Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree was always on my to visit list. Finally made it and glad I did. In 1936, the area was proclaimed as a National Monument and then in 1994, it became a National Park. 80% of the park is managed as wilderness.

The eastern part of the park (below 3,000 feet) lies within the Colorado Desert which in-turn is part of the much larger Sonoran Desert. The western part of the park (above 3,000 feet) is part of the Mojave Desert. The park is slightly larger than the state of Rhode Island.

I camped 6 nights in the park, 1 night at Belle Campground and 5 nights at Jumbo Rocks Campground. The park has 8 campgrounds spread across the park. I camped in December (2019) and found that during the week many camping sites remained unused. However, during the weekends everything filled up and also there were many more day users. The park seems to be a weekend get away from the larger cities of the California coast.

The weather during my visit was perfect. Sunny / warm days (warm for December) and cool nights. A person could easily spend 7 or more days in the park and still have sights to see.

There are many private campgrounds that surround the park and also dispersed camping (on BLM land). The dispersed camping sits right outside the park on the north and south sides.

While paved roads cut through the park and access many points of interest, the best way to see the park is by hiking or biking. Bicycles are not allowed on the hiking trails but are allowed on the paved roads as well as the dirt / gravel roads.

I entered the park from the south which takes one to the Cottonwood Visitor Center.

The Joshua Tree:

The name supposedly comes from the biblical Joshua and his outreached hands. It is a type of Yucca that has tree like features.

On the way to Belle Campground, I stopped at Cholla Cactus Garden. Pretty cool hike and views.

View out to Pinto Basin:

Campsite at Belle Campground:

Jumbo Rocks Campground:

Sunsets: Each night provided some amazing sunsets:

Hiking:

Before becoming a Monument / Park, the area was used for mining, ranching and farming which brought a real cast of character to the region. The hiking trails take one not only to areas of natural features but also to the man made operations.

A picture of the Barker Dam which was built around 1900 to hold water for cattle and mining use. A trail loops around the area. Today, the local wildlife uses the water stored by the dam.

Cycling:

From the Jumbo Rocks Campground, I rode my gravel bike on O’Dell Road, Queen Valley Road, Bighorn Pass Road, and Geology Tour Road, all great gravel / dirt rides. Vehicle traffic on these roads was very light. A number of hikes start from these roads. Bike stands were available (usually somewhat hidden from the parking areas) which allowed locking the bike out of view prior to hiking.

While cycling, I met Casey who travels North America working for a top name bicycle company. She travels in a van, going from one cycling event / show to another and sets up a demonstration / bike repair tent. What a cool job. She noted that normally she has a schedule set at least for the next 6 months which allows her to plan her travel and visits along the way. That day she had stopped at the park to get some exercise. It was amazing how stuffed the van was with top of the line bicycles. If I remember correctly, there were 12 bikes inside the van, along with a bunch of other gear.

We talked for quite awhile about how she “snagged” the job and how things were going.

The drive to and sights from Keys View (an overlook in the park) is spectacular.

On the way back to Colorado, I took back roads to I-40. It is a very remote area.

This sign pole sits in the middle of nowhere. I needed a double take to make sure I was not hallucinating.

Now back to Colorado for the holidays. I will return to Joshua tree!

Phoenix – Stop to see Family

On my way to Joshua Tree National Park, I stopped to visit a brother who lives in Phoenix. It just so happened that my son was in Scottsdale for a company Christmas party (2019) and the three of us were able to meet up. We had a good time.

Pics from the visit:

Off to Joshua Tree!

Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well

Situated between Flagstaff and Phoenix off of I-17, Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well are two parts of the same National Monument, about 11 miles apart. If your travel time allows, these are well worth a visit.

Montezuma Castle:

Montezuma Castle is an excellent example of a pueblo built into a cliff alcove by the Southern Sinagua farmers. It was built between 1100 to 1300 a.d. The cliff dwelling sits 100 feet above the valley floor and has 5 stories with 45 to 60 rooms.

The Southern Sinagua left the area around 1425 and migrated elsewhere as did many other cultures around this same time period. American settlers assumed (incorrectly) it was Aztec in origin and named it Montezuma Castle. The monument was established in 1906 and tourists were allowed access until 1951. A visitor center and short (1/3 mile) walking trail are available.

Montezuma Well:

One can only imagine the joy of discovering a lake and lush vegetation in the middle of a desert. The lake is fed by springs which continuously supply fresh water. Water from the lake was used by the Southern Sinagua to irrigate crops. One can still see the traces of the irrigation ditches. A 1/2 mile loop trail allows access to the area.

It is believed that 100 to 150 people lived in the surrounding area. In the above picture, you can see a pit house at the back of the lake.

A closer view of the pit house:

Michigan

Gordy and I entered the USA through Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. Our plans called for spending three nights in Michigan before arriving at Gordy’s house in Ohio. We had no reservations and were playing things as they came.

Sault Sainte Marie :

Sault Saint Marie is the oldest city in Michigan. The city sits on the St. Marys River which joins two of the great lakes (Superior and Huron). The river has a 21 foot drop between the two lakes and this created some pretty bad rapids for any boat travel. At first, travelers would portage from lake to lake. Then, in 1855, a series of locks were built to allow continuous passage between lakes. In due time, the locks were updated for modern shipping and are now the busiest locks in the world.

We stopped to take a look at the locks and to set plans for Michigan. Our planning took place at Soo Brewing Company.

After a couple beers and a bite to eat, our plan became “let’s just head south”.

Wilderness State Park:

While driving through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we chose Wilderness State Park (from a map) as our first stop. After crossing the Mackinac Bridge, we headed to the park. The park is located on Lake Michigan, just west of the city of Mackinac. One can imagine the strategic importance of Mackinac back in the day, providing control of water movement from one great lake onto the next. Lot’s of back and forth between nations took place here.

The bridge is 5 miles long and is the world’s fifth longest suspension bridge in the world, pretty impressive. The bridge crosses the Straights of Mackinac (narrow waterway connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron) and connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. The birdge opened to traffic in 1957.

Upon arrival at Wilderness State Park, we were immediately impressed with the location, setting and park services. Given it was mid-September, we were able to grab a spot that fronted Lake Michigan. This is a park where I say “Just Go!”

