July 27 - SS Atlantic Vision

The novelty of a dirt road wears off quickly (unless youre jason). Certainly before 15 miles of looking for the least wash-boarded part of the road. Thats right - numbered road 91, the road between the south coast and the ferry is dirt. Aint so bad. For 10 miles before dirt, on 93, saw literallly zero cars. Then into placentia where basques fished in 1500s, then french, then brits. Now (relatvely) lots of newer/nicer homes. Got new charger cords (no comments please from my friends who leave things on hotel rooms all the time) and some screech, and then one last climb over to ferry in argentia. Horns down.  A good last day, next stop https://bikearoundpei.blogspot.com/ 36 miles, 824 total.

July 26 - Mt Carmel

Foggy start, heading mostly west, then north hugging the coves, sunny across peninsulas. Winds lighter (in the morning?) In the barrens today, no sign of the 3000 caribou that supposedly live here. Nice riding (with tailwind!) On quiet roads with cool temps to lunch in st marys (only resto all day). Several 'st' towns here on the irish loop. More tailwinds after lunch - makes a huge difference. Two weird things today - Phone picked up miquelon time zone (+30 min) for some reason, and met two other cyclists who were not friendly, probably as they were from ontario and just on a 3 day tour. Last night in Newfoundland, staying in a 4 pillow former convent (btw lots of Anglican churches here) 60 miles

July 25 - Trepassey

Turning Newfoundland's bottom right corner and heading west for the first time, along Southern shore of Avalon peninsula, essentially going around a 1000 sqkm wilderness reserve, which newfies call the barrens. Few communities/services here, some houses and history in the coves goes back to 1500s (or before?), even the mayflower landed here in Renews to resupply. Hydro and wind turbines down here too - another checkmark for post climate change apocalypse. Slow riding today - fewer hills but just trying to imprint feeling of freedom on open road, nobody knowing where i am. Met another touring cyclist, who rode here from Montreal via labrador, commiserated about the winds. Afternoon felt like the prairies- gently rolling, no trees and strong winds (obviously theme of the day). Along south shore, checked out mistaken point ecological reserve (fossils) and a battery from 1776 to protect against American "privateers".  Cool sign from govt of Newfoundland,  obviously from the time when it was a separate country. Cape Race is the closest north american point on the historical sailing route, so lots of history/shipwrecks (1st telegraph from sinking titanic received here, Amelia earhart left from here for london). Staying at 3 pillow edge of the avalon inn. 44 mikes.

July 24 - Ferryland

Rain overnight but done by 8am so still havent had to ride in raincoat. After a few km on Waterford river trail, turned south into the wind on 10, my route for next few days. Slow steady climb by farms and woods, and had to take rain/coffee break. Some killer down/ups to bay bulls, witless bay (puffin capital of north america), mobile, tors cove and cape broyle- this road definitely has steeper grades than t-can and Newfie place names are definitely unique. Given the choice between 3-5% uphill and 10-15mph headwind, well - i didnt get to choose. I had both often simultaneously. Into Ferryland, another must see spot in Newfoundland, for food resupply and steak to cook for dinner. Staying at airbnb in Aquaforte by the water. 50 miles.

July 22, 23 - St John's

Most viking expeditions end with some fatalities. We had none, and no arrests. Phew. Started in the fog, then made the last turn east onto the t-can. Flatter here (still climbs up to 500') and still zero services, but a few more communities and exits. Overall, if you can ride with fast traffic closeby, its good riding. Clean, wide shoulder; probably under 5km of the whole thing necessitated crossing into travel lane. Took the 80 for lunch by the water in holyrood, then got hot/hilly so found a (3 station!) Viking spa. And a milkshake. Nice finish along crushed stone t-railway into big city, streets closed off for bars and music scene.  Sushi dinner overlooking harbor, then partying till 3am...64 miles. Garmin says 2200 feet climbing for the day, but no way thats right.  

Sunday sadly packed up the bike, and sadly put Jean in taxi to go home. Then visited Signal Hill (much french-english and WW2 history, 1st transatlantic radio signal, cool flag system to notify shipping companies of inbound vessels) and quidi vidi area cause that's what tourists do. Went to the unmarked end of the t-can too. Saw Oppenheimer and picnic in the backyard show at the cathedral. Nice day off (except Jean leaving). St john's actually very neat city - history back to 1497, a funky music scene, colorfully painted houses and strategic/working port.  16 miles.

July 21 - Dildo

Fog, mist: Viking weather, horns up. Another slow morning and our gear starting to get pretty toxic - gotta find laundry. Biked around fishing village of Arnold's cove then crossed the isthmus in/out of the fog onto avalon peninsula. Some tundra looking terrain, then cool detour along 201 to bellevue beach on Atlantic side, for lunch and beach nap. Up and down most of the day, road busier as we near st john's. Milkshakes at a&w before the dildo cutoff, 8 miles off the t-can to stay in dildo. Couldnt pass that up. Dinner on the patio at dildo brewing. Sone more newfie-isms: May month, fly bites, community. 50 miles.  

July 20 - Arnolds Cove

Having crossed over into eastern Newfoundland yesterday, we're now seeing more salt water, randomly named coves, sounds, bays or arms. And birch trees outnumbering the pines. Clouds and cooler temps to start and a shorter day, so chatted with Elsie over breakfast, jean caught up on email. Newfies dont like climate change either - their winters are getting less snowy/cold, so ponds dont reliably freeze for snowmobiles. 20 miles up and down to clarenville, a&w smoothies for lunch. Headwind as we head south and appreciating the cloudy skies, temps around 70, feeling strong. Great views of the bays, coming in from the Atlantic. Made the mistake of looking in jeans water bottle, thinking of turning it over to the wuhan virus lab. Ocean fog and viking temps on arrival, staying at a place that houses many refinery and shipyard workers. 52 miles. 

