A Summer Hiking Adventure - Gabarus, Sterling and Framboise

Everyone in my family has a part of Cape Breton Island they love most.  My mother loved Cheticamp, my sisters and I love Ingonish and the Highlands and my father loves The Framboise area on the south coast.   While I still love Ingonish and the Highlands, over the last few years, my preferences have changed slightly.  Recently, the Highlands area has seen a huge surge in tourism and while I think this is fantastic for the island as a whole, I prefer more low-key places where there are less crowds.  Gradually, my summer drives and camping trips shifted to the other side of the island in Cheticamp, Margaree and Inverness and most recently, those day trips and overnights shifted to the even more remote areas of the south coast.

When I was a child, my family had a cabin in the Sterling area around Framboise so I became familiar with the area at quite a young age.  However, as a teenager, the bustling tourist village of Ingonish was more appealing as there were lots of young people and beach parties and bonfires.  Now, I prefer the seclusion of long, lonely beaches and remote wood roads through the forest.

Summer is not my favourite time of year for hiking.  I prefer the late spring and early fall when the temperatures are a bit cooler and the black flies and mosquitoes are not as bad.  However, a few weeks ago, I decided to embark on a hiking adventure in the Framboise area because our summer here in Cape Breton was off to a slow start. 

I started the day near the little fishing village of Gabarus.  I wanted to check out the old Oceanview Road which I was told once went all the way through over to Louisbourg.  I drove for a few kilometers and reached the point where the road was too rough to keep going.  I parked the car and contemplated which direction to go on foot. There were two old roads, one going to the right, the other to the left.  I took the one to the right, hiked for about 15 minutes before it got too muddy and turned back.  Upon closer inspection, the other road looked quite muddy so I didn't bother hiking it.  I should have known there would be mud since there had been so much rain the day before. So that ended the first segment of my adventure.

Next, I drove to the Sterling area.  My family's old cabin is no longer there but the land is and every time I pass it, I can still picture that old white bungalow with the big rose bush in front.  Something I remember vividly is asking dad to pull the shutters back so we could watch the bats awake from their slumber and fly away into the trees.  For some strange reason, the other thing I remember is a pillow shaped like a guitar that had been left there by the previous owner, a schoolteacher who also left behind some other interesting items. I slowed down in the area where I was sure an old pioneer graveyard used to be located.  My dad took me there a few years ago and while it was fairly easy to find back than, it proved a lot more difficult this time around.  Some trees had been cut in the area for pulp and the path that used to lead to the graveyard must have grown in because it was no longer a visible impression through the forest.  I drove back and forth looking for any indication of an old road and finally, I found it when I looked closely at a spot that looked more beaten down than the areas around it.  I was right; it led right to the old graveyard. When I wander these old graveyards and look around at the old headstones of the area's pioneering people , I think about what it must have been like to live in the area in those times.  These people once thrived here, had homes and farms and families.  I imagine it was much different from the ghost town it is today.  After wandering around and looking at some of the very old headstones for a while, I next headed to the old Sterling Mine site.

When I was a child, I was told that the old Sterling Mine site is haunted and even today, that place still gives me the creeps.  The older folks used to say that you could hear the workings of the mine long after the mine had closed.  Any time I've gone there, there was no one else around although there are plenty of signs of people being around.  Illegally dumped garbage, gravity sprayed all over the old foundations and crumbling buildings are evidence of human activity at the site however, I suspect this activity takes place in the dead of night and I would never dare go near this place after dark. On this day, the only recent sign of life was some footprints.  Deer, lynx and coyote footprints to be exact.

