Last-minute Fall Road Trip...complete with shopping, beaches and ice cream!

Well, I was thinking about traveling to Iceland this October but instead, I procrastinated and didn't jump on those seat sales I was seeing.  By the time I decided that I would definitely like to go, flights were priced way too high out of my budget. Oh well.  I took vacation time anyway.  Really, I can't think of a better place to spend early fall than on Cape Breton Island!  Iceland or some other Exotic destination can wait until spring.

One day early into my two-week vacation, I took a last-minute road trip to visit a friend at her camper trailer in Jersey Cove.  I decided to take this trip while I was browsing local shops for a Halloween costume.  Now that my nephew is three years old, I figure it's time I start dressing up so he isn't the only one looking like a fool!  A combination of the pumpkin spice latte I was sipping on and the colourful leaves rustling in the cool breeze had me feeling very fall-ish and there are few things in life I love more than a long drive on a sunny, fall day. 

I arrived after a relatively peaceful morning drive.  We took a little walk around the grounds and down to the water.  The sound of leaves rustling in the trees and the water gently rolling over the rocks on the beach was so peaceful.  

In late summer, I heard we wouldn't have very nice fall colours this year due to the drought we had experienced but I thought they looked just as pretty as any other year.  They weren't as bright and there seemed to be fewer leaves than usual but still so pretty nonetheless. 

It was too cold to go swimming and I wasn't really in the mood for a hike that day so I thought it would be a perfect day to go for a scenic drive to Ingonish while stopping at all the gift shops along the way.  This time of year, there are discounts on items that need to be gotten rid of before the end of the season.  And yes, we did indeed find some good deals!

Our first stop was Cabotto Chocolates.  Being the chocolate lover that I am and the number of times I've driven by this place, I never stopped there until this day.  I think it's because I'm always focused on just passing through and getting to Ingonish to hit the beach as early as possible. Or maybe it's because I know I have no self-control when it comes to chocolate!

 

I was surprised at how many different chocolate items there were in this place!  They had a variety of flavors, shapes, sizes..and yes, what I tried, was delicious!  There were also sea glass candy, souvenirs and local books.  I bought a little treat for myself and made a mental note to come back before Christmas for some last-minute gifts some chocolate lovers I know. 

Next, we stopped at the O.C. Emporium.  This is another place I always just drove by and despite my curiosity, I never had time to stop and check it out.  Again, I was surprised at how much stuff was in there!  There were local crafts, homemade soaps, essential oils, herbs, books, jewellery, gluten-free food and almost everything else under the sun!  

Next was the Wreck Cove General Store.  I always love stopping here because it brings back memories from years and years ago when my family always stopped here for treats on the way to Ingonish or on trips about the Cabot Trail.  It still looks pretty much the same as it did then and that's why I like it so much!  I found some great deals on some gifts here.  They had discounted ice cream which of course, I had to sample!  

We kept driving over Cape Smokey and onto Ingonish where we spent the rest of the day enjoying the scenery and stopping at beaches to stretch our legs.  Just before dark, we headed back over the mountain.  

 

 

 

 

A Day Trip to Jersey Cove with some Detours to Ingonish, Wreck Cove and Tarbotvale

It's well into October and the weather is still beautiful here in Cape Breton! I certainly picked a good week to use up some of that vacation time I have left and I've been using that time wisely.  Swimming in the ocean, enjoying sunsets and moon rises and embarking on mini road trips whenever I can.  I went on one such fall road trip the other day. 

Jersey Cove is only about an hour away from home which means I get a nice drive to the country without spending a lot of time to get there.  However, when I arrived, my friend who has her trailer set up there for the summer had other things in mind when I stopped in for a visit. "Get in my car.  We are going for a drive to Ingonish". As I'm sure you know by now if you've been reading this blog for a while, I'm not one to turn down a drive anywhere let alone one to one of my favourite places in the whole world!

We did eventually make it to Ingonish but not before making a few stops along the way.  Some coffee and delicious crepes at the Dancing Moose Cafe and a visit to a new-to-me remote beach  in Wreck Cove.  I love exploring places I've never been to and it amazes me how many places I have yet to explore on this little island!

