A visit with Aunt Coyla and Marcia and then Home!

Well, we stopped over to visit Coyla and Edward Barry in Chapel Hill along with Marcia and Burns Jones. Coyla and Marcia are Dad's sisters.

I had a nice romp in a nearby pond and then we had a great dinner courtesy of Coyla's culinary skills. It was interesting because we actually had some of the Barry's beef that they raise at their ranch in Montana...very tasty.

The next day we traveled the last day home to Dataw Island, arriving Saturday evening, August 28.

Dad reports that we traveled 5327 miles, over 42 days, 6 weeks! Here's some other factoids of the trip:

- Since we didn't travel every day, Dad figures that we averaged about 180 miles per driving day, about 4 hour drives

- We averaged about ten miles per gallon. And the price per gallon was about $2.80. Gas was more expensive in Canada, about 50% more.

- Our favorite camp ground was up on Prince Edward Island...Twin Shores. It had fantastic beaches and beautiful sunsets. I think the worst camp ground was outside of Halifax..hideous bathrooms and a pump that went 24/7 and drove Dad crazy. Dick King said that Dad was driving him crazy complaining about the pump.

- Our favorite stop was into Neil's Cove up on the western part of the Cabot Trail on Nova Scotia. Charming little harbor. And a fish chowder to die for...the best!

- Our most scary experience was running the tidal bore at the far eastern end of the Bay of Fundy. Mom and Dad got drenched. Dick King said his hands are locked into a permanent grip from holding on to the side lines.

- The most interesting spot was the walled fortress of Lewisburgh, up on the South eastern shore of NV. But the Alexander Graham Bell Exhibit in Baddick was also fascinating.

To summarize I must say that this was a most excellent adventure. While I wasn't thrilled with the many hours staring up at Mom and Dad in the camper while underway, the sights, sounds, and smells of the Canadian Maritimes are unsurpassed. And oh yes, the cool temperatures were a real treat after leaving the sweltering heat of the Low Country.

Dad had some final thoughts:

"We were struck by several things about Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. The people are very cordial and kind. There's a gentleness about the people that's rare in this day and age. The coastlines of both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are some of the most beautiful and untouched natural settings in North America. The views are simply stunning. The history is also rich and varied. We learned amazing things about the early French and English settlers, the ship building industry on PEI, and the arrival of the Scottish in 1843. From about 300 original immigrants, the Scots now comprise over 60% of the population of Nova Scotia. And their rich culture was amazing to witness up close, although about 2 hours of bag piping is about my limit.

The RV ran flawlessly, and we had absolutely no problems mechanically. Pat and Linda King did a masterful job of planning the entire trip, making reservations, and laying out a sight seeing schedule.

I would encourage everyone to put this region on your bucket list to visit, particularly if you want a respite from the heat."

Jasmine here for a final comment.

I am a wiser and better dog for making this long adventure. I can truly say that the winds of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island will continue to ruffle my fur with fantastic memories for the rest of my life.

So stay tuned for my next Excellent Adventure next summer when we trek north to Minesotta to vist Mom's family

Cheers!

Jasmine Bell

Lake George and a Visit with Susan

After two days of heavy rain, we welcomed our dear friend, Susan Matthewson, who trained up from New York to share the Lake George experience with us. Some of you may remember Susan as a partner with Pat in the Ladies Member Guest tournament.

But I must tell you about the dog show yesterday, featuring the "Dazzling Dogs," a pack of Welsh Corgies, who have taken agility training to a new level. The trainer (see pic) put each dog through what she described as a "dance routine." This consisted of the dogs runing through her legs both forwards and backwards. One dog was paralyzed and needed a hind leg wheel assist-see pic. The best part of the show were the frizbee throws which the dogs caught in various leaps and bounds. I must admit I was jealous and humbled by the dazzlers!

The next day, Pat, Mike and Susan drove into the village of Lake George for some sightseeing. My take on Lake George is that it's the Vegas of the Adirondacks but without the gambling. Sure has the glitter and junko shops. Undeterred our fearsome threesome ventured out on a wooden sightseeing barque and marveled at the mansions along the shore. After a hearty seafood lunch, our threesome checked out Fort McHenry, a replica of the 18th century fort that guarded the portage bewteen Lake George and the Hudson River. (pretty sketchy was Dad's description) In the afternoon, Pat had to do a three hour Board of Director call which required two cell phones to complete. I'm worried about the radiation poisoning from a three hour cell phone call. Mom was glowing in the dark that evening. Meanwhile, Susan and Dad took out a row boat from Susan's bed and breakfast dock and drifted quietly down the shore. They encountered one pontoon boat that was equipped with a bar, stereo system, keg beer and tables on the afterdeck. This was essentially a floating bistro; should be quite a party venue!

