FitzGeralds' trip to Newfoundland 2006

[Tom]

Ardra FitzGerald documented the 5 month trip that she and husband Jerry took in 2006. You can read the fascinating story in the forum library by clicking on the Library button above and selecting Trip reports. The story starts when the FitzGeralds and the Ruwards left home for Moab, UT and ends when they returned to Las Vegas 5 months later. Ardra kindly compiled the aggregate of her emails and letters documenting the trip into this file.

Thanks Ardra!

 

[BernieD]

Wow, I'm a fairly fast reader and it took a couple of hours to skim thru to July 5th, with some detailed readings in parts. It was quite fascinating since we were with the Fitzgeralds in Moab and in South Haven, then followed much of their route to and thru Newfoundland. How Ardra had the time to write all that she did was amazing.

For future reference for those following along, and have the need for wi-fi like Jerry (and me ), we also noticed the @ symbols on the signs entering the towns in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. In Beddeck the hot-spots were the public library and the employment office across the street. Most of the @ locations that we accessed were hot-spots rather than public computers or plug-ins. The library's was a 24/7 hot-spot and a good signal outside when the library was locked. We found it open but unattended. The ferry between N. Sydney and Port au Basque has a good wi-fi signal near the purser's desk.

For a fascinating tidal bore experience, try tidal bore white water rafting on the Schubencadie River in northern Nova Scotia near the Bay of Fundy. The meeting of the tide coming in and the power of the river going out creates quite a stir ;D

Ardra, what happened to your 68th year ??? ;D  You spent your last 67th week in Moab and your first 69th week later ??? ???

Newfoundland almost became a US state (or territory) rather than a Canadian province. The American presence during WWII made the Newfi's very pro-American when confederation with Canada was proposed, but Canada finally prevailed.

 

[Tom]

Bernie,

When time permits, I might edit/split the file into separate chapters for easier reading in a single session (i.e. read a chapter or two and come back later to read another chapter or two).

 

[ArdraF]

Ardra, what happened to your 68th year Huh Grin  You spent your last 67th week in Moab and your first 69th week later Huh Huh/quote]

Bernie, the fingers just must have made an error.    On arrival in Moab I was 67 and by the time I left I was 68!  Boy, did that go fast!  ;D

Sorry it's so long.  It was 18 emails I sent to family which I pulled together into one document summary.

ArdraF

 

[BernieD]

Ardra

No need to apologize, that trip just had a lot of interesting places and much description was needed. Am enjoying revisiting our summer where it coincided with yours.

 

[ArdraF]

Thanks, Bernie.  Too bad they didn't coincide a little more closely.  ;D  I have been wondering how the Rocky Harbour to St. Anthony trip worked out.  Was it REALLY done in a one-day bus trip as your schedule implied?  Did they have any takers and what were the results?

ArdraF

 

[BernieD]

Thanks, Bernie.  Too bad they didn't coincide a little more closely.  ;D  I have been wondering how the Rocky Harbour to St. Anthony trip worked out.  Was it REALLY done in a one-day bus trip as your schedule implied?  Did they have any takers and what were the results?

ArdraF

Ardra

We never got to St. Anthony. We stayed at Cows Head, maybe 20 miles north of Rocky Harbour. we drove down to Rocky Harbour and spent a day there. Then another day we drove up to Port au Choix, still 120 miles from St. Anthony, and spent another day there. Those of our group that tried it had a very long exhausting day. We didn't feel we would enjoy St. Anthony with all that driving. They didn't take a bus but drove their cars. A bus from Rocky Harbour would have had to leave early in the morning and get back late at nite. But at least you could sleep both ways

 

[Betty Brewer]

When time permits, I might edit/split the file into separate chapters for easier reading in a single session (i.e. read a chapter or two and come back later to read another chapter or two).

Tom,

That would help me.  It was taking  so long to load that I just gave up .  I am waiting until I have more time to read the log.  I'm sure she did a wonderful job and we will use it when we visit in 08.
Betty

 

[Tom]

Will do Betty. Didn't get to it last night.

 

[ArdraF]

We never got to St. Anthony. We stayed at Cows Head, maybe 20 miles north of Rocky Harbour. we drove down to Rocky Harbour and spent a day there. Then another day we drove up to Port au Choix, still 120 miles from St. Anthony, and spent another day there. Those of our group that tried it had a very long exhausting day. We didn't feel we would enjoy St. Anthony with all that driving. They didn't take a bus but drove their cars. A bus from Rocky Harbour would have had to leave early in the morning and get back late at nite. But at least you could sleep both ways

As we discussed before our respective trips, they were nuts to even consider the notion of going all the way to St. Anthony and back in one day.  It's a comfortable one day drive from Rocky Harbour to St. Anthony's.  The L'Anse Meadows site (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) alone requires a lengthier visit than they would be able to do.  We also explored some delightful villages up there.  My feeling is that if you're going to travel all that distance to see the area, you should allow enough time to REALLY see it.  We've now "done" the western side of Newfoundland twice.  The first time we only spent about five days and it wasn't near enough time.  There was only time for L'Anse Meadows, Port aux Choix (another UNESCO World Heritage site), and the highlights of Gros Morne National Park.  This time we spent more time in the St. Anthony's area, went to Labrador (the Red Bay National Park museum is beautifully done) on an overnighter, and then spent a lot more time in Gros Morne (we still haven't seen everything there), and explored many of the small peninsulas down toward Port aux Basques.  We spent an entire month in Newfoundland and still didn't see everything.  But at least this time we feel comfortable knowing we saw the most important things.  For people who enjoy hiking, Gros Morne is wonderful.

The only thing I would recommend in retrospect is to buy an ANNUAL national parks pass.  At Gros Morne, we got one that was only good for a week and that was not long enough.  Had we bought the annual pass, we would have had more "free" hikes.  As it was, we bypassed some of them because our pass expired and each would have been another C$10/person.  [I should explain that the main North-South highway goes through Gros Morne so it isn't like some of our parks where you enter, do your thing, and exit.  There are many things to do along the highway, most of which have an entry fee or require a park pass.]  Also, if we had bought an annual pass at our first national park visit in New Brunswick, it would have been good in all the national parks, such as Fundy N.P., Terra Nova N.P., Bell Historic N.P., Gaspe N.P., Bonaventure N.P., Cape Spear N.P., and the places we saw on an earlier trip like Louisbourg N.P.  It probably would have paid for itself even before we arrived at Gros Morne.  Canada has a lot of really neat national parks and national historic sites that are well worth a visit.

ArdraF

 

[BernieD]

Ardra

Fortunately our campground in Gros Morne included the annual park pass. Unfortunately, the schedule did not permit our using it that much. The negative of being with a caravan. L'ance Meadow was effectively unattainable, those that went to Labrador didn't see anything beyond the ferry terminal. Good side, look at all the new things we can do on our next trip there ;D

 

[ArdraF]

Good side, look at all the new things we can do on our next trip there

Right on Bernie!  You always need to leave something to see the second time around.  Let me add, you're going to need to spend a whole lot more time there the second go.  ;D

ArdraF

 

[Dave R]

There are great places to see and things to do in Newfoundland. We spent two months there again this summer. We have now been down all the paved roads and many
of the unpaved roads in the province.  We really enjoyed the theater presentations in Trinity this summer. They are not to be missed.

Dave