Spoffords Travel

Rose Blanche Newfoundland to Cow Head Newfoundland 264 miles

The B&B filled up overnight. The water here is on a boil order. A cereal bowl full of the water is a light brown. Not real appealing. Dry cereal, milk, juice and oranges are available for breakfast. Two of the folks are headed out the door as we come down. They are going back on the ferry and want to be there early. The next couple are going on a boat tour of some of the nearby sites. The single lady is headed out to somewhere. We ate some breakfast and then loaded up. Once again the car is flooding and won’t start. Rob talked to the ladies in the gift shop. One of their husbands will come pull the car. He arrived in about 10 minutes. He pulled a very short distance but quite fast. Rob told him to go up the hill but slower. That didn’t work either. Now the road up the hill is gravel with numerous potholes so fast is not a good thing. Rob got out the rubber hammer and beat on the carburetor. Then he tried starting it again. After a couple of tries it started without a tow. We had to go the 25 miles back to where we got off the ferry. It’s much better today because there is some blue sky. The road is dry other than the water filled potholes which could be called small swimming pools. From time to time we can see the coastline. Everywhere there are small ponds full of water. Obviously it rains a lot here. We merged onto the Trans Canada Highway. That road is in much better condition. We went through lots of different landscape. Some areas had almost no trees and other areas were forested. Now there are much bigger mountains in the distance. The further north we went the cloudier it got. The clouds are covering the tops of the mountains. We did get a little rain but not much. We found a pull out and had lunch. While we were stopped Rob had his car door open. A squirrel came up and sat on his foot. He didn’t even know it. Then when another car drove up the squirrel made a loop through the front floorboard and out the door. It scared Connie. This is a major highway and there are no rest stops. We have only seen one official rest stop in the entire country. Several signs have warned of the presence of moose. One said there have been three accidents so far this year. In one area tall fences on either side of the road are designed to keep the moose away from vehicles. Eventually we also saw a sign warning of caribou. At Deer Lake we turned off onto a lesser highway but it was still good. This part of the drive is known as the Viking Trail and is considered a must do in Canada. In places we followed right along the coast line. The trees are very short and all point away from the water. The wind blows a lot here. The drive is beautiful. There are lots of hiking trails all over. Cars are parked at nearly all the trail heads. We turned off once more onto a local road in order to get to Cow Head. The road is more narrow and full of potholes. Our hotel has a pub and restaurant. Looks like the place to come. While Rob checked in most of the people in the pub came out to look and ask about the car. Then we went to the grocery store to get sandwich materials before returning to the hotel. We ate in the pub. Connie had Newfoundland mussels that were delicious. In the gift shop were jars of bakeapple spread. Turns out these only grow in arctic tundra conditions such as Newfoundland and Labrador. They are berries similar to a large raspberry but are amber in color when ripe. Some say they taste like apricots. The locals have a unique dialect. A combination of all the different ethnic groups that have settled here. Cell service doesn’t exist here for us at least. Rob did some routine maintenance on the car tonight. He is convinced that bringing only two carburetors on this trip was not enough.

North Sydney Nova Scotia to Rose Blanche Newfoundland 141 miles

It’s another mostly cloudy day with a little wind. We ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Rob went out to work a little on the car. Once again we had to be pulled. This time the carburetor was not cooperating. Flooding without any help. We then headed to the ferry because we were to be there no later then 10:15. Rob did his maintenance then and Connie tried to go to the visitor’s center. Well once in the ferry grounds you can’t leave. Luckily the ferry office had maps and tourist information for Newfoundland. Rob spent part of the ferry trip deciding where to go next and booking rooms. Good use of time. With some coaxing the car started so it could be driven on the ferry. Rob bought us reserved recline seats so the ride was very comfortable. We tried for a cabin but they were sold out. We split an order of fish and chips and a piece of chocolate cake with ice cream for lunch. The normal serving size is large in Canada. With a little coaxing again the car started so we could drive it off the boat. We filled with gas at $5.40 a gallon and headed the 25 miles to the B & B where we are staying. The road is wet so we know it rained recently. We were lucky and didn’t encounter any. The road is VERY rough in most places. It twists and turns and goes up and down. We had to stop once to add a little water to the radiator. We crossed one of those mesh deck bridges that are terrible to drive on. Another bridge was undergoing some maintenance so there was a big bump on both ends of the bridge. The landscape is much different here. Fewer trees, bigger hills, more visible rocks and more water. Everything is green and lush. We got to the town and then the street where the B & B was located. But the place was further down the road. Actually down the road, up the hill and down the hill. The road was mostly potholes and was only one lane wide. First gear for most of the way to ease through the potholes. You needed to be here to understand. There must be somewhere more convenient. Our room is upstairs and rather small but that is better than outside. The time here is a half hour ahead of Nova Scotia. Early to bed tonight.

