A Cape Breton Family Road Trip

"I'll only go for a drive if it's not for too long" was the response my sister gave my father when he proposed we go on a father/daughters day trip somewhere on Cape Breton Island.  Years ago, my father loved going for long drives but now that he prefers to just go from point A to point B, he seemed pleased with this.  "We'll, where would you girls like to go?". My suggestions of Inverness or Ingonish was too far and my sisters suggestion of Louisbourg was shot down because it's always too cold and foggy there.  We all agreed that there wasn't much to do in Baddeck that time of year and The Cabot Trail was out of the question!  There really was only one other area of the island we could go.  Well, it was actually several areas that were interconnected via a series of back roads.  Dad suggested the route.  He said it wasn't a long drive.  He was wrong. 

With no destination in mind, we just drove and ended up on the 125 Bypass and than onto route 4.  I think Dad was hoping we would go to his favourite spot in Framboise but instead of keeping straight in East Bay, we decided to head towards Iona.  Not a bad choice; it's a beautiful drive through Northside East Bay, Eskasoni and Grand Narrows.  However, in Eskasoni, we found ourselves unsure of where to go next. 

"How about we take the ferry at Little Narrows, drive up the Trans Canada Highway and take the Turn-off to Orangedale, drive through Marble Mountain and stop in St Peter's for supper before taking the back way home through Framboise" dad suggested.  "It shouldn't be too long of a drive" he reassured my than 7-months pregnant sister who made it clear she was not in the mood for a terribly long day on the road. 

I love the drive through Northside East Bay and Eskasoni in the fall when the leaves are starting to change.  Really, any drive along the Bras d'Or Lakes is nice any time of year!  We passed through Eskasoni and almost made it to our first destination when we met a road block. Odd since we did not see any signs indicating there was a detour ahead. A road maintenance worker  confirmed that yes we indeed had to turn back the way we came. I remember many years ago a friend pointed out that I don't pay enough attention to road signs.  I guess the same can be said for my father and my sister.  None of us noticed the sign 15 kilometres back that warned of a road block ahead.  There was even a big flashing arrow pointing to where we needed to go to make the detour around the area where the work was being done. 

We finally made it to Grand Narrows and Iona.  We took a little break to enjoy the views from the high parking lot at the Highland Village Museum before moving on.  Once we made it across Little Narrows on the car ferry, we drove west along the Trans Canada Highway before making the turnoff towards Orangedale and Marble Mountain. 

The road that goes through Marble Mountain and area has been described as one of the worse on the island and we discovered that that was indeed true!  Potholes so big I thought the car would fall apart or we would end up in the ditch trying to get around them!  

Somehow, we made it across that bumpy old road intact and drove into the pretty little town of St. Peters. At Louie's Cosy Corner, we sat down to a hearty meal and relaxed before making the final leg of the journey.  We had two options to choose from: head down Route 4 along the Bras d'Or Lakes or take the "back way" through one of the most rural areas of the island through Grand River, Franboise, Forchu and Gabarus. We choose the back way.  Why not at that point.  We had already been on the road much longer than we intended so why not make the most of it?

We stopped at one of our favorite beaches and stretched our legs near Grand River. It's so peaceful in this part of the island.  All you can hear is the wind howling through the trees, the seagulls squawking  and the waves crashing ashore. We took our time going over that incredibly bumpy highway known as the Fleur de Lis Trail (it was almost as bad as the road going through Marble Mountain) and watched for deer and other animals that often come out in the early evening. 

It was dark when we got home. Tired we were but also satisfied with the lovely day spent together.  After all, with a new baby and winter on the way, it could be a while before we get another chance to hit the road together!

 

 

Enjoying those Dog Days of Summer 2020 on a Final Road Trip Around Cape Breton

 Before I set out on day 2 of my Cape Breton tour, I wasn't sure where I would end up. It was a toss-up between several routes but, after consulting with my friend who joined me that day, we decided to head up Route 4 to St. Peter's and then take West Bay Road through Dundee and onto Marble Mountain and eventually to Orangedale with the destination to be determined beyond that point. 

