Title: Day Three – Onward to Annapolis
Date: August 20, 2007 12:31 PM
Category: Bike
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After a good nights rest, the weather is once again good. A steady 20 degrees celcius and there’s few clouds with, again, no chance of rain. In other words, it’s a perfect riding day again.

Today’s destination is the other side of the province, Annapolis Royal, but it’s not as far as it sounds. As the crow flies, it’s about 120KM, but as the Daytona flies, it’s a little bit longer. There’s only two ways you can go: Via Yarmouth and the south shores on the 103/101 highways, or through the middle on route 8. The decision was easy, especially given that the 8 looks a lot more fun on the map, even if it is slightly shorter.

With the weather being good, this is again a camera day. With luck, there should at least be some decent twisty footage to share. As usual, the tank bag is crammed with the electronics (DS, Media Recorder, iPod) and the camelback has water, tools and clothes.

The GPS still seems to be acting up however. After it shutdown, seemingly for good yesterday, I put it on the heater to dry out some more overnight and it does at least today seem better. It’s all but impossible to get lost, except for locating the actual destination which can sometimes be less than fun when you don’t even have the address written down. Lesson learned: Never rely on technology without a back up plan. Periodically, and more than I would like, it does however loose reception. More worryingly, I’m clearly not in New York nor the middle of a forest. In fact, I have almost 180 degree sky views and there’s no clouds. Clearly, it’s not working just right, just yet. I plough on anyway.

After leaving Port Mouton, I head North on route 8, but if I though the lighthouse route had bad road surfaces, I was in for a shock. The 8 is perhaps the worst road I have ever ridden on, at least in parts. There are sections that I don’t think my 450 enduro would be happy with. It’s at least in part the agricultural area, so a lot of roads are covered in farm dirt, but the real problem is the road degradation. I’ve begun to develop any eye for this and at least I avoid the potholes that would have swallowed my front wheel whole. However, the ridges, berms and other warpings in the tarmac are all quickly taking their toll. The forks are bottoming out regularly and I’m pretty sure my fillings are coming loose. This continues for about 30KM before I see a sign that they are commencing a road project, I guess to improve matters. It would be nice if it was finished.

I’ve scheduled a meet up with the family in kejimkujik national park, which is about two-thirds of the way along the 8. About half way along, I’m starting to actually ride standing on the pegs for short sections, enduro style, though this is not recommended with clip on bars. I have no real options though. I guess I could stop, but I opt to press on. My arms are pumping by this time and my saddle is numb when the unexpected happens. It seems the road project has already started. There, in the middle of route 8 is a section of clean, fresh blacktop. Instantly, the bike seems happier and so do I. This section is bliss. I haven’t mentioned yet that it’s very twisty in parts, something completely ruined by the road surfaces. The other thing I have neglected so far to bring to light is the lack of cars. Perhaps due to the road surfaces, or perhaps due to the fact there is no need for traffic to head that way, I’ve overtaken maybe a total of five cars in 60KM, and one of those was my family in my truck.

So it’s now time to open the bike up a bit. This is the first real chance I’ve had to have some real fun and fun it is. It’s a very fast road, even with the twists and the lack of cars mean that you’re rarely if ever following anyone and certainly not for long.

All too soon however, I reach the park. I wait for my family to arrive, but don’t have to wait too long. We head into the park for a nice lunch and stroll, but it’s a warm day so two piece leathers become one piece. I’d change further, but it’s a pain to get dressed again for a short stop. I also got chance to check the video. The footage seemed to end about one minute after I left the parking lot of the hotel. I think the recorder is overheating, so I’ll try it in my jacket tomorrow. For now, I’ll ditch the camera.

Replete with sandwiches, it’s time to set off again. The park is also in a different class to route 8. The tarmac is like a racetrack, but the number of moose and deer signs keeps me slow. Well, slower than I would have been. I did see a few deer in the edge of the woods, but as I slowed, I realized they weren’t going to bolt.

Sadly, this section was all too short (and potentially animal filled) but route 8 promised more options for fun, and for another 10KM or so it did. After rounding a wonderful hanging right that seemed to go on forever, I once more hit the rough stuff. There were no signs the road suddenly turned into no man’s land, but that is what it did. Cursing loudly, I hung on and let the speed scrub itself off as there was no way I was grabbing a handful of brake there. The next 50KM were the same. The road project sign showed up later on proclaiming there were spending several million to ensure my next visit would be more fun, but that didn’t help today. Time to slow down and just relax, ride it out.

And that’s the way it continued, literally to the town of Annapolis Royal. We stayed just beyond at the Dunroamin campgrounds in their sole cottage. Earlier, I described Berlin hotels as basic. The cottage at Dunroamin put this to shame. It must have been built in the 30’s and probably hasn’t changed much since, except for the addition of more and more crap. Everything seemed to be fixed with tape or glue and the table was once tres chic, albeit in the 1950’s and then only for a brief period. The odour too can best be descibed as unique. Not terribly unpleasant, but it simply smelled OLD. Here’s my step-father and mother demonstrating the comfort we enjoyed.

After seeing the accomodation, we decided it was time to head out and quickly. Digby is close by and noted for it’s whalewatching in the Bay of Fundy. We quickly headed out there. I headed west on the Evangeline trail (CR1 ) for 32KM of more familiar coastal roads dotted with too many villagers. Locals did however seem genuinely more aware of bikes and frequently slowed and pulled over to let me past. Several kids too stopped in one two and motioned for me to do a wheelie but I declined. Not a great idea when you’re on a deadline with a boat to meet.

The whalewatching itself was a complete bust. I saw one Pilot whale but only one other kid saw that. There were a few porpoise too, but that was it. We did get to see a rare meteorological phenomenon however, Sundogs.

Whatever, it was better than the hotel anwyay.

On the way back, it was getting too dark for back roads, so it was the highway. The ride was accompanied by one of the most glorious sunsets I have ever seen however, but no pictures as I can’t ride and shoot at the same time.

Total days ride – 158km to annapolis Royal and another 80 to digby and back,

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