Notice the vegetation in the water, we found out that lake Michigan was 4 feet higher than normal at the time of our visit. That’s a lot of water!

Restroom / shower facilities, very modern

To curb our appetite and thirst, we headed to Biere De Mac Brew Works. We found really great food and brews.

I loved how the taps are set up in “bridge formation”

Traverse City

Gordy had never been to Traverse City, so we decided that was our next destination. Traverse City started from a Lumber Mill in the 1850’s and is now a year round destination for outdoor activities.

Just outside of Traverse City, we stopped at Short’s Brewing Company to get the lay of the land.

We then drove into downtown Traverse City and stopped at Workshop Brewing.

I had parked on the street near the brewery in what I thought was a legal parking spot. A traffic enforcement officer was moving from vehicle to vehicle, writing tickets. When she stopped at mine, I quickly approached and politely asked if I was parked illegally and she noted that I was. I mentioned that I must have missed the no parking sign and she pointed out that the sign was at the beginning of the street. I asked if I could move to a legal spot and she said sure. She then pointed to a city parking lot and said that given it was a Friday, anyone could park in the lot through the weekend if wanted. I thanked her and moved the van two blocks to its new home.

Given the green light for parking the van, we now had a place to camp for the night. As such, we decided to explore the downtown.

I had spent some time at Dill’s in the early 70’s. Sorry to see it go.

Also spent some time at Union Street Station in the 70’s. Glad some things do not change.

Beers and shots of Patron at Union Station

Our last stop before calling it a night was back at Workshop Brewery for beers and music.

When we headed to the city parking lot for the night, the van was the only vehicle in the lot. The next morning, I got up and was wondering to myself where I could get some coffee and breakfast. Gordy was still sleeping and I thought I would surprise him by bringing some back.

When I opened the van door, I was in for a complete surprise coming from many different directions. It turns out that the city park area next to the parking lot is used for a farmers market on Saturday mornings. The lot was completely packed in with vehicles. We were surrounded! A pretty sound sleep, I guess!

Now the really great surprise was the food truck parked at one end of the parking lot. Breakfast burritos and coffee with very few steps.

Gordy and I had a good laugh over breakfast!

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park:

Those are people at the top of the dunes!

Our next stop was Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. This is another “Just Go“. What a beautiful area. The park sits of a 35 mile stretch of Lake Michigan coastline and also includes the North and South Manitou Islands.

We only gave the park a drive through. A person could easily spend a week or more. We stopped at the Maritime Museum which highlights history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and Great Lakes shipping.

The 7.4 mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Loop Drive is a must, as the pics highlight. Many people were cycling the loop.

Lake Michigan Recreation Area:

From Sleeping Bear, we drove to Lake Michigan Recreation Area. A stop here for the night brought back memories. Gordy and I use to take our kids here when they were young and we would just turn them loose.

Lake Michigan Recreation Area is located on the Lake Michigan shoreline between Manistee and Ludington. The area has multiple campgrounds with easy access to beaches and sand dunes.

We stopped in Manistee for a brew and then set up camp for the night.

The next morning we were off to Ohio and then Colorado for me.

Ontario

After leaving Montreal, Gordy and I headed for Algonquin and Killarney Provincial Parks in Ontario.

ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK

We caught the start of the fall colors. Would love to be here for the full release.

Algonquin is Ontario’s oldest provincial park. It is loaded with forests, bogs, lakes and rivers. There are really two Algonquin parks, the developed part and the backcountry. Given our short visit, Gordy and I spent time in the developed part along the Highway 60 Corridor.

It would be great to see the park via the backcountry sometime. The backcountry has over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, ranger cabins for rent, and 2,000 campsites. You can do portage and / or non-portage experiences.

We camped at Lake of Two Rivers Campground. We arrived late afternoon and spent the first night setting up and hanging around camp. The next day (rainy) we checked out the Logging Museum and Visitor Center. The third day we spent canoeing on the lake. Given the time of year (mid-September), the park was not crowded.

Logging Museum – The museum reception building has a theater which plays an excellent video regarding the significance of logging in Algonquin. Outside is a walking tour with life size exhibits. This include a reconstructed logging camp and also an understanding of the complete process of cutting and squaring the logs, hauling the timber down frozen lakes and driving them down flooded spring rivers to the Ottawa river. One stop on the tour is The William M which is a surviving example of a steam-powered warping tug that was used to winch giant log booms across lakes.

Campground and Lake:

We really liked the Lake of Two Rivers Campground. As it was later in the season, there were very few campers. The lake abuts the campground. You can call private outfitters and they will drop canoes for your use. We spent one day on the lake and had a great time.

There is a 10 mile bike trail the follows the bed of the historic Ottawa, Armprior, & Parry Sound Railway. The trail stretches from Rock Lake to near Cache Lake and is accessible from the Lake of Two Rivers. It would be fun to try this some time.

The last night at the campground we celebrated the eve of my birthday. The evening started like this:

And ended like this:

Notice: Do not try this at home. Activity performed by trained Professionals.

Killarney Provincial Park:

The next morning we were up early and off to Killarney Provincial Park. The park is located on Georgian Bay which is at the northeastern tip of Lake Huron. The park offers year round activities for everyone, hikers, bikers, water crafters, cross country skiers and so forth. Like Algonquin, the park offers canoe-in backcountry experiences. A person could spend weeks in this park.

The park straddles the La Colche range, large rounded white quartzite hills that dominate the landscape. The white peaks and cliffs contrast with the pine and hardwood forests and the boggy lowlands that surround the park’s many lakes.

We only stayed at the park for one night and used our time to check out the quartzite hills from Lake George. Our plan was to take turns using my inflatable watercraft. However, luck came our way and our camping neighbors offered their sea kayaks for our use.

The next morning, we headed into the Village of Killarney for breakfast before heading to Michigan via Sault Ste Marie.

And now headed back to the USA after close to 3 months in Canada. My journey through eastern / central Canada was outstanding. So much to see and such great people!!

Quebec Province

Like many grand ideas, the impetus for travel to Quebec started at a weekly happy hour and conversation about the 2019 World Cup Mountain Bike Championships. The 2019 World Cup would take place at Monte-Sainte-Anne Resort located just outside Quebec City. After a few more happy hours, a plan for the World Cup solidified. That plan grew to include additional travel and visitors.

