June 17, Signal Hill, nfld

Cool and damp but not far to go today.  We headed up to Signal Hill which is at the opening into the narrows of St Johns well protected harbour.

It’s a pretty popular area, the upper parking lot was full, except the motorcycle parking.  Not something we find nearly often enough!

Signal Hill and the Cabot Tower are a very interesting site with a lovely distant view of Cape Spear and its Lighthouses.  Not completely clear, but a good view just the same. 

Many pathways around the hill to explore.  We checked out the history of Mr Marconi and his struggle to prove transatlantic wireless transmission was possible.  Thus proving the scientific community wrong and raising the hackles of telegraphic cable companies of the North Atlantic.  There was mention that he is the father of all our wireless technology.  He was run out of Newfoundland by the cable companies right into the arms of the Nova Scotia officials who were waiting for him to get off the boat in Sydney, NS.  They were happy to ‘back’ his long distance wireless transmission experiments which is now a museum at Glace Bay NS.

There was a Amateur Radio Station there V01AA, not manned today, under lock and key rather than behind a glass wall as most are.  Apparently in the summer visiting HAM’s can transmit from there: one needs to make arrangements ahead of time.  Thats ok, we still can say we were there!

Lots of narrow, steep Victorian era stairs up to the top of Cabot Tower

did not realize we would be able to go all the way to the top.  Nice!

A fellow traveller from Toronto; who has seen as much or more of Canada than us, thinks this site is the most beautiful in Canada.  It is pretty special

The Queens Battery part of the pic above, has been utilized as a line of defence for multiple centuries through to mid 20th century, the first battlements were wooden structures long disintegrated.  The guns came in much later, with all kinds of interesting shot options. 

A little travel time this afternoon.  One more National historic site before we board the ferry tomorrow. We are taking the overnight ferry, with cabins.  Thats going to be another new adventure for us!

Cape Spear nfld

Off to Cape Spear the most easterly point in Canada, it was sunny in St Johns, as the road climbed up and out of the harbour to the point just 8km away and fog enveloped the area.  Apparently very common and while we thought it quite thick, apparently not to much, to the locals.    The old lighthouse set for restoration work, no way to get a decent pic with a sea can parked in front of it, a newer working lighthouse built in 1950’s and a WWII battery and lookout to protect the St Johns area.

First the 1950’s lighthouse with its beacon, neat to see it pierce the fog with its light which has been used since 1912!  The light was transferred to the 1950’s building when it was completed.  We also have video with the light and the fog horn blowing.

The rocks below with waves which looks like a safe distance to photograph.  Then you read a sign telling visitors that the waves can hit the grass at the edge of your feet.  Um WOW!  The ocean is a long way down there…

Maps App tell us we are as far East as we can go on wheel or foot. 

The Red chairs our tax dollars set all over the Canada for  the 150 celebration.  Finally had a good reason to sit in them.  A gent from Didsbury, AB snapped this for us!

I suggest our next easterly travels be Iceland… Scot doesn’t thing the Gold Wing has adequate water wings.

We did not realize the WWII station was there until we started to look around the park.  Found an opening and headed inside for a snoop.

It had several rooms for servicemen to work in, as well as storage for ammunition and supplies.

 

The 30 ton Guns were bought from the Americans when they were over 40 years old!  Having been built in 1896, protecting the Philadelphia harbour in the USA, until they were installed in this location in 1941. So many different thoughts on this, ultimate reusing? Canada buying US cast offs? In the end, the area is regularly enveloped in fog, so actually being able to use these guns was limited.

After we had been through the hallways we came outside to discover the whole thing was much more condensed than what it felt from the inside. Or the land warps the perspective.

This area had a lot to see, we were glad we had the time to check it out.

Leaving the area we found ourselves lost in downtown Fort St John’s.  The GPS could not keep up to our wrong turns;  the alternate GPS (me) was far to busy taking pictures of Jellybean Row… not that I could have helped the map was in the trunk, again.

Reading a little more, we were lost on almost every famous heritage street in Ft St Johns.  We are going back through it today, Sunday, the camera battery died just as we came over the port area.  Very Impressive views.  Hope I will have pics for tomorrow!

June 15 Gander

Scot has been fretting over the back tire, not quite to the wear bars but with 11 000+ km on it he is sure its not going to make it home,  Went in to chat at Simmons Honda in Gander, they got us in right away. We hiked over to the Walmart for supplies and by the time we came back, the wing was ready to go.  Great Service.

Late in the afternoon we headed over to Twillingate to see what there was to see for icebergs and wildlife on the ocean. A community well settled into the rock on the edge of a bay

One smaller iceberg that had calved off a larger one earlier in the week.  It will be completely gone in just a few days.   So much texture!  Smooth on one corner, long vertical lines on another and pockmarks on another….

it looks tiny, until you see it close to another tour boat.

