DAY 1 -- Thursday, 20 June 2002 (495 miles) From Franklin, NC to Strasburg,VA. Stopped by Gene Lummus H-D in Swannanoa, NC for a couple of items. Smooth trip via I-40 and I-77 to I-81 today with comfortable weather after the early morning cool. Camped at Battle of Cedar Creek Campground tonight. It's at Exit 298, just south of I-66. Lots of "skeeters" and not too warm a welcome. Had supper at Bad Water Bill's, a local bar-b-que and beer joint. Back to camp for a bath and bed. The campground should be called "Battle of the Jake Brake", as the truck noise from the Interstate was loud all night. DAY 2 -- Friday, 21 June 2002 (615 miles) Awake at 5:45am and pulled out of camp shortly after. Off the highway at lunch and lucked up on a neat hotdog wagon on the side road. Later this afternoon, we hit bad traffic jams - three, back-to-back - in Danbury, Waterbury and Hartford, CT. (Bad planning. Hit that area at rush hour.) Stopped for the night at Wells State Park in Massachusetts, just north of the I-84 & I-90 intersection. Only $12, but no electrical or water. Found a nice campsite just above the lake - quite and private. Had supper in the tent (due to mosquitoes) after we fought them at the showers. Slept good. DAY 3 -- Saturday, 22 June 2002 (1122 miles so far) Had an early morning oil change at a local H-D dealer we found on the way to b'fast on Highway 20 in Auburn, MA (N.F.Sheldon, Inc.). Later in the day, Maine welcomed us with a frog stangling rain. Although we'd stopped earlier for rain suits, Liz and I spent an hour inspecting the underside of an I-95 overpass. Drove on into Wells, ME to a private campground (Ocean View Cottages and Campground). Set up the tent in a light sprinkling rain. Enjoyed a good fish and chips supper at Lord's Harborside Restaurant (best seafood we had on our trip). Although we had to pay for hot showers at camp, they were well worth a couple of quarters. Had more rain before morning. DAY 4 -- Sunday, 23 June 2002 (trip @ 1339 miles) On the road at 8:00am, in the rain. Luckily, it didn't follow us too long. The Interstates were rather boring up to Augusta, ME, where we took Hwy. 3 across to the coast. Things started getting seriously pretty on that route. Lupins (or lupines) were in full bloom. Stopped in Ellsworth, ME at the L.L.Bean Outlet Store. (If they had outlet prices, we'd hate to see full retail.) Rode on to Bar Harbor and checked on the schedule for The CAT ferry (actually, the INCAT 98 Wave-Piercing Catamaran Car Passenger Ferry) to Novia Scotia. We were just in time for the afternoon run. Decided to forego the extra day exploring the Bar Harbor area since it was rainy again. Met Ray and Lynn Montgomery, from Danville, KY, while waiting for the ferry to arrive. They were both on Harleys. We talked a bit and sat with them during the onboard movie, Pay It Forward. They're a great couple, enjoying a week off after tax season -- on their way to Cape Breton Island, NS. Lynn is a member of Motor Maids, Inc., the oldest Woman's MC. Took a photo of a silly sign on the ferry on the walk up the ramp from the parking deck to the lounge area. Think it meant "run like hell to get a seat". The CAT, an up to 55mph vessel, cost us $250 for the one way, quick -- 2 1/2hr --trip, saving over 600 road miles and up to 10 hours of driving. What a hoot! Been both ways now, by road through New Brunswick and by ferry. The road is the best way by far. Arrived in Yarmouth, NS in the late afternoon. Set the clock back 1 hour (Atlantic Time). Made a quick stop at the Visitor's Center, then drove straight to the campground they suggested: Loomer's Campers' Haven - about 3 miles away. Had a wonderful full moon followed by late night thunderstorms. Good sleeping weather. DAY 5 -- Monday, 24 June 2002 Not counting miles anymore. In Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Now the fun begins... Up at 7:00am. Cooked oatmeal for breakfast while we washed clothes. Heard loons on the lake, but didn't see any from our nearest lakeside stop. There was an older couple at the campground today walking the BIGGEST dog we'd ever seen. She was a 172lb. Irish Wolfhound. Wow! The ground cover on the hillside below the tent was beautiful. Today's bright sun allowed the camper to dry out after the heavy rains. Temps reached 56-58 degrees and we had a brisk breeze all day. We took time to tour Yarmouth. Was a neat, clean town -- with our first Tim Horton's of the trip. (That's a chain of shops with yummy soups, bagels, doughnuts and the best chili we've had lately.) Went to the local library to find a $2/hr internet connection. Visited the Firefighter's Museum. Amazed at all of the old pumpers and gear. Took some photos and had them developed while we picked up some groceries and later mailed some photos to Brother Bob, along with some post cards and other items. Mid-afternoon we went back to Tim Horton's for more soup and a bagel. Back to camp with groceries and ice. Picked up our jackets (today's breeze was COOL), then took the nice, scenic drive out to the Cape Forchu Lightstation. The "apple core" style lighthouse is strikingly tall (91'). It's placed on a natural rock barrier. Some of the lower rocks in the area are covered with a seaweed which is gathered and processed at a local factory to make pectin. We were glad to return to the same campsite tonight. Had a nice campfire. Tired, but satisfied -- had a good, relaxing day. (The skeeters are a bitch already. Wonder what they will be like up North? We'll head up the "Lighthouse Trail" tomorrow.) DAY 6 -- Tuesday, 25 June 2002 Up at 7:15am. Breakfast at camp (Tim Horton's muffin with orange juice), then on to the Lighthouse Trail -- with perfect weather today. Along the "trail" were flowers of all types. We pic'ed a few on our way. The back roads were not very good (piss poor). Jim stayed busy dodging cracks and potholes. Areas where they were trimming back the greenery smelled just like fresh cut Christmas trees. So did all of the log trucks we got stuck behind. Made following them almost a pleasure. On into Liverpool, NS to the Harbor Point Lighthouse and later to the out-of-the-way, touristy, historic town on Lunenburg, NS to see the "Bluenose II". Talked to Mike Cormier and Donna Keough there. They took time with us to look at our map of Newfoundland and point out places of interest, Dildo, in particular. Set up camp this afternoon at the Sea Side Camping Grounds in Glen Margaret, NS and continued, without the camper, to Peggy's Cove - about a ten mile ride. Trip mileage at Peggy's Cove read 1560 -- well worth the drive. It was magnificent; nature at it's best. On the way back, we stopped at the Swissair Flight 111 Memorial. It's simple, yet dramatic. The Peggy's Cove Lighthouse was visible in the distance. Admired the wildflowers and ground cover as we walked along... The restaurant that was suggested to us earlier was closed when we came back by, so we had supper in the camper again -- Ritz, Vienna sausages and cheese. Just zipped the bugs outside! DAY 7 -- Wednesday, 26 June 2002 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACI ! Up and at 'em by 7:00am -- captured a couple of signs at the campground before we left. Headed toward the Cabot Trail. Stopped by the H-D store in Halifax/Dartmouth, NS. No t-shirts this time. Another stop today was off of Hwy.102 between Halifax and Truru... at a little place known as Stewiacke, NS. It happens to be located EXACTLY HALFWAY between the Equator and the North Pole. Tried to call Traci, Jim's daughter, today for her birthday, but missed her. Lots of beautiful scenery all along the way. Had another beautiful day. A bit warm for brief road construction