Day Eleven - Out of Gander

Off early. Clear skies, but windy. I worked the first stage at Appleton and hurried on to Point Leamington. I hurried because I wanted to be sure to have time to see and drive the route from Point Leamington to Leading Tickles. Yes, that is the name of a small fishing town on the north coast. I had been told that it was a popular run through the town. Actually there were two stages run here, one to Tickles & the second one back to Point Leamington. The road was opened briefly between the races while the drivers had lunch in Tickles. You can't imagine how unusual it looks to see all these race cars decend upon a little fishing village. Alot of the people come out for autographs & have their picture taken with a favorite car. Its very much a community gathering. Often lunch is prepared by the Legion or by a church auxiliary. Anyway, I quickly hopped in my car and drove the course, took a few pictures and headed back to Leamington. I didn't want to get stuck when the road was closed again. On the way back to Gander, I stopped to watch part od the final stage of the day. Just as I parked an e30 M3 came sliding around the corner and nearly lost it. Sorry, no photo.

Day Nine

This was added & therefore out of sequence. This morning I spent visiting The Rooms, a very new and impressive museum, art gallery and archive in the center of St. Johns. The building towers over the downtown. Made of steel and concrete with its structure exposed to the inside, it was easily the most impressive building in town. It is actually three separate units connected and enclosed by a single roof, staircases and landings. The scale was a little overwelming.

This afternoon was the prologue race at Confederation Park. This not a typical park, but more along the lines of an Industrial Park. Large open areas among government buildings instead of industrial uses. There was alot of elevation on the course & because it was the weekend, there were no government employee cars. There were alot of spectators and I'm afraid I was blessed out buy a lady right off the bat for not letting her go by after the race had begun. Colin, a "car guy" I met at the Guv'nor's Inn (my hotel) and I had driven together to Confederation Park and later had dinner at a Pub downtown.

Day Ten ((previously Day Nine)

Today I give up my nest at the Guv'nor's Inn. I've been here 4 nights and its really become a place I've looked forward to each night. Primarily because it is quiet. No traffic, no loud cars(including my own), no interaction required. The days have been long, but fun. I don't want you to think that I'm complaining. Even the early schedule has worked out.

This morning started out somehere about 3:30 AM. I woke to the sounds of wind and sheets of rain on the roof. It sounded like we were in the edge of a hurricane. My firt thought was that I was going to have to pack the car in this mess. So, I went back to bed an hoped that it would be over by 6:00. I was to drive to Argentia to the first stage that started at 9:00 AM or there abouts. At 6:00 it was still pouring. Coffee, shower, load the car and gone by 6:45. Thank you GPS again. It was all I could do to keep the car on the road. Newfoundland is known for its wind and I will remember it for it's roads, as well. It got to the point I was driving about 35 mph and hold the wheel woth both hands. After an hour or so it slacked off. Probably because I was away from the coast. I had been afraid that I would be late for the first stage, but when I arrived the set up team said that I was the only one of 19 to show at all and the cars had started late as I had due to the weather. I turned out to be a pretty sunny, but windy day. The thirf stage was a reverse of the first so I was asked to stay put so I did, but chose an different position. Later that day I worked the final stage,Eastport(on the way to Gander) and was asked to track of car numbers so that the timer would not get out of sink. Today I was able to get photos and some short movie clips(with sound) & will try to attach some of both to this entry. In the future there will photos of cars and landscape. (Something for everybody?)

Checked into the Irving West Hotel about dark. To tired for dinner. No wireless is the reason for no blog entries until tonight. The hotel was nothing to write home about. Fred, this first photo is for you.

Day Eight

This morning I headed to Water Sreet. I walked it from one end to the other. Lots of restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and banks with some clothing shops. Then did a spin down by the docks and down beer alley , they call it George St. George St. reminded me of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Late in the morning I drove out to Signal Hill and took a long walk. I skipped lunch and decided to go on out to Cape Spear. I knew I wouldn't have time later. The drive was about 40 min. each way plus stops I stopped twice at an overlook and Maddox Cove/Petty Harbor. There was alot to see at Cape Spear. This a National Historic Site and envolved a good bit of walking. There are two light houses, an art gallery, two WWII artilery bunkers. Quite a combination! Cape Spear guarded St. Johns both in times of peace and war. I found some pastry & coffee on the way back so once I got back to the Guv'nor's Inn, I skipped supper, watched TV, called home & went to bed. Clarification: I just added 3 new photos. Don't know how to move photos around in the blog or label individual photos. Three new photos are taken at Cape Spear(WWII fortification, building w/lookout and view back to St. Johns).

