Wishful Thinking

Wayne, our host and commentator on the boat tour Saturday described a solar panel located on a lighthouse in Newfoundland as wishful thinking; I’m beginning to think the weather forecast suffers from similar woes--10% chance of precipitation seems to be lacking a zero.

The closest distance between two points here is a boat, it’s barely a mile across Bonne Bay to Woody Harbour but yesterday I drove 50 miles one way getting there by road traversing 8 miles of road construction and descending at least two 20% grades. At least that highway is under construction, on the news, when I could get radio reception, the mayors of towns inside Terra Nova National Park were complaining about the state of their roads--guess I’ll have my own chance to evaluate the validity of their complaints. Nothing is close here, never by a direct route, and always over a steep hill; might as well have left my bike in Halifax. Internet service is available here only if one is close to the office and even then is directionally challenged. When it comes to Facebook it feels like I’m on another planet.

During one of the brief breaks in the cloud cover and rain Sunday I got out for a walk on the well maintained trail that encircles a small lake on the Kampground Property. Alien Coltsfoot is everywhere but the Marsh Marigolds are beginning to open. With all the wetlands surrounding me but for the wind and cold the blackflies and mosquitoes would be carrying me away. Expecting Rain on Monday I stayed in camp and wrote E-mail, now if only people would write me back! I did make it up to the Parks Interpretive Centre to have a closer look at the displays and watch their introductory movies.

Yesterday I made a 100-mile drive over steep hills and roads under construction to reach Woody Point a mile across the bay. After stopping to admire the view from the park’s discovery centre and chat up the staff I drove down to Trout River for a gourmet fish dinner at the Seaside Restaurant; local beer, bean salad, cod fish, and partridge berry pie. Partridge berries and Swedish Lingon Berries are the same plant, who knew? When I get a chance will insert a few of my photographs.

Norris Point

Woody Point

Woody Point Light

I’ve got to stop reading and listening to the news. Between bar fights where ears get chewed off, planes crashing into buildings, oil spills, murders, and sexual molesting priests I may be better off not knowing.