2022 Prince Edward Island by Bike – Pre-Ride

Our trip to Prince Edward Island began early! Because I wanted to see a waterfall in New York, we had to leave Kentucky early (by 3:00 am) to be able to arrive in New York before dark. My sweet hubby traveled an additional hour and a half out of the way (giving us a 13 hour drive) just so I could see a waterfall I’ve always wanted to see. (He’s a keeper!)

The waterfall is featured in the opening scene of the Aurora Teagarden movies, and is located in Montour Falls, New York. It was a delight to finally see it with my own eyes!

I also was delighted to find that the B&B we’d booked, had some historic significance. Built in 1845, it was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

A tunnel runs from the house (in the innkeeper’s living quarters) to a shed out back. We stored our bikes in the shed for the night and when the innkeeper offered to show me the tunnel, I jumped at the chance. In the rear of the shed, there was a large, very heavy wooden lid covering the stone lined shaft that led to the tunnel. Once we lifted up the lid I took pictures of the stone-lined tunnel. It’s not visible in the photo, but at the bottom of the tunnel is a step down into a large room.

The grounds surrounding the house are beautiful too. The old farmhouse was built on the top of a hill and is a beautiful oasis high above the level of the street. The innkeeper was very accommodating and had a great idea she used instead of a guestbook register. She had her guests sign Jenga blocks!

After a good breakfast, we headed to Maine for the following day. We wanted to be near the border and have a little flexibility in case it took longer than anticipated to cross the border. We planned to cross the border at St. Stephen, about the furthest point east.

As we traveled through Maine, we enjoyed the cool temperatures and the beautiful scenery. The hillsides along our route were covered with wild blueberries, just beginning to ripen.

We stayed the night in Winterport, Maine, having booked a room at the Old Winterport Commercial House, built in 1833 as an inn and a stagecoach stop. The bottom floor houses an antique store and the top floors the guest rooms.

We enjoyed our first Maine seafood for this trip at a roadside local favorite, McLaughlin’s in Bangor. It was so cool I had to get a blanket from the car, but it felt great after leaving Kentucky’s sweltering heat and humidity!

The next morning, we crossed the border with no problem. The border patrol officer just asked for our identification and we handed over our passports. I had completed the Arrivcan app, having read that it was required to cross the border, but didn’t have to show the QR code generated in the app. I guess the passports sufficed. It was quick and easy.

Since we had a whole day before having to be on Prince Edward Island, we decided to see what we could of New Brunswick. After a quick Google search, we decided to see the Bay of Fundy. We were really interested in catching the low tide at Hopewell Rocks (also known as the flower pot rocks, because at low tide, they look like tall pots full of plants) so we traveled straight there with minimal stops.

We arrived just in time to see the low tide in Fundy Bay thanks to an invaluable tip by our innkeeper. 160 billion gallons of water move in and out of the bay every 25 hours. That makes the Fundy Bay tides some of the highest in the world. At low tide, we were able to walk on the ocean floor, because the water recedes by a length of two football fields twice a day. At high tide, that same spot is covered by 46 feet of water! When the water begins to rise, it starts slowly but then deepens at a rate of 13 feet an hour at the Hopewell Rocks. I thought it was interesting that the boats tied up at the docks just sit on the bottom while the water is out. Some used lobster traps to keep them propped upright.

After a good bit of exploring , we headed back to our B&B. The innkeeper had mentioned that he would prepare dinner for us if we would like. It was so nice to be able to stay put and not get back out. And the food was excellent. I was expecting something minimal since he said he’d have it ready in about 30 minutes, but it was delicious and included a salad and dessert! He raised his own rhubarb and picked blueberries for the dessert.

The Innisfree B&B was a treat! It was a last minute booking since we didn’t know exactly where we’d be on this night. It was a beautiful old farmhouse built in the early 1800’s and the grounds and 10 acres surrounding it were gorgeous!

The next morning, we went back to Hopewell Rocks to see the high tide, then headed to Nova Scotia to see Joggins Fossil Cliffs, located on the opposite side of the Bay of Fundy. At this UNESCO World heritage site, visitors can walk the beach and spot hundreds of fossilized plants, animals and trees. Because of the extreme tides in the Bay of Fundy, fossils are continuously being uncovered and exposed from the face of the cliffs. The visitor center offered a good overview before our time on the beach.

For lunch, we found a real British tearoom in Amherst, NS. Jimmy ordered a Windsor picnic pie and I ordered Coronation chicken. His was defintely British. I’m not so sure about the naan bread on mine, but it was all delicious. We ate our lunch with hot tea and bought desserts to go!

Having seen all that time allowed in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, it was off to PEI the next day!