Bangor Maine

No, we did not cycle to Bangor.  We only cycled from Ingonish back to our starting point at Baddeck, where we left Joe’s Van.  We left our motel at first light and did not find a place for breakfast until 30 miles into our ride when we stopped at the Wreck Cove General Store.  There the owner entertained us with travel stories and his frustrations with the local travel bureaus. After we left we noticed a strong head wind building and the raising temperatures.   We had only 1 real climb today.  It was up Smoky Mountain.  After our climb to the top we wondered why we were told by other cyclists that the hill was a terrible climb.  Going south our climb was long but relatively gentle. As we started down the other side we realized that they were heading north up the other side of Smokey Mountain.  Going down was like the first drop on a roller coaster.  It would have even been difficult to push a bike up this mountain.

Despite our 70 mile trip we got back to Baddeck by noon and packed the car for the start of our drive home.  We arrived in Bangor by 9 p.m. and crashed.

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Ingonish

• If we wrote our blog latter in the day we would not have to add another post script.  However…last nights meal was very good.  The Markland has its own restaurant so we had a short walk for a late dinner.  We both had salads, the fresh haddock served with grilled new potatoes and fresh asparagus lightly steamed and desert.  All pastries are made on site and our waitress was also the baker.  She recommended the carrot cake and it was fantastic.  Afterwards we were stuffed and took a walk on the beach before returning to our cabin.  Falling asleep to the waves breaking on the shore was a good way to crash after our steep climbs that day.

Our morning started out with more fresh baked pastries, rolls, and biscuits, fresh fruit, hot hard boiled eggs, and coffee.  Needless to say, we consumed lots of calories and fats for the start of our ride. Leaving our lodging we had the choice of taking the new Cabot Trail with one large climb and then traveling through the forests or the old Cabot Trail with 2 moderate climbs and virtually no traffic and mostly coastline views.  We chose the old trail which is in need of repaving but we did not mind because there was no traffic.  We had 2 hills that were easy except for the 3 short 18 percent grade inclines that we had to contend with.  About 10 miles out of Ingonish we rejoined the main Cabot Trail and had to contend with traffic but we also it had a nice shoulder to cycle on. 

We got to our motel early but were glad to get out of the heat and rest up for tomorrow’s longer ride back to Beddeck.  Our view is spoiling us as we once again look out our front window and see the ocean.

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Dingwall

Our breakfast waitress suggested that we see several things before leaving Pleasant Bay,  One of those was a Buddhist Monastery about 5 miles off route. Since we had a short day planned we followed her suggestion and cycled for about 3 miles on paved roads then about 2 miles on a gravel road.  The Monastery was not opened for tours today and we did not fell very spiritual after going 10 miles out of our way to see seaside cabins. 

Our big challenge today was our climb up North Mountain.  While not as long a climb as yesterday’s mountains it was a lot steeper. We felt pretty smug as we cycled past a sign that indicated that the incline was 13 percent.  Shortly thereafter the grade increased to 18 percent and we had to walk our bikes until it went back to a mere 13 percent. At the top we met several road bikers that were also sucking air after their climb.  As we all recovered we shared cycling stories and they offered some suggestion to modify our route.  Just when we thought that North Mountain gave its all and we conquered it, we started down the other side and were shocked by the steep grades.  Thankfully, we had to cycle up the “easy” side but going down this side was no cake walk.

At the bottom we had to cycle another 10 miles to get to our night’s lodging.  We followed the signs that indicated our motel was just 3 miles off route.  Because we were headed away from civilization we became skeptical that we were on the right road.  It was scenic as we cycled out the peninsula and the ocean got closer.  Just as the paved road ended and before the waves hit us we found the Markland Beach Cottages. Our log cabin sits on top of a slopping mowed lawn that leads to the ocean.  As soon as we cleaned up we headed to the beach and stuck our toes in the water.  By far this is the best place for a nights lodging (and the cabin is also very nice).

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Pleasant Bay

• Post script on last night:  We went to a bar in Cheticamp and enjoyed a local female folk singer.  Her music was in both English and Acadian (French).  She was entertaining and got better as the number of beers we consumed increased.  The beers were entirely for medicinal reasons.  We were tired from yesterday’s ride and faced a very difficult ride today and need to assure a good night’s sleep.