delays above the Canso Causeway. We were lucky to hit them at a good time and zipped right through. Made Baddeck, NS and continued on to Englishtown, NS to a campground (on the top of a hill with a STEEP gravel drive up and back down). Since there was rain in the forecast for tomorrow on the Cabot Trail, we decided to push on to the campground near North Sydney, NS, the nearest one to the ferry to Newfoundland (pronounced by the Newfies as New-fin-LAND; rhymes with understand). Luckily, we were able to change our ferry reservations. We leave for NFLD tomorrow morning. Set up camp at the Arm of Gold Campground in Bras d'Or,Cape Breton, NS -- the same one we stayed at two years ago. They've made lots of improvements. Many motor homes were there, including 8-10 Prevost (rolling mansions). Pay showers again - must be a Northern thing. Caught up on laundry, too. We're two days ahead of schedule. Jim had to stop in at the "Lick-a-Chick", just down the street, to get a t-shirt and some post cards. DAY 8 -- Thursday, 27 June 2002 Had to be at the Ferry early to get in line. No worries. We were up just after daylight - 5:15 AT (4:15 EST). Sunrise is early here! Packed up and stopped by Tim Horton's for breakfast "to go" before getting to the ferry gate early for our 8:00 check-in. We were put in the front of the line for the pull-on/pull-off loading. While we were waiting, we ate b'fast at a side picnic table. Tim & Donna Honsinger, a couple walking their yellow lab, stopped by and we easily got into a conversation with them... Jim fed his muffin crumbs to Scrappy. What a smart dog! He's trained and well mannered -- and full of love. Once on the ferry, we visited with the Honsingers awhile, then they invited us to join them at lunch, too. Tim is a real live "dead" war hero. His name is on The Wall - panel 10E line 86. He's one of 25 men mistakenly listed as KIA in Vietnam. His story is one of heroism and hell. We sat spellbound as he told us the short and, surely, highly edited tale. We feel privileged to have met and talked with him. Tim shared this quote, which he and Donna live by: "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER." --Mark Twain Welcome to Newfoundland Had six hours on the ferry. Was a smooth, yet foggy & damp ride over. Thankfully, it wasn't raining when we got off. But, the bike and the roads were wet and the clouds were low. Hey, we're in Newfoundland! Time to reset the clock - up by 30 minutes to put us on "Newfie Time". It's different. Stopped just outside Port-aux-Basque, NF ("The Rock") at the Visitor's Center for info on camping. The 30 minute drive was along an area with infamously strong winds. Blows so hard it once blew a locomotive off the tracks. Whew! Could have been worse... we were told that if we got to the big truck parking lot and it was full of truckers, we should heed the warning, pull over and wait for them to roll on before attempting to cross this area. The lot was empty, so we pushed through. Pulled into the second campground on the left, (Doyles, NF) Grand Codroy R.V. Camping, to find Tim and Donna were there and had already set up and were out for a walk. Tim invited us to stop by for a visit after we got settled. We set up on a great site - near the restrooms. We rode to the local Irving's station for supper. Looked at the muffins at the checkout as a possibility for tomorrow's b'fast. Jim asked the pretty, young, freckled-faced and red-headed girl working there, "How does a Partridge Berry taste?" With her strong, Irish-to-the-tee accent, she said, "They're a wee bit tart for me taste buds." Jim got a kick out of her answer. He wanted to bottle her up and take her home! Back at camp, we visited Tim and Donna in their R.V. Nice chat! Tim shared reports and a book related to his Vietnam experiences. Like Liz, Donna had been a teacher for several years. (Donna has her a PHD in Physics.) They had lots in common - a love of animals, school experiences and their interests in traveling. Tim and Donna, from Arlington, TX, when they're home, travel 10+ months each year and will be on "The Island", as Newfoundland is often called, for the next two months. What a wonderful adventure! Cool tonight, but not cold. Quite windy all night! Good sleeping. DAY 9 -- Friday, 28 June 2002 Was sprinkling this morning at the campground -- locals called it "pecking" rain. We were invited to join Tim, Donna and Scrappy, in their Jeep to tour Rose Blanche, NF, a coastal drive just east of Port-aux-Basque. Took lots of pics, stopped for a fish and chips lunch -- more chips(fries) than you can imagine, toured all the town roads, then stopped on the way back and hiked along a boardwalk to view a nice waterfall. Found a variety of ground cover all around including the Pitcher Plant, Newfoundland's provincial flower. Nice scenery; good day. Tried to find an internet connection later, but the library was closed. Called Jerry & Syble at home. Jerry asked about using our trailer -- needed to pull his bike to Lummus' for repairs. Called Traci, too. Liz took time to wash a few clothes. Had a bit of a scare this evening. Heard through the Newfie grapevine that the ferry to Goose Bay may not be running, as the lake (Lake Melville) had been "frozen over" just days ago. Jim called the 800 number. We think the ferry's up and running now. DAY 10 -- Saturday, 29 June 2002 Left camp at around 8:30 after Tim got a pic of us w/the bike and camper and we got pics of Tim, Donna and Scrappy beside their R.V. Hope to see them all again. Headed North on Hwy.1, the TCH (Trans Canada Highway) -- a GOOD road. Stopped for a mid-morning b'fast of pancakes and French toast at a small Irving's. We rode into the town of Corner Brook, NF looking for the internet. The library there is closed on Saturday, so we continued our search. Some young folks gave us directions to a coffee house at the downtown mall. If you want to know where anything is, ask a teenager. When we checked e-mails and the web page, we were stunned to find all of the bits of news about Tall Dick's (a Two Dog brother) shooting death. Took us a while to put all of the information together and to understand. We e-mailed Bonnie -- we're both very concerned for her. Dick's funeral was today. At a loss, too, as we are so far away. We also e-mailed Preacher and left a note on the message board. Back on the road... from the TCH to Deer Lake, NF and took Routes 430 and 431 to find camping at Lomond River Lodge. Trout and salmon fishermen were everywhere! The campground had good facilities and a coffee shop (small restrurant) at the camp store where we had hamburgers for supper. Headed next for hot showers and our books. Continued to roll the news about Dick and our concerned feelings for Bonnie around in our hearts and minds. DAY 11 -- Sunday, 30 June 2002 Out of camp at 8:30 with just the bike. Made a morning run out Rt. 431 - one of two roads that pass through Gros Morne National Park. What a ride! We drove through the barren, spectacular Tablelands. In that area, we stopped for Liz to get off of the bike to take a photo of a distant waterfall. While she was focusing the camera, a moose came up the steep hillside, onto and across the road. Honked the horn on the bike to get his attention. It worked...he turned around and looked at us as if to say, "Kiss my ass." She got a picture of this "Bullwinkle" fellow before he disappeared. Now we want to find "Rocky". Rode on out to Trout River Pond, where they offer a boat tour (1:00pm today), but we were too early to catch it. Back by the Discovery Center -- the best Visitor's Center we've seen. They had excellent exhibits, a gift shop, an upstairs viewing deck and a coffee