My drive was going to be a little over seven hours from Fredericton, New Brunswick to Montmagny, Quebec. There would be little time for side trips on this trek of the journey. When I lived in Nova Scotia, one of the holidays we took involved visiting as many New Brunswick covered bridges as possible. They are a plethora to be found in the province. I find them fascinating. About an hour and a half into my drive, I saw a sign for the world's longest covered bridge. How could I pass up an opportunity to see it? I couldn't... DETOUR!
The Hartland Covered Bridge
The bridge is located in the small town of Hartland, New Brunswick. It's 390.75 metres (1,282.0 ft), which makes it the longest covered bridge in the world. When I arrived at the entrance, I expected lights to control the traffic but there weren't any. I pulled to the side of the road and waited. I hoped some brave soul (or a local), would come along and demonstrate how this all worked. Before too long, several cars arrived. They paused to check if the bridge was clear, then proceeded full steam ahead. I quickly followed. It was exciting crossing the long dark tunnel of a bridge. It creaked and rhythmic sounds were created by the vehicles crossing over the wooden planks. At the other side, there was a tourist centre. I pulled into the parking lot, bought myself an ice-cream, sat at a picnic table. I marveled at this incredible structure across the St John River. I could see a few folk, in boats, fishing. It was a glorious day to experience this. If you'd like to know more about this historic site click here - Hartland Bridge
The pink blossoms throughout the town glowed in the sun. There are also some beautiful old homes in Hartland. I wished I could dedicate more time for exploring but after my ice cream treat I had to carry on so Bruno and I got back on the road again.
Edmundston
I continued on for another couple of hours when on my left I saw some tall steeples. It was the city of Edmundston and I needed a break, so I pulled off the highway to explore.
The first tall steeple I located was Église Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (Church of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows) which was built in 1938. It had such wonderful old doors and stained glass windows. Edmundston is 95 per cent francophone, hence the french name.
The second place I found was Cathédrale de l’Immaculée-Conception (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception). Construction began on this church in 1925. Mgr. W.J. Conway instigated the construction of the building as well as a number of other buildings in the region, that's why there is a statue of him there.
I know there was much more to see in Edmundston but time was passing and I still had another two and a half hours of driving to reach my motel in Montmagny, Quebec. When I began this journey, I promised myself I would only drive during the day, for safety and also to see as much of the country as possible. My goal right then was to reach Montreal and spend a few days with my brother-in-law Milton. My explorations of New Brunswick were cut short.
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