The ferry at Wood Islands:

One hour 15 minutes later, Nova Scotia was in sight.

I drove until it was time to find a place to stay for the night which turned out to be in Mabou. There was a restaurant nearby – The Red Shoe Pub:

and there was live music from 5-7. Lucky me.

We were ready to ride at 7:45. Long ride today and it was going to be warmer.

Breakfast in St Peters before we hit the Confederation Trail.

Since we were ahead of schedule, we took a nice long break in York.

We rode to MacQueen’s to drop off our bikes and panniers. 39 miles – yes, we were all tired. Brenda picked us up and we went to dinner at The Pilot House. Hmm, which beer should I have? Fourth one down made me laugh.

Thank you Ruth for all the excellent planning, Brenda for providing support, Juliann for asking questions that got me talking and sharing, Reg for enjoying the company of women. All of you made this trip an amazing adventure filled with good company and love.

Breakfast at the lodge.

After a bit of exploring in St Peter’s, we rode out to Greenwich Dunes. No bikes beyond this point where there were several trail choices.

A floating boardwalk over Bowley Pond.

A long boardwalk.

A steep climb over the dune.

Looking out at the Gulf of St Lawrence.

We had an early dinner at Golden Dory on the way back to Mysa.

15 miles of riding today. Just enough for a good night’s sleep.

Waiting for my ride in front of the hotel. Saddlebags packed.

We had the bike shuttled to York to save a few miles. Brenda dropped us off.

St Peter’s Bay:

31 miles to Mysa Nordic Spa.

We’re staying in the white cabins.

Hot and cold choices, but NO talking. There are a few whisper zones.

on Prince Edward Island. A ferry across the Northumberland Strait.

I was able to check into my hotel early and walked to a nearby restaurant for some excellent seafood chowder, drizzled with chili oil and topped with mussels.

One problem arose. I first sat at an outside table. A bee flew up my shorts and stung me a few times on the upper thigh. I went inside to eat.

Later, I walked to MacQueen’s Bike Shop and met Ruth and Brenda, Reg and Juliann. Ruth and Juliann are sisters and my cousins. All live in Saskatchewan, however Brenda grew up on PEI which makes her an excellent guide.

We were fitted for our bikes in preparation for our ride tomorrow.

Dorothy made a great dinner last night which included lobster, scallops and haddock – so good!

Dorothy’s favorite spot to sit outside

and watch geese raise their families in the pond across the road.

Lobster traps:

Goodbye Little River and Digby Neck – forever in my heart.

I drove along the shore going through all the little towns that were listed in my 2007 journal but it was taking a long time to make progress toward today’s goal. Nova Scotia is bigger than I thought and the speed limits are much lower, so I hopped onto the provincial highways and arrived in Pictou by late afternoon.

A drive along the Acadian shores where Stella Maris flags decorate many homes.

A stop in Marshalltown to see a replica of Maud and Everett Lewis’ home.

This house in Whale Cove was home from November-February 2008. Yes, it was a cold winter, but fresh-caught lobster any time the guy up the hill hauled his traps.

This evening I stayed w Dorothy and Lauriston Tidd who live in Little River. We have stayed in touch for the past 17 years.

I got a late start but relaxing felt so good. First stop Peggy’s Cove.

Lunch in Lunenburg: lobster sandwich on fresh focaccia – omg!

Just before Yarmouth, I found William Allen Rd and drove to the end on the Chebogue River. This tiny cottage was home for a couple of months in 2007 thanks to the generosity of a trail angel met in Las Cruces NM who was born in Yarmouth.

The view included clammers’ boats.

As I was having a beer in the mostly empty hotel bar in Yarmouth that evening, the server came over to warn me it was karaoke night, but only a couple of songs to make one of the regulars happy. No worries. It was hilarious, this guy was really bad but sang his heart out.

Background: in 2007, I rode my bike around the perimeter (minus a gap between Halifax and Yarmouth). In Marshalltown, I discovered a very small painted house referenced to Maud and Everett Lewis, but with no information. I was curious. Later I found a garment tag with some information which I copied into my journal word for word. There was an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. I didn’t get to the museum in 2007, today I accomplished that goal.

The house was dismantled, moved to Halifax, and restored.

Maud, with undiagnosed juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, painted everything she could using what she had available-mostly marine paint.

The front door, both sides, was painted several times.

A long long day. Elaine took me to the airport at 3:30a, I changed planes in Salt Lake City and arrived in Toronto for the next layover. Then things went sideways. Lightning strikes in the afternoon had kept planes from leaving and arriving. We arrived at the end of the storm but had to wait two hours on the tarmac for a jetway to be available. The flight to Halifax Nova Scotia left 6+ hours late. A lot of grumpy tired people waiting for their bags:

I had chatted with Martha from Myrtle Beach SC in Toronto. We had so much in common, she was so friendly and easy to talk with. Then we were seated in same row on the flight to Halifax. I wasn’t able to pick up my rental vehicle, so she and Ron (who picked her up) gave me a ride to the nearby hotel. Definitely trail angels, even though this isn’t a bike ride.

3:30a Sunday: my head hit the pillow.