Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life Too

We aren’t able to describe all the places and things we saw today including: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the Staten Island Ferry, Ground Zero, sensational Highline Park, Grand Central Station, the UN Plaza, and Rockefeller Center. Our advice is that you must see it for yourself, hopefully on such a beautiful, sunny day as this and be prepared to be awed. When we finally make it back to the hotel we have to soak our feet and give one another foot massages so we can walk again tomorrow! We chose the Salisbury Hotel for its proximity to Central Park, however, we only manage a short evening stroll before taking our weary bodies to bed. Although we were married 35 years ago, this entire day has been a celebration of the love, trust, partnership, tolerance and tenacity that has characterized all our journeys together. We are grateful we can celebrate is such a memorable city!

New York, New York

We take our first trip on an Amtrak train from Boston’s South Station to New York’s Penn Station and enjoy the scenic route along the Eastern Seaboard very much. Train travel is a novelty for most North Americans like us and it seems such a leisurely way to travel. When we arrive in the Big Apple the sun is shining and we’re so excited we elect to walk to our hotel, the Salisbury, on 57th street (about 20 blocks).
By now we have mastered traveling light and our one small backpack is light as we slowly make our way through Times Square and up Broadway. We are dazzled, delighted, and determined to see as much as we can in the short time we are here. When we finally arrive at the Salisbury we are thrilled with our suite on the 15th floor. This is a very comfortable older hotel, well located and directly across the street from Carnegie Hall. This is a bit of a splurge for us but we are celebrating a significant anniversary, not to mention our first visit to New York!

Boston Deluge

It has poured rain all night and as there are no signs of it letting up we decide to do some sightseeing in spite of the wet! We haven’t been in Boston for 32 years and want to reacquaint ourselves with this gracious historic city that is buzzing with today’s funeral of Senator Edward Kennedy. We are soaked to the skin by noon as the wind keeps turning our borrowed umbrellas inside out so we head back to the house for dry clothing. We are so grateful not to be riding in rain that walking in rain seems quite pleasant! In the afternoon our nephew, who is doing research at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), takes us on an exclusive tour of the campus. We are delighted that all of the buildings at MIT are connected by tunnels or covered walkways right from the subways stations, which enables us to walk freely regardless of the weather.
Our visit to MIT includes a few very enjoyable hours at the MIT Museum, two floors of galleries with fascinating exhibits. The museum documents what an MIT education involves past and present, in addition to stimulating an understanding and appreciation of the meanings of scientific and technological innovation in the modern world. We were dazzled by the eye-popping holography collection, amused by the robotic devices (including Kismet), and intrigued by the kinetic sculptures of Arthur Ganson.
As we freshen up before dinner the rain begins to ease but we still take the car the short distance to “Not Just Your Average Joe” restaurant for an excellent dinner. We are leaving the motorcycle in our nephew’s cozy garage and taking off to New York in the morning. We regret that we haven’t more time to visit with our nephew and his family in Boston but Marlene’s portion of this adventure is quickly coming to a close and we’ve got to go, as we’ve planned to spend our 35th wedding anniversary in New York!

Disappointment

Our disappointment with Kittery and the Rodeway Inn in particular set the tone for our ride today. We’re feeling a bit bummed out - perhaps the size of our dream was unrealistic, perhaps we’re getting tired of this journey, or perhaps our second approaching Atlantic hurricane is simply depressing our spirits. Although we haven’t far to travel on the very congested Hwy1 to the Harley dealer in North Hampton, NH we are not only a little late arriving, but also the bike service takes longer than we expect and is wickedly expensive. We’re never sure what to expect from HD service centers that we are unfamiliar with, as the level of service and the cost of service varies greatly from location to location. We do not see many motorcycles on Hwy 1, which parallels the Turnpike all the way to Boston, certainly North America offers much better riding opportunities than these busy roads on the eastern Seaboard.
The online directions we downloaded to our nephew’s home in Arlington (part of metro Boston) prove correct and despite the traffic, the threat of rain, and some disappointments in sights and stops, we arrive safely. We don’t have a GPS on the motorcycle and usually don’t miss it because we rarely ride in large cities such as Boston. Our chief joy riding in North America is the many wide-open spaces and roads so we try to maximize our pleasure by riding the open road and traveling the crowded city places by public transit or car. We don’t arrive a minute too soon because just as Barry parks the bike in the garage the rain from the second Atlantic hurricane of the trip begins to fall.

Singing The Blues

It is wonderful to wake to a blue sky and although the air has a cold edge we get an earlier than usual start as we’ve gained an hour (Atlantic to Eastern Time). We’re riding Hwy 1 down the coast of Maine enjoying the shoreline whenever it’s visible and the ambiance of New England. There are many beautiful old houses and it is much more populated than our Maritimes but the beautiful scenery is similar.
With true New England economy every other town has incorporated the word “port” into its place name. The highway is more of a commercial strip than a thoroughfare as the majority of the homes are also businesses providing every service or product imaginable. We decide if we ever decide to open a home-occupation business we will come back here for ideas. Needless to say this is a road for leisure travel only, Barry is practicing his slow riding techniques and being ever so vigilant for all the drivers who are making left-hand turns across double solid lines! The Maine Turnpike, I-95, parallels the coast highway and we concede that the toll would be well worth it if we were intent on reaching a destination quickly.
We particularly enjoy the awesome new bridge over the Penobscot River at Verona and the area around Belfast. As we get closer to Camden the traffic thickens and we crawl through the town. The next town, Rockport, also has a traffic snarl and Hwy 1 winds through a number of very poorly signed one-way streets. We get all turned around and end up on the wrong highway, a harbinger of what is to come!
The further south we travel the worse the traffic gets and after we crawl through places like Wiscasset we ride the by-pass around Portland. We encounter the inevitable roadwork and are shunted onto a detour around Biddleford that not only takes us miles from Hwy 1 but then confuses us so badly we end up inland 15 miles from the coast! We’re grateful we had a great fish/shrimp lunch earlier and we’ve allowed lots of time for this sight-seeing trip.
As we approach Kittery, Marlene starts to get excited as this town is known for its expansive outlet mall. A brief glimpse is all she gets, however, as this community is a motorist’s nightmare, so crisscrossed by turnpikes, etc. that it has lost all its integrity as a community. We stop not once but twice for directions to augment our maps and still barely find our motel. Interestingly our second stop is at Kittery Town Hall where even they have no idea where our motel is and have to get out their huge detailed community maps to help us.
To make matters worse, when we finally arrive at this very poorly-signed Rodeway Inn, across the street from the new Fire Station, we wish we hadn’t found it! It should not be operating as it is undergoing renovations. In addition to being dangerous, it is the worst motel we’ve encountered on this trip and definitely a black-eye for the Choice Hotel chain. Our decision to stay reflects how defeated we’re feeling and that we’ve missed the cancellation time. A further dismay is that we have to get back on the bike and ride to find something to eat. It’s ironic how a day that began with such blue skies and promise has just left us singing the blues.

Ugh! Fog Again!

