Friday August 28 MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood, ferry from North Sydney to Argentia, NL

In no rush this morning as I don't need to go far and have until 9:00 pm to check in at the ferry. It rained some on and off last night but with the wind everything is dry. Wind is still really strong, it makes even preparing and eating food a problem as everything gets blown off the table like my helmet and even a peanut butter jar. Took a short cable ferry at Englishtown to save a few kms and met up with a group of cyclists on a guided loop of the Cabot Trail - the package included a van, bikes and a guide for the 5 of them from all over the US (but I assume friends) Stopped at a real restaurant for a late lunch as I was not going to make something in the wind especially if I need to get out my stove and everything. The last part of the ride was back on the TCH, so out came the MP3 player. Great scenery and it climbed over "mountains" and dropped down to cross fingers of Bras D'Or Lakes. Got to N Sidney about 5:00 pm. The bike guide told me N Sydney had no shops or services but he probably hasn't been here for a while. The liquor store, groc store etc are out at the mall at the edge of town. I even found stove fuel. As I was about to get to the boat, Patrick called out to me to join him for some pizza. Patrick is from Trois Riveries and hitchhiking around. I met him at Cheticamp and saw him on the road the next day. He spent today at Louisberg. He is thinking of going to St John's then west to Port a Basque or wherever his driver takes him (Labrador perhaps) The ferry is larger than I expected, slow to load. older but comfortable. I got a dorm-sleeper which is a room with ~50 bunk beds. Each plastic mattress has a pillow and a fleece blanket that doesn't have the same dimensions as the mattress. I loaded with the motorcycles and a group of ATV's. As we had to wait until they loaded the top deck we got to know each other pretty well. I was the only bike and by the actions of the crew you would think the only one this year.

OD 7728.4 km, 6:40:48, 120.19 km, 17.9 ave, 55.0 max