Day Seven

The ferry ride continued until 11:00. Then there was a significant weight before we were off and on the road to St. Johns. Once in St Johns, GPS directed me to the Hotel. I was imediately supprised how large the city is. The downtown was fairly congested with traffic and the sidewalks were busy with bankers, professionals, students and tourists. I went on to the hotel and crashed. That night I had fishcakes and an ale for dinner here at the hotel. I also met my next door neighbor, Colin, a forester fron Vancouver. Originally from the U.K., he was about 70 years old and very much a "car guy". He had also volunteered to work at the Targa, but he had flown in and had no car until Sunday. Early to bed after phone calls. (no cell phone service, but I'm getting the hang of operating Skype.)

Day Six

Up this morning @ 6:00, on the road before 7:00. My route took me away from town, so no coffee first thing. This was not a good move. It resulted in a headache that lasted through noon. Plans today were to drive the Cabot Trail aroung Cape Breton & affive in North Sydney in tme for the ferry to Newfoundland. The west coast of Cape Breton was by far the most picturesque. Lots odf elevation & winding roas with spectactular views. It was hard not to pull off at every overlook. I took lots of photos, but was still in search of a good cup of coffee. I gased up & got coffee before heding into the National PPark that makes a big portion of the north end of the Cape. Just before noon I pulled into a little fishing village and a little restaurant called the Chowder House. I could tell it was the thing to do based on level of activity around this little frame building stuck up high on a little point overlooking a high jagged coast line to the South. Seafood chowder & hot tea for me. It was cool with a steady wind off the ocean. After lunch it pretty much downhill literally. I had been to the highest elevations and soon left the Park. The road was rough & winding & had become an obstacle to get to the Ferry. With several delays for road construction, I was beginning to be concerned about the time. Fortunately, the road from the Cabot Trail over to North Sydney was good & fast. Except for a close encounter with a logging truck the road put me into Sidney before 4:00. Ferry check-in was before 7:15. By 8:00 the lot had begun to fill up with every imaginable vehicle & cargo. Road equipment, new cars, lime, potatoes, motor cycles and yes, cars for the race were there too. I had several conversations with car owners milling around. Downtown North Sydney was adjacent to the Ferry so most people walked over for supper. The Ferry was a monster and been sitting in front of us since before my arrival. The stagging lot was something like a rail yard without the rails. We seemed to be lind up according to length. The longer vehicles(trucks & trailers were driving straight in into the lower levels, while cars went up an exterior ramp, went the length of the boat, made a 180 degree turn & went up another interior ram, then another 180 degree turn to a park on the 4th level of vehicles. Later after reading a posted chart, I realized that the boat had 7 levels above these frist two mechanical levels. Levels numbered 5, 6, & 7 were the "people section". I spent most of my time on #7, port side, wher my assigned seat was. The boat is probably 20% full, but the cargo section must be full. They were loading right up to the time we left. Oh! I put on my motion sickness patch aroud 3:00. I've been OK despite sme rough water. We were told that during the night there were a couple of waves that broke over the bow. I question that, but I remember slaming into some pretty good ones after midnight. My sleep was linited to maybe 3 or 4 hours. Thins were quiet, just couldn't get comfortable & it got cold in the cabin before dawn.

Day Five

Out the door at 8:30 after a hot shower in the smallest shower stall in the biggest bathroom I can remember. This old farmhouse is 109 years old. I arrived at the bridge in a misting rain that cleared up by the time I reached the other side. The bridge crossed the Northumberland Straight separating the mainland, New Brunswick for Prince Edward Island(PEI) and a 12 mile ribbon with an arched high section near the PEI end. There was an excellent Info Center & gift shop in a fairly new village complex right at the end of the bridge. It was reccommended that I could take the coast road to Charlottetown and on to the Ferry. Along the way I stopped and took a walk out to Fort Amherst (English) that once controlled the port of Charlottetown. Then stopped for lunch in Pinette at a diner. Jackpot! The special of the day: Lobster sandwich with sweet potato fries. Believe it or not, the fries were better than the lobster. I rapped up half the sandwich for the ferry and took off, concerned about the time. Arrived at the ferry with time to spare. When I saw the ramp up to the second level of the ferry, I began to worry the old Money Pit had met her match. The ramp was a steel grate material that was steep and had several sections. I made a running start and hoped that I wouldn't drag bottom. No problem. The ride was smooth & I spent the entire hour & a half talking with an older couple and their son ,from central Canada, The son had obviously arranged the trip for his dad's 80th birthday. Once off the ferry, I was directed to a visitors' center. There I made a reservation for tonight in Port Hastings on the Straight of Canso. This is a mining town & not scenic at all. Tomorrow I plan to do the Cabot Trail and catch the ferry in Sydney for Nova Scotia.

