Well, we had always heard a lot about PEI when we were in graduate school in Utah since our good friends the Kingsburys were from there and return to see family a lot; and since we are presently visiting the East, and since we suggested the idea last Thanksgiving when we were at Kingsbury's house in Elmira, New York......it got scheduled as the thing to do this Summer. So we did it! Blow-by-blow details will follow shortly but if you'd like to save on a lot of reading I can summarize by saying we had a super time, met lots of folksy people, ate a lot of good fish, and that even though we were merely going North a bit from Washington, D. C. the car got another 3,000 or so miles on it and behaved nicely. Roughly speaking we gave up seeing things in the states (like Cape Cod, like Misty Seaport, etc.) in order to get more time in Canada and therefore managed to go to the top of Nova Scotia (actually to the top of the Island (above mainland Nova Scotia) called Breton Island). Was a good decision but does leave more of the U.S. to yet visit.....oh, me.

Friday..... Went to work early. Came home for lunch and car packing finish. Then headed north towards N. Y. We had scheduled in a party on Long Island (John Strozier's who was another of the graduate school gang) and had thought we might stay with him but on Thursday's the Marshals (yet another of the graduate school group) called and suggested we stay with them on Friday and Saturday night and go with them to the Saturday party; and we selected that option. Rolled up the turnpikes and could see the World Trade Center and Empire State and all, and that brought back great memories of last Xmas. Pulled off road into some New Jersey small town and had pizza. Then on to Marshalls. They live in Trumbull, Conn. which is just above Bridgeport which is just above Westport...all of which are a lot longer drive from when you first see the N.Y skyline then seems reasonable; but we got there. Pretty driving on the Parkway; nice new house they live in; good fun chatting about old times; and to bed. Nate and their son Mike (13?) shared the TV room, each on a hide a chair so they thought that was great. Sarah and their daughter (15?) shared a room and we had a room. Twas hot and humid but nice by the next day.

Saturday..... Relaxed breakfast (tho daughter had already gone to swim practice) and checked the house and yard (big and Ron is quite proud of it so we checked it out real well). Left Nate and Mike relaxing and the four adults drove around the area to see it a bit......nice, comfortable, very green, parts are historical. By noon all of us (except daughter) headed to the ferry to Long Island.....didn't take car....did have nice ride... did eat a lunch on the deck....did have sunshine and relax. Was on the water 1 1/2 hours but took much too much time loading and unloading and was running late. Strozier was at the dock to meet us. Meanwhile a sailboat from Connecticut with two families who were also coming to the party had just arrived so we hung around, had a beer, saw the boat; and eventually all 16 (some were quite small but still...) got into Strozier's old station wagon and made the few miles to his house. Fun party with talking being the highlight for the adults and driving a tractor like lawn mower being Sarah's favorite and playing with John's home computer being Nate's favorite. Back to the ferry too soon (7:00 p.m.) but it's the last one of the day and back to 'home.’

Sunday... started the day with scrambled eggs and sausage where the eggs were cooked with Chablis. Bought a N.Y. Times for Nate and then hit the road heading diagonally across Conn. and Mass. on very pretty parkways and freeways and tollways. Boy do we California folks dislike paying for Tollways and you sure do a lot of it in the East. We had previously made a reservation in Lewiston, Maine even though we were interested in Boothbay Harbour so we drove to where the final turn to Boothbay was (12 mi. to go) and saw a motel (sorta cabins) with a vacancy so took one and cancelled the one in Lewiston which was really out of the main way anyway. Cleaned up a bit and went to Boothbay Harbor and walked around the little fishing village (and tourist town) and had dinner (Haddock for the two of us and hamburgers for the kids). Then walked a bit more.....pretty place...and then back to bed.

