11 Oct 09

I waited patiently. There must be one day without rain during my four-day weekend. Saturday night weather report gave the green light for a sunny Sunday even if the daytime average temperature will be on the cool side (11C / 51F). Up at 5:30, Cinderella and I went for a short walk, came back to the house, finished packing the bike, had breakfast and took this shaky snap at 7am.



Ready and excited, I drove out of the driveway 15 minutes later. I’m heading north to the Northumberland Shore, my destination Malagash Blue Sea Beach. I could have referred to the NS Fall Leaf Watch website to plan my trip but I didn’t, I chose my route using the atlas of NS.

I left the city on Route 318 which passes several small lakes. I’m not in a real hurry so I have bypassed the four lane highway 102 for the slower, double lane secondary highway 2. The road meanders nicely with a few sharp corners. There are houses strung along the route, but I encountered very few cars at 8 am on a beautiful Sunday morning.



Riding on the east side of the lakes, in the shadows, proved to be cold on my chin and finger tips. Glancing to my left, the leaves bathed in sunlight on the opposite shore were wonderful and I let out a primordial yell in my helmet, I was so happy to be alive.





I feel very privileged to own and ride my own motorbike. It seemed not long ago I was eight when dad sat me on his bike and we went for a short ride. After that exhilarating moment, I would peddle my red bicycle in circles around the yard wearing my motorcycle helmet, smiling.

I’ve left route 318 and am riding on highway 2, leaving behind the sun bathed leaves on the edge of Lake Fletcher for other eyes.

Highway 2 crosses several rivers and touches many communities such as Enfield.



Highway 2 must end, as does every day. The first half of my ride ends in Turo.



There are sights to see and smells to wrinkle the nose. Between the communities of Elmsdale and Lantz, I came upon this eye catcher:



The wonderful aroma of cow manure doesn’t wrinkle my nose as I take a deep sniff, I must have been a farmer in a previous life.







The landscape opens up with farms making appearances as I sped closer to Truro. I stopped at the Truro Welcome Center for a rest, opened the flask of tea and unwraped a slice of banana loaf. I was grateful to slip off my sad leather boots, warm up my cold feet and rest my buttocks on a softly, cushioned chair. I was the only visitor so I struck up a conversation with the lone staff member.

It wasn’t long until I felt warm and snuggly, the right feeling to head back out onto the road. Highway 2 ended in Truro. The town had awakened and it was time for me to push on. I said ‘goodbye, and will see you again on my way back’. Route 311 would carry me on through Colchester County to Tatamagouche.







When I reached Tatamagouche I wanted to stop and have a look at the Train Station Inn. I grew up with a rail line running between my house and the town. Walking to school in the dry, hot breeze, grasshoppers leaping out of my way, listening to the clickety-clack of freight trains. I wave to the engineer, and if I was lucky, to the man in the caboose.

























After reminiscing, I left Tatamagouche on highway 6 and stopped on the side of the road before Bayhead to take this photograph. I could smell the ocean. Do you remember the smell of the trees and the earth as you walked along an abandoned road or the smell of rain on a summer’s day?



I left the highway and slowly rode my way to Malagash, South Shore, Malagash Point and finally Malagash Blue Sea Beach Day Park. I was riding off the beaten path. The odd car, one cyclist and a woman walking her dog crossed my path.





I arrived at the day park; an offshore breeze greeted me. As two cars left the parking lot, I undressed my heavy jacket and slipped on my neon green windbreaker topped with a dirty beat up orange ball cap. Fashion was the last thing on my mind. I called Pete on my cell phone to let him know I made it safely to the beach and then walked among the rocks.











There is a heron in the photo, in the shallow tidal pool. My next camera will need a longer focal length.



Walking along the shore gave me time to reflect, time to reflect on my relationship with Violet. I miss her very much. She will be back later this month from visiting her family in Alberta. We travel together everywhere and enjoy each other’s company. I don’t mind riding by myself. Yet I don’t have her with me to share my experiences, especially on a motorbike with the sun rising at 730 am. My feelings on this trip has reaffirmed that I have to get a hack.

It is time to leave the beach. I switch jackets, don my helmet and ride my way through the rocky road to pavement. I came across an orchard and stopped to inspect the shelves of apples.





Have case, will carry apples.



Riding back to Tatamagouche, I wanted to stop in at the Sunrise Mercantile Café for a hot meal. I had BBQ chicken sandwich and cup of chowder. Big mistake, I should have had the bigger bowl of chowder. The meal was very tasty. Sorry, no photos, I left the camera in my tank bag.







The ride from Tatamagouche to Truro took more effort. The wind had picked quite a bit, not enough that I was leaning into the blasts, but Brian’s Brackets (windscreen farkle) really helped keep the strong wind off my chest. I did stop in at the Truro Welcome Centre, I was greeted with surprise, I guess they thought I wouldn’t return. We talked and talked while I ate my carrot cake (homemade) that I bought from the Mercantile Café. I had some more tea and after 40 minutes, I had to leave, I didn’t want to ride at dusk. I called Pete again to let him know that I was leaving Truro for home. The amount of traffic had increased, I was ok with that, love my bike, it has passing power. I made it back and was about 35 – 40 minutes away from home when I had to pull into a gas station and treat myself:



I learned a lot on this trip: I really want to get E21’s for my bike, bring along small roll of toilet paper, cut out and apply small sun strips to the tops of my visors, wet wipes, be aware that I have to transition my riding vigilance from rural to city traffic (close encounter with a cab in Truro), and, keep the CS for commuting to work and buy a bike with a sidecar for day trips with my love.

Round trip:
Depart 7:15am and arrive home 6:18pm
368 Km’s / 228.6 Miles
Map

You know I love traveling in your province, in fact, your country. Thanks for the report and pictures which were very COLORFUL. Keep the corrosion under control (private story).

nice colors, very nice indeed, tell us about the taste of those apples

Great report! Was looking forward to a pic of the BBQ sandwhich and the chowder though......