Sabbath Road

I was up at 5AM and packed up my stuff.  It felt good to be heading home.  It had been a grand trip and there are not many motorcycle trips where you can say that in seven days you only had 2 hours of rain!!  We had luck!! I wandered downstairs and put the kettle onto boil - saw the fresh bread and could not resist!  Two slices with some jam on them sure hit the spot!  I read the departure note from Walter and could not find words at the moment to reply. I drank my coffee and watched the morning unfold in Walter's front yard - hoping to see a moose or two (there had been two in the yard the day before and I am told there were two there later on the morning we left!).  No moose sighting for me though!  As before, the only moose I saw in Newfoundland were on plates... I checked my email and caught up on the news and make a second cup of coffee.  Al wandered down, used the washroom and then went back up to bed - checking with me as ...

We awoke on Saturday morning to cloudy skies, heavy with the threat of rain.  Over a few cups of coffee a plan was developed: head toward Flat Bay through Corner Brook, stop in Corner Brook for breakfast and then head out toward Cape St. George. With the bikes loaded, after a brief visit with Glen, we headed inland, leaving the beautful view of Cox's Cove behind.  The further inland we went, the less threatening the sky seemed.  In Corner Brook we motored around for a bit trying to find a place for breakfast.  Asked one fellow (a city street worker) and he suggested Tim Horton's - Al and I agreed - that's not breakfast.  Then he said, "dere's a place down at d'end of d'mall that you could try..." And find it we did, after a tour of the back parking lot of the Corner Brook mall - Arom'a Plus.  We had a fine scoff - a full breakfast as they say in Newfoundland.  I had eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, ham and bologna - and ended up sharing...

I awoke - late for me at 7AM.  Al was still snoring.  I packed my sleeping bag and mattress.  Al was still snoring.  I took down the tent and packed it all on the motorcycle.  Al was still snoring.  I made coffe and enjoyed the morning.  Al was still snoring.  I made another coffee and took it down to the common area where I uploaded some pictures and updated the blog.  Al was still snoring when I left - and when I returned at 9:30 AM he was sitting at the table drinking coffee. We'd decided last night to run up to Trout River.  Al wanted me to see the Tablelands.  I'm so glad we did.  Majestic and awe inspiring are the only words that can begin to describe the grandeur!  We made it to the end of the road and saw the beginning of the Trout River Small Pond (as opposed to Trout River Big Pond !?!?) and then we turned around and headed for Corner Brook. The plan was to have lunch and then visit Headline Holstein's,...

An amazing day - as they all have been!  This morning I was up again at 5AM and like a mouse, I packed my bike and I head out to St. Anthony and L'anse aux Meadows. The drive to St. Anthony was a mystical delight - fog rolling over the road, at times I would drive under it and other times through it - being ever careful for moose... didn't see a one though! In St. Anthony I headed out to the end of the road - Fishing Point.  There was a lighthouse there and there were trucks all lined up with men sitting in them looking to the water.  I asked one guy what was up and he says, "Well, see we all gets our coffee and come's out here's for a chat and to watch the whales and icebergs before we goes to work... there's one - see that fluke..." and like that I was entranced!  We saw three whales breach and one blow - they were chasing the caplin.  And then, the same fellow says, "And see dat der iceberg through de fog..."  And sure enough there it was ...

5AM came on time.  With over 9 hours sleep Al was up as soon as I flushed the toilet!  By 5:45AM we had the bikes packed and were sitting in the lobby of the Hotel North 2 waiting for Jungle Jims to open so we could get breakfast! I saw fishcakes on the breakfast menu and got excited... Al suggested that I find out of they are frozen - as I would no doubt be disappointed if I got them and they were... I asked... they were... I ordered bacon and eggs instead! We were on the road by 7:15AM with 500+ kilometers of gravel road ahead of us.  The road was in great shape... by great I mean in better conditions than some towns in Nova Scotia - one in particular with a men's prison in it by the same name - but I won't mention any names...  Ann Murray was born there but won't come back for fear of ruining the suspension on her Escalade...  figure it out yet!?!   There is not much to write about 500+ KM of gravel road.  The scenery was breath taking - rocks...

Up at 4AM as a result of the call of nature, I exited the tent (awkwardly I might add) to a slightly overcast morning... Did my business and crawled back into the warm sleeping bag and tossed and turned, waking again at 5AM.  It was light enough to see the watch so it was time to get up. I rolled up my sleeping bag and mattress and donned my riding liners and then followed natures call again - and went for a little walk to the shed down the way - a two seater but I had no company except the mosquitos! Returning to the camp site I stowed my gear and packed up the tent... and I guess Al heard the sound of zippers and me grunting... soon he was up and doing the same... packing away his tent and mattress and sleeping back in the midst of a fine drizzle! Notice the orage rocks! My a coffee would be good... except it wasn't where it was supposed to be.  So,I packed up the JetBoil and then realized the bag with the coffee was in my pocket...  so, unpacked the JetB...