July 1, 2022
DAY 17 - CHETICAMP
Via North Mt., Mackenzie Mt. & French Mt.
Happy Canada Day
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Day 17 - I committed on making the 5-hour ride to Cheticamp today. It was Canada Day and I was told there would be fireworks in the same fishing town.
The day's agenda would include three mountains climbs so I got up early and was on the road by 6:30 am.
No one was up in the small town, so the road toward the base of the first climb - North Mt. - was all mine.
The weather was perfect, which I heard isn't always the deal along the Cabot Trail. (My trail friend with the recumbent I met early in my travels, told me he road the route 7 times and never saw anything due to fog.)
Well, North Mt. taught me quickly that the day was going to be beautiful, but challenging. With my 50 pounds of stuff it would be a slow go.
The mountain roads were steep and curving up and up with nothing to see, but a green rolling landscape.
Traffic was extremely light throughout the day, so it was like I had my own trail, it just wasn't a rail trail!
What goes up must come down and that made for it's on fun, trying to keep the Heavy Rescue from going out of control.
Roads on Mackenzie Mt. seemed less steep offer more time to look around. The climbs were longer seemly to last forever.
The third mountain - French Mt. - was a bit kicker - steep again. The 5 km descent will be something I'll remember forever. It was virtually start down for 5 km. The vista as you dropped into it was a sea of blue ocean, wedged between a rocky mountain on the right and a curving road hugging a cliff of rocks on the left.
It was outrageous to see and feel the road drop into the blue of the ocean. Seriously! I was so glad I wasn't going the opposite way on the bike
Anyway, I won't bore you, Google the Cabot Trail and see more than I can ever describe here.
Hopefully the few pictures below will inspire you to experience it person someday....
| Heart | 3 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The views I think you would agree are gems. The Cabot Trail just keeps throwing at you. On the bike you get to enjoy them as you all know. I must say, with a loading touring it can be difficult stopping to capture the gems on film. Everytime I'd stop it was almost impossible to start again. I looked for the flat parts myself.
A video from the road....
Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 712 miles (1,146 km)
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