Bald Eagle hanging out close to its nest high on a cliff.  It takes a good eye to see it. Again my little point and shoot can only do its best. Its all about the memories, right?

Me with the Newfie corner of our family!

June 14 Gros Morne nfld

Woke up to a beautiful blue sky! Sadly only one day and then more wet and cold on the West side of the island so we will be leaving L’anse aux Meadows for a fall colour trip in our long term future.   On to Gros Morne.  Fjords with villages nestled right up against the bay’s are so picturesque.  A boat tour came highly recommended but only available in late afternoon we had no choice but to enjoy the area from the roads.

We were happy to find ourselves at the right place and right time for a hiking tour of the Tablelands.  One of only a handful of places on the planet where the earths mantle has been brought to the surface of the earth. Apparently Newfoundland is the only easy one to access.

This barren area has been on the surface of the planet for 250 million years yet very little has adapted to grow in its very toxic surface. This lovely little plant has beat the odds.

When the super continent Pangaea was forming the mantle was pushed to the surface so was ocean floor.  The valley and road separates the ‘mantle mountain’ on the left  from the ‘ocean floor mountain’ on the right.  Neat stuff!

 

Lunch found us on the edge of the ocean, another lovely area, so many colourful rocks.  Since we were not in a park, I found one that spoke to me of the colours of Newfoundland.

Again we are ahead of summer here on The Rock.  The Fiddlehead ferns are unrolling.  Scot could not picture what I was talking about, we found some while hiking, now it all makes sense.

More creative signage!  I guess the moose win more than they lose!

On to Gander to visit family!  So fortunate we were able to get a tour of Russel’s place of employment NAV Canada, which is responsible for air traffic from and to Europe to Canada, up to 700 planes a night— who knew!?!.  I was interested, but I think for Scot it’s a highlight on the list of all the great things we have experienced on this trip. No pics of this area though. Security is pretty important.

June 13 SW NFLD

Looked out the window at the hotel, dumping rain as expected.

Used up the complimentary coffee and tea.  Waited for the sun to shine in Port aux Baque, as forecasted at 10C around 10am.   The clerk guessed the room number before Scot got to the desk as we were the last to leave the hotel, I think that is a first in ten years of travel.

Headed up to Deer Lake to be closer to Gros Morne Park for a potentially sunny day start tomorrow. Today it ranged from 6C to 8C, with showers and wind gusts off the ocean to add to the fun.  Somehow the side gusts were rattling Scots helmet more than mine. Not something he has ever experienced before, his windshield usually protects him.  Its a rather sharp twist, and definitely uncomfortable.  I felt for him.  I have that happen on the prairies from time to time, at least I can grab my helmet and stop the twist.  He’s a little busy for that and it was so random, no predictability to it at all.

Speaking of unpredictable, road side art…

Diversity of the land in just the first 300 Km’s is amazing.  Microclimates abound.  From the rocky port and rivers

to small pockets of farmland

to mountains

and the bottlebrush growth on coniferous trees, we saw this in the Yukon too

All in pockets of varied size.  Very busy looking at all the diversity. Saw our first of the legendary moose.  Fortunately he crossed the road with a long sight line. We can hope they are all that considerate for us. Amazing proliferation of moose with the introduction of 4 of the beasts in 1904; believed to be over 150 000 today.  I guess no one wants to add wolves to the mix? Wolves were indigenous to the area, but extinct in 1911.

We stopped for a late lunch and maybe to warm up our feet a little.  Gold Wing foot warmer does not keep up to side gusts at those temperatures.  Of course the neighbouring table of retirees told us only crazy people would be out in a day like this.  Well sure, but that’s why it was planned to be a short day, being only partly insane.

Lots of sympathy from the inn clerk who offered us coffee as soon as we walked in the door.  How sweet is that!

June 13, the Atlantic Ocean

Boarding the Ferry to Newfoundland this morning.  Scot was restless even though we didn’t need to be at the port until 9:45 for a 2 hour wait, we were klckstands up at 9:02, for a 3km drive.  Sigh…  ah well, lots of time to check on information pamphlets for Newfoundland at the mainland terminal, but no map.

Positive thinking on the part of many RV’s headed towards less than stellar weather.  Oh wait…. looks who’s talking!

Atlantic Maritime like their lifting hydraulic bow/stern system. All these different designs fascinate me for some reason

We were warned by lane staff before boarding we would be expected to tie down.  No surprise to us. This crossing on the MV Blue Puttee is 7 hours!  According to crew we are on the Atlantic, outside of the Gulf of St Lawrence.  We were not the only bikes! Two coming home from their winter home in Florida and a retired gent camping his way across the Maritimes… brrr…..

