Witless Bay

Rode out to Witless Bay today. Here's the map. I've done this as an overnight tour from St. John's, but today it was out and back with a short stop for photos and to breathe in the sea air. At the end of Gallows Cove Road on the south side of the bay there's a beautiful cobble beach with flat, grassy fields at the far end, which are ideal for camping (see photo at left). You can set up your tent so that you have a view of the islands just offshore. On one occasion Deborah and I woke in the morning to find seals swimming nearby. Today I saw only a couple of whale spouts but they weren't breaching.

And here's some pictures of the bicycle I've been using for most of the rides described here. This is the third year I've had this steel Marinoni. It has a carbon fork, and the Shimano 105 triple groupo. Last year we completed a Super Randonneur series together (a first for both of us)! The compact gearing on the front along with the granny gear makes this a real wimp's bike, but hey, it gets me back up the Witless Bay Hill with ease, and the ride really is as smooth as silk!

Circle the City

What happened to the annual Canada Day Ride? Till now it was a regular feature on the Bicycle Newfoundland and Labrador calendar, and it usually had a big turnout. We'd do a loop of the Northeast Avalon - to Pouch Cove via St. Thomas' Line and return via Marine Drive. It was the closest thing to Halifax's Joseph Howe Century Ride that St. John's ever had, and I'm not alone in thinking it a disgrace that it wasn't held this year! Oh well - on to other things.

Recommended Ride: I call this the Circle the City ride, because it`s just one big loop that skirts our fair metropolis. Tuesday evening conditions were beautiful for this. Wind was practically zero and it was warm even by the water. I managed 51 kilometres at an average speed of 25.3 kmh which for me is fast, especially when travelling alone. It`s best to leave this one till later in the evening, because it involves negotiating one of the off-ramps at the old overpass, and you don`t want to deal with it when traffic is at peak. Click here for the map. If you do it without taking a break I give you permission to finish up with a piece of fresh cake and a coffee at Gracie Joe's. Clomp your pedal cleats and keep your helmet on till the server clues in that you rode up on your bike - sometimes they give you a 10 % discount - imagine!!

Marine Drive Hills

Recommended ride: Finally - a ride that didn't require extra clothes! I even got a bit of a sunburn on my upper arms. I went out to Fort Amherst then back along Harbour Drive to warm up. I got delayed a bit by the Canada Day parade, but soon got up to speed and headed out to Middle Cove via The Gut and White Hills Road. Several small groups in full kit passed me going the other way. The climb out of Outer Cove was hot, but it went well. I crawled up Signal Hill in my granny gear at the end. There was a small pod of five humpbacks cavorting off Cuckold's Cove Head and tons of people up on the Hill watching them. Click here for the map.