On a brighter note though, I talked to one of the workers here on the dock and she was quite confident that I’ll be able to get to Goose Bay even though I don’t have a reservation. While it’s not perfect, I’ll take her word over almost anyone’s at this point.

I started talking to the biker (bicycle biker), Guillaume (French for William), I spoke of before and if the ferry leaves tonight we’ll; likely split a double hotel room if there’s one available in town. No reason to spend more money than you need to. He speaks far better English than I speak French, we manage fine and chat for a few hours about our journeys.

We leave!

The ferry actually started boarding at 8:30 and we were on our way by around 8:45.

As I’m writing this it’s just gotten dark and we’re in heavy waters. I see people all around me going for the sick bags. All of this is in complete contrast with the ferry that took me over from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland which was a smooth and relaxing ride. This ride is not fun in any way. I’m just happy that I’m on it now. It gives me more time to get to Cartwright for tomorrow night.

The ride tomorrow shouldn’t be too bad – around 255 miles according to the map around two-thirds of it dirt. I figure around four or five hours aught to do it. From what I’ve heard the ticket office opens at the Cartwright terminal at 8:00 AM for the evening’s journey that leaves at 7:00 PM that night. That being said, I want to be there when they open! I don’t want to figuratively and literally miss the boat!

More bikers

As we were about to get onboard, a bike pulls up. It’s a big Victory cruiser. Atop are a couple that hop off and start taking to me. They are far more hardcore than I. Last year they circumnavigated the continent on their Victory over the course of four and a half months. Not just something like a four-corners thing, or just the United States and Canada, but the whole frickin’ continent. Down to Panama.

!

On the Kawasaki Vulcan!

Awesome! Hats off to those two! Congrats to Susan and Richard for following their dreams! You can see more of them at chasingtheroad.blogspot.com.

They had other cool stories to tell too, like crossing the North Atlantic on a ship many years ago in very rough seas.

As we got closer to the other side and we were exchanging stories, they even had a question for me: about camping in Alaska, is it cold? When we were up there it wasn’t to cold. In fact the previous night seemed colder than any night we had in Alaska the year before.

Goodbyes said and internet information exchanged we mounted up our bikes and drove off the ship back onto the mainland.

Landing on the other side

We got a late start and the rough seas compounded things. We disembarked the shore at around 10:30. And it was dark. And the fumes from the ship had fogged up my visor something fierce.

Nothing worse than going through twisty roads, in the dark, with moose, and your visor up.

A few miles up the road, on the Labrador side (we landed in Quebec), I thankfully found a hotel with rooms! I just didn’t feel like trying to drive up the coast without seeing the scenery or seeing where I was going.

The Northern Light Inn in Lanse Au Clair up inLabrador had the front desk closed, but a party was going in the bar. One of the employees was playing pool and came back to the desk to check me and another fellow in.

They promised internet access, but something is hosed up at the moment.

Last night was cold. Real cold. I’m amazed I didn’t wake up to frost. I guess the clear night that led to the nice sky let all the heat out. I’d take cold over rain any day!

Just want to say it again: Gros Morne is amazing! I need to come back when I have more time to spend. They even have guided hikes where they tell you what you’re seeing about the geology and wildlife. Cool stuff that I didn’t have a chance to do this time; I really need to make sure there’s a next time.

Waking up this morning was completely different. The sun warming my face game me a needed boost. The ride up the Newfoundland coast astonished at every turn with new views of the coast and ocean on my left, and mountains on the right. The mountains made the geology of the region apparent with the folds of rock being thrust up, then partially eroded away again.

The final bit of the ride to bring you up to date was windy. Riding at an angle while going straight windy.

I’m hear at least.

Talked to a local too, he doesn’t think I’ll have a problem getting to Goose Bay with my bike!

Speaking of bikers, I met up with a bicyclist from Quebec. He rode up here and is going to be riding up in Labrador too. He seems to be riding almost a century every day. He sold everything that he owns (except the bike and gear for the trip), quit his job, and is taking around six weeks to travel. When he gets back home he’ll get a new job and repeat next summer. Amazing dude!

Back to waiting for the ferry here in St. Barbe.

A steak and cheese skillet and coffee. That’s the way to start a day.

Attached to the Comfort in was a Jungle Jim’s restaurant (that I have since found to be a chain) that was a good way of starting off the day. Before the ferry let-down I had a distinctive spring to my step. I finally felt like I was on top of the world walking down to hall to the joint.

As a complete aside, taking pictures with a cool digital camera seemed quite strange though with the Kodachrome song playing in the background. I miss film. I miss the look of film. But at this point I can’t give up digital. There’s no way I could even carry enough film for the shots I’ve already taken, let alone whatever other shots come in the rest of the journey.

The Ferry Situation

I talked briefly to someone at the Newfoundland and Labrador Ferry service on a very bad Skype connection off of pilfered Wi-Fi about my situation. It seems that the crew of the ship have some discretion about who gets let on that doesn’t have reservations. I tried to make just a reservation for myself but the connection was too dodgy to continue. It looks like there might be hope to get to Goose Bay. Hope hope hope with me. 

On the road

The more I ride through Newfoundland the more this reminds me of our trip last year to Alaska. It feels like I’m in the foothills to some mountains, but I know that’s not really the case. I guess they are what’s left of mountains from the plates colliding.