I walked over to the edge of what I nicknamed the "Cape Breton Desert" because of the wide open space devoid of trees (except for a few creepy dead ones) and crumbly terrain that resembled sand. It's not really a desert.  I'm not exactly sure how this landscape came to be but, due to the fact that the Sterling Mine site is the only place that has such a landscape on the island, my guess is it's directly caused by the mining activities that took place there.  I'm guessing the lack of trees was perhaps caused by chemicals used in the mining process and the sand-like ground is actually a spongy hard mud likely created by years of mine workings that destroyed the natural earth.  I've been to a real desert before and walking across this man-made desert is much like the real thing.  It's dead quiet, loose debris slowly tumbles across the landscape and a constant wind coming from the forest at the edges turns into a howling breeze that sends goosebumps down my spine and up my arms.  The only thing missing is cactus and and scorching heat.
It was quite eerie walking across that landscape, especially when it seemed like I was the only person who had walked across it in, well, forever.  There were no other footprints except for the lone trail of a coyote who must have scattered across earlier that morning.  I followed his trail to the little brook on the right edge of the desert landscape, hoping he wasn't waiting for me there.  I'm sure he wasn't far off, curious creatures that they are.  He was probably watching me through the trees the whole time, perhaps contemplating pouncing on the small hiker trespassing on his territory or perhaps simply interested in learning what on earth brought me there.  What brought me there was a childhood memory of crossing this exact vast wasteland decades earlier with my parents.  I thought it was spooky even then.  There were rumors floating around that gold could be found around the old mine.  My parents, ever the adventurous souls looking for a new adventure to embark on, bought some gold pans and we set out to strike it rich.  We found some.  Not enough to get rich off of though.  Just some fine flakes to stir enough excitement in us kids to make us naively think we might just strike it rich.
As I continued to walk across that desolate landscape toward the distant treeline, a light mist began to fall and the fog started rolling in and this made that creepy landscape even creepier. When I reached the treeline, I didn't dare go into the dark forest.  I had a strange feeling that something was watching me from the darkness within.  The mist turned into a light rain and eventually, I made my way back across the desert to the car.

When I returned to the car, the rain had stopped so I walked around the remains of the old mine site.  Some crumpling buildings covered in graffiti were scattered about but it's the little pond to the right of the buildings that sends shivers down my spine.  It is said, the pond, which is man-made and used to be part of the mine workings, is bottomless.  Well, I'm sure that is slightly exaggerated but it is quite deep.  The thing that really freaks me out about it is it doesn't get deep gradually; it falls off right at the edge.  So if you can't swim and end up slipping into this pond, you may never be found.

My next stop was new to me.  Yes, believe it or not, despite all the time I've spent exploring Cape Breton Island, in particular this region of the island, there are still places that are yet to be explored.  I drove toward Grand River and turned at the road I noticed many times but never bothered to drive down.   I was curious to know where MacDonald Road led and decided to make this my last adventure of the day.

I love driving on old wood roads that lead into the unknown.  I love not knowing what is behind every turn and this road is long, remote and has many turns.  I only worried a little when the road kept going longer than I thought it would but the worry quickly turned to curiosity, as it usually does, because now I had to know what was at the end.  Eventually, the road got narrower and rougher and I reached a point where I could not go any further.  I was next to a large field with an old cabin.  I exited the car and proceeded on foot along what remained of the old road.

I heard there was a very old bridge somewhere on this old road and when I realized I was walking alongside water, I figured I would be crossing it at some point.  I came upon a path that led to the water so, naturally, I followed it.  I reached the water's edge and had to turn right back around as the flies were too bad.  I continued for only another few minutes on the old road before reaching the water again.  This time, I found the old bridge.  Or, more accurately, what remained of the old bridge. I looked for a way to cross but there was none unless I walked through the unknown depths of the raging water that separated me and the other side.  I reached the end of the road.  Intent on not wasting my journey through the fly infested wilderness, I took a seat on some rocks near the water where there was a nice breeze and cracked open a cold beer...my usual ritual after a long day of hiking.  

You can Enjoy Las Vegas if you don't like Gambling

Las Vegas, Nevada for non-gamblers

I'm not one for gambling loud music and flashy clubs

When my sister suggested we take a trip together somewhere warm, I was thinking more of Barbados or Saint Lucia.  I can't remember how the idea of heading to Las Vegas came about, but I was skeptical.  

