Insectarium an awesome place at Deer lake Newfoundland

Newfounfland Insectatium and butterfly Pavilion

July 13 Monday 2009 Codroy to Gros Morne 9am 63'(17) We head out on the Viking trail to Gros Morne National Park “Big Gloomy” It takes 3.5 hours. We see our first moose just before Corner Brook. We go past Corner Brook a pulp mill town on the trans Canada hwy (TCH). We stop at Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion. I get to hold live insects- a stick insect a cockroach yuck and more. Light rain falls off and on even some sunshine. We turn off on hwy 430 for Rocky Point where the KOA campsite is. We have reservations. .We get all set up and the satalite dish working then a hour latter it pours rains We pay $115 for 4 nights.
REMEMBER- If you can't see the bright side, polish the dull side.

Port aux Port peninsula

every one has wood piles drying in the summer sun for the long hard winters. lobster traps a put away as season over

July 12 Sunday 2009 Codroy Newfoundland to Stephenvelle -sunshine
Today we drive to Stephenville 1.5 hours 100k 62mi. We drive through a heavy forested area and turn on to hwy 490 and head for Port aux Port peninsula at the mouth of St. George Bay. We pass wind swept leaning trees, signs of heavy winds. We pass a huge limestone mine in Aguathuna. In Mainland we notice rocks painted white and red decorating a yard. We pass stacks of wood piled tee-pee style. Interesting. Everyone has wood drying for winter use. We pass a alpaca farm in Felex. The kids were having a good time there. We return to Stephenville where an US air force base (Haron) between 1941-1966. We had a surprise crossing of 4 weasels right in front of our truck. All happened so fast no time for pictures. Another great day comes to a end as we return to the RV park.
REMEMBER- Love comforts like sunshine after rain.

Sorry I posted pictures before notes .

July 11 Saturday 2009 Codroy Newfoundland
Sunny not a cloud in the sky. We go to the visitors center and load up on pamphlets. Off to see Rose Blanch granite lighthouse (1871). We pass many small fishing villages clinging tenaciously to the rocky exposed shores. Rose Blanch fell into ruin and in 1988 reconstruction began and completed in 1999. One remarkable feature was the stone stairs within the tower which kept the tower from collapsing after it was abandoned. On our entrance to the grounds $3ea. One of the keepers gives us a freshly picked bunch of radishes from her garden. Neat. The trails were well marked with signs naming the wild flowers. We go to the Friendly Fisherman for lunch. Highly recommended. We had a bowel of seafood chowder with freshly baked buns.$6 ea. Cape Ray Next another lighthouse. Here some 1,800 years ago Dorset Paleoeskimos camped during their nomadic hunting. The site was discovered in 1960. Archeological interest renews in 1996 when they find a dwelling. The museum was very interesting. Back to the Rv for a light dinner as we are still full from lunch. Bill gets the satalite dish working so we can watch Globle news.
REMEMBER-Memories are souveniers you store in your mind and carry with you wherever you go.

Cape Ray

Rose Blanch lighthouse

on ferry to Port aux Basque

ferry to Port aux Basque

July 10 Friday 2009 North Sydney to Port aux Basque Newfoundland
We wake up to sunshine and many RV's in the line up with us. We board at 11:30 to make the 6.5 hour crossing to the Rock. The waters were very calm. We saw a few pods of dolphins. I really enjoyed the entertainment in the lounge. Bugs and Debbie Greene did 2 shows. I went to them both and convinced Bill to come to the 3 o'clock show. We had a delicious cod dinner on the ferry for only $9. each. We arrived at the Codroy RV park around 6pm. It was only 25 miles from the ferry. We had reservations . $56 for 2 nights. There was 7 rigs with Fantasy tours here too. Our phone says no service but the free WIFI works. A few interesting facts about Newfoundland- It is the farthest east zone we could be in and still be in part of North America and a half hour ahead of Atlantic time. There are no snakes, or skunks (we saw lots in PEI all dead beside the road) no raccoons or porcupines. I know this will be a fun place as it's pronounced New ''fun'' land not found.
REMEMBER- There is always something to be thankful for.

