7 July

Good bye Newfoundland

7 July, The Ferry

7 July

Swimming pic and the Irish loop

7 July

Woke up this morning feeling totally beat, yesterday’s ride was actually 6 hours vs the 4 hours I previously posted. Six hours to go 165 miles, that’ll give you an idea how much fun that was. I was glad when I got to the Inn she let me check in early, I really had nowhere to go and there are no overhangs here or bridges to take cover under. I figured she let me in cuz I looked like a wet rag but when I told her where my ride started from all empathy went out the window and she just said “you’re crazy”! I was glad there was a restaurant right next door that I could walk to and I kid you not another server classic moment, you can’t make this stuff up. A couple with a child comes in and the guys said he would like a Bud Lite (Why?? The Newfoundland beer is awesome) and the server says we don’t have Bud Lite. So he asks what they have and she rattles off all these brands and in the middle of her beer recital she actually says “Bud Lite”! The guy says to her you just said Bud Lite and she simply replies I guess we do have it?!?!?!?!? WHAAAA!

A couple of days ago (I forgot to add) I was riding towards Witless Bay and saw kids swimming in a lake; I just had to turn around and stick my hand in the water…so I did. You’d figure since I had been told repeatedly that the weather here had been on the 30’s right up until last Sunday the water would be freezing; it wasn’t, actually felt good.

Also on a previous post I mentioned riding Newfoundland should be on every bikers bucket list, and maybe it should, but looking back I heard over and over again how lucky I was with the weather. I didn’t give it a second thought until I got to Argentia to catch the ferry back and there are a lot of bikers going back and I spoke with most of them and I can’t believe how many have been disappointed with the weather. Somehow I was very, very, fortunate to have had good weather for every day but the last. So come and ride but be weather-ready and be sure you are very good at riding/handling the bike you bring over cuz you will be challenged with weather, pot holes and moguls!

The ride to Argentia was uneventful until I came around a corner to see a vehicle with his two wheels on my side of the road, so I hugged right and got by. At least if he hit me I’d be in good hands cuz in was and ambulance! I got here 2 hours early but it worked out good cuz once I got here and got in the terminal it started to rain. So I’m on board and should be departing in 30 minutes. If the weather in good in Nova Scotia we get to port I will ride the Cabot trail and stop in Antigonish for the night…keeping my fingers crossed.

Can't post pictures, internet on the ferry is weak

Stats

Was poking around my blog and found a stats page, I have followers from USA, Canada (lot's of Canadians), Russia and Germany.

7 July

Today began like most, a typical Newfoundland mauzy day. Unfortunately that lasted for about 60 miles then it turned out to be a 4 hour ride with rain, fog and severe cross winds, not particularly fun when riding up an over mountains and along the edge of cliffs. Longest 4 hour ride of my life, I guess I had it too good for too long. So Cape Saint Mary’ Provincial Park is out unless tomorrow is a sunny day but I hear it’s going to rain tomorrow too. Checked in to the Inn and they have washer and dryers, that’s real good!

5 July, George St

Well tonight I had to hit the infamous George Street (Pub Alley). Stopped in to a place called O’Reilly’s and had some fish and chip. Cod was never at the top of my list for fish but this dish was delicious. The meal washed down with a couple Rikard’s White’s was a perfect end to the day. Tomorrow is the last day of riding the island; I’ll be riding what they call the “Irish Loop.” It is named this to reflect over 400 years of history by Irish immigrant settlers. This area has the world's largest puffin colony, the world's southern most caribou herd, the oldest continuous permanent settlement in Canada, some of the world's oldest and rarest marine fossils, and a unique culture that strongly reflects the settlement of Irish immigrants over the past 40 years. From there I’ll continue around the Avalon Peninsula to Saint Brides for my last stop in Newfoundland.