There must be some endearing qualities of fog but we’ve yet to find them. We have a reservation with Bay Ferries at 8:30 to make the three hour crossing from Digby NS to St. John NB but for some nefarious reason we have to be at the terminal an hour ahead. We’ve heard this ferry could use some improvements so you can imagine our mood as we stand on the asphalt beside the bike in the cold fog and count down 60 minutes, recalling that we prepaid $120 for this experience! You’re not allowed access to the vehicle deck during the voyage and we can well see why, as it has no windows, a dreadful smell, a wet uneven deck with huge puddles, and rusty condensation drips everywhere (we pity anyone with a pet aboard).
We’re grateful the upper decks are quite pleasant with all the amenities of our older BC Ferries, including one we don‘t have, and that is a young employee from the New Brunswick Museum who does small interpretation sessions in the lounge for interested travelers. Once again we remind ourselves that we’ll have more tolerance for the BC Ferries after our experiences with even less value-for-money ferries this summer.
Interestingly the Atlantic newspapers carried an editorial (covering-his-ass letter) by the CEO of Marine Atlantic (NFLD ferries) explaining all the difficulties the company’s encountered this summer and asking for the public’s understanding. The East Coast sincerely promises outstanding natural and historical attractions year round but weather, even in summer, is unpredictable so like many places that rely on tourism to shore up faltering local economies, access and affordability to and from play a huge part.
There are a number of homeward bound Americans on the ferry who are disappointed they didn’t see any moose but still hopeful they’ll see a whale in the Bay of Fundy. They remain disappointed as the damnable fog intensifies. We are content in this regard as we have seen many whales from a distance and no moose at any distance! St. John is obliterated by fog and our first hour of riding on HWY 1 is miserable and cold.
By the time we reach St. Stephen which shares the border crossing with Calais, Maine the fog has lifted to a high overcast and it is much warmer. Carmen’s Diner beckons as we’re trying to forget our breakfast on the ferry. Carmen’s is busy with locals, always a good sign, and Marlene is particularly pleased with her Hot Pork sandwich. A good road meal always improves the trip and we wait patiently at the border until we can happily set off on Hwy 9 to Beddington. The coast is still fogged in so Hwy 1 which offers sporadic views of the ocean at best is not a good choice yet.
By the time we reach Cherryfield, the blueberry capital of North America, the coast highway is sufficiently clear enough to ride. We’ve never seen fields of low bush blueberries (only high bush) and we watch the harvesters with their long scoops speedily picking. We are disappointed to see that the migrant workers’ accommodation here is about as dismal as that in California.
This northeast corner of Maine is mostly wooded, rolling country, good for hunting, and very much like our Maritimes. Hwy 1 follows a serpentine bumpy alignment that we hope will be offset by the view of the coast. It looks like it may rain by the time we pull in to the Comfort Inn in Ellsworth. We are all smiles, however, as Barry is back in the country of cheap Miller beer and Ellsworth has a L.L. Bean outlet right beside the motel - wonder who planned that?

Fundy Shore and Annapolis Valley

Fog again, the only thing that keeps us from total discouragement is the forecast that promises the fog will lift by noon. We’ve so many places we want to see today that we set out regardless. Our first destination is Bear River a small village nestled in a deep valley that have some waterfront buildings on stilts to keep above the high tides. The rivers here on the Bay of Fundy are tidal, wide, high-banked and muddy ugly when the tide is out but quite pretty when the tide is in. The entire Bay of Fundy area has dramatic 9’ or more tide changes.
We ride Hwy 1 (the old coast highway) to our second stop, the riverside town of Annapolis Royal which is busy with tourists. The fog has lifted so we head to the impressive Annapolis river Causeway & Tidal Generating Station. It is the only saltwater generating station in North America and the visitor centre offers displays and scenic views of both the tidal flow and the surrounding area.
We continue on Hwy 1 to the Port Royal National Historic Site, one of the most important in North America. In the 17th century, a European country could claim a territory in the New World if it had a year-round settlement there. To do this for France, fur trader Pierre Du Gua de Monts and explorer Samuel de Champlain set up camp in 1604 on Île Ste. Croix, a tiny island on the current Maine-New Brunswick border. But snow came in October, and food and firewood ran short. Of 79 colonists, 35 died of scurvy during that winter.
The next year, the colony moved across the Bay of Fundy to a sheltered bay, Port Royal. Champlain built Habitation, a compound of log houses protected by a stockade. It flourished until 1613 when English raiders from Virginia looted and burned it. The Habitation stands again at Port Royal, reconstructed in 1940 from Champlain's drawings. The colonists today are actor/guides in linen blouses and wooden clogs.
When the settlement was rebuilt a few years after the raids it was built at Annapolis Royal. When Acadia (the French settlers called their country after the mythical land of plenty, Arcadia) was ceded to Britain, Annapolis Royal became Canada's first seat of power, peopled by a few hundred Scottish soldiers and a few thousand French farmers, who created arable land, building dikes with locks that drained the coastal marshes and kept out the saltwater tides. As tensions rose before the outbreak of the Seven Years War (1756-1763), the British, who had gained the region from French, demanded that Acadians take an oath of allegiance to the Crown. When they didn't, declaring themselves neutral, the British, starting in 1755, rounded up as many as 10,000 people, confiscated their property, and deported them. Years later when the Acadians were finally allowed to return, some of them came back to the southwest shores of Nova Scotia.
We ride to the end of the road which faces the ferry port at Digby across the Digby Gut. Then it’s back to Annapolis Royal for a last look. There are many attractions in this picturesque town that we miss, hope we’ll get back some day.
Our final ride of the day is the Digby Neck. We’re riding Hwy 217, the Islands Scenic drive along the very long narrow peninsula known as the Digby Neck. The road winds through small coastal villages nestled into coves complete with fishing weirs and fishing boats. Our road ends at East Ferry where we could take ferries, first to Long Island and then to Brier Island but our time is up.
We end our visit to Digby by walking down to the bustling wharf area to O’Neill’s for a scallop and seafood dinner, with fresh blueberry pie for dessert. Digby is the home port to a large scallop fleet and a fascinating place if like us, you like to watch a working fishing port.

Fog Witch Reigns

We have to ride into Yarmouth to Privateers Sou’west Harley Davidson as the motorcycle’s throttle cable is loose and the bike is stalling occasionally - perhaps all the rainy, damp weather is taking its toll. Yarmouth is over 100 kms away and there is a heavy wet fog today. We ride the inland 101 Hwy and manage to stay fairly dry in our rain clothes.
While the bike is being fixed we go for lunch to Hickory Hut next door where Marlene tries her first Rappie Pie. Rappie pie is a traditional stewed chicken and potato dish that the Acadians in South-Western Nova Scotia are historically famous for. Its name is derived from the French "patates râpées" meaning "grated potatoes". It is a unique recipe made by freshly grating potatoes and removing all the water. Then a hot broth made from chicken (or pork, beef, rabbit, etc.) is added to the potatoes, to replace the moisture. Then cubed meat and onions are layered with the grated potato mixture to make a baked casserole-like dish. It has an excellent taste but a very gelatinous texture that takes a bit of getting used too.
The return trip, after a quick look at Yarmouth in the fog, is along Hwy 1 which hugs the shore. We are on the Evangeline Route, Evangeline is the heroine of Longfellow’s poem that recalls the displacement of the Acadians. This southwestern part of Nova Scotia is the Acadian region and Hwy 1 (and many side roads) winds through well-kept pastoral villages that look out to sea. Many of the houses are connected to their barns. We’re not sure whether these people are particularly fond of their animals or if the winter weather is terrible or what other reasons may account for this interesting architecture. Although the fog witch dominates the landscape, we can still see some of the charm of this region that was settled by the Acadians as early as 1653, and resettled by returning Acadians from 1767 on, after their expulsion in 1755.

Hurricane Bill

There is much wind and rain overnight which continues all morning. We enjoy a light breakfast in our room, as we’re booked into the Pines famous Sunday Brunch at noon, and watch the Hurricane Bill coverage on the TV. The brunch is scrumptious and the highlight of our day. Both the fresh scallops and the shrimp are cooked in either Sambuca or Tequila and are extraordinary.
The Digby area got about 70mm of rain and wind gusts up to 90 km/h during the morning. Hurricane Bill did not hit Nova Scotia head on but still managed to flood roads, knock out power to thousands, cancel flights and ferries, and drench everything. The storm surge arrived at the same time as high tide in the early afternoon which created some extremely rough seas on the eastern side of the province particularly at Peggy’s Cove, which has sustained some property damage too. Some of the roads we were on yesterday are washed out and now closed. What a difference severe weather can make!
It is a day for odd weather because in the afternoon the sun appears in Digby for awhile and we’re able to take in some of the warmth and have a short swim in the heated outside pool. There is some debris around and many flowers have been flattened but otherwise everything seems to have fared pretty well. Black clouds quickly fill the sky in the late afternoon but we’ve resigned ourselves to sitting this day out at the hotel anyway.

