Made it to PEI! The rest of the ride through NB was excellent as always, and I started to get a little excited when I first saw Confederation bridge. It's so long! Sadly I couldn't ride it, but the shuttle was as free as it was prompt and I was on the island before I knew it.
PEI is gorgeous. I was able to keep on back roads all the way along, and still managed to meet friendly people every hour or so. One was a France-French gentleman who showered accolades on me for my adventurous spirit, and another was a local who hooked up the best route to Charlottetown. The ride in has to have been one of the nicest of the trip: beautiful empty roads with gentle slopes passing by the oldest farms ever as well as a few little fishing communities here and there. Loved it.
As I was getting close to Charlottetown, I spotted some folks on a bridge up ahead getting ready to jo. Stoked. Hopped off the bike and stripped down quick as I could do go and join them. I ended up jumping with two guys visiting from the states, one of whom was clearly overcoming a dual fear of heights/water in the process (gun-show in the pic). After I brief but exhilaration fall, I hit the water. Salt water. Right. So much for camping tonight- shower just became top priority. Onwards to charlottetown.
After stopping to get groceries before heading for the hostel, an older man comes to check out my bike as I'm pounding back croissants and asks if I have a place for the night. Upon hearing I'm planning to go the hostel, he asks if I'd prefer to join him and his wife at their home instead. Obviously a yes.
I ended up staying two nights with Bryson and Joan, who were two of the nicest people I have met so far. They had done tandem touring earlier in life, and had always been picking up stray cyclists to come stay when they found them. It was really nice to be able to sit and just chat with such welcoming people for two days. I also got te chance to explore Charlottetown, which was great. Ended up spending quality time posted up in a coffee shop catching up on the blog before ambling around taking everything in. Hung out with a vagrant busker for a while and swapped stories, then head back to the MacDonalds for a lovely dinner and a sleep in a real bed. PEI is exceeding my expectations, which were high.
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