Cabot Trail drive

Today was Cabot Trail drive day with hikes and waterfalls.  Unfortunately, between the road construction and the mud from the rain and the tourists, I didn’t get much hiking done.  I did see some beautiful scenery; they have the bluest water I have ever seen.

First I headed north to Cape North.  I drove through White Point and Neil’s Harbour to see the lighthouse (Chowder House next door was highly recommended for a meal: it wasn’t time, but I’m determined to make it back) ….

… all the way to Meat Cove, looking for that lighthouse.  Unfortunately I didn’t find it.  Cabot Landing is believed to have been the landing site of John Cabot and his son Sebastian. The road is18 miles of potholes in a dirt road …. In fact, it was in really bad shape, especially after the rain.  There is a small, primitive campground at the end of the road in Meat Cove.  Someone drove a 36 ft Class C up that road.  I would not have done that in my Journey.  Here is little insight into the road conditions …

I saw two bikers on that road and can’t imagine how they can ride down that hill and not hit one of those pot holes and go flying.

Following Cabot Trail, I continued on to Cheticamp and visited the Museum of the Hooked Rug and Home Life, which centers on the work of Elizabeth LeFort, a legendary rug maker in the Cheticamp area … then on to lunch at Le Gabriel Restaurant.  Lunch was a little expensive (I ordered the shrimp and scallop skewers – a piece of each with some veges on each of 4 skewers with rice for $40) ….

From Pleasant Bay the road climbs up MacKenzie Mountain, which is a part of the Appalachian Mountain chain again.

At one point in the narrow road, there was a truck pulling an air stream trailer stopped “by the side of the road” but he was actually blocking most of the lane …. He ran across the street to the liquor store.

My nearest township/village is Ingonish.  It is year-round resort town now, but was originally settled by Portuguese in the 1520’s.