Answer me this: when motorists smile at a cyclist riding up a really big hill, what the hell does the smile mean? It can’t mean ‘I’m so happy for you’ because that would be weird. I don’t think it means ‘you signed up for this, dumbass’ because there appears to be kindness in the eyes. So I think it may simply be pity. Fair enough. I may have deserved a little of that today.
This ride may well have been the shortest of the trip at about 60 km. It started on the shortest ferry ride I have ever experienced – about 2 minutes. Interestingly it is a tow ferry – there’s a rope in the water that the boat uses to cross the ~100 meters.
Then there was some beautiful riding. I don’t know what happened to the heat wave but it was gorgeous out. There were gentle hills and so many trees. So many. This ride would be astonishing in late October.
I stopped at the Wreck Cove store that signs had been telling me about for 30 km. I’d love to say the cinnamon bun was awesome, but it wasn’t. I ate the whole thing anyway.
All the while I had this elevation profile nagging at me, though. Not that it’s that high, but it sure looks steep. And steep it was.
I rounded a corner and then saw a road a few hundred meters up. I start scanning the area to see if that stretch of road was connected to the one I was on. Yup. It was like that feeling in the bottom of your stomach when you are being slowly tugged up a roller coaster. Except without the excitement, just the dread.
I arrived at the first scenic pullout to a small round of applause from an older couple from Montreal. Then another guy congratulated me on making it half way up. Half way? I told him to lie to me next time.
It actually wasn’t sooooo bad. A few hundred meters over 2 or 3 km. Took maybe 30 minutes. It was but a preview of what’s to come I’m sure. And, no, I don’t believe this is one of my 3 mountains.
The Ingonish Beach campground is my first of 2 nights in this national park. The campground itself is fine, the beach is pretty awesome. The water is cool but absolutely swimmable.
No fish and chips or ice cream tonight. I opted for a simple night in with a just add water jerk chicken camping meal. Good stuff!
Tomorrow is more and higher hills on my way to the northern tip of Cape Breton.
You’ve got this Chaddo. The scenery is beautiful. A few little hills isn’t going to stop you. Happy trails tomorrow. Love ya, Ma
Thanks mom. The narrative tension is important!
Yikes, very impressive. Amazing that the area is so wide open with few stores and people. It’s what I love about the East Coast, all of those big skies and vast spaces, all to yourself.
That looks like very worthwhile scenery! Way to go! Max is very impressed w/ your bike and gear setup.
Tell max if he packs light and is willing to hang on tight he can come 🙂