Coast to Coast Complete!

Trevor had high expectations with Newfoundland and was let down as the weather got colder and windier as we cycled east.  It started off great with sunny skies in the western region but once we hit central Newfoundland we found ourselves having to layer up again much like we did throughout most of Canada.  Definitely didn’t expect this in late May!  But apparently it is warm for Newfoundland standards this time of year. 

We cycled into Corner Brook to have my bike checked about my front derailleur and to pick up some chain lube.  I need a new derailleur but declined to have the work done because I want to get a new drivetrain in Europe.  The guy then charged me $10 for a replacement cable.  I felt that was a bit too much for a replacement cable so I left feeling kind of ripped off.  Thought maybe he was annoyed I declined service.  I told him beforehand though I didn’t want anything done because I was fine riding with the 9 gears.  I just wanted to know if there was a quick fix.  One good thing though that came out of going into Corner Brook is we got a stellar deal on Italian Cake at the Dominion at 50 cents each.  Seems the Italian Cake didn’t fare well they had to reduce the price drastically.  At first I regretted picking up 7 cakes because they were all filled with candied orange peels.  Ugh.  Who puts orange peels in anything?  Made me a bit sick in the stomach after engulfing one cake right there on the spot.  But from then on I handpicked all the orange peels out of the cakes and it was super delicious.  It was my breakfast, snacking food, and dessert for a few days in Newfoundland. 

Feels good to have finished up cycling the homeland.  On the whole it went quite well.

Here is my personal ranking of the provinces from best to worst (although they all were pretty good):

1. British Columbia: beautiful scenery, great roads, plenty of rest stops

2. Quebec: relatively flat, loved the Verte Route which is made for cyclists

3. Ontario: solid roads, liked the wilderness in the western part of the province, the Waterfront Trail made things a whole lot easier from Niagara Falls to Quebec, did not like the stretch from Sudbury to Toronto

4. Nova Scotia: nice coastal cycling, did not like the treacherous climb over Mt Thom

5. Alberta: great scenery in the Rockies, nice flat roads after that

6. Newfoundland: nice scenery, easy to pitch a tent as there is a lot of barren land, too cold and windy for late May

7. Prince Edward Island: nice rolling hills, relatively flat, lots of farmland, could get boring after awhile though

8. New Brunswick: it was alright just nothing spectacular

9. Saskatchewan: wheat fields got boring after awhile, too much wind which was more in our face, stretch of road with no shoulder did not appreciate

10. Manitoba: crap roads, windy, I liked Assiniboine Park though in Winnipeg

Next up Europe and sorting out Visas... 

Our first day in Newfoundland we meet… well a Newfoundland.  Not sure her name but her owner said she is 8 years old and doesn't slobber. 

Everyone insisted we would see moose en route so I had my eyes wide open early on to try and spot one.  It took a few days but we did end up seeing a few… unfortunately they all ran away quickly into the bush as we approached.  According to a sign we passed they had about 650 collisions with moose last year.  Definitely have to watch out for these creatures.  I got a good look at one that lay dead on the road, they are massive beasts that could do some damage.  I was keen to have a moose burger in St. John’s as a celebratory meal but the only place that serves game did not have it in stock.  Argh.  Above is a picture of a caribou… or at least that is what we think it is.  At first we thought it was a baby moose but after seeing a few we don’t think it is. 

Met three coast to coast cyclists riding west from Cape Spear to British Columbia.  First we met Dave Wilson (pictured) who is raising money for arthritis research (www.watchmyback.ca).  We chatted for awhile in the cold.  He was super nice to us as he gave us two complimentary Big Mac and small fries coupons from McDonald’s as well as some energy bars.  The other two people we met a few kilometers outside Cape Spear.  They were starting their journey across Canada and we were just ending it.  They are trying to raise funds and awareness for organ transplant research (trekking4transplants.ca).        

Wasn't expecting to see a black bear but this one caused a lot of passerby’s to stop and look.  It parked itself on the side of the road and didn't move around very much, just kept chewing on some twigs.  Very cool to view it up close… don’t think I have been that close to a black bear before. 

There we were just taking a breather on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway and a nice lady in her car stops and asks if we want some cookies.  Of course we accepted.  They were super delicious too… chocolate cookies with caramel chips.  A few days later in St. John’s I ran into her again at the Dominion supermarket.  Quite random! 

Trevor at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s.  This is supposedly the starting point for the Trans-Canada Highway out east. 

From St. John’s it is very hilly to Cape Spear.  But en route we got a glimpse of this iceberg.  Pretty cool.  And I mean that literally and figuratively. 

The easternmost point in all of North America and the final destination for our Canada leg… Cape Spear!  Also super windy and cold.  I was freezing just sitting there.

We certainly ate lots of jelly beans en route so it was only fitting to finish in a city that has jelly bean houses all over… St. John’s. 

Spent our last day in St. John’s pretty much at the airport packing away the bicycles.  At first we were wondering how we were going to get the boxes for the bikes to the airport.  The visitor’s center and the bike shop said there was no bus to the airport and we must use a taxi which costs $25 to $30.  Ouch.  I always hate it when people say there is no way to get somewhere and you must use the taxi which is very expensive.  As a result we did some research and it turns out there is a way by bus but one has to transfer and it drops you off a few hundred meters from the airport.  Given I am confident I can walk a few hundred meters, I set out in the morning to downtown St. John’s, picked up the boxes and carried them on the bus back to the airport.  All in all it wasn't that bad and we saved a lot doing so.  Just goes to show you sometimes need to do your own research on things.