I don't gamble.  I don't party hard.  I don't drink much.  I don't particularly like dressing up in glamorous outfits and hitting the town.  I don't like dining in fancy restaurants.  And I I'm not one for extravagant shows. Nevertheless, we went ahead and booked a 7-night vacation at The Luxor right on the Las Vegas Strip.

The Luxur, Las Vegas

 

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at McCarran Airport was the sound of VLT machines.  I thought to myself "really, they wouldn't have gaming machines in the airport would they?" but that they did and that was very bizarre to me. 

My first taste of the strip was in the taxi that took us to our hotel and it was nothing like I expected.  I always thought of Vegas as this small city in the middle of the desert consisting of just one road, The Strip, which was one lane only and when you came to the end of it, you were back among the tumbleweed.  

I had no idea it was about eight lanes across and was just over four miles long.  The other thing that hit me was the heat.  Boy, was it ever hot.

Las Vegas Boulevard AKA The Las Vegas Strip

 

To this day, if I close my eyes and put myself back there, I can still hear the sound of hundreds of VLT machines running all at once.  It's a sound that must have become engraved in my head because for the better part of a week, all I heard when I left my hotel room was that sound. 

That being said, I quickly realized that there was more to this city that just a street full of casinos and hotels.  Each one of those Casinos and hotels are different in their own way and offer unique attractions that keep non-gamblers preoccupied.  And The Strip is full of surprises at all hours of the day and night and every nook and crannie is filled with some sort of entertainment.

Even the hotel we were staying at had a number attractions and features. And can you guess what was one of the first things I did upon arrival at The Luxor?  I took a ride on the diagonal elevators, of course! 

Naturally, there is a casino at The Luxor, but we also had the option to enjoy shows and attractions such as Carrot Top, Criss Angel, Bodies...the Exhibition and
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition which are all still featured at the hotel to this day.  

It wasn't until I walked the length of The Strip for the first time that I realized there's so much more to do besides gambling and eating.  

Speaking of eating, that first morning we were craving a delicious but cheap breakfast to get the day started.  We found a Denny's within walking distance of our hotel. Many people think Las Vegas is all glitz and glam and you have to fork over a small fortune in order to eat while visiting the city.  This isn't true.  

Within walking distance of our hotel there were several food courts with familiar and affordable eateries such as MacDonalds and Subway.  I've heard that you can get deals on casino restaurants if you gamble enough but I didn't gamble enough to see if this is actually true.    

That morning, I wore what I thought were comfortable, durable walking sandals.  It was very hot that day and by the time we walked the four miles to the end of The Strip, I had to buy a new pair of shoes.  Thankfully, there was a store with affordable, decent shoes on the way back.  So if you plan to visit, keep this in mind; you will be doing a lot of walking so bring good shoes! 

Walking that stretch that morning was quite interesting. I think Las Vegas must be one of the only places around where you can spot people dressed in evening wear and full make-up cruising around in exotic sports cars at 9AM.  

It took almost all day to make it back to the hotel because we stopped so much!  The Fountains at the Bellagio was one of my favourite attractions along The Strip.  I could sit there all day just watching those choreographed streams of water dance to the music. 

Oh and that fabulous pirate show that stopped everyone in their tracks in front of Treasure Island (I was sad to hear that this show no longer runs as of 2013), the volcano eruption that occurs in front of the Mirage, the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay and Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. 

Visitors are free to enter the casinos and hotels along The Strip and many of them have shops, exhibits and various other attractions intended to draw people in to the gambling tables but are equally effective in entertaining non-gambling visitors.  

The Fountains at The Bellagio

 

One thing I didn't want to do while in Las Vegas was shopping.  I know I'm a minority on that front but, for me, shopping (even if it's among the infamous outlet malls of Las Vegas) is something I feel is a waste of time while traveling. 

