I am the second to arrive at the meeting point to catch the bus to the trail-head of Mont Jacques Cartier. I nod a greeting to the young man already there, then lower my pack down onto the slatted wooden boards of the wrap-around porch outside the visitor lodge in Parc-National-de-la-Gaspesie. It would be a... Continue Reading →
Eye-balling my map, somewhere between Grand-Vallee and Mont-Ste- Pierre is the most northern point of the Gaspe Peninsula. Having stood on the equator line in Kenya, please read What-Kenya-did-to-me, and the half-way between the Equator and North pole in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, I am disappointed there is no sign indicating I just nudge over the... Continue Reading →
It is so bright out, I think I must have missed it. I jolt upright, pulling on my glasses and reaching for my phone. It is 4:02 am. "Yes!" I say aloud, throwing back the top of my sleeping bag and crawling out the back window of my truck cap. The campground is quiet as... Continue Reading →
Pulling out of the campground is no easy feat; these tourist are hard core. I put on my game face, squinting to pick up on the timing between vehicles as they whizz by. My internal stopwatch takes note that the next car approaching is moving a little slower. I jam the pedal down, the engine... Continue Reading →
My alarm blares, announcing my wakeup time of 2:45 am. I down some oatmeal, swig a protein smoothie, then dash out the door with my pack and drive to our rendezvous point in Morell Park, in downtown Fredericton. My co-worker Rene-Lynn has orchestrated this outing: three complete strangers she has plucked from various aspects of... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow I am heading to Baxter State Park, Maine, to hike Mount Katahdin, with some friends. This will be my first summit this summer. I will be taking the 10 essentials in my pack. A Osprey EJA 38 plus; passport, Health insurance, Park info, headlight, bug spray, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses, 3 liters of water... Continue Reading →
Fog hovers low over the area shrouding the bay and upper part of the cape.  As I exit the truck a raven is cawing repetitively from the top of a spruce tree. He jumps from his perch and flies away as I disturb the peace by shutting the driver's-side door. I turn my head and watch... Continue Reading →
Map points of Interest My first impression is wow what a pretty place.  The campground attendant suggests I go have a drive around, choose the campsite I want and then come back and settle up. They currently only have three campers in the park, so I can have my pick of spots. "You can have a... Continue Reading →
Map to Ministers Island I join the line of cars sitting on the Bar Road near St Andrews, New Brunswick. It is 1:45 pm and the road looks fairly visible. The Tide Schedule. states low tide for crossing today is 1:55 pm. I get out and walk to the vehicle beside me and say, "Can I go... Continue Reading →
