Sun rise, sun set.............

Some of the sun rises and sun sets have been spectacular here.  Too bad there are houses to mar the view but the timings are a bit off to be wandering around in the dark to wait for the events.  OK - If I see the makings of a spectacular sun set, I will head off to the beach and if I get lost on the way home.....  However if mornings are like this morning (BRRRRRR!) I am NOT heading to the beach for a sunrise. Besides that is at some ungodly hour and well I don't get up that early  - much!

Sun rise this morning 

Aha - the sun has risen

But like I said in this unpredictable weather - the sky has clouded over and there is no sun!!!!   It is also chilly outside and well chilly inside since I forgot to shut the windows last night and BRRRRRRRR - I got my wool socks and two sweaters on!!!


Yesterday was a NICE day.  The sky was relatively clear, there was wind but a doable wind so I decided there was one place that I wanted to explore that I hadn't had a chance yet.  Suited up and I was off on my bike - heading back to Kensington (13 K) into the wind. Always best to go INTO the wind on the way out and hopefully catch the tail wind on the way home.

Once I reached Kensington, I hopped onto the Confederation Trail.

Confederaton Trail in Kensington

Like many parts of Canada, old rail beds have been converted into multi use paths - mostly for walking and cycling.  Let's just say one thing about the trail. It is FLAT.  OK - there were a couple of spots where the grade was 1% and even got as high as 2% at one point, but it is FLAT.

What a fabulous place to bike.  No traffic to worry about, the surface was great and well - I was in my glory - just sailing along. However I did make some observations along the way.   How could I not - there was nothing to do, but enjoy the countryside.   I could have Geocached my heart out on the trail, but a bit too complicated with this bike.  No place to store stuff - no stand for the bike - well - I will just have to come back and do another stay on the island. And I'll bring my touring bike - it is perfect for geocaching. Perhaps a bit later in the season?

Oh yes - I passed behind one of the plants for Cavendish Farms and while I did smell those french fries, there was something else in the air and it was NOT french fries. Not even close!!!!  Let's just say that I didn't breath much through that part and rode FAST.

Confederation Trail marker near Traveller's Rest (crossing highway 1A)

Not sure why this part is called Traveller's Rest - no place to rest!!!!   However I did note that there were lots of benches and a few picnic tables along the way should one want to rest.

There were a LOT of gates at each of the major road crossings.  I HATE HATE HATE these gates.  Even though I am a decent cyclist, going through these narrow things on a bike freak me out.  At the beginning, I must admit that I unclipped my foot and sort of scooted my way through them. At one point, I told myself to grow up and ride through them. I started and of course, you must slow down and what happens when you slow down? You start to wobble!!!!!   Towards the end, I was able to clear them not so bad!!!!!  Yes - I must set up an obstacle course one day and learn once and for all how to gracefully maneuver through this kind of thing.  I remember being a wreck in Europe when I had saddle bags on the bike!

A gate mostly to stop motorized traffic from coming onto the trail

My favourite gates - half of the gate is gone

I have to say the drivers in PEI are pretty respectful to cyclists.   When on the main road, they give me a wide berth (3 feet as per the law), I've had cars wait behind me until it was safe to pass with oncoming traffic. Many times as I waited at a road to cross the trail, the cars stopped to give me right of way.  Yes - I was impressed.  If they didn't have so damn much wind - perhaps I would move here!!!!


Now I have several bikes - I have a road bike with skinny little tires, I have a touring bike with bigger tires that I usually travel with, my townie and a mountain bike. When I was getting ready to leave, I realized that my touring bike wasn't put together yet from my trip last summer. Drat - I didn't really have time to assemble it, so I grabbed my road bike. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do the Confederation Trail because the surface is NOT paved and those skinny tires - well they don't always work well with loose surfaces.


However I am happy to report that I had NO ISSUES with the road bike on the Confederation Trail. At times, I was clipping along at over 30K. There was only one time when I thought I was in trouble, but my great balance (I try to tell myself that when I go through those damn gates) kept me upright and I was fine.

Road bike on the Confederation Trail - excellent combination

Yep - the ride was smooth and I did worry a bit about shredding the tires on the gravel, but I have good tires.  No issues.

I had no idea really where the trail would lead and frankly (research???? what's that?) - I didn't care, but once I crossed 1A, I was pretty sure we were on our way to Summerside and yes - sure enough - there I was in Summerside.

In PEI, the Trans Canada trail which I believe goes coast to coast now???  In Northern Ontario looks like it is a water trail, but this is a trail that stretches for a good part of the country. I have been on other sections of the TransCanada trail.  I think the Confederation Trail are one and the same in PEI.

Marker for TransCanada trail in Summerside

Once I got to Summerside, I wasn't interested in following the Confederation Trail as it was going to head north (had an instinct and I was right!) and I didn't want to go that far.  I knew there was a boardwalk or scenic trail along the waterfront in Summerside so I headed for that.

Waterfront trail in Summerside

I decided to follow the boardwalk as far as it went. It has to end somewhere. Right???

Well if you have never walked to the end of the boardwalk and trust me - it is a fair hike - this is what the end looks like.

End of the boardwalk in Summerside

I didn't go to the other end of the boardwalk - I suppose I should have. But I love that the end is a circle and not just an end to the path!!!  It was on this path that I almost ditched the bike because of loose gravel, but it was no big deal. Matter of fact, I have been able to ride on the road into the housing area where we are staying and not have much problem. A few times, the loose sand has played havoc, but only for a short distance.

I saw this house in Summerside along the boardwalk. What do you think this person's favourite colour is???

Ah - would that be yellow????

There are mile posts - well that should be KM posts along the trail.  I took a picture when I got on in Summerside on my way back, but I forgot to get one when I got off in Kensington.