New Glasgow Nova Scotia to North Sydney Nova Scotia 155 miles

Forgotten from yesterday: when we got off the freeway the road to take us to the hotel was closed and the detour took us back on the freeway. Luckily the next exit was only one kilometer away. Rob left the car running while he checked in fearing that it would not start again. The ferry crew told us that Prince Edward Island is a major producer of potatoes and that we should look up piggy eyed potatoes. I have not found anything about these but I did find that Prince Edward Island raises 25% of the potatoes in Canada. Today is mostly cloudy but no rain overnight thank goodness. We were required to take our breakfast back to the room so by the time we ate it the hot things were cold. Oh well. Rob went out to work on the car. Rob identified a corroded battery cable and replaced it. Now the concern of having a bad starter went away. He got several helpers but so far nothing is working. The car just won’t start. Eventually a guy towed us to a mechanic that he thought knew everything. Well the mechanic admitted he didn’t know anything about these cars. Rob had gotten a lead on a local guy who owned a Model A. When Rob talked to him he said he would come but he was also going to call his friend who really knew Model A engines. So in about 20 minutes they were there. The real problem was a “carbon track” on the distributor cap. This was Rob’s learning point for the day. Once that was replaced and the battery charged the engine fired right up. The time was about 2 pm and we had not eaten lunch so we stopped at a Wendy’s and then got on the road. The wind is quite strong and the road has lots of grooves caused by the trucks. So the car wiggled a lot. We have reservations tonight near the ferry terminal. The landscape is varied with small farms, small communities and forest. At times the ocean is visible. A huge freeway enhancement is underway. We criss crossed between sides. Sometimes new and sometimes old. Once again we go over gently rolling hills. Several houses had smiley stick figures by their driveways. Couldn’t get a picture because they were hard to spot until you were right beside them. When we got about 10 miles from our hotel, Connie checked out the location since we have had some trouble with addresses on Pocket Earth. This was no exception. We had to backtrack some and go another 5 miles. But when we got to the hotel it sits on a hill just above the ferry terminal. It is a beautiful facility with restaurant and guest laundry. We had clothes to do so when they went in the dryer we went to dinner. Connie had cod tongues. They have a little stronger fishy taste compared to cod filets. Rob was not as brave with his supper choice.

Borden-Carlton Prince Edward Island to New Glasgow Nova Scotia 135 miles

Today the sky is completely overcast and the wind is blowing. As usual the car would not start. A group of about 5 oriental ladies got a real charge out of pushing the car. That did not work however. Then another guest agreed to pull. It took a couple of passes but then it started.

We are planning to drive around the coast to the ferry location. The wind is blowing pretty hard which does affect the car. Of course its hard to tell how much of the wiggle is the road and how much is the wind. Lots of the road is patches on patches. The rain comes and goes but most of the time is at least a drizzle. This means the curtains are down and the windshield is covered with drops. Consequently seeing things is difficult. The landscape is small rolling hills with small farms and towns. The houses are well maintained and have green lawns. Some have incredible flowers too. The houses out of town have big yards. Glad I don’t have to mow those. We don’t see much livestock. Still don’t know where all that hay is going. The farms do have larger barns so perhaps the animals stay in doors. We saw two signs for buggies but not the Amish buggy so not just sure what that means. With further research we determined these were for Amish. There are stands for fresh vegetables, eggs and fire wood. One farm grew mushrooms. Another advertised “Clucks and Quakers”. Only occasionally did we see the ocean. Prince Edward Island is known for its oysters. Connie was all ready to have some until she discovered that they are raw on the half shell. Turned out it was raining too hard all day and we didn’t want to stop. For several miles there were cottages for rent. Obviously a favorite place to vacation. At least they weren’t as close together as the RVs. A surprising number of places are for sale. We guessed prices are high. Not sure what their winters are like but if they have this much wind to go with the cold being outdoors would be miserable. One short distance actually had mail boxes at each house. This has not been the case everywhere else. We did see one mail delivery person. The entire front of the group of boxes opens so mail is put in from the front. Also a new sign was for a trail crossing. This could be people, bicycles or snow machines. We encountered several very wet bicycle riders. They had to be miserable. Another new sign indicated church traffic. We didn’t see any of that so it must be like the moose. A side note: most churches have cemeteries adjacent to them. After driving about 2 hours we decided to cut the journey short and head for the ferry. We can’t see much due to the rain. The wind is terrible too. We stopped for gas in Montague. For the first time the car would not start after starting for the day. The car was pulled only a few feet and started. On to the ferry. We got there just as the earlier ferry was arriving. We could lie up for the wait list and possibly go earlier but we elected not to gamble. They had us go off to the side and come back after 1:30. So we parked and ate sandwiches in the car. We listened to the audio book until closer to time to line up. The car would not start again. Rob went for help. We ended up being towed to the line up area by a forklift. They want to put us at the front of the ferry so we can be pushed out. The ferry ride is about 75 minutes and their cafeteria is open. We ate there since we don’t know what it may be like on the other end. We bought brown gravy for the fries. Several other people in line bought gravy as well. Not really all that bad but definitely different. The chicken strips dipped in the gravy was good. When we got on the other side the crew pushed us off the ferry and we stopped on the side. No one coming off the ferry offered to help. Rob eventually asked some folks of Indian descent to pull us. We went further than normal but nothing. We sent them on their way. A man eventually stopped and he pulled us again. Faster and further. The car did eventually start and we drove to our hotel in New Glasgow Nova Scotia. Looked up some weather facts for Prince Edward Island. The hottest month is July at an average of 66 degrees. During the winter they get 114 inches of snow and the wind still blows. Rob is going to install a new battery cable tomorrow morning. After that, maybe air-freight a working starter from his brother in Renton, Washington.

