Of Vikings and Rock: DAY 19 SUN. SEPT. 22 SHEDIAC-PERCE

Beautiful sunshine again to send us out of Shediac. Back to the lobster, where we competed with several Japanese tourists for the obligatory photo-op. Once the photos were taken, we put on the after burners and left Shediac as fast as we could.

What followed was a wonderful drive up the east side of New Brunswick. The forests were immense and spectacular with colour, as good as Algonquin Park with all of the hardwoods showing their autumn finery. But the kilometers and hours lengthened and fatigue set in early and became real for both of us. We've been pushing ourselves and the car and , while we and it are achieving our objectives, there's a price being paid.

Onward to the glistening shimmer of Baie des Chaleurs, and all of a sudden, memories of Jacques Cartier and my Grade 5 history classes ( the "Explorers" ) with Mr. Loveday came back. Chaleur, meaning "heat", was probably the first French word I learned. It is also one of the cross-streets of GL Roberts, where I taught history, so again a circle of sorts was completed.

At the western end of Baie des Chaleurs, New Brunswick blended seamlessly into Quebec, and we entered that province without notice or fanfare. Acadien flags continued to fly in the land of the Quebecois(e) and I tried to contemplate just who was whom and where allegiances lay.

The south coast of the Gaspésie is beautiful with mountains coming right down to the ocean. The lovely warm bright weather made the endless string of seaside towns come alive. This must be a wonderful playground in the summer, but now, as with our trip, there's a sense of impending finality as the season winds down. The big problem with today's drive, though, was the length and low speed limits in the towns. Hours piled up and our frustration and fatigue mounted.

Finally, Perce arrived and the famous rock revealed itself. It is truly impressive in the setting warm light, looming over the town like some prehistoric battleship, moored forever, protecting the coast from … what ? As disappointing as yesterday's hotel and restaurant were, today's were a wonderful and inexpensive surprise. There's an easy-going, relaxed vibe about Perce at the end of the season that probably isn't the case in summer.

For me, seeing Perce was another first on this trip. For Lou, it was seeing an old friend after a very long absence. We loved it and thought about staying longer, but home is beckoning. Another long drive tomorrow and the day after.