Cabot Trail - Day 5 - Completed

It was not raining when we woke up! Not raining! Woohoo. Breakfast in the kitchen tent and we said goodbye to our campground host. Avoca Birch. The owner explained that Avoca means the meeting of waters (there is a river meeting the ocean there), and there are many birch trees.  She was very kind to us, and her new campground will be lovely as it gets finished. 

The ride was dry and quiet. Rolling hills and coastline, forest and flowers. 

We had one mechanical issue on Michele's bike, but it was fixed quickly and we were back on our way.  

We found ourselves at a Lobster restaurant for lunch, and as we sat there (keeping an eye on our bikes) we saw an old friend... The sun!

After lunch we had a brief stint on the Trans Canada Highway. We came upon construction. Which ended up a blessing as we were the last to go through and then we had the highway to ourselves for several kms. 

We left the highway and cycled the coastal road and some gravel, through Baddeck (ice cream stop!), and the sun shone down so hot we were melting. Crazy to go from so cold and wet to so hot, in one day.

We spotted two eagles watching the traffic go by, just as we approached Baddeck.

But no moose or bears for us this week. 

Finally, back to the Campground, back to our cars, back to where we started. Circumnavigation.  

We did it!

326 kms around Cape Breton,

4426 meters of climbing. 

Not much time for reflection just yet. 

A beautiful route, but not all bike friendly. 

A beautiful island, but every kind of weather in one week - incredible winds, inches of rain, too much fog and too much sun. All in 5 days. 

And bugs - mosquitoes and dear flies that are very hungry. 

We all move on from here, in our own directions. 

Blaine and Anne-Marie have already left for Peggy's Cove, and we will head to Maine (and then Boston) early tomorrow. While Michele and Allen head to PEI. 

One more sleep in the tent, and another great cycle touring trip completed. 

Sleep well. 

Cabot Trail - Day 4

We were just barely dry, for about the first hour. 

We started the day doing the coastal loop, and enjoyed stunning views, while we could see them. 

And as we progressed, and climbed some of the views improved, but many were hidden in the low clouds. We were pretty wet and hot and then cold and then hot and then cold... 

We stopped at a few "lookouts", and took some photos, but you don't get the full beauty of this shore, but we knew it was there. 

That's Marc!

A few more shots, since we are here, and it is a lookout. 

The good news, we are with good friends. Helps with the bad weather. 

Finally. Our lunch stop. The Periwinkle Cafe. Such a welcome site after 44 kms of hills and rain. 

And a cute young staff. 

And great lunch options. I had the eggy bun. 

Good thing I did because this afternoon's hill was a doozy! 

But we just carried on. And on. And on.  85 kms to camp in the rain. 

Long and hard day, but we did it together. There was a lot of fog at the peak of the mountain. Quite scary with a small shoulder and some traffic. But the cars and trucks were all careful and kind and left us room or waited to pass us. 

We finally got to the small General Store that would be our source for dinner, and as we stood trying to determine what we could buy and transport the final 8 kms to camp, the owner approached us to say he would deliver all our groceries to the campground.  Yes! We bought eggs! And beans and sausage and chips and donuts and croissant and hummus. I mean if someone else is carrying it! 

(Internet photo)

Showers. Warm showers. 

And now we are all making our dinner in a screened in tent provided by the campground. Thank goodness. 

Another wet night ahead of us. 

Today's stats. 

Cabot Trail - Day 3

We knew it would be a rough day. 70k, 1,400 meters of climbing. 

And then we looked at the forecast, and knew it would be an even rougher day.  Rain and wind. It had rained all night at the campground, it wasn't giving up. 

We had met a cab driver yesterday when we had stopped for a snack. Gilles. He was so nice and helpful, gave us his card and he helped with a plan to get our luggage from the National Park to our Hideaway Campground. Hurray, 35 pounds lighter!  

Michele and Anne-Marie decided they did not want to ride in the forecasted rain, and the potential winds. Yesterday's winds were so intense. 

So at 9 am we were all packed up and at the information center and a colleague of Gilles arrived with a van taxi and room for all our bags, and Michele and Anne-Marie and their bikes. 

And then the 4 of us (Marc, Allen, Blaine and I) we were off. In the rain. Climbing. 

The rain lightened up after an hour or so, and the morning climb was tough (8 km, 400+ m), but the traffic was light and kind, and the wind wasn't too bad, there were some challenges, mostly a tail wind (the kind you don't notice, you just think you are a strong rider 😉). 

Lunch at Pleasant Bay, the Rusty Anchor. We were happy to have a warm dry friendly place, and be first in and served quickly. And then the place filled up with locals and tourists and other cyclists, and the skies opened. 

We waited as long as our anxious muscles would allow and then we got on our way. We had no rain...for about 30 minutes, and then it poured more and more. This is me coming in to a rest stop, and taking a break from braking. 

The climb this afternoon was very very hard. A long rather steep climb with so much rain that the road had ripples of water flowing down. 

We were very careful. The drivers were very careful. One bus went by but kindly gave us a "toot toot" before he accelerated to let us know he was coming. 

We found the campground and booked CABINS for tonight. No fun putting up a tent in the pouring rain. 

Now we have a lovely view, and a Keith's to celebrate. Perfect. 

And another camper offered to drive Anne-Marie in to town and pick up dinner at the local restaurant for us. Thanks to Anne-Marie for organizing the cabin and the meal delivery. Good to have good friends. 

Impressive stats 

More than half way there. 

Two days to go. 

Cabot Trail - Day 2

Wind, wind and more wind. 

We had a lovely quiet start from our rustic campground. 

We found a secondary road for the first 10k. So nice to have no cars and great views. 

And then we found the ocean!! Such a beautiful place. 

The only issue was wind. WIND and GUSTS. Like you wouldn't believe. Harder than we have ever faced. But we did it. Slow and steady. Careful and exhausting. 

No photos, for obvious reasons!

Some tough kilometers!

Tonight we are at a Cape Breton Highlands National Park, but we had to change sites because we actually could not pitch our tents, because there was so much wind. 

Tomorrow looks wet, but less wind, much less wind is expected. 

Look out Highlands here we climb!