To: n0abe@sio.midco.net

X-Type: Email; Outmail

Subject: Headed for Butter Pot Travelogue

X-Via: KB6YNO

X-Status: Sent

We visited St. Vincent and filled up with diesel and propane. This is where Dr. Grenfell headquarted at. He is famous in Newfoundland and Labrador for his early work in health care where conditions were terrible. He had a hospital at Battle Harbour, Lab. where we were and another at St. Vincent. The Grenfell clinics still exist today in this area. We headed across the northern pennisula back to the west side as there is no road going down the east side. There were some beautiful sea inlets and islands on the north tip and northeast side. We stayed at Main Brook where we met the fisherman that gave us the Atlantic Salmon. When we got back to the west side we picked up the road we came up on. It was rougher on that side and we got to "bucking" a couple of times. Got down to 35 mph for awhile as the oil was really up and down. Got down to TCH #1 and headed east for St. Johns. We stopped near Lewisporte, NFD at the Notre Dame Provincial Campground. It was very nice! We did a day trip up to Twillingate Island. It is very pretty there and is called Iceberg Alley but there were only two distant icebergs and we spotted no whales but the seascape was great. We tried to buy some Atlantic salmon but could not find any but we will keep trying! We had a picnic overlooking some boats and a bay. What scenery! The next morning we headed for St. Johns area where we want to park at Butter Pot Provincial park for several days and do day trips from there with just the F-350. One day to the north around Buccaleu Trail (means Salt Codfish), another day on the pennisula south of St. John's where there are lots of birds and whales and another day into St. John's to Signal Hill, Spear Point(fartherest point east in North America, and some other historical spots. The last day is no planned yet. Sometime I am going to hike up Butter Pot Hill.

Almost did not get parked today in Butter Pot! Every place we have been you just go in and pick a spot, park and go back and pay which is what we did here. Well I does not work that way here. I walked back to pay, about 1.5 miles as I wanted some exercise and found out the spot we were in was reserved and in fact everything was reserved. I could not believe it as there were at least 30 open sites but apparently people out of St. John's and surrounding area reserve things way ahead of time for the week end. Once you have a spot you can keep if for as long as you want. I suppose there is some limit but apparently it is at least a week you can have a spot. Anyway I walked back and we tore the antenna down, packed everything up and went back to the check in spot. After a lot of talking I convinced them to let us stay in the day use area. They said we could until evening and if there was not a cancellation they would give us a permit. We got set up and there is plenty of room here so I talked to the guys from the park doing some work in our area and found out if people were from out of province or in our case out of country they usually let them park here. I went back to check in and convinced them to let me pay for two nights and on Sunday night I would come back and see what was available for the next 3 nights as people from the wwekend should be gone and free up some sites. Once we get into one we can stay until we leave. While I was there they turned away 3 different parties so we are thankful to be here. Talked to Chris AC0M ex SD now in FL on the radio and Jim K0HW from Elk Point today and got the weather report. It is going to work great to do day trips out of here. We got great help from a near by visitors center on maps, tours, and how to get to things in St. John's including the 3 Walmarts. Diesel is running right at $2.00 for gallon US $ here in Newfoundland so it is spendy. I sent an E-mail to the trailer park in Fortune to be sure we had a place to stay before going to St. Pierre and Miquelon the French Islands. I also will schedule the ferry from Argentia back to North Sydney in the morning. Figure after our experince of today I better be sure these two things are scheduled or we could really get held up. Hurray, after that I should not have to schedule anything else for the rest of the trip. I just hate having to schedule things!!!! Anyway I don't want to drive back to Port au Basque for that ferry back to North Sydney as it is over 300 miles. Newfoundland looks small on the map as it is clear out on the end but what happens is the scale gets shrunk way down. It is right at 600 miles from where we were at L'anse aux Meadows to St. Johns so that is a long pull; especially given the road conditon! Before I left home I knew it was pretty big but I though 400 miles not 600 miles and expected the road to be better! In a few days I will report on the day trips from Butter Pot Provincial and then the trip to the French Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Ed and Edith

[MID: 1431_W0SD Sent Via: KB6YNO Date: 2002/07/22 11:32:02]