Paul J

The Wife/Stoker and I are celebrating our 40th this summer and are in the planning stages of a trip to Prince Edward Island this August and the plan includes taking our tandem along to ride a few of the days. We are planning to drive up with a stop in Providence for a quick detour out to Block Island for a day. Our timing is to take 10 days leaving on a Friday taking the next week and weekend. Love to know:

1. If anyone has done a trip like this?
2. Places to stay
3. How is the riding on Prince Edward Island
4. What not to miss.
5. Any routes etc.

Thanks!
Paul and Rachel

Bezalel

Prince Edward Island seems pretty small for a 10 day tour. If your goal is to do less traveling and more sightseeing it looks like a good destination. The good news is that there is a rail-trail network covering the island.

Confederation Trail PEI - Trail Map - Prince Edward Island

Paul J

We're planning to only do 5 days in PEI and then do a little sightseeing on the way in Boston and Maine.

professorbob

The rail trail on PEI goes the entire width of the island. I think it's called the confederation trail. If you Google it you'll find good maps. Block Island is quite beautiful. Getting off the ferry, there's a beautiful beach a mile or two down the road to the right. Bike racks, changing huts, the works. Good restaurants, a very non-commercial feel to it. I can't remember if there is a ferry right from Providence, but there's one from Point Judith, RI. Google Point Judith Ferry for a schedule. They run pretty often and welcome bikes. If you ride the whole of Block Island, you might be able to get 15-20 miles out if it, but it really is worth the trip.

Paul J

Thanks professorbob! We are hoping to stay is two different cities on PEI and cycle out from them. During the 3 years we lived in Providence we never made it out to Block Island so we are hoping for that chance this summer. The beauty is we can adjust our schedule to either weekend depending on what the weather is doing. I'm hoping that gives us the chance for nice weather.

t looks like the Confederation Trail will be a good route for much of our riding. It looks to be the typical packed stone bike trail. We have been running Conti Gatorskins in 700x28c on our Dyads for normally road use and am wondering what would be the best tire for bike trail conditions. I'm thinking something in 32c with tread. Thoughts?

DowneasTTer

My wife and I ride the Confederation Trail each year. However, we use MTN Bikes. Most of the trail is pea gravel and the like. Contact PEI Tourism here:Tourism Prince Edward Island (PEI) - Canada - Official Guide and request the visitors' guide and the Confederation Trail Guide/Map. Or you can stop in at the Visitors' Center at Borden Carton (end of the Confederation Bridge). Are you planning on camping or hoteling it? The island has great Provincial parks a few near the trail. You can pick up the trail right at Borden Carton and ride all over the island. It is mostly flat and in pretty good shape. However, don't expect to see many people, as their idea of the busy season is a lot different than ours. The National Park in Cavendish is a great place to ride and view the scenery. Here you will be mostly on roads but still not really a problem. There are no highways by our definition here in the states. You will not find a friendlier group of people than those on the island. It is truly a super place to ride. Here are a few shots showing the trail.




This is the trail from Brudnell Park toward Montague. It's a great ride into the village which can be seen in the picture.



This is St. Peter's Bay. It's one of the nicest areas on the Confederation Trail IMHO. This was taken at the visitors center there. Free Wifi, great information. BTW, if you are here any time near dinner you need to ride to the red roofed building in the back ground. That's Rick's Seafood and I can tell you that you will not get a better meal on the island and the price is right. Rick's Fish 'n' Chips.



Here is the trail heading out of St. Peter's Bay toward Mount Steward. Here is a direct link to the Confederation Trail web site.Confederation Trail PEI - Trail Map - Prince Edward Island

Maybe we'll see you on the trail .......

Paul J

Thanks DownesTTer, we are planning to Inn or hotel hopefully. We've ridden on gravel hard pack trails here in PA but can't tell how these differ from the Confederation Trail. I've wondered if the toads might be fine too?

DowneasTTer

We ridden on a few of the PA rail trails in the past... You will find that the Confederation Trail will be in better shape than some of the ones we have done in PA. However, I don't know what if any damage this winter might have done. Enjoy your trip.

PeFSQ

We have been in PEI for 4 days with our tandem two years ago. For riding we stayed exclusively on the roads, which are of a nice quality and generally with very low traffic. Amazing scenery along the coastline but not really much climbing. We stayed in a tent in campgrounds, which are very nicely maintained and never really packed. Be sure to profit from nice public beaches, fresh seafood (depending on the season Malpeque Bay oysters and lobsters are the most delicious - look for the 'oyster barns'), and PEI potatoes, which you can buy in kiosks alongside the road and then bake them in your campfire. Hang out in the little fishermen villages and talk to locals. People are very nice, so ask them for tips on the best places to visit. We fell that it was pretty easy to get around and see a lot of nice places without extensive planning, so it makes for a very relaxed trip. Once you have a general idea about the overall direction you want to go you can just decide every morning on the exact distance you want to do and call the place you want to stay that night - we never had a problem with getting a reservation for the same day.