Miramichi New Brunswick to Borden-Carleton Prince Edward Island 138 miles

The day is about 50% sunny. As usual the car would not start. It didn’t start with a pull either. Rob called his brother Ed for more ideas. Then Rob walked a couple of blocks to the Napa store to buy a new battery cable. He didn’t install that but did replace the carburetor with the one we started the trip with. It’s problem was loose screws that Rob did not notice before. Then with a short pull it started. Then it was off to change the oil. It turned out that all four places in town that change oil were fully booked for the next two weeks. Rob changed the oil by himself. His coveralls are going to need to be laundered before we head home. Connie sat in the shade in a small park. So by 11:30 we are finally on our way. We are on a bigger highway today so definitely more traffic. After about an hour we stopped at the Information Center in Richibucto New Brunswick for a break and to have lunch. It was quite pleasant there. Lots of shade and a nice lawn. The town is a significant sea port. During probation in the states they ran a lot of rum. Now they do more wood pulp and charter fishing. Then we were on again. We drove along the coast line but most of the time you couldn’t see it for the trees. Only small hills today. Off in the distance we finally saw Confederation Bridge that connects New Brunswick with Prince Edward Island. The bridge is 8 miles long. Today they were patching potholes on the bridge. Our hotel is not far from the end of the bridge. We drove past a vacant lot that had all these small white statues evenly spaced. What could that be. Oh my its seagulls all just standing there. We stopped for gas first. A local gentleman talked to Rob for quite a bit and then followed us to the hotel. He has a 1931 Chrysler. The lady at the reception here was not at all friendly. The accommodation was over priced compared to other places we have stayed. We went out for fish and chips which were really good. Too many chips to eat. We got to the hotel before dark so we didn’t miss any turns today.

Edmondston New Brunswick to Miramichi New Brunswick 243 miles

Today is mostly sunny and a little warmer. We left late because we had to do yesterday’s blog and make a plan for travel today and get a place to stay. As usual the car would not start. Almost all of the hotel guests had left so Rob walked down the street. He knocked on the door of a house with a pickup and that guy agreed to help. It took a couple of trips up and down the road to get it going. The carburetor is putting out too much gas so the new trick is to start the car with the gas off and then turn it on after the car starts. This works but not on the first start of the day. The carburetor float maybe stuck. Rob wants to purchase a rubber hammer to beat on the carburetor. Now we just need to find one in a store. I forgot to mention that the odometer turned over 20,000 miles. Not all this trip thank goodness. We have only traveled 7,435 miles so far on this trip. Another thing of note is the postal delivery. Looks like areas have mailboxes at the beginning of the road. Usually quite a few. So you stop at those to get your mail. The postal delivery must be easier too. The US should consider this approach. We are driving through the province of New Brunswick. Thank goodness English is back on the signs. Sometimes it is even the first language. Obviously more English speakers here. More churches in these towns. Still a lot of forest and logging trucks. We left the main highway to go for gas. The town was having some kind of celebration. Part of the street was blocked off and people were everywhere. We tried a Tim Horton Restaurant for lunch. They are all over the country. Their specialty is coffee and donuts but they also have sandwiches. Ours was a tasty chicken chipotle wrap. Coming into town we crossed a very tall bridge over a pretty big river. Rob wants to change the engine oil tomorrow. A good day all in all.