shop to boot. Jim found a t-shirt he had to have... a black one with the yellow warning sign showing a moose facing a crashed car. Actual road signs like it are in the area! Back to pick up the camper and check out by noon. Drove to Rt. 430, the road (not in good condition) that takes you to the northern area of the Gros Morne. It was very scenic, though. Stopped in Rocky Harbor, NF at a gift shop to find the only internet hook up around -- cost a toonie (one $2 Canadian coin) for 30 minutes with s-l-o-w web access. Further north, we found a roadside "fish and chips" vendor. Up the road (with potholes and raised ridge bumps), we saw our second moose ...taking his time, munching just under the edge of the overhang of the scrubby trees on the side of the road. Got some close-up shots with the camera. All the way up to Shallow Bay, NF to find camping there would offer no power and would probably offer more black flies than we wanted to face. Southbound, still on 430, the only route back to the TCH, we stopped at a church in the small town of Cow Head, NF to check prices on the lobster meal being offered there during this weekend's Lobster Festival. $20 a plate (more costly than Maine, and this was lobster country????). Wasn't worth it since we'd just had fish and chips an hour or so earlier. Turned off on a dusty, gravel road on the way back toward Rocky Harbor. Wanted to photograph the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse. Met a biker on our way in, his bike loaded to the gills with camping gear and he turned around and came back to talk to us. First thing he asked Liz was, "Do you enjoyed riding?" Of course, Liz said, "I love it!" He remarked, "I knew you did, I've never met a bike with a girl on the back that had such a big, happy smile." We'd heard about him from another biker we'd met earlier on the trip. Andre Breton, from Franklin, MA (USA), is working on his P.H.D. in wildlife management, focusing his studies on the Atlantic puffin. A smart fellow. Traveling right, he's on a great, older bike (Honda's 500cc Moto-Guzi ripoff) he bought for $200 and camping in places of his own choosing (free hidden roadside spots) along his way. Said he's had some very good nights and a few rougher ones. Andre's headed to the Eastern coast of Newfoundland to spend some time on Gull Island in Witless Bay, studying the Atlantic puffin colony there. We drove all the way back to Tim Horton's at Deer Lake, NF and got directions to a campground a few miles back up Rt. 430 in Cormack, NF - Funland Resort. They had sites with no privacy and LOTS of skeeters, but there was a decent bathouse. Another Saturday night and we had local punks for neighbors who played loud, "heavy" music 'til the wee hours of the morning. Jim slept right through it; Liz did not. DAY 12 -- Monday, 1 July 2002 Happy Canada Day! Out of bed at 7:30 and out of camp. Since Tim Horton's was so close, we stopped there for breakfast. Their coffee is wonderful! Looked around for a car wash, but no luck finding one with a hand wand. The bike and camper are mighty dusty from yesterday's gravel sideroads. From Deer Lake we followed the TCH (HWY. 1) eastward. Just beyond Sandy Lake, at a roadside campground filled bumper-to-bumper, small, permanent campers (with all sorts of hanging lights and flowerbed ornaments), walked a lone caribou -- just meandering along through their front parking lot. Got a couple of great pictures! Stopped for gas in Shepardsville, NF. We found vacuum-packed smoked salmon there. (Just what we'd hoped to find.) Bought it! While we were putting ice in the cooler, Andre drove in for gas. He bought some of the salmon, too. At the small gift shop/visitor's center next door, the employees were surprised we'd seen the caribou today. Said it was rare this time of year, as most of them had move northward for the summer. Also said that seeing only one was quite unusual, as caribou usually travel in herds. Thought our pics were a treasure. Andre joined us on the road for a while. We stopped for lunch at South Brook, a roadside park on the bay, with a pretty beach area. The entrance fee was only one loonie (a $1 Canadian coin) for the three of us. Had picnic tables, a water spigot (for washing hands - not for drinking), an outhouse, and a large open area for parking. Several campers were there for the day. We found a table and dug into our smoked salmon. It was absolutely delicious! Later, we all turned onto Hwy. 340, northward to Lewisport, NF. Found the ticket office for the Goose Bay ferry was closed today. Stopped for gas again and said "our goodbyes" to Andre. We went across the street to Subway; Andre continued up Hwy. 340 toward Twillingate, NF. We stopped for the night at Dildo Run Provincial Park in Virgin Arm, NF. It's a great park with excellent facilities! Although there was no power or water on the site, our campsite was large and level with a good fire ring and it was nestled against the wooded area just above the beach. Got settled early enough to wash two loads of laundry. Since we had the bike, one of the rangers delivered our firewood tonight. Nice guy. Andre drove in later and joined us. That was a pleasant surprise. He set up his tent and shared a couple of beers with Jim before we each went for hot showers before bedtime. Finished our smoked salmon for supper. Mosquitos starting getting a bit thick, sending us to our tents. In bed before dark. Slept good. (Today was very enjoyable, with temps reaching 86 degrees and bright, sunny skies.) DAY 13 -- Tuesday, 2 July 2002 Awake at 7:00. Andre cooked himself an instant-oatmeal breakfast while we got ourselves ready for the day. Once he packed his tent and gear, he got on the road to head toward St. John, NF possibly by way of the coastal loop to Gambo, NF. We took the bike to Twillingate, NF to find breakfast. Caught the morning 2 hour boat tour out in the Notre Dam Bay to see iceburgs! Our first one was awesome... with a tall thin side that had bright blue ice tones in the sunlight. (The portion of the iceburg that can be seen above the water is only about 10% of the whole thing. Think about looking at a single chip of ice floating in a glass of water. The major part is below the surface.) The boat circled the iceburg to allow close inspection. At one point, the depth finder on the boat was at 115 feet. Seconds later, the Captain was surprised -- it showed our depth was only 18 feet. He subtly backed away from the iceburg to keep us at a safer distance. A worker scooped up a large chunk that had fallen off of the iceburg, busted it into hand-sized pieces, and let us get a taste of the 10,000 year old chipped ice. Neat! The second 'burg was huge, 30-40 feet high and 300+ feet long. It was very rounded like a river rock, but you could see the textural lines of its melting patterns. It had a thin, dark, rusty layer all the way through it. Wonder what caused that 10,000 years ago? After the boat tour we took the scenic road out to the Twillingate Lighthouse. From there, high on the rock peninsula, we saw a whale playing at the far end of the rocks. The sea water below us was so clear that deep, underwater rock formations were visible. It was beautiful. In the distance you could see both of the iceburgs we'd seen on the boat tour. The long, flat one had turned! It was now very shapely and very tall. (Would liked to have seen it turn, but glad it waited 'til we were away from it!) Drove the small roads to the other side of town, a far as we could go, then turned around and went back to an interesting place for lunch. It was an old fire engine that had been nicely transformed into a roadside food stand. Ordered fish and chips