Airstream 350 LE - is an adventure! (Hints from Papa)

Travelling with an older RV is an adventure.  A big part of the fun is seeing the smiles snd surprised looks on peoples' faces as they see our 1991 Airstream 350 LE.  

35 foot summer home!

Another part of the adventure is the bit of trepidation we feel as we embark on a long distance trip. In our four summers of travel with "airbus" we've learned some things.  Here are a few of them..

To make the most of your tank of gas…(everyone always asks about gas)

Install a gear vendor overdrive..(aka gear splitter) you'll recover the cost of this up-grade in fuel savings in two years. This also makes uphill climbs possible - without spewing coolant.. which has happened several times.

Carry as little water as possible.  Take only as much fresh water as needed for the day's travel.  Always empty the gray and black water before departure. We get best fuel efficiency travelling at 100 km/ hour.

Daily checks of all fluid levels and pre-trip checks of tire pressure - just a reminder.

Other stuff ...

Use those gears on the downhill side -save your brakes1  - especially on the Cabot Trail or you will be "glowing like the shuttle on re-entry" - Papa's joke!

Install new radiator with extra core. Chevy big blocks run hot. Really hot in summer and when climbing hills.

Travelling on hot days when AC is needed ...use your on-board generator and roof top unit.   

Carry a full set of tools and extra bulbs extra fuses and high speed tape.

Buy and interior ceramic heater - avoid using the propane furnace on cool days.

I love the ceramic heater!

Have a battery operated CO2 monitor on board. 

Carry 2-5 gallons of drinking water at all times - we use 5 gallon exchangeable tanks with a pump dispenser. The whole thing sits in plastic milk crate in closet.  Thanks to previous owner!!!

This summer's aha… Buy an electric outdoor grill - saves buying and then getting rid of propane bottles. 

That's all we can think of just now...

Homeward bound

Today we are on the last leg of our trip. Yesterday was a brutal day. We left Rivière-Ouelle and travelled through Quebec City,  Montreal and Ottawa. It was very stressful the cities and traffic are a challenge for sure. When you add in hot humid weather, construction and detours, the result is frayed nerves!

A long and difficult 600 km!

I was cooped up driving all day in the motorhome. My only entertainment was sitting and sleeping in  different places - ultimate boredom for me!

We made it - to Ottawa last night with considerable navigation challenges and camped on the east side of the city - making it a bit easier for our departure this morning.  I wasn't able to post because the campground in the nations capital has the worst cell and wireless system we encountered!

Homeward bound…hound - well terrier actually :)

Bored

The fan sounds weird!

Now I'm too hot!

1973 GMC motorhome rolls in!

While we were camped at Rivière-Ouelle a 1973 GMC motorhome pulled in. Papa recognized it right away much to the surprise of one of the travellers. The driver said "the guy in the airstream knows this motorhome? I'm not surprised".

Papa thinks than less than 5 percent of this model of motorhome is still around today. This one was even more unique with the custom slide-out. Very rare to see!

1973 GMC with custom slide-out

Day 11 Longs Creek NB to Riviéré-Ouelle QC

Todays route was about 420 km - about a five hour drive for us. We are travelling west toward home and that is a bit sad. Our trip is winding down, but we're not done yet.  There is still time for one more stop along the St. Lawrence River. The skies are overcast, but the wind is light and it is much warmer.

Rivière Ouelle was founded in 1672. Read this interesting historical account of events at Riviéré-Ouelle ...

"Early in the process of sorting out who my family was, I realized that the people who populated the increasing number of charts were actually participants in an incredible drama... the founding of a country and a culture.  That country would become known as Canada, and a people often referred to as French Canadians."

The Heroes of Rivière-Ouelle...

The river front here is stark and dramatic especially at low tide.  Amazing rock formations are visible - which are fun to climb.

Climbing on the beach rocks

  

Sedimentary rock formations visible at low tide

And even this late in the season the wild roses - rugosa are in bloom along the shore. 

Rugosa in bloom

We stayed at Camping Rivière-Ouelle website -a gorgeous and immaculate campground.

!

Watch the birds along the shore in comfort!

Immaculate campsites!

Recalling East Coast trip of 2012

So as I am sitting here on the way to Edmuston NB I thought I'd recall the route we  took last year - when I first attempted (and failed) at blogging.

Day 1 Talon lake -near Mattawa ON

Day 2 Chambly QC - Festival des Bierres

Day 3 Becancour QC

Day 4 Becancour QC

Day 5 Trois-Pistoles QC

Day 6 Mont-Louis QC

Day 7 Along route 132 past Grand Vallee

Day 8 Carleton-sur-Mer

Day 9 Caraquet NB

Day 10 New River Provincial Park NB

Day 11 St. Andrew NB

Day 12 Rivière du Loup QC

Day 13 Fitzroy Provincial park ON

Home 

Day 10 Farewell to Nova Scotia!