July 19 -Port Blanford

Two tour groups at the hotel - a little overwhelming plus a delay in getting breakfast. Easy riding in the morming by gander lake (56km long), amazing how never ending the nothingness is. Morning ice cream at square pond rv park, and long talk with keith, learned that most road side crosses are for moose fatalities rather than dui. Cod tongue for lunch at gills grill, then fish-swim on gambo river. Temps climbed to 90 and hills started too, so found another spot for a viking spa. And then we realized we had a problem - it was 4pm, still hot and had 40 VERY hilly miles to go through terra nova park. Pushed on to a milkshake place, and tried to hitch a ride, but strangely nobody wanted to pick up 2 guys dressed as vikings, even after we took off the horns. So we pushed on. Up and down until we met some fire rangers, who'd coincidentally just flown over us in a helicopter while looking for fires. And then...somehow we were at our bnb for the night where elsie fed us, and we had nice talk with her whole family. All worked out, and when were thinking back to earlier parts of the day, it feels like another lifetime. Thats how bike trips seem to go. 52 miles.

July 18 - Gander, we've Come from Away

After breakfast at the Robin Hood, got on the road about 9 with good tailwind and weather. Mostly flat here in the middle of the province, fishy looking rivers now flowing east rather than north, and many lakes/bogs all around. After hundreds of miles, found the first road that heads south, 200km to the coast. Jean talking to his family in Israel where its 25 degrees hotter, and the entire country is smaller than grand lake (ok, thats an exaggeration but israel is a fifth the size of the island, and thats without labrador). Rode along exploits river to norris arm (ocean), Timmy's sandwiches in tow for lunch-swim-nap spot. 80km of no services today, although there are some houses/RV parks. Big climb with detoured traffic on 351, temps climbing out of viking range to 90f. Late afternoon Ice cream/strawberry (fresh in mid July!) stop in Glenwood then on a trailway bridge over very fishy gander river. Arrival in gander, crossroads of the world, in time for shawarma station dinner and 4 pillow sinbad hotel. Sunsets now 9pm, but stays light 30-45 minutes past that. 64 miles, first flat (obviously 2 miles from gander).

July 17 grand falls-windsor

Longer day planned and predicted 103 degrees (would be a record for the island) and not much going on at the Junction, so on the road by 8. Very dated tourism push in this part of island, with many French settled towns on the peninsula north of here. Also lots of mining history. 35km to real breakfast at eddy's in south brook, along newly paved stretch of t-can. Saw what they were replacing too - it was near perfect. A couple of side roads leading north around a large bay, but otherwise not much until badger. It was 50km dead straight south along t-can, with brutal headwind and some traffic, and the sun came out pushing temps into mid 80s. A little bit of a slog (humbling us after yesterdays boasts that we could do 200km) so stopped at Paul's lake (20km long) for swim-nap in heat of the day. Milkshakes in badger then final push into grand falls windsor. Fancy town and good dinner at juniper kitchen. 4 pillow hotel and first place with a/c. 73 miles. 

July 16 - Junction Inn

Dropped the rental car and picked up Jean's bike (pedals properly affixed) and got on the road through suburbs of deer Lake. 27 miles of easy riding, not a house/store/gas station until the white bay restaurant, the only stop on the road all day. good weather (70s, mostly cloudy), tailwind, good surface, low traffic. Massa massa. Lunch was a little slow but considering our destination, there was no rush. Talked to fish and wildlife officer about the rules here for fishing- we don't want to get caught fishing in scheduled salmon waters without a guide. After lunch rode some brand new pavement till swim/nap spot at birchy narrows, connecting birchy lake to grand lake (biggest lake in Newfoundland - 100 km long). Glover Island, in grand lake has a lake on it, which has on island on it. Triple recursive island (puzzle - how do you get there, if you can't swim?). Another short push to Junction Inn, where we have the run of the place, just like lake placid. Sort of. My grandmother would call this the alta-ruchus. 60 easy miles - good road, flat, tailwind.  

July 15 - Gros Morne II

Day 3 without a shower, good prep to meet Jean later. But first, back to Gros morne for geologist tour of tablelands, the "holy place of plate tectonics". One of the only places where earth's mantle is exposed (and only one with a parking lot). Met up with 2 more touring cyclists, going up to st Anthony (young women, but my telling of that story ends here), fun to compare notes. Then met up with Jean, air canada late but feeling grateful they actually got him here, alas without his bike (hopefully arriving on evening flight) Back into park for an amuse-bouche for jean - a waterfall, peek at fjord, geology lesson on the beach and a lighthouse. Good (!!) Dinner at buiy & arrow in rock harbor. 30c today so they issued a heat warning. Another 0 mile day. Tomorrow we ride. 

July 14 -L'anse aux Meadows

Set off north along the coast, through tundra and short pine forests to the viking site.  Nothing on the road (no coffee for 60 miles!) except some small villages.  Lots of water - lakes, ocean, bog, rivers - this is the place to be after climate change takes out some of the usa cities.  Viking site is legit - some iron and 8 building remains were found, and there are archeologist still digging.   Icebergs off the shore are legit - 150' tall, with 9x that underwater.  Humpbacks here legit - tons of fish for them.  So are the mosquitoes - fierce up here, but as jean says: better bugs than buggered.  Vikings got as far as New Brunswick, before abandoning north America because of fighting with the natives.  And the cod are gone, leading to many abandoned homes and boats.   The newfies drop/add letter H to many words like francophones- H-iron, H-era.  Definitely was worth the 6+ hours of driving (in car that cost more than my lodging) to experience this part of Newfoundland.