Turned back toward civilization

Monday, August 20th, 2007
Grand Falls-Windsor to Doyles, NewfundLAND

279.5 miles
Overcast and drizzles


OK, I give up – I’m never going to see the sun again, so I might as well head back. Actually I finally saw some patches of blue sky today, but not until I was at least 40 miles down the road, and never over where I was driving!

I apologize for my grumpiness – I obviously suffer from the lack of sunshine, and I’m taking it out on you. It’s a shame too, because the people here are delightful and the countryside is gorgeous, but where, or where, is the sunshine?

I do have to laugh – every time I stop for gas, I’m asked - sometimes dramatically, as in “wait, wait – that’s gas – the diesel pump is over here” – if I really meant to use gas? Don’t I really want diesel? No, thank you, I use gas. Are you sure? Yes, I’m sure. Oh.

As much as I do appreciate my Microsoft Streets & Trips, it does fail me once in awhile. As in today, when I passed a large lake near the town of Triton, where I could have visited Kona Beach. That appealed to me, of course, since it makes me think of Hawaii’s Kona. But it’s not on my GPS map! So I guess it only existed in my imagination.

Passed a sign for the Burnt Berry Restaurant, which seems a rather defeatist name for a place, until I crossed the Burnt Berry Brook. I still smile at NewfundLAND’s choice for naming almost every body of running water as a brook, including River Brook!

Saw a sign for the Dorset Soapstone Quarry, but of course it was off the road somewhere, so I never saw anything resembling a quarry, just more trees. Lovely trees, mind you, but trees. And more signs for “Caution, Heavy Drifting Possible”.

My first wildlife in days crossed the road in front of me today – but it was just a cute little squirrel, which made me think of the TV commercial of the squirrel causing a car to run off the road and high-fiving his pal over the result. Great commercial, except I still don’t know who it’s advertising! Lots of signs for moose, but I don’t believe they live here!

Humber Valley Resort – for the winter lovers out there, this is a terrific looking ski resort . . . lots of ski slopes and lifts, an eye-catching beautiful lodge. Part of the Marble Mountain – Steady Brook area. Great place to visit, if you like that sort of thing! :o)

Saw a sign advertising the Pinchgut Restaurant – yum! Think I’d prefer the Crossroads Grub and Pub, thank you very much!

Long day, but I made it back to Doyles, so I’m only about a half hour from the ferry, which I board at o’dark thirty on Wednesday morning!