Autumn on the trail

It’s a scene from a dystopian novel, a farmer’s field with a hedgerow where a gap with an invisible portal takes all who enter to another dimension. Of course, getting back to the present is the problem. My mind worked overtime as we rode the Confederation Trail recently from Emerald to Borden Carleton and back. The gap in a hedgerow in this area is large and it inspires me. I always stop near the “portal” for a few minutes and mentally write another chapter of the next great dystopian novel.

This section of trail is a favourite of my husband and I. Ponds near Kinkora have ducks again though the sunlight on this beautiful autumn day doesn’t allow for great photos. Ducks all but disappear when they moult but look to be in fine form again as far as we can see.

Autumn on the island means the apple trees are bearing fruit again. The trail has lots of apple trees but most of the apples are small. Such is not the case with these huge ones and it looks like those which were reachable have been picked.

Near Emerald, Sumacs are putting on their best autumn show. Some leaves are already flaming red and the berries are plentiful.

I haven’t heard of people picking the berries here but it is said they have a lemony taste without the tartness.

This past summer, the province opened sections of the trail to horseback riders. One such area is north of Kinkora where the trail has new signage. 

We passed several farms but nobody was out riding on the trail that day.

However that day, we discovered one way a horse scratches its back. We stopped to watch this horse and miniature pony 

when the mare lay down on the grass and rubbed her back around on the ground. We had never seen this before.

Not far from the horses, a view over the cornfield across to the hay bales was a pretty scene. The bales in autumn provide one of my favourite sights.

The Newfoundlander in me was shocked to see this Dogberry Tree, without leaves, loaded with berries, a mass of orange. You know what that means for winter this year!

On the trail again

The Confederation Trail was calling. I had fallen off my bike and hurt my ankle so I stayed off the bike until I felt 100% better and that took three weeks. Meanwhile the last section of trail, in the far eastern side of the island, was the last part of the 273 kilometre trail we had yet to complete. My husband and I were doing both directions and we had 46 kilometres left. My ankle had to be in great shape to finish this quest.

We started in Souris,

a branch off the main trail, rode to New Harmony where we had finished our last ride and headed east. This section of the trail was well groomed, taking away the challenge of the previous time when I had fallen. There was a challenge however. 

The previous day there was a short but severe thunder storm with torrential rain. The water on the trail was not dried up the next morning when we started. The water splashing up made us and our bikes filthy and it was slippery in several areas.

This part of the trail has sections which are under a thick canopy making one feel bathed in the green glow. 

Shadows dance along the trail as well, one of my favourite experiences.

We arrived in Elmira, riding beside an old section of rail bed 

as we cycled to the end of the trail. 

Nearby the old train station looked on, having seen thousands complete the trail now and the rail back when.

An old caboose is in great shape 

and the children’s play set provides the engine.

Back in Souris, we enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant to celebrate our completion of the trail. We enjoyed the meal but we enjoy our own fare and picnics just as well, sometimes better.

Souris is a pretty community by the sea. The old lighthouse stands its vigil in the outer part of the harbour 

while along the shoreline, above the cliffs, apple trees with small fruit, have roots dug in for this year at least.

Having cycled the main Confederation Trail, now we will ride the areas we particularly enjoyed and some branch lines. We look forward to autumn colour on the trail before long.

Cavendish Grove

Last spring my husband and I visited Cavendish Gove in the national park on Prince Edward Island many times, watching the geese who return there every year to have their young. This year, because of Covid 19 precautions, visitors were not permitted in the park until June 1st, so we recently returned to one of our favourite places.

September last year, the tropical storm which crossed the island caused tremendous damage in the park which closed after the storm. We didn’t know what to expect in the Grove. We were pleasantly surprised to see the Grove sustained minimal damage and looked much the same as it had before the storm. 

There was significant damage elsewhere however.

The trees in the Grove have begun their leafy spread. The apple trees, 

numerous in the area, were at peak bloom. Chestnut trees were in bloom 

and the birch trees gave their early season shade.

Of course we had a picnic 

and listened to the birds as we took in the scene. This is always a peaceful place, though it is quieter now without the tourists. The island will not have tourists this year due to the threat of Covid 19.

During lunch, this year’s gaggle swam across the pond below us, far enough away so as not to notice us.

It was good to be back at the Grove and to see our old friends and the new arrivals.