We woke up in Cheticamp to strong winds blowing off the ocean.  Once we decided to roll, we headed north on the Cabot Trail fighting side winds before turning inland when we enjoyed a few miles of tail winds. Shortly after that we entered Cape Breton Highlands National Park and met 3 roadies that were also going to Pleasant View.  While our ride would be only 28 miles over the mountains, they planned to return the same day.  The first 10 miles into the park we stayed close to the ocean, enjoying the views but still fighting the winds as we went up several steep climbs. At about the 10 mile mark we started to climb French Mountain.  French Mountain is 1,500 feet of climbing over 5 miles.  In it self the climb would not have been bad, but about half way up, the cold rains dumped on us and the winds made progress slow. We only had a relatively short drop before we next had to climb MacKenzie Mountain. Once we finally started down, the sun came out.  We stopped to take pictures and talk to other tourists and started to warm up.  While the strong winds buffeted our downhill ride, we were thawing out and enjoying ourselves as our ride again became scenic as we dropped to the ocean.

Our stay in Pleasant Bay makes Joe homesick.  His hometown is Pleasant Valley and he lives at 2 Mountain View Drive.  We are staying in the Mountain View Motel.  Joe asked for number 2 but that was not available.  When registering the clerk told us that tomorrow’s weather is going to flip from today’s cold rain to hot temperatures and clear skies.

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Cheticamp

Our day started out with cool temperatures and a warm-up climb of 500 feet. After the climb we had forests and fog for about 20 miles.  Then our day changed for the better; in fact, it was much better.  In the middle of “nowhere” we smelled fresh baked goods and it wasn’t long until we found the Dancing Goat Bakery and Café.  The wonderful smells drew us there so we had to stop and sample their pastries, which were very good.  We lingered there talking to several employees who were also cyclists before continuing our northwest journey across the island. Soon the forest and fog disappeared as we dropped into a long valley that was populated by an occasional farm. We were rolling along at a good clip when we spotted a bald eagle sitting in a tree.  It was majestic and posed for our pictures by slowing turning its head.  Before we left the motel the buffet manager assured us that we would see eagles, moose, and whales on this trip.  We are now not as skeptical as when she talked to us.

Our ride down the valley dumped us at the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  We could not ask for anything more as we turned north and cycled for about 20 miles along the ocean.  The road was along the water and there were many places to pull off and take pictures or just look at the scenery.  Unfortunately, we did not see any whales but we have several more days of cycling along the coast and our hopes are high.  Our hotel in Cheticamp is located just above the water and a short walk to many restaurants.

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Baddeck, Cape Breton Island

We left Wolfville after a very nice breakfast at the B&B.   Victoria’s Historic Inn was the nicest B&B either of us have experienced.  The drive was long but we made a stop in Truro to see the tidal bores.  We saw the river moving in reverse as the tidal bore rushed to our vantage point and raised the water level several feet in about 10 minutes.  While the experience was worth while it was not quite what we hoped for.  The woman at the welcome center told us that the fuller the moon the more dramatic the tidal bore.  Unfortunately, we are currently in the new moon phase.  What was dramatic, however, was the wind.  We could barely stand in one spot it was so strong and it generated dreadful thoughts of tomorrow’s cycling.

Once we left Truro, we experienced a sense of abandonment as we went deeper into the wilderness areas of Canada.  It felt like a drive to the end of the earth.   We could not go any further than the tip of the island.  However, that vanished as we checked into our hotel with its beautiful views. Walking out the front door we saw the mountains and walking out the back door we saw that the motel is situated on a large lake.  Both views generated a big WOW from us.

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Gray Skies but Great Cycling

• Post script on yesterday’s blog:  For obvious reasons we stopped for dinner at a restaurant called “Joe’s”.  When we sat down our waitress told us that it was spaghetti night and servings were only $2.88 with the purchase of a drink.   Since most of our meals have been expensive on this trip, we thought that we were going to get off cheaply.  So we each ordered spaghetti and a beer.  Only when the bill came did we realize that our beers, at $7.00 each, were more than twice the cost of our meal.