Hautes-Gorges-De-La-Riviere-Malbaie and Grands – Jardins National Parks:

On the way from Labrador to Quebec City, my son (Ryan) and I stopped at both National Parks while looking for a campground. As we were unsure of our timing for exiting Labrador, we did not have reservations at either park. We hoped to camp at Hautes-Gorges given the high ratings.

My take on Hautes-Gorges is that it compares to Zion National Park in the U.S. The park is relatively small and everyone wants to go there. As such, when I asked at the visitor center if any campsites were available, the Ranger gave me that “are you crazy” glance and then said “all booked up”. They recommended checking out Grands-Jardin, which is fairly close to Hautes-Gorges.

We did find a campsite at Grands-Jardin. Both parks are beautiful and I really wish we had more time to check them out. However, we needed to move on to Quebec City as my son wanted to visit there before flying out.

Quebec City:

Before and after the World Cup Championships, I spent time touring Quebec City. This is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. A permanent trading post was established in 1608 and the city grew from there. A military installation (La Citadelle) sets atop Cap Diamant and protected the city and provided control of the river through the 19th century. The city is rich in history and art. I highly recommend spending some time exploring this city. It is best discovered by walking. You will be glad you did.

I parked / camped at the Old Port Marina. The Marina has a large parking lot and you can pay to park / camp for multiple nights. It provides for a dry camp (no electric, no water, and no restrooms). The upside is easy access to the Marina for larger camper vehicles and the proximity to the city. A person can walk to all the sites from the Marina. The Gare-du Palais (train and bus station) is located close to the Marina and has very clean facilities and also provides first / morning coffee stop.

View from the camp / parking site, which I referred to as camping at the Yacht Club:

My son and two friends (Steve and Annie) joined me in Quebec city at different times and we had a great time. Some pics:

Final Fireworks of the Summer – Spectacular

Try to catch the fireworks if you can. The display is launched from barges on the river.

Mont-Sainte-Anne – 2019 World Cup Mountain Bike Championships:

The MTB World Cup rotates to a different venue each year. Most of the venues are located in Europe but periodically they take place in North America. The resort at Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of those places. Mont-Sainte-Anne is a year-round outdoor playground offering skiing, paragliding, mountain biking, golfing, hiking, etc.

My friend Steve and I spent a week at the resort with a goal of fully immersing ourselves into the World Cup scene. We totally succeeded!

Upon arriving, we were advised by a local to park on a road the sits between the golf course and resort condos. Once parked, we did not move the van for the whole week. Any runs for supplies (mainly beer and ice) were done done via bicycle and backpack to a gas station / store a couple of miles outside the resort.

The first part of the week was set up for the racers to check out the courses (cross country and down hill) and taking practice runs. During this time, we also checked out locations to position ourselves during the actual races.

The week’s schedule:

Our routine was up for coffee, over to the courses (watch training / actual races), check out the tent village (vendors, team tents, a restaurant / bar, etc.), take bike rides on trails that surround the resort, and then back to the van later in the day.

View of Tent City with Resort in the background

Each night, Steve and I would set up a table and lawn chairs on the lawn (associated with the condos) across the street from the van and have dinner / snacks / refreshments. As such, we would sometimes briefly interact with the racers who stayed in the condos. Steve tracks the mountain bike race scene year around and knows the names / faces / background of the top riders. As a top rider went by, he would provide an update. Pretty cool, like having my own race analyst.

Some pics of Cross Country course / races:

This section of course is called La Beatrice. The most technical section of the cross country course. It was fun to watch riders figure out a line during training and then nail it during competition. Notice the pads set up to “catch riders” who wipe out.

Pics of Downhill Races: The downhill races start at the top of the resort with the goal of using the brakes as little as possible. Mighty risky business!

The downhill contests drew the biggest crowds. Steve and I agreed that the downhill was fun to watch.

Notice the rider catching big air! Look closely above the oragne fence.

Miscellaneous pictures:

Steve and I served as Ambassadors for the Goat Patch Brewing CO., located in Colorado.

After showing the pics at the brewery when we returned home, we tried for a couple free beers. Only received free smiles.

We were happy campers when we discovered (on day 2) a place to shower!

We thought we had first and second wrapped up but this young whippersnapper came out of nowhere!

And then unexpectedly and unfortunately my third place finish was nullified

A couple stories:

I would start my day with coffee in tent city. The coffee shop was run by a lady who spoke very little English and I do not speak French. On the second morning, I used sign language to ask if she had made the podium. She said no and then I showed her this picture.

The next morning when I went for coffee, she pointed to a photograph above her:

Then she reached down and handed me a signed copy of the photo.

Great people, So much fun!!!!!

A second story is related to the mountain bike I had on the rack located on the back of the van. The bike is a 2005 Gary Fisher Sugar. Not a bad bike for its time. However, between 2005 and 2019, the technology for mountain bikes improved exponentially.

One evening while relaxing in the van, the number 1 men’s rider was on the phone outside the van (Swiss team stayed in condos near the van). When he finished his call, he noticed my bike and checked it out. He then called out to a team mate (number 3 rider). He came over and they were both checking out the bike. It was like they were at a bike museum or possibly one of there grandfathers had one.

Ile d’ Orleans:

After leaving Mont-Sainte-Anne’s, Steve flew back home and my friend Annie joined me. We spent a few days in Quebec city and then a full day on Ile d’ Orleans. If you are in the area and have the time, a visit to the island is well worth it. The 18 mile long island is situated just outside Quebec City and accessible by bridge. The island is known for its historical buildings and rich fertile soil, producing an abundance of local food (outstanding fruit).

Some pics:

You can see Mont-Sainte -Anne in the Background

La Mauricie National Park:

The next stop for Annie and I was La Mauricie National Park. The park sits between Quebec City and Montreal. The park offers a little of everything: camping, cycling (road and trail), swimming, canoeing, and hiking. With over 150 lakes of various size, water activities dominate.

Some pics:

Can’t get away from coffee and croissants. Berries from Ile d’ Orleans

Montreal:

Let me say that I did not have time to give Montreal justice. Annie and I spent one night in town, seeing as much as we could. She flew out the next day and my friend Gordy flew in. Gordy and I spent one night downtown before leaving the next day.