Most strikingly fireweed grows here as well. It’s an opportunist that likes poor dirt after a fire. Poor dirt next to the road seems like a good substitute. It might be a weed for many folks, but to me it’s so closely tied to adventure that I can’t separate the two. The vibrant reddish-pink petals of the stalks of flowers never fails to catch my eye. The growing season for it looks to be almost over though; many of the stalks that displayed the flowers are shriveled to stalks of pink filaments that once held the flowers. Some just have a few flowers left on the tops, the rest having served their purpose to spread the “weed” further afield.

Good.

Road to La Manche

I’m writing this from my camp a the La Manche provincial park. From my reckoning this parks sits furthest East on the island. I’ll be among the first the morning sun will hit tomorrow. That makes me happy.

But before I set up camp, first I had to get here.

Turning off the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) that loops to the North of the island things changed abruptly. On the TCH things were mainly pine forests with many lakes of varying sizes to either side. Terra Nova National Park typified this a lush pine forest framing gorgeous deep blue lakes; lakes that are “Crayola Blue” surrounded by “Forest Green” trees.  (This isn’t like glacier run-off lakes that glow an other-worldly cyan)

After turning south, the world changed. It went from the rich greens to a prairie scrub that wouldn’t look too out-of-place in Wyoming. The difference was countless large boulders that were strewn across the landscape (doubtless from glaciers in eons past). The greens of before changed to more desert-like earth tones. In the background stood prominent outcrops of rock – one of which looks like what I imagine Devils Tower might look like a few million years from now.

Winding my way south to the coast the road turned hilly with far steeper grades than I saw earlier in the day. The last one, the tiny road down to the camp, was almost as steep as Grove Hill in Chagrin Falls, except dozens of times longer. I pity anyone without a motor vehicle to get out of this place.

Dinner

Mmmm… canned Irish stew. Way better than the “Kam” of previous days! A bun from that meal served as a fine accompaniment to the canned stuff. I’m sure it’s not good for me, but <shrug/> what can a guy do? Te freeze-dried food is just as bad for me anyway, and I’m saving that just in case I get into a pinch somewhere (I hope not, but it’s a good cushion)

Signing out,
The Man of La Manche

Let’s hope this thing works anyway.

The company that runs the ferry service, Marine Atlantic, bought the ship from someone in Europe. It was originally designed for a 28-hour long voyage, not a 6-hour one which is why they made a whole lot more cabins than regular seats. The last couple of spots for people are cabins since they are more expensive – and for what, a 6-hour stay?

I got to my room: room 10001. Before I go into it more, let me break it down. The first 10 is the deck number. 001 is the room number. Deck 10 is the top deck of the ship. This is a deluxe cabin. I’ve been in hotel rooms that are crappier than this!    Shower, TV, desk, chairs… even a love seat!

Well, as I was wandering around the deck I noticed that the ship’s builder was a German firm and much of the vestigial emergency signage was in Greek. Another quirk is that much of the ship’s electrical seems to be continental European, plugs and all. The most recent owner was an Estonian firm. I guess they rechristened it the “Atlantic Vision” when they got the ship.

Marine Atlantic is in the process of building a new dock in Argentia so they can use the big boat (that goes faster) to do the presently 14 hour trip in only 10.

We’ll be departing in around 25 minutes and the total time sailing is going to be around 4-1/2 hours. Time to take some pictures and a quick nap I suppose.

TTFN

—

Well, we are around 7:30 Newfoundland time and I think we’re going to be docking in around an hour or so.

I do have one casualty to report. In a fit of bad footing getting off the bike tipped gently to the right. As I kept it from hitting the ground the right mirror gently hit me. I wasn’t seemingly as gentle with the mirror since the moment it hit me it broke off.

So now I have no right mirror until I get home probably. Total cost of the new mirror is going to be around $70 shipped to me. Oh well.  :-/

Nothing hurts except for my pride.

Speaking of which, I should probably reserve the ferry crossing to Goose Bay too. 

Now that I have a bit of time on my hands, I’m pulling the data off the Zumo now so I can put all that on a map.

Look at my trip in Google Earth: Trip Part 1

The upshot of all this is that I want to give myself enough wiggle-room that I don’t miss a ferry. That would be a bad thing. If it puts me back another 5 days, that would put everyone in a sucky position.

After I get to Goose Bay, it’s just around 40 hours of road time to get back home — with no ferries blocking the way. Figure a week or so to get that final leg done.

Here’s a of tentative timelines to see how things work:

• Aug 5 evening: Leave Cleveland (first day or two are long transport days)
• Aug 10, Arrive @ North Sydney (33 hours road time, 5 days calendar time)
• Aug 10 @ 20:00 board ferry (The Smallwood)
• Aug 11 @ 11:00 get off in Argentinia
• Aug 15 (Saturday) by 19:00 arrive at Cartwright (21 hours road time, >4 days calendar)
• Aug 15 @ 19:00 board ferry (the Sir Robert Bond)
• Aug 16 @ 8:00 get off at Goose Bay
• Aug 23 arrive back home (43 hours road time, 7 calendar days)

If I miss either ferry, I still have a two-day buffer to catch the next one. If worse comes to worse I’ll hole up at a hotel in Cartwright and work remotely for a few days… LOL.

The same (roughly) can be pushed either a week or so forward or back.

Some of the considerations that went into this are some training that will be happening at work along with a wedding (Jerry and Sharon’s wedding to be specific) that I want to get to.

I think that this is a doable time-line and gives me the flexibility to screw up a bit without getting myself stranded in Cartwright.

Overall I’m aiming to be on the road around 6 hours a day on average. I think that’s a good amount of time based on experience last time. On the Alaska trip we had plenty of 12 hour days. That kinda started to suck after a while.