Argentia to an underpass on the TransCanada Highway, Newfoundland and Labrador

Although we had left on schedule on Wednesday, weather did delay our arrival in Argentia, Newfoundland. We were supposed to dock at 9:30, but it was almost noon when I rode off, into Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time.

My wife had arranged a shuttle for herself, and asked if I really wanted to cycle, given the weather. To be fair, the warning was daunting:

But, I wanted to give it a go, eager to be riding as I was getting so close to done! The plan for today was to ride to St. John's, where we are staying, and then finish up tomorrow by riding from St. John's to Cape Spear, the easternmost point in Canada, where I would be all done. 

Although I was soaked, I was making good time, and somehow rather enjoying myself (the Avalon Peninsula is beautiful even in the rain!). 

After about 50 kilometres, I stopped for lunch at A&W where Highway 100 meets the TransCanada, Highway 1. The rain was getting worse and I called my wife to see what was up with her. She had reached our hotel in St. John's and agreed to rent a car to come back to get me. I told her I would keep riding and we could meet somewhere along the highway. The forecast for tomorrow looks better, and I can finish up with a ride to Cape Spear then. 

Back on the bike after lunch, the rain intensified even more and was starting to get dangerous in terms of the lack of visibility. Then, of all things, I got a flat! Luckily, I was approaching an exit, pulled off and sheltered in the underpass.

At this point I had ridden 57 kilometres and was still 60 kilometres from St. John's. Thankfully my wife had no issue getting the rental car, and was along in an hour or so to save me. 

At the hotel, I started breaking the bike down, and then realized somehow I had failed to pack a wrench to get the nuts off the rear wheel! I was even luckier to have my wife here with me than I had realized, because I would have had no way to change this flat on the side of the highway!

Luckily there was still time to get to the local bike shop, The Outfitters' Adventure Gear, just three minutes down the road, and they had me fixed up in no time.

Since we had the rental car, we were able to drive down to Water Street for the evening, eating dinner there and enjoying some wonderful live music. 

I can already tell that St. John's is awesome!

North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador

I drove the four hours to the Halifax airport from North Sydney through yesterday afternoon, back along the route I had cycled over the last few days. I stopped in Antigonish to check in (and shower) at the bed and breakfast we stayed at last night, and again in Truro to do some laundry, but I was at the airport for 18:00 to pick up my wife.

After two more hours of driving we were back in Antigonish in time for a lovely dinner.

It was pouring rain when we woke up, and actually the weather was so atrocious that we had emails from Maritime Atlantic warning us that the ferry was likely to be delayed. Anyway, we drove out of Antigonish and into Cape Breton and lunched at Baddeck on the pier next to a many-millions-of-dollars yacht (and underneath some shelter!).

The rain continued, but Maritime Atlantic indicated we would board on schedule, which meant check in at 15:00. So, we left Baddeck and did a small loop on the Cabot Trail, taking the small Englishtown ferry across this inlet.

Around 14:30 I dropped my wife at the "real" ferry terminal, and then returned the car back at Avis. I cycled the half a kilometre down the hill back to the ferry terminal, managing to get inordinately wet in just three minutes!

It was relatively easy to figure out how to deal with my bike on the MV Atlantic Vision, although there was yet another fee for that (in all, for the two of us, my bike, and the cabin, we are paying $500 for the crossing--and this is without a car, of course!). 

The bike went in the lower vehicle deck, and I was instructed to lash it to a rail for the crossing. 

From there, it was up several decks to the cabins. We had to get a four person cabin because that was all that was available when I booked several months ago. By the way, many passengers do this overnight ferry without a cabin, which sounds quite miserable, and there was no way I was doing that given my intention of cycling straight off the ship!

I love ships, and while the MV Atlantic Vision is nothing especially special, I was excited to explore. Despite the rain, I made sure I got outside to see North Sydney from the deck as we pulled away (on time, at 17:00, as it turned out).

We had an enjoyable evening, playing cards in the bar (with this view)...

... dining at the buffet (where we made some western Canadian friends), and taking in some live entertainment (she goes for 5 straight hours singing mostly Country cover songs!).

Baddeck to North Sydney, Nova Scotia

I just had a half day of riding today, as Baddeck to North Sydney is only 57 kilometres. 

My day started with an unimpressive breakfast at the Ceilidh Inn. I was dining with a large group of elderly tourists, who are touring the Maritimes by bus. I chatted with one of them who is from Hamilton and is in the Maritimes for the first time. I found them an enjoyable group to interact with and observe, but the breakfast was lousy and the coffee undrinkable. My opinion of the Ceilidh Inn was dropping, and got even worse before I left, because I asked if I could leave my panniers in the lobby, and the person behind the desk refused! My wife is flying into Halifax this evening, so I will be driving back this way in the afternoon, and figured I could pick up my bags when I came back through and save myself the trouble of carrying them today. 