Annie and I toured the old town area. Rain moved in and we then had dinner and took shelter in a pub. The pub had a live band, pool tables, and a friendly / lively crowd. The pub closed around 3:30 a.m. and the crowd moved to the street. We continued conversations until 5 a.m. and then Ubered back to our accommodations near the airport. Annie was a little tired when dropped off at the airport terminal a 8:00 a.m.

I was a little tired myself by the time Gordy arrived. We drove to the Casino de Montreal and parked / camped. We checked out the Casino for awhile and then grabbed a cab to downtown Montreal. We walked the streets and then the rain moved in again. We found a brewery and had dinner and beers. Then a cab back to the Casino for a few more drinks and then to the camper. While downtown, we did make it inside the Basilique Notre-Dame. Pretty cool. The next morning, we headed for Algonquin Provincial Park.

Some pics:

On to Ontario!

Trans-Labrador Highway and Route 389

THE ROUTE:

“Trans-Labrador Highway, one of the world’s most epic and remote road trips” and “Route 389, an awe-inspiring road through remote areas”. These are descriptions from the Most Dangerous Roads website.

The two roads reach from Blanc-Sablon to Baie-Comeau, a total of 1,140 miles. The Trans-Labrador Highway is 775 miles long and goes from Blanc-Sablon to Labrador City. Route 389 takes you from Labrador City to Baie-Comeau, Quebec, a total of 365 miles.

Below are a couple maps which help orient the route.

Trans-Labrador Highway:

Map of Trans-Labrador Hwy, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Route 389 from Labrador City to Baie Comeau:

Screenshot (1)

In general, road improvements continue on the Trans-Labrador Highway. At the rate we observed, it will not be too many years before the road is completely paved. Until then, one needs to adjust to road conditions. In one particular bumpy / major washboard section (after the Point Amour Lighthouse) , we saw a complete vehicle brake assembly laying in the middle of the road and then the start of a liquid trail. Someone was in for a surprise. A caution area is east of Labrador city. You cross a number of RR tracks and some come with limited visibility. Some do not have flashing lights.

Route 389 is another story. This road has many “dicey” areas and is mainly used by mining and timber trucks. There is no time to daydream on this road. Road construction / upgrade is taking place but at a slower pace. The current road follows the flow of the terrain. In many areas, whole new sections of road are under construction. These new sections will straighten and flatten the road. This type of construction requires moving a lot of earth and starting road beds from scratch. Route 389 has sections of clay that makes travel interesting when wet. In heavy rains, you may want to wait until the roads dry.

Summary of Recommendations:

1) Both roads have long sections of bad washboard dirt / gravel roads. It is best to plan for slow travel in these areas for the sake of your vehicle.

2) Never pass a gas station

3) Have cash – some places do not have internet access or it may go down in areas that do (meaning no credit cards)

4) Drive defensive

WHY I PICKED THIS ROUTE

So why this route? The World Cup Mountain Biking Championships were taking place in Mount Saint Anne’s in Quebec and I had plans to attend. Many travel options presented themselves from Newfoundland to Mount Saint Anne’s. One option that caught my eye was the Trans-Labrador Highway and it became my chosen option.

During my travel through Canada, I often discussed my Trans-Labrador highway plans with locals . The response from Canadians usually fell into one of three categories.

1) Never heard of it.

2) Yep, kind of a bucket list item, and

3) A look away, with no response and change of conversation, which I finally came to realize is the Canadian polite way of saying, why would you want to do that.

I will let the reader guess which category the vast majority of responses fell into.

LABRADOR

Labrador has 113,640 square miles, which is close to the size of Arizona. The population of Labrador is less than 30,000. By comparison, the population of Arizona is 7.3 million. The least populated state in the US is Wyoming has a population of over 500,000.

Most of the early settlement in Labrador took place along the Atlantic coast and interior waterways. Hydro-electric power, mining and war led to further interior development. To link interior and coastal areas, the Trans-Labrador Highway was completed in 1992 and road improvements continue.

Route 389 while in Quebec has the same remote feel as Labrador

The Journey

We drove from Blanc-Sablon to Baie-Comeau in three days. We wished we had more time for the drive. However, my son only had so much vacation time and we also wanted to visit Quebec City before he flew home.

Day 1 – Blanc-Sablon to Port Hope Simpson

We off-loaded from the Ferry around 4 p.m. We were held up for about 30 minutes at arrival. Two large piston like bolts are used to lock the boat jaws (open and close to allow ramps and vehicle to enter / exit). One of the bolts would not move after many tries and adjustments with hydraulics. Finally, we could see a mate walking toward the jaws with a large sludge hammer. After a few knocks, bingo, all is well.

Blanc-Sablon is located within Quebec and a five minute drive takes you to L’anse-Au-Clair, Labrador. Our first stop was the Gateway to Labrador Visitor Center for general information and an update on road conditions.

For safety purposes, the provincial government provides satellite phones to borrow for the drive. The protocol is to pick one up at the beginning of the Trans-Labrador Highway and then drop off at the end of the drive. The phones let you call the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On Route 389, booths (see top picture) are placed periodically along the route. While cell service is available in some of the communities along the route, cell service is not available on 95% of the total drive.

The first location providing a pickup was the Northern Light Inn in L’anse-Au-Clair. We stopped and they noted they had no phones in inventory and we should try in Mary’s Harbor at the Riverlodge Motel.

As it was a Sunday and later in the day, the town was pretty much shut down, so we moved on.

A fog moved in and prevented us from seeing much along the coastal drive. We stopped stopped at a few sites:

Maritime Archaic Burial Mound National Historic Site – Archaeologists uncovered the site of a 12-year-old boy dated to 6,900 BC. This is America’s oldest known funeral monument.

2. Point Amour Lighthouse – Atlantic Canada’s tallest lighthouse

Our next stop was the Riverlodge Motel in Mary’s Harbour to pick up a satellite phone but again none available. Oh well!

After Mary’s Harbour the road leaves the coast and heads inland. We were looking for somewhere to have dinner and found a restaurant (Campbell’s Place) in Port Hope Simpson. They were just ready to close but saw our hungry faces and let us order. Great people! The waitress also told us of a pull-out on the highway where we could spend the night.

