Forteau to Red Bay

August 17, 2016

The first stop after leaving Forteau was L'Anse-Amour lighthouse.

We climbed the very steep steps to the light at the top, shedding a few senior citizens along the way. The light is still operational using the vintage lens.

We spent too much time on the site, walking out to a site of a nearby ship wreck. The Royal Navy was reportedly embarrassed by their poor seamanship and subsequently blew up the wreck. Bits of the wreckage are still visible for inspection on the shore.

We had several steep and long climbs made more palatable because of the scenery. However, we had to wear our blackfly screens over our helmets all day, which were not pleasant when sweating up the hills.

We stayed in a cottage at Whaler's Station (709-920-2156) and ate in their restaurant.

A little surprising to find the surface consisting or wood strips layed down lengthwise instead of crosswise as we would see in the States.

We learned later the route planned by Linkum tours turned off after the bridge and followed the river on a primitive road. We continued on up a monstrously steep climb on the new road. The scenery was spectacular on the climb and on top of the plateau but it would have probably have been pretty along the river and much less strenuous.

As usual, pictures don't show the steepness of a climb. This one required our lowest gear at 2.5 mph for over a mile.

We had a nice downhill into Red Bay, enough that I worried about burning off the last of the front brake pads.

Unfortunately, because of taking too much time at the lighthouse we arrived just 20 minutes before the closing of the Red Bay National Historic Site interpretive center.

We could have spent hours but only had a few minutes.

We were followed into town by police officers and into the parking lot of the interpretive center. While we were checking in they came in and made casual conversation with the ladies at the counter. When we left the center 20 minutes later they were still in the parking lot and and asked us how far we planned to go. When we explained we were staying in Red Bay, they were relieved to learn we were not planning to go further. Red Bay is as far north as the road is paved and the next community was 30 miles away through the wilderness.

Sitting at the picnic table outside our cottage. The fog would come and go so quickly.

Linkum Tours had arranged for a shuttle to take us the following morning to the ferry. It was too far to cycle before departure and we wanted to make sure the shuttle didn't forget about us. The clerk in the Whaler's Station restaurant was able to figure out who was driving the shuttle and contacted her (50 miles away) so that we could rest well that night...another example of Canadian hospitality.

Today's ride: 50 miles (80 km)
Total: 320 miles (515 km)

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