Portneuf Sur Mer Quebec to Edmondston New Brunswick 180 miles

Last night at least three other guests arrived. So the house that was all ours became more crowded. That presented another problem when Rob took suitcases out to the car. We were blocked in. Everyone is still asleep so we ate a couple of granola bars for breakfast and tried to stay quiet. By 9 am no one was up so Rob started knocking on doors to get the owner of the Mazda to move it. She really hadn’t had much choice. The driveway is very small due to the new construction going on next door and the road is not wide enough to park a car. It’s probably against the rules anyway. She apologized and moved the vehicle. Then as usual the woodie would not start. The guy across the street had a four wheeler. They tried that but it wasn’t strong enough. So the other neighbor got his truck. Still no start. So they parked it in front of his house and the two neighbors and Rob went to work. These gentlemen only spoke French and Rob doesn’t speak French so communicating was rather difficult. Over time other members of the community showed up. One finally did speak English. In total at least six different people worked on it and finally got it started. We headed out of town to the ferry location. We stopped at the gas station from last night to call the ferry company. The lady who answered spoked very good English. Their ferries are completely full for at least another month. We could come to the ferry and wait to see if a no show opened up but the odds are not good. Her best suggestion was to head south and take the ferries that operate on a first come first serve basis. So we went back some of the way from yesterday. Still along the St Lawrence River. The tide must be out or they are in a drought because the water does not come all the way to the shore. We can see big barges out in the main stream. The highway dead ends at the first ferry which crosses the Saguenay River. On the map the river looks small but it takes about ten minutes to cross by ferry. Two lines form going down a rather steep hill. They use two ferries here so they do come more often. There is no charge for this ferry because it connects a major highway. Uneventful crossing. Now a drive up and down hills still along the St Lawrence River to the next ferry. Many of the houses along the way have metal siding. Sometimes they use multiple colors to make the house different. There are also many houses that are the size and shape of a single wide modular home. They are placed on concrete foundations. The other houses often have basements so they sit up higher off the ground. Most still have porches. We soon arrived at St Simeon where the second ferry crosses the St Lawrence River. They only run one ferry and it takes 1-1.25 hours to cross. We got there about 2:30 and the next ferry leaves at 5:30. They gave us a paper that indicates number and category of passengers and the vehicle. We are to be back to the car by 4:15. So we headed for the information building and to walk along the river. We picked a destination based on the time of arrival. Then we took a short walk out to the observation area. At least three barges are navigating the river. We were also lucky enough to see glimpses of a small whale. It passed about three times but our timing was never good to photograph it. We talked to a lady who lived on the other side. She had just missed the earlier ferry. She said just because you have a slip of paper does not guarantee you a spot on the ferry. Oh dear. This is the last ferry of the day. While waiting, the car in front of us had a tire going low. The decision was made to change the tire. They were four tourists from France. I don’t think they had ever changed a tire. Rob went right out to help and so did another motorist nearby. After some effort the tire came off and a large screw was imbedded in the tire. That was pulled out with pliers and the other motorist had the tools to repair the hole. Then the tire went back on and all appeared to be good. One of the four French tourists spoke good English which really helped. Yeah the ferry has arrived. The loading process begins. The leftover cars from earlier go on first, then some campers and small trucks. The newcomers are the last to go on. The row to our left gets on and then our row. Only a very few cars from the third row make it on. We are at the back but we are on. A row of cars are above the outer row. Sure glad we were not up there. Seating is available in several areas both inside and outside. The river is more narrow here than down stream. The ride cost us about $88 Canadian. We ate sandwiches while on board to save a stop later. On the other side we drove through a larger community of interesting shops and houses. No time to stop and we really had to pay attention to the GPS. Lots of twists and turns. Finally we are on the side road to the freeway. Almost no other cars were on the road and it was in good condition. Unfortunately all good things come to a close. We were forced onto the freeway. It is undergoing expansion so there is lots of major construction. The sign says to be finished in December but I doubt it. Our travel distance is further than we thought so it is getting dark. Those of you who have Model As know the lights are not all that bright. For those of you that don’t know, imagine driving at night in a strange location with one dim flashlight. We are often following the tail lights of cars in front. Finally we get to the town. Now to find the hotel. By now it is quite dark. Thank goodness for lines on the road. We wandered through all residential areas. The roads are narrow and heavily patched. We came to the spot the GPS sent us and no motel. A second GPS sent us back somewhere nearly 8 miles. Oh yes we are nearly out of gas. We missed one turn completely because we could not see the road. Then the road had no lines. They are not straight either. Finally we got to this location and the motel was there. Still in a residential area. We arrived about 10:15 pm. We were both tired and ready for bed.