In which we complete the route at the “Cluckin’ Hen”, and transfer back to Halifax.
A last group breakfast on another picture perfect day, and we loaded the vans saying a reluctant goodbye to the Markland Resort, which is in a stunning location. We started just past where we left off, at Ingonish Beach yesterday, at the golf club parking lot.
The road was uphill almost immediately, clocking one of four climbs for the day, but of course the undulations are never counted. It was fairly broken road, and no shoulder, so we had been instructed to spread apart to facilitate cars passing us. I got an early start being ready quickly so headed out and up.
The road hugged us along the coast winding around a few inlets, then headed upwards. The big hill of the day was Cape Smokey, advertised as an easy climb of 280 m over 5+ km so none of us were stressed about it – the intro section at 10% took some effort but after that it was never more than 6% and a really pleasant ride up without an amazing amount of traffic at any one time. The wisdom of spreading us out was appreciated, though – it’s hard to pass more than a couple of cyclists on a narrow winding road like that, again fairly broken up and without shoulders. I eventually was passed by a couple of our group, but made it to the top in reasonably good time and did the usual summit shots.
north view from Cape Smokey
a glimpse of the road ahead
Audrey, our trip co-leader, from the top
The road down was very steep, with tight winding corners so I took it very slowly – the brakes got a good workout on this hill. Not many pictures as it was difficult to stop, but at least there were shoulders. Cars were having some difficulty getting up the tight turns at points. We all agreed at the bottom that we went the right direction up the hill! Proceeding on we saw a couple of pairs of fully loaded cyclists heading up – I suspect they’ll be walking most of it unless they’re super human, and alas the broken pavement on the other side will make for a bumpy ride down.
From the bottom of Smokey it was a series of undulations over 18 kms or so to the end at the “Cluckin’ Hen”. We had an interesting stop at a Milner store in Wreck Cove, where there was an amazingly decorated car;
the dashboard had been imaginatively done up, but the car hadn’t been driven for a long time.
someone had definitely had fun!
The milner used mostly recycled material, and it turns out her daughter now lives in Maple Ridge. Another one for the “small world” column. Loved the name of the shop.
We gathered at the “Cluckin’ Hen”, a painfully slow cafe, where at least when it eventually was produced the capucchino was good, and had crackers and cheese at the picnic tables while the van drivers, Coady and Dale, took pedals and seats off the bikes and loaded them for the transfer back to Halifax. It’s a long weekend here too, so the traffic outflow from Halifax was significant, and crossing the causeway at Canso it was bumper to bumper in the direction towards Cape Breton. The drive took about 4 hours with a couple of short stops for leg stretching, but we were all pretty stiff when we decanted in Halifax at our hotel.
My bike fenders were coated in mud, so obviously did their job! I wasn’t sure what the hotel would say wheeling a bike in, but there was nothing said (the lobby was a zoo so probably not noticed!) and I was finally able to purloin a luggage cart to load everything up – the bike bags had arrived a few hours ago for Jill, Henry and I to pack up our bikes. Check in at the Marriott was PAINFULLY slow and there was a mixup in the payment so several of us got charged for our rooms – I suspect it was hotel staff and not Pedal and Sea, but we are assured there will be a refund. A lovely group dinner at the “Little Fish” restaurant ended the CCCTS part of the tour, and we are all dispersing with most flying out early tomorrow morning. I spent some time after dinner taking the bike apart and fitting it back into the bag, and repacking the other cases. Finally got a shower and tumbled into bed about midnight; I think I will sleep tonight!
final ride: 41.9 km, 638 m elev gain
Trip total: PEI 291.87 1793.63 m elev gain
Cabot Trail 300.52 km, 3343.42 m elev gain