We left our campsite in Bar Harbor and took “the Cat,” a high-speed ferry over to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Motorcycles were assembled together in the parking lot while waiting to load the boat, so a small “biker gang” was formed and we all chatted about bikes, where we came from and where we were going. This continued aboard the ship as we all congregated in one section of the boat, joking about the new biker hangout and the corresponding drop in the value of real estate. A few shared beers with two brothers from Ireland, and a woman from Ontario forged some new friendships, and our “gang” stayed at the same hotel and partook in some entertainment at the local pub. The bar had an open mic night of sorts, and anyone could play as long as they were playing a blues or “jam” style. The talent was actually very impressive, and we heard some great harmonica from a man with one tooth.
After a few too many “refreshments,” Meghan and I were a bit late getting out of our bed at the Best Western, the first time we had slept with a roof over our heads rather than nylon on the trip. We rode about 40 miles along the beautiful Nova Scotia shoreline, stopping to have some scheduled service done on Meghan’s bike. The mechanic was an interesting person, and explained the history of the French, Scottish and English influences on the area. After the service was completed, we headed north to the town of Digby, and out onto a long peninsula called Digby Neck. It seemed like we were the only people on the road, and the road ran along the ocean, making for a beautiful ride, the fresh salty air and scenery repairing our somewhat aching heads.
We picked a campground with no real method to our decision, and it turned out to be nearly perfect. Our tentsite is on top of a hill, with a view of the surrounding forest and ocean. This being our fourth night camping, our routine is becoming fairly efficient, and within about 10 minutes of our arrival the tent is up and the stove simmering. Less than a mile down the road from our campground is a small cove where we are heading to watch the sun set. Supposedly you can see whales from the shore, and with the exception of a couple of small houses, the cove is almost completely undisturbed.
The next installment will bring us to Cape Breton Island, the northernmost part of Nova Scotia, and an area famous for its riding.
The second set of pictures is also posted: