Clifton Park, NY to Saint John, New Brunswick

During lunch break

We left Clifton Park mid morning on Monday May 2 en route to Falmouth Maine, just north of Portland Maine. When we left it was overcast and gloomy but that quickly deteriorated to miserable! We had decided to drive on the smaller highways through eastern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire to Maine then up the coast of Maine to the Portland area, thinking it would be a picturesque drive. It would have been if we had been able to see through the pouring rain and fog mixed with the spray from any passing vehicles!

None of the photos is especially great but all look better larger, so click on any image to see a larger version.

We stopped a couple of times - once to eat our lunch, once for a pit stop and once to go to Rye beach which we had visited when we were in Boston over 50 years ago! Did I just say “over 50 years ago”? Impossible, but true. We didn’t actually make it to Rye beach, but somewhere near there and, surprise! Things are nothing like they were 50 years ago! Much more “organized” and populated. Ruth walked the dog a bit in the rain on the sidewalk - dogs not allowed on the beach :-(

After a very brief stay we decided to take the Interstate to Falmouth, Maine where we checked in to our very spartan motel where we will stay for one night. So, we were stuck in our single room with the rain pouring down outside - fortunately there was a Jays game scheduled for that night!

From Falmouth we moved on to St. John, New Brunswick via Interstates to Bangor Maine where we took the less travelled route 9 east to Calais, Maine and St. Stephan, New Brunswick. 

Stopped once along the way - just wanted to get to St. John as quickly as possible. Got searched at the border - random search so it was quick - two oldies with a dog likely low on the smuggling radar :-) The customs agent loved Kita and gave more attention to the dog than the car search.

We arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick he drive better than yesterday - cloudy but no rain.

Unlike our spartan digs last night, this place is very nice - two spacious rooms, corridor and outdoor entrances, two TV’s, a King size bed, free WiFi and extremely friendly folks at the desk. All three of them, dog lovers, went out immediately to see the dog. We are here for 2 nights so looks like it will be comfortable and relaxing!

Went out for a beach walk with directions from the desk person - failed to find it but ended up in a small park dotted with statues of people apparently important to the history of Saint John, including Benedict Arnold. He apparently fled the US arriving in St. John where he became extremely prosperous and much despised.  Apparently during those years Saint John was less friendly that it currently seems and mobs of the less fortunate rallied often against the wealthy such as Arnold. At one point his buildings burned to the ground and, though it is believed he set them on fire for the insurance, he sued another for the dastardly deed, won his case and a large settlement and packed his bags for England never to returned to Saint John.

The park also has a very impressive view of part of Saint John’s harbour with the central part of the city in the distance in the photo.

Our first morning here was pretty chilly (about 4 C ) and overcast but we bundled up and headed for the walking trail recommended by the motel staff and ended up at the Irving Nature Park.

Smelly smoke

If you didn’t know it before you arrive here you quickly become aware of the influence of the Irving dynasty in Saint John - with oil and gas along with pulp and paper being the most obvious - see the plumes of rather pungent exhaust spreading over parts of the city in this photo.

But, it turns out that some good things also emerge, one of which is the Irving Nature Park where we spent a good part of the morning.

There is a 6 or 7 Km winding driving trail through a beautiful wooded peninsula with lots of parking areas and walking trials threading their way through the woods of evergreen (mostly spruce or hardy pines) and spindly deciduous trees - not identifiable by me partly due to lack of greenery at this time of year. Some of the trails track along the edge of the wooded areas at intervals so present some lovely views of parts of the Bay of Fundy.

The amount of green moss and silver lichen throughout the wooded areas was surprising and impressive. 

Mud flats at low tide

After lunch and a post lunch rest we went back to the Nature Park at low tide and when the sun was breaking through from time to time. Some not great but interesting images of the mud flats left when the 2 meter tide has retreated.

Later, we picked up a few groceries and started preparation for an early morning departure to Sackville.