Being first on gives a person lots of time to explore the ship before anyone else leave their cars.  Helicopter pad!!! Not sure if thats reassuring or concerning….  lets go with reassuring, its going to be a calm day anyway.

Cormorants nesting right beside the docked ship.  Not quite as picturesque as their more natural sunning places on the rocks. Practical though.

Massive Lifeboats!  in comparison to the BC ferries, which I thought were big.

Blue Puttee is apparently a name given to the Newfoundland Soldiers of WWI, honoured for doing themselves proud.

On our way to Newfoundland!  leaving the harbour I ask what is that? way off in the distance on the edge of the harbour????  it’s blurry due to the heroic efforts of my little point and shoot.  Chapel Point Battery is its name, Scot says it’s good we have to come back this way.  We’ll be back and check it out then, if we don’t get a chance to find one on the Rock.

Chatted with the gent from Ontario.  Apparently we have been following or passing him the entire maritime journey.  He did do the entire perimeter of Nova Scotia, which means he continued on those rough roads we found too jarring to continue.  We traded travel stories with him for the entire trip. Didn’t get my blog caught up or any other small plans.

What is our first sighting of Nfld? The glowing snow, I had hoped my eyes were wrong.  But as it got closer, it was affirmed my eyes are not failing me yet.

Fortunately as we closed in on the harbour the snow disappeared into the hills. Whew. Well now we see where the affectionate ‘the rock’ nickname comes from.

 

One more time change, the infamous .5 hour of Newfoundland.  The GPS on the Wing  was deep down on level 3 in the ship and could not yet get a reading. We had been sitting up on level 7.   

The GPS caught up pretty quick once we came out of the hold.

June 11 Cape Breton, Cabot Trail

Over to Cape Breton and up to the National Park.  Lots of beautiful roads and scenic vistas. Many fishing boats on the water, doing what fishing boats do. The southern part of the island is just a normal maritime area

The Cabot Trail is everything we expected: curvy roads

ocean views

as any where else in Canada there are two seasons winter and construction.  I believe Alberta needs to consider improving employment by making it mandatory to utilize pilot vehicles through construction sites.  No speeders here.

Somehow I missed getting a shot of the wood chipper on the end of a articulating arm, chips really fly.  He stopped as soon as vehicles were within range.  We appreciated that..

Quite some time ago we realized when we travel to look for work trucks in motels for the decent comfortable affordable rooms.  Conservation officer, RCMP or local business trucks at restaurants for affordable decent food.  Today we taken a recommendation from a gas jockey, another good plan generally.  Where we ended up was best seafood chowder yet on this trip of Atlantic seafood. That chowder should have cost a lot more than $7.   As we ate, a set of tables were arranged for a larger group and in came not 2 or 3 but 6 RCMP looking for a late lunch!  More proof this was a great place to eat.

Ferry was out for short cut to Sydney, not usually an issue, unfortunately Scot had not slept well. Since temperatures barely made double digits today, even with heated gear he was chilled.  Glad to make it in decent time and motel gave us a bit of a deal. Even better it looks over the port!  We can hear the ferries come and go.  I love it.  Reminds me of my early childhood. 

June 9&10, Nova Scotia

Taking a holiday from our bike holiday, Saturday June 9!

Fantastic view at 7am in the  morning from our friend’s Linda and Jim’s home. Not overly warm, but with the sun shining it was comfortable. Her marigolds are a little worse for frost even after covering them, they’ll make it….

Cormorant enjoying the sun, too

Linda chauffeured us around, Scot enjoyed being able to watch all the details he misses while driving.  We headed out to Queensland Beach, to walk their pup Gizmo.

This was a fairly new road until a storm washed out underneath the pavement, bringing the rocks through the surface.  And rolling rocks across the road.  Amazing strength of the waves.

Lunch overlooking the harbour, the sun came out and we enjoyed ourselves on the patio.

 

Headed over to Lunenburg with all the colourful storefronts and homes

and the Bluenose II moored to the wharf!  What Good Luck and even better public was allowed on board for free!

those are some big trees used for the boom! Yep, I looked the term up.

It was sailing today, but we had a date with a lobster or two

Down the street was a rum distillery called Ironworks, highly recommended.  Will have to see if its available in Alberta, there is no way to pack a glass bottle home on a bike.  Plus somewhat illegal to cross provincial boundary’s with local booze. Like, really Canada? Confederation was based on reducing tariffs between provinces.  

