July 22: Gros Morne National Park
What a wonderful day! Today’s ride through Gros Morne National Park on the western side of the island of Newfoundland was full of pretty mountain, valley, and lake views, not to mention the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The ride ended at Port au Choix, a historic village on the Great Northern Peninsula.
Leaving Norris Arm this morning I was excited to see blue skies and feel the warm sun on my face. I had just received a “severe weather advisory” on my cell phone, warning me of “extreme” heat later in the day. It was only 72 degrees at the time and the forecast was for a high of 87 degrees, hardly a temperature I would personally consider noteworthy but a much more remarkable event for those on the island who are used to an average summer reading of just 61 degrees.
I headed west on highway 1 and my spirits lifted when I saw the Long Range Mountains in the distance. So far, my riding on the island has been on level terrain for the most part, winding and curving along various peninsulas surrounded by lush evergreen trees slanting from the severe cross winds. So, it was wonderful to get a change of scenery and see the beautiful mountains peaks in different shades of brown and blue, rising above the greenbelt of trees below.
From Deer Lake I headed north on highway 430 into Gros Morne National Park, a designated world heritage site due to its spectacular scenery and geological significance as an example of plate tectonics. The park offers one beautiful vista after another of mountain peaks, valleys, and bodies of water including Western Brook Pond, St. Paul’s Inlet, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I felt a sense of happiness and peace as the road north began to climb and dip up and over one pass after another with multiple viewpoints to enjoy the water views.
Further north along highway 430 the road began to twist and wind through a variety of smaller seaside villages. It was beautiful to see the long sweeping sandy beaches with rugged cliffs topped by tufts of green vegetation. My destination for the night was Port au Choix, a small town right on the water on the far west of the Great Northern Peninsula. This town is considered to have one of the richest archeological collections in all of North America because it’s raised coastlines and soil conditions have preserved many historical burial sites. .