This reminds me of a song…

Farewell to Nova Scotia


Today is what we call a "long pull" day. This means a long day of mostly uphill travel.  The wind at Seafoam NS. howled all night and this morning it is clear, windy and cold. There was definitely foam on the Northumberland Straight this morning!  We have decided to leave the coast and head inland so we can spend a day or two on the St. Lawrence before we return home (and hopefully enjoy some warmer weather). 

Today's route took us from Seafoam to Tatagamouche to Amherst (all in NS). As you cross the provincial border you can really feel the the wind that funnels up the Bay of Fundy. There are several wind turbines located at the east end of Chignecto bay. The 30 km/hr winds we we experiencing made driving from Amherst to Sackville a challenge for some RV drivers ...  but not for Papa! 

Turbines in 30 KM wind!

Then on we went past Moncton and Fredericton.  On highway 2 past Moncton we experienced the "magnetic hill" effect. You experience this  is optical illusion when you are travelling on a slight  downhill but the surround landscape appears to be uphill. Papa noticed that we were travelling in overdrive and cruising comfortably on what appeared to be an uphill pull.  If you travel this route let me know if you experience this too!

A "long pull" day!

We stopped for the night along the St. John River at Longs Creek. A pull of about 455 km today!   So we took time out to enjoy the warm sunny evening and a spare rib dinner.  HEHEH!

Rib treat!

A rare sunny evening

Day 9 - Spencer Island to Seafoam NS

Sadly, we left spectacular Spencer Island, but its a cloudy morning and the weather is going to go downhill so we've decided to move on.  Not before I nearly wore my paws out running on the pebbly beach. And not before Mom put the duct tape on the freezer door.  We opted to return the way we came in on highway 209 via Parrsboro.  Everyone told us that 209 via Joggins was full of ruts and holes and too rough for the Airstream. So the The Airstream (thankfully) chugged its way back up the steep hills - George Crossman hill was the worst.

Giving Papa a break!

With the toughest road behind us, everyone relaxed as followed the coast past Five Islands - this view is also stunning - but by now its raining so no stopping here. Well, we did stop at a fish market to buy local flounder. Papa wanted to take home this Falcon that was for sale .. but Mom said "you're crazy". 

Can we take the Falcon with us?

We had heard about an amazing dutch cheese maker located in Upper Economy. Gouda Borenkaas - what a fun place! Great cheeses in a pretty setting with turkeys and peacocks, rabbits and goats.  We bought aged gouda and fenugreek gouda.  

Gouda Boerenkaas Upper Economy NS

Peafowl wandering 

Next stop -Pictou NS - because Papa had read about Grohmann knives.  As we drove into Pictou - we snapped a picture of this jet that our friend Tom will have to identify. -which I am now identifying (having talked to Tom) as T33 Silver Star jet trainer. Tom spent hundreds of hours in this type of aircraft training jet fighter pilots in the 1960's. 

T33 Silver Star in Pictou NS

Grohmann has been making handmade knives for over 50 years!  The company founder was a from Germany - he made his way to Canada after the war and started making high quality knives - which are still used the Canadian Military. Papa bought the #100 - Outdoor dream. 

Grohmann knives

Then to find a place to stay with a storm on the way.  We pulled off in Seafoam NS and battened down for the rain and wind storm.  Here's today's route... 220 KM

And I got cleaned up from my beach adventures.

Me getting cleaned up

And  goodnight xo

Day 8 Amherst to Spencer Island NS

Today was a very short but exciting ride. Funny how things alway come back to haunt you.  I didn't mention this earlier, but on our first night out, way back at Driftwood Park, we broke the tiny spring in the fridge door handle. The fridge  door would not latch in to its catch.  Papa had a great idea and he switched out the handles on the freezer and the fridge. This worked - because the negative pressure of the freezer held the door closed without the spring lock in the the handle.

That is, until we drive from Amherst to Spencer Island. Unbeknownst to us, the road from Parrsboro to Spencer Island is known by the locals as the "mini Cabot trail".  A series of very steep climbs and sharp turns and in the case of the freezer door, a steep downhill followed by a tight left turn.  Just as we navigated the curve - the freezer door flew open sending the frozen lobster pack flying across the bus along with frozen juice cans and a bag of ice.  Nothing was broken but my mom's nerves were shattered!

We pulled into the Old Shipyard Campground a few minutes later. The owner BOB chuckled when he listened to our exploits on the road.  It is a very small place only 24 sites - positioned on a spit of beach between a small river and the ocean. 

