The idea was to make an early start so as to get to St. John’s before my evil twin closed the shop. That way we could head over to the Duke for a pint or two and one of my moments of great insignificance – from the Seabreeze to the Duke in a day, where the deaf barkeep of Bonne Bay would encounter the chimney of McMurdo’s Lane.
The reason that Elaine was going was to add to the lack of baymen that would be at the wedding – and a buffer for the Fogo Islander and her family – beside I was tired of always doing things by myself.
That was the idea. Needed coffee so down to Granite Coffee for breakfast. If you catch them at the right time – no one in the shop – and order right away you can get the meal in oh about an hour.
Normally this is great but I wanted my pint of Smithwicks and driving the roads around here at night brings on the same fear as walking in Transylvania at the same time of day only here it is moose.
For some reason I had to order – worrisome for the name of Earle with food brings fear in the hearts of all servers in the Gros Morne – well am not sure about Norris Point or Rocky Harbour .
The most asked question of the people from the chicken coop when ordering for the Seabreeze barkeep is ‘are you sure?’
This day I ordered my usual – thankfully no snide remarks, at least about my eating habits – from Linda and place the order for the soon to be displaced baymen.
‘For Elaine?’
‘OK we know.’
I just kept out of the way.
Finally hit the road at noon where again logistics would come into play for with the precision of a drill team we were to meet up with her daughter, son-in-law and two grand kids at the McDonald’s in Grand Falls/Windsor giant indoor playground.
Again surprised as I was not in the got to make time mode that hits below the 49th. There was no reason to rush, Jim could be found when we arrived and if it were a bit later who cares. I needed the levelling effect. The stopping for meals when Kendra was the co-pilot, the ritual dinners at the picnic table, now the slowness of breakfast attempt to meet up with people in central Newfoundland. The trips before this I raced out and back only stopping when I needed gasoline or a double double. I hadn’t actually stopped to prepare a meal since Kendra left. Now that I was in Pouch Cove I was having my fill of Montréal bagels from the Georgetown Bakery and chomping down on a baguette with cheese. Also boiled up my dozen eggs for snacks.
The moderating aspects of people with some sort of social decorum help to no end even …well you know.
The dialling of mobile phones the positions of both of us along the Trans Canada – they had started earlier – despite two kids – but had further to go. Everything was going as planned and we arrived only five minutes before they did – the Wisconsin plates are a dead giveaway.
Ah McDonald’s the hotbed of vegetarianism… well to my surprise there was a vegetarian sandwich on the menu. Oh Canada!! A couple of years ago they were grilling up veggie burgers – um yum on the same grill as the meat now they had wised up and wrapped their subs in foil before warming them in the microwave.
A chat one kid threw up in the carpark, the other was farting up a storm and announcing that they kept coming out.
Headed out when the kids wanted to play thinking that we could still make good time – old habits die hard and besides this was the Trans Canada and the fifth time I have been on it.
With the end of “real” Newfoundland and the beginning of the Avalon came a downpour. The last three hours of the trip were in pouring rain. It was raining so hard that when we got to St. John’s there was no way that we could get to the Duke without looking like drowned rats.
I was preparing for townie mode, had bought my Globe and Mail and was read to have seat in Clarke’s Beach for my two pints before heading out to Sullivan’s Loop not being able to get to the door had me at a loss. Bought coffee instead at Dominion.
The rain killed my – now second – favourite view on the rock – the curve at the top of Main Road when all of Pouch opens under Cape St. Francis. It has been edged out by the first view of Bonne Bay from Glenburnie – the barachois, the bay and in the distance Woody Point.
Not a great way to point out the advantages of the Avalon.
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