Bob and I cooked a great meal last night in the room....lasagne, from Superstore and on special for 3.99 (which we cooked in the mircowave) and a salad mix for 2.99 . Our snacks of cheese, crackers, tomatoes, and Brother's pepperoni cost more. Speaking of the pepperoni, now in "hind" site eating 18 inches was a mistake...ouch this morning!! After dinner we walked to the back shore, overlooking the bay. I noticed some houses far off that seemed to be just sitting on the water, as you couldn't see the land below. Bob took some photos, but they just don't show it in great detail. We sat on the front deck watching the clouds roll in. I was asleep by 10. Rested quite comfortablly. Up around 6 ish but dozed until after 7 and we got dressed. I was wearing the shorts that my friend Barb gave me and they are a tad large. I feel like Steve Urkle as I can pull them right up to my arm pits, but the shammy is quite comfy and that is what counts. We had a great breakfast and were on the road by 8:30. It was greyish and the pavement drying from the overnight rain. I was wearing my rain jacket. I notice all the garbage by the side of the road. Mainly discarded coffee and drink containers, followed by liquor bottles, and the third most noted discard is disposible lighters. We hit Caraquet and stopped for coffee. Leaving we followed a lovely bike route for 10 km until it ended. We stopped for a little snack around 11:10 at a lovely restaurante Resto Chez Isa. The rain came while we were inside. We waited for a bit and drove behind the system. About 10 km further up the road Bob sees me pulling in and I point to the system in front of me, heading towards us. Luckily I had found a great shelter and we were enclosed by 3 sides and were able to pull our bikes inside with us. We knew it was going to pour for a while, so we unpacked the folding chairs (thanks Bev for telling us about them, as they worked super) and sat a played cards for about 35 minutes. Then we had our lunch. By now an hour has passed and the rain is relentless. Pounding off the pavement. Bob decides to call ahead to the motel we had booked in Bathurst and is informed that it is raining, and has been all day; sometimes heavy and then lets up and starts again. We are parked besides a rural motel in Grand Anse and Bob runs over to check it out. It is almost 2 now. In the 3 minutes since he has left, I peek outside and through the low ceiling, a hole actually appears and I can see the sun smiling down at me. I let out a big laugh, and figured, yea, right!! It was like it was teasing me. I venture next door as I am NOT eager to stay here and figure I can endure the rain if need be and plod on to Bathurst. I told Bob that I wanted to proceed onward, to which he replied that it had gotton soaked in the short walk from our shelter to next door. The proprietor got off the phone and I asked her "how far to Bathurst", to which she replies "about 30 minutes by car". Well, that is no answer......30 minutes can be a big difference providing "who" is driving?? A 93 year old grandpa or a cocky 23 year old. I asked how many km?? and she didn't know...she went on to say it would take 4 hours by bike. I told her that I didn't think so, seeing we had already travelled 50 km. I asked for a map, which she couldn't find. Then I noticed a whole bookshelf full of glossy NB Summer Venture guides and asked if I could look at one. Inside I found a map and pointed out to her that there are maps inside these books. I am wondering if the NB tax payer is paying for all these glossy brochures, which go unnoticed and untouched at such establishments?? Anyhow, she told me again that it would take 4 hours by bike and again I told her that I didn't think so, unless I was using my grand-daughter's tricycle!! Bob and I headed off at around 2:15 and bombed along, legs aching, hoping to outrun any rain. The sun actually came out and the pavement dried. We had a bit of headwind and decided to stay on #11 when we came to the intersection of the #134 coastal route. We flew into Bathurst arriving around 4:20 and it was 56 km from the spot where the hotel owner was. So it didn't take 4 hours, but only 2....mind you, in her defense I was thinking it was 35 km and not the 56 that it proved to be. We were able to retain our room at the Lakeview Inns and Suites, settled the bikes into their storeage, shower and headed off to dinner. Then to the Superstore for a few munchies and of course the liquor store and this time it is Kaluha and some 5% cream. My stomach seems to want dairy tonight.
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