That wood fired distiller, shipped in from Germany, is a work of art!

A lovely evening with a Lobster supper with all you can eat mussels and salad bar. Oh and home made desserts

 Then off to a local restaurant to listen to friends of our hosts play and sing pop music of the 80’s.  Great evening.  Jim and Linda entertained us with more song and music til bed time. We have no musical talent ourselves but we sure can appreciate those who do.

A warmish start to the next day, June 10.   But it degraded to 14C for a good portion of the day.

Lupins are a ditch plant, flowering now.

turquoise waters in the North Atlantic, my point and shoot camera does not do it justice.

Happy to have our heat controller working reliably, Scot took some time yesterday to take the seat off and look at the connections.  One was corroded, cleaned it. Now it doesn’t get a little cantankerous when we go over rough roads, which still exist in quantity.

 Stopped for an early night as we partied well the last couple nights. On the door step of Cape Breton Island.  A gravel parking lot at the motel, but look at those parking pads for bikes. And a view of the Bay and Cape Breton Island!

Halifax, June 8 2017

Headed to Halifax.  Found decent parking close by, yay. we can check out the museums of interest without worrying about time.

First is lunch at Alexander Keiths brewhouse established in 1820.  Recommendations?  Beer battered Fish and chips.  We shared, except for the Keith’s as it is called out here.

On to Pier 21 Immigration Museum at what seems the far end of the Halifax Harbour, so glad we changed out of our boots.  No pictures allowed inside the building so this plaque is what we have.  The interesting part inside is a library of immigration stretching back into the 1700’s.  If you have any date available as to when your ancestors came over, they have it on file. Apparently they may be able to help if you don’t have exact dates!

Quite an exhibit, showing how deep our roots are based in discriminatory procedures when it comes to the immigration process. Cumulating in the denial of the European Jews on the St Louis in 1939.  The bureaucracy can be seen in all these buildings utilized until the ’70’s

Heading back to the Wharf it got loud for a minute as this Navy helicopter headed out.  We unfortunately were down a side street, we didn’t get to see it lift off. We saw the navy ships as we rode in through downtown. Sadly ran out of time to see how close we could have gotten. We had to prioritize our day.

Friday June 8 was Ocean Day, Free Admission! to the Marine Museum  We felt pretty lucky. So much to see!  Scot has a lot of documentary’s information under his hat.  Still he was impressed by the size of this Mark IX torpedo whose kin were utilized during WWII.  It looks a lot bigger in person.

A panorama of the Halifax Explosion.  The large chunks of metal were twisted and hurled far into the devastated city.   There was a lot of explanation of how the rescues came about. as well as how they coordinated the identification of the victims.  Interesting that Maine was the biggest assistance in helping financially in rebuilding!

After the Halifax explosion there were two divers using this type of equipment on the harbour floor, one man kept both air boxes filled (a four man job) while others brought the divers up from the ocean floor!  Apparently these type of apparatus was used well into the 60’s.  Until now we thought this was the stuff of movies.

Information also for the Titanic, there were too many people in the dioramas showing the inside of the 3 cabin styles, to get a decent pic.  The ‘Sail’ section we skimmed through, still interesting with the models and even a boat simulation that almost set off vertigo when standing on it!

On to Hubbard’s to catch up with an old friend.

Nova Scotia east-ish June 7

Looked out the window first thing this morning and discovered the bike looked a little frosty!  Decided it made a lot of sense to go make another cup of tea and plan a to bundle up this morning.

We were in no rush with a 9:30 ferry to catch and only a 20 minute drive.  We were on the MV Confederation.  An interesting vessel. The Bow raises by hydraulics to create access for vehicles.

it has a basement for small cars

It’s first time we have been asked to tie down our bike on a ferry.  It required a bit of thought on how best to do it.  In the end the channel was very calm and not necessary to tie down, but we understand the official thought would be better safe than sorry.

once everything on ship was tucked in and folded away.  We were off!

temps reached almost normals in the interior, the road weaves from the coastline and back in to higher terrain.

Fog dropped the temps back down to single digits.  Fortunately we were not in it long. Strange windy roads, no road signs for curves, low traffic and by that time we were on a secondary that was less than stellar.  Not a place to experience heavy fog.

Highway patching makes interesting patterns with them now using native rock, we assume? Begs the question what were they using before and why? Unique roads will have to ask what they are like at night or in a rainstorm. Our own blacktop swallows the headlights in wet conditions, red may refract completely different.

Stopped for the night, no local restaurants nearby tonight so pizza night.  Scot talked himself into a $8.00 20oz beer special.  I grabbed the first swig, that thing is heavy!  Man is he getting fast with that phone!  and I got the last bit too.