This was a drive I hadn't done in quite a few years so it was an opportunity to re-familiarize myself with the area and practice my new camera in surroundings different from where I usually go. 

The drive along Route 4 through Sydney Forks, East Bay, Ben Eoin, Big Pond, Irish Vale, Johnstown, Chapel Island and St. Peters is another one of my favourite Cape Breton drives.  We grabbed some subs at Subway in St. Peters and headed to Battery Provincial Park where we spotted a deer crossing someone's front lawn, watched some people fishing, took some pictures of the canal and, of course, ate our lunch.

As I said, I haven't driven the road that goes from St. Peters and onto Marble Mountain and Orangedale in quite a few years, so I couldn't remember what to expect as we turned onto that road and headed in the direction that I hoped would eventually take us to the Trans Canada Highway on the other side. 

We only had to drive for a few minutes before reaching an interesting roadside attraction.  I'm not sure what the meaning is behind it but it looked like it was worth stopping for.  There was no one around to ask what the purpose of all the license plates hanging in the trees was but as we stared and listened to them eerily rustling in the breeze, we came up with your own theories.  

The mysterious roadside attraction we came across on the highway through Dundee

 

I would like to know the real story behind them if anyone knows!  There are hundreds of them from all over Canada and the United States and a number of novelty plates as well.  Where would someone acquire all of these?

The road was longer than I remembered.  It was also likely one of the worse roads I had ever driven on in Cape Breton for potholes.  It was so bad, I thought I would get a flat tire.  As I veered to hit one hole, I'd hit another bigger one and that went on for quite a stretch until we reached Marble Mountain. 

I had always heard of Marble Mountain and its beautiful beach for years before I finally drove there a few years ago to check it out for myself.  I fell in love with the clear, warm waters of the little beach at the bottom of a steep hill. 

On this day, I was looking forward to entering those beautiful waters again.  Unfortunately, it was not meant to be.  Upon arrival, a light drizzle started, the fog rolled in and the temperature dropped.  We tried to drive down to the beach to get some pictures and stretch our legs, but there was no one around and there were signs saying the facilities were closed due to Covid-19.

Marble Mountain Lookoff

We drove back up to the main road and stopped at the look-off that overlooks the beach, took some pictures and had a rest there before driving off again towards Orangedale. 

I'm not sure what it is about Orangedale that captivates me.  Maybe it's the peace and quiet that envelopes the little village, the sparkling, clear waters by the docks or the desolate back roads that give it that peaceful, remote feel like you are in the middle of nowhere.  Or perhaps it's the sound of the Orangedale Whistle shatters that peace and quiet with a nostalgic shrill that pierces the stillness and reminds me that this was once a bustling community with an active railway passing through.

Upon arrival in the village, we drove to the little pier and sat for a while enjoying the fresh air and stillness that I've come to expect whenever I pass through.  

The pretty village of Orangedale

Unfortunately, during my visit to Orangedale this time, the sound of the infamous Orangedale Whistle was not to be heard. I don't know if it just wasn't working on that day or if it has been permanently silenced but like the song by the Rankin Family says, "The Orangedale Whistle Will Always Blow", it would be disappointing to find out that it has been silenced forever. 

After we stopped by the old trains near the museum to get some pictures, we headed towards the Trans Canada Highway where we had to make a decision on which way to go next.  When my content-to-just-get-out-of-the-house-road-trip-companion said she didn't care as long as she could get some sunset pictures, I didn't have to think twice before deciding where we would go next.  

Orangedale Museum

At the turn off to the highway, I turned left and only minutes later, I turned left again. I just had to get to Inverness Beach one last time.  It was starting to clear up, the air was warming up and the clear skies were an indication that there would be a spectacular sunset on the beautiful west coast of Cape Breton Island. 

Upon arrival at the beach, I was pleased to see that there were people in the water so I wouldn't be swimming alone. I changed into my swimsuit as quickly as possible and made my way to the beach.  I didn't have to enter slowly because the water was still very warm.  It didn't take any effort to get ducked. 