again. Not bad! Followed the chef's directions to a local fish market - in search of more smoked salmon. Bought a big slab, though it had a different look than that we'd found yesterday. Back to camp to put the fish in the cooler. Then we drove up to the local library to check e-mail. Got on line. Had 30 minutes - FREE. Stopped to buy groceries and to fill the gas tank before getting back to camp for a short nap. Had another hot and sunny day. Wore shorts at the Park this afternoon. Got the fellows at the check-in to let us use their wall plug to recharge the battery for the digital camera. At one time, there was a passenger train on the island of Newfoundland. It was jokingly called the "Bullet" by locals. Was not a fast train. The tracks stretched from Channel Port-aux-Basque, NF on the lower west coast to St. John, NF on the far east coast, arching up near Lewisport, NF in the middle of the province. After better roads were built, mainly the TCH, which follows about the same route, the railway was no longer necessary, as the train had been an extremely slow way to travel. Now, all of the tracks and RR ties are gone. The Newfies maintain the gravel path well. It has stop signs, exits... and is very popular. Being used now by those interested in four wheeling across the province. It would be a great ride on a dirt bike. Wanted to know the story of why the old train service was discontinued. Asked one of the rangers about it. He shared this story to explain just how slow the train had been: A lady riding from St. John's to Port-aux-Basque kept asking when they'd arrive. She'd ask the same question everytime the attendent would pass through her train car. One day, when she stopped him, he told her he was tired of her asking when the train would get to it's destination. She told him that if he was "in her condition", he'd be rushing the train to Port-aux-Basque. He told her that she shouldn't have gotten on the train "in her condition". She explained... she wasn't "in that condition" when she boarded at St. John's. There is a section of early tram-track at Dildo Run that was built for hand car use and was only a mile or so long. It allowed early settlers to take things across the narrow land crossing, saving time by not having to go by boat all the way around the Twillingate peninsula. There's a nice area of the Park - a new boardwalk with exhibits by the water, with the actual old hand car on restored tracks for visitors to enjoy. Early night... with no electrical light. We're living with the sun. DAY 14 -- Wednesday, 3 July 2002 Packed up and got on the backroads, Hwy. 340 to 331 and down 330 to Gander, NF. It's a good sized town - even has a Wal-Mart. We found the downtown Tim Horton's. It really doesn't get old going there so often, as they have a different selection of muffins & pastries everyday and, like we said before, their coffee is really good. Met and had a nice chat with a few local fellows and then with the mayor, Claude Elliot, a real nice guy, who welcomed us to town and told us a little about Gander and what to see there. Got directions to the Harley dealership (Central Cycle and Recreation Unlimited), just about three blocks away on McCurdy Drive. When we went inside, Jim bought a t-shirt. While we were paying for it, Jim asked about an oil change (not the filter). We were warmly greeted by the owner, Mark Whitten who got our information and got the bike into the service department within minutes. Cost was just under $27 Canadian, that's about $18 US. Once the bike was off the rack, Mark turned on his SIMONIZ pressure washer to rinse out the belt. It had been squeaking due to the dust that had covered everything. When Liz got a hand towel out of the trunk and started drying the bike, Mark asked her to wait. He got a bucket and a large sponge. He sprayed the bike down with S-100 and started washing away. After his final rinse, he handed her a wonderful shammy to dry it off. This kind of service can't be found in any other shop on the face of this earth. Well, not that we've heard about, anyway. Took pics of this unforgetable experience. Jim just couldn't believe it! Thank you, Mark. Well, people have told us that you don't go to Newfoundland for the weather or for the great things you'll see; you go there for the people. We agree! Most of them are very open and friendly and will go out of their way to help you. On the highway toward St. John's, we stopped later for lunch in Clarenville, NF at Tim Horton's. Went to Wal-mart and found the Post Office. Back to the TCH, as we traveled eastward, the landscape changed from forest to rock (almost barren) to forest-covered ridges. Talked to bikers at most every stop. There are many bikers out enjoying this good weather. Local folks say that Newfoundland has a great summer -- all seven days! Well, we're enjoying the summer here this year. At our last gas stop, we heard news that the town of North West River and the village of Sheshatshit in Labrador (just north of Goose Bay) had been evacuated yesterday due to a forest fire in the area. Need to check to see if the ferry's still planning to leave Lewisport this Sunday. Took Rt. 210 south to Kilmory Resort in Swift Current, NF - looking for a campsite, but decided to get a cabin there for the night. The bugs were bad and the campground facilities weren't much better. Our cabin had two bedrooms, a livingroom/ kitchen combo, and a bath. The smoked salmon we bought at the market in Twillingate was cold smoked and a bit raw tasting to us, so Jim heated it through slowly in the oven tonight. Made an excellent supper with the canned peas and his spiced up canned sliced potatoes. Poor tv reception and only two channels. Couldn't decide which offered better programming. Wanted to catch the news about the fires in Labrador, but there was none. Sorry, spongy mattress. The one in the camper puts it to shame. GOOSE BAY TRIP LOG continued ... Click here for PAGE 2 |
PAGE 1: Franklin, NC to Maine, ferry to Nova Scotia, lighthouses, ferry to Newfoundland, sites w/moose & caribou+ CLICK HERE FOR: PAGE 2: Iceburg Alley to Goose Bay, Labrador, northern lights, CBC interview, first day & 1/2 of Trans Labrador Highway (gravel road), dropped the bike & CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 3: Rest of gravel road to Manic 5 (Quebec), w/more road graders, Baie Comeau, ferry across the St. Lawrence River (Seaway), back into USA & home. |
LINKS OF INTEREST |
POSSUM AND LIZZARD'S "EXCELLENT ADVENTURE" AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO BY ROAD IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA |
"THE GOOSE BAY TRIP" |
Franklin, NC |
Labrador City |
Baie Comeau |
Bar Habor |
Yarmouth |
The trip, as planned for the last of June '02, will take us first to Bar Harbor, Maine to catch the "Cat", a fast ferry to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. We plan to tour the "Lighthouse Trail" and the east coast of NS for three days and then catch the ferry from North Sydney to Channel Port Aux Basque, Newfoundland. 7 days in NFLD, then 2 day ferry up Iceberg Alley to Goose Bay, Labrador. The 450 miles of gravel + 150 miles of paving (Trans Labrador Highway) begins here and runs down to Baie Comeau, Quebec. Plan to go the St. Lawrence Seaway to Niagra Falls, then home. |
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We will be traveling on a 2001 Harley Davidson Softail, pulling a B&F pop-up-camper. Trip will be approximately 5500 miles, 450 miles of which will be wilderness road of gravel/sand/mud. |
LINKS OF INTEREST |
Trip Log and Photos Our GUESTBOOK can be found on PAGE 3 |
Things probably won't be this purty when we get back. |
