Why Nova Scotia?

Why not Nova Scotia might be the better question. It's one of those exotic sounding places that I've never been to and that's reason enough for me. I plan on leaving around the 8th of May and spending several weeks on the ride. Along the way I'll be camping out, visiting unsuspecting friends , and maybe getting to ride along with them for awhile. Let me know if you're up to either!

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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Jun 10 – Cape Breton, Louisbourg, & Lobster at Last!
















It was sunshine again this morning, hard to believe after listening to the grim weather forecasts. Once I’d loaded up the bike I set out on the course I’d programmed into the GPS. It was fairly simple; just continue along the coastline towards the Sydney area on the northeast end of Cape Breton where I figured I’d hang it up for the night. Great plan but after I got on the road I noted I was heading back across the causeway towards Port Hawkesbury, the direction I’d came from yesterday. Somehow I didn’t think the road would magically loop around and head northeast so I pulled over and reprogrammed the beast. Sure enough it headed me back in the right direction the way I thought it should.
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All of that went well enough until I came to the round-about and then things became complex. I like round-abouts well enough but the GPS takes a somewhat sporting approach to them and I found myself making an extra loop around it. Eventually I sorted things out but only after reversing course a few times and found myself back at the Skye Motel parking lot where I’d started from. I needed only to have turned right out of the lot instead of left and everything would have been fine but Garmin & Co, clever devils that they are had other things in mind. I guess this clearly illustrates the advantage printed maps can provide even though they can be awkward to use on bikes. Big Red came with a place on the left sleeve that holds a map if you buy the optional map holder thingy. I can just see me trying to ride along and look at my left arm for directions. I didn’t buy it.
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The back roads that I took today led me along some really pretty coastlines and although it hinted of rain it never materialized. There were a few road construction areas that made for some long delays, a couple of which were in areas that had high concentrations of black biting gnats. One place was so bad I finally closed up my helmet and watched the little buggers do their best to get at me through the visor. I wonder what the cruiser boys do with their little skull beanie lids that have no face protection? Maybe they’re so tough they don’t notice little biting critters? Maybe they stay inside the taverns?
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Eventually I arrived at the small town of Louisbourg which boasts a few motels and some neat little restaurants promoting lobster dinners, one of the items I was looking forward too. The first place I spotted looked clean so I popped into the office and asked the gal if they had WIFI in the rooms. Of course she said they did but then she sort of hesitated like she’d been caught saying something that might not be 100% factual. Quick to recover she suggested I get out my notebook and give it a try in the room next to the office. I did and although it showed a good signal I couldn’t get hooked up so I passed. I don’t think she was too happy about it but I really wanted to post the blog so I moved onto the next place which happened to be right across the street.
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Their place, The Fortress View Hotel is actually a lobster restaurant that has a few rooms upstairs they rent out to tourists and old biker types. The owner was just sneaking out the side door as I pulled up and after asking if this was her place I told her what I was looking for. She and her husband are the kind of people you like right away and after we chatted for a few minutes I checked in for the night. I figured even if I couldn’t get on the ‘net I’d be able to enjoy a dinner with wine, something I hadn’t done so far as I never drink and ride.
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I unpacked and then spent a lot of time trying to get the damn notebook to hook up but all to no avail so I focused on dinner instead. It was a good choice; I had their lobster dinner special for $25 which included a whole lobster, eyeballs, antennae, the works, and mashed potatoes, corn (special request, no gaggy peas and carrots for this kid), coleslaw, and biscuits. Just because I like myself I added a half carafe of mystery white house wine and cheesecake drizzled with chocolate syrup. Mmmm…
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Finished with dinner and back in my room I never could get the notebook to hook up with the Internet and finally gave up trying, it was more fun watching the weather channel and listening to the ice melt in my G&T. What, I failed to mention I scored a half-liter of tonic water? Hey, I’m getting pretty darn good at ferreting out that stuff ever since the “We don’t have any” incident in Springhill. I know where to look so they can hide it but I’ll find it.
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In closing I should say today’s photos are an eclectic lot, very much like the ones I take every day. I turned back once to shoot a bunch of antique stoves tucked away behind a building that I just happened to see as I rode by. While I was there a pair of ducks came ambling over towards me, thinking I suppose they were going to get a hand out. Bad thinking on their part, eh?
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One of the things I’ve noticed about this country is they don’t provide a lot of rest stops for travelers. Maybe it’s because they have so many trees available? Today was different though, I actually stopped at one and it was very refreshing. The Atlantic was there for photo ops as well so it made for a nice stop. Later on I visited the Fort Louisbourg tourist thing where they charge $15 for the bus ride tour through the old fort and its environs. Nope, not me folks, been there done that, and besides, I’m your basic cheap-ass biker and no way am I parting with fifteen buckeroos for a bus ride, not even if it has a glass bottom. Instead I settled for the free tour through the reception center and shot a picture of their loverly anchor outside. Free. Get it?
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Nice.

3 comments:

  1. Cheesecake with chocolate syrup. Geez, I hope big red will still fit until you get home.

    Mac

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  2. It's getting pretty damn tight. I still have a slight amount of adjustment in the Velcro side staps but not a whole lot. Maybe I'll have Aerostich add some extra length to them.
    LL

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  3. Love the Fortress View, the lobster photo, although we love mashed peas, it must have been delicious. Lobster green liver is one of the best delicacies!

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