On my wish list for this trip was to take R.E.D. through the longest covered bridge in the world. It measures 1282 feet in length crossing the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada.  You can read more about it here.  Several years ago Francois and I crossed it holding our breath the whole way through, making a wish and stealing a kiss midway…something he had learned from old folklore.  Silly lovers that we were…and still are.

Hartland Covered Bridge

Part of my motivation and challenge this time was two fold.  The bridge entry height is 13 feet, 8″ and today when we (I) measured our tallest point, mast down, it was 12 feet, 10″…ball park measurement.  My secondary challenge was to convince Francois to do it.  Not terribly positive from the start, he found many excuses why we shouldn’t.  What if the published height is wrong. Where are we going to turn the boat around once through.  So many ‘what if’s’.  I persisted knowing full well that if only one of the ‘what if’s’ happened I would be blamed for the rest of eternity.  I choose my battles carefully these days and this one for me was worth fighting for. Oh, and I forgot to mention that it’s a one-way only bridge.  You have to check to make sure you see no head lights coming through and today the traffic was fairly heavy.  We may have delayed a few vehicles.

Just…

The pictures and video (click here) tell the story.  It was a beautiful experience and the bridge is an amazing structure.  Francois went through on his own the first time through while I guided him into the entrance using our walkie talkies then walked the 1282 feet walking bridge span.  I joined him on the eastern shore and yes, there was a perfect place to turn around, and we headed back through, east to west, top down and video running.  We made a wish, sacrificed the kiss and breath-holding and didn’t piss off too many travellers in the process.  I have no idea what Francois wished for but at the end of another 7-hour day of travelling we are safely parked amoungst a multitude of RV’s in a lovely park by the Canaan River in New Brunswick sipping our evening cocktail and still speaking to each other.  I’d say that constitutes a very good day.

Trip Recap

Mileage: 493 km

Fuel Consumption: 20.1 litres/100km (lots of hills today.  Yesterday’s elevation was barely a few feet above sea level and today it increased to several hundred.)

Provisions: $9.87 for some really good banana bread, Francois’ fave cheese and coffee

Accomodations: $34.50 (from now on bug spray in implied)