2004 Maritime Provinces Road Trip
July 10, 2004 - July 31, 2004
This trip was done somewhat under family protest. We had had such a spectacular trip the previous year, seeing some of the best that the desert West has to offer, that we knew it would be a hard act to follow. Rather than try to do a repeat of that trip, I decided to try something totally different—a trip to the Canadian Maritimes. Besides, our U.S. map was filled in and there was this big area just to the Northeast of us crying out to be explored. I ignored the protests of, “It will be too cold,” “There will be too many bugs,” etc. etc., and planned the trip anyway. “Don’t worry,” I told them. “It will be great.”
Well, we all turned out to be right. There were times when the weather was a challenge and the bugs made outdoor activities prohibitive, but we also discovered some truly wonderful places to add to our list of favorites.
Road Trip Highlights and Lowlights
- Jumping into the river and playing Frisbee at Broom Point on Newfoundland, one of our all time favorite beaches
- Traversing the exposed cliffs of the Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park
- Swimming in the warm waters off the red sand beaches of Prince Edward Island
- Camping on the edge of a highland bluff overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence at Meat Cove
- Photographing the breathtaking views of the rock cliffs rising from the fjord on Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park
- Feeling like you’re in Europe without ever leaving the continent while touring the beautiful historic city of Quebec.
- Oh yeah, and meeting the nicest, friendliest, and down to earth people on earth — the people of Newfoundland.
So, while it might not have been our best trip (they can’t all be that), it certainly was a great one.
Itinerary
| # | Stop | Date | Miles | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wal-Mart - Augusta | July 10, 2004 | 385 | 7 |
| 2 | Acadia National Park | July 11, 2004 | 150 | 3 |
| 3 | Quoddy Head State Park | July 13, 2004 | 102 | 2.25 |
| 4 | Campobello Island | July 13, 2004 | 8 | 0.25 |
| 5 | Old Sow / Deer Island | July 13, 2004 | 8 | 0.25 |
| 6 | Fundy Trail Parkway / St. Martin Sea Caves | July 14, 2004 | 98 | 2 |
| 7 | Parlee Beach Provincial Park | July 14, 2004 | 107 | 2.5 |
| 8 | Cape Breton Highlands National Park / Cabot Trail | July 15, 2004 | 288 | 6 |
| 9 | Cabot Landing Provincial Park | July 16, 2004 | 50 | 1.25 |
| 10 | Meat Cove | July 16, 2004 | 15 | 0.5 |
| 11 | Ferry to Corner Brook | July 18, 2004 | 160 | 3.75 |
| 12 | Gros Morne National Park (Trout River) | July 19, 2004 | 170 | 4 |
| 13 | Rocky Harbor | July 20, 2004 | 55 | 1.5 |
| 14 | Gros Morne National Park (Shallow Bay) | July 21, 2004 | 41 | 1 |
| 15 | J. T. Cheeseman Provincial Park | July 23, 2004 | 232 | 5 |
| 16 | Whycocomagh Provincial Park | July 24, 2004 | 70 | 1.5 |
| 17 | Cavendish | July 25, 2004 | 175 | 3.5 |
| 18 | Robinsons Island National Park | July 26, 2004 | 20 | 0.5 |
| 19 | Cedar Dunes Provincial Park | July 27, 2004 | 88 | 2 |
| 20 | Kouchibouguac National Park | July 28, 2004 | 170 | 4 |
| 21 | Trois Pistoles | July 29, 2004 | 318 | 6.5 |
| 22 | Quebec City | July 30, 2004 | 166 | 3.5 |
| 23 | Home | July 31, 2004 | 478 | 9 |