July 24: Farewell Newfoundland!
Farewell Newfoundland! I feel so blessed and fortunate to have spent the last week exploring the small towns, seaside villages, parks, and roads of this beautiful eastern province of Canada. I fell in love with Cape Bonavista and was thrilled to visit the small French Island of St. Pierre. Today’s “ride” takes me from Port Aux Basque to Sydney, Nova Scotia via the Marine Atlantic Ferry system.
I was told in advance that the people of Newfoundland are known for their kindness, and I certainly found that to be the case, from the very moment I arrived at the ferry terminal for the ride to Argentia. I had made my reservations just the week before, had been unable to get sleeping accommodations for the 16-hour overnight trip, and was hoping to find someone to share a cabin with. I was shocked and filled with gratitude when a kind woman and child I had met in the terminal offered me a space in their cabin just a short time after meeting them in the lounge area.
The hospitality continued throughout my trip with friendly Bunk a Biker hosts, a Facebook friend and resident who offered a free night of accommodations and home cooked meals, and even a Bed and Breakfast owner who helped me find new lodging and refunded my fees when their location did not work out. It was comforting to know that although I was so far from home I was welcomed and supported in every possible way.
There are so many reasons why Newfoundland is magical, one of which is the abundant and colorful wildlife. I feel particularly blessed to have seen so many whales on this portion of my trip, first from the Cape Bonavista Peninsula and even now off the ferry boat as I sit typing my blog and gazing at the ocean from my tableside window. During my visit, I was also mesmerized by the adorable puffin birds on bird island with their colorful beaks and yellow webbed feet and the multi-colored and energetic butterflies at the Newfoundland Insectarium.
It appears that life on the island of Newfoundland is not always easy. The weather can be both severe and unpredictable, as evidenced by my difficult ride from St. Johns to Grand Banks, when I struggled to keep the bike upright with torrential rain, strong crosswinds, heavy blanketing fog, a pothole-strewn road, and large pockets of water. Indeed, many of the trees here are growing at an angle, apparently in response to the consistently strong winds. But I have found that experiencing such challenging conditions gave me a greater appreciation for the sunshine, clear skies, and low winds when I did encounter them.
Thank you, Newfoundland, for the warm welcome, beautiful scenery, abundant wildlife, and magical riding moments!