What Light Through Yonder Fog Bank Breaks

When we awake this morning we make the same comment to each other “that had to be the best night’s sleep ever”. We reflect that the reason may have a lot to do with the shortage of sleep the night before on the ferry. We have enjoyed the Hotel Atlantica right down to our deluxe continental breakfast and reluctantly depart into the fog, hoping it clears before we reach the day’s first destination, Peggy’s Cove.
The fog persists as we travel Hwy 33 and what should have been a scenic ride through picturesque coastal villages is a disappointment. Peggy’s Cove, one of the most photographed locations in Canada, with its weathered fish sheds, colourful fishing boats, and vast rocky shoreline, is alive with tourists despite the fog! Peggy’s Cove is a little too titivate (over decorated) for us; we prefer the less-visited outports of Newfoundland. We snap a few photos at the lighthouse, that is now a post office, and proceed along Hwy 333 which winds its way through the fog beside beautiful St. Margaret’s Bay. At Tantallon we surrender to the fog and decide to save time and gas by taking the inland bypass Hwy 103 to the Mahone Bay exit.
Naturally it is sunny and hot on the inland highway. The humidity is 100% so even though the temperature is in the high 20’s, it feels like the high 30’s. The sunshine beams down on us all the way to spectacular Mahone Bay where we stop for lunch and chat with a local couple who also motorcycle. Hurricane Bill is the hot topic of the day and when we tell our new acquaintances of our plans to stay in Bridgewater that evening they strongly suggest we re-consider our plans as severe rain and wind are predicted on our proposed route tomorrow and they think we would be safer on the other side of province.
We decide to take their advice, find the nearest Nova Scotia Information office, luckily cancel one reservation and make another reservation at the hotel in Digby where we were headed in a day anyway. It means a longer day of riding today but we’re feeling less anxious about the impending weather. We’ve escaped serious “acts of God” before: arriving in Malaysia two days after the Tsunami in 2004 and leaving the Bahamas just hours before Hurricane Noel in 2007, and we’d like to keep it that way!
From Mahone Bay we head to Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because the entire Old Town is comprised of restored buildings that preserve the Atlantic fishing and seafaring heritage. It’s hot, hot, hot, but no complaints from us as we realise that the weather is about to change drastically. We enjoy a delightful (but warm) walk through this historic town that has many outstanding attractions including the Bluenose II and a beautiful golf course. Before leaving Lunenberg we ride a side road to a tiny peninsula and beautiful Blue Rocks, an outport like Peggy’s Cove-before-it-became-so-popular.
Our change in plans means riding Hwy 3 to Bridgewater, then Hwy 103 to Liverpool, then Hwy 8 across the province (sounds long but turns out to be a fairly scenic 150 kms) to the impressive Digby Pines Resort in Digby. Its been a long day but we make sure the bike is as ready for the impending weather as possible before we head for bed.

Getting Around

We watch the sunrise on the Atlantic and touch the road in Nova Scotia about 6:30. The morning is clear but cold on Hwy 4 which takes us down the east and opposite side of Bras d’Or Lake than our ride to North Sydney a few weeks ago. The road surface is not as good as the TCH (on the west side of this huge lake) but it is being repaved (deconstructed), as we discover much to our discomfort. We wanted to ride Hwy 4 because it hugs the lakeshore and goes through a number of very interesting Cape Breton villages, however, if we had known the long sections of gravel (actually fist-sized blasted-sharp stones) we would have to endure we would have passed on the scenery. The early morning air was blue with Barry’s curses and we were more than ready for a big breakfast by the time we finally crossed the Canso Causeway.
Our intention was to ride the Eastern Shore road, Hwy 7, but because of the jolts we’ve suffered already, the coolness of the day, and our tiredness, we decide to stay on the TCH all the way to Halifax. To our delight the Atlantica Hotel has our room ready when we arrive at 1:30 and after showers and a little rest we are ready to see the city. The excellent Atlantica Hotel is easy to find on Robie Street, very near the Halifax Citadel, and within walking distance of all the downtown attractions.
We take ourselves on a walking tour through the exquisite Victorian Public Gardens down to the always bustling harbour with its historic buildings and sweeping ocean views. We begin at the Pier 21 National Historic site, also the cruise ship pavilion, and then walk northwest along the boardwalk, through Bishop’s Landing, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and the Historic Properties. The friendly boardwalk which offers first-class hotels, shops, restaurants, pubs, and a variety of attractions, is a favourite stroll for residents of Halifax and visitors. We wile away a couple of hours but could easily have spent the day before slowly trudging up hill to the Citadel, the mighty fortress that has stood watch over the city for more than two centuries.
Our hotel, on the corner of Robie and Quinpool Streets has every amenity close by. As Halifax is multi-ethnic we debate the merits of Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and Greek food before settling on a delicious dinner at “It’s All Greek To Me”. Halifax is a charming small city with a fascinating history that we can visit again and again.

Argentia Ferry

We ride the TCH from St. John’s to Whitbourne, then Hwy 100 to Argentia. It rained hard this morning but by noon when we pull out of St. John’s the precipitation is on hold. Hwy 100 is part of the Cape Shore route that will take you to the old French capital of Newfoundland at Placentia. The Castle Hill National Historic Site there is the remains of an old French fort from the time when the French and the English battled for military domination in North America. It is well worth visiting and not just for the magnificent view of the surrounding area.
This route will also take you to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve - a bird lover’s paradise. The Reserve is most accessible and a spectacular seabird colony but we have found the stink to be overwhelming. On a 200-foot-high sea stack just 50 feet from the cliff-top viewing point you can see northern gannets, razorbills, murres (turs), arctic terns, and other seabirds. We’re sure there must be puffins too, as you see their distinctive beaks everywhere else in Newfoundland.
The overcast sky gradually drops as we ride and by the time we arrive at our ferry, the Smallwood, everything is in the fog. There have been so many ferry problems this season it looks like all our fellow passengers are there well ahead of the 90 minute requirement, as we are. As we dismount two young men pull up behind us, one of whom is yelling, “Right between me eyes, he stung me right between me eyes.” He is sporting quite a large red spot on the bridge of his nose where a wasp just stung him despite the fog. We commiserate with him, however, we later spy him in the lounge killing the pain with several cocktails. We’re going to miss these boisterous Newfies!
To our surprise the ferry starts loading at least 90 minutes before departure but it’s a slow process and even though it is raining through the fog by then, the 35 or so motorcycles are loaded last. Once aboard we race the other bikers to grab the four tie-downs that are necessary to keep the motorcycle stable for the frequently rough crossing. Today, however, we are grateful that the Atlantic is quite smooth (compared to a less-than-pleasant experience some years ago when the sea was not).
We settle our luggage away in our sleeping area (a dormitory sleeper not unlike a train sleeping car) and head to the almost-full lounge (this trip takes 14 hours after all). There is a two man band that does a decent job of Johnny Cash, maritime folk songs, and Newfoundland favourites (Newfies are quick to point out that their province is not part of the Maritimes).
We dine early as we’re not sure how digestible supper will be and we have a very early start in the morning as the ferry is scheduled to dock at 6:00 am. The fog lifts in the evening so we brave the wind out on deck for a few crazy minutes, never losing our grip on the railings. After that experience, we understand how the Atlantic could blow you overboard in rougher seas.

History Is Just Being In The Right Place At The Right Time

Yikes, almost time to disembark from Newfoundland. The motorcycle, named Bliss and nicknamed Blister (especially after this trip) is not feeling blissful. Its been drenched with rain sitting outside Gene’s house and while its fairly clean, the rain has seeped into every possible opening and the seat upholstery is very damp. Barry is concerned about the lock on the Tourpack which is stuck and inoperable. The Harley dealer here isn’t much help and we haven’t time to wait for a new lock to be installed.
Barry has kept himself busy in quiet moments with saddle soap and mink oil so our leathers, finally dry, are looking almost brand-new. We keep updated on the weather - overcast, muggy but cool today; there is a hurricane warning for the eastern seaboard ! We can’t believe our luck and Marlene is ready to sacrifice all her alcohol for the rest of the trip to the weather gods.
Newfoundland is a unique experience and the Department of Tourism has really gotten that information out this year with its TV advertisements and Traveller’s Guide “Lost and Found” that Marlene regrets we’ll not be able to pack home with us. The perennial problems of any destination with a short tourist season remain: the Marine Atlantic ferry system is expensive and unreliable; good accommodation must be booked ahead; car rentals are expensive, difficult to get, and must be reserved; the weather is fickle; and many of the roads are in poor condition.
On the plus side, this beautiful province hidden away on the east coast of Canada, for many years a well-kept secret, is enchanting visitors from all over the world. The Newfoundlanders, born to a harsh environment where survival depended on cooperation and hospitality, extend their friendliness to all. If we have any advise it is: don’t come to Newfoundland with too many expectations other than to expect the unexpected. Our best days here are when we give ourselves time to see what we see. Remember that historically nobody came to live on this rock on purpose, all civilization of this province can be attributed to the sea. Legends abound in this magical place that just happened to be safe harbour.