Sunset outside Port Hope Simpson, just before our pullout for the night!

Signpost at Pullout, picture taken the next morning.

When we stopped at the pullout and shut-off the engine, we experienced our first major encounter with black flies and mosquitoes. They surrounded the van and did so for a good 10 minutes. I am not sure what drew them immediately, maybe heat from the van or movement. It was a hoard. It is one thing to read about the notorious Labrador insects but another to experience it.

Day 2 – Port Hope Simpson to Pull-Off Before Churchill Falls

The next morning we drove back to Port Hope Simpson to fill up the tank. Pretty old school setup. You pull in, fill up the tank and then go inside and tell them the dollar amount. From Port Hope Simpson, it is 260 miles until the next sign of civilization / services. A full tank is needed!

It was a long / desolate / beautiful drive to our next stop at Happy Valley-Goose Bay. At the start of that day’s drive, my son and I made a bet as to how many vehicles we would see between the start and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. We laid out rules (e.g., construction vehicles did not count). He guessed 15 vehicles or more. The actual number that day was 8 vehicles. Yea, a free dinner.

We saw a black bear on the side of the road and stopped to watch for awhile:

Paving of the road continues:

Highway 516 is a spur that takes you the coastal village of Cartwright. While many people take this spur as part of traveling the Trans-Labrador Highway. We did not have time to incorporate it into our plans

Somewhere between the Cartwright turn-off and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, my son said “what is that cloud over there”? We pulled over to watch and as it got closer we could see that it was a swarm of black flies. Yikes!

We arrived at Happy Valley – Goose Bay and our first stop was a gas station (Rule #1). The town has a a population of 7,550 people. During World War II, Canada, England and America joined together to build a massive air base here. The airbase brought jobs and an influx of people.

The air base is currently used for training by Canadian, British, Dutch, Italian, and German air forces, given the latter four countries do not have airspace suitable for low level flight training. During 9/11, the airport filled with diverted commercial flights.

We kicked around Happy Valley – Goose Bay and then headed to Northwest River. Northwest River is a small village (500 people) nestled along the shores of Lake Melville. It is located 24 miles north of Happy Valley – Goose Bay. The village started as a fur trading post in the 1700’s.

We stopped at:

The Labrador Interpretation Centere which provides presentations / exhibits on the natural and human history of Labrador. The personnel were very engaging and answered our questions and provided much information. I really liked some of the paintings on display.

2. The Labrador Heritage Museum which is located in an original Hudson Bay Company Building.

This is definitely worth a stop, providing a view of local history through photos, manuscripts, books, artifacts, etc. One room of the building is devoted to musical”toys”. The museum guide told us that the maker originally lived in the area and donated the “toys” over time. He now lives in New York and continues to bring one back each year. The current collection is over 30.

I call them toys for a better lack of words. Each plays music and has moving figures. My son and I had fun trying these out. We had a number of the toys playing at one time and the attendant came to make sure things were “OK”.

North West River has an artist co-op which was closed the day we visited. I wish we could have checked this out, as I like to purchase local art on my travels.

After my free dinner (remember the bet described above) in Happy Valley – Goose Bay, we headed toward Churchill Falls. We both wished that we had another day to explore this area.

Our stop for the night was another pull-off. The Trans Labrador Highway has a number of pull-offs (strategically dispersed) which allow travelers to safely spend the night away from the main traffic flow. You will find a pullout about every 15 to 20 miles.

Day 3 – Pull-Off to Baie-Comeau

The next morning, we headed into Churchill Falls for gas and breakfast. The village has a population of 650 and was constructed to meet the needs of workers at the world’s second largest underground hydroelectric power station. It has the look and feel of a company town. If you plan ahead, you can arrange a tour of the power station.

The clerk at the gas station was a young lady in her 20’s. She saw the van and had questions about our travel, so we talked for a little while. She had the look of someone who would rather be elsewhere. For breakfast, she recommended the only restaurant in town and and said we could not miss it.

What we found is that the town has one building that includes everything the town needs except for gas and private housing. Here is a picture of the sign outside the Donald Gordon Centre:

We stretched our legs with a hike to the Churchill Falls lookout. These waterfalls gave name to the town and power station. Most of the water before the falls is now diverted for the power station but the view is still beautiful. One can only wonder what the falls looked like in full glory.

The trail starts at a pullout about 12 miles west of the town of Churchill Falls. The trail follows above Bowdoin Canyon to the lookout. We suited / sprayed up for the hike. Take that bugs! We added gloves to complete the armor.

Some pics from the hike:

The falls have had a number of different names over time. In 1965, the falls were named after Winston Churchill. Prior to that renaming, it was Hamilton Falls.

The next stop was Labrador City. Huge ore deposits were discovered in the area of Labrador City in the late 1950’s. The region is the largest ore supplier for the Canadian steel industry. We stopped for gas (Rule #1) and then moved on. Definitely had the look and feel of a rough and tumble mining town.

The most notable memory from Labrador City was a huge rock (not a stone) kicked up by a mining truck near the main stop light in town. The rock hit the top of the windshield and scared us both. When it happened, we just looked at each other and both had the expression of holy crap! I can only say, thank you car industry for the safety glass!!!!!!!!!! The glass cracked at point of impact and spider-ed out a couple inches in diameter. Luckily, the spider lines held until I was back in the US and then replaced the windshield.

The Manicouagan Crater sits about half way between Labrador City and Baie-Comeau. On the following map view, you can see a ring of water left of the 9h 13 min marker. This is the location of the Crater.

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As described on the NASA website, “Scientists believe the crater was caused by the impact of a 5 kilometer (3 mile) diameter asteroid about 215.5 million years ago (Triassic Period). The crater is a multiple-ring structure about 100 kilometers (60 miles) across, with its 70 kilometer (40 mile) diameter inner ring as its most prominent feature; it contains a 70 kilometer (40 mile) diameter annular lake, the Manicouagan Reservoir, surrounding an inner island plateau, René-Levasseur Island. Because it is so unique and easily recognizable from the sky and space, the crater has been the subject of hundreds of images from astronauts for 45-plus years.”

