June 15th 2009
So on the road, the meeting place at a campsite south of Ottawa called Rideau River Campsite.
Visiting with the Prime Minister.
My protector who has come along for the ride. Here he is pondering something but I don’t know what ….
Riding Northern Quebec ….
I spotted this work of art on the side of the road. The owner had tons of woodwork all over his back yard. Does anyone know what ” Le Pouvoir ” means in English?
“Le Pouvoir; The Power”
So in a long story short, we ended up everywhere we wanted to be but didn’t quite get there; whales, beaches, camping etcetera. So, in the end we ended up back where we started at Port Cartier, at the Tim Hortons, across from the ? info centre just as the young woman arrived from taking her exams all aplogetic for being late at the office. She thinks she passed. Anyway, she suggested after I mentioned it would be nice to be somewhere different that we should take the 30K ride up north to the Quebec reserve. Well, it was rolly polly gravel and then the rain came and after we reached the reserve office completely soaked we were grumpy and just wanted a cabin for somewhere we didn’t know would be, and well, we found something better for a price that in the beginning I felt uncomfortable with but in the end Scott was right, better to enjoy the freedom of choice than not to enjoy anything at all. So we took the cabin for $120 and what a steal it was, so much so I have to apologize for all of the same point of view regarding the following pictures …..
My journal says it all; but don’t have the time at present to copy from my thoughts to this site just now; but I will later. However, I will say though I met some, how do you say, tremendous people I would like to spend time with again and more frequently. The reason; good vibe and honest talk. Anyway, here’s some more pictures of what we looked at while we were talking ….
Francois the fisherman/DNA/#4/ Julie the woman/ tomato garden at least … they are both writing various thesis …. here are some more pictures of the same view.
Here comes the fire ….
All horses look the same ….
Glacier rocks I’m guessing …..
I’ve rigged up a lanyard to the camera and tied the lanyard to the cross bar on the handlebars so if need be I can drop the camera and deal with whatever. It’s fun to take pictures while I’m riding cause I don’t have to stop every time to do so and it’s also nice to see the movement, however subtle this may be.
Scott and I have taken different paths to the same place. Put two men who are used to being alone, and then put them together 24/7 and well, even they have to go it alone. So we’re taking our own routes and meeting here and there. A well needed break for us both, and better to save the real stuff for later.
It doesn’t show in the picture following but this day was spent in often heavy heavy rain. At one point I couldn’t see ten meters in front of me due to the fog at higher elevations. I would have taken a picture but for fear for my life I didn’t, as I was busy trying to see in front and behind the bike at the same time.
So far I almost ran over a squirrel but it had plenty of room considering the fractions of a second vision, however I came closer to hitting a bird that caught a gust and just avoided my front tire I hope and today a jack rabbit dashed out in front of the bike but again I think it had plenty of time within those hundreths of a second. Yesterday I saw a female moose in the ditch eating grass like popcorn at the movies as I rode by. Whew. I wonder what she was thinking? Probably just as me.
PS Sometimes are sometimes sometimes, and sometimes sometimes are sometimes but not all the time sometimes,just sometimes is all.
June 23rd, 2009
Here in Halifax, taking care of bike things; new headlight bulb(blew somewhere near Godbout), oil change, and looking for a new aftermarket rear shock as the stock shock just can’t take the weight of my stuff. It’s not broken yet but it sure does sag and it’s even difficult to set the side stand. Oh incidentaly regarding the bulb, I was sitting at a Tim Hortons with my computer to find a place to get a bulb when this guy, Alain, came up to me and sat down and said where are you headed and all that. Then I said actually I’m looking for a bulb and we finished our tea/coffee and he lead me to the Canadian Tire in town (this was in Bai Comeau by the way). We took the front fairing off and I ran inside to find the correct bulb while Alain watched my stuff. To no avail did I find the right bulb, well actually I found the right bulb but not the correct back end that plugs in. Then Alain rushed off to meet his girlfriend. Very cool. Incidentally he suggested I take the high beam bulb and put it into the low beam and so I did. So anyway, as it turns out now here in Halifax, the bulb pops out of the Kawi plug, and turned out to be the one I found at the Canadian Tire a few days ago. Oh well, learn learn learn. Thanks Alain for your help!