PAGE 1: Franklin, NC to Maine, ferry to Nova Scotia, lighthouses, ferry to Newfoundland, sites w/moose & caribou+ CLICK HERE FOR: PAGE 2: Iceburg Alley to Goose Bay, Labrador, northern lights, CBC interview, first day & 1/2 of Trans Labrador Highway (gravel road), dropped the bike & CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 3: Rest of gravel road to Manic 5 (Quebec), w/more road graders, Baie Comeau, ferry across the St. Lawrence River (Seaway), back into USA & home. |
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Preparations 18 June 2002 Preparations for the trip are almost complete. A new set of Metzler Marathons (more on them later) have been installed and the slick has been worn off. All fluids have been changed and the shocks are turned up to their maximum preload. As usual, Lizzard has overloaded the camper with totally unnecessary things -- like clothes. (She won't believe that one pair of Levis will last for 2+ weeks before washing.) Wally World has it all. Wear it 'til you can't stand it anymore, throw it away and buy a new one. Makes packing simple. Two more days and a wakeup. 19 June 2002 Can't stand it any longer. Gotta go. We're pulling out in the morning - a day early. All packed anyway. Leaving tomorrow gives us one more day in Bar Harbor to see the sights. The camper is packed to the gills -- next commo will be from the road. |
DAY 1 -- Thursday, 20 June 2002 (495 miles) From Franklin, NC to Strasburg,VA. Stopped by Gene Lummus H-D in Swannanoa, NC for a couple of items. Smooth trip via I-40 and I-77 to I-81 today with comfortable weather after the early morning cool. Camped at Battle of Cedar Creek Campground tonight. It's at Exit 298, just south of I-66. Lots of "skeeters" and not too warm a welcome. Had supper at Bad Water Bill's, a local bar-b-que and beer joint. Back to camp for a bath and bed. The campground should be called "Battle of the Jake Brake", as the truck noise from the Interstate was loud all night. DAY 2 -- Friday, 21 June 2002 (615 miles) Awake at 5:45am and pulled out of camp shortly after. Off the highway at lunch and lucked up on a neat hotdog wagon on the side road. Later this afternoon, we hit bad traffic jams - three, back-to-back - in Danbury, Waterbury and Hartford, CT. (Bad planning. Hit that area at rush hour.) Stopped for the night at Wells State Park in Massachusetts, just north of the I-84 & I-90 intersection. Only $12, but no electrical or water. Found a nice campsite just above the lake - quite and private. Had supper in the tent (due to mosquitoes) after we fought them at the showers. Slept good. DAY 3 -- Saturday, 22 June 2002 (1122 miles so far) Had an early morning oil change at a local H-D dealer we found on the way to b'fast on Highway 20 in Auburn, MA (N.F.Sheldon, Inc.). Later in the day, Maine welcomed us with a frog stangling rain. Although we'd stopped earlier for rain suits, Liz and I spent an hour inspecting the underside of an I-95 overpass. Drove on into Wells, ME to a private campground (Ocean View Cottages and Campground). Set up the tent in a light sprinkling rain. Enjoyed a good fish and chips supper at Lord's Harborside Restaurant (best seafood we had on our trip). Although we had to pay for hot showers at camp, they were well worth a couple of quarters. Had more rain before morning. DAY 4 -- Sunday, 23 June 2002 (trip @ 1339 miles) On the road at 8:00am, in the rain. Luckily, it didn't follow us too long. The Interstates were rather boring up to Augusta, ME, where we took Hwy. 3 across to the coast. Things started getting seriously pretty on that route. Lupins (or lupines) were in full bloom. Stopped in Ellsworth, ME at the L.L.Bean Outlet Store. (If they had outlet prices, we'd hate to see full retail.) Rode on to Bar Harbor and checked on the schedule for The CAT ferry (actually, the INCAT 98 Wave-Piercing Catamaran Car Passenger Ferry) to Novia Scotia. We were just in time for the afternoon run. Decided to forego the extra day exploring the Bar Harbor area since it was rainy again. Met Ray and Lynn Montgomery, from Danville, KY, while waiting for the ferry to arrive. They were both on Harleys. We talked a bit and sat with them during the onboard movie, Pay It Forward. They're a great couple, enjoying a week off after tax season -- on their way to Cape Breton Island, NS. Lynn is a member of Motor Maids, Inc., the oldest Woman's MC. Took a photo of a silly sign on the ferry on the walk up the ramp from the parking deck to the lounge area. Think it meant "run like hell to get a seat". The CAT, an up to 55mph vessel, cost us $250 for the one way, quick -- 2 1/2hr --trip, saving over 600 road miles and up to 10 hours of driving. What a hoot! Been both ways now, by road through New Brunswick and by ferry. The road is the best way by far. Arrived in Yarmouth, NS in the late afternoon. Set the clock back 1 hour (Atlantic Time). Made a quick stop at the Visitor's Center, then drove straight to the campground they suggested: Loomer's Campers' Haven - about 3 miles away. Had a wonderful full moon followed by late night thunderstorms. Good sleeping weather. DAY 5 -- Monday, 24 June 2002 Not counting miles anymore. In Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Now the fun begins... Up at 7:00am. Cooked oatmeal for breakfast while we washed clothes. Heard loons on the lake, but didn't see any from our nearest lakeside stop. There was an older couple at the campground today walking the BIGGEST dog we'd ever seen. She was a 172lb. Irish Wolfhound. Wow! The ground cover on the hillside below the tent was beautiful. Today's bright sun allowed the camper to dry out after the heavy rains. Temps reached 56-58 degrees and we had a brisk breeze all day. We took time to tour Yarmouth. Was a neat, clean town -- with our first Tim Horton's of the trip. (That's a chain of shops with yummy soups, bagels, doughnuts and the best chili we've had lately.) Went to the local library to find a $2/hr internet connection. Visited the Firefighter's Museum. Amazed at all of the old pumpers and gear. Took some photos and had them developed while we picked up some groceries and later mailed some photos to Brother Bob, along with some post cards and other items. Mid-afternoon we went back to Tim Horton's for more soup and a bagel. Back to camp with groceries and ice. Picked up our jackets (today's breeze was COOL), then took the nice, scenic drive out to the Cape Forchu Lightstation. The "apple core" style lighthouse is strikingly tall (91'). It's placed on a natural rock barrier. Some of the lower rocks in the area are covered with a seaweed which is gathered and processed at a local factory to make pectin. We were glad to return to the same campsite tonight. Had a nice campfire. Tired, but satisfied -- had a good, relaxing day. (The skeeters are a bitch already. Wonder what they will be like up North? We'll head up the "Lighthouse Trail" tomorrow.) DAY 6 -- Tuesday, 25 June 2002 Up at 7:15am. Breakfast at camp (Tim Horton's muffin with orange juice), then on to the Lighthouse Trail -- with perfect weather today. Along the "trail" were flowers of all types. We pic'ed a few on our way. The back roads were not very good (piss poor). Jim stayed busy dodging cracks and potholes. Areas where they were trimming back the greenery smelled just like fresh cut Christmas trees. So did all of the log trucks we got stuck behind. Made following them almost a pleasure. On into Liverpool, NS to the Harbor Point Lighthouse and later to the out-of-the-way, touristy, historic town on Lunenburg, NS to see the "Bluenose II". Talked to Mike Cormier and Donna Keough there. They took time with us to look at our map of