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Words of the day: PHENOMENAL. EMOTIONAL.
We paid one more visit to Terry Fox this morning prior to leaving St. John's. We stayed longer than our first visit here yesterday. When you stop to think about what he accomplished and how, we have no right to complain about anything in life. We started our ride today with that in mind: sombre; thoughts of family and friends we have lost much to early in life from cancer; thankful for our health; thankful for a reminder of what a privilege it is to be able to experience what we have on this trip, and will continue to experience throughout our journey home. This was an emotional start to a phenomenal day.
Today we chose to ride, clockwise, the 312 km Irish Loop on the Avalon Peninsula. I've been thinking all day about how I will describe the loop and I truly don't think I can do it justice. Here is a link to a great site that talks about the loop. They are right: YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO STAY.
www.theirishloop.com
The sun came out for us, the temperature reading 21 degrees on my bike, and no wind.
Phenomenal. Once on the loop, we rode through fishing village after fishing village, all charming and quaint in their own right. Phenomenal. Just north of St. Vincent's at Trepassey, we hit thick fog and had to don the raingear. It was disappointing bad because we had wanted to ride a dirt road out to Cape Race where the first distress signal from the Titanic was heard by the lighthouse keeper). Fortunately there was little traffic on the 2 lane winding, hilly, unkempt, potholed road, and we were wiping our visors every ten seconds to clear the mist. Riding in fog with a quarter mile (if that) visibility can be described as eerie, disorienting, and you have no sense or appreciation of speed. We were blind to all the apparent beauty along this section of the route - wild caribou, ocean so close to our left, cottages on the banks and hills. The fog lifted a few kilometres later at St. Mary's and we enjoyed the rest of the day under clear skies once again.
Today was spontaneous with no plans on where to stop for the day, or where to stay, or where to eat dinner. And today was
the first day of our westward journey with no pressure of deadlines. Continuing on from the loop, we travelled up Routes 60 and 70 on the Baccalieu trail passing through villages with unique, romantic names like Cupids, Conception Harbour, Avondale, Marysvale. Given our emotions earlier in the day, it was fitting and warming to end our day in Harbour Grace at a bed and breakfast called The Rothesay Inn. They (and their massive Newfoundland mastiff laying across the porch) welcomed us in at 8:45 pm. They recommended a local mom/pop eatery, The Madrock Cafe, for an authentic Newfie dinner just down the road in Bay Roberts (but don't dally because they close soon). Mom and Pop suggested, to share, Dish One: Fish and Brewis (salt cod and hard bread, soaked overnight, then mixed together and pan fried, served with pan fried onions and scruncheons (pork fat); Dish Two: Fishcake (cod and mashed potatoes mixed together and pan fried), with home-made Baked Beans; Dish Three: Toutons and Molasses (OMG OMG OMG OMG): bread dough pan fried on butter or pork fat, served with butter and a drizzle of molasses. Near zero nutritional value in our meal, but OMG I'm in heaven.
Comfort food at its best. If I dare to wash my kevlar jeans right now, there will be little chance I can get back into them.
Once settled in our elegant, historic B & B overlooking Conception Bay, the events of the day got to me and my emotions. It was a PERFECTLY PHENOMENAL day. The ride was the best bike ride I have EVER had. Best scenery. Best food. Best best best of everything. I'm welling up just writing this. I LOVE THIS PLACE.
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St vincent
That fog at Stvincent looks familiar Helen, I know I have a water front cabin on ST Mary's pond cause I can hear the beer bottle top hit the water, glad you made it, to such a beautiful place. take care, I am living vicariously.