some of PEI's wild flowers

REFLECTING
Prince Edward Island may be the smallest province in Canada but it's sure packed with surprises. We were impressed with it's cleanliness. It may be due to the huge lawns they have in their yards. I would hate to have to cut them but most have ride lawn mowers. Well patched 2 lane roads followed a tapestry woven from vibrant greens ,patchwork-quilt farms ,rich rust sandstone cliffs and deep glistening blues of the sea add to the enchanting medly of rich colour. Fields of blue, pink, and purple wild lupins are everywhere. Many cottages, country inns, mansions some turned into bed and breakfast, dot the landscape as well as 50 lighthouses and many fishing villages. We were surprised by the fact that a fictitious 8 year old girl could bring so much hype . Immortalized in a novel -Anne of Green Gable. After potatoes and lobsters Anne is the Islands most important product. The Japanese even come to get married, they are so in love with the red head. Last but not least it is comforting to know that in 1867 in Charlottetown our country got it's beginning. We really recommend giving this friendly Provence
a visit. 6 nights is not quite enough but we had reservations on the ferry.

July 9 Thursday 2009 Cavendish to North Sydney NS
We wake up to lovely sunshine again and very loud music. They are setting up for the festival. We leave at 9:30 already 63'(17). We head for the Confederation bridge. It cost us $56.50 toll. Once over at New Brunswick we take the scenic route and go through the lovely old town of Amherst. We take our time and go to a Wal-mart for 2 hours as we are staying overnight in North Sydney in the ferry compound for our trip over to Newfoundland. We drove 356mi-574k and arrive at 7:30. the cost of the ferry was $278 .I thought they had free WIFI no $ 7 an hour so will wait until we get to the RV park tomorrow. We walk around the compound . They have a cafeteria and lounge.
REMEMBER_Life is lived forward but understood backwards.

Green Gables and LM Montgomery National Historic Park

July 8 Wednesday 2009 Cavendish
Today is RV cleaning and laundry day. We finish around 2pm and head out to Anne of Green Gables house and family farm. We walk her Lover's lane. We have an early dinner out (Sand Box) then we go to a Ceilidhs- a folk shindig. The Ross family of 4 entertained us for 2 hours. Fiddle ,drums ,guitar and piano. Wonderful step dancing too. What a great way to end our stay on the Island. They are getting ready for The Cavendish Beach Music Festival next door. It will be a 3 day event with Reba McEntire and Tim McGra to name a couple of performers. Needless to say the KOA is booked solid.
REMEMBER-Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but rath by the number of moments that take your breath away.

today was lighthouse day PEI

July 7 Tuesday 2009 Cavendish PEI
We drive more of East Coast drive. A beautiful sunny day. Our first stop Point Prim lighthouse, PEI's oldest . The only round lighthouse in Canada. A brick lighthouse covered with shingles. Then onto Wood Island lighthouse near the ferry to Piton Nova Scotia. We climb up this one. What a view. Next is Panmure Island provincial Park where a 5 story wooden octagonal lighthouse by the same name stands. We stop at Montague and do grocery shopping. Bill finds a car wash and cleans the truck. Then back to the RV park as tomorrow is laundry and clean the rv as we leave for Nova Scotia them New Brunswick on Thursday. We drove 188mi-302k
REMEMBER- Life is but a journey filled with adventure.

confederation trail
Basin Head beach and cannery

more fishing villages PEI

Greenwich Prince Edward National Park

July 6 Monday 2009 Cavendish
Today we do the Eastern most point of PEI. It is too large to drive in one day. 412km-255mi. Our first stop is Greenwich PEI National Park. Her we watch the mussel fishers working St. Peters Bay . We walk for 40 minutes through the woods and over a floating boardwalk. We were rewarded by the view of the spectacular parabolic dune system. Then the empty beach looking both ways. Next is Eastpoint lighthouse where 3 tides meet. We have seafood chowder here yum. North Lake is the tuna capital of the world .The railway museum at Elmira has a large model railway as well as many artifacts. Here is where the confederation trail starts. It is a bicycling and walking path 280k -174 mi. It follows the railway bed that roughly parallel hwy 2. It is used by snowmobile's in the winter. Basin Head and more beaches, this one famous for it's singing sand( high silica contents), but rain had just come down so no song. We head back to St Peters where the mussel museum is but we are too tired and continue back to the RV. A mixture of light rain, clouds and sun ;all day. We drove 197 mi- 317k.
REMEMBER The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.