Monday....was the day to get off the freeways and drive route 1 along the Maine coast to Bar Harbor. Super nice drive with lots of small towns all with amazingly large, white houses and in quite prosperous looking condition. Many, many picturesque churches thrown in also. Had our picnic lunch at Fort Knox which was picturesque and in good shape since it overlooked a rive, which was to have divided Canada and the U.S. and so might have been key in fightings, but the actual border got established some 80 miles further up the coast. Then on to Bar Harbor where we had verbal confirmation of a Camp Site in Arcadia Nat'l Park but nothing in writing since we had made the request so late. Stocked up on groceries in town, went to Camp area, no vacancy sign up but our reservation was fine so set up camp. Still mid afternoon and walked over to the Ocean which had a proper rocky Maine shoreline with lot of lobster trap buoys in the water, climbed around on the rocks and relaxed.... weather was nice. Back to camp .....Hamburgers for everyone....Dawna went to bed and the other 3 went to the campfire Ranger slide show which was O.K. but not great and Dad and Sarah were tired so we didn’t quite watch all of it....then to bed in our tents. It might be worth mentioning that we did not bring much of our camping gear East because had been assured that we wouldn't do much if any camping because of the weather and bugs and short season.....and of course have camped briefly in the Shanendoah Mountains, last fall, two places in Florida last winter, a spot in Maryland this summer and now on this northern trip.......but do have enough gear to get along and the whole family really enjoys it....not to mention the dollar savings, which are not trivial, and the great meals.

Tuesday....slow getting up and big camp breakfast of hash browns and sausage scrambled together. Drive to the summit of the highest coastal mountain, and go on a ranger walk...learned a bit...and cold and windy and rough country up there on top. Some geology info, bit of geography, etc. Super view of all the inlets, fiords, islands, etc. Then drive around in the park - checked out the visitor center (beautiful building but not much to see for exhibits). Went to a nice beach for lots of sand play (too cold for swimming). Went on a neat walk/hike around another of those rocky coast areas. Back to camp and dinner was steak and fruit salad. Then went to town to walk across the bar to Bar Island, which is why the town is called Bar Harbor. The bar is 7 feet under water at high tide so we were walking on the ocean floor.....which was covered with mussels and Sarah would liked to have taken them and cooked them. Saw lot of sea urchins also. An Ice Cream in town and then to camp and no Ranger Talks tonight because.......

Wednesday.....the ferry to Nova Scotia, will leave at 8:00 A.M. and we were to be there at 7:00 (we have verbal reservations again but this time with a reservation number)....so did as much packing as possible the night before; then up at 5:00 A.M. and a brief breakfast and take the camp down (luckily and surprisingly no moisture on anything) and we were to the ferry at 6:50. Our reservation fine; lot of others in standby areas and very few got on. 150 cars and about 600 people fill the ferry and off we go. Adequate but far from great accommodations (sorta like a traveling waiting lounge in a train station) but with a deck. Foggy outside so nothing to see. Boat rocked a lot side to side and more than half of the people got sick and all in all a 6 hour trip with not many highlights but still an experience. We only had 5 Dramamine with us but that managed us with mom having two. No Wolfson got sick with the order of not feeling well going Dawna, Nate, Jake and Sarah I think. Ate a little toast and some coffee and hot c. Everyone got feeling better the last couple hours but Dawna basically watched two TV movies without moving, Nate did sorta likewise except he spirited up when it became known that kids were allowed to gamble in the 'Casino'...small room with 20 slot machines or so. Gave Nate 5 dimes and he lost them in 5 tries. Sarah found out the news and got 5 dimes and won 25 more......but eventually she and Nate managed to lose those (after paying me back the original 5 that is). Bought our 2 bottles of duty free bourbon and drove off the boat into Nova Scotia, Canada.... 30 seconds to get through customs and then drive onward. Hey the mileage signs are in km and the gas is sold by the liter....but it turns out to be less than 80 cents per gallon when the coversions are all taken place. Oh, Yes, had picked up a lot of good tourist literature on the boat. Destination Lunenburg if we can make it and drive rather late but made it....no motel in site though several accommodations listed in our lit. Tried a guest house and she was full but she called two place and second was O.K. and was basically a set of newly built, non fancy, motel rooms on a guys farm on the edge of town. Fine and actually a nice view. Dinner at sorta the only resturant (really a Cafe) in town and folksy but sure not fancy. Fish and Chips were very good (kids had hamburgers).

