Westward Ho!

June 30, 2006
.We’ve reached the end of the line, two months after leaving Vancouver; we’re turning around – we can’t go any further east. Our St. John’s Walmart was one kilometre from the end of the Trans Canada Highway and Cape Spear was the most easterly point in North America. So from today, all roads lead towards home.

I loved the old-world charm of St. John’s, it’s pretty pastel houses, its hidden protected harbour, its little pockets of history but I won’t miss the windClarenville, a modern town was our choice for the night because of its proximity to the Bonavista Peninsula. Its Walmart holds the title of ‘the smallest Walmart in N. America’ but there was plenty of room for us to park. Several other RVs joined us for the night.


On the road to Bonavista, we noticed sequential signs proclaiming ‘Chip Truck ‘n More’; the signs were every kilometre for five kilometres giving us lots of time to discuss ‘do we want chips? Or not?’. It was good marketing. We stopped and shared a heaping dish of those evil, deep-fried, artery clogging, calorie laden, scrumptious sprinkled with malt vinegar chips (aka French Fries). The whole Chip Truck family were there – a rather portly group, relaxing in their lounge chairs. There were Grandma and Grandpa who manned the kitchen, a young couple with their 15-month-old baby, Evan and a couple of teenagers. Mom and Evan stuck their heads into our car window to say ‘Hi’ and look at the ‘bow-wow’. Caesar was mildly impressed at the interruption.

I was driving the Honda in my usual fashion (as if I’m racing in the Indy 500), rounded a bend and had to slam on the brakes because there before us was Trinity. It was the most picture-perfect moment you could imagine – wildflowers of all colours in profusion framed the town below which was nestled in a cove with a mist veiled lighthouse in the background. The area was discovered by a Portuguese explorer, Real in 1499 and he named it for the day he landed there – Trinity Sunday. The town boasts dozens of heritage buildings and when we arrived in the bright sunshine, some remnants of mist swirled and curled around the harbour as we strolled through the twisty lanes.

A few miles further down the coast lies Bonaventure where they film a TV series that I’ve never seen or heard of – ‘Random Passage’. The locale was also used for the Kevin Spacey film ‘Shipping News’. While Trinity was in sunshine, Bonaventure only five miles away was shrouded in deep damp fog.

Cape Bonavista is at the tip of the peninsula and it was extremely clear and hot while we expected chilly fog. John Cabot – really Giovanni Caboto – landed there in 1497. Magnificent rock formations with frothy waves crashing, navy blue ocean, beautiful clear emerald green pools and birds circling noisily – I wonder if it was like that when he arrived. Caesar met McDuff, a 13 year old westie from Ottawa, on the cape and it revitalized him. His ears were perky and his little carrot tail waved jauntily as they did the ‘sniff and pee’ thing.

These long days of sightseeing are taking their toll. By the time we get back to Maggie, we’re so tired we can’t wait to get to bed. Gotta take a break – tomorrow.