick, the capital of the province. As we biked into the city yesterday, we didn’t even notice it until we were right in the heart of downtown! The same happened this morning as we left; we simply disappeared into the trees, and the city was gone. We were sad to leave so quickly—it’s a city worth exploring, with a beautiful riv

World's Biggest Axe, Nackawic, NB The theme over the last couple of days has been BIG. New Brunswick is home to the longest covered bridge, which we crossed yesterday, and the biggest axe, which both of us held up today. It’s also home to the biggest chair I (we) have ever sat in! I only wish I had a chair like that in my classroom when I was teaching. :) A really big chair! What stands out most over the last couple of days, though, is the big time kindness and friendship of

I've been curious about the history of New Brunswick. I knew it was predominantly a British colony originally, and that many Royalists moved north to New Brunswick after the American Revolution. It turns out it was named in honor of King George III whose family was actually German and hailed form the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, which lies in the northwestern part of today's Germany. Brunswick refers to the House of Braunschweiger... yes, that Braunschweiger! My mother's f

A New Brunswick road There’s something extraordinary about cycling through this part of the world. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is, but it has a lot to do with riding through southern Quebec, which feels like a country of its own. Crossing the border into New Brunswick reveals a region where many people speak French as their first language. As we ride further south into New Brunswick, English becomes the primary language. This transition also reflects changes in arch