Now on to today’s events were our goal was to witness Fundy Bay’s famous tidal bores. 

o     Tidal bores are the phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves) of water that travels up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay's current.  Some tidal bores have been reported to be as high as several feet and resulting in a high tide that can be 50 above the low tide level.
 

We asked several people where the best place to witness the tidal bores was and got a different answer each time we asked.  Even our internet search produced more options.  We chose one that could be gotten to by bicycle.  From Wolfville we headed north along the Minas Basin and towards Fundy Bay.  Once again we were under very gray skies (see the second photo in our album).  Just out side of Wolfville, we had a small and gentle climb that gave us a wonderful panoramic view of the valley. The land above the valley was full of apple orchards, grape vineyards, and horse stables and equestrian centers. We cycled gently rolling hills for about 20 miles until we got to our selected spot. However, like Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park, our timing was lousy.  We expected to see the fishing boats viewed on the internet laying in the mud.  Another tourist there shared a picture he had taken earlier with just that shot.  While the boats had some water around them, they were still not floating.  Judging by a ladder off the dock, we witnessed the water rising over 2 feet in one-half hour but saw no surge of water.  The crews of the fishing boats were waiting for the tides to get higher so they could cast off and get to work.  We have a plan B that will hopefully allow us to see the tidal bores tomorrow as we drive to Cape Breton.

On our return trip we stopped at the Blomidon (short for “blow me down”) Winery. There Janet, the Winery’s retail manager offered us samples and told us about the winery. Blomidon Winery is a boutique winery nestled on the shore of the Minas Basin, near the community of Canning. Their first vineyards were planted in 1986. At that time, the owners sold all of the grapes and did not produce any wine. After some tumultuous years of ownership, the property was sold to new owners who were responsible for constructing the winery and extending the vineyard plantings. The Blomidon Estate Winery label was created in 2002. Since then the property has been resold and the current owners have expanded the facilities and increased the production of the winery.
 

On the way back into town Joe broke his front derailleur cable so we searched out a bike shop for a replacement.  Joe had a spare, but didn’t want to be without one along the Cabot Trail.  We found a place called Valley Stove and Cycle.  That is correct, stove and cycle.  In the bicycle off season they sell wood burning stoves. According to the manager, the store was first opened in 1978 to sell wood stoves. Then, when the first mountain bikes rolled into Nova Scotia in 1980,” they were immediately hooked and realized bicycles were the perfect complement to their stove business.”


We purchased a new cable and fixed Joe’s bike. Once again we are drinking wine as we write. Tonight we are drinking a bottle of Blomidon’s 2011 red wine called Blow Me Down. Finally, the gray skies opened up this evening and it is raining. We are happy since our ride is over and the local residences are happy because they have had a very dry year.

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Wolfville

We left the hotel early to beat the heat but got no farther than the parking lot when we were stopped by a native Acadian.  This guy was a real character.  He took an immediate liking to Joe’s muscular arms, not believing that he was an IBM programmer but rather a real working man.   The Acadian’s family (whose name we cannot pronounce let alone spell) was kicked out of Nova Scotia by the British but subsequently returned to their homeland.  He works for the electric company and said that he was just hours away from being sent to Virginia when it had its recent storm related power outages.  To get to Virginia would have taken his crew 2.5 days of hard driving.  We finally got away when the rest of his crew showed up and they went off to breakfast.

Once on our bikes we headed back towards Fundy Bay.  Today’s climb over the mountain was more gradual but longer as we went through a passage where the mountains dropped somewhat.  At the bay we were once again greeted by fog and overcast skies that continued throughout our ride.  The overcast skies kept the temperatures down but hindered our photography.  The ride along the bay was the closest that we have had so far and we found several areas to pull off and enjoy the moment.  At one location we visited an art studio but refrained from buying local art work.  Climbing back over the mountain further east gave us another long but gentle climb. Back in the valley we stopped at a fruit stand and ate a quart of fresh picked cherries before cycling back to our van for the drive to Wolfville. 

