Trail Walk episode # 15 Final

Our Trail Walk plans have changed as we have decided to complete our Confederation Trail journey on the 8th June.



The walkers, David McIsaac, Leah & Gilles Michaud and Bill Costain pointing to the Souris Junction sign reminding us that this is not the way, rather we will head east to Elmira.

It's a sunny morning, 8:30 am, as the media persons begin arriving at Harmony Junction. This is a special moment since it's not only our final leg of the Confederation Trail walk but, as well, Mary Boyd will officially hand out the Research document to the PEI Government on the Eradication of Poverty.

David tries his best to convince the MLA, Buck Watts that we need the leadership of the government in the Eradication of Poverty on PEI.

Mary Boyd prepares to hand out the Research document on the Eradication of Poverty in PEI.

We are met by the women, Mary Malone and Helen McIsaac, representing the Souris Women's Institute and Catholic Women's League who encourages David to finish his walk.

We are all given the research document to bring attention to the public that we have a strategy and recommendation on dealing with poverty in PEI.

David, Gilles, Leah and Bill depart for Elmira.

We meet the Hickies from BC who are cycling back to their home province and we ask them to bring our message back to BC.

All persons and animals are part of God's creation and the right to have shelter just as beavers are given shelter  in the ponds along the Trail.

The trees along this part of the Trail form an umbrella protecting us from the afternoon hot sun. 

What is this, a mailbox along the trail! Bill checks for any mail but there is nothing for us today...must be because of the roving strike.

Signs of the community of life abound along the Trail ... a cross on the side of the trail marking the death of a loved one....even death is part of life.

As we reach Munn's road 3 Km from Elmira David explains to us where his home was located and that this is where he was born 70 years ago.

What a relief as David hangs on to the sign post indicating having reached the 273 km in what has amounted to a 12 day walk.

As we approach the Elmira railroad Station we try our hand at switching the rail tracks.

                                                                   Many historical signs of the once upon a time railroad system in PEI.

Our final destination, the Confederation Trail sign.

Time to sit at the Elmira community park to celebrate the occasion with a birthday cake for David.

Trail Walk episode #15

Saturday morning, 7:30 as we leave Fran's home in St Theresa to be driven by Greg to our departure point in Selkirk.

Our reliable driver Greg Grant drops us off at the Selkirk road. David McIsaac, Donna Grant, Gilles Michaud and our new walker member for this morning Lisa McIsaac all prepare to leave the Selkirk trail point.

We bid farewell to our walkers as they head east toward Harmony Junction, 17 Km.

We come upon a beautiful lake on this leg of the Confederation Trail.

We arrive at the Bear River road. Greg is waiting for us and Lisa decides that this is as far that she will go .... the other three walkers, David, Donna and Gilles continue their walk to Harmony Junction.

We arrive at the Souris sign post indicating 6 Km to Souris, but this is as far as we had planned to go for today.

The artesian well is a welcome site at the Harmony Junction. 

Donna and Gilles take advantage of the cool and refreshing water.

                                                                                                                                                              We arrived at Harmony Junction on the Confederation Trail at 12 noon..

 We left Tignish on the 18th May and since that time we have walked a total of 256 Km.

It is now time for a few days of rest so we have decided to go back home. David McIsaac will resume his walk on the 12th June which will bring him to his destination, Elmira, more specically on Munns road where he was born 70 long years ago.

Trail Walk episode # 14

It's Friday morning, 3 June, as we gather at the Morell trail sign post. The walkers that will start us off this morning are David McIsaac, Donna Grant, and Mary Boyd who has come to join us on this leg.

As they leave on the trail heading toward St Peters we wave farewell.

We continue our walk and begin to notice the very picturesque view of St Peters bay that begins to appear on our left.

We arrive in St Peters after 3 hours of walking. Our walkers have increased by one ... Julia MacDougald-Donahoe had arrived late for the departure from Morell but eventually caught up to us.... welcome Julia!

It 's now time for our usual change of walkers. Gilles now joins David for the remainder of the walk to Sekirk 12 Km further on.

David and Gilles wave au revoir as they leave St Peters heading to Sekirk.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                          The Cow River Wetlands is a most interesting site as we stop to listen to the sounds of the many creepers and the many birds that make-up this ecosystem.

A big hug by Gilles is given to the Selkirk sign post that we have been searching for this afternoon and have found after walking 12 Km.

Our faithful driver Greg Grant is waiting for us at the Selkirk road. We are driven back to St Theresa where we have been given shelter, a bed and home and much good food for these past 2 days.

On our arrival at Fran's home in St Theresa we are not long before removing our footwear to rest our aching feet. 

Once again we are fed a wonderful meal, afterwhich we enjoy a relaxing and happy gathering along with her family.

Tomorrow morning at 8:30 am we will gather on the trail at the Selkirk road and begin our walk to Harmony Junction that will bring us to the outskirts of Souris.

Trail Walk episode # 13

It's Thursday morning, 02 June, as we arrive in Tracadie to resume our Confederation Walk. Our very gracious driver  for the next 3 days will be Greg Grant... I believe his wife Donna has convinced  him to help us in this way as we continue our walk eastward.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Donna is ready to take on the first stage of the trail walk this morning as she and David wave farewell departing from theTracadie point.

Along the trail on this sunny morning we are confronted by a ferocious rabbit that stops our progress....but David will save the day as he convinces the rabbit to leave.

David has been walking for 11 days, he hugs the sign post overjoyed at having reached the 200 km mark 

We meet the walkers, David and Donna in Mt Stewart and check with them if they want to continue...sure they say!

We must take a photo of a land mark site in Mt Stewart before departing on the trail.

It's now approaching 12 noon, Donna and David have walked 12 Km and it is now time to make a change as Gilles steps in for Donna.

As David and Gilles make their way to  Morell we stop to examine a beaver pond and also look at the large fields of blueberries.

David taking a little rest at the old Morell train station after walking 24 Km today.

David and Gilles point to the Morell trail sign post as they happily arrive at the destination today. Tomorrow morning we gather here at 8:30 am and head to Selkirk.