On to Port Hope Simpson

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This, the longest section of the Labrador Highway with gravel, is also the one with no services. Nothing. Not even a sandwich. It starts off easy, with 100km of pavement, then shifts to gravel of varying densities, always smooth. When I travelled it was wet, so there was little dust. And the temperature never climbed above 40 degrees F, which kept the black flies down. It definitely is the right time of year to do this road. The only problem was built into the bike, which kept flashing a warning snow flake emoji in the dashboard indicating that the temperature was at freezing, and disaster could not be far behind. Good for BMW. Always taking care of its drivers.

Last year when I drove the Alaska Pipeline Haul Road up to Prudhoe Bay, they kindly positioned a mangled vehicle off the side of the road early into the journey, to warn against the dangers of speeding on gravel. Here they are more random, and it is only now, 800 km into the ride, that I come across a small white car smashed up and abandoned in the ditch. It was a good reminder, never the less.

I was excited to see what Port Simpson would be like - my first true Atlantic coast town in Labrador. As had been described in all the guide books, the town is straggled along the edge of a sheltered cove. The important buildings (town hall, grocery, post office, church, hotel) follow each other along the coast, until you arrive at the port and the fishing boats. My hotel was about half way along. There is no town center. Dwellings are scattered from the water line up a block or two into the woods. Not a fence or a lock to be seen. Snowmobiles, logs, crab traps, barbecues sit out where they were last used, until needed again. Looks like a lot of the heating runs on wood -- and that every family has to go out and cut its own. Not an easy life.

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Comments

[Harry]

Paris it ain't
Well Jim nobody can say you don't have an eye for the offbeat tourist traps. Formal ware is not called for where you are. Do you need a diplomatic passport to get into these places or just a smile and maybe a little mud on your fender. As usual the photographs keep us all in the picture. Harry

[Cindy H]

Along for the ride
Thanks Jim. I have been enjoying the view and commentary as you make your way.

[David S]

So much like rural Alaska, right down to the chained-up yard dogs. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of this part of the world Jim; I'm not sure I'll ever get there in person.