We sailed over to the Maritime Provinces several years ago and unfortunately never made it to Cape Breton Island. Sue, who has ancestors from Baddeck on Cape Breton, had wanted to visit and I wanted to visit the Island's renowned National Parks so off we went in our E-Pro camper we have name Elsie (the cow - condo on wheels).
Marc- Canada opened up for fully vaccinated Americans on August 9th provided you complied with a Covid-19 test within 72 hours and provided information for a potential quarantine location. Our first excursion was bringing Sara back to Montreal where she plans to live during her second year of her Masters in Fine Arts program in Cartoon Studies. We drove up in the Honda Odyssey and experienced no difficulties at the border where we passed in 5 minutes. I spent the night at my favorite Montreal Hotel: Ruby Foos. Richard LaRiviere came over for breakfast at Eggspectation the next morning. We discussed our recent trip to Florida aboard Lucy III and his plans for a trip to Europe aboard Indian Summer. Richard plans to depart in October and spend the winter in Florida and the Bahamas before heading to Bermuda, the Azores, then Europe. He is fearless on the ocean with his Tartan and is spending considerable time in preparing his boat.
I drove back to Vermont without any issues at the United States border and proceeded to Whispering Pines campground in Panton, Vermont to pick up our camper trailer: Elsie (COW -condo on wheels). John and Mindy Donnelly were very helpful in getting the trailer ready and connected to the Odyssey. They have great experience in boating as well as camping and have done both internationally. The next stop was at the Lewis Camp at Upper Togue Pond in Baxter State Park, Maine. The car burned much more fuel towing the trailer. I stopped 3 times to fill the gas tank. I averaged 10 mpg from Vermont-New Hampshire-Maine (we normally get around 30 mpg). What I thought would be a 9 hour trip was a 12 hour trip because I could not go more than 55-60 mph.
Sue came up to Maine on August 13th. We met in Waterville, ME to get our Covid testing. The CVS staff informed us that it would take 3-5 days to get the results. The website had said 1-2 days. Fortunately for us they sent us results in 24 hours.
We had a nice time at camp. Great weather, great views of Mt. Katahdin and we enjoyed visiting with our Lewis family friends.
August 16, 2021: Lewis Camp, Baxter State Park, T2 R9, Maine
Marc- Departed Baxter State Park 06:00 with car and camper. It was slow going until we reached route 95 in Medway. Although the speed limit on Route 95 is 75 mph we felt more comfortable driving under 60 mph with our rig. We stopped for breakfast in Houlton at the Irving Big Stop. Breakfast was very good (and big) and we filled up on fuel (all told we filled it 3 times today). The Big Stop is a Canadian owned chain that has expanded gas stations to include full service restaurants. They make fuel stops convenient all over New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. There were no problems crossing the Maine - New Brunswick Border. We did encounter a new provincial border stop in Amherst, Nova Scotia on the Trans Canada Highway. They just wanted to know that we had completed the Nova Scotia advance paperwork (we get an email each day asking us if we’re having any covid symptoms). The scenery was nice and we finally arrived at 22:00 at the Cape Breton National Park at Cheticamp. It was easy to back it into our campsite and make connections for the camper.
August 17, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
Marc- Beautiful day here for our planned hikes in the park. We explored the downtown and the harbor area and the road to the Lighthouse where there was a herd of cows enjoying themselves in the fields and on the beach. Our first hike was along a river to see some salmon pools where the salmon come to lay their eggs. The river is beautiful and the surrounding mountains awesome. We went back to the campground for lunch and then set off on a rather long hike on the “skyline trail”. This trail starts at 1500 feet in elevation and involves mostly flat terrain. We walked about 6 miles here. The best part was the drive up to the trailhead along the coast. The road climbs and descends mountains that cling to the shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The viewing spots are fantastic. Sue noticed that there were few boats along this coast except in the fishing harbors. For dinner we went to an Acadian restaurant in Cheticamp hoping to hear some fiddle playing. They had excellent poutine but we learned that there is no music on Tuesday nights.
August 18, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
Marc- Today we started out early going to the Boulangerie for coffee and apple pie. Our plan was to do the entire Cabot Trail by car and to scout out our next campground. We did both and saw many incredible sights along the way. We even saw a black bear. Our next campground is on the Atlantic side at Broad Cove near the town of Ingonish. The Ranger allowed us to go in to check out our campsite as well as the ocean beach and fresh water swimming pond. Spectacular beach with red sand. The pond is just across the beach. We continued doing the loop and discovered that the highway to get here with our camper would be quite difficult. We have requested to stay at our current location for three additional nights. We will travel about with the car to do our exploring. We stopped in the beautiful town of Baddeck on the Bras D’Or Lake to visit the town where Sue’s great grandmother, Catherine Belle Matheson Campbell, was born. There is a vibrant downtown and beautiful parks and docks on the waterfront. We saw some sailboats on moorings here as well as sailboats actually sailing. We went to the Court house to look for birth records. Unfortunately all of this information is in the provincial capital in Halifax. The Court Clerk did provide Sue with the website for birth/death/marriage certificates. No records found as yet since the on line records go back to 1864 and she was born in 1863. Or she may have been born in 1868 (if so, she does not appear on line); there are discrepancies in the information we have. The search will continue.
