Fredericton to Woodstock (not the famous one) 103 km

We left well rested into a cool morning, a bit late, 10 am, but we had to get our phone recharged. That was a challenge, because Frank had forgotten the pin. But he was able to get an operator to the phone who helped him through and then said, that next time he would charge two dollars for his service.

Our route was along the St. John river the whole day. When we started the river was still as wide as a lake later it narrowed and here in Woodstock it is estimated 300 meters wide. It was a journey through history. We drove briefly on the abandoned old settlers road, passed nearly empty villages named Prince William or Kings Landing, with old but well filled cemeteries. A lot of  fallow land we saw, with many old apple trees, once there must have been houses, they have long collapsed but the trees remain. 

In the 17th century the St. John river was already used for transport. Along its shores first the French, then the English settled. In the 19th century huge steamers (Dampfschiffe) went up and down the river, loaded with wood and agricultural goods. The forests allong the St. John river were one of the major source for Britsh navyboats shipmasts.
Around 1920 the railway was build and thus the era of the steamers came to an end. But the train didnt last long, 1980 the roads had driven the railway out of business. So many villages along the river had lost their reason to exist, their business. People moved away and today it is a landscape of utter beauty but very empty. 

We drove for 80 km before having our first rest, before that there was nothing to stay. Even then, we only had a rest in a petrol station, Katrin loading her bike battery, Frank eating Popcorn, there was not much else to to buy, except chips in 100 different varieties. 

Finally we made it to Woodstock, a little surviving town, everything here is historic, even the B&B we are staying in, an old house, build 1880 for a bishop.