This morning I had breakfast courtesy of the hotel. I really like the “free” breakfast that comes with most rooms these days. I can only assume that the economy and the competition being what it is the hotel companies try to add as much value to their accommodation offering as possible. This morning I was joined by a vacationing senior couple from Alberta who had just returned from Prince Edward Island. We chatted while we ate and we both hastily packed up when we saw the time was getting on.
The ride to Antigonish, where I refuelled, was uneventful. Traffic was light and in short time I was soon approaching the Canso Causeway connecting Cape Breton with the mainland. It is a short run across the causeway and then you climb a small hill and you’ve arrived. I do admit to feeling some excitement as Cape Breton was a major destination on the Bucket List. So far I had already accomplished two other “must do’s”, Knoxville and Cape Cod. Visiting Cape Breton was a large part of why I wanted to do this trip in the first place.
The road had already begun to twist and wind its way north to Sydney where I planned to stop for lunch. The road skirted the shores of Bra D’Or Lakes where the wind was brisk, producing lots of whitecaps on this large body of water. The air was warm, in the mid-twenties, so the riding was extremely pleasurable.
Once in Sydney, I grabbed a quick bite to eat, fuelled up and I was off and heading out on Hwy 105 for the start of the Cabot Trail. Now this famous route is why I came this far as it ranks in the top ten list of motorcycle destinations in the world. This is approximately a forty kilometer ride to the Trail Head just south of Indian Brook. About two thirds of the way there you come to the small village of Englishtown where you have to catch a ferry across St. Annis Bay. There is an alternative land route that takes you around the bay but it is about thirty-two kilometers longer and besides I can never resist a boat ride. This ferry ride would prove to be the shortest ferry ride I’ve been on including some of the Fraser River ferries back home in British Columbia. They trip to the other side took maybe three minutes; just long enough for the ferryman to collect $5.25 for the fare. While waiting for the ferry I met another couple, Ray and Wendy, out for an afternoon ride on their new, fiery red Harley-Davidson Street-Glide. They were friendly, chatty folks, as are most of the Maritimers. As we rode along we both stopped and looked at the sights together. Once we got to the National Park entrance, I was in the line paying my fee and they sailed through the “pass-Holder” lane. I never saw them again, however; Ray and Wendy if you’re reading this, I enjoyed meeting you very much and wish you a safe journey wherever your motorcycle takes you. Email me if you ever decide to come to B.C.
Ray & Wendy
For the most part the road was in good condition with only a few construction or repair sites. Along this Eastern shore you follow the coast sometimes at sea-level while other times you’re twisting and climbing up to 247 metres in elevation where the ocean vistas are breathtaking. The sun continued to shine and the temperatures went over twenty-five degrees C. Up near the top of the Cape there is the small community of Cape North. I stopped to take a few photos as this was the furthest point from Vancouver and also the “official” starting line for the long trip home.
The clouds darkened a bit and threatened to rain but it never came to be. I was zipping along quite happily, pausing for more photo opportunities along the way. At one stop I was taking a few shots when this car pulled up and two couples got out. I asked if they’d mind taking my photograph standing with my bike on this cliff top. They obliged and we chatted a bit. They spotted my out of province plates and asked where in B.C. I was from. I replied Steveston, in the South-West corner of Richmond and inquired where they were from. It turned out one couple was from Vancouver and the other was from Tswassen; both locations minutes from where I lived. I laughed at the irony as it was only a short while ago I was standing at my furthest point from home and next I meet people who lived so close.
Glancing at the clock it was getting on to 4:00 PM and I had two choices. I could twist the throttle a bit more and ride back to the causeway which meant I’d be hotel shopping later into the evening or I could ride to the next town, in the daylight, grab a motel and find a seafood restaurant. An early night would also afford me an early departure and I would have a second day on Cape Breton. I could get in some journal and Skype time so the decision really was a no-brainer as far as I was concerned.
Once in the small town of Cheticamp I found the Ocean View motel right where the GPS said it would be and it kept its end of the bargain with the ocean views. Checked in, unpacked and headed off to hunt and forage for some dinner. Less than a kilometer down the road I see the sign for Laurie’s Seafood Restaurant. How convenient is that? Once inside I’m greeted by this friendly (who isn’t friendly on Cape Breton?) young gal whose introduces herself as Joanne. She’s really chatty and I welcome the lively conversation as we yakked about the Cape, the menu, the trip, the wine list, the specials any and all. I told her about the blog and she is interested so I write down the address and within minutes I knew it had been checked out as she had a comment and question pertaining to the most recent posting. She wants to be mentioned in at as the “Best Server on Cape Breton Island” and to tell all my readers who come to Cape Breton to drop into Laurie’s Seafood Restaurant in beautiful downtown Cheticamp and ask for Joanne. Well friends and neighbours I couldn’t agree more so Joanne, it was indeed a pleasure meeting you. Thanks very much for your friendly conversation and great service! Oh, and Joanne, you still owe me a dessert or did you really eat it?
