Monday: Cornwall
No pics - it’s 401 the whole way.
Tuesday: Lac-Bouchette
Crossed into Quebec at Hawkesbury to stay north of Montreal, then north at Shawinigan on the 155 past La Mauricie national park. Fantastic stretch of road omfg; it runs right beside the Saint-Maurice river and is a blast for a couple hundred kilometers. Tomorrow morning I head across the lake to Ermitage Saint-Antoine (a high Franciscan Sanctuary) because apparently they serve a very good breakfast.
Wednesday: Saint-Mathieu
Ermitage Saint-Antoine was started by Abbé DeLamarre in 1906 on the north shore of Lac Bouchette. On site there is a restaurant, gift shop, boulangerie, observation tower, chapel, Capuchin monastery, and a museum dedicated to Victor DeLamarre, an award winning strongman and weightlifter (at 5'4" and 150 lb he famously bent-pressed 309.5 lb to set a new record).
There is an outdoor chapel:
The modern church dates to 1950.
There are sculptures for the 12 stations of the cross throughout the grounds. The entire place is serene and beautiful; it is well worth visiting - you can rent rooms, campsites, and cabins there too.
172 south of Saguenay is superb. Crossed the big river at Les Escoumins and from Trois-Pistoles it was a short ride to Auberge du Vieux Convent which was converted to a restaurant and several rooms.
There’s a common area with kitchen, books, record player with old LPs. The church is across the street and there is a nice view from there overlooking Lac Saint-Mathieu.
Thursday: Forillon
Wet rainy foggy day on the QC-132 around the Gaspé peninsula - it really is an exceptional road. It runs either right along the shore, or it twists and winds up into the hills to then drop steeply back down to the water for the next town & steeple. A+++
Friday: Forillon
The trail to the Mount Saint-Alban tower is a short walk from the Petit-Gaspé campground and the view from 285m up makes the climb worth it. The peninsula is the end of the Appalacian mountain range.
The view looking at Cap-des-Rosiers and the north section of the park.
A restaurant, gift shop, swimming pool - all mod cons within walking distance. Here's the communal kitchen.
Saturday: Matapėdia
Forillon is a place to spend more than a day - the scenery and facilities are amazing. In winter you can rent a yurt and x-country ski the hiking trails hmmmmm. On the way out, I stopped in at Fort Peninsula which was built in 1942 to help protect the St. Lawrence from U-boats.
More fun on the 132 highway and it’s about 90 minutes to Percė Rock, which one could see clearly from the viewing tower back in Forillon. Stopped here for a very good coffee, and then continued to Matapėdia.
Camp coffee: An Aeropress coffee maker with Jimmy’s Hoffa blend, same as home.
Sunday: Miramichi
Lots and lots of rain and ended the day at a campsite with spots for RVs and tents, but they also have 12 treehouses and a yurt. A relaxing night in torrential downpour.
Monday: Saint John
Rockwood Park in Saint John NB dates back to the founding of the nearby public gardens in 1783. It is 2200 acres and the second largest urban park in Canada. There are trails here (part of the Trans Canada Trail) making up a walking path through an Arboretum with over 40 different tree species.
It’s right in the city and an easy short ride to the ferry.
Tuesday: Lunenburg
Big lineup of motos in the ferry line - fun to see where everyone is coming from and going to.
Beautiful day for the ride from Digby to Lunenburg.
Lunenburg - UNESCO World Heritage site. The camping is right in town so it's an easy walk to the wharf. Bluenose II was in.
Saint John's Anglican church dates back to the founding of Lunenburg in 1753.
Wednesday: Sherbrooke
Another nice day - riding highway 7 in south NS - beautiful road, no construction or RV traffic. Stopping in Sherbrooke to make final jaunt to Canso tomorrow. Got me a cabin.
Thursday: Canso
Stanfest. The festival proper starts tomorrow - today was campers & RVs getting set up in serious winds. Evening’s festivities was on the main stage with John Prine’s band backing musicians (with time slots later in the weekend) each taking a song. Pedal steel ftw.
Friday: Canso
Breakfast in the hockey arena.
Today’s line up: Burnstick, Mary Gauthier, TULUA, Quique Escamilla, Mary Frances Leahy, The Stanfields
Weather turned to complete shite so the Stanfields rocked the hockey arena.
Saturday: Canso
Today’s line up: Mama’s Broke, J.P. Cormier, Dave Gunning, Susan Werner, Richard Wood, Adam Baldwin, Sloan
Insane weather last night broke to nice day. Workshops at various stages all day then headliners tonight.
Sloan were very good to close Saturday night. The afterparty moves to the marina about a 10 minute walk where the music continues until about 4:00 (or so I’m told I went to bed).
Sunday: Canso
Today’s line up: David Francey, Logan Staats, Okavango African Orchestra, Jah’Mila, Morgan Toney, Valdy
Camp site starting to clear out today - I head out tomorrow AM to start the trek west.
Sunday gospel hour with Owen O’Sound Lee in the morning sun with a coffee.
The festival highlights for me were Mary Frances Leahy (Ontario), Tulua (southeast Ireland), Dave Gunning (the "Prince of Pictou"), J. P. Cormier (London ON), and Morgan Toney (Wagmatcook First Nation).
The Morgan Toney Trio:
Tulua:
Valdy:
A Sunday workshop with Morgan Toney, Mary Francis Leary, Richard Wood and Tulua. They jammed together with such joy and in the end blew the roof off the place.
Incredible festival - so well run; so much fun.
Monday: Fredericton
The homing beacon is on, so motoring home after an outstanding festival. No pics, got a beautiful day for a ride.
Tuesday: Drummondville
Beautiful day to blast New Brunswick and (gaining an hour) a bunch of Quebec. Relaxing in Drummondville anticipating the excruciating 401 tomorrow in final push for home.