Title: Day Two – Things are starting to improve
Date: August 19, 2007 2:03 PM
Category: Bike
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Today was better, but it didn’t seem that way at first. Checking my gear, my GPS was still not right. The entire screen was covered in condensation but at least it turned on, at least after a few rotations on the heater. It wasn’t a huge concern however as I was basically back on the lighthouse route, mostly hugging the coast for another 118km.

Looking out the window showed things were definitely improved. The sky was blue and it was about 19 degrees celsius. This is more like my kind of weather. My summer gloves were still wet, but to be honest I hadn’t really tried to dry them due to the lack of space and the fact that I had a spare pair. The boots were damp, but definitely wearable. I was basically knackered if they weren’t. The big thing of course was that I didn’t need waterproofs. In fact, the weather station tells me there is zero chance of precipitation so I will risk the wrath of the rain gods and forego even carrying them. After yesterday, the goal is to reduce the carrying and increase the fun quotient. I also figured it was a good day to try the camera again, so in the tank bag goes the GPS and PMP, and the camera gets attached to the RAM ball.

After loading the truck, we’re off again but like yesterday, it was an inauspicious start. Having failed to tell me which way to go out of the dwelling, the GPS also failed to tell me I was headed in the wrong direction until I’d gone a few miles. No problem though. Quick u-turn in a parking lot and we’re off again back the way I’d come.

Traveling the correct way, things definitely started looking up. The road was much better than yesterdays and the view far better for the sun being out. The cars seemed a little thinner, but they were definitely there. I also noticed a tendency of some NS drivers on this section to pull out over the center line when something was behind them. Maybe it was lazy cornering, perhaps it was maliciously trying to block my way or I guess they just erred when seeing me loom up in their mirror. Either way, it’s worth giving NS drivers a wide berth if you are going to scream past them, and thankfully there seemed a few more opportunities to do so on route 3 headed south. Then again, that might simply have been dry boots and tires…

The problem of towns was however once again apparent. There are simply too many of them. Every two or three kilometers, someone in the NS planning office thought it would be a good idea to put 500m of 80km stretch, followed immediately by another hamlet. Why? I guess they look pretty and maybe the cod is better in one than another

Oh, and while I’m at it, another gripe with NS drivers. They do love their speed limits obeying them to both the letter of the law and the meter too. There was a blue corolla I was following at one point doing *exactly* 80km/h but upon seeing the 50 sign, immediately braked, nearly locking up in the process and then proceeded at what can only be surmised as exactly 50km/h. I can’t be sure as I’d been behind this same guy for a while, and yes, he was a swerver, and given the road was srtaight I was just pulling out to overtake when he hit the anchors. That lesson they teach you about never following too closely? It’s worth paying attention.

The GPS doesn’t seem happy either. Aside from not telling me where to go earlier, it now has shut itself down, unnanounced. Efforts to restart it are futile and I consider that I might need to go buy a new one. Or at least a map. Then again, Nova Scotia is not that complicated a place to navigate, even if some of the road sides are well hidden.

The pain from my liver was however cluing me in to how bad the surface has suddenly become too. In fact, it seemed to be like this in patches all along the three. Mercifully, the local road crews seemed to have fixed most of the corners with fresh tarmac, but as soon as the bike was upright, the suspension was once again being tested to it’s limit. Thankfully, it was a short day, the shortest in fact, and I was near my destination. A quick jaunt of the 103 was again required as it was the only road around the bay and I arrived at Port Mouton. Now, this place was nice. Very comfortable terraced two bedroom Cottages nestled on the sea shore called the Quarterdeck beachside villa.

The sea here was nice and rough but cold too. 50 degrees f, but then the air wasn’t terribly warm either – maybe 20 Celsius, so it was time for lunch at the local cafe. All I can say is Clancy’s Amber is a good beer. After that a nice sit on the beach and a wait for the kids to show up.

all in all, closer still, with another 118km done for a 2-day total of 288km. Not terribly impressive, but that’s just the way it it worked out. Tomorrow promised to be a little

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