The conditions were exceptionally good for an evening that late in September.  There was a gentle ripple on the water which must have been at least 18 or 19 degrees.  The sun was quickly lowering into the horizon and the sky was starting to change from blue to a mix of orange, red and purple.  It doesn't get any better than this.  

Sunset at Inverness Beach

 I must have been in the water for at least an hour.  The sun was gone when I finally and reluctantly came ashore.  It took three tries to get out of the water.  Three times I walked to the edge of the water only to turn around and head back in. 

I know that any dip in the ocean I manage to get this late in the season is likely my last until next summer.  I need that closure before I walk away for good and it takes a few tries to accept that this is goodbye for a while.

It was almost dark when I finally came out of the water.  Surprisingly the air was still warm so I didn't get a chill like I expected to.  I still had to change out of my wet bathing suit as there was no chance it would dry without the sun and I didn't want to embark on the two-hour journey home on a wet car seat. 

Without sunlight, it was a bit of a challenge changing in the outdoor changing stall but I managed and soon, Inverness Beach was disappearing in my rear-view mirror.  I had a sinking feeling that this would definitely be the last time seeing it until next summer. 

The drive home was uneventful but I did take my time, not just because there were deer and other wild animals on the move, but because I knew this would likely be my last summer road trip of the season and I wanted to savour every bit of it. 

Driving through Margaree is just as lovely at night as it is in the day.  On a busy night, you might pass five cars all the way to The Red Barn.  While the lush valleys and towering hills lose their color after the sun goes down, their ghostly silhouettes can still be seen against the night sky.   

We stopped at the look-off on Kelly's Mountain that overlooks the Seal Island Bridge to try and get some interesting pictures of the bridge at night.  I never expected this to be a scary experience but let me tell you, when you are standing at that look-off while 18-wheelers are barrelling around that sharp turn, it looks like they're going to drive right into you. 

Imagine standing close to the Trans-Canada Highway as these huge trucks pick up speed going down that hill at 100 km's an hour.  My heart raced every time one came in our direction only to follow the curve of the road only metres away from where we stood! 

When the traffic cleared for a bit, I stood there on top of the world and took in the light, cool breeze before getting back in the car and making that last leg of the journey home.  2020 might have been an epic year - and not in a good way - but the summer of 2020 didn't turn out so bad after all.  

 

Finding the Fabled Marble Mountain of Cape Breton Island

The summer of 2016 is going down in history as the summer of seeing new places around my beautiful island home of Cape Breton. And one of the places I discovered was a previously-unknown-to-me swimming hole in a little village called Marble Mountain. All along, I thought the only other Marble Mountain was in Western Newfoundland but after hearing that there was such a place in Cape Breton, you know I had to go check it out. I did a little research and saw the pictures of the clear, blue water and a beautiful beach surrounded by cliffs and mountainous terrain. I had no idea where such a place could exist in Cape Breton but I wasn't all that surprised to learn it was on the Bras d'Or Lakes and in an area that I've been meaning to explore for years and never really had the chance. That chance came in Mid-August when I made an impromptu decision to head out on a mini road trip in search of the elusive Cape Breton Marble Mountain.

With the help of Google Maps, I soon had a good idea where this Marble Mountain was located but copied down some directions from just in case. I drove for almost 2 hours all the way to Whycocomagh where I found the turn off to Orangedale where Marble Mountain was said to be located. As most of you probably know, google maps doesn't let users know when a detour is in place and you will be sent off onto a rugged, old gravel, pot-holed ridden road into the unknown. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to me...but not right away. I made the turn off and there was the blazing orange sign telling me that a detour was in place. Nowhere on this sign did it say where the detour would take me, how long I would be rerouted for, what the condition of the road was and whether it would lead me back on the right track. And to make matters worse, I had no cell coverage and there was no one around to ask. I wanted to go swimming so badly that day so I decided to go the other way towards Port Hood instead and try to get some beach time in there. Usually Port Hood is good for swimming and I figured if it wasn't, there was always West Mabou and Inverness beaches which were also nearby.