KM - 109 in Summerside on the Confederation Trail

 I think in total, I did about 14 KM on the Confederation Trail in each direction so a total of 28 KM or thereabouts.

Let's just say that I have become BOLD in my old age. As I was passing through Summerside on the Confederation Trail to get to the waterfront, I passed a picnic area and people were setting up a BBQ.  Awesome - I had seen many fundraiser BBQs on previous bike trips.  Never thought anything more about it - went to the end of the boardwalk and when I got to this spot - people were lining up. A BIG line.  Hey - a good time to stop for lunch.

As I am waiting, I don't see any signs on how much the BBQ is, but I have $10 in my pocket - I should be good.  Everyone seemed to know each other. There were people on motorcylces, people who had walked there.  When I got to the front of the line and asked where to pay, the gentleman said "it was complementary".  Wow - I didn't ask further questions.

Grabbed my hamburger, chips and pop and sat on a railing to eat lunch.   As I was watching who was coming to the BBQ, I think I stumbled onto a BBQ for the locals!!!   Perhaps a company sponored lunch for its workers????   I'll never know, but the man to whom I had posed the question was probably too taken aback at my boldness to be in line that he let me have a free lunch or perhaps they are just super nice in Summerside!!!!    Oh dear - I had better ask more questions next time!!!!   Anyway - lunch hit the spot!

BBQ for lunch

All in all it was a fabulous ride, a total of 61 K and I was happy.

61.46 KM

 And YES - I did have a decent tail wind on the way back - for once!!!!!


Here is the link to the ride stats.  Much slower than my normal pace, but then again - much different road surface for that bike.

 I did a bit of sewing in the afternoon, but I couldn't keep my nose out of the book I was reading.  I love Lisa Scottoline.  Her books touch on topics that could be very real. I was reading "Look Again" - about abduction, adoption and who owns the right to a child.  I wasn't looking forward to reading the book because I thought it would have huge moral dilemnas and it did, but there was enough suspense in the book - well I couldn't put it down.  Let's just say that I didn't get a lot of sleep last night but I finished it!!!!     Good book for a book club!!!

What I've read so far while on vacation

 All of them have been excellent books. All of them were big books!!!!!   I have TWO books left and then well - I guess it might be time to head home.  Oooops - I don't talk about that!!!     I am loving it here and feel right at home.

However I do have a problem with one of the two books that I have left to read.  One of them is a library book. The first book by Patricial Cornwell called Post mortem.  The book was written in 1990 and I thought - no problem - I can take the book out while I am away. I will renew on-line because what are the chances that anyone would want this older book.  Yup - when I went to renew the book - the darn thing had requests!!!!   What are the chances of that!!!!   So now I am paying .35 a day because the book is overdue and I can't renew it!    Oh well - could be worse - it could be a video and I'm paying $1 a day!!!!


I had hoped to get more of those older magazines read, but that hasn't happened.  I shall try to go through a couple more.  But seriously - I had better start reading magazines when I buy them.   I am reading Quilter's Home (now defunct) and I wish I had read them when I bought them because I don't think I would have continued to purchase them.  Now don't get me wrong - there are many funny articles, there are nice articles on collecting things but there are a couple of thigns that are driving me crazy.

First - they did a comparison of HAND QUILTING NEEDLES.  NO problem - they tested John James, Richard Hemming & Sons and Jeanna Kimball.  So far so good, but then they threw in the "imposters".  These were assorted needles made for general purpose sewing. Something that the home sewer (not the fanatic quilter) would purchase to sew on buttons.  Seriously?????   The article lost all credibilityy in my mind when they put in the cheaper needles.  First off - you can't compare those general purpose needles to hand quilting needles - they are NOT the same - not even close.  And so all the testers could identify the imposters.  DUH - that is like saying who is the imposter at a company BBQ when everyone is dressed in big boots and regular clothes and ONE person is dressed in Spandex.  Not hard to figure that one out!!!!


Second  thing I hate about the magazine is the tone.  There are so many babes, dolls, cupcakes - well seriously??????   I want to be called a quilter!!!!!    Just a bit too frou frou for my liking.

And the last thing that is driving me nuts is the constant need to find ways to hide the stash.  Like stashing FQs under the mattress, hiding them in the toy box.  Do people seriously do this?????   I have a huge stash, but I use my stash.  If it is tucked away in all ends of the house - how the heck will I remember what is where and I would never use half of it.  Fess up ladies - tell your husband you have an addiction and put it out and USE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!  


However I do love the blasts from the past - like the book from Dover Needlework called Easy-to-Make Patchwork Skirts.

Ok - any takers?????   We could have a hoot at our next big quilting event with those beauties!!!!

And there was a good article in the last one I read about Breaking the Quilting rules.   Dispelling the myths of quilting.   So there is good with the bad - I hate that - make it all bad or all good, but in between - well I am on the fence and let's face it - I probably would have bought the bad because of the good!!!!!


Don't forget to check out QUILTSocial this morning.  The directions to my fabulous tote bag and all my little tricks for making bags are revealed.   Make sure you check it out.   For those of you who panicked about the Chubby Charmer - don't worry - I am working on that today!!!!   That was in addition to my PEI quilt.


On that note - I am out of here, but NOT before I share with you the sunset from the night before. It was spectacular.

Sunset on PEI

Sunset on PEI (same sunset - just a few minutes later)

 Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (it's Friday and that means pizza from Glasgow Glen Farms!!! - is it dinner time yet?)


Ciao!!!!!


 PS - how fast can one legally go on a riding lawn mower????   It is nasty weather outside and the guy is here cutting the grass.  He has his hood up, a cigarette in his mouth and I have never seen a lawn mower go faster!!!!