The threesome dined at the "Log Jam" eatery that evening and then bid Susan a fond adieu back at the camp site.

We departed this AM and arrived in the Delaware Gap KOA campground. Tomorrow we're off to Baltimore to pick up Geoff's art work. And then we arrive at Coyla Barry's house on Friday. Coyla is Dad's sister.

We're almost home!

Simon Pearce and a Polo Match

So we had an amazing day today in Quechee, Vermont. Quechee is a picturesque little hamlet near the New Hampshire border. Dartmouth College is only a few miles east of here in Hanover.

We started the day with a hike down the Quechee Gorge. This is a deep chasm that's accessible by a nice gentle path that switches back a few times to reach the bottom. I met quite a few canine types on the walk. Mom had to use the "power steering" special to control my exuberence (see photo)

Then Mom and Dad toured the Simon Pearce studio and store in the heart of Quechee. His world famous glass was prominently displayed,and the prices were heart stopping. Then Mom and Dad had a fabulous lunch in Pearce's restaurant overlooking the waterfall which also powers the hydro electric turbine that energizes Pearce's glass blowing operation. The site of his studio was originally a mill, and the falls have powered some industry for hundreds of years. Pearce bought the dynamo from a Nova Scotia factory in the 1970s and retrofitted his studio to make room for the generator and related equipment. The generator produces 500 Kilowatts, enough to power a thousand homes. He's able to energize the kiln, the restaurant,and the whole operation from hydroelectric power. Quite impressive.

Then in the afternoon we watched a polo match between thw home Quechee team and the visiting team (The Stone Ponies) from New Hampshire. I was a bit terrified by all the horses but Mom and Dad learned quite a bit about the sport of polo. Each team has four players, and they play 6 "chuckers" or periods which each last seven minutes. The idea is to hit the ball between the goal posts. We left early since it was beginning to rain, but we were intrigued with the sport.

We leave for Lake George tomorrow, starting our travel South.

Touring PEI

On our second day on Prince Edward Island, we all took off in the camper to visit the Green Park Shipbuilding Museum and James Yeo house, west of the town of Summerside. James Yeo was the son of John Yeo, the most successful ship builder on Prince Edward Island, if not the entire country of Canada. James carried on the ship building business and became fabulously wealthy in the 1860s. We learned quite a bit about PEI ship building. For example, PEI built 70,000 tons of ships in this time period compared to only 150,000 tons for the entire country of Great Britain. The Brits thought the provincial ships were of inferior quality, but during the War of 1812, British ships crumbled under cannon fire while the ships built on PEI, exhibited an enormous resilience because of their superior construction and the quality of their wood. The Brits changed their attitude about PEI ships and ordered hundreds, turning the PEI boat builders into millionaires. The James Yeo house sits on a hill overlooking the ship building area. It's a huge house for its time; three floors, with lots of bedrooms. This was good since the Yeo family had eight children! See the photos of some of the lovely rooms in the mansion.

For lunch,Mom and Dad pigged out on mussels in a local eatery, while I chilled out in the camper. That night Mom cooked up some fresh lobster...they said its was spactacular as usual. Our campsite at Twin Shores produced amazing sunsets (see photos)

The next day, Mom and Dad played a local golf couse near the camp site. Think of it as a cow pasture converted into an 18 hole course. Now there were no bunkers, no contoured fairways, and the greens were more like Dataw fairways...real slow and bumpy. You know it was a cake walk when Dad carded an 85!

We left yesterday for Bangor, Maine. Today we arrived in Quechee, Vermont.

Our memories of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia will stay with us forever. I'll wait until my final Blog entry to share all of our thoughts about this lovely and spectacular region of Canada.

Goodbye Nova Scotia; Hello Prince Edward Island

We ferried over to Prince Edward Island this AM on the 8:00 AM ferry. Now this craft is huge; four levels, with space enough for 15 semi trailers on the first level. I chilled out in the RV while Mom and Dad lounged on the top deck. It was a beautiful morning for the short 14 mile cruise over to PEI.