Cookin’ Up A Scoff

Cooking is an enduring craft in Newfoundland for which we’re very grateful. It is raining and cold today, a pitiful day for weather! But with true Newfie spirit we reflect that it’s a good day for sipping coffee or strong tea and nibbling something sweet. St. Johns’ has its share of high-end coffee shops and we stop by Coffee Matters near Hotel Newfoundland to fortifly ourselves with a fancy brew. It is a visit-the-relatives-until -you-drop day so Barry and Gene have the drop-in agenda planned and Marlene tags along. Everyone we visit reminisces about Barry’s Mom, an outport woman with the gracious ways of the finest of ladies, who served a memorable tea in her parlour. This is one of her heritage recipes.

Mrs Hiscock’s Cherry Tea Cookies
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup cherries (glace, dried or maraschino) cut into halves

This recipe does not come with a method as it comes from a time when it was assumed the cook had enough sense to bake cookies! So you follow the basic method of creaming the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla first; then alternating the dry ingredients and milk as you mix them in. Drop the cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet or parchment and place ½ cherry on top. Bake about 10 minutes at 350F.

Bidgood’s

David cannot return to Vancouver before we make a trip to Bidgood’s in Goulds to stock up on traditional Newfoundland foods. Bidgood’s is a family business that combines a grocery store, a bakery, a craft shop and a small café called The Mug Up that has prepared Newfie specialities onsite for more than 50 years. It is a fascinating store that will even package and ship your purchases anywhere in the world.
We pass on flipper pie, moose, and corned beef but load up on fishcakes, sweet hard bread, partridge berry jam and cakes, molasses raisin bread, and Screech.
Barry will be back before we leave to get more salted cod fish and fat back for the requisite meals of fish an‘brewis we indulge ourselves in Newfoundland. Because we’re on the motorcycle, we won’t be taking much with us including Barry’s favourite cod tongues and cheeks. Bidgood’s offer Screech flavoured coffees, many varieties of berry teas, and attractively packaged jams and sauces made with blueberries, partridgeberries, gooseberries, and bake apples. These berries are also available fresh in season and frozen year round. There are even wines produced in Newfoundland along with the Screech and local beers in the liquor department.
Six of us squeeze ourselves into Gene’s small car to bid David a bittersweet goodbye at the airport. We’ve had a wonderful time showing David the sights we love and seeing them through his eyes. The relatives are assured that the Newfie blood runs strong in him and we’re sure he will come again.

Long May Your Big Jib Draw

Happy 60th Birthday Barry! Yesterday was a long day as we managed to put almost 400 kms on our rental car but when you only have a car for 2 days, you drive it. After a traditional Sunday breakfast of Fish an’ Brewis (boiled salt cod, soaked hard bread, scrunchins, and coffee) we make a quick trip to Costco for the rest of our birthday supper supplies (St. John‘s Costco is a good place to buy books by Newfie authors and prints by local artists).
No visit to St. John’s is complete without a trip to Cape Spear and the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland which is located at the most easterly point of land in North America. The site has been restored to its 1839 appearance and is surrounded by spectacular scenery where you can see whales, seabirds, and icebergs in season. David is intrigued by the direct flush toilet - an outhouse that overhangs the steep cliff where one would have to be very careful on a gusty day! Most of the fishing sheds on the stages have direct flush toilets too but these traditional toilets aren’t much used any more.
During WW 2 there was a coastal defence battery at Cape spear to protect the entrance to St. John’s harbour. Today the underground passages are great places for children to run around and the bunkers and gun barrels provide a sheltered view of the ocean - complete with whales! Even on nice days like today it is windy and fresh at the cape.
We return to the city via Maddox Cove and Petty Harbour, a very charming coastal village very close to St. John’s that has often been a movie location. Petty Harbour gets its name from the Basque word “Pettite”. Many place names in Newfoundland are bastardized Portuguese, Basque, or French words reflecting the fishing heritage of these shore communities.
Barry has anticipated this special birthday and chose the menu long ago: BBQ steak with all the trimmings and lots of beer! We drink our Quidi Vidi favourites, Eric’s Red and QV. The weather cooperates and we reflect on the miles we rode to be here today and declare it all worth the blood, sweat, and tears!

Out Around the Bay.

We pack a large picnic and try to get away early as we’re driving around part of both Conception and Trinity Bays to the little outport towns where Barry’s ancestors and relatives came from. Leaving St. John’s we follow Route 60, also called the Admiral’s Coast Route from Manuels to Colliers. Barry is outnumbered by would-be photographers so is pulling over whenever David or Marlene request a picture stop (and there are many as Marlene is particularly enjoying the novelty of car travel)!
Barry’s parents owned a tavern in Kelligrews when he was a boy so that is our first stop. We are amazed at all the development in these shoreline communities close to St. John’s, that are now collectively referred to as Conception Bay South. Although the tavern has long been demolished the stories remain, as does the circular drive around the former premises. Barry finds the brook where he spent many carefree summer days, swimming, trouting, and skipping the smooth shale stones so common here. We hike up the brook a ways as Barry reminisces. It is a lovely peaceful natural spot and we reflect that everyone should have a childhood place like this that they can revisit, even if only in memories.
At Colliers we head north on the Baccalieu trail, Hwy 70 to Brigus, a perfect pearl of an outport village that retains much of its 19th century charm. Brigus’ Hawthorne Cottage, a National Historic site, preserves the birthplace of its most famous son, Captain Bob Bartlett, the ice pilot who guided Peary to within striking distance of the North Pole. After a stroll through some of the historic building we head to Country Corner café for lunch. This small restaurant and gift shop is justly famous for its great food especially blueberry delectables. We salivate over the moose stew and pea soup being served to others before ordering huge bowls of fish chowder with hot tender scones. The highlight of the meal is generous pieces of hot blueberry crumble, slathered with blueberry ice cream, and topped with warm blueberry sauce. It’s a hot meal for such a warm day but not to be missed!
A short walk over the rocky headland from Brigus is Cupids, the site of the first official English colony in Canada founded by John Guy in 1610. There is an archaeological dig in progress and a big celebration planned for the 400th anniversary next year. The first child born in English Canada was born here in 1613. Many outport towns, such as Brigus and Cupids, are an easy walk from one another but a much longer drive as roads for automobiles came centuries after walking paths and boat transportation.
We continue up the east side of Conception Bay stopping at the boardwalk in Harbour Grace where a statue of Amelia Earhart commemorates her solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932. At Victoria village, the childhood home of Barry’s Grandmother, we head across the barrens on Hwy 74 to Winterton, the ancestral home of the Hiscocks since 1753. The barrens refer to vast spaces of Newfoundland that are covered with scrubby windswept trees, berry bushes, ponds, and often fog. They are barren of much settlement but a favourite haunt of trout fishermen. Barry’s Mom and Grandmother, who lived together in Winterton for the 6 years Barry’s Dad was overseas during WW2, walked the 35kms across the barrens from Winterton to Victoria with Barry’s two older brothers on their backs to visit relatives and friends. They were remarkable women! Grandmother Hiscock, whose origin remains a mystery, was Innu but adopted and raised as a white child. Barry’s Mom, motherless from an early age, was a maid in Government House (pre-1949 when Newfoundland was still a British colony), before she married.
Until 1912, Winterton was known as Scilly Cove, and before that as Sugar Loaf Cove. It is a typical outport town albeit one of the oldest with headstones dating to 1700. There are many graveyards in Newfoundland, almost all on hillsides with awesome views of the sea, some carefully tended by family in the area and some gradually being overrun with blueberry and partridgeberry bushes. One can spend days exploring tombstones and their interesting inscriptions all over Newfoundland and we will visit many while we are on the rock. We search but do not find Barry’s Grandfather Ira’s tombstone. Ira, a giant of a man at 6’8”, is still remembered by some of the villagers for his hot temper. He once caught a man stealing his nets so Ira wrapped him in the net and threw him off the stage (wharf). The culprit survived the dunking and never messed with Ira again!
We spend some hours in Winterton walking the lanes and photographing all the Hiscock signs - a store, a lane, a root cellar, and many houses bear the moniker. Winterton is also the home of the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland, which celebrates the skill and ingenuity of the town’s boat builders. The facility has full-size boats, constructed and used in the town, plus all the tools so it can offer boat building workshops like the “Build a Rodney” session in progress today. Living on the edge of the earth, the way of the water meant survival for the people of Newfoundland. So it is heart-warming to observe the wooden boat building traditions and skills revived and flourishing here.
There is wedding party coming out of the United Church and the bells are pealing joyfully. It is one of three weddings we will see on this sun-filled Saturday around the bay. We slowly motor down Hwy 80 through Heart’s Content, Heart’s Desire, and Heart’s Delight before stopping in New Harbour, the childhood home of Barry’s Mom and where he spent many happy summers. Barry recounts a grim memory from his childhood when he watched Pot head whales beings herded into the small bay, harpooned and slaughtered, then towed to the whaling station in Dildo, just around the headland. New Harbour is the site of one of the first cod fish farms in Newfoundland, this is a new chapter in the cod fishery - how things change me b’ye!
Dildo, despite its odd name, is a tidy town on beautiful Dildo Arm, with bustling government wharves, a 5 star B&B, and many attractions. We have enjoyed the fine accommodations provided by Inn By the Bay/George House B&B on previous trips. Most of the larger outport towns, like Dildo, have government wharves and the traditional pole stages, timbered slipways, and twine lofts are gradually rotting away, much to photographers’ dismay. Many of Barry’s maternal relatives continue to make their home here in Dildo and on a day such as this one we can understand why. Dildo has an Area Interpretation Centre that features Dorset Eskimo artifacts from Dildo Island, a Whaling and Sealing Museum, and Adventure Tours.

