Canada 2018
  
 

Day 13

August 2

 
     
   
   
 

Alain is all packed up and ready to roll. I tell him -

"You are leaving my friend, but my heart goes with you. Have a safe ride"

and then he's off, headed for his house and the lovely Miss Claire.

  
   
  The plan today is to try Laurie's Breakfast Buffet instead of the Happy Clam so we can get in and out a little quicker. Then we'll ride over to Fort Louisbourg, the 18th century reconstructed French fort.  
   
  I manage to find all the pork products and hen fruit that I need, not to mention some good taters and sweet rolls. So looks like starvation is held off at least another day.  
   
  And of the fragments that remain there will be no baskets filled.  
   
  With proper nourishment consumed, we head back to our trusty rides and head out for the fort.  
   
  Dave is leading us on a route that is very pretty and avoids a lot of the rough roads.  
   
  But we do manage to get in an old wooden bridge along the way.  
   
  It's a nice day for me just to kick back and follow the leader, which something that I don't get to do very often.  
   
  Before long, we are headed for the bridge across Bras D'or Lake on Highway 105. This will takes us close to the ferry terminal for Newfoundland..  
   
  Highway 105 takes us to Highway 22 which runs down the fortress location and ...  
   
  through the modern town of Louisbourg.  
   
  Soon we are at the 'fort proper' and find a place to park all of our bikes.  
   
  Once you enter the visitor's center which has some interesting displays, you wait for a bus ride to the actual site of the fort.  
   
  It is hard to grasp just how large this settlement was originally given the fact that they have only reconstructed about one fourth of it. Just the 'one fourth' covers a tremendous amount of area.  
   
  The land gate into the fort is pretty impressive ...  
   
  and the sea gate ain't shabby either.  
   
  We wander about for a while and then we decide is to time to feed the beast. I can understand why it takes some time to find a place to put this motley crew away from the good paying customers.  
   
  When I ate here the last time in the 'period' restaurant, I decided that I would not make a good period Frenchman because most of the vegetables they had were carrots. Alas and alack I had hoped to escape them this time but they come back like a bad check. The fish is not bad but the carrots do not share the same acclamation from me.  
   
  As we wander about after lunch, I have to wonder if these poor turkeys have to eat carrots as their main food. If so, that would explain why they look a bit skinny to me.  
   
  As it was last the time I was here, there are a group of reenactors joining in a circle dance.  
   
  Near the main headquarters building, another reenactor is giving a musket firing demonstration. The only problem is his flint appears to be wet as well as his powder and it takes multiple tries before he gets one off. That would be a deadly problem if an enemy was approaching in that era.  
   
  The main chapel is beautiful and yet austere. From what I can gather from the history, this was seldom used by the occupants of the fort.  
   
  However, nearby is something that probably got a lot of use - the stockade with appropriate and fashionable ankle wear.  
   
  Parts of this wall was still standing before the reconstruction but it was fully restored and the proper armament put in place as it would have been originally.  
   
  To the right are more of the reconstructed walls and cannons at the ready.  
   
  As wander around, I pass by the soldiers quarters. I'm sure a loud snorer in this close environment probably got a bucket of water dumped on his head on a nightly basis.  
   
  When I go to enter the courtyard, I notice this scalawag trying to sneak in out of uniform.  
   
  But swift justice is administered as he is hitched to the public post. I reckon he'll wear his proper uniform the next time!  
   
  Inside the nicer quarters there is a display on the art of making lace. I can't imagine how long it must have taken to create a piece of any length at all.  
   
  The sleeping quarters look pretty inviting but I figure I'd bet leave them along unless I want to join the other miscreant at the public post.  
   
  And low and behold, what should I see but a garden - and yes it has lots of carrots growing in it.  
   
  With the fort confines, there are many reconstructed houses that show the various 'levels' of prosperity of the occupants much like today in our subdivisions.  
   
  But after we've had our 'see', we head to the bus and then to our waiting beasts of burden.  
   
  Then it's back across the bridge and on to Cheticamp.  
   
  The sky does not look promising for a dry arrival for us ...  
   
  but it seems to be holding off and for that we are thankful.  
   
  Our motel staff got us a table booked at the Harbour Restaurant while we were out and about so it is the destination for supper. It will be the last time I will be with these fine folks for a good while as I plan on heading out early in the morning for the Holler. Mike and Joann have graciously offered to let me ride with them in their car, which means I don't have to gear up and come on Frost. It's a great time of sharing our various riding and life experiences around excellent food and excellent service.  
   
  But with journey I have to make tomorrow, I make sure Frost is properly positioned for an early get away.  
   
  And since I don't do well on long rides without the proper amount of sleep, I wish the group well and get serious after pursuing some.