Prince Edward Island

Up until now we have been staying in assorted campgrounds, cheap hotels, hostels and some places that belie categorization.  Now is the time for luxury.  On the PEI leg of the trip we booked a self-guided tour through an outfit called McQueens in Charlottetown.  I realize that self-guided seems like a bit of an oxymoron. However, what they do is give us a map, transfer our belongings and set up the accommodation.  We are leaving the car in Charlottetown and taking just what we need for a week.  Last night, tonight and for the next few days we are staying in very fancy B&B’s, at least, fancy compared to our previous accommodations. (Not saying much!) Not only that but we get to ride together!  Pretty decadent, I know. 

We like PEI.   It has a very nice feel to it.  When you want to cross the road people stop their cars to let you cross, unlike Alberta where they aim for you.  Everyone has that Maritime friendliness and a laid-back attitude.

Kind of like Victoria on pot.

We did a ride around Charlottetown yesterday and saw the sights.  For a city that figured so heavily in Confederation it is quite small.  People here are still a little puzzled by bicycles – not exactly sure if these new-fangled inventions will catch on.   Our helmets and cycling gear have raised no end of eyebrows.  But, in typical PEI fashion they are willing to give it a try, so they give us lots of room and lots of puzzled looks.  Ontario, sorry to say, but PEI also kicks your ass.   How does it feel to have your ass kicked by the little kid with the big glasses in the corner who eats the crayons?

Telen riding the PEI roads. 

Last night we went out for dinner at a Japanese restaurant.   So, an Irishman and a Chinese lady in PEI were served Japanese sushi prepared and served by an Indian man from Korea.  Only in Canada, you say?

Our ride today was from Charlottetown (l love the name!) to Montague by the back roads.  We rode past very many potato farms and small villages.  The red soil is a bit disconcerting – we always expect rich soil to be black.  Apparently the red colour comes from a high percentage of iron oxide in the soil.   I guess no one in PEI suffers from anemia.  But what really twists my mind is the pink roads.  I guess if you make asphalt from the local red dirt you get pink asphalt.  It takes a little getting used to.  Telen liked it because she said it matched her socks.

Telen and the famous red dirt of PEI.  

We ran into a weird obstacle today.   A loon standing in the middle of the road.  I am talking about the bird, not some crazy politician.  It was really strange because he was not about to move for anything – not even cars.  He did poop when he saw me coming but then that happens to lots of people when they see me in spandex.

Telen has not been on her bike for quite a while because my initial idea for her riding was, like most of my ideas, workable only in science fiction.  So, yesterday and today were her first rides of the trip.  It was a little frightening.   I would power up a hill and slow down at the top to wait for her and she was right behind me yelling at me to “Get out of the way, you idiot, what are trying to do, cause an accident?!”  Okay, for those of you who know Telen you know that that is an unlikely scenario.  She didn’t use the word “idiot”.

Okay, not all the roads are pink!
 This is a picture of some fool against the beautiful countryside of PEI

Telen writes:

I enjoyed cycling with Rand these past 2 days.  I keep my eyes on his back while he reads the directions from our tour guidebook.  My legs are complaining tonight as we cycled over 50 km today.  We are staying in a little town of 1,500 people called Montague tonight.  The town is situated on the east coast of PEI.  It has a lovely harbour and well kept houses.  Near the edge of the harbour, I noticed a fancy 2-story building with a Canadian flag flying outside.  The lady from the Tourist information bureau said that it is a research centre for alcohol and drug addiction (not a detox centre).  She said that no one ever seems to know what goes on in there and no one comes to talk to the locals.  How odd I thought!  I wondered what kind of research is going on in there…  Anyways, the centre is scheduled to close down next year.

My goal is to taste some famous PEI mussels before we leave.