Friday, 07 July 2006

St. John's to La Manche Provincial Park

The library was open at 8 am, but the 'Digital Media Centre' wasn't open until 9 am so I had some time to check emails and the BBC website for any world news - I feel a bit isolated from the wider world. I got my 1.3 Gb of photos burned to DVD and posted it home; I haven't been able to find anywhere to upload photos to the web for a while, so a bit behind there.

I wasn't looking forward to getting back on the bike - my legs didn't feel at all refreshed and the thought of the hills and cycling south into the wind was daunting. I set off from the University at 10:30 and as I had to go via the downtown area I stopped for one last vanilla latte on the pretext of studying the map.

I could see the Shea Heights ahead of me that I had to scale. I was on my way to a 14 km round trip to Cape Spear - the most easterly point in North America. What a depressing thought; I've been travelling for 7 weeks and I've only been going east. I'm now actually closer to London than I am to Vancouver. Cape Spear has a lighthouse dating from 1835 and is furnished according to the period. From the cape you can frequently see whales and sometimes icebergs. (not today)

At the cape it was sunny but very breezy and I was soon cycling into that breeze at I rode over the 2 hills on the 7 km trip back to the road. I cycled on through Maddox Cove and Petty Harbour to route 10. Although this part was flatter it was also more residential and the road was busy with thoughtless drivers. At least I could cycle at a relaxed pace as I was heading for La Manche Provincial Park which was an easy days cycle - distance-wise.

In Bay Bulls I saw a sign for Sharon's Pit Stop Barber Shop and on impulse dropped in to get scalped. ($9) It was noticeably cooler without a mop of hair, which probably means the next couple of days will either be cold and wet or hot and sunny (danger of sunburn to the scalp - I've done that before cycling)

Route 10 heads south along the coast linking the community in each bay or cove to the next. In between the road climbs up over the headland before dropping down into the next bay. At Witless Bay I stopped at the excellent Irish Loop Coffee Shop for a salad and tea. Once past Tors Cove I was back in the more scenic wilderness that borders onto La Manche Provincial Park. The park had a sign out saying 'no campsites available' but they seemed to have no problem finding one for me. Well I say campsite - the ground was so hard and stony that I couldn't get my tent pegs in, so I had to fetch some large stones to secure the tent with. What's the point in having a campsite where you can't pitch a tent. I don't know why these places don't have a small grassy area that can be used for just tents.

For some reason I was excessively tired. I had a lie-down in the tent from which I never got up...

Distance: 80.8 km
Cycling time: 5:26
Total distance: 3188.9 km