In Ingonish, we hit all the usual stops; Ingonish Beach, The Point, Broad Cove Campground (I was interested in seeing how many tenters were still around in case I wanted to embark on one last solo camping mission before winter) and a drive around the grounds of the Keltic Lodge.  

On the way home, we made a last-minute detour before arriving back at the trailer.  Instead of going straight to the campground, we turned right towards St. Anne's and then made another right onto the gravel road to Tarbotvale.  Years ago, as I was exploring the back roads of Cape Breton, I drove up an old wood road and found some amazing scenery but was never able to find the road again.  After searching all summer for that road, I had a feeling it might be this one so we took a chance and drove up it.  I immediately recognized the views and knew that this was the road I had taken years ago.  A sense of nostalgia came over me but also relief as I had often wondered over the years if I dreamed about finding that place or if I simply couldn't remember where it was. 

It was almost dark when I headed home across the channel on the little car ferry, over Kelly's mountain, across the Seal Island Bridge and along that long stretch of highway that led me home again. 

  

The May Long Weekend means Summer is Here....Even if it is Unofficial!

I'm not used to having vacation time from work.  For the first time in my life, I have a job that comes with such a luxury and despite feeling a tad guilty for requesting a day off even though I wasn't sick, I went ahead and took one of those days that my managing team has assured me are there for me to use and not waste!  I'm just not used to not being at the office when I'm feeling completely fine.  I took that day which made my long weekend extra long this year; 5 glorious days just relaxing, doing things I enjoy and spending time with the people I just don't get to spend enough time with as of late. 

Thursday wasn't all that exciting. My car broke down earlier in the week so it spend that whole day in the shop.  I spent the day catching up on housecleaning bill-paying. Friday morning I got some troubling news; the part I needed for the car repairs still hadn't come in.  All good.  I ended up going with Dad to Framboise for the day and was reassured by my mechanic that it would be fixed time I got back that evening! 

Framboise with Dad is a long-weekend tradition since I moved back home. The weather can be hit or miss on that side of the island.  It was mostly nice but very windy and cool that day...good for keeping the flies away while fishing...bad for casting in little roadside brooks.  After getting massively tangled in branches and rocks, I did manage to reel in a few decent-sized trout. 

After a day of fishing, hiking and exploring, we rested on Ferguson Beach by the river that meets the sea.  Sometimes at low tide, we can cross there but on this day, the tide was fairly high and the river had the passage completely blocked.  Being too cold to remove our shoes and wade across, we sat on some driftwood on the sandy banks where we were sheltered from the wind and cracked open a beer each. I don't normally drink, but I do like a beer on the beach from time to time!  As per normal on these trips, we drove up to St. Peter's, got a coffee and drove back...except this time, we went the other way through L'Ardoise and Point Michaud rather than taking the way we came. 

I had planned to get my bike out of storage and go for a ride followed by an afternoon spent cleaning my car and sorting my camping gear.  That evening when I got back from Framboise, I checked the weather and saw that it would be too windy for a bike ride. I also decided that I didn't feel like cleaning my car.  That could wait.  My friend who sets up her travel trailer in Englishtown every May long weekend invited me to take a drive there and pay her a visit. I only live once right?  Why spend the first unofficial weekend of summer cleaning?  

So Saturday morning, I went for morning coffee with Dad, paid a quick visit to my sister and her family, got some snacks ready and hit the road.  It's not that far to Englishtown, about an hour and a half.  But it's the just getting out of town and heading out into the country that made it sound so appealing.  I don't do enough mini road trips anymore and the driving conditions were perfect!  Sunny and warm enough to cruise with the sunroof and windows open and the music up loud! 

I arrived at my friend's trailer late in the afternoon but it was still warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the natural surroundings and take in that fresh ocean air.  After some catching up, we took a drive to a nearby hiking trail and set out to check it out.  We had been saying for years we would check out this trail but never did.  It was too long to do the whole thing but we hiked about 4 kilometers in until we reached a scenic outlook and turned back.  It was nice to get out in nature and hear birds and sit by a babbling brook.  I almost fell asleep listening to the sound of that brook as I sat beside it just taking it all in.  

Instead of going straight home that evening, I made a little detour to Dominion Beach. I didn't intend to walk that night but I ended up walking the entire beach and back.  Maybe it was out of habit as I walk it so much or maybe it was just because it was such a nice evening. I also think I was secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of some baby foxes I suspected were born further up the beach earlier in the spring.  They usually come out around this time but, despite keeping an eye for them, I saw no foxes at all.

I was about ten feet away from my car when I spotted something small run at top speed under the boardwalk.  I walked over to the spot where I saw whatever it was a second earlier and a little head popped out then a little fox kit appeared at my feet!  What a surprise! But where was his mom? And his siblings?  Surely there couldn't be just one kit alone so close to the road.  Sure enough, mom appeared and sat about 30 feet away as her kit checked me out.  She wasn't at all threatened by my presence or at her little one inching so close to me.  No other kits appeared so I suspect he may be an only child.  It was a nice experience to have a wild animal take such an interest in me but I'm concerned about Mom keeping her young one so close to people and cars. 

By Sunday morning, my job feels like a distant memory.  I'm just not used to having this much time off! Instead of getting up and getting ready for work, I got up and got ready for another day of hiking!  Of course, I went for coffee with Dad first. After all, this has been a morning tradition since I moved back to Cape Breton! Before I met my friends at the trailhead in the Gardiner, I stopped off at the beach to check on the little fox kit.  He was still there playing with a stick all by himself with mom watching a little ways away. 

I hike the road where the wind turbines are in the Gardiner all the time but always wondered where the trail on the other side of the highway went.  So I recruited a couple of friends to come check it out. We started out, us and an adorable little beagle pup, and walked into the unknown.  It was a warm day but very windy.  Not that I should complain about the wind because it kept the flies away! For a trail in the middle of a residential area, it certainly didn't seem that way! It was quiet with lots of trees, some streams and hardly any other people...just the I like my hikes. It was nice to be able to get out in nature without having to drive a few hours to get there!

Monday felt like Sunday but it was Monday and that meant come Tuesday, I'll only have a 4-day work week! I was tired but refreshed and ready to go back but I had every intention of making good use of my last day.  After morning coffee and a drive, I cleaned my car and got my bike out for the first time this year.  I didn't go for a long ride but one long enough to get my legs used to riding again.  It was nice to have that cool ocean air hitting my face again as I sped down the highway. I have to say, I made good use of my time off and got a lot done....both things I had to get done and things I wanted to do for a long time but didn't have the chance.  The next long one will be Canada Day which hopefully will bring some warmer temperatures and conditions ideal for more outdoor adventures!

A Fantastic Summer...has Turned into a Fantastic Fall

Summer was awesome. Kicked it off with a relaxing (and cold) camping trip to Englishtown Ridge followed by an endless string of events that saw me fully in my element; at the beach, in the sun, outdoors! The Grand Re-opening of the Keltic Lodge, Canada Day at the Fortress, a family reunion in Cheticamp, several trips to Baddeck and Framboise, camping for a total of 9 nights at Broad Cove, hiking the Mabou Highlands (and a number of other trails!), swimming at Inverness Beach and Chimney Corner and a 3-day birthday celebration in Cheticamp on the Labour Day Weekend. On September 16th, I saw summer off with a bang when I jumped on a flight headed to Glasgow, Scotland where Explored the cities and Highlands for nine days. So now you understand why I have not been posting much lately! I've been busy exploring and traveling and gathering ideas for the posts that will be coming in the near future. This is what happens when I work for three summers straight. I go crazy making up for all that lost time spent in the office when I would rather be in the woods, on the beach or jet-setting off to some faraway land.

Fall is off to a great start. Well, except today. We are getting some of the nasty remnants of Hurricane Matthew and it's not pretty. People being evacuated from their homes, cars floating down rivers that were once streets, more than 200 milliliters of rain in some places - and that fell in less than 12 hours. Only 48 hours ago, I was swimming in the ocean at Inverness Beach! Imagine, swimming in the ocean on October 8th one day and being slammed by a tropical storm the next. We've always had crazy, unpredictable weather here in Cape Breton but the last few years, it seems to be getting crazier. So far this fall, I've kayaked in St. Esprit, I've been around the Cabot Trail and I've been doing a lot of beach-combing. Trying to take in as much of that sun and warm air as possible before winter arrives.