“One of the Expedition 38 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station recorded this image which features the Manicouagan Crater and reservoir located primarily in Manicouagan Regional County Municipality in the Côte-Nord region of Québec, Canada.”

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The area is protected as a Biosphere Reserve and is Canada’s 2nd largest UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake is the 5th largest in world by volume and the impact crater is the sixth largest on earth.

Route 389 passes on the east of the lake and into / over the concentric rings created by the impact. My son and I were just in total awe of the power created by the collision. One can only imagine the heat needed to melt the earth when the crater and rings were made. Pretty awesome stuff. We stopped where possible to get views of the lake and crater and let our imaginations take over.

At the current time, there is not much commercial activity in the area. I have seen on-line where people have kayaked / canoed the lake and traveled onto the island. However, not much activity / easy access at the current time. I am sure this will change in the future as the roads improve into the area.

Some pics from the area:

Between the crater and Baie-Comeau is the Daniel Johnson (Manic 5) dam. The dam was started in 1962 and finished in 1964. It is the worlds largest multiple-arch and buttress dam. Mighty impressive!

The dam provides electric power to southern Quebec and Montreal. It provided me with another free meal via another bet with my son. The reservoir in Pueblo, Colorado also uses a multiple-arch and buttress design. I commented that the one in Pueblo was just about the same height. My son thought the Manic-5 was at least 5 times higher. So we settled a bet of – 4 times or higher he wins dinner and below that dinner is mine. Once we hit internet service we found that:

Manic-5 height – 702 ft

Pueblo height – 250 ft

We arrived at Baie-Comeau in the evening and spent the night in luxury at the Walmart parking lot.

Veni, Vidi, Vici !!!!!!!!!!!

Newfoundland

With 10 days planned in Newfoundland, my focus was on the Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival in St. John’s and Gros Morne National Park. I spent 3 days / 2 nights in St. John’s and five days at Gros Morne NP. The other 2 days were spent traveling about the island.

I really liked the people and geographic diversity of Labrador. One could have easily spend a month or more on the Island. As usual, so little time to see so much.

Ferry Ride

From Nova Scotia (Sydney), there are two ferry options. With a little imagination, you can see Newfoundland shaped roughly like a T-bone steak, with the T sitting on the west side of the island and the meat of the steak on the east side. You can tell I am writing this prior to supper.

The first ferry option takes you to the bottom of the T (Port aux Basques). The second option takes you to the east side of the steak (Argentia). The first option takes around 5 1/2 hours and the second option 14 hours. These times are the estimated travel time between ports. The loading and unloading process adds more time, so plan accordingly.

I chose the first option which allowed me a shorter ferry ride and then to see some of the lower western section of the island.

Waiting to load (very big ferry):

Loaded on the ferry and ready to head up to passenger area. Everyone must leave their vehicle and stay in the passenger area during the trip between ports.

You can reserve seats for the crossing which are very comfy. My seat was the one on the right.

Pics of Port aux Basques from the ferry:

After unloading from the Ferry around 6:30 pm, I headed to Stephenville to camp for the night at the local Walmart. The next day I spent driving through the heart of the Island and then camped in Gander (at the local Walmart) along with over 20 other camping vehicles.

I was up early the next morning and covered a lot of ground before getting into St. John’s. My travels that day focused on Terra Nova National Park and also the attractive little village of Trinity.

Terra Nova National Park

Terra Nova offers numerous hiking trails and kayaking options. Some pics:

Trinity

In the early 1500’s Portugal, Spain, French and English were exploring the waters of North America. In 1501, a Portugal Captain discovered Trinity Bay while looking for a water passage to China. In 1558, English merchants founded a settlement on the bay. The look and feel of the village has changed little since the 1800’s. You can easily spend a 1/2 day in the village which has accommodations, restaurants, museums, hiking trails, etc.

Some pics of the village:

The Gun Hill trail takes you to a view above the village and is well worth the go.

The view from Gun Hill. Note the stretch of land beyond the lighthouse. Another trail called the Skerwink trail is located there.

Skerwink Trail

This is a “Just Go” trail. When weighing effort versus reward, you will never get a better payback.

Looking back toward Trinity from the trail:

I understand that there are two trail heads off of the main Skerwink loop trail. One has just a parking area and the other has parking and a brewery. I only found out about the brewery option after finishing the hike.

There was a donation box at the trail head. The money went toward trail maintenance. I gladly added to the box just as a gentleman was coming to empty it for the day. We talked and I “pulled out” of him that he was a key person for the planning, building and maintaining of the trail. A really humble individual. I complemented him of the accomplishment. Somewhere along the line of conversation, a couple of beers appeared from my cooler and we continued to talk for quite some time. Life on the road.

St. John’s

The founding of St. John’s (the capital city) goes back to the 1500’s. Ownership of the area changed hands (by war) a number of times among various European Nations. I really liked this city and what it offers. I would have loved to have more time to investigate and absorb. I will be back.

I camped at Pippy Park preserve which is located on a hilltop plateau overlooking St. John’s. The downtown area is about 3 miles and easily accessed by bicycle.

My first sightseeing stop in St. John’s was Signal Hill. Signal Hill sits above the mouth of the harbor and is easily visible from the downtown area. The hill was used by the British as part of a signalling system to let those in the downtown area know of friendly or hostile ship activity. At some point the hill became part of the harbor defensive strategy with placement of canons.

Cabot Tower is also located on Signal Hill. It was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s voyage to the new world.

Pics from Signal Hill:

One afternoon, I rode my bicycle from camp and checked out the downtown. Some pics from my bicycle tour are:

Quidi Vidi is a picturesque fishing village that was absorbed as St. John’s expanded. The Quidi Vidi Brewing Company sits on the water in the village and is worth a stop for food and a brew.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk festival took place at Bannerman Park in St. John’s. The park was located around 2 miles from my camp. I road my bicycle down during the first day to scout things out. I would then walk to the park for the music which began late afternoon and went just past midnight.. Two days of good music and a good time.

As I was walking back to camp (around mid-night) after the music ended, I met a local couple walking the same way. They both were professors at the local university. We talked about that night’s music, the university and St. John’s.

