Tuesday August 21st
Today started a little overcast which was nice because it was cooler. I ate a protein bar that Heather had gave me the day before since I didn’t know when I would get breakfast and I certainly wasn’t going to AW. About 30 kilometers in near Judique I ran into a group from Ontario travelling bar car. The asked if I wanted some snack bars and I humbly accepted.
Seeing me put that away in a couple of bites, I think the comment was “oh my gosh he’s eating them right now!” they offered a banana and an apple as well. I talked about my trip so far and they told me about theirs. They had driven from Lake Ontario South through New York state, Maine and I think New Hampshire before visiting Nova Scotia. They were very nice and wished me on my way.
The road was pretty rough but there was some nice ocean views and barely the semblance of a town anywhere so you cyclists out there should bring food. I was getting pretty hungry when I came across Sandeannies Bakery just outside of Port Hood which serves breakfast all day. The nice ladies in there gave me $10 in donations and were very friendly. I also picked up their butterscotch chip cookies which are incredibly good.
The riding between Port Hood and Inverness isn’t too scenic since you head inland off the coast but I did pass through Glenville which is where all the little Glen’ s come from. I stopped in Inverness next which sits way up above the ocean but has roads down to the harbour and beach. I didn’t bother but I did have a hot turkey sandwhich in the middle of summer on a hot day cooled down by a chocolate milkshake. My eating habits are that of a pregnant lady I think.
Up the highway it goes back inland so I took a small coastal road hoping for some views that only a cyclist would get but there was literally nothing until the last kilometer. Maybe it was worth it, you decide:
Eventually I was on the actual Cabot trail and there is a nice little town and beach area here at Margaree Harbour. I would say it is even scenic but now there is a lot of traffic. Also the road is horrible and though the hills don’t look big it seems to slow you down quite a bit so it is slow going. This is also another little Acadia and there is a very small town just outside of Cheticamp that has a sign “Welcome cyclists”. From
here the road is excellent with a full shoulder until you get to Cheticamp which is where it kind of goes crappy again but no matter Cheticamp is very charming and worth a visit. There is puffin tours and of course whale watching but I think the puffins have more of a stoic air to them.
I didn’t really stop as I wanted to get the campground and wouldn’t you know it my folks called me to check on how I was doing. It is always great to hear a voice from home and made me a little less weary. There were a few cyclists in camp including a French man who has done a lot biking and Tricia from New Hampshire who camped next to me. The French man and I spoke for quite a while about previous trips including the Rockies and tours in France which he said was really easy to get away and do from his home but he wanted to see this coast line and agreed it was challenging. After dinner I chatted with Tricia for quite a while about rides and US politics. I am meeting a lot of Americans that are unhappy with the way the country is heading and seem to despise the alternative which is the Republicans. I really think a viable very left leaning third party would be good for the US but I can’t see it ever happening. All in all a long day but it ended well and the Cabot Trail park is quite beautiful and full of lush green forest.