Newfoundland and point out places of interest, Dildo, in particular. Set up camp this afternoon at the Sea Side Camping Grounds in Glen Margaret, NS and continued, without the camper, to Peggy's Cove - about a ten mile ride. Trip mileage at Peggy's Cove read 1560 -- well worth the drive. It was magnificent; nature at it's best. On the way back, we stopped at the Swissair Flight 111 Memorial. It's simple, yet dramatic. The Peggy's Cove Lighthouse was visible in the distance. Admired the wildflowers and ground cover as we walked along... The restaurant that was suggested to us earlier was closed when we came back by, so we had supper in the camper again -- Ritz, Vienna sausages and cheese. Just zipped the bugs outside! DAY 7 -- Wednesday, 26 June 2002 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRACI ! Up and at 'em by 7:00am -- captured a couple of signs at the campground before we left. Headed toward the Cabot Trail. Stopped by the H-D store in Halifax/Dartmouth, NS. No t-shirts this time. Another stop today was off of Hwy.102 between Halifax and Truru... at a little place known as Stewiacke, NS. It happens to be located EXACTLY HALFWAY between the Equator and the North Pole. Tried to call Traci, Jim's daughter, today for her birthday, but missed her. Lots of beautiful scenery all along the way. Had another beautiful day. A bit warm for brief road construction delays above the Canso Causeway. We were lucky to hit them at a good time and zipped right through. Made Baddeck, NS and continued on to Englishtown, NS to a campground (on the top of a hill with a STEEP gravel drive up and back down). Since there was rain in the forecast for tomorrow on the Cabot Trail, we decided to push on to the campground near North Sydney, NS, the nearest one to the ferry to Newfoundland (pronounced by the Newfies as New-fin-LAND; rhymes with understand). Luckily, we were able to change our ferry reservations. We leave for NFLD tomorrow morning. Set up camp at the Arm of Gold Campground in Bras d'Or,Cape Breton, NS -- the same one we stayed at two years ago. They've made lots of improvements. Many motor homes were there, including 8-10 Prevost (rolling mansions). Pay showers again - must be a Northern thing. Caught up on laundry, too. We're two days ahead of schedule. Jim had to stop in at the "Lick-a-Chick", just down the street, to get a t-shirt and some post cards. DAY 8 -- Thursday, 27 June 2002 Had to be at the Ferry early to get in line. No worries. We were up just after daylight - 5:15 AT (4:15 EST). Sunrise is early here! Packed up and stopped by Tim Horton's for breakfast "to go" before getting to the ferry gate early for our 8:00 check-in. We were put in the front of the line for the pull-on/pull-off loading. While we were waiting, we ate b'fast at a side picnic table. Tim & Donna Honsinger, a couple walking their yellow lab, stopped by and we easily got into a conversation with them... Jim fed his muffin crumbs to Scrappy. What a smart dog! He's trained and well mannered -- and full of love. Once on the ferry, we visited with the Honsingers awhile, then they invited us to join them at lunch, too. Tim is a real live "dead" war hero. His name is on The Wall - panel 10E line 86. He's one of 25 men mistakenly listed as KIA in Vietnam. His story is one of heroism and hell. We sat spellbound as he told us the short and, surely, highly edited tale. We feel privileged to have met and talked with him. Tim shared this quote, which he and Donna live by: "Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER." --Mark Twain Welcome to Newfoundland Had six hours on the ferry. Was a smooth, yet foggy & damp ride over. Thankfully, it wasn't raining when we got off. But, the bike and the roads were wet and the clouds were low. Hey, we're in Newfoundland! Time to reset the clock - up by 30 minutes to put us on "Newfie Time". It's different. Stopped just outside Port-aux-Basque, NF ("The Rock") at the Visitor's Center for info on camping. The 30 minute drive was along an area with infamously strong winds. Blows so hard it once blew a locomotive off the tracks. Whew! Could have been worse... we were told that if we got to the big truck parking lot and it was full of truckers, we should heed the warning, pull over and wait for them to roll on before attempting to cross this area. The lot was empty, so we pushed through. Pulled into the second campground on the left, (Doyles, NF) Grand Codroy R.V. Camping, to find Tim and Donna were there and had already set up and were out for a walk. Tim invited us to stop by for a visit after we got settled. We set up on a great site - near the restrooms. We rode to the local Irving's station for supper. Looked at the muffins at the checkout as a possibility for tomorrow's b'fast. Jim asked the pretty, young, freckled-faced and red-headed girl working there, "How does a Partridge Berry taste?" With her strong, Irish-to-the-tee accent, she said, "They're a wee bit tart for me taste buds." Jim got a kick out of her answer. He wanted to bottle her up and take her home! Back at camp, we visited Tim and Donna in their R.V. Nice chat! Tim shared reports and a book related to his Vietnam experiences. Like Liz, Donna had been a teacher for several years. (Donna has her a PHD in Physics.) They had lots in common - a love of animals, school experiences and their interests in traveling. Tim and Donna, from Arlington, TX, when they're home, travel 10+ months each year and will be on "The Island", as Newfoundland is often called, for the next two months. What a wonderful adventure! Cool tonight, but not cold. Quite windy all night! Good sleeping. DAY 9 -- Friday, 28 June 2002 Was sprinkling this morning at the campground -- locals called it "pecking" rain. We were invited to join Tim, Donna and Scrappy, in their Jeep to tour Rose Blanche, NF, a coastal drive just east of Port-aux-Basque. Took lots of pics, stopped for a fish and chips lunch -- more chips(fries) than you can imagine, toured all the town roads, then stopped on the way back and hiked along a boardwalk to view a nice waterfall. Found a variety of ground cover all around including the Pitcher Plant, Newfoundland's provincial flower. Nice scenery; good day. Tried to find an internet connection later, but the library was closed. Called Jerry & Syble at home. Jerry asked about using our trailer -- needed to pull his bike to Lummus' for repairs. Called Traci, too. Liz took time to wash a few clothes. Had a bit of a scare this evening. Heard through the Newfie grapevine that the ferry to Goose Bay may not be running, as the lake (Lake Melville) had been "frozen over" just days ago. Jim called the 800 number. We think the ferry's up and running now. DAY 10 -- Saturday, 29 June 2002 Left camp at around 8:30 after Tim got a pic of us w/the bike and camper and we got pics of Tim, Donna and Scrappy beside their R.V. Hope to see them all again. Headed North on Hwy.1, the TCH (Trans Canada Highway) -- a GOOD road. Stopped for a mid-morning b'fast of pancakes and French toast at a small Irving's. We rode into the town of Corner Brook, NF looking for the internet. The library there is closed on Saturday, so we continued our search. Some young folks gave us directions to a coffee house at the downtown mall. If you want to know where anything is, ask a teenager. When we checked e-mails and the web page, we were stunned to find all of the bits of news about Tall Dick's (a Two Dog brother) shooting death. Took us a while to put all of the information together and to understand. We e-mailed Bonnie -- we're both very concerned for her. Dick's funeral was today. At a loss, too, as we are so far away. We also e-mailed Preacher