Edmunston to Kingsclear, New Brunswick – 20 June 2023
We moved to Kingsclear, New Brunswick yesterday. The weather had been rainy and overcast for the past few days so it was really nice when it finally cleared and the sun came out.
There were a lot of little things that were breaking and needed repairs in the RV, least of which was the toilet – the water valve was leaking so the bowl would fill up and continue to fill up, so we ended up having to switch off the water. This was such a pain as we couldn’t shower, had no onboard water for cooking, washing up etc. We filled up a number of jugs of water and used that to wash ourselves, cook and flush the toilet. Kingsclear didnt have any RV shops so Derek needed to go to Fredericton to pick up supplies. In the meantime, I was ancy to get out and explore, so Derek dropped me and Jax in Fredericton and left to do some shopping.
Fredericton was named after King George III’s son Frederick. It is the capital of New Brunswick and sits on the beautiful Saint John River. Alongside the river is a vast network of trails that follow the river until it empties into the Bay of Fundy. Even though it was a Wednesday there were many New Brunswickers or Herring Chokers as they are called about.
After wandering around the downtown area, I followed the Riverside trail which led me past several art sculptures and monuments. It was full of people walking, running, cycling and skateboarding. One of the statues I saw was of Robbie Burns. This was the first statue ever erected in New Brunswick (1906), and created as a provincial monument to Scottish pride and spirit. Jax and I crossed over to the North side of the river via an old Railway bridge, now a pedestrian bridge which connects both sides of the river. There were several kayakers in the river as well as several motor boats.
Fredericton has the highest concentration of breweries, meaderies and cideries in Atlantic Canada and there was a large brewery (Picaroons) on the other side of the bridge packed with people enjoying the hot weather sitting outside sipping beers and eating. There was a small ice cream stand to the side of the brewery so I bought an icecream for Jax and myself and we sat in the shade on the grass enjoying it. Later we went back over the bridge again and met up with Derek in the downtown area. We were all hot and bothered so we found a pub with an outside patio and had a couple of beers and a plate of fries to share. Jax was happy with his snacks and to rest in the shade.
The following day Derek caught up with repairs and I caught up with work. Unfortunately when Derek replaced the valve and was reassembling the pedal, the pedal spring flew off. He managed to put the spring back on but as soon as he turned the water on, the arm sprang off again and water gushed everywhere. So the water had to go off again. It turned out that it was cheaper to replace the entire toilet then to replace the pedestal and foot pedal. However, we were on the move again so no time to purchase a new toilet in Fredericton and back to water jugs again.
As washing up was also a chore with no water, we decided to eat out for dinner and went to the brewery I had discovered when I walked over the bridge to the north side of the river. It was just as packed as when I had been there last. Picaroons who opened in 1995, differentiate from other micro breweries by using an open fermentation system to brew their beers which is unique in Atlantic Canada. A ‘Picaroon’ BTW was a common tool used in the logging industry in New Brunswick. It was about 30 c and it was the perfect place to enjoy ice cold English style ales with a tasty meal while enjoying a lovely view of the St. John river.
The following morning it was time to move on again to our next spot but before doing so, I took Jax for a walk around the neighbourhood. The one thing I love about New Brunswick is the abundance of trees and flowers. Pink and purple Lupins grow wild along the road – so pretty!