The Rooms

It is a bit overcast today and as Barry and Marlene are a bit stiff from all the walking yesterday, it is a perfect day to visit The Rooms: St. John’s Provincial Museum, Archives, and Art Gallery. This magnificent building that soars into the city’s skyline, gets its name from the steep-roofed buildings on the shore of every fishing community where families came together to process their catch.
The Rooms, opened last year, combine striking 21st century technology with the past, and tell the story of Newfoundland and Labrador through art, artifacts, archaeology, architecture and archival records. It is also a wonderful place to eat as the café on level 4 has scrumptious food and a view like no other in the city. We sample the fish chowder, the fishcakes (salmon, halibut, and cod) and the seafood au gratin. If you don’t like seafood, Newfoundland cuisine offers moose and seal dishes, as well as tangy berry desserts. But there is a saying here “You can’t go wrong with the fish” and we have experienced the truth of that advice over and over.
We depart four hours later, very impressed with The Rooms. We regret that David will probably not have time to visit the Geo Centre, another attraction we can highly recommend. It is fitting that a province nicknamed The Rock has a world-class geological interpretation centre built into the rock of Signal Hills which forms many of the interior walls. We have managed to rent a car for the next two days (almost impossible in Newfoundland on short notice) and must pick it up

The Grand Concourse

It is a gorgeous day and we are going on an extended hike that begins at the Battery, a couple of rows of brightly coloured, much photographed, old fishing houses that hug the side of the harbour. We are hiking the East Cape Trail as it winds its way to the Narrows and finally up to Signal Hill. The trail is one of many in the Grand Concourse: 120 kms of fine, well-marked walking trails with signs and storyboards, that connect the green spaces, historic buildings, and parks throughout the city. (The East Cape trail is not to be confused with the East Coast Trail which is a 10 hour wilderness trail from Signal Hill south through 30 historic communities).
The East Cape Trail is a favourite hiking trail as it has spectacular views, including the one from the top of Signal Hill, where Marconi received the first trans-Atlantic wireless message in 1901 in the city’s most famous landmark, Cabot Tower. The Signal Hill National Historic site has also been the site of harbour defences for St. John’s from the 18th century to the Second World War.
From Signal Hill we walk across the headland over to Cuckold’s Cove and eventually to the small fishing village of Quidi Vidi. We tour the Quidi Vidi Battery Provincial Historic site where guides dressed in period costume help you imagine the life of soldiers and their families in this once very remote spot on the edge of the North Atlantic during the early 1800’s. Quidi Vidi village is losing some of its quaintness as large homes are being built on the harbour although it’s still home to North America’s oldest cottage, Mallard Cottage, which is crammed with assorted antiques and collectibles.
Although we had a very large breakfast and fruit and trail mix along the way, we are ready for some barley sandwiches at the QV Brewery. We sit on the wharf patio enjoying our sample pack of beer, the sunshine, the busy harbour, and think that life is grand in Newfoundland! The Quidi Vidi Brewing Company makes six thirst-quenching varieties: 1892 Tradition Ale, Honey Brown, Honey Brown Light, Eric’s Red, QV & QV Light.

St.John’s

David arrived safely, the gear is drying, the wind is blowing the clouds away, and what more can we ask? After a leisurely breakfast during which we catch up on the news from home and plan all the things we want to show to David (we haven’t seen David for 6 weeks and he hasn’t been to Newfoundland since he was a little boy), we set out on a walking tour of St. John’s. We begin at the Newfoundland Hotel and zig-zag along Water Street (the oldest street in North America), Duckworth Street, George Street (the most entertaining street in North America) and Harbour Drive.
While the other streets provide interesting shopping and trendy or traditional restaurants, George Street is all about pubs and places for live music. Regardless of the time of day or night you can tap your toes to traditional Newfoundland music heavily influenced by English/Irish music or seek out a variety of other entertainment to suit your fancy! We advise drinking but not eating on George Street. St. John’s is an ancient port favoured by fishermen, explorers, navies, and shippers for more than 400 years because it’s huge harbour is protected from the Atlantic ocean by a very narrow opening -The Narrows.
St. John’s has burned many times, much of it was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1892, but it’s a charming city whose brightly painted saltbox houses crowd the hills above the harbour. Almost all the historical buildings can be accessed on a walking tour that also passes many fine restaurants and shops. We stop at Ziggy’s Chip Wagon in front of Atlantic Place for a traditional lunch of chips, of course, that we take down to beautiful Harbourside Park to enjoy.
To complete our first day of sightseeing we hike up the hill to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, which used to have the best view in the city (now usurped by The Rooms). The Basilica, a distinguished Roman Catholic cut stone sanctuary, begun in the 1840’s, has escaped the fires by being high on a hill and a judicious distance from the timbered buildings of the city. From the Basilica one can see the emerald lushness of the city with its lakes, parks, valleys, walking trails, and green spaces. A reward for all our walking is in order and we treat ourselves to delicious ice cream cones at Moo-Moo’s, a black and white spotted parlour with the best ice cream in the city.
Our days in St. John’s will be a balance of sight-seeing, visiting with Barry’s brother Gene & family, and simply enjoying the ambiance of this lovely old city. Tonight we’re eating our fresh cod caught in the Trinity Bight. Gene makes a Beer Batter for the fish and fries up salt pork into crispy morsels called Scrunchins that he pours over the fish just before eating. Delicious!

Perfect Storm

We know we will awake to gentle rain as it has rained during the night and our grand old house has creaked with the wind. The breakfast menu this morning at Rolling Hills B&B is waffles with fresh blueberries and partridgeberries and whip cream. Yummy!
We’re not eager to leave but we are eager to get to Barry’s brother Gene and family in St. John’s about 260 kms away. Our wonderful host, Ed presents us with a huge piece of fresh cod to take with us - for Barry’s birthday, he says smiling. The food fishery is open which means that all Newfoundland residents may catch five fish a day for a set period. Newfoundlanders eagerly await the food fishery that occurs a couple of times a year because it provides one of their traditional foods and it means the cod stocks are very gradually coming back. All of our B&B hosts have been fishing in the evenings and limiting out within minutes. They scrupulously adhere to the limit because they have all had very sad experiences with over-fishing. But right now their freezers are brimming with fish and they’re generously giving it away!
The weather does not improve, in fact it gets ugly once we hit the TCH. If we weren’t expected by Gene we might seek shelter but decide to push on. By the time we get to Whitburne, we’re both wet through and miserable but we stop for a late lunch and revive a little. We are only 82 kms from our destination but the wind and the rain have intensified. We study one another carefully - for different reasons we really want to be at Gene’s and Marlene knows a secret that is a further compelling reason to keep going. Our oldest son David, is flying in from Vancouver tonight, to join us for 5 days in Newfoundland. It is a birthday surprise for Barry and a long awaited opportunity for David who hasn’t been here since he was a little boy. We manage to wobble out of the parking lot onto the highway- getting started in high wind is always tricky. Marlene plugs in her heated jacket, turns up the audio book in her Ipod and tries to imagine she is somewhere else. Barry fights the weather and the grooved pavement as some sections of the TCH are being repaved (although no crews are working today). There are no signs warning about uneven road surfaces or drops in road level and in these conditions he can’t see ahead so we ride very slowly. This is the second worst ride in our experience and the worst yet on this trip. We pass two vehicles in the ditch and really regret ever starting out this morning.
We finally arrive, completely soaked through all layers but safe. Gene is making his famous chilli for supper and the clothes dryer goes into action. David’s plane is delayed but still scheduled to land tonight and the world is unfolding as it should.

