Hokai! So long weekend... well... sort of long weekend. Well, a little conversation with the boss and a misplaced Canada Day becomes a four day weekend. Great! Well... sorta great... four day weekend around Saint John, ok, but four day weekend somewhere exciting... Great!!!
Prince Edward Island here we come.
We were off to Canadian Tire in a jiffy to buy whatever camping gear was on sale. Unfortunately, even on sale camping gear adds up in a hurry. Whatever, we bought what we could and crammed it into our faithful steed, Jerusalem.
Saddle bags laden heavy we awoke medium-early on Thursday and were on our way northish. This was to be a pretty easy drive, as the only thing we had planned was to get from Saint John to the campsite. We passed Rothesay, Quispamsis, Sussex, and then came to a sign saying Sackville ahead. To those of you who have read the Lord of the Rings, or for you youngins who have seen the movies, you will know that Sackville happens to be a village that rests within the Shire in Middle-Earth. That being said there needs no explanation as to why it was a must see on our trip.
When the signs came we followed them off of the highway and into the town of Sackville. Alright, so there were no Hobbits, though the town had some hobbit-like qualities, but it was still worth the stop. It kind of reminded me of a not busy Invermere, if ever there was such a thing. So, driving through Sackville (heh... I get a kick every time I write that) we came across something else that was interesting. It turns out that there is a University in Sackville, and it is not some obscure University like say... the University of Sackville... but instead it is a University that I have actually heard of, and that being said, it is even a University that someone I know wants to go to... I think... Anyways. We stumbled across Mount Allison University.
Mount Allison
Seeing the University I had Jerusalem pull to a screeching halt (screeching from the exertion, and not the tires - though my new hot tires are working very well thank you very much). We got out of the car and proceeded to walk around campus. I am not sure if we were allowed or not, but the trick about that kind of thing is that if you don't ask you can always claim ignorance.
Centennial Hall
Don't get me wrong, the University of Calgary and the University of New Brunswick have treated me very well, but there is some kind of appeal in a school like Mount Allison University. Old buildings. Stone. Well designed school. Well designed structures. Small. Quaint. Homely. Secluded... all in all... it looks... well... nice... Maybe when I do my PhD...
Confederation Bridge
Soon enough it was time to get our acts in gear and continue on our way. We left Sackville and continued on our way. It was not long before we came to what was expected to perhaps be the highlight of the trip for me... Confederation Bridge. Alright, so given my aptitude and enjoyment from playing with Lego (even now), and my Civil Engineering Degrees, it is not too shocking that this should be a big thing for me... and... it was.
Confederation Bridge
Over the bridge we were officially on Prince Edward Island. We also officially did not really know what we were going to do there and only vaguely knew where we were going. Conveniently, PEI is a tourist region which means that there are information centres scattered in all of the locations where tourists find themselves most, including, right after Confederation Bridge. We pulled in. They told us to go on some scenic tour thing which sounded good to me, and I managed to sneak a photo with a giant cow which seemed to be famous as it was outside every Cows Ice Cream place.
Me and The Cow
Thus began our first set of adventures on PEI.
I never did get a photo of it, but the people on PEI seem to be very trusting. At the end of the driveways connected to the farmhouses there are quite often things for sale, such as firewood, or honey. There is then also a sign with a price, and an unattended box for you to leave your coin. We wanted to stop but never managed to. Either way I thought that it was an interesting phenomenon.
We continued on our way and managed to pull into some little dirt road in search of the coast. After all, how hard could it be? PEI is an island. Turns out that it was harder than we thought and that our road seemed to disappear... That was unfortunate but we did manage to find something interesting. You know how Elephants go to a graveyard to die and the skeletons of their forefathers can be found there? We found the ship graveyard. The boats rested, beached and after scuttle, to never be taken adrift again.
Where Ships go to Die
After a moment of silence and one too many feelings of centipedes crawling up our spines we continued on our scenic drive. This was great as it was mostly well marked, but in one of those "mostly" moments we missed one scenic part and then found ourselves lost in PEI's capital of Charlottetown.
Eventually we found our way and were on route to the campground. It was then when another "mostly" moment hit. Jerusalem, the car that "mostly" works had decided to "mostly" work a little bit less. Suffering from an old wound of an abusive family (before me of course!) the bumper wiggled and jiggled until all of the screws holding it in place wiggled and jiggled out. This resulted and a flapping noise from the rear that was the left side of the bumper waging hard to break loose like a dog's tail when he doesn't know whether to be scared or excited. Scared was the appropriate response.
We pulled over and assessed the situation. Crap was the situation. C'est la vie! I have seen enough Red Green to make anything work. I rolled on my back, shimmied underneath Jerusalem's belly and tied the bumper back on.
Of the Cleverness of Me
Bumper secured, we were on our way... again...
We did eventually find the campsite. We got checked in and managed to set up the tent, after which it promptly began to pour... and pour... and pour... Oh Canadian Tire, don't let me down... Turns out that in a deal for $89.99 you can be a tent, two chairs, two sleeping bags, and a cooler that all work quite well, and, happen to be waterproof.
Alexander 1
Mother Nature 0
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