Muniak to Fredericton: 150km (6311km)

It was raining when I woke up today, so I rolled over and went back to sleep. This plan was successful, as the next time I woke up the rain had stopped and I packed up without everything getting wet.

Steady and my behind-the-convenience-store campsite.

I thanked my convenience store hosts and told them about the trip and mission. Word spread quickly and a constable chatted me up as I packed my bike, contributing some friendly, bad advice about a route to Fredericton. You really do need tools like bikemap.net and/or Google Maps to find the shorter, less hilly and less travelled route. Most locals won’t have cycled the roads.

The trail, so much my friend for the last two days, was not to be relied upon today. The overnight rain had flooded large sections, and there was little wind or traffic on the highway, which was more scenic.

Over breakfast, I discovered a wifi point and worked out that the high road, 104, both was 30km shorter and involved 2/3rds of the total climbing. The route was so advantageous that it put Fredericton in range as a target for the night, whereas I had thought it would take me two. I got directions to the access road at a grocery in Hartville, where my server said she would encourage her son to do a school project on steady state.

World’s longest covered bridge in Hartville, the town with ville, I mean, heart.

The shortcut took me through remote New Brunswick and served to connect scattered farms and dwellings, with only one or two towns of any size. Houses were close to the road, putting residents in chatting range (and quite a few dogs in chasing range, though all were satisfied with distance yapping). I enjoyed two or three conversations prompted by beckoning residents. One older fellow told me about his bike trip from Toronto 30 years ago. It sounds like life is much better for touring cyclists today, based on changes in highway infrastructure, driver attitudes and camping gear.

Puppies investigate as I chat with their owner.

Geese, peacocks, chickens, ducks…

Kid on patrol across from bird farm.

There was a lot of up and down and sufficiently little traffic to elicit waves from passing motorists. Towards the end of the day I noticed that house numbers were counting down to zero and used this to measure my progress. This is not a very interesting game to play, but once you start you can’t help it.

Under renovation.

Parishioners: front access requires “leap of faith”.

I was tired but happy to arrive in Fredericton after a tough day of hills and distance covered. I found my way to my host’s apartment – nameless to protect the innocent – and could not find or reach him all night! By 11pm I started looking into other plans and found a youth hostel nearby. The office was closed, the closest motel and campsite were a long way off, and it was dark and cold, so I left a note in the office and pitched my tent in a secluded spot in the backyard. I was stealthy, though my tent glows by the light of my netbook. I will clear out early to minimize the irregularity.

Perfect calm on the St. John river.

Bridge to downtown Fredericton at dusk.

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