Newfoundland

[honda03842]

We're sadly on our way home. On the trek home we plan to drive what are the last two significant roads in Newfoundland that we have not driven. The first is the road to the small town of Howley and the second to Jackson's Arm.

We drove out to Howley first and Ginny, the good sport that she is, never complains about my need to drive to these places, to get to the end of the road.

We got to Howley and discovered that Howley used to be on the now dismantled Newfoundland railway line. It is the location where for Moose captured in 1904 were released into Newfoundland. The resulting number has grown from four, 2 males, 2 pregnant females, to around 140,000 moose covering the entire island. The stories of the capture and release of the moose were well worth the trip. You have to love the ends of roads.

Howley was named after James Patrick Howley, geologist and explorer. He explored the Newfoundland interior in the late 1800's, in part looking for viable coal seams which he did find at the town of Hurley.

So much to know and an awful lot of 'end of roads' to go.

For those of you who get the Newfoundland Newsletter, my phone ahs never recovered but upon getting home I should be able to finish them. I will say this has been our best yet trip to Newfoundland.

We have met some wonderful everyday people, had dinner at a marvelous inn on Change Island, chatted with a very interesting author, hiked all over Fogo, and of course the massive icebergs, sculpted into all kinds of shapes.

Hope you all get there and the bergs are huge...

[Paul O.]

It is too bad it is almost over, but nothing is forever. Start planning the next adventure/activity/whatever. Thanks for sharing the highlights of your trip.
How about ending this thread with a survey to find out if it is a male or female trait to find "the end of the road". I think we men more often say "I want to drive to the end" when the other half says "It's the end there, turn around!"
Along those lines - I always say "If I can drive in there, I should be able to back out of there." That is in theory, of course.

[honda03842]

Paul,

One of the nice things about the end of the road in Newfoundland is that there is usually a house blocking the end of the road and most often a cul de sac in front of it. Usually adequate to turn a Scamp sized trailer and tow vehicle in one pass.

Now the best iceberg is invariably behind that house. Fortunately the people are friendly and are happy to have you take a picture of the berg. (Naturally a large percentage of Newfoundland houses are on the water or minimally facing the water.

Of course they don't seem to think ('tink' for they are prone to drop 'h' like Bostonians drop 'r', in Boston a Car is a 'ca') too much of their views because they are an every day sight.

As to a male/female view of the end of the road, Ginny, after 13 years knows the end of the road can hold good surprises in terms of people and places.

For the next adventure I'm ready for Newfoundland again, or possibly driving the new section of the Labrador road that wasn't open when we drove across Labrador.

Originally for our 50th I wanted to take the supply boat up the coast of Labrador to the half dozen outports that can only be reached by boat. It's a good thing we didn't do it because I suspect it's not running yet.

The reality is that there is much to do, many unseen places to see. SOme like Newfoundland are as comfortable as a mother's arms.

[Dudley]

on your way back through New Brunswick, do what your doing in Newfoundland, and take some of the back roads. I spent most of my summers growing up, in Maces bay/Dipper Harbour at my grandmothers's house "on the ridge" and still go back when time allows(wait I just retired). Sadly, the house on Ridge Road was taken by NB Power when they built the Point Lepreau Power Plant and now is a ball diamond. Nice scenery and good people. Stop at Comeau's Seafood Resturant in Pennfield for some good seafood.

[Ron Humerickhouse]

Thanks for takeing us on the trip with you ? nice pictures & stories,,,where are you (we) off to next??
Ron & Glenda

[honda03842]

David,

Thanks for the side trip ideas on the way home. Unfortunately we just received word of a death in the family and have booked out 3 days early to make it back in time for the funeral, an unusual couple of 300 mile days. I'll save the seafood location for next year. Thanks.

[honda03842]

Ron,

We're home for the summer. It's our 50th and the kids have planned a 50th 'that dad and mom would like" by renting a campground on a lake for two days. It's not used for traditional camping but at one time was used for children and now available for events.

We plan to leave in October, heading south to my 50th college reunion. We will spend next year in FL where I will head the kitchen for our Escapee park for one year.

After that it's back on the road.....

[Ron Humerickhouse]

we will have our 55th aver,in nov,,and still in LOVE.
What Escapee park will you be at,,we might look you up.We hope to be in Chiefland and South Fla for abit,,,Crab Shack at Cedar Key is hard to miss.??
Ron & Glenda

[honda03842]

Ron,

We love Cedar Key, really part of old Florida. We know the people who own the small campground on the causeway.

We stay at the Escapee park in Wauchula, FL, about 40 miles inland from Sarasota.

I'll send you my phone number should you be in the area.

Love to see you.

[honda03842]

We're making a Newfoundland dinner for the our son and his wife tonight. This was a combination of a lunchtime meal at one of the concerts in Norris Point ($7) and the desert served with our dinner at 7 Oakes B&B on Change Island.

Salmon Fish Cakes,
Baked Beans enhanced sausage, peppers and onions,
Toutons (like fried bread dough) with a Molasses/Honey sauce.

Dessert is a Gingerbread Cake with vanilla custard and partridge berry sauce.

From this point forward we'll just be thinking about next spring in Newfoundland.

[WDavidG]

Originally Posted by honda03842

For those of you who get the Newfoundland Newsletter,...

We've loved your trip reports and have moved Newfoundland to the top of the list for our new Scamp once retirement provides the time for longer expeditions (only a year away but who's counting). How does one get the newsletter - I'd love to hear more about your Newfoundland experiences.

[honda03842]

1-2 year sqbbatical??? We planned for 2-3 years and are now entering our 14th year.

We are Escapees. Their are about 20 Escapee RV parks for people who are now 'too old to travel'. Most of the Escapees in these parks were full timers, traveling usually in large 5th wheels and less often in Motorhomes. Typically they traveled for 10 to 20 years exploring North America. For us they are a wealth of experience (their is a good Escapee Forum).

Now that they have 'road' retired, the fire still burns strong. As a rule they accept that large trailers and motorhomes are too much now. Everyone of them comes to see our trailer wondering if their is an opportunity to travel again in a small rig.

They all recognize how great their road life was.

[WDavidG]

Norm and Ginny,
What I meat was one year of working life remaining and then freedom to travel beyond the time constraints of a two week vacation allotment. We definitely are planning for many years of travel opportunities and we too prefer the roads less traveled. You two are an inspiration!
David and Susan

[honda03842]

We truly love the roads less traveled. There are simply so many of them.

We have been to all the known great roads...Yellow Stone, Glacier, ..... They are justifiably worth the visit, though they often have the feel of cities due, particularly during their season, park congestion.

One of the reason we love Newfoundland, and all the other similar locations, are really the rarely traveled roads and the people who live their lives at the ends of these roads.

We ran into a Caravan in Newfoundland. Though they would get to experience a little of the island, they were very much in the 'two week vacation' mode, rushing from famous place to famous place.

One needs to take the time to listen and talk with people, to take the time to watch the building of a Newfoundland pier. Generally our everyday lives are really repetitive no matter your job. Slow travel is a chance to live new lives, to wonder about all that is and could be.

Wishing you a great retirement.