We left the Gros Morne motel this morning making our way back to the ferry in Port Au Basques, weather was great so far, stopped on the roadside to get some photos at several lookout points, can't say enough about the beauty of this place. We had a somber outlook as we knew we are coming to the last leg of our journey on the Rock. We arrived at the Port Hotel 7 hours later, only a 2.5 hour trip if you drive straight through, but we made a stop in Norris Point, another coastal gem. Once we got to the twin hills the weather changed severly, it was cold and damp as soon as we got to them, what a change from 24 degrees to a wet cold 12 degrees. Anyways we arrived before it got to dark and checked in for the night after we had dinner in the motel dining room. Nighty nite.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Day 10
We stayed in the harbor and went up the coast to take in the local culture and see the arches carved out by the sea and rocks that are just like a sandblaster, the force of ocean tides and wages toss these rocks around they were sand, carving the arches out. While we were there a young couple had just got married on the sandy beach up the road from the arches but were at the arches for photos, just like out of a romance novel, very nice. We had fishcakes again today , they are delicious. Aside from the arches again the scenery was picture perfect. We got back to the harbor and met Linden from Brampton down to see his mother, again these east coast people are the nicest people we have come across. We to the lobster cove and explored the light house,
after we did a tour of the grounds and took a lot of pictures, back to the treasure box for our favorite meal, fishcakes.
Day 9
We arrived in Rocky Harbor today and are staying at the Gros Morne hostel and suites. It is gorgeous here, backing on the park, mountains all around us and water just a two minute walk. Only staying here for two nights and then back to Port Au Basque for a night.'the ride up up was stellar, mountains, bays,'coves with a good road in. We stopped many times on the way in,Corner brook was one of the memorable. This would be a great place to retire. It has it all, fishing , hunting, nature too vivid to put in words. We toured around the harbor and went to a light house, found a great restaurant that made the best fishcake any person would love. I can see why Gail wanted to come back. See the pics, well nighty nite.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Day 8
Well we left Port Dufferin early this morning at 6:10 heading for the ferry to take us to Newfoundland , got here with plenty of time to spare. We met a lot of people in our travel, most had done the infamous Cabot Trail with tales of an exciting ride, can't wait. We had a good ride up the highway 7 hitting a lot curves and rolling country side. Gail is still amazed at the power of our ride, passing vehicles safely was a breeze, loved the passing lanes. The scenes were right out of a book but more startling to us in person. We make it a habit to stop at small towns when the butt tells you that you are right to the bone and stiff, it's comfy but after a couple hundred kilometers you need to stretch. The air hawks really give you a little more time in the seat.
The ferry is huge, it looks like it shouldn't be able to float, last time i heard them on the two way radios there was 360 cars on and looks like about 20 bikes and ten transports, heard one of them say that it was a problem with such a small load, holds 40'% more than the old boat which held 477 cars, you can do the math. Well we are on our way at 4:14 , an hour late than scheduled. Gail is doing the trip scrapbook with all the details and mementos pasted in. We booked in to the port au basque hotel which is right close to the ferry so there will be limited night driving. With 5.5 hour ride on this floating mall I am sure we will see some sights on the ocean.'
Day 7,
We left Digby Admiral mid morning and boogied on up to a port dufferin, we were trying to make it to Sidney, did not happen, traveled to Lockhartville to see our niece Darlene and her family, they have a beautiful spot right near a catch basin for the ocean, Wayne has lived there all his life in this area, he said that they had a beached whale in there a couple of years ago that had got in through the power plants turbine and was what likely killed it. The turbine is no longer used n this area. After too short of time with my neice and her family we headed into Halifax to the museum of Nova Scotia to see an exhibit of Maude Lewis which was really a great exhibit. If you could see what a person Maude was, a poster person for all to be inspired by, an artist who depicts the culture on wood that we in other parts of this country have no time or interest to preserve, this woman was against all odds and kind of a recluse because of her illness. Her world was only sixty miles square. Check out Maude Lewis art on he net. So after that treat we had to make some miles and try to get to Sidney to catch the ferry, we covered a lot of ground but it was getting dark out and cooling off, we drove through some nice coastlines and villages, such as Uniacke, Sackville to name a couple. We pushed hard to make the ferry but it was getting late, both of us were tired , hungry and a little chilled. Anyway we stopped in Port Dufferin in a small ocean side motel called the Marquis
of Dufferin, passing by it would look like any motel on the outskirts of any city, but boy was it a nice place, room with a view is an understatement regarding this diamond in the rough. Owner was very kind and helpful, she moved out there from Saskatchewan 7 years ago and bought the place, any couple or family would love it.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Day 6
Today was another good day, we were going to go to my nieces today , we could not get a hold of her right away, so we wanted to go whale watching while we were out here, so I had went to see the clerk to see if there were any places to charter out towards Darlenes in the Lockhartville area, there was nothing out that way, so we had not heard from Darlene yet and ended finding a whale watching charter right near where we are today in Digby about 45 min away. The end result was that at 12:30 we were on a ferry heading to pirates cove to get on another boat to whale watch. With the timing being of essence, we had to boogie to meet the ferry, we had the rocket flying down the 217 south, we were passing bikes ,cars and mobile homes to get to the dock where the ferry was. When we got to the office where we pay and back to the dock we had seen that the vehicles we passed were pulling into the dock, they must have thought we were insane for driving so fast. I have to thank the manager at the Admiral Digby Inn for making the last minute arrangements for us, for it was one of the most fantastic experiences we have ever had or will have. There is nothing better than seeing these graceful animals in the flesh, their size was bigger than the boat we were in, a mother with her calf, a few adults feeding, it was an experience I would recommend to all who come this way via bike or car. We saw seals , dolphins and was educated on the life of these beasts. We came back to the hotel and went for supper at the Shoreline restaurant, which was right on the ocean and beside a dry dock shipyard, while we ate the dry dock put a boat back into the water and was dry-docking another trawler that needed repair, again another neat experience, the people on this part of the country have a lot of pride and sense of community. While were eating our dinner , we had live music by two older gentlemen on violin and guitar singing old songs of lore. After supper we came back to the hotel and met a couple from St. John NS who also had been biking in the area, a good friendship started, Kim and Ron Bent, we gabbed for an hour or so and found that we were much the same in tastes, they have five acres and a log house , the more we talked the more we found we had in common. They did not plan the trip either, just winging it , no pressure if you don't have to be in a certain place at a certain time. Well that's it for day six, in the morning we are going to visit Darlene and get to Sidney NS to catch a ferry to the rock.
