Driving to the north side of the island of Breton you have to drive through the provincial park.   While that is all fine and good, Canada is celebrating a huge milestone (150 years!) next year and all their parks are going to be free.  In anticipation of all the traffic that they hope will come through, they are repaving portions of this road. Summer construction is never a surprise, but waking up to a deflated tire is.  Ugh!  JUST bought new tires before we left.

Our only stop for the day before we get on the ferry is at the Middle Head Trail.  This trail follows a long, narrow peninsula separating two ocean bays, ending on headland cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.   You pass the Keltic Lodge and Golf Course by way of a narrow road until you get to the end where the trailhead is located.   We saw more people on this trail and I assume it is because it is close to the lodge and it is an easier walk.  We also saw some of the pink stones that we think might be what they used when they paved the highways.

We walked to the end and enjoyed the sign below and Shawn did his best to not fall off the cliff. After we enjoyed the view and on our way back, we ended up walking with a guide and he gave us a free tour.  Best kind!   He told us that the point was used for farming and was owned by a friend of Alexander Graham Bell, Henry Corson, who built it here in 1891 to give his wife a home in a healthy climate.  They thought she had TB but she was cured moving north, so the thought is she had some kind of asthma.  He kept cattle and horses and planted exotic flowers and an orchard. The gateposts of the Corson house still stand near the trailhead.

We also learned about this one spot that is wide open and grassy in the middle of the peninsula.   It was used by fishermen to dry their fish.  The spot is very windy which keeps the grass low and creates a natural drying spot. Pretty ingenious.

We made it back to the car park in record time as our guide was setting the pace.  Whew!   A quick picture of the beautiful lupines in the parking lot and we set off to drive to the North Sydney Ferry Terminal, about an hour and a half away.   But first, we stop to add air to the beleaguered tire.   It seems to be holding air fairly well and there is a Costco near where our next B&B is located, so we are jumping on the ferry and hoping it does not deflate overnight

The ferry ride is about 13-14 hours and we land in the town of Argentia.   The morning ferry was canceled due to high winds and waves, but we luck out as they have subsided, and we are still a go.   Shawn booked us a cabin so we could sleep all night in comfort.   We had a double bunk room and it was a very comfortable cabin for a one night ride.   Many people slept in chairs that were not much bigger than an airplane seat.   WELL worth the upgrade.  It was so nice to wake up and be somewhere new!   No driving, no flying….ahhhh.   First stop?  Air, to inflate the tire.  Then we are off to Costco as it is a rainy and foggy day and not a good one for hiking.

Well, Costco is soooo busy they do not have an opening until TUESDAY.   This is THURSDAY.   Arg.   We will go back in the morning and stand in line for a few hours to get a walk-in appointment.  Not fun, but this is where I bought the tires and they will repair them for free.   So, another hike, another day.   Until tomorrow, tire, please last.

Moose sightings: 0