Day Four

This morning up at 6:00 and on the road before 7:00. I knew I had along drive and how far I drove would affect how much time I had on PEI the next day. I was still having to aim for the ferry departure from Sydney, NS, at 11:00 PM on the 9th. The first main stop was Rimouski, NB. Lunchtime there was very busy. It was here that I lost cell service. I took time cruise around downtown & grab a sandwich. I'm getting the idea that fast food is still novelty up here. Like every town regardless of size, there is a big or little church in the center with a very tall steeple. Downtown Rimouski had a church that a cathedral version with multiple spires and was constructed of stone. Photos to follow at some point. From here it was on to Campbellton, Bathhurst and Miramichi. The road was far enough away from the coast that the scenery was all very similar. Scrubby spruce, pine & endless stands of beech. There were several long construction delays as well. At the last minute, I decided not to attack Moncton at 5:00 and stayed north toward the bridge to PEI. The road dead ended in the little town of Port Elgin before turning north the PEI. Concerned that I wouldn't find a room across the bridge in PEI at 7:00, I stopped in a little family restaurant with a crowed parking lot to ask about a B & B for the night. The owner, waitress and generally salt-of-the-earth type lady picked up the phone and reserved a room for me at the Pumpkin Inn located just across a little crook of water from the restaurant. She said I should stay and eat since she would be closing soon, so I did. That turned out to be the best plate of fried whole clams(as opposed to clam strips) I ever tasted. If you're reading Dad, they were as good as those we had in Maine years ago. I closed the place down and went on to the B & B. Immediately I had concerns. I couldn't figure out where to park. The parking was all grass and it didn't look like anyone had parked on the grass in a while. The owner met me at the door and seemed very proper. She explained how things operated, told me breakfast in the morning would be at 8:00, showed me my room upstairs and the bath down the hall. She then left and locked the door behind her. In the morning breakfast was very pleasant(French, I think).

Day Three

Today was spent in the car driving fron Westmorland, NY, to Quebec, Quebec. Adding French to the navigator was a challenge. Getting through downtown Montreal was very similar to navigating through New York, but in French. It felt strange to be driving through the countryside that resembles Iowa or Nebraska and then stop for gas or coffee and everyone is speaking French. About 5:00 I found a new EconoLodge, so I checked in. I'm one exit from downtown Quebec. Tomorrow I head further north and then turn east into New Brunswick.

Day Two

Today is Saturday. Rich, Susan and I visited downtown Herkimer, NY and then took a boat tour down the Erie Canal throught one of the few remaining original locks. This lock still operates as it did originally. The gates were designed by Da Vinchi. After the tour we visited an Episcopal church built on the site of a Revolutionary fort. Later we went to Sherrill, NY to see Susan and Rich's daughter and family and then on to dinner at a great restaurant located in one of the Oneida Silver mansions. The three of us stayed up until almost midnight talking.

Day One

All day drive. Left Fleetwood 4:45 AM. Arrived in Westmoreland, NY, approx. 7:00 PM. Good weather, reasonably good traffic except for the expected occasional construction delays. The "Bitch in the Box" as my brother has named it, came through again except for the confusion following an emergency coffee stop. For those who don't know who the "Bitch in the Box" is, let me explain. She is the rather pushy sounding voice that comes out of my GPS . After a few days, I'll change it to the "Jack in the Box" so that they can have equal time. I'm spending the night and tomorrow night with the Boylans here in Westmoreland. Susan really prepared a wonderful meal tonight. Libby, you need to get the receipt! Spicy, seafood, pasta(Portuguese). Tomorrow, we're planning "not all driving" events in the surrounding area. Oh! One unplanned stop today was a quick spin around Hershey, PA. Thought I pick up some chocolate to bring home, but way to envolved. Interesting town worth coming back to explore. Maybe some pictures tomorrow. Good night all!