June 24th 2009
Well, last night I was considering leaving this morning for Cape Breton and while I was on the phone I heard some dudes talking outside my door. Next thing I knew I was having dinner with Len and Jeremiah, members of a production called “Drum”. We spent a wee part of the night talking about this and that and then I was invited to their press release for their DVD at 10:00am this morning. I declined, but was then invited to their rehearsal this afternoon at North Street Church. So I’ve decided to stay another night today to check out their production. Basically I used our encounter as a decision making process and decided to stay. Besides the weather is still very inclement and the thunder storms, wind and rain would have only taken from my ride through Cape Breton. I will still receive rain when I leave Thursday but less of a chance of severe weather encounters. By the way, ‘Drum’ will be performing for the second year in a row on Canada Day at Parliament Hill this upcoming July 1st birthday. I’m looking forward to the rehearsal today, for it’s even better than going to one of their shows as I like experiencing the inside workings of minds.
Oh and I received a call this morning from Anthony at ProTech Suspension (the Canadian Guru’s of suspension) and he can’t get me a shock within my time frame (due to customs) so I’m going to have to go with what I’ve got until getting to the States. I put an email out to Progressive Suspension in California to hopefully have a rear shock sent in advance of my arrival in Portland, Maine. Hopefully the current shock holds for Cape Breton and Newfoundland.
Back from the ‘Drum’ rehearsal, man it was powerful! I had goosebumps the whole afternoon and held back the tears a few times. I was very grateful to sit in on the rehearsal and enjoyed it very much. Len gave me a DVD so it looks like I’m going to have to send it to myself in Calgary, but before I do I’m going to watch it somewhere along the road. They’re a talented happy family and the mix of four of North America’s founding cultures is ravishing to the ear and the heart. A few times I jumped from the force of the drums. Tonight I’m going to meet them for a drink at the Shoe in Halifax and an old friend named Kyle and then off to Cape Breton tomorrow. This is the ‘Drum’ website, but check them out live, they’re really friggin good, and that was just a rehearsal. www.drumshow.ca
By the way thanks for the ‘powwow’ Hubert; you’re a wise man.
So, on my way through to Cape Breton ….
I parked here and got off the bike and took out the ear buds and put the gloves and glasses in they’re spots and hung up the helmet and just as I was turning to go up the stairs I realized then that I had parked there. I like it, cause it reminded me to remember too.
A nice pleasant ride in the morning ….
Gargoyle has picked a new flower and I don’t know what he’s thinking.
Then I saw these clouds ahead in the distance and I learned from Hand Gliding that these are not good and develop quickly. Course I can’t remember the name.
The picture preceeding is where I put on the extra rain gear, didn’t help. At the end of this day and at the end of the next day when I finally met up with Scott in North Sydney he laughed out loud when I told him the story, that I couldn’t see anything and I couldn’t tell if my tires were in the pools of hydroplaning water or not so I lifted my shield to feel the needles on the face so I could see and I got a ton of water in my mouth and had to create an alternative plan.
And then ….
… the causeway 
I didn’t stay in the house above but I went for a wee drive in this place called ‘Port Hood; and discovered this idyllic home at the end of the main road before finding my motel room to stay dry for the night.
The next day I had a spirited ride around the cabot trail. Simply stunning.
Uh oh not again.
Just a wee sprinkle.
I see bicyclists like this dude every where, pedaling up these huge hills in the middle of nowhere.
Finally got to North Sydney and met with Scott as we are boarding a ferry for Newfoundland tomorrow morning. Below I’m having a smoke and looking at the engine of my bike. I spend a lot of time just looking at my bike when I’m off of it, when I’m on it’s the guages and the road.
Road movie on TV. Nothing like sitting in a motel room and watching a movie eh.
The next morning 7am sharp; North Sydney to Port Aux Basque. The bikes boarded last, which is unusual. We didn’t board until 9:15am.
I fell asleep in a comfy area and woke up to the sound of a guitar and a whole bunch of people that weren’t around me when I first lay down. I couldn’t get ‘Youze the’by’s that buiyd’s the boat and I’s the by’s who sails them’. I just wish I knew the words and I had the opportunity to learn but didn’t feel like learning at the moment. And I found another place to listen to my ‘Learn Basic Spanish CD’, and both times I fell asleep again. Seems I’m going to sleep well in Latin America. I’m hoping some of it settled in their somewhere and it will all make perfect sense once I’m there. I learned how to say ‘Dulce Suenos’ from Jerimiah in Halifax, which means hopefully ‘Sweet Dreams’, cause I intend to say that a lot, ‘I’m sorry I don’t speak Spanish’, which I learned how to say from Gabriel at the Brass Taps. All you have to do is ask. Such a simple story eh.
Landed on the rock. Cruising up the TCH to find a place to stay.