Random Berries

Breakfast at Rolling Hills B&B is a delicious baked ham, cheese, bread, and eggs strata. We top it off with partridge berry muffins and extra coffee because we have an exploring day today in this part of Newfoundland we love so well and we’ll spend tonight at
Rolling Hills B&B again. Another beautiful day and Barry again consents to riding 4 kms of gravel road out to Fort Point Lighthouse. This is one of 23 staffed light stations in Newfoundland, although we have come for the magnificent views of Trinity Bight in the morning sunshine having already seen many of the 55 light stations in the province.
We ride into Trinity to view a few more historic buildings and take more pictures. Trinity is a walker’s delight whether you do it yourself or go on one of the guided tours. Barry is still not walking very comfortably so we keep our rambles short. Next we’re off on Hwy 239 to Bonaventure and New Bonaventure, two typical outport communities with active fisheries and interesting because two major films have been shot here. “Shipping News” was filmed in and around Trinity Bight, particularly New Bonaventure, and the miniseries “Random Passage” was filmed at a specially constructed site nearby. The Random Passage film site attracts many visitors because the buildings have remained and on Sundays entertainment is provided by various musicians and storytellers. The area is gorgeous today as one would expect a movie set to be and we enjoy picking blueberries for dessert on the hillside after our lunch.
New Bonaventure is a resettlement community that dates from the 50’s when the government encouraged Newfoundlanders who lived in isolated communities (without roads and services) to relocate. The people of Kerley’s Cove, Ireland Eye, and British Harbour all resettled in New Bonaventure but you can hike the highlands to their abandoned places past remnants of foundations, root cellars, and graves. We aren’t doing any hiking today but we do enjoy the scenery. On beautiful days like today we think we could easily live in Newfoundland but we have experienced the harsh realities of this climate even in the summer!
As this is not a heavy riding day we have lots of time to talk with both Newfoundlanders and fellow travellers although the Newfoundlanders are the most engaging and always make time to talk. In addition to the usual conversation topics we have heard about loves, lost loves, dreams, tragedies, and fears from people who moments before were strangers. For instance our gas attendant today tells us about her desire to visit her son and grandchildren in Fort McMurray but she has never flown and is afraid to. Marlene, who is “come from away” (CFA in Newfienese) sometimes finds the confidential level of the conversations disarming but Barry is in his element.
We round out our day with a superb cod fish dinner at the Dock Marina restaurant, a ramble out to the point, and wine in the sitting room with our amiable host and fellow guests.

Discovery Trail

After a grand breakfast at Harbourview B&B we say a sad farewell to our fellow guests and our hosts (these are the kind of people who not only hug you when you leave but also watch and wave until you’re out of sight). We haven’t far to travel today which gives us time to visit the Ryan Premises National Historical site, the full-scale replica of John Cabot’s ship the Matthew, and a number of historic buildings in downtown Bonavista.
Then we’re off to Cape Bonavista to see the twin entrance sea cave called The Dungeon and the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse. Barry is feeling so mellow, must be the beautiful day, that he consents to riding 2 kms of gravel road to the sea caves and stacks of Spiller Cove. Once again we’re rewarded with a whale sighting!
The Discovery Trail refers to the roads on the Bonavista Peninsula which is one of the most historic parts of the province and certainly the most beautiful! From Bonavista we head to the equally stunning Trinity Bight and the historic communities of Trinity, Port Rexton, Dunfield, Bonaventure, etc. Trinity is world famous for its quaint village, the preservation of its historical buildings, and the Rising Tide Theatre that presents enduring Newfoundland dramas every night in the season. We sit around at the Dock Marina restaurant savouring the harbour traffic with our late lunch as we’re feeling tired today- yesterday’s rainy ride combined with a late night has taken its toll! We visit Hiscock House Provincial Historic site, one of some 50 architecturally significant buildings in Trinity before heading to Dunfield and the Rolling Hills B&B.
We chose Rolling Hills B&B because it is 6kms away from the tourist crowd of Trinity and for the highlands that provide easy walking and spectacular views. This B&B is perfect - simple elegance and very warm hospitality right in the heart of this tiny coastal village. The only downside is that we have to leave the village for supper as there are no food outlets or restaurants here.
Later in the evening our host, Ed joins us and the other guests in the sitting room where we sample his excellent homemade wine and beer. The other two couples have been to the theatre and are impressed with the calibre of the performance. We have seen Rising Tide performances on previous visits and can only agree with them. Many communities in Newfoundland have outstanding theatre seasons and they provide a entertaining way for visitors to learn about the history, quirks, humour, and dialects of this island.

Newfoundland Magic

We put on a happy face and enjoy our delicious cooked breakfast at Captain’s Legacy B&B in Twillingate despite the rain that is falling outside. When we can’t postpone the minutes any longer we wipe off the bike and set out. Because the Twillingate islands are postcard beautiful they are some of the most photographed parts of Newfoundland. In addition to rugged natural beauty their relative isolation has helped the inhabitants maintain traditional ways and buildings.
We ride around some and stop to chat with Melvin Horwood who has made a little museum from his fishing shed when he retired. His picturesque property graces the cover of Frommer’s travel guide and many other travel publications. Like many older Newfoundlanders, he has not traveled from the Rock much but he loves to chat with the tourists from all over the world who come to Twillingate.
We ride back to Boyd’s Cove on Hwy 340 and then follow 331 to Gander Bay South where we intend to continue the Kittiwake Coast route around to New-Wes-Valley but it is pouring and we decide to head directly to Gander and the TransCanada Hwy. The TCH has the best road conditions, services and is not overly busy in Newfoundland so it is the best choice when the weather is bad. The rain eases up and we zip through Gander, Gambo, and Terra Nova National Park.
At Port Blanchard we take Hwy 233 which is a mistake as it’s under construction but we persevere until we get to Hwy 230 as that will take us to Bonavista , our destination. If we hadn’t been to Bonavista before we may have given up about 40 kms south of the town as we hit thick. cold fog in addition to the rain. Bonavista is one of the most important historic towns in Newfoundland as it is where John Cabot sighted land in 1497, claimed the island for Britain, and reported the plentiful cod stocks. The mercantile complex Ryan Premises National Historic site commemorates over 500 years of fishing on the East Coast.
We reserved the Harbourview B&B months ago because it is beside the Ryan Premises, on the harbour, and close to downtown. On first sight we hope we’ve made the right choice as it’s a bit of a shabby old house with a very interesting décor, however, it is clean, we have a view of the sea, and sun begins to break through the fog. Our fellow guests trickle in: two Coast Guard men, a couple from Australia, and a family of three from Ottawa. Our elderly hostess, who lives in the house next door, tells us her husband is out fishing, urges us to make ourselves at home and reminds us that they will be over to visit and serve a “lunch” about 9:30 pm. The Australian couple are mystified and ask us what to expect so we explain that in many of the B&B’s run by Newfoundlanders, who have strong roots in their communities and a tradition of hospitality, there is an evening teatime get-together.
After a supper of pizza we walk along the harbour for the sunset and see whales spouting - the last time we were here we also saw whales so we take this sighting as a good omen that all the hard riding in the rain was worth it. As the dusk gathers back at the B&B, we sit around two kitchen tables pushed together and covered with vinyl tablecloths to visit with the other guests.
One of the fascinating things about Newfoundland is that working people also stay in B&B’s and tonight we are so lucky because the two Coast Guard men are very entertaining and they’ve brought a big bag of cooked snow crab! These men could drive home as they’re within 200 kms but two evenings ago they hit a moose and although they weren’t hurt, their one ton CG pick-up was a write-off. They have a new truck but promised their wives they won’t tempt fate tonight.
Newfoundlanders say you won’t want to eat lobster once you’ve eaten snow crab and tonight we find out the truth of that. Then our hosts come over with bowls of blueberries, raspberries, and shrimp, that they serve with crackers and strong tea (for the non-drinkers). About the time that we’re all stuffed our hostess brings out a huge partridge berry flan and proceeds to cut great big slices for all of us. We all sit around swapping stories and jokes until after midnight (there is no point in going to bed anyway, as our lone teenager finds out, as the old house has no soundproofing and you can hear every sound). Albert, our 72 year young host, whose face is seamed and brown from the sea is particularly loquacious. When we tell him our tur/tourist story he laughs until he cries. We finally drag ourselves upstairs, open the windows wide to let the sea air and wave rhythm into the room before we sleep

