Written on Tuesday, August 27th but referring to Saturday, July 27th!
After an absence from posting blogs – almost a month – I will attempt to recapture some of the highlights of Newfoundland. At this writing I am in Downeast Maine, at Cobscook State Park north of Arcadia National Park. The term ‘Down East’ is from sailing terminology when sailors from western ports sailed downwind towards the east to reach this area.
Catching up from the previous post titled The Great Northern Peninsula where Marilyn and I decided to travel at different speeds we soon connected again. Marilyn took a bad fall on a hike in Gros Morne resulting in stitches and an injured knee. Joining her at an inland campground after Lulu’s alignment appointment several days later I find she has made good friends and was well looked after. On the mend but it would take days, into weeks for her to be hiking again. Fortunately it didn’t impede her driving ability, her sense of humor, or her ability to laugh.
So, we begin at Goodyear’s Cove Campground, an hour inland just off the Trans Canada Highway where an annual event will take place the night I’m there. All-you-can eat mussels and more. Music all evening and fireworks after dark. This event draws from several small towns in the area. People are having a grand time visiting, playing games and dancing. It is uplifting to see these people from remote areas gathering.
Earlier in the day I find short hikes, a small store stocked with fresh vegetable (score!) and Glassy Beach, a pocket beach on the shoreline.
Signage at the beginning of a hike today indicated the hike includes three parts: riverside walking, walk through a neighborhood, and a woods walk. The neighborhood walk was surprising as it was all new homes, very large homes, along the riverbanks. One had a huge outdoor built-in pool. Obviously mucho dinero. Structures not previously observed in Newfoundland: new, over-sized homes.
And I wondered who lives here, where are their roots, and why, when there is spectacular scenery on the coastlines would they choose to live along this inland river in the woods? And what will become of the neighborly feeling felt at the campground gathering that evening in the coming years.
Cool photo of the beach glass on Glassy Beach! Why there? So much glass! Thanks for the posts.
I don’t really know why the glass ends up there. It’s just a little pocket beach. It’s down a dirt road and down a short but root-y trail so it doesn’t really contribute to the tourist industry. Hmmmm.