In Wolfville we are staying at the Victoria’s Historic Inn that was built in 1893 by William Henry Chase.  Locally, Mr. Chase was known as the “Apple King” because he built the province’s first railway warehouse which became a major shipping point for the regions apple crop. By 1933 he was one of the biggest apple exporters in the world.

We are staying just behind the main house in the carriage house.  The room is spacious and very nicely decorated.  We plan to stay here 2 nights before driving to Cape Breton.

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Annapolis Royal Loop

We had an early breakfast at the B&B and were on our bikes by 8 in the morning.  The weather was cool as we headed to the mountains on the north side of the valley that separated us from Fundy Bay.  Our climb was steep but we did it in about one-half hour and then enjoyed a fast down hill ride to the bay.  Jeff applied his brakes when he reached 36 mph but Joe let it all hang out and sailed at 45 mph. Despite the fog, the climb was worth the view of the bay.  While the fog made the bay less scenic it did turn our focus to all the gardens and wild flowers that bordered the road.  The variety of colors and plant types were wonderful.  God must have used all the colors in a box of 48 crayons when planting these wildflowers.  The fog did burn off as the morning advanced.

We dropped back into the valley after about 20 miles and cycled along country roads until we reached Lawrencetown.  While a small town we got our directions mixed up, but that was a good thing.  We found the local restaurant that was just over its morning rush.  The place was packed but many people were leaving so we soon got a table.  What we ate was good but our deserts deserve special mention.  Joe had a slice of coconut custard pie and Jeff a lemon pie.  Once again, the slices were huge and delicious.  After lunch we again started off in the wrong direction (yes we both have GPSs) and finally asked for help. 

Our next stop was at the Beavercreek Winery where Paulette, one of the owners let us sample some of their wines.  They produce fruit wines that don’t contain grapes.  We selected a blueberry wine that is being consumed as we write this blog entry.  After our purchase we headed back towards Annapolis Royal to pick up our van.  From there we drove to Middletown where we plan to start tomorrow’s cycling loop.

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Annapolis Royal

Our journey to this little town in Nova Scotia was relatively uneventful.  We took a 45 mile ferry ride across Fundy Bay that lasted 3 hours.  We experienced heavy fog for most of the trip so we joined 3 lecture groups that addressed the geology of the bay, whale watching, and early natives and explorers.  While whales frequent the bay none made their appearance for us. 

As we approached our landing spot in Digby the fog cleared allowing us to see the coastline.  From that spot our cycling climbs looked relatively easy.  However, as we drove to Annapolis Royal the mountains got higher and steeper.  So, tomorrow’s “easy” ride may be more vigorous than we initially thought. 

The town is mostly old homes that have been either converted to bed and breakfasts or restaurants.  We are staying in a B&B place called King George Inn.  The house dates back to 1868 when a sea captain named Barteaux emigrated from France. Like most homes in town it has been restored and caters to a booming tourist business.  For dinner we walked to another old home and ate local sea scallops fresh from the bay.  Afterward we walked the town looking for a public phone to replace our cell phones that do not work here.  Surprising for a tourist town, all of the commercial shops were closed.  We did get a glimpse at Fort Anne, a French era structure that has been restored.  Tomorrow we hope to explore it more toughly.

Photos are mostly of our B&B - not many picture opportunities today

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St. John, Canada

It was difficult to leave the Bar Harbor area that gave us such great cycling and scenic experiences.  However, to get to the next part of our journey we packed the van and headed north east.  Before getting to far we stopped at Schoodic National Park for a short bicycle ride.  Like the Loop Road in Acadia some of this ride was on one-way roads along the coast.  In addition, we took several side rides to “working fishing villages”—a term used by local residence to distinguish themselves from vacation and tourist towns.  

From there, our drive north took us through small towns and over some narrow highways before we reached Calais, Maine, where we crossed the border into Canada.  Our crossing was uneventful and put us on an expressway for our trip to St. John.  While we knew where we were going, the Garman GPS was not updated and did not recognize the new expressway we were using (It had the same route number of the old road stored in Garman).  Yes, the Garman voice went crazy telling us to get on the correct road and showing our tracks in the middle of no where.