Then we found the lighthouse in Cord Roy and stayed there for the night.
Well the little wee building to the right. Apparantly two guys operate the light house in two week shifts. Nobody knows what they do these days. They are the last of their kind like Caboose engineers.
By the by, it’s Canada Day and we’re currently in BonaVista, Nfld. It’s hard to keep up as we’ve been camping and when at a motel there is no guarantee of wireless so I’m entering these pictures and words a few days behind. Anyway back to the past ….. so for my Corner Brook friends I am happy to say I now know where Corner Brook is now. I find a lot of people are from Corner Brook …. We stopped in for lunch at a really nice place downtown across from City Hall after a driver instructor stopped to see if we needed any help while we were pulled over in a parking lot having a smoke and getting our bearings. Yes you can help, where’s a good place to eat? Right over there, he said. Meanwhile the student was dead pan sober, and drove off carefully. And on we went again ….
Camping in Lomodon, Nfld. National Park
And the morning after some wicked dreams not like the pictue above. But more like the one below.
And Coach or Latham if you’re reading this you might recognize the road in ….
Woody Point. We had a nice breakfast and when I asked the two ladies with a baby and the waitress, Does anyone know Dave Michael? And when they said no I don’t think so suddenly the waitress said Sharon outside will know. She’s just having a coffee. And so she went and asked as I followed to hear the answer she said Yes I don’t know him but I’ve met him. The Brass Taps right. yeah yeah I said and we talked a bit and then she said, yeah Dave Latham, he’s been up here once before I believe. Brilliant. What connections. What beauty.
And up the ride to Trout River.
And no sooner than standing on that dock taking it all in up comes Gilbert saying with a smile, So these bikes are for sale are they? Yeah mine is but his is for free, i said pointing to Scott’s bike. Gilbert chuckled and said just kidding or something to the effect and anyway the three of us had a good chat about a lot in such a short half hour. One thing is for sure Gilbert doesn’t like the wars and has seen a few laid down over his 86 years. We had some good laughs too. And as is usual, we had to say goodbye/hello.
I’ve run out of pictures for now as the new ones I have I can’t retrieve as I left my rechargable batteries and charger in Port Hood a while back and after days of taking pictures and such my camera is done. Incidentally, Scott and I saw three icebergs by boat today and I swear I took three hundred pictures, cause that’s when I realized my batteries were done and when on the shore and searching the bike for the other four in the charger well; first lost along the way. Current location on July 1st, 2009 is in BonaVista, Nfld at 11:45pm, Walkham’s Gate Pub. Free wifi and ‘India’ beer, not free beer. The next installment will be about seeing Rene Hackett and Willow in Cow Head. I have to admit I carried a hangover the next day from Cow Head to Twillingate, but the pictures along the way are great, and so was the night before.
July 3rd, 2009 We’re currently in St.John’s. I met with Debbie and little smart Noah last night and Debbie took me for a tour in the car, and to her house and then I went back to the Captain’s Quarters for the night. Today I’ve done some bike maitenance and glued on a VW emblem I found on the road back in Cord Roy. Now a little time to catch up with FTG and then I’m going for a walk about in St.John’s. Also I’ll be meeting Facey, Debbie and maybe Mayo for a drink or two ….. Here are the missing pictures from Cow Head to Twillingate. I met a bunch of Rene’s work friends and I really didn’t want to leave the next day but the ferry’s schedules and my shock awaiting in Maine demanded that we hit the road. Plus Scott also wanted to get to Boston for his bike and to see the Red Sox. I tried to figure out a way but it wouldn’t work.
Everyone talks about the Moose all the time. Too many and dangerous on the roads. There are warnings everywhere but mostly you hear people talking about the Moose, or warning about the Moose and every once in a while you see a diner with Moose soup, burgers etc. . So far I’ve seen two, both eating on the side of the road.
Welcome to Twillingate.
July 1st, Canada Day camping at Twillingate.
It’s hard not to take tons of shots, they are just so surreal I suppose. The nice lady on board, brother and sister team, well she said she’s been taking people out to the icebergs for 5 years and every outing she brings her camera. She said she has thousands.
Here she is holding some blue ice she caught. I sorry I didn’t get her name. Anyway it’s see through and looks blue when on the iceberg. The green on the bottom of the berg’s is the reflection of it’s tail under the water. They’re all estimated to be 10,000 years old.
Here I am eating 10,000 year old ice. (Disaster, just last night I was caught up with this blog up to landing in Bar Harbour, Maine. And somehow I managed to erase all of the photo’s and words from here on. So, I’m going back to the iceberg day, damn).