Celtic Colours started this week too and I am hoping to take in some of those events. There is a guided Hike of Mica Hill that I would like to do on Wednesday if the weather is good and also a guided walk in Judique I would like to do. Next Saturday is the big final show of the festival that I go to every year so that should be a a blast as it usually is! I also have some air miles I would like to use before they expire on December 31st so I may just jump on a plane once again this fall and head to the Rocky Mountains of Alberta to visit my sisters in Canmore and Banff. So that is where I'm at with the blog. I'm still here. Lots to come. Stay tuned :)

Camping Trip at Englishtown Ridge

Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time knows by now that my favourite camping spot is at a campground called Broad Cove near Ingonish in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Over the years, I have explored many areas of my little island home but rarely spend an overnight at any other campground besides Broad Cove. A handful of times, I stayed at familiar ones like Lake O'Law in Margaree and MacLeod's in Inverness, but I almost always end up on the East side of the highlands. My car even seems to instinctively know which way to go when we reach the turn off to the Englishtown Ferry and sometimes I find myself going down that road quite a piece before I realize I didn't intend to go that way at all! But anyway, back in early July, I made that turn with full intentions on going to Englishtown....and no further. Englishtown is that place I pass through to get on that little car ferry that takes me across the little channel that separates the village from that long stretch of road that leads to my favorite spot North of Smokey Mountain.

I arrived at Englishtown Ridge Campground in the early afternoon after what seemed like a short drive compared to what I am used to when I head out for a weekend of camping. I found the place pretty easily and made my way up a gravel road and proceeded to the check-in building. I was surprised by all the amenities and services that are available at this campground. Just within the check-in area, there's a pool table, scenic cafe-like sitting area, snacks and full washrooms with showers. Outside, there's a swimming pool with a slide and a sauna. I'd never stayed at a campground with a sauna before and made full use of it during my stay!

Selection of a campsite was easy. I fell in love with the first site I laid eyes on. It was at the front of the property overlooking the bay and almost right next to the pool, chalet and bathrooms. Despite being so close to such modern amenities, it still felt like I was roughing it. There were trees all around me so it looked like I was in the middle of nowhere. I like to rough it as much as possible. That's what camping is all about for me; being one with the outdoors and escaping the routine of home.

I set up my tent as quickly as possible because the flies were really bad. Once everything was ready, I set out to explore my surroundings. Although I'd been to Englishtown many times, I never spent time there except to stand outside my car while waiting for the car ferry to take me across the channel. Upon arrival at Englishtown Ridge, I promised myself I would make the most of my time in the village to explore as much of it as possible. I started with a walk around the campground to get an idea of who else was staying there, what they did for fun in the evenings and where everything was located. The campground is fairly large with lots of families who seem to know each other, most likely from previous years of camping in the same area. One of the many things I love about camping is the sound of children laughing and running freely in the great outdoors. It brings back many memories of my own childhood summers camping around Cape Breton Island and the friends I made, the people I met and the adventures I went on during those long summer days that seemed like they would never end.

Since the town of Baddeck is only twenty minutes away, I decided that first evening to take a drive and see what was going on in the little village that evening. But first, I stopped at the interesting-looking fish and chip stand down the road from the campground and ordered myself a decent plate of rather expensive home fries. The fries were pretty good but it was the eye-catching trinkets the owner had displayed around his little business that caught my attention.

I love Baddeck. I think it's the prettiest little town I've ever laid eyes on. Not very much was going on that evening but there was quite the crowd gathered around a stately-looking super-yacht parked at the wharf. I walked past it to get a better look and whoever was inside gave a friendly wave to the crowd through tinted glass. I'm not usually the starstruck type but with a yacht that size, I had to wonder who that shadowy figure was on the other side of that glass. Surely it would have to be someone with a lot of money so it would have to someone well-known right? One can only speculate! I walked down to the little boardwalk and up to the main street where I did a little window shopping and got some ice cream from my new favorite ice cream shop in Cape Breton where you can have two or three scoops of whatever flavors you want. And yes, you can mix and match...in other words, you can have 3 different flavors on the same cone!

