So it was not quite the same trip I had imagined. Not only did I not get across the bridge at Sarnia last weekend but, as if this weekend, I officially encourage you to think very carefully next time you get that feeling that it would good to travel from Levis, Quebec to PEI. There are nicely improved highways in between those two points. New smooth highways uncluttered by cities, towns or evidence of human habitation of any kind. One has to leave the highway to find any sorts of un-tree-like entities. One learns to note when the gravel in the shoulder changes sources.

Fortunately - at a couple of places - there are beer reasons to stop. Not fantastic ones but interesting enough ones to keep you from going mad in the north woods. Save that emotion for after you hit the moose, survive and then realize no one will be along to help you for days as everyone else decided to drive the shorter route through Maine. Have a look at the photo to the right. Click on it for more detail. See that 750 ml of Saison Dupont? $5.70! Notice the bottles of Orval? $3.50. Duchesse du Bourgogne? $3.55. Crazy prices are found at the SAQ in Riviere du Loup. No local micros, though, but plenty of goodness to take on the road to the un-conference I was attending.

I didn't take any photos in the NB Alcool on Prospect Street in Fredericton, New Brunswick. No way. Men buying cases of Alpine beer shop there. Manly men who hunt the moose who hunt me as I drive through northern New Brunswick. But there was the best walk-in beer cooler I have ever seen there. Half a hockey rink in size. And plenty of good imports and Maritime micros like Garrison, Propeller, Picaroons and Pump House. I picked up a few there and carried on. I had an un-conference to attend.

This may sound like not much but having driven that long long road for almost 20 years now, it's a move to good beer that I would have never expected. Discount priced saison? Well made local micros? Forget it. Time was car trunks were only filled with Brador coming back from Quebec. Times have changed. Times sure have changed.