And for Latham, BonaVista. I remember you mentioning this place a number of times but don’t know why from your stand point, but yeah, what a cool port.
Behind the yellow building is a pub I spent a few hours in working on this blog and chatting with people. One person in particular, Harvey, he’s the co/owner with his gal. Harvey doesn’t like to drink at his bar so he takes of to St. John’s to cut loose once in a while and he asked me where I was intending to go for a beer while I was there. Well I said, my friend Rene says the Ship, and the Duke, maybe there. So we didn’t plan to meet or anything but you never know eh we said in so little words.
And rolling into beloved St. John’s.
As we just arrived I was leading and we we’re on DuckWorth Street and I had a hunch it would be necessary to do a rec’y so I pulled over and after parking the bikes, which takes me a ton of time due to the shock being blown and not being able to set the side stand unless on a slant away from the bike. And we were standing there taking it all in when I noticed the sign for The Ship. Hey Scott look! He laughed and I went inside for a cold one and for some tips. We had a beer each and while talking to the bartender lady and this dude in for lunch we were told that the nearest motel that is both reasonable and a dive is just up the street and they also wrote down directions for a couple of different motels. So we tried the Captains Quarters first. I went in and was immediately reminded of places like the Strathcona in Edmonton or any other seedy joint I’ve stayed at and so we took it for two days. Scott said well, and I said I love it. I think he did too.
And they even had a nice little out of tune piano for me to tinker with my tinkering. I hope I pleased the VLT’ers, or at least got them to listen to something else than a machine that goes ……
I played pool with a burly woman called Jan who was just shooting the balls around before I asked her to play. She was pretending to be a hustler sort of, saving her best for last sort of deal but I could tell she didn’t have the stuff, mostly because she talked more than she played. Anyway she beat me two games out of three. Then I found the piano and some take the edge off and that was it for me, to the room.
The next day I went to get some new rechargable batteries since I left my other one’s in Port Hood a while back. And then I found a place that I could borrow a pan and change the bike’s oil before scooting around taking pictures and looking around. Oh yeah and I got some super glue, actually automotive goop it’s called, to stick on a VW emblem I found on the road near Cord Roy an hour after landing on the Rock.
It’s too bad I didn’t have my camera working the day before when we arrived cause it was nice and sunny but today unfortunately it was quite foggy, which actually is pretty cool cause that’s how I always envisioned St. John’s I suppose, just like my experience in Ireland, England and Scotland.
And then for the evening I met up with Debbie Downtown, Two Stroke Debbie, she’s a powerhouse in a wee body. Andrew her man couldn’t come out even though we got to say hi, but Facey and Mayo had gone to the Hip concert the night before and well, let’s just say they were out until the cow’s had already gotten home. So it was Debbie and I on a mini pub crawl on a Friday night in St. John’s. Something I had been thinking of for many years of knowing so many good Newf’s over the years. And actually of all the people to have taken me on my first and only night on George street and surrounding area, well I wouldn’t have guessed it would have been Debbie but after the fact it was perfect. We had such a good time talking about Noah and Sadie, and had tons of laughs and just sort of wandered around doing our thing, and finally at Christian’s bar we took over the Juke Box and all I can say is I could have hung out all night but we both knew that tomorrow morning was coming up fast. Debbie and Andrew are getting married in a month and this particular morning, Saturday that is, she had an all day course with the marriage people at the church they are getting married at. It’s a prerequisite, which is kinda silly cause they’ve been together for so long and have a three year old boy, I’d say they’re pretty much in the thick of things and have already learned how to deal with the little big things. My best to you both and I wish I could be there for your wedding but will be thinking of you just the same. Also that boy Noah of yours is something special. I know we talked but I just wanted it to be on record. Cheers!
The next morning Scott left before me as he stayed in that night as he was out the night I stayed in, make sense? He even left the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, and the confirmation number for the Argentia ferry we were to catch at 4pm. So after he left a slept a little more and then packed my things, had some breaky downstairs, some tea and rode off. I figured I had the time so I stopped at Cape Spear along the way.
And then arriving at Argentia/Placentia only to find out the ferry would be a little late. Seven hours to be exact, but I didn’t know that then. Just come back at 6pm I was told. So I ate and toured around the area and visited Castle Hill where the dudes protected the port from the Germans back in the day. Also went to the Visitors Information thingy and they had all this history about the upheaval of this land and their people back when the U.S. took control of the region for protection from the other forces. They really screwed a lot of people for the sake of protection. It was really interesting and the pictures and articles in the old papers were amazing. In fact Churchill and Roosevelt met here to begin the first discussions of the United Nations. Crazy eh? I just had no idea and wouldn’t have either if the ferry hadn’t been late. You can see the old base just before you arrive at the ferry booths in Argentia.
