July 1, 1989
Five Islands to Aulac, New Brunswick
It was cold when we awoke this morning, and a heavy layer of dew covered the tent and our equipment. I awoke several times in the night, tracking my cold symptoms. As I lay in the tent I felt congestion worsening and the onset of a fever; but this morning I seem better. Except for some hoarseness I began the day feeling nearly normal.
Our ride to breakfast (in Parrsboro, fifteen miles to the west) was chilly but otherwise enjoyable. There were few cars, modest grades, blue skies, and best of all no wind. Our most difficult task on this stretch was keeping our hands and feet warm.
We arrived in Parrsboro at 7:15 - we had really gotten an early start. The only establishment open was a small café. Throughout the day we would find many establishments closed, because this is July 1st, Canada Day. After breakfast we continued on Highway 2 for Amhearst (after first starting off in the wrong direction for a brief distance after stopping in at a typically ill-stocked grocery and finding few articles of interest). It proved to be a lovely ride the entire way - some stretches reminded me of the French Coast, with large expanses of wildflowers and heather. We stopped for a break at a roadside picnic area beside a mirror-smooth lake, and played another cribbage cribbage game. We are suffering right now through a bizarre run of luck that has taken a lot of fun out of the game - Rachael has had a prolonged period of bad luck, and has lost 15 straight games - enough so that it is just depressing for her. It is really quite amazing.
The last half of the ride to Amhearst follows the Maccan River, a lazy, modest but pretty waterway through gentle farmlands. Features of interest here included a bald eagle sighting and a brief visit with two young boys who wished to know where we were from, what we were about, and why Rachael was carrying so much less stuff than me.
Amhearst proved to be quit a dead town - almost everything was closed for Canada Day. There was a festival at the city center but it wasn't terribly exciting - a dunk tank, a few food booths and music by a quartet of clean-cut youngsters doing a Beach Boys imitation. After seeing the sights we pedaled back to the laundromat for our required pit stop and then to a pizzeria for diner - before returning to the highway for the six mile ride to New Brunswick. Immediately upon entering the province we visited a gift shop to collect our patches; and then, after a few false starts, got on to the correct side road for our lodging for the night: the Georgian House.
Our inn looked unassuming from the outside, since all of its paint had been removed in preparation for a fresh coat; but it was quite elegant and lovely within. The host was an odd, rather effeminate many, but very pleasant and helpful. He seemed not at all offended by our untidy appearance.
The rest of the evening was not too memorable from my perspective. While Rachael took a sower, I more or less passed out for the night, under the effects of my worsening cold symptoms.
Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 819 miles (1,318 km)
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