Monday August 17 Hopewell Cape NB

Pulled the tent fly back last night and slept with the mosquito net over me. Thought I'd sleep until the dew got me but it never came. I guess I haven't figured out this dew thing after all. Could see the stars but it never cooled enough to make sleeping comfortable until ~3:00 am. tonight I am near the water at Hopewell Cape, the mist-fog is in and the wind is really blowing so it should be cool temps for sleeping. Hopefully not too much thwack-thwack from the tent in the wind. Got my fleece jacket on tonight. I could have made it too Fundy yesterday - 24 km to the park entrance and there is a small tenting campground right there - no showers but there is a lake. Took a swim in the next lake - Bennett Lake I believe then rode on to the Headquarters near the exit of the park. It seemed like 40 km of uphill from the start and then 4 km of downhill to the water - great downhill with some really tight turns. Decided to do the out and back to Wolfe Pt. Lots of steep climbs but not much to see at the end. Headed out, picked up supplies in Alma - a small tourist town on the edge of the National Park. I can now spot the NB liquor store emblem when it's `6" lettering, way back from the road in a 4 block strip of stores and signs. Kind of like Ontario's outlets except the LCBO isn't in neon. Took a 6.5 km out and back to Cape Enrage/ lighthouse. I think I found the steepest climbs yet. They are probably the hiking trails from 100 years ago. Why the road crossed 2 creeks and 3 headlands I'll never know. Apparently this was voted the best views in Canada but it was fog enshrouded so I'll never know. It probably is pretty spectacular but all I wanted to do was eat - refuel form those climbs and headwinds. Got back on the main road and headed for the campground at Hopewell Cape and noticed a funny sound and bump-bump from the back tire. I was afraid to look thinking maybe ignorance is bliss but knew I had to find out. I couldn't believe what I saw: the tread was peeling off the tire exposing the nylon etc of the tire. I figured the tube would find it's way out and boom at any second or if I was lucky just a simple puncture. I kept my speed down, thinking about all the hills I flew down earlier, especially the ones with the sharp turns. Made it to the campground and replaced the tire with my spare in the comfort of my campsite.

OD 6523.7 km, 6:39:39, 124.97km, 18.7 ave, 65.5 max