potato museum O'Leary PEI

North cape PEI

moss harvesting area

lobster traps

July 5 Sunday 2009 Cavendish PEI
Overcast. Today we travel the North Cape Coastal drive also called Lady slipper drive. We try to go to Port Hill to see the shipbuilding museum and Yeo house, but we were detoured as a bridge is down. We couldn't go to the Shellfish museum either. We go back to hwy 2 then 12 at Alberton to see the murals and decide to have lunch. Next its all the way to North cape where we stop at the interpretive center. Not worth the $4 as there was a lot of reading and could of got that from books or the web. But I did enjoy the Black marsh walk along the shore. I saw where the horse moner collect Irish moss (sea weed) , they use it to make jellies, ice cream, and skin conditioning products. I met a local on the trail and he advised me to turn around as a squall was fast approaching, so I returned to the truck. If you go their do the board walk . Lady slippers grow there. We never did get rain I guess we outran it as we moved on to O'leary. Here we are greeted with a huge sculpture of a potato. Another claim to fame for PEI. In this museum ($6ea) we learn that the potato originated in the Andes South America. The potato is the fourth largest source of food after rice,wheat,and maize. We found the museum very good even gave samples of potato pancakes,potato fudge, chocolate cake and bread. Weeven got to sample lobster flavored chips. The machinery gallery was interesting too. We found their iron lung and other doctors and dentist implements informative. They also had a log barn, a little red school house, and telephone switchboard office. A very good museum. We pass many homes with stacks of lobster traps and boats on their lawns as the lobster season in over. (May to end of June). Summerside for dinner. We find The Brothers Two on the waterfront. It was highly recommended by another blogger. I had a huge plate of mussels Bill had scallops. If you go ,do the combination Dinner and Show. Mon- Sat. seating at 6:30 . Today is Sunday. Oh well Can't win them all. Www.brotherstwo.ca We return back to the RV park exhausted and full.
REMEMBER- Set backs pave the way for come backs.

Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown PEI

July 4 Saturday Happy 4th of July Cavendish PEI
We wake up to rain, is that a bad omen or what? We first stop at Green Gables house as we realize that we could have got a better rate buying the historic site pass when we bought our National Park Pass. They give us the discount and only pay another $29 . We head to Charlottetown as I want to go to the farmer's market. We find it with no problem on Belvedeer. There are all sorts of wonderful treats like homemade goodies from jellies, bread,dips and donuts to sausages, organic produce, plants and flowers. Delicious smells tempt us as we walk the aisles of stalls. Too early to eat -too bad. I was looking for new potatoes but I guess we are too early. We head into the city and park at the visitor's center. Here we wanted to do the city walk the AAA book said was to start at 1pm. Well it went at 11am and it is now 11:30. So much for that. So we head out on our own down to George town street once the heart of Charlottetown's business center. We pass the beautiful S Dunstan's Basillica, with their twin tower steeples. The Provence house a national Historic site is next. We view the second floor before viewing a show on the beginning of Canada. The birth of Confederation. We try to have lunch down on the waterfront but there is a concert going on and the music is way too loud. (is this showing our age). We decide to do the Blue Heron Coastal drive. On our way we pass a McDonalds and decide to try their Mclobster. It was very good. $6.00 ea. We stop at Fort Amherst, no building only mounds. We follow the Northumberland strait and circle back to Cavendish. We did see a sign for new potatoes $4 a pound. Were they made of gold????? We check out the Marco Polo RV park. It looked good too. We arrive back around 4. rain ,sun ,cloud, a mix all day the temperature did get up to 74'(23) Bill phones and makes reservations on the ferry from North Sydney to Port Aux Basque ($278)for July 10 so we have a few more days here. We get thunder and rain in the evening.
REMEMBER- You can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

July 3 Cavendish PEI.Forgot to tell you, when we arrived back at the RV park, there were 20 rigs from Adventure Caravans here on their way across the Maritimes. Sherri and Gerry finalized their house in Cloverdale and are preparing to move. We skyped yesterday. Sherri said Carter is just about crawling. She will be really busy now. They are in a heat wave in Vancouver.