Since I got in so late last night, it was after one a.m. before everything other than what would be needed to dress in the morning was packed. I concluded that I didn’t have a snowball’s chance of dragging myself out of bed at 3:30 a,m., which I’d need to do to allow enough time to complete the 10-hour drive around Newfoundland and arrive in time to get the 4:30 p.m. ferry back to the mainland. Plus, I probably wouldn’t be a safe driver if I did pull it off. Actually beat the cellphone’s 7 a.m. alarm–one of the few things that’s currently working on the phone while I’m in Canada–by four minutes. Showered, dressed, checked out and was on the road by 8:30 a.m.
While the weather was foggy and chilly (nearly noon before the temps rose above 50), thankfully it only rained sporadically throughout the day. In the afternoon, the sun actually came out. It’s amazing how much of the island’s landscape near the highway is still unspoiled. The woman who gave me a history lesson on Monday told me that the interior is even less developed. She said that the highway goes around the edge of the island because there is a tribal dispute somehow centering around the time when Canada became a part of the British Commonwealth.
Many signs warning about moose. I’m used to seeing similar warnings–with good reason, having had two close encounters myself–about deer in Iowa, so being especially vigilante for the even larger moose. Indeed, a car had struck a moose apparently shortly before I reached the accident. The passengers were standing around examining the animal, and the patrolman was approaching to investigate. Couldn’t see any damage to the vehicle, but you don’t hit something that big without some damage.
Took a number of pictures along the way. The route is located at http://mapq.st/p40rA1.
Fortunately, I reached the ferry’s port in Port-Aux-Basques, NL, with plenty of time to spare. Unfortunately, I left my camera in the RB, and we couldn’t go to the deck where it was parked once the ferry had left the dock. I missed some great shots of the sunset over the water. Got a wonderful view this time around, too. The ferry only has about a fifth of the passengers that were on Saturday’s trip to Newfoundland, so I had my choice of window seats with an electrical outlet close enough to plug-in my laptop. The Deep Space Nine Season Four festival starts as soon as I publish this entry.
While the symposium is over, I still have to submit my paper to the organizers if I want it published in their final report. I’ve got until September to finish it….
Also, I made a number of contacts. One might result in an invitation to present in Birmingham, England. Fingers crossed on that one.
I realized that I neglected a couple of critical parts of my journey. First, I need to acknowledge the musicians and their songs that helped me focus on my driving throughout my journey. So, I’m going back and posting links to a song that I recall most strongly from each day’s playlist.
This day’s song is Earth, Wind & Fire’s “I’ll Write A Song For You.” As it usual does, it inspired another extended obsession session.
Most importantly, of course, I thank the Lord for granting me the stamina to make the trip, the damn good reflexes to steer the RB as she needed to be guided, and the ability to enjoy His handiwork as it whizzed by my windshield.
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