Day 118: East!

September 30, 2010

The day started out foggy with wet roads. The fog cleared around 10am. Then it was cloudy and reasonably warm.

I took Hwy1 to exit 41 (Hwy 2) to Topsail Drive and then followed roads east and then followed signs to Cape Spear. I made my way out to the official sign marking the eastern most point in North America (if you pretend Greenland is not part of North America). I took some victory pictures and then phoned my parents and work to bask in the glory.

After my celebration, there was not much to do other than head for the St. John's hostel. Along the way I stopped in at the tourism office to clarify directions and ask where the monument to where Terry Fox started his run was. I checked in at the hostel where I had a private room ($174 for 2 nights) and then went off in search of the Terry Fox Memorial. It's quite modest and hard to find. You actually have to go through a parking lot next to a building to get there. Parks Canada has plans to make this more elaborate.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/culture/proj/tfox/mile.aspx

Back at the hostel, I met an Australian cyclist named Neridah. We talked for a bit, then went out for some dinner. She is a sea kayak instructor. She left Vancouver in April by bike and cycled to Halifax. She flies out on Saturday morning and is on her way to Churchill Manitoba where she'll work as a waitress and plans to watch polar bears. She seems to be live for the moment. Very impressive.

Furthest East:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=47.5242,-52.621&ll=47.5242,-52.621&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1