One more National Park and then we are almost out of New Brunswick

July 17, 2018
Kouchibouguac is hard to say but worth a visit. The ride on this day is uneventful and not that interesting to tell you about. We don’t see many cars and it is still pretty hot to be cycling. I am starting to miss all those cold days we had earlier.

We give the cycle path a try because it is shady, but the deer flies there are voracious and soon we have fled back to the asphalt road preferring death by heat stroke to death by deer fly bites. After a sweltering 33 miles we arrive. It is early afternoon and we get a nice campsite and head out to see the estuary and the beach. There is a really cool long boardwalk and dunes mainly covered in cordgrass which is holding them in place. The roots of this plant are a complex mat and the plant itself is highly salt tolerant.

cord grass for miles

Kouchibouguac has a network of cycle paths and a large percentage of those at the beach have ridden their bikes to get there. These beach-goers are of all ages and shapes and sizes and there are many families all of whom cycled the 1.5 k from the campground to the beach. The bicycle parking reminds me of a train station in The Netherlands. Almost.
The rain starts about dinner time, but the green tarp is up so the cooking goes fine. I make some delicious carbonara which I hope to be able to replicate in the future. It is made with goat's cheese and bacon.
It pours rain all night, but this area has been in a drought and there is a fire ban on, so we have to welcome the rain. I love sleeping in a tent in the rain and I sleep like a rock. I just hope it stops in the morning.

It is still a long way to Gros Morne, Newfoundland

July 18
Kouchibouguac to Shediac

There is a light, misty rain falling in the morning while we are packing up the tent. It continues as we ride and actually feels nice and cool. If only I could see through my glasses!

On the way out of the park a cyclist crosses the road towards us and flags us down. It turns out he is a warm showers host who Tom had contacted to request a stay outside the park. He was not available to host because he was on his own adventure riding a mountain bike trail from Rivière du loup in Quebec to Edmiston, New Brunswick. He tells us about his trek and also that he checked the campground a few times earlier in the week to see if we were there. I am sorry our dates didn’t line up because he seems like a very cool guy.

In the little town of Richibucto we stop at the library to use the bathroom and the wifi and get out of the rain for a short time. It is a very friendly library. Especially to babies.

It is a long long day of riding and once the rain stops it is hot and sunny again. We do find a good place to stop for ice cream and then head into Shediac and a warm showers stay.

The woman we stay with is not a cyclist. She tells us she just really likes to meet people and travel vicariously through them. She has a three year old and a newborn and a home business as well. She just offers a shower and camping space in her yard which is all we need. Her house is only a few kilometers from Shediac, known as the lobster capital of the world. We stop and get a photo at the 90 ton sculpture at the west end of the town and then find a decent meal in Shediac.

camping in the yard near Shediac

This is the most photographed lobster anywhere. And possibly the biggest. There is some debate about that.

July 19, 2018
Shediac to Murray Beach Provincial Park

It is another hot and sunny day as we ride out of Shediac before our host is awake. I am sure with a newborn and a three year old she doesn't really need to be cheerful in the morning with people she has just met.

We pass the Barachois Church as we are riding and decide to have a look inside. It was built in 1824 and is the oldest Acadian Church still standing. As part of their campaign to get rid of the French the British burned down all the Catholic Churches in the Acadian area. They missed this one, or it was somehow saved. There is a new 1970's church next door which is actually used for Sunday worship. The old church is now a museum and cultural center. It looks like there are a lot of community events held here and the old sachristy is being used for art exhibitions.

Eglise Historique de Barachois

St. Joseph is on one side of the main altar

Here is a close up of a basket at the Blessed Mother's feet. I think this is yarn.

After stopping at the church we continue along quiet roads to Murray Beach Provincial Park. It is such a nice day that we want to explore the beach and relax in the hammock. Tomorrow we will cross the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island.

There are not that many people in the campground and ours is the only tent is this huge area. That is the ocean beyond the tent. It is a warm night with 0% chance of rain so we leave the fly off and we can see so many stars that night.