Newfoundland — Central

Kittiwake Coast

After wrestling the rig off the Northern Peninsula yesterday I was ready for a semi-lay day. Took care of some business in the morning then headed out (sans trailer) toward Twillingate and the New World Island(s). Nice drive on potholed roads. Twillingate and Moreton’s Harbor are very picturesque and are certainly worth the 90+ minutes to get there. Tried—again—to get a moose burger for lunch but had to settle for decent fish & chips. Beginning to think I’ll need to wait until I get back to DFW and Twisted Root Burgers to try moose. But I’ll keep asking…

Headed back to camp after refilling my DEF and hitting the grocery store. Chicken seems to be a rare bird up here. Last few stores have had just remnants of the tasty fowl: wings. No breasts, no thighs, no legs. Just wings. I don’t even wanna know what that implies!

Terra Nova National Park

Weather was nasty: rain &wind. After stopping by the visitor center I decided there was no compelling reason to hang around during this “shoulder season.” So I kept on keeping on. Geez, did the wind arrive! Somebody estimated 50-60 MPH winds. I believe it. Finally wrestled the rig onto slightly less exposed side route 230 onto the Bonavista Peninsula. Less than an hour later I was enjoying the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had and a couple brewskis at Port Rexton Brewing Company which makes a very good Baycation Blonde and a good Horse Chops west coast IPA.

As it was still pretty breezy and now past 4pm, I figured I should get my happy camper ass to camp. In 30 minutes  I settled into a pretty site overlooking a white-capped pond at mediocre Paradise Farms RV and, having decided to stay just the night, stayed hooked up. I’ll drag B to Elliston in the morning to hopefully see a few puffins. If this wind keeps up the slides are coming in tonight…

No Puffins. Sealers.

Elliston is a quaint village with very friendly people. The puffins have moved on, dang it, but I did spend a good amount of time at the Home from the Sea Sealers Interpretation Center, a very informative, very well-done museum that covers sealing and the 1914 sealing disasters in Newfoundland. I was impressed. Bought the book by  Cassie Brown; I like true stories like this.

Continued through Bonavista and down the west side of the peninsula on the 1½ lane road, compromised by deteriorating shoulders and many many many potholes. Arriving at 2-4 lane TCH was a huge relief. An hour or so later I arrived in Green’s Harbor, ditched the trailer and headed to my latest favorite brewery in the tiny village of Dildo.

Dildo Brewing Co & Museum is a great place with an unreal view of Trinity Bay. Yesterday I’d found Port Rexton and today Dildo. My faith in craft beer in Newfoundland has been restored! Dildo’s Blonde Route 80, Stout Dildo and the I’se da bye PA are all solid brews. This news article does a nice job of introducing the brewery, which opened earlier this summer. I’m probably gonna squeeze the trailer into the tiny village tomorrow on my way out of town. Grab lunch and another “taste of Dildo” as their tagline says!

With most of Newfoundland in my rear view mirrors, I’m now headed to Saint John’s, where I’ll hang for seven nights, waiting for the next southbound ferry. The week will give me a chance to get the truck’s oil changed (I’ve gotten 9,358 miles on this oil, even with all the towing!) and tires rotated, check out the Avalon Peninsula, George Street in town, and simply hang loose for a while before I make the turn for home. I’ll spend a week in Nova Scotia and probably a couple days in New Brunswick before re-entering the States. Gonna be hard to leave Newfoundland. There’s something about this land.