Old Shipyard Campground Spencer Island

90 km ride of fun and adventure!

This is another gorgeous place …in the Minas Basin of the Bay of Fundy. There are huge tides here and it was great to explore the ocean floor at low tide.  We had a beautiful day and we just walked and walked and explored the shoreline.

Panorama ... me on the ocean floor - low tide

enjoying the waves

Beach at high tide

Lots of things to do and see here!

Finding treasures

Papa -walking at sunset low tide 

Day 7 Kouchibouguac NB to Amherst Nova Scotia

WOW! We woke up to the brightest blue sky we've had so far on this trip. Perfect morning for a beach walk adventure. I'm going to have to stay in the motorhome - while my parents enjoy Kouchibouguac National park. 

This is Kelly's beach - panoramic view. The park is a photographers paradise.

Boardwalk at Kelly's beach 

Clear calm water at Kelly's Beach

Mom bird watching

Imagine me, the "squirrel terrorizer", loose on the beach chasing these endangered birds….

Come on let me out.. I promise to be good!

The beach adventure made for a later start for today's drive.  We cruised along the Acadian Coastal route for a while.. small towns with bays and harbours.  Then we picked up Hwy 11 and headed to Shediac NB. 

Cruisin' on the coastal drive

We stopped for lunch and to buy fresh lobster in Shediac. Lunch was delicious and we bought lobster for dinner tonight. 

Lobster roll

We visited Shediac on our first East Coast motorhome trip three years ago.  It was August and it was crawling with people - so we decided it was too busy. This visit, we took a closer look at the campgrounds.  The Parlee Beach provincial park camping was closed for the season and the other options were not to our taste. So we moved on .. Shediac is not a camping destination for us!


And on to Amherst we went. We stopped and got tourist info and decided to stay at the closest available campground as it was already 5 pm.  We decided to stay at Loch Lomond Campground on a lake with full service and it was perfect. We had our first campfire of the trip and enjoyed the fresh lobster.  I like it too!

tasting lobster!

First campfire of trip!

Day 6 Kouchibouguac National Park NB

Today we travelled to Kouchibouguac National Park, known for its varied ecosystems including; salt marshes, tidal rivers, abandoned orchards and of course beaches.  http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nb/kouchibouguac/index.aspx  And, for my night sky fans.. this park is a dark sky preserve and known as "one of the most magical astronomy parks in North America". 

Me on the shores of the Kouchibouguac River

Fishing boat on Kouchibouguac River

This is a huge park - we drove 13 km from entrance to our campsite.  We chose an open field type site- which was perfect for me - I could run and chase my ball without any surprise squirrel encounters.  (My Mom did see a rabbit right behind our site.) The bike trails are beautiful. - not that I got to go along..but that's what I heard.

Rabbit on the bike trail

Cormorants lined up!

Later today we are going to see the sand bars and big beaches of the park. These beaches are where the endangered piping plover nests. Too bad for me - as dogs are strictly prohibited on these beaches -(Can you quess why??) I will have to wait in the motorhome. 

Today's route… 270 km from Carleton-sur-Mer to Kouchibouguac Park.

Day 5 Touring the Gaspé Peninsula

We are starting to slow the pace.  Papa is in 'Vacation Mode" now.  This morning we left Trois-Pistoles and travelled to Rimouski on Highway 20 then along Highway 132 on the beautiful coastal drive as far as Mont Joli.  Last year we continued to Gaspé and Percé but this year, we took a new route.  

Day 5 drive 330 km from Trois-Pistoles to Carleton sur Mer

View of River approaching Parc National du Bic - near Rimouski

We travelled from Mont Joli continuing on highway 132 along the Matapédia River. It runs 65 km from Lake Matapédia to the interprovincial boundary with New Brunswick.  This was a stunning drive - as the the river is visible for many kilometres as you wind your way down the highway. The Matapédia is a world renowned Atlantic salmon fishing river and was given the title "The Fishing Capital of the World".  

Hwy 132 along Matapedia River 

We decided to stay at Campground Carleton-Sur-Mer.  We stayed here last year and it is an exceptional campground - facilities and the sites are beautiful.  The beach is gorgeous and there are cycling and running trails galore. The town is about at 10 minute cycle from the park and has lots of cool shops and places to eat.

Campsite at Carleton-sur-Mer with rainstorm approaching

Rainbow after the storm

After the storm - Mom went for a jog and noticed the historic marker near the light house.

And here I am enjoying the warm sunshine as Mom enjoys the beer, bread and cheese we bought today.  I liked the cheese too - Le Cendre dés Prés - pasteurized cow's milk with maple wood ash (yes) centre.

Corte-Real from Microbrasserie le Naufrageur in Carleton-Sur-Mer

Le Cendre dés Prés