Meanwhile back at the motel, I read and write for a couple more hours and I feel my head starting to nod. I take one last quick walk outside along the water, head back inside and called it a day.
Next morning the squawking gulls served as my alarm clock, I hit the shower and then soon packed up and ready to roll. A fellow motorcyclist, Bob, from Edmonton, drops by and chats for a few minutes. He was part of a group of four people with two bikes on a similar multi-week tour. They had been to Newfoundland and enjoyed it very much. I envied them as there was no way I was going to make it to the Rock this trip. Right after Bob left, another fellow, Wayne from Alabama, stops by. He’s a rider/tourer back in the U.S. and quite interested in the V-Strom. We yak motorcycles for a while and I tell him it was only a couple of weeks ago I was down in his neck of the woods and riding the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wayne has ridden it too and we have something else to talk about! This is one of the benefits of motorcycle touring. You meet some of the nicest, friendliest people and I enjoy all the folks I’ve met. Thank you.
Down the road apiece I’m a tad peckish and I spot this roadside café. The door's open, I hear music inside so all appears good. I step inside and say hello to the gal at the counter. Once again, I encounter a warm, friendly Cape Bretoner who likes to chat. Unfortunately they do not serve your traditional breakfast, however; she did have some biscuits, jam and cheese and could whip me up a plate of that. Could I get a pot of tea to go with it? You betcha… and I’m sold. She’s talking while making the tea and we discuss a cross-Canada trip she and her boyfriend had done. Now this was true coast to Coast and they started in Cape Spear, Newfoundland and drove all the way to their final destination in Torfino B.C. She knows a lot about the local area and all the famous people living there or from there. For instance did I know that Farley Mowat has a residence on Cape Breton? Yes I was aware of that, but I didn’t know where. She was quick to tell me it was just up the road in Cheticamp. Well I’ll be! That was where I had stayed just last night. Now I’m a big admirer of Farley and his wife, Claire’s work. I fantasized meeting him in town, and popping over to their house for a whiskey or two. Farley would read my blog and later post on it, “Steve. I really enjoyed reading about your trip. Keep up the good work. Your friend, Farley Mowat.” I was gazing off contemplating this scenario when hot tea on my lips jolted me back to a painful reality.
The road was lazy and meandering and I relished every mile down the West side back to the causeway. Once across I bade farewell to Cape Breton Island and vowed to return someday. The Cabot Trail was nice, but to me the highlight of this part of the trip was the scenery and all the wonderful people I met along the way. It was a sad good-bye, but I throttled down as it was a three hour ride to Moncton and the long ride home. At the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border, I stopped at the Nova Scotia visitor centre as it was closed when I went through the previous day. I bought a soda and a couple of things and returned to where my bike was parked. Next to my bike were now two other motorcycles. I checked out the license plates and lo and behold they both sported B.C. tags. I chuckle and decide to wait around to meet the riders. A few minutes pass and these two guys, about my age, wearing motorcycle jackets come ambling across the parking lot. We introduce ourselves and it turns out Jim and Ken are from Burnaby and Surrey respectively. Another encounter produces two guys who live not far from where I do. Very funny! Jim and Ken were long distance warriors too having been on the road for the last month, the same length of time as I had, Their routing was different to mine so we compared notes and gathered for photographs at the “spare no expense” Welcome To Nova Scotia highway sign. Have a safe trip guys. It was great meeting you.
I decide to make a run for Fredericton as my hourglass for the trip now had more sand in the bottom than in the top. From this point on I had to pick up the pace and be very selective what I did and where I went as I to stay focused on getting home in time to…..er…..to…….ahh…. GO BACK TO WORK! There, I said it and it left a sour taste in my mouth. Oh well, get to Fredericton and I know how to kill that.
The ride was pretty quick along Hwy 2 and but I still arrived after dark feeling very tired. If you recall, a few posts back I made the observation, the more tired you are the less available the hotels are. Well tonight was no exception and I wasted a lot of time looking for a place only to be denied at the front desk. I finally locate the Lakeside Inn which still had a couple of rooms vacant. I score one on the ground floor with a space to park my bike right in front so I could drag all my gear inside.
Once inside I cook up some freeze-dried curried chicken and rice, pour a stiff one, update my journal and complete the editing on a blog entry and post it. Phew! What a day! Needless to say I’m pretty bagged out so without further ado…….lights out!
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