They asked where I was staying and they told me that their house was on the way back toward camp. They mentioned they knew short cuts through the neighborhoods. As we were walking on a dark alley between houses, the lady looked at me and said “didn’t your mom ever tell to not walk down dark alley’s with strangers”. We had a good laugh on that.

When we reached their house they offered to drive me the rest of the way back to camp. I noted the walk would do me good. Our conversations continued on for quite awhile before I started toward camp. This is just one example of the friendliness, humor and kindness of the Newfoundlander’s. I experienced many such “touches” during my time in Newfoundland.

When I asked locals for recommendations, The Rooms was always mentioned. The Rooms combines a provincial museum, art gallery, and archives under one roof. It is well worth the visit. The restaurant has great food.

The Billy Gauthier special exhibit was spectacular.

The Basilica Cathedral of St. John the Baptist is located a block from The Rooms. The Rooms and the Cathedral sit of a hill above the downtown and are visible from many points across St. John’s.

Cape Spear is North America’s most easterly point. It offers scenic views looking back toward the mouth of St. John’s Bay, hiking trails and a very cool lighthouse.

Gros Morne National Park

Gros Morne National Park is located in the Northwest section of Newfoundland and fronts the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you ever get the chance, “just go”. One road (Route 430) travels the length of the park with the Gulf waters on one side and the Long Range Mountains on the other.

The earths crust is made up of a number of plates that move and often collide with each other. Areas where collisions take place offer an array of geologic insight. Gros Morne is such an area and is a geological wonderland.

The following 3D-Map, shows the park’s layout. The light brown area in the bottom left is the Tablelands (more on that later). Above the Tablelands, is a bay area which has a number of small towns / fishing villages which cater to visitors. Above the bay area are a number of “fingers” cut into the land as glaciers cut paths from the mountains to the sea. These fingers create fjords, both salt and fresh water. You can see examples (in the picture below) of the fresh water fjords where the fingers no longer reach the sea. Fresh water fjords are unusual.

The following picture shows the road leading to the Tablelands, which are visible in the upper right.

Before reaching the Tablelands, there is a Discovery Center which is worth a stop. From the Discovery Center parking lot is the start of the Lookout trail. Pretty cool trail with great views at the top.

The Tablelands is the parks most prized geological wonder, as rock from the earth’s mantel is exposed. The rock does not contain nutrients needed by plants which provides for a barren landscape.

For all but one night, I camped at Green Point Campground which is located right on the coastal shore. One end of the coastal trail starts at the campground. I enjoyed hiking the trail and also used its vantage points for beach access and sunset viewing.

A picture of my campsite:

Western Brook Pond is one of the fresh water fjords within the park. A two hour boat tour is available. The tour offers stunning views of cliffs and waterfalls. The start of the boat tour is reached via a 2 mile trail from the parking lot near the highway. I highly recommend the tour.

I really enjoyed some “my time” on the water, so scenic and relaxing:

Lobster Cove Head has a lighthouse with exhibits and ocean views:

My son flew into Newfoundland from the US to join me, primarily for a drive through Labrador. I picked him up at Deer Lake and we were able to enjoy the park together for a day / night before heading to Labrador. We camped at the Shallow Bay campground which sits closer to St. Barbe where we caught the ferry to Labrador.

Next stop, Labrador.

Nova Scotia – The Rest

After leaving Canso, I spent 10 days traveling through Nova Scotia. Looking back, a lot happened in those 10 days.

My first destination was Taylor Head Provincial Park. Camping is not allowed at the park but campgrounds are available nearby. I stayed the night at Spry Bay Campground. When driving from Canso, I tried to hug the coast as much as possible. This included a ferry ride and a stop at the Port Bickerton Lighthouse. Fill up your tank for the coastal drive as the small towns along the way do not have gas stations.

Spending the day at Taylor Head Beach is awesome. If you arrive early, you have the place to yourself for a little while. The beach sees mostly local visitors as it is away from the main tourist attractions. A number of hiking trails inter-connect and run on and near the beach. When I first arrived, a fog sat on the water and gave the place a special vibe.

Next was the Halifax area. I stayed three nights at Shubie Campground in the city of Dartmouth. Dartmouth sits across the bay from Halifax. A ferry runs between the two cities making access easy from the campground by bicycle.

Shubie Campground is a fantastic place to stay. It is safe, clean and friendly. It also has a small lake in which to swim and paddle. A number of hiking /cycling trails have heads at or near the campground.

I pulled in late the first day, checked out the cycling route to the ferry and Dartmouth the second day, and then cycled to the ferry and toured Halifax the third day. To cycle to the ferry from the campground, one must connect two different trails. The connection takes place when you cross under Highway 111. After passing Sullivan Pond, you will be on city streets for a short distance to the ferry.

Recommendations include Nine Locks Brewery and Two If By Sea (for coffee and eats) in Dartmouth. In Halifax, one has to do the tourist strip along the bay. Other recommendations are the Halifax Citadel Historic site, the Public Gardens, Point Pleasant Park, and checking out the areas between Barrington St. and Robie St. Of course you need to have a Donair (like a Greek gyro) while in Halifax. One more day in Halifax would have been good.. So much to see and so little time.

Pics:

Many people are surprised when I tell them that most campgrounds have pay showers. Here is proof.

While at Shubie Campground, I meet a family camped next to me. They were on a similar schedule and we were at the same campgrounds for the next week of travel. One meets many people during travels and some end up long term friends. They fall into this category.

After leaving Dartmouth, I drove along the coast and camped at Thomas Raddall Provincial Park for the night. It was a long day as I made stops at Peggy’s Cove, the Swiss Air Memorial, Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, and Kejimkujik National Park Seaside.

Peggy’s Cove – Arrive early to beat the crowds:

Swiss Air Memorial:

Mahone Bay – neat place, worth a night stay sometime:

Lunenburg – Beautiful City:

Kejimkujik National Park Seaside:

Thomas Raddall Provincial Park:

Next stop was two nights at Kejimujik National Park. Note, Kejimkujik is broken into two parts. The Seaside part is for day use only and sits on the Atlantic Ocean. The other part is inland and sits on a large lake. The inland portion of the park offers camping, water sports and hiking. Islands on the lake offer campsites for canoeists or kayaks. A beautiful area and popular for family camping. I focused on spending some time on the water. The first day it was a little windy and the second very calm.