Day 5
Left Bangor Maine today,'up early and had a few coffees and smoothy from Tim Hortons, as well as what the hotel had for breakfast, donuts, apples and juice. On the way we stopped at Steven Kings house, go figure he was not home,'so we talked to a guy jogging (in this heat ) he tells us that the house beside Kings is his library and that he has a tunnel that fits two golf carts wide to go there, lifestyles of the rich and famous. This guy says we could go to the library so I rang the bell on the main house where he resides, no one answered, no doubt. So with Gails urging and the info we got from the jogger we went onto his property and over to his library which was a three story home with the touch of a professional groundskeeper, rang the buzzer and no one answered. I was quite concerned with the private property sign displayed on his oak tree, anyway no arrests were made on this breach. It was just spitting rain as we were leaving,'but not enough to were rain gear. We headed out #1 and hit -9. When on our way we ran into a parade in Eddington, it was the real McCoy, a real sense of community ,'throwing candy to the kids and stress balls to the adults and kids,'they impressed us. It was good ride up until we got into New Brunswick , we had opted for off the freeway on GPS, mistake, took highway 646 and ran into road repairs for about what seemed to be close to an hour, it was a lot of small round rocks that shifted the bike like it was riding on marbles, no incidents today though, worst thing was a wet pothole which sprayed the bike and it's riders with a dirty, muddy concoction that looked good if you worked in a pit. We finally got back to tar and chip level road, started making good timeuntil you saw the moose sign on the road, kind of makes you slowdown. With the fairy only 73 kilometers away, we were
determined to make with no booking, as luck would have it, we were on at 8:00'pm, then we booked a room in Digby Nova Scotia via cell phone, hotel clerk waited for us, then shut down for the night.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Day 4
Today was a rest day, we stayed at the Econo lodge inn, was an al right place,staff very good. Booked in the room in the early part of tie day. It was another scorcher , hot, hot , hot. We payed around until 2:00 then went shopping in the mall, went to Macys department store and bought a couple of shirts,white to reflect heat. Could not find what we were looking for and stopped at a Texas roadhouse restaurant, had a super waitress who was a sweetheart, named Amy Craig, will be in contact with her , mom took a real shine to her. She recommended a pretty good meal and drinks to boot. I had a couple of blue moon drafts, not bad. She told Gail to try there world class Cowboy Margurita, she was not kidding these drinks were 18 ounces each. The food was great and for two to eat for under 62 bucks. We went back to hotel and rested for the rest of the evening
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Day 2
Today we went to have breakfast at the skinny pancake house it was great then we drove downtown Burlington, Maurice was nervous. After getting him out of the city,'all turned out well. We went to a place called Jericho via the grand army of the republic alias route 15 east. We
Stopped at a place called Jenkins and Browns coffee house, in talking to the owner she directed us to Stowe, it was a good thing for us,'sweetest riding road so far,'went up
mountain, see the video and pics. Met some great people on route. Stopped at a maple syrup farm and talked maple with owner, tried their maple candy, wonderful stuff.
Big dump of the day - it literally took three men and a boy to pick that baby up. stopped on roadside to take pics of some big rocks ....the parking lot had pea gravel on pavement and it was on a slant....... well see the pics, yes I dropped the bike, Gail took the brunt of the fall, but came out with a scraped elbow.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Day 1 pics
On our way, stopped and got moe his new glasses he can't believe how much he's missed.
We made it to the holiday inn at 8:45, had something to eat, which was delicious.
Day 1
We headed NE on 15 highway for 83 km. Went through Smiths falls, right on Mill st. Passed through Kilmanark and every other hicksville.......Kempt, hall, Chester, Merrick (finally I get to see it), winchester, finch, avonmore, monkland.
Stopped jockeyed bags and adjusted seats and good to go.
Then comes the border.......moe is a little nervous
Flash backs of his youth
Thursday, July 14, 2011
This is a test drive video to see if we can manage to post it right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyW0jAMgkZY