I arrived back to the campground just in time to take a walk down the road. Across the street from the campground is a hall with a wrap around deck where I was able to watch a most spectacular sunset over St. Anne's Bay. I continued walking as far as the ferry loading dock and passed by some horses grazing in a field and some men fishing on some docks. A more peaceful and fulfilling lifestyle than that of city dwellers in my opinion. Back home in town, I'm sure nearly everyone was inside watching television while people in the country were embracing these small things...or big things depending on how you look at the world. I'm realizing as I get older that the things I once thought were small were actually the big things. I know this, because many of those "small" moments are memories I go back to often and cherish more than any day spent in the house watching television.

Back at camp, I tried to get a fire started to help keep the flies away and take a bit of the edge off the cold, early summer air. I ended up with more smoke than fire for the first while, ran out of kindling which had to be sought by the dim light of a flashlight and than, finally, got some decent flamage going and was able to sit back and relax with a nice cold beer and some roasted marshmallows. The night sky was clear and the only sound I could hear was the the Englishtown ferry loading and unloading.

By the time I was ready for bed, the night was dead quiet. Even the ferry was silent as traffic died down for the night. I settled into my tent but it was so cold that I had a hard time falling asleep. I must have dozed off at some point but was awoken by some loud sounds shattering the dead silence. Banging. Some voices. Some scurrying sounds in the bushes. An animal of some sort. And lucky me, I had to leave the not-so-comfortable confines of my freezing tent to go to the bathroom and enter the even more uncomfortable and freezing outside. I didn't bother to go all the way up to the flush toilets. It was dark and no one was around so I risked being eaten by whatever animal was lurking around and ventured into the nearby woods. More scurrying sounds in the bushes but this time they were only feet away from me. I quickly returned to the tent and tried, to no avail to get some sleep. I lay there shivering all night long. At one point, I was so cold, I thought I was in the early stages of hypothermia. The next morning, once I de-thawed, I discovered that the noise I had heard was a rambunctious racoon who raided my neighbors food stash and made a big mess around their site.

After a breakfast made over a Coleman Stove (which included some surprisingly good coffee), I made my way across the little bay on the Torquil MacLean and drove along the windy road along the north shore until I spotted an interesting-looking road I'd never been on before. If you know me well enough, you know that I, of course, drove down this road. I do this a lot. I can't help it. I'm naturally curious and I love seeing new places and exploring new corners of my little island. After I satisfied my curiosity, I settled in for lunch at a restaurant I never ate before. Trying out new restaurants and cafes is something I like to do too. All part of that curiosity complex I am afflicted with. The Clucking Hen was quite packed as I expected it would be with the jump in tourism this year. They say its due to something called the Trump Bump brought on by what was supposed to be a joke created by a local radio station enticing Americans to flee to Cape Breton if Donald Trump wins the election. It turned into probably one of the most effective tourism campaigns ever for Cape Breton Island. I don't know the exact numbers as of yet but based on the crowds and line-ups, I'd say it was a record-breaking year. I took the last table closest to a window as I could possible be and ordered a veggie sandwich. And it was delicious. Actually, it was very delicious with lots of fresh veggies and perfectly-meshed toppings. I must have passed this place thousands of times on the way to Ingonish over the last twenty years and never bothered to stop. Now I will.

I noticed something else along that road I'd traveled countless times; a sign indicating a hiking trail called Red Island. Again my curiosity got the better of me and I grabbed my hiking stick and started down the trail to see where it went. In the end, the flies ended up getting the better of me and I turned back. A project for the fall when the air cools and the flies die off.

I took the long way back to Englishtown via St. Anne's with a pit stop at the North River Falls trailhead. I heard there was another shorter trail there and wanted to see if it was true. Turns out, there is another trail so that will be another fall project. My dad and I did the longer 19-kilomtre North River Falls Hike a few years back but I don't think I will attempt that one again for a few years.

The last night wasn't as cold as the first and I slept soundly the whole night and awoke to the sound of birds chirping and trees rustling. I hate tear-down day. Not because of the work involved in putting all the gear away but because it means going back home and back to reality. I always say if we had tropical weather in Cape Breton, I would live in a tent. As it stands now, that tent would be an igloo six months of the year. Cold and snow aren't really my favorite things so I'm forced to rent an apartment. Who knows, maybe the poles will shift someday in my lifetime. I could just move to Costa Rica and live in a treehouse on the beach...but Costa Rica's 365-days-long summers don't even come close to any Cape Breton Summer even though it seems they come and are gone in the blink of an eye.