Thursday....principle reason we had selected Lunenburg was because it had a maritime fisheries museum, was a real fishing town and a real ship building town...so spent the entire morning confirming these items and was super with the museum being in an old fish processing plant and the museum including 3 real ships that were floating next to it and open for walking and which were real working vessels. Just super place....but finally decided we couldn't spend the day so on to Halifax for a bit of walking around the town and eventually lunch. I've always heard of Halifax and it is a neat, old, European like, harbor town and we ate on the harbor and also got to walk around on the Bluenose-I which is a replica of the Bluenose-I that was a famous, race winning clipper ship which had been build in Lunenburg and about which we had been full indoctrinated that morning. Used the tourist bureau at the wharf for more info and tried to make reservations at a motel or guest house on their interconnected phone list but all were full so took the list and used our own phone and on second try got a room in a guest house in Baddeck which was still a good drive but our choice for that night so after lunch (more fish and chips and hamburgers) we rolled across Nova Scotia and over the causeway to Breton Island and found our spot....and were we glad we had called ahead. Very small room (like she had told us on the phone) but adequate for us. Quickly off to a fancier guesthouse-inn for dinner before their 8:00 p.m. closing time but they were basically out of food but very nice lady told us of a place down the road 10 miles. Went to it (The Lobster Gallery) and new and not fancy but not grubby either and French speaking fellow who ran it was quite nice and overlooked a pretty lake and we had seafood casserole while the kids had.....yes..hamburgers. Relaxed evening meal after a busy day. Then to bed in our tight space.

Friday..Breakfast at Wong's but the kids worries of a Chinese breakfast were no problem since really just the only Cafe in town. Filled up with Groceries. Went to Alexandria Graham Bell Museum. It is there because he spent a huge amount of his live there and all of the last 30 or so years. A super museum and we spent much more time than we should of and I can't describe much here except he sure did lots more than the telephone and most of the others were financial flops but the telephone, which came first, carried him through. Finally left and an hour or so later were in Cape Breton Highlands Nat'1 Park. Quite early so lots of choice in camp areas and campsites so made a good pick on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Was cloudy but not rainy. Played on the beach and then cooked dinner.....fantastic salmon which we had bought that morning. Went to a ranger talk.....which didn't start till 9:30 p.m. because it takes that long to get darkish...a Scottish sounding, nice local fellow and a good talk and the stars came out and he said tomorrow was to be the first day of the year with Sunshine and everyone was mad that summer hadn't come yet and it usually comes in late June.

Saturday....beautiful day and were we lucky cause really was the first nice day they'd had. Big and good camp breakfast....this time the hashbrowns were from scratch rather than frozen and Sarah liked them much better. Drove to a spot a few miles down the road and then did a several mile hike along the ocean (on a ridge above rocks most of the time). Heading towards a fishing village town and about 2/3 of the way Sarah and I went back for the car and Dawna and Nate continued on and we all met at the town. Checked it out including a bit of lobster chowder at a 'chowder house'...a Nova Scotia equivalent to McDonalds almost. Lobster traps by the millions and picturesque boats. Dinner back at camp was a just so so swiss steak. Kids played on beach some more and then to bed.

Sunday....was decent breakfast and relaxed take down of camp and head out around the tip of the Island and through the rest of the park and looking at the scenery.....with a bit of fog and even a bit of rain now and then but O.K. for driving. Stop at a Gaelic College and also stop at the main Visitor Center for the park and then head onward....one stop at a nice antique store...don't think we bought anything; lunch at another Chowder House...O.K. but not great.....arrived at spot for Ferry at 5:00 and got on the 7:20 ferry.......but Paul Kingsbury had told us 3-4 hours is typical so we had planned on it and spent time getting tourist literature and eating dinner off the station wagon back end so actually a fine wait. The ferry was extremely efficiently run, right on the promised time, and so smooth that we didn't even believe we were moving. Had obtained a good map by now and also called Paul for directions so found our way to his Dad's house in Dundas, P.E.I. In fact there are only 3 or so houses in Dundas plus a gas station.... Sat up and talked too long and then to bed. Situation is that Grandpa Kingsbury lives there. Paul, Eileen, son Andrew, daughter Sue and daughter friend Maggie plus all four of us were there. Everyone managed.....which meant that we four had a very big room with the kids each in a single bed and Dawna and Jake on the floor in our sleeping bags......which was just fine. In fact the only problem, was that the house had only one bathroom and the group included 3 teenage kids plus a couple small kids......but all worked out fine.

