After posting my journal yesterday, I had time to look at my remaining riding schedule to St. John’s. I also decided to have my day off here in Rogersville rather than ride one more day to the coast. I needed a stop anyway having ridden every day since leaving Montreal.
Although I’ve covered 7,400km in 75 days since June 10th, I’ve not quite kept up with my schedule. (I’m pretty damn close though). Studying what’s left on my route and weighing the pros and cons, I’ve decided I don’t quite have enough time for the long ride across Newfoundland (from Channel Port-aux-Basques) I’d planned without leaving things tight to catch my flight home.
So instead, I’m going to take the alternative long ferry crossing (14 hours!) from North Sydney to Argentia, Newfoundland and ride in to St. John’s from there. It’s still the same end point, so makes no real difference. This reduces my route by about 750km and gives me time to relax and enjoy these final days without worrying about distances and time left. I should get a couple of days in St. John’s to sight-see as well. 14 hours on a ferry could be a bitch though…
The ferry only runs 3 times a week, so I’ve got to synchronise properly with that. I’m glad I checked the ferry schedule as I had assumed the service was daily! I’m also watching Hurricane Danielle which is currently off the coast of Mexico tracking northwards. It could affect the Maritime region in about a week's time!
I did have time to visit Rogersville’s (only) tourist attraction this morning – the Monument National Notre-Dame de l'Assomption (Acadian National Monument). Some pictures from there follow.
3 comments:
Not a bad idea to skip the long haul across NL. There is only one road across, so if it gets bad, you are pretty well stuck on it. Also most of the cool stuff to see is a ways off the highway. Only things you might regret not seeing is Gros Mourne and Terra Nova naitional parks.
If you have a little extra time, might not be a bad idea to go up around the Baccalieu Trail on your way to St. Johns
http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104891745224480528357.00046a773378982ee7cbe&ll=47.709762,-53.201294&spn=0.951776,2.469177&z=9
(line is a little off but you get the idea)
It is only an extra day or two and you'd get to see a lot of typical outport Newfoundland as opposed to just highway and the city.
I know you were thinking about taking the Irish Loop and Cape Shore route back to Argentia afterwords. This route is fairly tough and there is fairly long gaps between things. So doing the Baccaleiu trail will give you a bit of a different view as well as biking most of the Avalon peninsula!
Something to think about anyway!
Hit me up when you get on the island! I don't have a place for you to stay unfortunately, but I owe you that pint!
Not content with bears its now hurricans
Thanks Hughie!
The Baccalieu Trail is a good idea.
I'll call you when I get to St. John's!
(I'm flying out from St. John's now, so no return trip to Argentia).
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