Getting off the ferry in Port Aux Basque, Newfoundland at 2:30am, we had limited options for a nights sleep. The ferry terminal employees offered the upstairs lounge where we gladly put our sleeping pads and managed to sleep until 8:30am. We probably could have ridden a bit on the TCH (Trans Canada Highway - which is the only road that runs north and south across Newfoundland), since few cars or trucks drive at night for fear of hitting one of the 120,000 or so moose that inhabit on the island. Nevertheless, we opted for the lounge which worked out perfectly.
A recommended breakfast at Elma's, we happily ate a decent sized meal for a fair price. Where did this come from? We haven't hit this in Canada very often and were surprised it happened in Newfoundland where the prices tend to be elevated another 10% from even from the expensive Nova Scotia.
Riding north we had the water on our left and the Table Mountains on our right. Talk about beautiful. These mountains are steep sided with flat tops, making us both more or less drool thinking of the fantastic hikes and beautiful views these mountains must provide. The green meadows, trees and brush encased either side of the road and random lakes and rivers occupy the terrain. One section we passed through is called Wreck House. This was rightfully given its name, supposedly the windiest spot of Canada, sometimes reaching 200km/hour winds. At one point maybe 60 years ago there was a family that lived in a house that was mostly built in ground to avoid the wind. The man who lived there would communicate with Port Aux Basque via telegraph to let the trains know what the winds were doing, whether the trains should come through or stay put as the gusts were strong enough to topple the trains! He and his wife had 11 children....I guess there is not much to do in such a windy area.
We stopped in a Wreck House gravel pullout, tucking behind a gravel burm that acted as a wind break for a snack. Shortly after stopping an older local man drove up in a car and suggested we not stay here too long because the winds were picking up in Port Aux Basque and could be getting bad here soon. Yikes! We wolfed down our sardines and crackers before hopping back on our bikes to take full advantage of the winds at our backs. Although cloudy and a touch cold, we really enjoyed the first two days in Newfoundland. The riding here is much more wildernessy than most other places we have been. Similar to Alaska with nothing but one road and evergreen trees, mountains and valleys as far as you can see.
Our first stealth night (which is easy and definitely acceptable here), we found a flat spot overlooking a river and maybe 200 feet from the highway, totally out of sight. Within a few minutes, we noticed we were amongst maybe 1/2 mile of raspberry bushes bursting with fruit. Yes! I must have eaten close to 1,000 raspberries and we even added some to our oatmeal the next morning. I just love picking berries. Canada is a great place to travel, but the expensive fresh fruits and veggies sadly enough force us to eat out of cans too often. I soaked up the opportunity for fresh berries and filled up as much as possible to the point where I stained my fingers red.
Camping along the highway, we thought the trucks would continue through most of the night, but the fear of hitting a moose forces the drivers off the road by about 11pm. Perfect timing, allowing for quiet and restful nights.
We made our way to Corner Brook, the "big city" on the west coast that consists of 20,000 people. Just as we pulled in, the rain started and we quickly ducked into McDonald's. Not a bad spot especially since it was set high on a hill with huge windows that looked over the fjord and beautiful town. It was a great spot for the first hour or so, but the unfortunately the rain continued for a solid 7 hours. Yes, we spent almost 8 hours sitting in McDonald's. Where have our standards gone? Although tempted to get our first hotel room since Central America, the rates at the Comfort Inn were $155 plus a %15 tax. Nope, that we cannot justify. Instead we sat with our books and wifi (hence the uploaded pictures on our blog) for a solid 8 hours, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner from the value menu. I must admit, I would take even a McDonald's over riding in the wind and rain. Not having a timeline allows for so much flexibility.
A recommended breakfast at Elma's, we happily ate a decent sized meal for a fair price. Where did this come from? We haven't hit this in Canada very often and were surprised it happened in Newfoundland where the prices tend to be elevated another 10% from even from the expensive Nova Scotia.
Riding north we had the water on our left and the Table Mountains on our right. Talk about beautiful. These mountains are steep sided with flat tops, making us both more or less drool thinking of the fantastic hikes and beautiful views these mountains must provide. The green meadows, trees and brush encased either side of the road and random lakes and rivers occupy the terrain. One section we passed through is called Wreck House. This was rightfully given its name, supposedly the windiest spot of Canada, sometimes reaching 200km/hour winds. At one point maybe 60 years ago there was a family that lived in a house that was mostly built in ground to avoid the wind. The man who lived there would communicate with Port Aux Basque via telegraph to let the trains know what the winds were doing, whether the trains should come through or stay put as the gusts were strong enough to topple the trains! He and his wife had 11 children....I guess there is not much to do in such a windy area.
We stopped in a Wreck House gravel pullout, tucking behind a gravel burm that acted as a wind break for a snack. Shortly after stopping an older local man drove up in a car and suggested we not stay here too long because the winds were picking up in Port Aux Basque and could be getting bad here soon. Yikes! We wolfed down our sardines and crackers before hopping back on our bikes to take full advantage of the winds at our backs. Although cloudy and a touch cold, we really enjoyed the first two days in Newfoundland. The riding here is much more wildernessy than most other places we have been. Similar to Alaska with nothing but one road and evergreen trees, mountains and valleys as far as you can see.
Our first stealth night (which is easy and definitely acceptable here), we found a flat spot overlooking a river and maybe 200 feet from the highway, totally out of sight. Within a few minutes, we noticed we were amongst maybe 1/2 mile of raspberry bushes bursting with fruit. Yes! I must have eaten close to 1,000 raspberries and we even added some to our oatmeal the next morning. I just love picking berries. Canada is a great place to travel, but the expensive fresh fruits and veggies sadly enough force us to eat out of cans too often. I soaked up the opportunity for fresh berries and filled up as much as possible to the point where I stained my fingers red.
Camping along the highway, we thought the trucks would continue through most of the night, but the fear of hitting a moose forces the drivers off the road by about 11pm. Perfect timing, allowing for quiet and restful nights.
We made our way to Corner Brook, the "big city" on the west coast that consists of 20,000 people. Just as we pulled in, the rain started and we quickly ducked into McDonald's. Not a bad spot especially since it was set high on a hill with huge windows that looked over the fjord and beautiful town. It was a great spot for the first hour or so, but the unfortunately the rain continued for a solid 7 hours. Yes, we spent almost 8 hours sitting in McDonald's. Where have our standards gone? Although tempted to get our first hotel room since Central America, the rates at the Comfort Inn were $155 plus a %15 tax. Nope, that we cannot justify. Instead we sat with our books and wifi (hence the uploaded pictures on our blog) for a solid 8 hours, eating breakfast, lunch and dinner from the value menu. I must admit, I would take even a McDonald's over riding in the wind and rain. Not having a timeline allows for so much flexibility.
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