On Island Time

14.9. After nine days on the road and more than 3,000km distance, waking up in a another bed every morning, dealing in foreign (to me) languages, taking in all the scenery, coping with various weather conditions, and some minor motorcycle related issues, and seeing sights alongside, I am officially in need of taking a break from riding. It's nice for a change to sleep in, get the breakfast served to my dietary requirements, and not having a plan or to be somewhere else.

For some reason I was waiting for an epiphany to happen on my ride, being on my own, having a lot of time to think in my helmet but no such thing happened just yet... just fleeting thoughts, leading nowhere.

What I really missed in the first few days was interacting with people. My French language skills are good enough to order food, to make reservations or ask for directions but simply lacking in the small talk department. After entering New Brunswick this had changed for the better, because most people seem bilingual, and I could have actual conversations switching from French to English or the other way round.

For example I met an older guy on a Honda Goldwing the other day who was out on a day trip. He had stopped to ask if I needed help when I was just taking a snapshot of the scenery. We got to chat a little, and continued to travel several miles together before parting way again.

For me meeting people along the way is the essence of traveling. You listen to each other's stories, and get some good advice which roads to take and which sights to see.

And coming to think of it, this why a B&B seems so much better suited for traveling than a motel. You get in touch with the hosts, and with the guests, have nice conversations at the breakfast table and get to hear about their travels. It had been an interesting group of people this morning from all over Canada: Victoria, Winnipeg, Montreal, and a newly wed couple from P.E.I.

Plus: We are guests in a house that is home to somebody. There is no slamming of doors, no shouting, no revving the motor, and everyone is considerate. So maybe I should pay better attention to my future accommodations...

And so much for not riding: It had cleared up by late noon, and so I went up to Summerside to have my exhaust fixed for good at a place called Centennial AST. First of all  there was a very warm welcome, with the regret and an excuse that the mechanics were currently out for lunch. I was asked if I could come back in half an hour. Which I did. In the meantime I had dropped into a Tim's where I got wifi and tea to kill time, and was back an hour later, where Paul, the service advisor already expected me, and attended to the issue right away.

He took my keys and rode the bike into the shop. About 15 minutes later he returned and stated: The exhaust is fixed again, the missing screws replaced, loose nuts and bolts tightened and fixed with Loctite. The bike is good to go. As I asked him, how much I owe, he said: Nothing. Have a safe trip! I left ten bucks in the tip jar, thanked him a thousand times, and was on my way again...

A storm brewing

With no specific direction in mind I meandered along the shore. What a beautiful place this island is. And I had an experience that I most certainly don't need to repeat: I picked the wrong turn, and got stuck on a country road turning into a dirt road, and right on cue it  started pouring. Heck, this red dirt certainly is some slippery stuff, and I didn't dare to turn the wheel around. I made it though but slowly, very slowly.

Other than that this short trip was uneventful. Well, and then this happened: I had just stopped for a photo op when a gentleman waved at me, and asked me if I wanted my picture taken. I positioned my bike and he took my camera. The pics actually turned out quite nicely.

However, the man wasn't done with me yet. He offered to show me some nice vista points on a map, and invited me in his home. His wife was standing in the door, waving with a coffee pot, so I thought, why not.

And this is how I met the most loveliest couple on P.E.I., Judy and Curtis, who are actually from the US, and had spent the last couple of months on the island. I stayed over coffee, and Curtis told me that he actually is from German (today Elsass, France) ancestry, and had visited Colmar and Strasbourg last year, as a matter of fact both French cities about an hour away from the Black Forest... small world, eh?

Looks like you get to meet the nicest people on Prince Edward Island... Mmmm, coming to think of it I might just add another day, because there is still some sight-seeing to be done. Let's see what the weatherman predicts...

Today's trip:

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Und HIER gibt es wieder die Deutsche Fassung.