Monday.... Most woke up a bit slow but Paul and I took a short run down to a neighbors who was 'holding' our scallops in her freezer for us....her husband is a fisherman and had gotten them 'on order' a few days earlier. Chatted a bit about fishing and farming and people she and Paul both new and then came back. Excellent bacon for breakfast. Gradually piled into both station wagons and all of us (including Grandpa who wasn't going to come until Sarah did the asking) headed towards the beach with stops to pick up some additional relatives (Elleen's brother and some nieces and nephews). Weather nice, beach nice, very enjoyable small fishery museum there also. Likewise with a small fish house and a couple fisherman had just pulled up so we ended up buying some Hake from them - filleted for lunch, whole for a future dinner, plus the roe and plus some additional pieces for eventual chowder (13 lbs. in all for 7 dollars). General beach play, even some swimming and snorkeling and lunch was the hotdogs we had planned on plus the new fish which we did over our little black grill (wrapped in foil plus spices, etc.) and boy, oh, boy that fish was super. Then walked up the river inlet and went claming...which everyone thought was great fun and we were quite successful. Eventually back home a bit sun burned and quite content. Dinner was mostly the just obtained clams plus some pizza for the non fishers plus left over lobster neuberg and potatoes. Off to bed.

Tuesday.....plan is to go to Charlottetown (the main city of PEI) to check it out and keep from getting more sun. All (Grandpa stayed) in Paul's car which meant 9 but we fit with the 3 seat wagon situation Walked around. O.K. but not great; interesting architecture and lots of old wooden houses. Lunch at a park that overlooks the harbor and a couple drops of rain but not much. Highlight was we went to a small mill and got to walk amongst the equipment and watch raw wool become yarn and it was all folks with them just letting us go about back and look around sort of thing. Meanwhile everyone got hooked on rug making (tieing) so the two teenage girls got good-sized canvases to work on. Nate got a small piece to do a design and then work on. Sarah got some odds and ends of yarn. Dawna bought a bit of yarn that she'll be talking to mom about one of these days.....Drove home a different way (around the north) and saw where Eileen did her growing up, and drove out to some sand dunes along a beach area.....walked the beach....everyone tired and slept a bit driving horn. Dinner was principally the Hake from yesterday and was great. Eileen's brother dropped by. Then the teenage 3 headed off to a dance while the older and younger people went to bed.

Wednesday....concept had been to maybe go to the Nat'1 Park and camp a couple days but cloudy out plus kids not in favor so was a day with quite a bit of relaxing (especially for the kids) and a bit of local color which was great. Wolfsons plus Paul, Eileen and Grandpa went over to a tiny sawmill where the wood is cut strictly using waterpower. Two old fellows and a bunch of wheels and pulleys.....like a long time ago......who cut up raw trees, which are brought to them by locals who need a little lumber. Super to see, plus all the discussions with them, etc. Sarah got a piece of wood for a souvenir and the kids rode back with Grandpa in a car while the four of us walked back, through the back woods, talking and relaxing. Then settled down to eat dinner for lunch and make a real deal of it. All the lobster we could eat...along with the ever-present potato. Left all the kids working with yearn in the living room and listening to the hi fi.....looked just like Little House on the Prairie and we four 'adults' took off and saw more of the area by car. Beautiful countryside, went to a small harbor that had several real working fishing boats, walked around, stood on a bridge and watched the tide flowing up river and millions of jellyfish floating by; plus eel, flounder, crabs, macrel ....our own aquarium. On to another port town which had a few large commercial wood carrying boats. Walked around some more and the amazing thing is how you can wander anywhere without any one saying no and no no trespassing signs, etc. Sorta snacked for supper, which meant we ended up stuffing on Popcorn, Strawberry Shortcake/Ice-cream, and Chowder.....Roughly in that chronological order. Oh, yes, Eileen's brother showed up with some more Hake and ate our snacks with us. Meanwhile Grandpa and Andrew had gone to the local (weekly highlight for Grandpa) wrestling matches which are just like the old TV ones from as near as I could tell. Bed...

Thursday...Our schedule called for Sun and although it looked Foggy we knew that would improve. Rolled out decently early ...again all 9 in one car but now with rug making material in hand to keep all busy.....and more crowded. Drove up to and around in the Nat'1 park. Selected a beach at one end of the park and the sun then came out and we had a lunch. Opps, forgot. Just before that we stopped at a picturesque and bit touristy fishing village. Sign at the fish counter said smoked macrel so inquired a bit and out but had a few smoked herring left, which he just gave us since he doesn't like them and Eileen and I were so interested. So lunch was hamburgers and smoked herrings Good long walk (5 miles or so round trip) along the beach and variety of playing, etc. in the sand and water. Unbelievable number of jelly fish. Then went to the Anne of Green Gables House (plus coffee shop and golf course and beautiful country setting). Fog came in and we headed home ..... again on a different road and beautiful countryside as it was sunny once we left the coast. Did a bit of packing. Meanwhile we had said we wanted to try macrel (can't remember if I've reported this already) and a friend had brought some over. So fixed them up and fried them and he ate with us and were they ever great (probably my favorite of the week since more fishy tasting). Super talking with him for he goes out every morning at 5 AM etc. and fishes for a living. Nothing like having your local color to dinner. Bed for all but the teenagers who went to the dance.