August 19, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
Marc- First we could not leave until moving the camper to another spot since we had decided to stay. This took us until 11:00 to complete since the new spot had to be free. Today we did a three hour trip by car to Louisbourg National Historic Site. Louisbourg was fantastic even in the rain showers that greeted us when we arrived. It is a partially reconstructed fortified 18th century city built by the French in 1713. Its strategic location near the shipping lanes and being ice free in the winter made it ideal. The British conquered the place and deported the French in the mid-1700’s. The Canadian National Park Service reconstructed the place beginning in the 1930’s to put many unemployed coal miners in the area back to work. 25% of French Louisbourg was rebuilt according to the original plans and is a well staffed part of Parks Canada. We were greeted by Park staff in French Military uniforms of 1750. Non-military women and men were in the streets and buildings completing some of the daily activities from the period. We visited several private homes and the governor’s house which included the military barracks and the Catholic church. I enjoyed interacting with these folks who responded as if it were 1750. A young soldier explained how there were 24 soldiers assigned to 8 bunk beds. When you do the math that comes out to 3 to a bed. Usually there was someone on duty so there were only two to a bed. The soldiers were also the major laborers when not performing their military duties.
The second encounter I really enjoyed was meeting the gardener working for a wealthy merchant. She explained what vegetables were growing in her garden and that she was also responsible for the family animals. She then pulled a live baby turkey out from under her overcoat. It was a cool day and the baby needed to be kept warm.
August 20, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
Marc- Today we moved the camper to a tent only area of the campground since no other sites were available. Our camper can handle being unhooked to water, sewer and electric but it is not as convenient. Today Sue and I drove down to the village of Baddeck on the Bras D’Or Lake. It was lunch time when we arrived and we found a great restaurant with outside dining right on the main pier: The Freight Shed. Great food while enjoying a great view of the harbor with pleasure boats motoring and sailing about. Some of the local kids were also cooling off by jumping off the end of the pier. Kids were sailing small boats. Our next stop was the National Park Site of Alexander Graham Bell. Yes the inventor of the telephone lived here on Cape Breton Island when he was not teaching the deaf in Boston or working for the US government in Washington. The Museum is on a hill overlooking the town and part of the Lake. Alexander and his wife Mabel accomplished many things in the 19th and early 20th century. Bell invented the first plane to fly in Canada, the first hydrofoil power boat (capable of going over 70 miles an hour), and even a helicopter. Much of his research work was financed by Bell Telephone that Mabel oversaw.
August 21, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
Marc- Last move today to a fully capable campsite for our last night. The site is next to the exit gate - perfect for an early morning departure. First item of business today was getting coffee from Robins Coffee Shop in town and eggs from the LeBlanc General Store. After breakfast we went to visit a store where hooked rugs are made and a village Museum dedicated to the history of Cheticamp with an exhibit on the hooked rugs and the women who make them. We enjoyed lunch while listening to live Fiddle playing at the Doryman Tavern. The food and the music were excellent. Later we drove out on the Cabot Trail to do a few more short hikes. One short hike was in a bog with many carnivorous (insect eating) plants. The flowering plants were attractive and I saw very few insects about. Our last stop was the LeBlanc General Store near the campground for a few last items before our return trip. A fellow shopper I met was a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman and he helped us out with the best highways to take to get over to the mainland of Nova Scotia (excellent advice).
August 22, 2021: Cheticamp Campground, Cape Breton National Park.
We departed Cape Breton National Park at 06:00 having prepared the previous day for a quick departure. Our first stop was at Robin’s coffee shop in Cheticamp for coffee and bagels. The Honda held together well as we traveled through the backgrounds of Cape Breton Island for the bridge at Canso. This time I noticed there was a large navigation lock under the swing bridge at Canso. It appears that the water in the Atlantic Ocean side of Canso is at a different level form the Gulf of St. Lawrence side. The lock allows for transit from one side to the other without dealing with strong currents. Most of the day was spent taking turns driving on the highways of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The border crossing was uneventful and lasted only a few minutes. It did take us about three hours to get to Baxter State Park (including a stop at the supermarket in Millinocket).
August 23, 2021: Lewis Camp, Baxter State Park, T2 R9, Maine
Marc- Sue departed after breakfast in the Honda Civic for home. I decided to stay and help Fred make some repairs on his camp. I was also wary of traveling with a hurricane raising havoc in Southern New England. It rained heavily during the night.
August 24, 2021: Lewis Camp, Baxter State Park, T2 R9, Maine
Marc- Although I was awake at 5:30 it was not until 07:00 before I left Togue Pond for Millinocket. 12 hours later I arrived at Whispering Pines campground in Panton, Vermont. The weather was fine and traffic was light however I never exceeded 60 mph and stopped often for rest. The car was still getting only 10 miles per gallon towing the camper requiring three refueling stops. John and Mindy Donnelly came over to help met park the camper amongst the trees and set it up for a long term stay. It was good to be back in Vermont.
Overall the trip was a success with the old Honda doing well but showing its limitations. Not enough power for the hills and limitations on speed (we were the slowest vehicle on the road at 55 to 60 mph). The E-Pro Camper itself was excellent. It is ready for its next adventure that we hope to take this winter.
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