Next was back toward the Bay of Fundy with one night camping at Blomidon Provincial Park. Along the way, I made a stop at Digby (known for offering fresh scallops). I grabbed lunch at the Shoreline Restaurant, maple whisky bacon wrapped scallops and a nine locks brew. Yummy!

Blomidon Provincial Park sits at the end of a peninsula that juts out into the Bay of Fundy. Part of the park sits on the coast line and part high above on a ridge. The camping is on the ridge with great views. The Bay of Fundy is known for its tide changes which is evident is some of the below pics.

I had no planned camp spot for the next day. I was up early and just roamed. I ended up spending most of the day at Grand-Pre visiting the Grand-Pre National Historic Site and the Entangled Gardens. Both are worth a visit.

With a reservation for a ferry to Newfoundland in two days, I spent the rest of the day driving to Antigonish and stayed again at the local Walmart for the night. The next day took me to Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic site and then to Sydney. At Sidney, I stayed at the Arm of Gold campground near the ferry terminal.

The French and British fought for control of the area for it natural resources, mainly fish and lumber. For protection, a number of forts were built by both sides. It is amazing to see the resources put into these fortifications.

Next stop – Newfoundland via a 8 hour ferry ride.

Nova Scotia – Stan Fest

Festival Background

The Annual Stan Rogers Folk Festival (aka, Stan Fest) is held in Canso, NS. This was the festivals 23rd year. The festival is in honor of Stan Rogers who was a Canadian singer / songwriter with a commanding baritone voice. Stan died in his 30’s during an airplane crash. His friends and family continue to honor him with the annual festival.

The festival starts with a kick-off party on Thursday night and music ends Sunday night, so three and a half days of music. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, performances on the main stage start at 7:00 pm. Prior to the main stage activity, workshops and performances take place starting at 11:00 a.m. and running until 6:00 p.m at one of three smaller stages. The main stage performances last until mid-night. Late night music occurs in the Arena (normally an Ice Rink, which is on site) until a little after 1 a.m. So, you will get a full course of music before the festival is over.

Inside the festival brochure, the concert producer had a short write up about his connection to the festival. I think he correctly summed up the festival vibe by stating ” This weekend you will experience Canso’s legendary friendship and hospitality, world-class music onstage and at hundreds of campsites, great food, a diverse artisan village, beautiful scenery and so much more.”

My Journey

After leaving Cape Breton, I drove to Canso, established as a fishing village over 400 years ago. With the decline of fishing, the village has gone through hard times. It currently has a population of around 500 people.

Before reaching Canso, there were a number of signs posted along the road to attract the attention of those driving to the concert.

One of the signs noted a “spirit” stop for festival beverages.

I pulled into the Authentic Seacoast establishment and was told that they were not open yet. Hmm? An hour later, I left having completed a tasting, a tour, and “spirit” purchases. The gentleman at Authentic Seacoast noted that Stan Fest was notorious for bad weather (rain, fog and cold). This year the festival organizers had moved the festival date to later in July in hopes of having better weather.

Upon arrival at the festival site, I set up camp. You can purchase on-site camping as a ticket option. With everything in place, I pulled out a camp chair and enjoyed a beer. It was not long before my neighbors asked me to join them at their site for drinks. What a great group. The first night it was a brother (Mike) and sister (Alyssa). The next day, three of their friends arrived. They all grew up in the Cape Brenton area. Mike and his girlfriend now live in Halifax. The sister and two friends still live on Cape Brenton. I really enjoyed their company throughout the festival.

A pic of my neighbors:

A pic of camp site, with Mike and Alyssa camper to the left of the van.

Thursday night, Mike, Alyssa, and I went to the kick-off party in the Arena. Three bands played and the crowd was feeling festive. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. My neighbors headed back early and I left after the music finished.

While walking back to the campsite, there was a lady (Carol) walking in front of me. She was zig-zagging her way along. I made a police siren sound and she stopped and turned around. I told her that I was pulling her over since she could not hold a straight line. We both had a good laugh. When we arrived at her car (she arrived late and did not set up tent yet), I noticed it had Ohio plates. Having grown up in Ohio, we shared a few stories. More on this later in the blog.

My days were spent cycling in the morning, catching shows / workshops in the afternoon and then the main stage each night. The weather was great during the whole event and the music was outstanding.

Some pics from the music fest and cycling the area:

The main festival takes place in a valley. Camping is available in a ridge above the valley or in the valley close to the stages. Tent camping is in the the valley. If you have an RV, I recommend staying in the ridge area. If the weather does turn bad, entry and exit is better above the valley. Showers are located in the ridge campground. They are coin operated. Food and beverages are available in the festival area.

This panorama picture is taken from the ridge and shows the festival layout.

Sewage hook ups are not available. So an entrepreneurial mind had this idea the morning of the festival close.

I had a great time and highly recommend Stan Fest.

A story – which I will title as The Sailboat:

I mentioned above that I “pulled” Carol over the first night of the festival for not holding a straight line. The next morning before heading out on my bike, I stopped to see how the night went sleeping in her car and to see if she needed help putting her tent up.

When I arrived, she had just finished the tent set up and was transferring camping equipment from her car to the tent. After helping her finish the transfer, she noted that the night in the car did not go to well and a nap was in order. However, she recommended that we set up chairs at the main stage while good spots were available. She had two camp chairs and said I could use one of them, versus going back to my van for one of my chairs. After placing the chairs, I headed out for a ride and she was nap ready.

That night we met at the chairs and enjoyed the main stage music. We did the same on night two. We got to know those sitting next to us during breaks in the music.

The third day, Carol visited my camping area. I was having drinks with the neighbors. After introductions, she joined us for a beverage. During discussions, she mentioned that she lives in Ohio for 6 months of the year and Belize for the other 6.

She also noted that she met a gentleman earlier in the day who is from Canso. The gentleman said he has a sailboat and spends time in Canso during good weather and then sails to Belize for the remainder of the year. Given my bike rides took me by the harbor, she asked me if I had seen any sailboats. I highlighted that there were 3 really nice sailboats in the harbor. She then headed out for the day.

That night she did not show up for the main stage seating. The folks sitting around us asked me what happened to Carol. I stated “A Sailboat!!”.