River Thieves

We have a blue sky, fairly good road, and we are also visiting the world that Michael Crummey wrote about in “River Thieves”, a historical novel about the extinction of the Beothuk (Red) Indians of central Newfoundland. We’ve imagined the setting from his colourful details and are excited to see it including: Bay of Exploits, Exploits River, Notre Dame Bay, Ship Cove (Botwood), and Twillingate. Crummey’s book is an authentic tragedy that is alive with both the rich vernacular and the details of that time and place- a great read even if you’re not planning a trip to central Newfoundland.
Doreen, our hostess at Indian river Brook B&B, not only provides us with a delicious traditional breakfast of blueberry pancakes and sausages, she also sings some folksongs and accompanies her singing with a “dance master”. This is a fascinating combination of percussion instrument and jointed stick puppet that she performs very well - these amazing Newfies!
Our morning ride begins in country much the same as yesterday: trees, rocks, brooks, and ponds. We stop in Bishop Falls for gas and can’t resist the smells coming from the bakery adjoining and purchase cinnamon buns that we make into lunch when we get to Botwood via Hwy 350, a pretty coastal town with a very interesting history. It began as a camping place for Beothuk Indians where they could fish and gather shellfish. The Newfoundland fishery pushed the Beothuk inland when they used this site seasonally. The protected harbour soon attracted permanent settlers and in 1939 the first regularly scheduled commercial trans-atlantic flights arrived here from Foynes, Ireland. These flying boats were the private jets of the day and their history is preserved in the local museum. During World War II, Botwood became an important antisubmarine base with in excess of 10,000 military personnel. Today it is a quiet town of less than 4000 people in the Bay of Exploits.
We return to the Trans Canada Hwy and ride until route 340 departs for the Kittiwake Coast. We head to Boyd’s Cove Interpretation Centre which is a Beothuk archaeological site. We meet a very interesting elderly fellow who is recreating Beothuk birch bark canoes. He is 93 years young still building incredibly authentic Indian canoes that navigate the nearby waters as well as the originals.
Route 340 is called the Road to the Isles which refers to a series of islands in Notre Dame Bay that were connected to each other and the main island by causeways in the 1960’s. Chappell Island, New World Island and Twillingate Island have become major tourist attractions as a result. Our destination is Captain’s Legacy B&B in Twillingate. Once the stop over point for the Newfoundland fishery going to Labrador, Twillingate’s economic importance dwindled until the causeways brought visitors to see whales, icebergs and these remote coastal villages. After a supper of fresh fish we climb one of the many hills to get a panoramic view of Twillingate and the necessary photos, as rain is forecast for tomorrow. A bonus is the wild blueberries, raspberries, and partridgeberries we pick and eat for dessert.

Western Newfoundland

The rugged west coast of Newfoundland stretches from Channel-Port aux Basques on the extreme southwest corner to the Viking site at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula. On this trip we are only riding a small portion of this vast area that we have not seen before. We are disappointed when we leave Port aux Basques that it is still in the fog and the entire section of the road we have never seen remains in the fog all the way to Corner Brook. So we will just have to take the word of the people who live here that it is beautiful!
Corner Brook, where we have been before, is sunny, so we take a side trip along the south shore of the Humber Arm to Bay of Islands. Captain Cook is said to have learned his trade navigating in the Humber Arm, we simply enjoy the sunshine and the scenery. We have seen Captain Cook sites in diverse places such as Cooktown, Australia; Nootka Island, BC; and now Corner Brook. Truly amazing the adventures of James Cook! Barry decides we’ll have lunch at McDonalds more for the fantastic view of Corner Brook it offers from its hilltop site, than the food. Corner Brook has a huge pulp and paper mill right in the heart of the city on a prime waterfront location but from our vantage point the city looks very fine built as it is on the hillsides above the Humber Arm.
We are riding the TransCanada Highway 1 and it takes us up the Humber River valley, past the skiing area of Marble Mountain to Deer Lake. We look wistfully at route 430 that on a previous trip took us to Gros Morne National Park and L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic site, both UNESCO World Heritage sites and extraordinary places. The countryside after Deer Lake is typical of the interior of Newfoundland: large stands of birch, spruce, and pine, dotted with ponds (small lakes) and crisscrossed by brooks (rivers), with small settlements far apart.
Our destination is Indian River Brook B&B, out in the country near Springdale, a hasty reservation due to the ferry delay, that turns out to be very comfortable and quiet. Unfortunately we have to ride (very slowly) to King’s Point for supper, however, our seafood dinner on the ocean patio is excellent and we don’t see any moose going or returning.
We heard a cute story today that would be unbelievable anywhere else in the world but here. There are many elderly men who sit around on the wharves most of the day enjoying the passing scene and there are always a few visitors to Newfoundland who ask silly questions of these oldtimers: One day a visitor inquired “Had many tourists in this area?” The old Newfie only heard the “Tur” part of tourist so you can imagine the visitor’s horror when the old man replied “Yes by’e, I knocked five of dem on de head t’other day, I ete two and t’other tree is in the freezer.” (Tur is the name Newfoundlanders have given to the seabird commonly known as a Murre. Tur is apparently quite tasty but fishy and prized in Newfoundland for its meat and eggs).

When You Wake Up To The Promise of Your Dream Coming True

We anticipated being more excited when this day arrived as this is the day Barry will ride the motorcycle on the Rock! The ups and downs of the last few days have drained us of some of our zest for the journey but we’re sure we’ll regain it. It is a beautiful morning: the sun sparkling on the water and the lavender bushes all around this heritage house perfuming the air as we load up. We have a bit of luggage rearranging to do as no one is permitted on the car decks during the crossing so everything we think we might want for the 5 to 7 hour trip needs to be stuffed into a backpack that we can carry to the upper decks.
Arriving at 9:30, two hours early as directed, we wait with the other bikers on hot asphalt until 12:20 when we’re finally loaded onto the end of the truck deck - so much for being the first ones off! All the bikes have to be securely tied down as this can be a wild stretch of ocean. The ferry, MV Caribou, finally departs. Never will we complain about the BC Ferries again! Not only do you have to have prepaid reservations for these wickedly expensive ferries in the East, the whole concept of schedule seems to have escaped them.
The crossing is uneventful, the ocean is very calm, and we arrive shortly after 6 pm, Nfld time in the very foggy harbour. There aren’t many motorcycles on the ferry, one other older couple from Quebec (with whom we’ve not conversed much due to language difficulties) and three younger single riders who are throwing caution to the wind and riding on. The unloading is accomplished much more quickly than the loading and we observe the Quebec couple slipping into the first moving car line and comment to ourselves that they must be in a hurry. When we arrive at the Port Aux Basques Hotel and the same couple have secured the last room we understand their hurry!
The hotel offers us an in-house telephone and Marlene quickly phones every accommodation possibility in the area listed with the Nfld Traveller’s Guide. Nothing! We are beginning to feel sick. Port Aux Basques is a small town with a lot of accommodation - almost 200 rooms, one of which we were sure we would get. One kind hotel clerk sees Marlene’s distress and says she knows a couple who take in guests in overflow situations. She calls them and a few minutes later Dan Mushrow, 61, arrives on his scooter to guide us to his modest home, where he and his wife Emma have already welcomed another couple from Ontario and will welcome us and another traveller before bedtime.
Our room is small and we are all sharing one bathroom but we spend an evening in what can only be described as authentic Newfoundland hospitality: we all sit around in the living room and Dan entertains us with wonderful stories and songs. Emma urges him on, requesting favourite stories she thinks “the crowd” might enjoy and although Marlene doesn’t catch all of his words, we both appreciate the genuine kindness and love of place this couple, who have lived here all their lives, so generously share with strangers.
There is a framed cross stitch quotation on the bedroom wall that conveys the essence of Dan and Emma - “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” We’re very glad to be safely in Newfoundland, up to now we’ve been tourists, seeing what we wanted to see, for the next two weeks we will be Newfoundlanders and we will see what we see.