and left a note on the message board. Back on the road... from the TCH to Deer Lake, NF and took Routes 430 and 431 to find camping at Lomond River Lodge. Trout and salmon fishermen were everywhere! The campground had good facilities and a coffee shop (small restrurant) at the camp store where we had hamburgers for supper. Headed next for hot showers and our books. Continued to roll the news about Dick and our concerned feelings for Bonnie around in our hearts and minds. DAY 11 -- Sunday, 30 June 2002 Out of camp at 8:30 with just the bike. Made a morning run out Rt. 431 - one of two roads that pass through Gros Morne National Park. What a ride! We drove through the barren, spectacular Tablelands. In that area, we stopped for Liz to get off of the bike to take a photo of a distant waterfall. While she was focusing the camera, a moose came up the steep hillside, onto and across the road. Honked the horn on the bike to get his attention. It worked...he turned around and looked at us as if to say, "Kiss my ass." She got a picture of this "Bullwinkle" fellow before he disappeared. Now we want to find "Rocky". Rode on out to Trout River Pond, where they offer a boat tour (1:00pm today), but we were too early to catch it. Back by the Discovery Center -- the best Visitor's Center we've seen. They had excellent exhibits, a gift shop, an upstairs viewing deck and a coffee shop to boot. Jim found a t-shirt he had to have... a black one with the yellow warning sign showing a moose facing a crashed car. Actual road signs like it are in the area! Back to pick up the camper and check out by noon. Drove to Rt. 430, the road (not in good condition) that takes you to the northern area of the Gros Morne. It was very scenic, though. Stopped in Rocky Harbor, NF at a gift shop to find the only internet hook up around -- cost a toonie (one $2 Canadian coin) for 30 minutes with s-l-o-w web access. Further north, we found a roadside "fish and chips" vendor. Up the road (with potholes and raised ridge bumps), we saw our second moose ...taking his time, munching just under the edge of the overhang of the scrubby trees on the side of the road. Got some close-up shots with the camera. All the way up to Shallow Bay, NF to find camping there would offer no power and would probably offer more black flies than we wanted to face. Southbound, still on 430, the only route back to the TCH, we stopped at a church in the small town of Cow Head, NF to check prices on the lobster meal being offered there during this weekend's Lobster Festival. $20 a plate (more costly than Maine, and this was lobster country????). Wasn't worth it since we'd just had fish and chips an hour or so earlier. Turned off on a dusty, gravel road on the way back toward Rocky Harbor. Wanted to photograph the Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse. Met a biker on our way in, his bike loaded to the gills with camping gear and he turned around and came back to talk to us. First thing he asked Liz was, "Do you enjoyed riding?" Of course, Liz said, "I love it!" He remarked, "I knew you did, I've never met a bike with a girl on the back that had such a big, happy smile." We'd heard about him from another biker we'd met earlier on the trip. Andre Breton, from Franklin, MA (USA), is working on his P.H.D. in wildlife management, focusing his studies on the Atlantic puffin. A smart fellow. Traveling right, he's on a great, older bike (Honda's 500cc Moto-Guzi ripoff) he bought for $200 and camping in places of his own choosing (free hidden roadside spots) along his way. Said he's had some very good nights and a few rougher ones. Andre's headed to the Eastern coast of Newfoundland to spend some time on Gull Island in Witless Bay, studying the Atlantic puffin colony there. We drove all the way back to Tim Horton's at Deer Lake, NF and got directions to a campground a few miles back up Rt. 430 in Cormack, NF - Funland Resort. They had sites with no privacy and LOTS of skeeters, but there was a decent bathouse. Another Saturday night and we had local punks for neighbors who played loud, "heavy" music 'til the wee hours of the morning. Jim slept right through it; Liz did not. DAY 12 -- Monday, 1 July 2002 Happy Canada Day! Out of bed at 7:30 and out of camp. Since Tim Horton's was so close, we stopped there for breakfast. Their coffee is wonderful! Looked around for a car wash, but no luck finding one with a hand wand. The bike and camper are mighty dusty from yesterday's gravel sideroads. From Deer Lake we followed the TCH (HWY. 1) eastward. Just beyond Sandy Lake, at a roadside campground filled bumper-to-bumper, small, permanent campers (with all sorts of hanging lights and flowerbed ornaments), walked a lone caribou -- just meandering along through their front parking lot. Got a couple of great pictures! Stopped for gas in Shepardsville, NF. We found vacuum-packed smoked salmon there. (Just what we'd hoped to find.) Bought it! While we were putting ice in the cooler, Andre drove in for gas. He bought some of the salmon, too. At the small gift shop/visitor's center next door, the employees were surprised we'd seen the caribou today. Said it was rare this time of year, as most of them had move northward for the summer. Also said that seeing only one was quite unusual, as caribou usually travel in herds. Thought our pics were a treasure. Andre joined us on the road for a while. We stopped for lunch at South Brook, a roadside park on the bay, with a pretty beach area. The entrance fee was only one loonie (a $1 Canadian coin) for the three of us. Had picnic tables, a water spigot (for washing hands - not for drinking), an outhouse, and a large open area for parking. Several campers were there for the day. We found a table and dug into our smoked salmon. It was absolutely delicious! Later, we all turned onto Hwy. 340, northward to Lewisport, NF. Found the ticket office for the Goose Bay ferry was closed today. Stopped for gas again and said "our goodbyes" to Andre. We went across the street to Subway; Andre continued up Hwy. 340 toward Twillingate, NF. We stopped for the night at Dildo Run Provincial Park in Virgin Arm, NF. It's a great park with excellent facilities! Although there was no power or water on the site, our campsite was large and level with a good fire ring and it was nestled against the wooded area just above the beach. Got settled early enough to wash two loads of laundry. Since we had the bike, one of the rangers delivered our firewood tonight. Nice guy. Andre drove in later and joined us. That was a pleasant surprise. He set up his tent and shared a couple of beers with Jim before we each went for hot showers before bedtime. Finished our smoked salmon for supper. Mosquitos starting getting a bit thick, sending us to our tents. In bed before dark. Slept good. (Today was very enjoyable, with temps reaching 86 degrees and bright, sunny skies.) DAY 13 -- Tuesday, 2 July 2002 Awake at 7:00. Andre cooked himself an instant-oatmeal breakfast while we got ourselves ready for the day. Once he packed his tent and gear, he got on the road to head toward St. John, NF possibly by way of the coastal loop to Gambo, NF. We took the bike to Twillingate, NF to find breakfast. Caught the morning 2 hour boat tour out in the Notre Dam Bay to see iceburgs! Our first one was awesome... with a tall thin side that had bright blue ice tones in the sunlight. (The portion of the iceburg that can be seen above the water is only about 10% of the whole thing. Think about looking at a single chip of ice floating in a glass of water. The major part is below the surface.) The boat circled the iceburg to allow close inspection. At one point, the