Our hotel in St. John’s out classes us--2 scruffy bikers.  It is one of the fanciest hotels that either of us has ever stayed in.  We walked to the restaurant district where we enjoyed a street fair before eating dinner.  Finally, for our friends who are suffering a heat wave, we were cold walking back to our hotel.

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Sunrise to Sunset (7-12)

While our main focus for today was an afternoon sea kayak trip we decided to fill the morning with the sunrise and a bike ride. 

Cadillac Mountain has the distinction of hosting the first sunrise to reach the United States.  Not wanting to miss a minute of this day we were on Cadillac Mountain at 4:30 a.m. waiting for the 5 a.m. sunrise.  It was worth the early morning start to see the sun rise over the ocean and welcome us to another day.  However, we were not alone.  This popular tourist destination was crowded.  In fact, one ingenious person set up his camp stove and was brewing coffee. Many of us were disappointed that he did not make enough to share.

After an early breakfast we decided to cycle the Loop Road again.  However, this time our focus was not site seeing but just cycling.  Our speed was up and the stops disappeared and we had a fantastic time.  When we reached Cadillac Mountain we climbed to the top.  While today’s climb was slower than yesterdays, it was still fun and the downhill was great. 

In the afternoon we drove to Southwest Harbor for our kayak tour.  We stopped for a quick lunch at a sandwich shop were Jeff ate a vegetable sandwich and Joe, being the smarter of the two, had a dish of home made berry ice cream.  We then proceeded to Maine State Kayak were we met our group and guides.  They fitted us with kayak skirts and life vests before driving us to Seal sound were our journey began. We paddled a tandem kayak 6.5 miles north to Pretty Marsh. During our journey we quickly realized that cycling did not prepare us for kayaking.  We were tired after nearly 3 hours on the water but had a great time.

Our evening ended as the sunset in the west.  However, we did not get to enjoy the sunset as we were doing laundry and packing for the next days journey.

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Kayaking  Photos

Kayak Map

Misc Photos

Park Loop Road and Cadillac Mountain

The Park Loop Road snakes about 30 miles along the coast, through valleys, and up and down many hills.  It is a fantastic ride for cyclists, providing great roads and great scenery.  Much of the road is restricted to one way traffic in a counter clockwise direction around the park.  Because it is a duel lane road we had our own lane for cycling.  Since we were on the road early we had very little car traffic and saw many of the cyclists we met on the Carriage Roads the day before. (Jeff even raced one much younger cyclist up a hill and surprised himself by winning.) We stopped at virtually every pull-off and point of interest along the way.  At Sand Beach we left our bikes and stuck our toes in the ocean.   We figured that this area got its name because most of the Park’s shore line is covered in rocks and this was the only area with sand.

• A side bar for those who have followed our past journeys.  You have seen us use the phrase “the road provides” meaning that if you need something it will be found along the road.  At Sand Beach we found 3 boogie boards, 1 life vest, 1 pair of men’s red jockey shorts, and 1 cycling shoe.  Since we didn’t need any of these finds we left all of them but wondered how the cyclist continued with only one shoe.

Our next stop was at Thunder Hole—a narrow rocky cove with caves that “thunders” as high tide rolls in.  Since we were there at low tide we drove back in the evening to hear the thunder.  However, the hole did not thunder.  We were told that the weather was just too nice, leaving the ocean too calm.

Cycling, not site seeing, became our focus once we left the ocean side of the Park Loop Road.  We enjoyed the gentle climbs and surprising fast down hill rides as we approached Cadillac Mountain.  The climb up this mountain was 3.5 miles up sweeping switch backs with only a few steep grades.  Joe did it in about 20 minutes and Jeff in 30 minutes.  Both of us were passed by 2 roadies that seemed to fly by as the ascended the hill.  The climb was well worth the effort.  At 1,530 feet above sea level, it is the highest point on the island.  The views were fantastic and we could see far out into the ocean and back into the mainland.  Needless to say, our ride down the mountain was great.  The broad sweeping curves allowed fast descents.  In fact, slow moving cars pulled off the road to let us pass as we flew downward.