I did hear that those outlet stores are great and I noticed there are quite a few gift shops along The Strip and luxury shops are in almost every hotel.  Whether you are looking for bargains or to go all out and drop lots of $$$ on that once-in-lifetime-purchase, I am confident you will find everything you are looking for.

I'm not really into extravagant shows either and some of the more extravagant ones were well beyond my budget! That being said, I wanted to do something while I was there so I looked around for an entertaining show we could enjoy one evening over a few drinks.  

We found one that suited both our budgets are tastes; a stand-up comedy show performed by Vinnie Favorito with help from audience members with hilarious results. 

Many people assume that extravagant concerts are the only shows available but nothing could be further from the truth!  There are circus shows (I would have loved to have taken in a Cirque de Soleil show but didn't have time!), magic shows, dancing shows, burlesque shows, nostalgic shows and dinner theatres.

Gambling was at a minimum (yes I know, I'm not your typical Las Vegas tourist) but I did spend a couple of hours one evening playing the slot machines. I set a budget of 100 dollars, ended up spending 200 to win 300 only to lose it all on a max bet.  At least I can say I tried gambling in Vegas.

One of the stipulations of me agreeing to go to Las Vegas was that The Grand Canyon and some random driving in the desert be part of the deal.  And I mean why not; if you are going to be in the area where one of the world's top attractions is only a short drive away, why wouldn't you go see that attraction! 

I pre-booked a day-tour with a local company called Pink Jeep Tours and I highly recommend booking with this company!  

Our tour included pick up at our hotel, water, snacks, a lunch at a diner serving traditional Southwestern cuisine, a stop at the Hoover Dam, a stop at a remote look-off in the Grand Canyon, a helicopter ride down into the canyon and a pontoon boat ride down the Colorado River.

The day after that fabulous Grand Canyon adventure, we rented a car and drove off into the desert. 
When people asked me what we were doing driving around in the dessert for several days, I was astounded that most people didn't even know about the world-class attractions that were within a few hours' drive of Las Vegas.

I didn't find it too difficult driving around the city (except for getting hopelessly lost trying to find our way out of the city) and once I found a road that looked like it went off into the great unknown, I just kept driving and it was smooth sailing from there.  For a little while anyway.  

We had a GPS but it let us down almost immediately so I turned it off. We had no immediate plans that day and I had no idea what direction I was going or where I would end up and I didn't care.  A few wrong turns took us down some remote dead-end desert roads with stunning scenery.  This is why it's not always a bad idea to just get lost while exploring a new place.

We eventually ended up in an area of the desert knows for a high amount of UFO sightings. A big sign announcing we were about to turn onto the "Extraterrestrial Highway" was enough for me to know I was headed somewhere interesting.  

I remember reading that the infamous Area 51 base is located somewhere along this highway and a truck stop/gas station with a sign

on the front stating that it was the last stop before Area 51 confirmed that I was in the right area.  This store sold maps to the location of the fabled base but I knew better; this was just a touristy marketing ploy.  They most likely wouldn't release exact directions to what is considered a top secret military facility that the government denied even existed for years.

Early that evening, we turned back towards Las Vegas so we wouldn't be driving in the middle of the dessert at night.  I didn't have much faith in the GPS but I set it to take us directly to the hotel without having to go down The Strip on a Friday night.  

After getting lost several times (expected), we arrived back in the city right where I didn't want to end up; At the other end of The Strip in bumper to bumper traffic with our hotel at the opposite end.

The Strip on a Friday Night

The Valley of Fire State Park was one of the planned destinations for the next day.  Driving around aimlessly and exploring more of the dessert was also on the agenda.  It was a little chilly that day and despite it being the weekend, there was no one else around when we arrived at the park.  

We paid the fee and drove along the two-lane road into scenery like no other we had seen in the area.  The dark grey ashphalt with a prominent yellow line contrasted starkly with the deep red hue of the terrain.  I think we only passed one other car the entire time we were in the park.  

