PEI TRIP SUMMER 2024

 “…it’s about the journey, not the destination…”

Cape Bear lighthouse along the southern coast of PEI

     Today I will ride north to Calis ME, and then cross the border into Canada. The trip should be under 400 miles. I have made a “date” to meet my good friend Wendell Barnhill’s family for dinner at 5 pm at Murphy’s Fish and Chips in Truro Nova Scotia. Normally not a great challenge, but crossing an international border, possible traffic issues, and losing an hour of time ( moving from the Eastern Time Zone to the Atlantic Time Zone! ) put my arrival time somewhat in doubt.

Breakfast at Jordan’s for the second day in a row…not as large as yesterday…
but notice the blueberry muffin!

    In order to make my dinner date in Truro I got up at 5 am and the bike was packed by 6 am. This gave me to opportunity to go to Jordan’s for the second day in a row. Great breakfast! The fastest route to the border is route 9 from Bangor to Calis. This route is pretty direct, and I will be using it on my return trip. It is much more fun to take coastal route 1 from Ellsworth to Calis. This is longer but I figured I could still get to Truro on time.

A picture of the red cliffs along the southern PEI coast.

     I had a wonderful ride up route 1to Calis. At times the pine smell is quite strong as you ride through many areas of just trees. You also ride through many small Maine fishing villages. Very scenic. I arrived in Calis and pulled into the lot where the duty free store is. Right next store is a convenience store and gas station. I gassed up, and then pulled the bike up to the duty free store. HOWEVER it didn’t open until 10 am. I sat there for thirty minutes waiting for it to open. As the clock was approaching 10 a gentle man walked by and told me the store often opened late, or didn’t open at all! There was a second store about 3 miles away near another border crossing. I went there and purchased by cigars and whiskey. The gentleman running the store told me that the person who worked in the other store had called in sick and the store wouldn’t be opening at all that day! Boy am I glad I didn’t wait around! 

A view out over the ocean along the coast of PEI.

    One of the features on the Spyder is that you can go into settings and change from Imperial (miles, mph) to metric. I have ridden in Canada for years on motorcycles where you had to squint to see the speed in mph. The Trans Canada Highway has a speed limit of 110 kph. I set the cruise at 115 kph, and during my time in Canada I universally set the cruise 5 kph over the limit. I wasn’t the fastest vehicle on the highway, but I don’t think I’m going to have any uncomfortable conversations with the RCMP. 

PEI is an island so it has a lot of coastline, but it is very
agricultural with potatoes being the main crop.

    The route I take to Nova Scotia across New Brunswick runs from the town of St Stephens, just over the border from Calis ME, to St John, then to Sussex NB and on to Moncton NB, then on in to Nova Scotia to Truro. Generally not really scenic with many kilometers through forest. There is little traffic, except through St John. Still it is a long distance from St Stephen to Truro.

Where you can catch a ferry to Iles-de-la-Madeleine.

    I was hoping to get to Truro by 3 pm so I could check into my room and change clothes for dinner. With the loss of an hour I arrived at the motel by 4:15, which gave me time to drop my bags in my room, and then leave for dinner. I got to Murphy’s Fish and Chips by 4:50! I was very proud of myself for being 10 minutes early!

Wendell’s family blowing out the candles on his “birthday” pie.

    When I planned this trip it just happened that I would be in Truro on that particular day. My very good friend Wendell Barnhill lived in a little town near Truro called Debert NS. He passed away a number of  years ago but my wife and I have maintained friendships with Wendell’s children. This Tuesday would have been Wendell’s birthday. After an excellent dinner of fish and chips the woman who runs the restaurant gave us a “birthday” pie in Wendell’s honor. If you were to go into the Murphy’s Fish and Chips in Truro you would probably notice a number of examples of stained glass. This was a hoby of Wendell’s and he gave a number of pieces to the store. He was a very special person.

Valerie Barnhill Boudreau and I after dinner saying our good byes.

    After dinner and saying my good byes to the Barnhills ( and Boudreau’s! ) I rode back to my motel. Tomorrow on to PEI by ferry. Can’t wait!

Wendell on June 28 2015 outside his home in Debert NS.