From Cape Breton Island…

Epic Ride, Day 51:

I woke up to rain in Lunenburg.  I don’t mind riding in rain too much, but I hate starting a ride in the rain, so I ate a leisurely breakfast and waited around Lunenburg till it dried up.  I finally got out of town at a bit after 12.

I rode past Halifax and back towards Truro, a town I’d gone past on Tuesday as I was going from the north side of the Bay of Fundy to the south side and Maitland.

From there north, the ride was pretty and fast.  I had the only delay of the day on the CANSO causeway over to Cape Breton Island.  A ship was being locked out of the Bras d’Or Lake into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  The ride north was mostly along the Bras d’Or Lakes (I’m sure someone will tell me how to spell that!), a favorite cruising ground for American sailors.  I can see why… there looked to be many coves and quiet anchorages plus beautiful protected waters.

Not long after passing the last exit for the Cabot Trail, a much cherished motorcycle route that I’ll take later this week or early next week, I climbed up over the flank of Mount Kelly and dropped down to New Harris, where I can’t see anything but the KOA where I’m camped tonight.

As I was leaving the office after checking in, Paul, a Harley-rider from Kentucky was coming in the door.  We ate supper together and after talking to Paul, I decided to take the night ferry from North Sidney Harbor to Port Aux Basques, Newfounland, with him tomorrow night.  We’ll be at the ferry before 9:30 to start boarding.  The ferry departs at 11:45PM and the voyage takes 5-7 hours, so I’ll guess we’ll get to Newfoundland in the dark on Monday morning.

I’ll edit this post with more pictures tomorrow night.

Stats:  Day, 311 miles; Trip, 16,530 miles; Year, 22,531 miles; Total, 74,496 miles.