Family & Lazy Daze at Meat Cove

This trip was done somewhat under family protest. We had had such a spectacular trip the previous year, seeing some of the best that the desert West has to offer, that we knew it would be a hard act to follow. Rather than try to do a repeat of that trip, I decided to try something totally different--a trip to the Canadian Maritimes. Besides, our U.S. map was filled in and there was this big area just to the Northeast of us crying out to be explored. I ignored the protests of, "It will be too cold," "There will be too many bugs," etc. etc., and planned the trip anyway. "Don't worry," I told them. "It will be great."

Well, we all turned out to be right. There were times when the weather was a challenge and the bugs made outdoor activities prohibitive, but we also discovered some truly wonderful places to add to our list of favorites.

Road Trip Highlights and Lowlights

• Jumping into the river and playing Frisbee at Broom Point on Newfoundland, one of our all time favorite beaches
• Traversing the exposed cliffs of the Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park
• Swimming in the warm waters off the red sand beaches of Prince Edward Island
• Camping on the edge of a highland bluff overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence at Meat Cove
• Photographing the breathtaking views of the rock cliffs rising from the fjord on Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park
• Feeling like you're in Europe without ever leaving the continent while touring the beautiful historic city of Quebec.
• Oh yeah, and meeting the nicest, friendliest, and down to earth people on earth -- the people of Newfoundland.

So, while it might not have been our best trip (they can't all be that), it certainly was a great one.