Day 10 - 2013 East Coast Trip - Whycocomagh to Whycocomagh, Cabot Trail

Start: Whycocomagh, Cape Breton, NS
End: Whycocomagh,Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Distance:  464 km Total to Date: 3896 km
Gas: Whycocomagh, 7.67 litres @ $1.418; Total $10.87
Neils Harbour, Cape Breton,  13.5 litres @ $1.48; Total $20.00
Weather: Today could not have been more perfect to follow the Cabot Trail. Last night, we froze our butts off as the temperature dipped down to about 8C. At the start of our ride, the temperature was about 72 F with a clear, blue sky and no wind...perfect!

We started our travels at about 8:30 a.m. taking Hwy 395 from Whycocomagh, heading north to Margaree Harbour. The road was in descent shape, however, there were many logging trucks busting down the road, so we had to keep our eyes open. After about a half hour of riding, we hit construction a few times as they were paving sections of the road.
As we got to North East Margaree, the hills became larger and there were many farms outlining the hills and valleys. We crossed a causeway at Margaree Harbour and there, we saw our first glimpse of the rugged coastline.

DOUBLE-CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The road was in great shape as it rose and fell, curved and rolled along the route...a beautiful biking road. The coastline was steep and rocky and topped with thick green grasslands. It seems we stopped every 2 minutes and were like kids in candy store, stopping to take a photo, and then jumping back on the bikes so we could get to the next place for that perfect shot. Because we were so excited about the scenery, we decided not to wait for each other, but we would meet further along the trail in Cheticamp to regroup. That would allow us to take the time we wanted to make the stops we wanted without having to worry about holding back the others.

We made stop after stop, and took photo after photo and when we got to Cheticamp, we acknowledged that all was well, everyone was accounted for, and then quickly went to the next photoshoot. We decided t meet in Pleasant Bay for lunch.

By the time I got to Pleasant Bay, Jamie and Al were already eating their lobster and seafood dip. I ordered the standard fish & chips with this time, the fish being sole. A short time later, Al and Lori rode in and Al ordered a seafood wrap, while Lori had a lobster. We ate outside on an pergola that was just feet from the dropoff to the waters edge. Later, a bald eagle would soar above us.

Down the road from Cheticamp, we entered Cape Breton National Highlands and the scenery went to another level. We climbed mountains on steep inclines thru very tight curves and went down the other side the same fashion. You could see the road meander thru the mountain side, all the while, hugging the coast.

When we got to the top of one mountain, we came across a moose cow with two small calves. The mother seemed calm enough for us to stop and watch without having her cubs retreat. After a short while, they went into the scrub and disappeared.
After Pleasant Bay, our next meeting place was Cape North where we would then travel to Meat Cove, the northern most point of Cape Breton. The road started off fine, but we had to ride 7 km on a gravel road that became very steep at times, had many tight curves and also had cars that would appear out of blind spots. It was a bit nerve wracking, especially for a passenger, but we all arrived safe and sound. We went to the seashore, walked around the beach and Al even went for a dip in the ocean. As this is the furthest part of our journey, I guess that means were heading back home!
We back-tracked our ride, returned to Cape North and started heading south towards Baddeck. A local highly recommended a restaurant in Baddeck that "had all-you-can-eat" mussels and delicious lobster, so the others were anxious to try it out. We started heading back and the terrain was not near as spectacular as what we experienced on the north and west coast. My brother-in-law Gregg had mentioned this on his ride of the Cabot Trail and had said that if he did it again, he would just redo the west side of the trail and not do the east side. Since I am not a fan of lobster and mussels, I decided to split with the group and return to our campsite via the north and west coast.
Before heading back, I got gas in Neils Harbour. This was the perfect little fishing village with weathered buildings, a lighthouse, a wharf with fishing boats and yards lined with lobster traps. From Neils Harbour, I went to another picturesque fishing village called White Point.From there, I retraced my route back to Pleasant Bay, Cheticamp, to Margaree and then to Hunters Mountain, just south of Baddeck. That is where I met Al and Lori who had stopped at the Red Barn for a seafood supper.
During their ride back, they got detached from Al and Jamie, so decided to stop and eat there. Al and Jamie got to eat the All-You-Can-Eat seafood dinner and were quite impressed with their meal.
As an aside, Al mentioned that on the east coast, they went down a mountain that seemed to wind and spiral down forever. Since I took the most scenic route of the trail both ways, for me, I would highly recommend doing the trail clockwise. I found that if you do the route counter-clockwise you tend to look for traffic coming in the left lane and then trying to get a glimpse of the scenery on the right side. By doing the route clockwise, you face both the traffic and the scenery at the same time, so it's less stressful and more enjoyable.

We ended the day by talking with the Boudreau's who had the campfire the night before and were very friendly and helpful with our Cabot Trail plans. Tomorrow, we start our journey back home and will head towards Moncton.