Carpe Diem

Barry’s knee is recovered enough to ride safely and we seize the opportunity to ride the 360 kms to North Sydney where the ferries to Newfoundland are experiencing all kinds of problems due to a fire aboard one of the ships last week. We have been unable to get through by telephone and the ferry website is not helpful. Taking advantage of both the good weather and Barry’s endurance we ride straight through, stopping only for coffee and bathroom breaks. We’re riding the TransCanada highway as it is the most direct route to North Sydney. Once over the Canso Causeway the scenery is very picturesque although we’re not even stopping for photos today.
We observe that much of the signage in Nova Scotia is bilingual as it was in New Brunswick, however, rather that English and French, it is English and Gaelic. There are many intriguing place names in the Maritimes and our favourites to date are the country general store called “Me and the Missus”, the village of “Diss Hill”, and the economy of “Five Houses Road”. The English language is spoken quickly and with a pleasant lilt in the Maritimes which Barry slips into easily. Both Barry who has been “lang away” and Marlene who is “from away” will have difficulty understanding some of the spoken English in parts of Newfoundland. As a teacher Marlene is always confounded by how little influence the school system has had on grammar in the Maritime when one can sit in the Emergency room and listen to a young man in the next chair saying into his cell phone “I’m over the Emergency room, me tot I’m died”.
Our first destination is the Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal in North Sydney where we’re told our ferry for the next day might depart at 11:30 am, (certainly not before) rather than the originally scheduled 8:30 am. This is not good news! It entails changing at least two hotel reservations over the next two days as we can’t ride at night in Newfoundland because we will not risk an encounter with a moose. We decide to find our accommodation, Heritage House B&B, and are delighted to find an elegant older home, right on the bay, with a chatty sympathetic landlady.
Sipping red wine on the veranda looking out to sea helps ease the tensions of the day and we reflect that our later departure will enable us to enjoy a leisurely breakfast with the rest of the guests in the morning. Our landlady recommends an excellent bistro, The Blackspoon, for dinner, after which we stroll along the waterfront and enjoy a small ceilidh (maritime entertainment with lots of fiddle music). North Sydney has some lovely older homes and a very interesting harbour. There are many people about, both locals enjoying the fine weather on the waterfront and travellers waiting for ferries. Some people (without reservations) have been here for days waiting to cross to Newfoundland.

Homesick Blues

On every adventure we’ve ever experienced there are times, sometimes only moments, sometimes longer, when we are homesick. Today is one of those times. It has rained hard overnight and we have an overcast dark sky this morning. Barry is resting his knee and Marlene is restless so she heads out on a walking tour of the Truro Heights area, getting back to Willow Bend Motel just before a major downpour. The rain continues all afternoon so we catch up on our reading, email, and telephone calls.
The good news is that Barry’s knee is improving and it is raining in Ingonish Beach (where we planned to be) too! Nothing like a small motel room on a dreary day to make us long for all the amenities of home so the next best thing is to plan all the recipes we’re going to try when we get there, including this one:

Maritime Potato Crusted Salmon
4 salmon fillets (4 oz or 100 grams)
4 tsp (20ml) Dijon mustard
¼ cup (50ml ) minced onion
2 large potatoes
2tbsp (25ml) olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Pat the salmon dry and spread 1 tbsp of mustard on the fleshy side. Lightly season . Peel, wash, and grate the potatoes, stir in the onions and divide the potato mixture into 4 equal portions. Use your hands to squeeze excess moisture from the potato mixture and press mixture firmly and evenly onto the fleshy side of each fillet. Heat oil in an ovenproof pan and carefully place each fillet potato side down in the hot oil and brown 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip so the skin side is down and place pan in oven and bake until done(about 10 minutes).
Variation: replace mustard with bbq sauce.

Old Goalie Knees

Well we hit a bump in the road today that required a change in our travel plans! Barry’s right knee has been bothering him for about 4 days and he hoped it would get better, however, by this morning the restricted movement caused by the swelling made it difficult and painful to ride the motorcycle. After weighing our options we departed from Gillespie House Inn, Parrsboro after a delicious breakfast and gave the knee a trial. Parrsboro is a small town and as this is Sunday of a long weekend in Nova Scotia getting medical advice will necessitate our getting to a bigger place. After 45 kms we realized we couldn’t continue much further and stopped by the roadside to rest where we were joined by another couple on motorcycle. They were from the area and able to give us detailed directions to the hospital in Truro, NS, where we arrived safely.
The Emergency area of Colchester Regional Hospital was busy, as it is in most public hospitals on the weekend, and we settled in for a long wait. After a 4 hour wait, an examination and an x-ray, Barry was released with a new tensor bandage and some drugs to deal with the inflammation. Meanwhile Marlene sadly cancelled our reservations at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish Beach and made reservations at the Willow Bend, the motel closest to the hospital.
It appears that Barry may have aggravated some old hockey injuries and the arthritis in his knee which caused the flare-up. The doctor advises that the swelling will diminish with drugs and RICE ( rest, ice, compression, elevation) and Barry should be recovered enough to continue to travel in a day or two. We are grateful the motel is clean, has a great continental breakfast, and is within walking distance of grocery stores, a pharmacy, and even Walmart. We should be ready to continue our journey to North Sydney on August 4th as we have an 8:30 am ferry reservation to Newfoundland on August 5th.

Going the Glooscap Trail

Having enjoyed all but a few wet hours on PEI we took one last coastal road that gave us an optimal view of the stunning Confederation Bridge before we paid the $17 toll (half price for motorcycles) and departed the island. Northumberland Strait is very calm, the morning is bright after overnight rain, and the coast of New Brunswick looks very green and inviting. But we have no time to stop as we zip across the cape to Nova Scotia and stop at the outstanding Welcome Centre at the provincial border near Amherst. This particular information centre is not only well designed and depictive of Nova Scotia, it is also located on top of a hill and has an expansive view of the landscape in all directions.
We haven’t seen any of the Fundy shore yet on this trip so we’re looking forward to this tidally awesome coastline where the highest tides in the world have shaped both the coastline and the culture. At Amherst we take Hwy 302 and then 242 to the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, which are across the bay from the Hopewell Rocks. Joggins, a once thriving coal town like neighbouring Springhill, has fossilized trees, more than 300 million years old (Carboniferous Period), still visible in its shoreline cliffs. The Joggins Fossil Cliffs, inscribed on the World Heritage site list in 2008, are a very impressive sight.
There is a wonderful brand new ecologically-sensitive interpretive centre at the cliffs which is both informative and protects access to this important but dangerous shoreline where the fossils of the first reptile to inhabit land were found. As the Fundy tides continue to erode the cliffs, fossils on the beach are continually replenished and while anyone may explore the area, one must have a permit to hunt for fossils. The centre also offers a variety of scheduled guided tours of the cliffs, one of which Marlene participates in.
From Joggins we ride the Glooscap trail to Parrsboro, home to the Fundy Geological Museum which is another place to learn about natural history and some of the oldest dinosaur bones in North America. Here we are staying at the Gillespie House Inn, an historic home built in 1890 when Parrsboro was a ship building and lumbering centre. It is a gracious house with seven guestrooms all with ensuite bathrooms and antique furnishings. It is quite the loveliest accommodation we’ve enjoyed on this trip and we spend some of the evening sitting on the expansive veranda chatting with other guests.
Glooscap is a mythical Mi’kmaw hero who controlled the tides with his magical powers and helped shape the landscape as it is today. There are many Glooscap legends in this part of Nova Scotia and therefore the roads that border Chignecto Bay and Cobequid Bay are called the Glooscap Trail in his honour.