Our first stop was some wine tasting at the Rossignol Winery just a few kilometers from the ferry landing. I made friends with a golden retriever but was terrified by this horse. Mom and Dad bought a red and white vintage. We then motored west and north to Orwell which featured an authentic 19th century village, complete with church, town meeting hall, one room school, country store, blacksmith shop and stables. I hung out again in the RV while Mom and Dad toured the village. (see photos of some of the sights.)

We then stopped in North Rustico on the north shore for lunch. Mom and Dad pigged out on a dozen oysters and a pot of mussels. The Keith lager beer was also a hit. We then stopped at a lobster pound to pick up a couple of lobsters for dinner. Is this the life or what!

The camp ground here in Darnley (one the far west coast of the island) is absolutely spectacular. It's called Twin Shores because we are between two beaches, one of which faces the Atlantic. Mom took me for a quick dip before dinner. Since we're here for three days, I plan many romps in the surf. Mom and Dad plan to play nine holes at a small course nearby; should be fun. We're planning other excusions before we leave for the USA on Thursday.

Piping and Highland Dancing in Pictou

We spent the day in Pictou attending the Hector Festival on the "quay." The Hector was the ship that brought the first Scottish settlers to Nova Scotia in 1743. Each year the town celebrates this historic event with a three day festival of concerts and many "ceilidhs," gaelic for parties! Before the piping concert we shopped in the farmers market where I met some fellow labs, both black and brown. Mom bought some treats for gradnson Marcus, and then we strolled down to the festival. Dad describes the events:

" The afternoon started with a very impressive procession of bag pipers and drummers from the Canadian military. Then we had two more bagpipe concerts with a grand finale of pipers and dancers who regaled us with a number of highland dance routines. Highland dancing is different from the Irish jiggers. The highlanders do more of a ballet step, with hands held high, and then graceful twirls and bows. So there's something about bag piping; after the fifth band, Jasmine agreed that enough already.

But it was all very festive and authentic!"

Pictou is another picturesque town with lots of history, and quaint buildings and parks along the harbor. Mom and Dad chatted with some of the locals, some of whom were fifth and sixth generation Pictouians.

Our campgrounds overlook a beautiful Bay with a spectcular sandy beach. I romped in the surf, chasing tennis balls for over an hour. Mom braved the figid water for just about a minute, but she almost got in all the way. Dad staid back for photos.Whimp!

Tomorrow we board the ferry for Price Edward Island. Can't wait!

From Port Hood to Pictou

We had a lovely day in Port Hood on the South Western coast of Cape Breton Island. We stayed in a campground called Sunset Sands, and based on the fantastic sunset, it's well named. I had a blast cavorting in the surf, while Mom and Dad watched the PGA tournament on Dad's computer (PGA.Com has live video feeds!) Today we wound our way down the coast toward Pictou, a medium sized town where the ferry departs for Price Edward Island. We're taking the ferry on Monday. On our way, we stopped in a small village called Arisaig; very much an old gaelic settlement. Dad struck up a conversation with a local who was just about to go out fishing for mackeral. (see photo) His name was Bill Cottie, and he said that his ancestors first arrived in North Carolina in the 1700s from England. Being loyalists to the crown, they fought against the colonialists in the Revolutionary War. Once the war ended, they migrated to Nova Scotia to escape the wrath of the liberated Americans. So Bill was a fourth or fifth generation settler in Nova Scotia.

Arisaig is another one of those magical little settlements with a tiny harbor, lighthouse, fishing boats and a few rustic looking buildings nestled around the small harbor.

We then left for Pictou, where our campground is about 5 miles east of town. We've settled in for the day. Tomorrow we visit the local Hector Heritage Quay Museum which details the early arrival of the Scottish immigrants in 1733. Apparently a boat load of Scotts including 33 families and 25 unmarried men arrived on the schooner, The Hector, in 1733. They were piped into town, and became the first scotts to arrive in Nova Scotia. Today the scots represent 60% of Nova Scoltia's population. We plan to inspect a replica of the Hector during our museum visit. We also hope to attend the Hector Festival which celebrates the arrival of the scottish immigrants with concerts , Celtic dancers, and lots of food and drink.