What we saw on the way in New Brunswick- Karl Chronicles - Post #22

I’m dedicating this post of “What We Saw On The Way” to Allen from Sparkle Brite Auto and Towing because without Allen, I suspect the “me” in the “we” wouldn’t have seen anything!*

On May 17th, 1899, Karl entered New Brunswick travelling west then north, biking approximately 650km until he reached the Quebec border on June 8th, 1899. I can’t imagine how Karl’s legs were feeling at this point, well, actually, I can, and it validates my decision not to complete my journey on a bicycle, but I am glad this was his mode of transportation. 

What we saw on the way in New Brunswick

On an average day, Karl was able to bike about 40kms through New Brunswick, but he often had to walk his bike as a result of poor roads. In a letter from Karl to the Truro Daily News on Friday, May 26, 1899, he reported from Saint John: “I have come 231 miles so far, and anyone wishing a nice little trip should take a bicycle ride from Truro to Saint John. There are 25 miles of excellent roads, 75 miles of fairly good roads and 131 miles of bad roads. Anyone making this trip need not count walking more than 40 miles — that is all I walked.” 

Consequently, Karl had to stop in those smaller towns, primarily to get some physical rest after biking and walking. Karl’s rest stops provided the opportunity for me to explore Dorchester, Sussex, Woodstock, Florenceville, St. Stephen, Hartland, Grandfalls and then get sidetracked on Minister’s Island.

The following photographs document where we went and What We Saw On The Way on Leg 2 of our adventure following Karl through New Brunswick. Karl’s next stop was Quebec, but I won’t be completed Karl’s journey in the same order due to the pandemic and logistics of life. So instead, next week, we are travelling across the Atlantic to the first part of Karl’s journey that I completed in Ireland, which, ironically, was almost the end of his adventure.

I hope you join me next week as we start Leg 3 of our travels to the Emerald Isle!

*Reference: Out of Gas-Karl Chronicles Post #13


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