V7E5 - En Route to the Acadian Peninsula

Written By: Chris Shontz / @venture4WD

I find that I raise eyebrows at border crossings. I certainly don’t raise alarm, as I’ve never had any trouble passing to-and-from Canada, but I’m a slightly unkempt person, traveling solo in a vibrant orange Jeep, whose dashboard is adorned with cameras and assorted electronics… I imagine if you’re a customs agent, the countless people you encounter fit into obvious molds. One person might be traveling for business, while others are clearly vacationers. Then some guy shows up in an unusual four-wheel drive camper, and even he doesn’t know where he’s going or for how long. It’s their job to be inquisitive about who you are and where you’re going, but their frustration is palpable and their curiosity is seemingly genuine when I don’t really fit into any of their typical profiles. I ultimately explain, “I live in my camper-converted Jeep, wander at random, and make travel videos.” This is exactly how the rural border crossing from Maine into New Brunswick, Canada, transpired. While the agent was very friendly, she took my passport, retreated into the office and returned with a peer. At which point, the three of us engaged in friendly banter about my work before they sent me on my way.   Setting the Map As I explore, I depend on GAIA GPS to help me navigate and discover new places. For the United States, the combination of GAIA’s default topographical map, their premium public land layer, and their National Forest Service MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Map) layer, provide all the data I need to explore intelligently. However, these supplemental layers don’t cover Canada, and the default map doesn’t offer as much detail as I’d prefer in the eastern region, so for Canada, I opted to switch to GAIA’s premium Backroad Mapbooks Canada layer - also known as BRMB. While the BRMB maps are very large in file size, and time-consuming to download, they offer color-coded topography that clearly defines public land, which is invaluable for assessing the routes you encounter and for finding safe, legal, places to spend the night. It was my first time using the BRMB maps, and I found them to be superbly detailed!   Exploring New Brunswick The province of New Brunswick consists of countless acres of public backcountry. While you’ll still encounter privately owned cabins or logging operations on public land, there are road networks that branch off into the wilderness in every direction. This makes New Brunswick a great, and often overlooked destination for vehicle-supported adventure. The land-use here is relatively similar to the land-use in the American southwest, where there are vast expanses of federal BLM land dotted with small towns and cities. As you wander in New Brunswick, you’ll find that most backroads are industrial logging roads, but every now and then you’ll find an old stage road or a maintained trail that meanders through the wilderness. My goal for the week was to travel from south to north through the heart of the province, zig-zagging between the lakes, rivers, and mountains.   I started in the capital city of Fredericton, and then followed the BRMB maps to random roads. Some of which were well-traveled logging routes, while others were lesser dirt roads and two-tracks on the verge of being reclaimed by nature. After many miles, just as fatigue was setting in, I arrived at a gravel campsite at the side of a logging artery. While I would’ve preferred a more atmospheric setting, it featured a stone fire circle with a freshly-doused fire, still smoking - in addition to a sizable stack of firewood. Furthermore, since the site was spacious and dry, mosquitoes were at a minimum. This is what I call an opportunity campsite. With a ready-made fire, ample wood, and comfortable surroundings, it was too good to pass up! That night, before settling into bed, I took a walk to a nearby bridge that crossed a picturesque waterway. In the distance, as the sun was setting, I watched a pair of moose bathe in the refreshing northern stream. It was a very memorable and idyllic Canadian experience!   Onward to Bathurst The next day, in rainy weather, I continued exploring northward. Once again, I encountered all manner of backroads, but this time I found myself within a higher concentration of industrial logging roads, and opportunities for camping and recreational exploring were thinning out. Fatigue set in as I covered hundreds of kilometers, so I decided it was time to head to town to experience some culture and community. I made my way to Bathurst, located in northern New Brunswick, on Chaleur Bay, where I explored the city for coffee, food, drink, and Internet access. Bathurst is a charming coastal city, with a center that is a popular tourist destination, and outskirts with a bustling commercial district featuring all of the major franchises. Along Main Street, I found a wonderful coffee shop named Kaffeine Espresso Bar. I also discovered Au Bootlegger, a delicious and lively pizza place, and 13 Barrels Brewing, a brand new brewpub serving delicious craft beer. Bathurst is located at the foot of the Acadian Peninsula, and it’s important to note that while most of New Brunswick is English-speaking, the Acadian Peninsula is predominantly French-speaking. It was the first time during my recent travels that the language barrier came into play. On one hand, it introduced a new challenge, and on the other hand, I enjoyed the learning experience. I listened closely, and soaked up every new word and inflection like a sponge!   The Miscou Lighthouse To wrap up the week, I traveled to the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, to see the Miscou Lighthouse which marks the entrance to Chaleur Bay. As I was driving northeast along the coast, the tall wooden structure emerged in the distance. Minutes later, I arrived in a spacious parking lot already occupied by several other vehicles. Tourists wandered the property between the picnic area, a gift shop, cafe, and the lighthouse itself. I readied my camera, and entered the base of the lighthouse where I was greeted by friendly employees at an information desk. There, I learned a little bit about the lighthouse and paid the negligible admission fee to climb to the top. The exterior of the lighthouse was painted bright white and the inside consisted of rustic wooden platforms, octagonal in shape. The walls were decorated with fishing buoys, lobster traps, and nets, to convey a distinct maritime theme. A short ladder granted access to the beacon and its surrounding deck. The steel features were painted bright red, and it was all very clean and well cared for.. It was a beautiful day, and the bright white lighthouse with its red trim against the vibrant blue sky seared a lasting image into my mind that I’ll never forget! [gallery columns="5" size="large" ids="https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-10.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-1.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-2.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-3.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-4.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-5.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-6.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-7.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-8.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-9.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-11.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-12.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-13.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-14.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-15.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-16.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-17.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-18.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-19.jpg|,https://ok4wd.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/v7e5-20.jpg|"]