Another interesting note: The Government House in St John's is the capital and houses the majority of government offices. Now on with the story, it seems someone commissioned a survey of cigarette butts around the Government House. The butts were sent to a laboratory; the results were that 50% of the cigarette butts were from contraband cigarettes, other words they did not pay the taxes for the cigarettes. Imagine if you did a survey in Washington D.C on the number of congressmen that were on the payroll for lobbyist and large corporation……….Me thinks the results would be very close if not worse.
After a morning spent at St John's Costco getting the Goatmobile tires rotated and balanced, heading west to the Fogo Island for 2 days chasing down Geocaching sights. As I have been complaining about how cold the weather has been, well Mr. Sun did make an appearance along with the increase in temperature. This in turns brings out the Black flies and majority of bugs that make a great impression on your windscreen as you drive down the road. My make shift bug screen for the Goatmobile is going to make a big difference this year.
Taking route 320 / 330 north was one of the nicest roads yet. They run along the coastline where you can pull off and spend any amount of time exploring. Not to be missed if you do travel to Newfoundland.
Fogo Island it is for the next couple of days and staying at a B&B while there. If I could afford a B&B on my travels, the Goatmobile would smell a lot better. The woman, 42 grandkids, that runs the B&B learned how to make a proper cup of coffee from me. Its Peg's B&B if you ever get there. Met a couple from south Quebec, just over the border from Vermont at a small bakeshop. Got talking about Geocaching and the next thing I know I am invited to visit them in my travels.
Me thinks if my daughter and son would setup a trust fund of lets say $20,000.00 per year to cover my travel expenses it would be most appreciated. The weather was not in my favor while at Fogo but I did get in Geocaching (4 /5) along with some spectacular views and great people. Some great hiking on Fogo is not to be missed and Change Island another place to venture to while in the area.
Change Island for the day chasing Geocaches (6/8) and a grand day it was with the sun in full bloom. One road up the center of the island to the township of Change then a series of small communities in the surrounding areas. All dependent on fish and crabs for income. I sometimes wonder what people think when they see a stranger with a GPS in his hand running around in circles, crawling under bushes, flipping over rocks, me thinks it's a twit from the loony bin.
Its Dildo Run Provincial Park, I do not make these names up, for the next day or so checking out Geocaches in the area (3/4). Twillingatr for the day as the majority of the searches are in that area. Cruise ship in port with German tourist running around with their cruise ship red jackets on. Twillingate at this time of the year usually has icebergs in the surrounding area. This year not a one in sight. I am blaming all of this of course on the North Koreans and the midget that runs the country.
The next morning we are greeted with rain and I am chasing another cache 80 miles up the road which proves to be a no find. There has been days when it has been a 2400 mg (3x800) Motrin (Ibuprofen) day for me with the amount of walking it takes to reach some of these sights. I am just so glad I am not doing this on a motorcycle with the weather as it's been for the last 3 weeks.
Sunshine greets us this AM and with the rise in temperature, the rise in bugs but this is to be expected. Today we are going to Geocache GCJWYE, the Green Bay Island Tickle. Tickle in Newfoundland means a water strait between islands. This was 6 kilometers round trip via a ATV road, I would have paid big bucks for a ATV, up and down through some very beautiful country. The trail had loos and picnic tables throughout and bugs every step of the way but worth the trip in every sense of the word. I will pay for this trip dearly as the ankle and knees will make their discomfort evident by tonight. Met a fellow Newfie on the trail and we have decided at this time in our lives the word is not pain but discomfort.
It's to another Provincial campsite for the next 2 days as we slowly work our way north and eventually Labrador. Sir Richard Squires Provincial Park it is out in the middle of the bush. Some of the best salmon fishing in NFLD is here at the Great Falls. Another item of interest is the amount of Black Flies that is generated around this particular park. The flies might be bad here but when I get into the interior of Labrador, the number of flies here will pale in comparison to what I will have to put up with later on.
From the Provincial Park it was over to the west coast and up to Gros Morne National Park, a world Heritage site, for the day. Green Point for the night sitting on the cliff face facing the Gulf of St Lawrence with a strong enough sea breeze to keep the bugs down for the night. The site has toilets and water only but for want of scenery and access to the Gros Morne National Park, this has got to be one of the nicest spots yet.
Heading north to St Anthony early with another 2 days planned for Geocaching in the surrounding area. After that it is across the pond to Labrador and the Trans-Labrador Highway to Quebec. They have just put a new road in that cuts out the ferry from Cartwright to Goose bay. Let me give you an idea what that new road is like; consider that for 50 kilometers your speed never exceeds 20 kph or roughtly just about 10 mph. I could ride a bike faster then that….! So for all my plans on driving the new road, it will be the ferry again.
Working Geocaches around St Antony's for the day was a bit rough with heavy rain and winds and not having me Tim Horton's cuppa for a start. Did finish out with 4/6 for the day. All intensions for tomorrow are making the move to Labrador for the next segment of the trip weather permitting. Right now the weather across the Gulf of St Lawrence is not good with gusts up to 90 kilometers. But as Hawaii, just give it 10 minutes and it will change.
Aloha
Norm
The Greynomad
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