East Coast Tour - Day 1

Sunday, September 11, 2011 - Plaster Rock Game Preserve - 126 km

Got up at six and Katharina grudgingly did as well. We went to the hotel restaurant for some breakfast which was very good and filling. I packed up the bike, kissed Katja goodbye and rode off into the foggy and frosty day. A couple of kilometers out of Grand Falls, away from the river, the fog cleared and I was greeted with a brilliant day. I had to change into fleece gloves because it was so cold though. I rode on for about 30 km through many small towns and farms. One large dog gave chase (memories of last time leaving Grand Falls) but gave up quickly after I shouted at it. I stopped for a quick snack on the side of the road and stripped off a layer as it was warming up. In Plaster Rock I found the worlds largest fiddleheads. As I was looking at them, Katja drove past but did not see me even though I was waving frantically. I chased her for a bit, riding behind through a construction zone but she sped off before noticing me. I now entered the game area. Signs warned of no gas for 130 km and to expect winter conditions. Hopefully it will not snow as I am not prepared for that. After a little while I came across a lookout tower with a picnic table so I stopped for lunch here. I climbed the tower, but the only view was the tops of nearby trees. I rode on through woods and clearcut woods, passed many new and old logging roads. Progress was now slow as it seemed I was climbing for most of the day. Sometimes steeply, but most of the time just a steady grade that kept you working. I met a couple cyclists who were taking photos of a moose along the side of the road. They were from Germany and were rinding their bikes around the world. After chatting for a bit we departed our opposite ways. There was very little traffic. The sense of nothing but logging areas for miles and miles, and the silince was quite eerie. There was a small business next to a gravel pit called the Half Way Inn, and true to its name, it was approximately half way. I continued by without stopping as I was fully stocked. Just as I was getting tired I picked up a good tailwind, and the terrain started to go downwards, so I decided to keep riding for a while. Finally I turned down a logging road, followed for about a half kilometer and found a place in the woods which was suitable. On the other side of the road is a clearcut area with a sign stating that it was sprayed with pesticide to make the forest better, but also proclaims "Do not eat the berries". Ok, I guess I will not go berry picking over there. Set up the tent and took a snooze as the afternoon wore on. Cooked supper of Indian boil bags, spent some time sewing a tear in one of my stuff sacks, and then spent the rest of the evening back in the tent to escape the mildly annoying mosquitos.

Packed up and ready to go.

Beautiful day.

The worlds largest asparagus... I mean fiddleheads.

Entering the deserted road.

Lunch stop.

Road of endless trees.

Personally, I think the forest would be improved more if you could eat the berries.

Campsite in an unimproved forest.

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