And here comes our ferry …. finally. Actually it was nice being late and all, fun things happen when you get a flat tire eh.
So once aboard it was about 11pm and I found the lounge and sat and listened to Bug and Debbie, great tunes, musicians and jokes in between songs. At 12:30am they called it quits and then everyone was gone and I was left there writing in my journal. So I decided to find my assigned bunk to sleep in but when I got there, well it was a horseshoe shaped pile of bunk beds and everyone was sleeping and I couldn’t fumble around in the dark taking off my bike gear and boots and such so I decided I would find a better place to sleep except that everywhere was full, or at least full energetically and I was just determined to find a little place I could call my own but I didn’t, so I spent a lot of time here as I was planning to sleep outside but then it started to rain.
And then wandering and wandering, I even asked a porter if I could sleep in the infirmary and then laughed and said yeah I’m sure the nurse would like that. For a second I thought really? And then realised it was sarcasm. And then another ferry person lead me to this place that was supposed to be good, and so I sat down in the dark and listened to people figit, snore and I don’t know what to say but it didn’t feel right. So I sat there for a half hour before deciding if I didn’t find a better place I would sleep out in the rain. And I did, find a better place. The 7th deck, paid only, didn’t pay, lot’s of space, well displaced people and a variety of chairs and semi couches with bars in the middle like at parks in big cities designed to make sleeping uncomfortable for the homeless. Well I slept like a dream and also there were windows everywhere, surround view. A wee stretch in the morning, breakfast downstairs, and then I spent the day on the 7th deck, reading, writing, listening to music and watched thed Federer/Roddick match; awesome. I didn’t see Scott the whole time we were on board for 20 hours, but I didn’t leave the oasis much either. I highly recommend the 7th deck for anyone taking the long ferry.
Then once upon shore we rode from North Sydney to Antagonish and stayed the night. It was too late to go on any further. The next day which would have been July 6th we rode from Antogonish ( I think I’m spelling this wrong ) to Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Directly below is Peggy’s Cove ….
Riding the Lighthouse route to as it turns out, Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Below is my view from the motel having a smoke and listening to nature, and the kids spinning out tires a way down. All good.
And then a Hitchcock film ….
And then on to Yarmouth ….
And the Cat ….
And then while standing in line to board with all the other bikers, including 20 young men and women bicycling from where to where I don’t know but man oh man, they’re doing it at such a young age. We were all part of each other, bikers and bikers. So I didn’t really want to get stickers for the provinces I’m travelling in as I didn’t want to get into the whole provincial border thing but when I got to Newfoundland I bought a contemporary flag sticker and then searched everywhere for the Republic and ended up buying an oval shaped one and cut it into pieces to construct it into the rectangular flag and there you have it; I wanted Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, for the places I had been before and again. Really, the beauty of being in line with other bikers is to check out their ride and how they pack, and then chat, in order for me that is. I saw a Quebec license and asked the dude if he had any Quebec stickers with him to stick on the bike to make ammends, but he said no. No worries I said, it was a long shot. And then this guy, Jean, with the super machine, BMW R1200 who likes to ride alone, came up to me and said he was going to rip off his two dimensional sticker/placard of Quebec. No way I said. Yes way he returned. And I watched Jean peel it off his top box and thanked him for his soul which reminded me to do the same upon my travels, which I think is pretty natural for me anyway. But to take off a sticker from one’s bike, that’s pretty genuine generosity. It’s okay he said, I live there. You can see the left over glue or whatever from where he pryed it off in the picture below …
And this is Jean and his bike ….
And here are the young brave one’s loading on to the ferry …. I was chagrined from tooth to tooth with these beautiful young souls ….
And then the last look at a part of Canada for a long while ….
And then when I went out for a smoke I saw Scott sitting there with another soul looking and thinking something different but just the same. Scott actually reminded me of the first time we met some twenty years ago, the same posture, the same contemplative expression. I after went back inside to watch the Michael Jackson memorial; which incidentally made me cry several times, especially when Paris spoke. I didn’t know her name before nor her nickname ‘the blanket’; sick media fucks I suppose, but what do I know? It’s all new to me, I think. He probably died from a broken heart, and pharmaceuticals to cure the pain.