Friday... Pancakes and more of that bacon that Sarah loves and then left the house. First stop was back to Charlottetown to get all that people now decided they needed, which meant a large rug for Dawna to hook, a small one for Sarah; then into a hardware store for a potato basket; also a few Xmas gifts at a different store and finally left town with a full car and drove to the Ferry. Again super efficient ferry service and did have a bit of a wait but were on the water by noonish. Smooth, sunny and we had a picnic lunch on the back of the boat (finished up that smoked herring). Arrived New Brunswick, drove a bit and stopped at a tourist bureau (again right on the main roads, plenty of them, and useful once you go it) both to find out about how to best see the Bay of Fundy tidal world and also to hopefully get a place to stay in St Andrews by the Sea for that night. Was able to get a place. Drove on and covered a fair number of miles. Stopped at St. John's to see the Reversing Falls (water uphill; up a water fall) when the tide is proper.......which it wasn't and the tourist people had been misleading due to lack of understanding but still did educate us a bit......you really have to catch it at just the right time to see the downward flowing river/rapids come to a stop and then calm, and then movement upriver. Drove onward, basically along the edge of the Bay of Fundy and could see tidal affects. St. Andrews and our spot was a four room guesthouse right next to the water and with a talkative lady running it. Dinner at a spot looking out at the water (big winner was salad for the kids tho they also had a hamburger or something and we had fish and chips which were good). My highlight was looking out the window and watching the tide climb a couple feet during dinner (it is 28 feet between low and high tide along there). Bit of walking and quite picturesque (over 50% of the houses are over 100 years old) but not enough time. Bed.

Saturday.... I snuck out early and thus saw low tide and then walked around a bit and then back. Some breakfast, fill up on the last of the less costly gas and then drive onward; into the U. S. and Maine. Stop at L.L. (or something) Bean and lots of people and no real buys so we weren't too impressed......this is their home factory store. Did walk across the street and buy Nate a belt and Sarah a carry-on bag for her upcoming trip. Enough time ‘wasted’ and drove on and on. Got to Mass. and headed West for a different route home. Got near the Catskills and pulled off to find dinner and gosh what tourist towns, but did find a spot with super good pizza. Drove on and everyone else went to sleep with the hope that if they were asleep Dad would cover lots of miles....which worked as I crossed the Hudson and then headed south; eventually hitting Penns and heading a bit east into rolling hills or almost mountains with things getting foggy and began looking for a motel but is countryside and thruway. Finally (about midnight) got to Scranton and didn't see anything on edge so ended up in center and a bit lost and Holiday Inn war full and said so was nearly everywhere but called to a place about 8 miles down the road (in proper direction) which had one spot left and we got it. Everyone now awake and in amazingly reasonable spirits so arrived and checked in and to bed by 1:00 a.m. in a not great but acceptable place.

Sunday.... Up decently which proved they really had all slept in the car; and battery dead because had left key in ignition and ignition on all night. Bit of a problem with a couple AAA spots and then hit a winner and had it fixed very quickly so headed southward thru very pretty countryside of Pennsy. Arrived Reading by 10:30, which is famous, for discount stores called Factory Outlets. Most don't open till noon so had an early lunch/brunch that was good and relaxing and then the Outlets. By hitting them just as they opened they were not crowded and have lots of merchandise at good prices and somehow even dad was relaxed (aren't vacations good for doing that) about shopping so everyone had a ball....and Nate got 2 pairs of pants and a shirt, Sarah got bib overalls and a shirt but did not get the f flop shoes that were one of the reasons we stopped. So on the way out of town we stopped at a K Mart for shoes for S and ended up with four pairs of shoes.....One for each of us and even includes me......

Finally, a bit poorer we headed on down the road having now done the kids 'back to school' buying or something. Exceedingly nice Pennsy. Dutch Farm country to drive through. Home. Unpack. Do a bunch of washing and mail reading. To Bed. Next day Sarah flew to Calif...

The End