Epic Bike Trip Around the Maritimes, Step 5: Find some nice people

Or What I like about couchsurfing

I got off the bus in Edmunston, a town I'd never been before, in the middle of the afternoon. I circled the downtown once, got a map, got an ice cream, stared at the fleuve, and then ran out of things to do. I took the 144 out of town, found a campground and called it a day. Edmunston? Yeah, I've been there.

OR

I got off the bus in Edmunston and was met by my couch surfing host, who happened to work at the local paper in publicity and knew about half the town . While she finished work, her daughter saved me from an identity crisis, and I soaked off 24 hours of travel in her backyard hot tub. For dinner, my host almost burned the house down making a delicious mushroom sauce pork loin roast potato repas, and afterwards we took a drive around town and up to a beautiful view of the river. Then I had a nap, blogged on her computer, and chatted with her daughter about life in New Brunswick.

The next day, we went to the market where I met the people making scented candles and the people making jewelry out of old barn board and tree knots (all friends of my host). We had breakfast at the Lotus Cafe, vegetarian and organic, and of course I met the owner (another friend of my host). We got the car washed for charity at the kia dealership in support of Edmundston 's brand new chapter of MADD . I met the owner of the dealership (a friend of my host) and dunked the guy in the dunk tank on my second throw (not a friend of my host). Finally we drove to a cabin on a really peaceful lake where people canoe and I met my host's best friend and my host's best friend's mom. We drove back to town, said farewell, and I took the 144 of town just after noon. Edmunston? It's a really friendly place.