There's a DOCTOR in the house!

CONGRATULATIONS!

Dr. Mark Sedore

 

Day 83: Corner Brook and Gros Morne Park NL

 Dear Gilles.

We're here. The ultimate destination we've been leading up to. 'The Rock'. 

You would love it here. Thank you so much for staying home and keeping everything running there (and income into the bank account). Thank you for allowing me to take this crazy adventure so far from home and give the experience to our family. 

We are so privileged to be able to do this trip in a nice truck with the option of staying in a tent on a budget or hiding under hotel shelters. Privileged is the right word. I have a secure job that allows me to take leave. I have your who is keeping Snowshoe Gardens moving forward and will allow me to still put away some harvest in the fall. 

The boys are at an age where they are helpful, healthy, and aware of their surroundings. They can take care of their own needs like hunger and showers and packing up. I'm making sure we have food and they are fed, but they do the dishes once I'm done with the food preparation.

I am super satisfied with the SmartCap canopy. The gear inside is staying clean and not collecting dust. We've been on a few (not many) dirt roads and the seal around the window does keep the dust outside the tailgate. 

Since we were first off the boat - I just drove north. We did not spend any time in Port aux Basques - even though I should have stopped for breakfast - We didn't even stop at the tourist info centre that was open at 7:30 am. I just wanted to beat the stream of vehicles behind us. 

I didn't realize that that portion of road is similar to so much of the rest of Canada. Long stretches of trees and rocks and water with no services in between. 

We made it to Corner Brook as our breakfast destination at 10am. The Tim Hortons was CLOSED. Walmart had a McDonald's. It was food in bellys and coffee by this point. 

A cruise ship had landed in to Corner Brook too - so that added to my stress levels of driving down the main square with piles of pedestrians around. And ATVs driving down the major streets. It's the norm here - street signs posted and all. 

We finally found an acceptable parking spot - popped in to City Hall and got three pins. Then we found the Captain James Cook lookout spot. Learned how he circumnavigated the coast of Newfoundland. Said hello to an older couple who drove from Vancouver and then made our way north to Deer Lake. 

We spent some time at the beach. Very coarse sand. I much prefer that than the fine grained stuff that gets everywhere. 

The highlight of Deer Lake is definitely the Insectarium. 

This is the BEST in Canada. We can say that from the experience of visiting all four of Canada's Insectariums - Victoria, Sault Ste Marie, Montreal and here. Deer Lake is a destination for anyone passionate about insects. 

It's a privately run location and everyone is passionate about their creatures inside. 

The butterflies are imported weekly for hatching and they have a long greenhouse style butterfly garden that can rival Niagara Falls for the number of fluttering creatures (almost too many). 

The mounted insects are beautiful and sorted by geographic area of origin - where in Montreal they were sorted by colour and size. 

There was a new leaf-cutter ant colony just starting that Luc enjoyed knowing how immature it was, and how big it could get - especially with all the clear PVC tubing they have throughout the facility. 

We (Luc and Patric) spent more than an hour immersed in the insect world - I went out and had a good voice chat with you on the phone with one of the rare days off and time zone availability. We even spent an extra half hour after it closed - chatting with the owners. 

We're still chasing spring here. The ferns are still curled up and not leafed out yet. The bugs are very bearable still. We're set up at the KOA in Gros Morne for the next few days - so we're moving in - and set up the screenhouse for the first time this trip. It promises to rain on our last day here - but that's ok - our next stop is St. Anthony and L'Anse aux Meadows and vikings. 

Our weather forecast - we're booked until Sunday. Gorgeous day today forecasted. 

Day 82: Louisbourg NS and Ferry to NFLD

 Dear Gilles, 

It was a long day today. 

We made it to Louisbourg Fortress just before noon. Had a picnic lunch and started exploring. 

It's the largest reconstruction site in North America. None of it is original (the English or the French blew it up a few times in the 1700's). It was rebuilt in the 1960s with local labour from Cape Breton Island, using tradesmen that were available during Coal Mine troubles. It's 1/5th the size the whole fortress would have been - but for a tourist day trip - it's enough. 

There's current archeological digs being completed, and some human remains that are being relocated from an eroding shoreline. 

The temperature was in the low 20s, but it was windy so we still needed to bundle up. 

Our explorations took us to many different buildings that had "animators" in them. Persons in period costumes that will come in and out of character at will. Most of them are local to the town of Louisbourg and have been doing this for generations. Others are students in university. 

Our admission was free with our National Parks Pass (I still don't see any announcement about Mark Carney's Canada Strong Pass). We purchased a guided tour for 2:30. We almost didn't need the guided tour though - as we're getting good at asking questions from the site hosts. The boys got lots of history exposure, and a musket lesson from a soldier stationed in church. 

We've now witnessed musket and rifle firing demonstrations - the rifle was at the Halifax Citadel. I think we really need to round out the experience with a visit to Fort Henry in Kingston. It's a fortified fort built for purpose rather than a town/community with soldiers. 

After a good day at the Fortress, we headed to dinner at East Side Mario's. They've been wanting to try it for a while, and we don't have any franchises local to us. It was anti-satisfying. Camp noodles are tastier. 

Then we drove about half an hour and got in line for the Ferry to Newfoundland. We were super lucky and our vehicle was parked so that it would be one of the first off the ferry when we dock. They started boarding at 9:15pm. 

Once we parked on Level 3 - we headed up to Level 8 for the cabins. We stepped out of the elevator and it felt "fancy". Shiny wood panelling, accent lighting. 

We found our cabin and explored the available spaces. Then settled down in our bunks. Once we were settled, with the lights out - the SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENTS rang through the cabin for 11:15pm sailing. 

