I bit off more than I could chew today, twice but I was able to push through it! Well, once I pushed through and the second time I got it to go box!
I hit the road early, taking the same ferry that I mistakenly took yesterday. Then continuing on the Cabot Trail I continued stopping for pictures and whale watching. More like whale looking-for since I have not seen a tail yet. Paid the admission for Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It’s similar to a US national park but with fewer gift shops. First stuff was the beach, very beautiful with all of the round gray stones and a very narrow sandy shoreline. It was also a really nice washroom where I took the opportunity to clean up!
One of the features of the park was a boardwalk through a bog. Very educational and a chance to see a moose!
Mr Moose!
My next stop was at the famous Skyline Trail, the the most popular destination in the park. It wasn’t a very technical trail, but it took me 3 hours and I was exhausted by the time I got back. About 1/3 of the way along the trail you come to a beautiful lookout with views of the mountains and the ocean, and steps down to different levels. I went about halfway down, knowing I would have to come back up! Along the rest of the trail there are a few lookouts but nothing special like that first one.
It was pretty and I kept taking my binoculars out and looking for a moose! Looking. Looking. Finally, just before I reached the parking lot I saw a group of people congregating and looking into the woods. I hurried up to the group and there she was, just munching away! It was so big and so close I was able to get some really good pictures with just my phone. After a minute a park ranger appeared and warned us not “get charged” and think about which direction we would be running. That caused the crowd to thin out a bit.
I left Skyline and continued on the Cabot Trail, stopping at a beautiful campground right by the sea where I regrouped for a few minutes. I was just so exhausted from the hike… I got back on the road and left which left Breton and entered the town of Chéticamp. I heard there was a really good bakery here, but it had just closed for the day. So I found a pub and had dinner, fish and chips with a side of seafood chowder. Outstanding! The chowder was awesome, and the way they cooked the fish it had such a fluffy soft breading on it, almost creamy. Leftovers for today! I just decided to camp out back of the restaurant. Is a very cold night, 45°.
Pub
Mileage: 112. Expenses: Gas: $114.41😮 Admission: $6.25. Dining: _36.05.
Better Than I Deserve! 