depth finder on the boat was at 115 feet. Seconds later, the Captain was surprised -- it showed our depth was only 18 feet. He subtly backed away from the iceburg to keep us at a safer distance. A worker scooped up a large chunk that had fallen off of the iceburg, busted it into hand-sized pieces, and let us get a taste of the 10,000 year old chipped ice. Neat! The second 'burg was huge, 30-40 feet high and 300+ feet long. It was very rounded like a river rock, but you could see the textural lines of its melting patterns. It had a thin, dark, rusty layer all the way through it. Wonder what caused that 10,000 years ago? After the boat tour we took the scenic road out to the Twillingate Lighthouse. From there, high on the rock peninsula, we saw a whale playing at the far end of the rocks. The sea water below us was so clear that deep, underwater rock formations were visible. It was beautiful. In the distance you could see both of the iceburgs we'd seen on the boat tour. The long, flat one had turned! It was now very shapely and very tall. (Would liked to have seen it turn, but glad it waited 'til we were away from it!) Drove the small roads to the other side of town, a far as we could go, then turned around and went back to an interesting place for lunch. It was an old fire engine that had been nicely transformed into a roadside food stand. Ordered fish and chips again. Not bad! Followed the chef's directions to a local fish market - in search of more smoked salmon. Bought a big slab, though it had a different look than that we'd found yesterday. Back to camp to put the fish in the cooler. Then we drove up to the local library to check e-mail. Got on line. Had 30 minutes - FREE. Stopped to buy groceries and to fill the gas tank before getting back to camp for a short nap. Had another hot and sunny day. Wore shorts at the Park this afternoon. Got the fellows at the check-in to let us use their wall plug to recharge the battery for the digital camera. At one time, there was a passenger train on the island of Newfoundland. It was jokingly called the "Bullet" by locals. Was not a fast train. The tracks stretched from Channel Port-aux-Basque, NF on the lower west coast to St. John, NF on the far east coast, arching up near Lewisport, NF in the middle of the province. After better roads were built, mainly the TCH, which follows about the same route, the railway was no longer necessary, as the train had been an extremely slow way to travel. Now, all of the tracks and RR ties are gone. The Newfies maintain the gravel path well. It has stop signs, exits... and is very popular. Being used now by those interested in four wheeling across the province. It would be a great ride on a dirt bike. Wanted to know the story of why the old train service was discontinued. Asked one of the rangers about it. He shared this story to explain just how slow the train had been: A lady riding from St. John's to Port-aux-Basque kept asking when they'd arrive. She'd ask the same question everytime the attendent would pass through her train car. One day, when she stopped him, he told her he was tired of her asking when the train would get to it's destination. She told him that if he was "in her condition", he'd be rushing the train to Port-aux-Basque. He told her that she shouldn't have gotten on the train "in her condition". She explained... she wasn't "in that condition" when she boarded at St. John's. There is a section of early tram-track at Dildo Run that was built for hand car use and was only a mile or so long. It allowed early settlers to take things across the narrow land crossing, saving time by not having to go by boat all the way around the Twillingate peninsula. There's a nice area of the Park - a new boardwalk with exhibits by the water, with the actual old hand car on restored tracks for visitors to enjoy. Early night... with no electrical light. We're living with the sun. DAY 14 -- Wednesday, 3 July 2002 Packed up and got on the backroads, Hwy. 340 to 331 and down 330 to Gander, NF. It's a good sized town - even has a Wal-Mart. We found the downtown Tim Horton's. It really doesn't get old going there so often, as they have a different selection of muffins & pastries everyday and, like we said before, their coffee is really good. Met and had a nice chat with a few local fellows and then with the mayor, Claude Elliot, a real nice guy, who welcomed us to town and told us a little about Gander and what to see there. Got directions to the Harley dealership (Central Cycle and Recreation Unlimited), just about three blocks away on McCurdy Drive. When we went inside, Jim bought a t-shirt. While we were paying for it, Jim asked about an oil change (not the filter). We were warmly greeted by the owner, Mark Whitten who got our information and got the bike into the service department within minutes. Cost was just under $27 Canadian, that's about $18 US. Once the bike was off the rack, Mark turned on his SIMONIZ pressure washer to rinse out the belt. It had been squeaking due to the dust that had covered everything. When Liz got a hand towel out of the trunk and started drying the bike, Mark asked her to wait. He got a bucket and a large sponge. He sprayed the bike down with S-100 and started washing away. After his final rinse, he handed her a wonderful shammy to dry it off. This kind of service can't be found in any other shop on the face of this earth. Well, not that we've heard about, anyway. Took pics of this unforgetable experience. Jim just couldn't believe it! Thank you, Mark. Well, people have told us that you don't go to Newfoundland for the weather or for the great things you'll see; you go there for the people. We agree! Most of them are very open and friendly and will go out of their way to help you. On the highway toward St. John's, we stopped later for lunch in Clarenville, NF at Tim Horton's. Went to Wal-mart and found the Post Office. Back to the TCH, as we traveled eastward, the landscape changed from forest to rock (almost barren) to forest-covered ridges. Talked to bikers at most every stop. There are many bikers out enjoying this good weather. Local folks say that Newfoundland has a great summer -- all seven days! Well, we're enjoying the summer here this year. At our last gas stop, we heard news that the town of North West River and the village of Sheshatshit in Labrador (just north of Goose Bay) had been evacuated yesterday due to a forest fire in the area. Need to check to see if the ferry's still planning to leave Lewisport this Sunday. Took Rt. 210 south to Kilmory Resort in Swift Current, NF - looking for a campsite, but decided to get a cabin there for the night. The bugs were bad and the campground facilities weren't much better. Our cabin had two bedrooms, a livingroom/ kitchen combo, and a bath. The smoked salmon we bought at the market in Twillingate was cold smoked and a bit raw tasting to us, so Jim heated it through slowly in the oven tonight. Made an excellent supper with the canned peas and his spiced up canned sliced potatoes. Poor tv reception and only two channels. Couldn't decide which offered better programming. Wanted to catch the news about the fires in Labrador, but there was none. Sorry, spongy mattress. The one in the camper puts it to shame. GOOSE BAY TRIP LOG continued ... Click here for PAGE 2 |
Beyond this point there be dragons... |
This picture was borrowed from the internet -- ours sucked. |
See the resemblance?? Both fat, grey and old as dirt. |
This one took time to look at and listen to the Harley. |
Our photo... |
Fertilized with Vigaro. |
Fertilized with Viagra. |
Rocky Harbor |
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