Saint-Louis-de-Kent to Moncton, New Brunswick

The Dutch couple who own and run L'Ancrage are wonderful hosts, and fed me an amazing breakfast out on the porch.

I took my time, reading my novel and enjoying breakfast.  There was so much delicious food that I could not finish it all.  I was also, for the first time this year, hot sitting outside!

It was 11:00 by the time I started riding, and finally I felt like I was making great time.  I rejoined Highway 11 and by around 14:00 had made it 80 or so kilometres to where 11 joins Highway 15 near Shediac.

My plan was to cycle into downtown Moncton then back out the airport where I had a rental car booked.  That would give me a metric century for the day, and set me up nicely for whenever I wanted to finish my ride from Moncton east.  I was making such good time that I figured I also had time to stop and check in to my hotel before getting out to the airport for my 16:00 car reservation.

Then, I hit some debris--I never really figured out what--and my rear wheel was flat.

I was super annoyed, but what can you do, so I pulled over to change it.  I feel fairly cursed when it comes to changing flat tires on my bike trips, having had absurd experiences in 2012 in Saskatchewan and 2015 in BC.  Unfortunately, this proved to be another absurd experience, as the pump I had purchased in Amqui was entirely inadequate.  

After wasting over an hour, I gave up.  I was only a few kilometres from the airport, so I stashed my bags behind a tree, put my wheel back together, and rode on down the highway on the flat.  It was bumpy and destructive to my already-somewhat-bent wheel, but I was motivated, and angry about the whole thing, so I was quickly at the airport, tire ruined and spokes loose.

At the airport I attempted to wash my greasy hands at a bathroom sink, then picked up my rental car, a bright green Jeep.

I drove back down the highway to retrieve my bags, then finally into Moncton.  Once actually clean, I celebrated my completed ride with a beer and lobster roll at the Gahan Pub.

Bathurst to Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick

After my 200 kilometres yesterday, I really dawdled this morning in Bathurst.  I finally got started at 10:30, which was by far my latest start of this trip.

It was a beautiful day, and I enjoyed riding through Bathurst towards the highway.

The Highway 8 took me about 75 kilometres, south to Miramichi.

Mostly it was great highway to ride, and traffic was moderate.

At some point along the highway I had to stop to "visit some trees," and found this forest particularly beautiful.

I could tell the bridge at Miramichi was going to be something else, and I was excited to see it in person and ride across.

On the other side, just on the Miramichi outskirts, I stopped for lunch of fish and chips.

From Miramichi I rode Highway 11 for another 40 kilometres or so.  At some point I rode right by a moose, which was pretty cool!

Between the weather, the ideal road conditions, and the relatively short distance, today was probably my nicest day of riding

Eventually I left the 11 for Highway 134, and just a few more kilometres down the road I reached the L'Ancrage Bed & Breakfast.

L'Ancrage is right on the Kouchibouguacis River, and it is a gorgeous setting.  After settling in I went for a little walk.

Eventually I worked my way across the river to the village of Saint-Louis-de-Kent, apparently the birthplace of the Acadian flag.

After some walking, I took a table at a cozy little restaurant called Chez 5 etoiles.

An older Acadian couple run the restaurant out of an old house.  The place was packed when I arrived, but I outlasted everyone.  The meal was one I want to remember, so I took an embarassing amount of pictures. I had a couple beers . . .

. . . a wonderful lobster caesar salad . . .

. . .  homemade bread . . .

. . . an incredibly delicious pasta . . .

. . . and a traditional Acadian dessert called poutine a trou.

Needless to say, I was totally stuffed afterwards, but it was my favourite meal of my trip so far.

Amqui, Quebec to Bathurst, New Brunswick

Because of losing the day on Tuesday, I doubled up my ride today, turning it into a full double metric century.

My auberge in Amqui served me breakfast early, and I hit the road just after 7:00.

It took me 75 or so kilometres to get to where the Matapedia River joins the Restigouche River, which serves as the border between Quebec and New Brunswick along about half of northern New Brunswick.  I was continuing on the Route Verte which mostly kept me on the highway, but also gave me some nice back road detours occasionally. 

It was a cold morning for late May, but I was enjoying my ride nonetheless.  I felt like I was making good time and the roads were quiet and the scenery interesting and peaceful.  I passed a few covered bridges--I had always thought covered bridges were unique to New Brunswick, but since Amqui I have seen a handful crossing the Matapedia.

I crossed the Restigouche River into New Brunswick around noon Atlantic time. 

Leaving Quebec, my route across Quebec that I began in 2007 was now complete: Ottawa to Montreal; Montreal to Quebec City (2009); and now Quebec City to New Brunswick.

Just a few kilometres after entering New Brunswick I stopped for lunch in Campbellton.

The cold morning turned into by far the warmest day I have had this week, and I was even hot in the afternoon as I rode onward towards Bathurst--despite passing snow, including this massive mound!

The ride was becoming increasingly less enjoyable as the day wore on, mostly because I was simply getting very, very tired!  Not far from Bathurst my front tire picked up this surprisingly large tack.  I was worried it would mean having a flat to change, but thankfully not, especially since changing a flat--even on the front--would not have been fun after 180+ kilometres of riding.

Sometime after 17:00 I finally rolled into the Bathurst Comfort Inn's parking lot.  My cycle computer was actually only reading 199 something, so I circled the hotel to cross 200 officially, then checked in.