Annoyed, I got started, but before I left Baddeck, I stopped at the Knox Cemetery. 

I assumed this would be a safe place to stash my panniers, so I tucked them behind this wall.

Now significantly lighter, I carried my way on out of Baddeck along Bras d'Or Lake and back onto the highway. For a stretch here I was able to get some good speed going, but then there is a turnoff to the left which is the Cabot Trai continuing northward, but as the highway continues towards the right it begins to ascend Kellys Mountain. 

It took me half an hour to climb the 240 some metres! But, I climbed it, and then the descent happens quickly! Look at what Wikipedia has to say about the descent: "Travellers should be aware of a sharp hairpin turn at the foot of the eastern end of the mountain that switches back greater than 180 degrees after a steep descent." In other words, this small "mountain" makes for some memorable cycling!

On the other side you cross Bras d'Or Lake on the Sea Island bridge.

About 25 kilometres later, after navigating some disruptive highway construction, I reached the North Sydney wharf. 

We will catch the ferry tomorrow, so rather than the ferry terminal, it was the Avis car rental agency I headed to. I picked up the rental vehicle that will take me back to Halifax to meet my wife!

Antigonish to Baddeck, Nova Scotia

Unlike yesterday, today was beautiful! I had some breakfast in the Microtel lobby and hit the highway around 8:30. I made great time early on, traveling the 50 kilometres to the Canso Causeway in just two hours. I was really enjoying the good weather!

The Canso Causeway connects the Nova Scotia mainland to Cape Breton Island. I biked across, and for the first time in my life I was in Cape Breton. I still had a ways to go to get to Baddeck, where I am spending the night, but I also got to see the distance to the Newfoundland ferry for the first time!

Early on in Cape Breton I was finding my pace had slowed considerably, and for some reason I decided to let Google guide me onto backroads, as if that might help. I should really know better than this. As lovely as it can be to cycle the backroads (and it was in the case), it almost always adds distance (not necessarily the end of the world), and Google is completely unreliable in terms of determining the condition of the roads it wants to take cyclists on. At first it was lovely--paved, empty roads, passing forest and farm fields, but eventually I was on gravel and it was becoming less than ideal cycling. So, I returned to the highway, having added an extra six kilometres to my route without much point. Oh, well...

At the eighty kilometre mark or so for the day, I was feeling quite worn out. I was fighting a bit of wind, and my morale was waning. I often do not stop for lunch on my rides now, but I realized stopping for lunch was exactly what I needed today. There is a Tim Horton's at the Wycocomagh First Nation, and imagining all the wonderful things I would eat got me the next 20 kilometres or so. 

After lunch I had more energy, and I continued along the north shore of Bras d'Or Lake (which is actually an estuary, but looks like a large lake in the middle of Cape Breton Island if you look at it on a map) for another 40 kilometres to Baddeck. 

Here I am staying at the Ceildih Inn (I had no idea how to pronounce that word--something like "kaylee"--nor did I know what it means ["a social event at which there is Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling"]).

Baddeck is a nice place, and as I laundered some clothing at the laundromat I enjoyed a little tour. 

For dinner I tucked into a lobster and mussels!

Truro to Antigonish, Nova Scotia

I am back on the bike for what should be my final "across Canada" stage. My last stage in 2022 was Truro-Halifax. I am not starting in Halifax this year, but rather Truro--so the Truro-Halifax piece ends up being somewhat superfluous. 

I flew into the Halifax airport on Friday evening with my bike in a box, and I rented a car to drive to Truro. I checked into a nondescript motel and unpacked the bike. All looked to be in good shape as I put it together. My hope was to ride abut 60 kilometres to New Glasgow yesterday, after I had returned the car and bussed back to Truro. But, the weather had other ideas. 

More specifically, a rather drastic sounding rainfall warning made me change my mind and spend another night in the motel. 

I drove the car back to the airport around noon, managed a quick visit to the aviation museum, and then caught the bus back to Truro, just down the street from my motel. I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching TV, reading, and playing games on my phone as the rain came down outside. 

With yesterday a loss, I was originally hopeful I could do 160 kilometres today as I set out. The morning was damp, but nothing particularly bad.

As I reached New Glasgow or so, however, things changed. Rain became heavy, visibility poor, and with water and humidity covering my eyeglasses I had to take them off to see!

So, while sheltering and resting under an overpass, I opted to book a hotel in Antigonish and call the day at 114 kilometres. I arrived just before 14:30, so plenty of time to dry off, do some laundry, and get the shoes aired out. 

It has been grey and dark ever since I got to Nova Scotia, so I was amazed to look outside around 19:00 and see the sun! I had not planned to go out, but it looked so lovely I could not resist! I walked into the town of Antigonish . . .

. . . through the campus of Saint Francis Xavier University . . .

. . . and eventually to Candid Brewing, where I was able to enjoy a beer and a bit of a Celtic jam session going on!