Since we finished cycling by noon, we drove over to Southwest Harbor to check out where we needed to be for tomorrow’s sea kayak tour.  In Southwest Harbor we found a great little sandwich shop and enjoyed lunch followed by the biggest piece of blue berry pie that either one of us had ever seen.  It wasn’t so much the cut size but rather its height.  It must have been filled with almost 3 inches of fresh picked blue berries. 

After dinner this evening we plan to stay in town to attend a free concert in the park.  That is, if 2 old guys can stay awake.

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Carriage Roads

Today’s tour took us through the heart of Acadia Park on its carriage roads.  These roads were built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. before the island became a National Park.  The roads allowed the island’s wealthy residence to enjoy its wonderful lakes, mountains, and scenic overlooks.  The roads are closed to motorized vehicles and widely used by walkers and bicyclist.  However, a bicycle is essential if one hopes to experience its 40 plus miles of roads in one day. Our day started around 8 a.m. as we cycled 2 miles from our hotel to the park’s entrance. We cycled a route that allowed us to enjoy all of the parks lake’s and overlooks and for Joe to photograph all 17 of its stone arch bridges. The roads are packed gravel and while we have many climbs they were not difficult (since they were built for horse drawn carriages).  The first couple of down hill rides were cautious with a liberal application of our brakes.   However, the down hills became fantastic once we got used to the lose gravel.  Before returning we stopped at the Jordan Pond House for lunch.  The place was crowded so we purchased box lunches and ate on the lawn. 

Words cannot describe the peacefully moments we enjoyed along the lakes or the “a haw” moments the vistas offered after a long climb.  The best way for us to share our experiences on today’s ride is to share our photos with you.

We also had an interesting bike repair experience.  We met a fellow on the trail pushing his rented bicycle with a very flat tire.  He told us that he had to get to the highway so he could get a replacement bike from the rental company.  He showed us where the tire was flat by sticking his finger in a large hole in the tire.  We thought about his problem and went to work.  After removing the tire and blown tube we cut a long strip from the tube and used it to cover the hole in the tire.  We then inserted one of our extra tubes (not the correct size but close enough) into his tire.  Once it was inflated he was able to cycle to his pickup spot.

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Bar Harbor, Maine

Today was too much car and no bike.   We drove 450 miles over 9 hours to get from Joe’s home to our night’s lodging in Bar Harbor.  Our only real stop was in the town of Wiscasset, Maine to partake of the famous lobster roll at Red’s Eats—an eatery featured on many PBS specials.  As shown in the attached pictures, it is a small shack that attracts lots of customers.  We got there at 1 p.m. and were 23^rd in an ever growing line.  It took 40 minutes for us to place our order, another 10 minutes to get it, and only 10 minutes to eat a shared lobster roll.  FYI, a lobster roll and diet Pepsi cost $18.50.  The place must be a gold mine.

Since the last 100 miles of our car trip were not on the Interstate Highways, they took forever to complete.  We creped along Route 1 for 2 hours, going through many costal towns.  After checking into our hotel we walked into the commercial district to stretch our legs and find dinner.  The temperature her is in the mid-70s, a nice break from the heat wavy that was impacting the east coast over the last week.

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The Journey Begins

Today, Jeff drove 300 + miles from his home in Falls Church, Virginia to Joe's home in New York.  In the morning we plan to drive to Bar Harbor, Maine.  Not wanting to just sit on the patio drinking wine and telling old cycling tales, we decided that a little side trip was in order.  We took a 22 mile bike ride from Joe's home to a rail trail bridge that crosses the Hudson River.  The views from the bridge were fantastic and the bridge is considered the United State's longest foot bridge. 

We have been cycling together for over 10 years and I always wondered why Joe was such a strong hill climber.  Today I found out why.  The ride from Joe's home was all down hill which meant that the return trip was all uphill, with the last 3 miles consisting of moderate climbing.  After a long day of cycling I imagine that it requires a major "second effort" for Joe to get home.  Our climb was worth the effort.  Joe's wife prepared a fantastic dinner for us which we enjoyed on their patio.  Of course we had that glass of wine we missed earlier.

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