I arrived at Port Hood around noon and took a little drive around the village. I went down a road I've never gone down before and found another section of beach I never knew existed so I checked it out. It was too crowded for my liking but perhaps a nice spot to check out again in the future. The main section of beach where I usually go wasn't to my liking that day either; too rough, too much seaweed and too rocky.

West Mabou Beach was next...and unfortunately for me, not to my liking that day either. I set up on the beach and at least tried to go in the water but it was just too rough and too murky with seaweed and debris. I love swimming in the ocean as long as I can at least semi see the bottom. I like knowing what is around me by seeing it, not by feeling it brushing up against me!

I didn't bother to go to Inverness that day as it was getting late. I decided to chance the road to Marble Mountain as a last ditch attempt to get some swimming in before dark. The detour I had avoided earlier took me onto a gravel road that wasn't in the best of shape. I drove and drove forever, only waking from my semi-consciousness brought on by boredom when I hit a pothole that was so bad I thought I would have to call a tow truck. I figured a flat would be inevitable but thankfully that didn't happen. It seemed like I was driving for hours by the time I reached the main road again. And than it felt like I was driving on that road for hours too. It felt like I was driving for so long that I began to think I took a wrong turn somewhere and soon, I realized that I didn't know where I was.

I drove for so long and it was getting so late that I succumbed to the realization that I wasn't going to find Marble Mountain that day. I was headed in the direction of Eskasoni or St. Peter's so I figured I would eventually come out near one of those places and there would be signs telling me which way to take home. I was hooking up my iPod to the car stereo and settling in for a long drive home when I saw it; a green sign with the words "Marble Mountain" on it! I pulled into a look-off on the side of the road and got out to stretch my legs and have a look below. I could see the beach from this look-off. I knew it was the right beach because it looked exactly like it did in the pictures online. After driving up and down that strip of road looking for an entrance and stopping a woman in front of her house to ask for directions, I finally found the road that lead to the beach area. I paid the three dollars (a small price to pay to finally get to cool off in the clear waters of the Bras d'Or Lakes) parked the car, got changed in one of the changing rooms and walked down to the water. There was a family enjoying an evening dip so I didn't have to swim alone. The water was absolutely beautiful. Warm and crystal clear with no seaweed or jelly fish. It was a little rocky but not too bad. I just floated on my back as they last rays of the sun started to disappear behind the hills. The air might have been cooling off, but that water seemed to be getting warmer and I had some trouble forcing myself to head back to shore. When I did, it was almost dark.

The steep hill I had to come down to get to the beach area was much harder to get up than it was to get down. I got so far and my car started to struggle and than started to slide backwards! In an instant my foot instinctively hit the gas pedal and with some effort, I finally made it to the top. Instead of backtracking the way I came and going through that dreadful detour again, I turned left and kept heading to what I was pretty sure was the St. Peters area. When I reached the sign for Dundee, I knew I was on the right track. I never really gave Dundee a second thought when passing through in the past. It's always just been that place I drive through to get to St. Peter's when I go that way. But on this drive through Dundee, I really noticed the sheer beauty of the area. Stunning. I have no idea how I didn't even notice how beautiful that area is until that night. As I got to the edge of the village area, I noticed something on the side of the road that started to move and it took me a second to realize it was two deer. A doe and a young fawn still with spots on her coat. They slowly passed in front of my car and went into the woods. A few minutes later, I spotted another deer on the side of the road.

In St. Peter's, I got a coffee for the road and headed towards Sydney via Route 4. I only got as far as the turn off to Loch Lomond where a blockade was in place with a sign pointing me in the direction of Loch Lomond, another long, gravel road in the middle of nowhere. It seemed like I was driving forever on that back road. It must have been an hour before I reached the highway again but a significant amount of traveling had been cut off my trip as I came out near Big Pond. They say things happen in three's and that night, I witnessed a 3rd deer-crossing but this time, the deer was erratically running all over the place and I nearly hit it...right in front of my father's house on the South Bar Highway!