All was smooth and uneventful. 

I woke up around 5ish - who even knows the times anymore with the change in zones. I wanted to see the sunrise. I could just see land in the distance. 

We arrived in Port aux Basques on Day 83. 

Day 81: Baddeck NS - ZERO Day

 Dear Gilles. 

I'm just going to sit at camp today. Not drive. 

Unless I get bored and we drive for 40 minutes to a sand beach in Inverness. The day promises to be +18C, so comfortable but not HOT. 

It's a pretty campsite and they have a small sandy beach area. I can choose to escape from the boys and read a book down there - depending on the blackflies. My arms and legs are chickenpox full of bites. Patric has been hiding inside for protection and they don't bother Luc at all. I just can't stay inside when the weather is nice - so I endure the bites. 

I could use a day to just read a book, do some embroidery, eat some of the groceries we have instead of fast food and catch up on sorting photos. 

I also need to take my SLR camera out and practice. I haven't been using it at all since I've needed eye glasses - it's just harder to use. So I need to get back in to the mind set, remember the rules of exposure and use it. 

Tomorrow we're getting on the Ferry at 11:30 pm. 

We've been really lucky to stay in some camping cabins for reasonable prices for this off-season time of cold/wetness. It's been super comfortable. Hopefully as Canada becomes more summer, the days will also become drier and warmer. But not too dry and warm as MB and SK and AB are experiencing with their current fires and evacuations. 

We'll check out of this campground early, hit the road to Louisbourg and spend the day there. Then we'll head to North Sydney, explore around there and wait for the ferry. Luckily we have a cabin, and we'll be able to get a few hours of sleep. 

Day 80: Cabot Trail NS

 Dear Gilles 

We were breakfasted and in the truck at 8:30 am and back at the campsite at 6:00. 9.5 hours driving 300km on the Cabot Trail. 

We went in a counter-clockwise direction because as we started there was still fog and mist - and I hoped that by the time we reached the ocean views that would burn off later in the day (it did). 

Our first stop was Ingonish where we had greasy-spoon breakfast in a not so greasy place. Main Street Cafe was freshly painted and still building on its decorations and environment. I had eggs benedict ($10 more got you lobster benedict). I have added hollandaise sauce to my list of things to do once we're back at home. Home made sourdough muffins, fresh poached eggs, our own ham and hollandaise sauce. 

I meant to keep track of all our stops - but quickly gave up, knowing there are many other fine travel blogs out there that describe the route in more flowery detail.

Once we got to Cape Breton Highlands National Park, we stopped at the Info Centre for patches. She recommended going to Ingonish Beach - right nearby. So we did. It's a pebble beach. And it was a windy beach. There was also a tennis/pickleball court available. Luc thought it would be a great idea for me to dig in to the very back and bottom of the truck to get out the pickleball stuff to play. I did not think it was worth the effort for all the wind that was blowing. 

The roads throughout are narrow and twisty. I'd say windy - and that would mean both blowing wind and twisty. The truck rolled over 40,000 km. 

During the day, we did one small hike to waterfalls.

We stopped in Pleasant Cove to visit the Whale Interpretive Centre on their first day open. 

We stoped in Cheticamp for chicken-dinner and dirts and worms ice cream. 

THEN we arrived in Maragree around 4:45. I was looking for the Salmon Museum. It's on the Backroads mapbook, it's on the campground's info sheet. We couldn't find it the other day - there are NO SIGNS pointing the way. 

At the closed information centre- I was hoping for some outside information listings. A lady had just finished interviewing a summer student to work there this season and she re-opened up the shop to get me a map and explain WHERE the salmon museum is. I would never have found it. And it's currently CLOSED for the season - opening in two weeks. I'm forced to give up. 

Everyone agreed it was a good day today. 

Day 79: Uisge Ban Falls NS

 Dear Gilles, 

It's almost a Zero Day today. 

It's promised to rain heavy at 3pm and I didn't want to do the Cabot Trail in heavy rains. It just would be more stressful than fun. 

So we opted for an easy hike to some waterfalls. It took us about 30 minutes to get there, and 30 minutes to walk it. The bugs were BAD. We walked quickly. 

Beautiful mixed forest with mostly clear underbrush.

I didn't take many photos. I just didn't feel like exposing myself to bugs. 

We also took a detour looking for a salmon museum. Couldn't find it. 

Came back to camp and stayed in the cabin - nice and dry. It stopped raining long enough for me to make supper out on the picnic table. 

The boys have found some camp-friends to play pool and air hockey with. So we all get some separation from each other. 

Day 78: Baddeck NS

 Dear Gilles 

The clouds are rolling in. The wind is picking up. The blackflies have been blown away. 

I've showered and feel human again. I'm sitting out on the porch, while the boys are inside doing their own thing. They are getting a lot of digital device time - Luc on his laptop - Patric on the Nintendo Switch playing Zelda. I'm mostly OK with it as they take breaks to practice the devil sticks that they made on our last day of PEI. Refinements to the stick sets are still required.

We booked another camper cabin for 5 nights. Rain still threatens in the forecast and so do temperatures below plus5. I like to sleep. We've been chasing spring. The forsythia bushes are still in bloom here and the leaves are barely on the trees. They'll pop out soon. 

The town of Baddeck is about 10km away. We picked up groceries and a large pizza. 

We spent some time at the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. There was a lot of reading at this one. But after seeing the submarine chasing war-boat hydroplane, we spent some time in the hydrodome gallery. We watched a short video on how it came to be, a little bit about why it works and saw the original and the replica structure. 

More information about it here: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD-4