Driving through the Valley of Fire State Park

The Valley of Fire State Park was deserted the day we drove through.

I remember reading about Death Valley in an encyclopedia I found in my father's book collection. The mystery of the moving rocks at Racetrack Playa (which has since been solved) and the fact that the valley was the site of the highest temperature ever recorded on the planet intrigued me. 

On the last day we had the car rental, we drove the four hours to Death Valley.  It was a bit cool in Las Vegas that morning so we dressed in layers and left the top on our convertible up as we set off into the desert one last time.  

We only stopped once outside of Las Vegas to pick up snacks and coffees for the road and didn't stop again until we reached the entrance to Death Valley National Park.  I assumed it would be around the same temperature as it was in Las Vegas so I wasn't prepared for the wave of heat that nearly knocked me down when I opened the car door.  I don't think I ever experienced temperatures like that before.  It was literally like walking into an oven.

We got out and looked around at some of the tourist stops and look-offs but hiking or walking too far off the beaten track would have been dangerous in that heat.  Coming from Atlantic Canada, that's just something I am not accustomed to!  We drove for quite a while into the park and when it started getting late, we turned around and headed back towards the city.  

I wanted to be out of the dark desert by nightfall but, as per usual when I am driving in a new place, I got lost and again ended up where I didn't want to. A couple of dead end roads, unfamiliar sites we didn't remember passing on the way there and a few circles around the same place and we were back in Sin City just in time to be once again thrown into the evening traffic jam at the opposite end of The Strip. 

Our last day was spent walking up and down Las Vegas Boulevard just taking in the excitement.  Of course, no trip to Las Vegas is complete without getting your picture taken in front of the famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign. 

I thought you just walk up to the sign and take a picture and it's no big deal.  I didn't realize it was such a big thing until we arrived at the sign and there was a lineup of people waiting.  Another surprise?  Apparently some people make a living just taking pictures of people posing under this iconic sign. 

Roadtripping in the Mojave Desert

Disappointment struck when we stepped outside to meet our rental car shuttle. We had reserved a convertible and it was freezing out! We were looking forward to driving through the desert with the top down, carefree, destination unknown! We had planned to make our way to Death Valley National Park so once we were in the car, we set the GPS and set out towards what we thought was the right direction. 

We got on the I-15and turned when the GPS told us to. We ended up on a very long and lonely stretch of highway. The area was beautiful and we had the road to ourselves but something told me that we were going the wrong way. We kept driving until we arrived in a small town. We stopped at a little diner to get some lunch before continuing for a few more hours through the desert. The GPS continued to bark directions and whenever it said to turn, we turned. We started to loose faith in our GPS when it took us to an extremely desolate gravel road in the middle of nowhere!  

By this time, we knew we were lost but we didn’t care anymore. The landscape was breathtaking and we were getting to see a lot. Death Valley would wait until the next day. We just enjoyed the quiet isolation. We drove on that dirt road for a long time before stopping for a break to take pictures and stretch our legs. 

As I stood in the middle of the Mojave Desert with not a sound or soul around except the dust and wind, an eerie thought entered my mind; If we were to break down out there, there would be no way to get help and if it’s this isolated during the day, I could only imagine how scary the desert would be at night. We were not prepared to spend the night out there so we turned around and headed back the way we came. 

Once we were back in Las Vegas, we set the GPS to bring us to our hotel. I was hoping for a route that would avoid taking us down The Strip but that’s where we ended up, in bumper to bumper rush hour traffic on a Friday Night in Las Vegas! My head was pounding and my nerves were frayed by the time I handed the car keys over the hotel valet. 

It was still early enough to stay up so after some quick showers and a change of clothes, we headed back onto The Strip, this time on foot. We spent the night doing a bit of gambling, people watching and taking pictures. By midnight, we were in bed, resting up for the next day’s adventure to The Valley of Fire State Park and Death Valley National Park!