Day 49 - Bellevue Beach to Whitbourne

44.10 km - Total so far 3,235.10 km

RWGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15906247
Relive: https://www.relive.cc/view/g12765408083


Hélène and I this morning were looking at the weather forecast on her phone. The rain was projected to start at 6:10 a.m., the forecast was off by 6 minutes, it started at 6:04 and it is still coming down 14 hours later.

We needed a big shelter this morning and decided to use our tent fly for the job. Normally the tent poles need to anchor to the tent body (inner tent - the part inside that keeps the mosquitoes and black flies out). We anchored the poles to a ground sheet that is under the tent body. We were thus able to pack away the tent body and still use the tent fly as a big umbrella. In the pictures below, you can see the white ground sheet made out of very resistant Tyvek house wrap. 

Hélène keeping dry under the tent fly

Having a cuppa tea and not wanting to get up and pedal
in the deluge

We decided that getting a roof over our head tonight was top priority and we would pedal in the rain all day to achieve that. It only rained 95% of the time we were on the bicycles. 

A bullet proof moose made entirely out of big stones

The mandatory flowing water picture. We have moved away from
rivers and now focus on brooks

We decided this morning to take a break from the Trans Canada Highway (TCH) and follow a smaller road. This offers us much less traffic and usually some pretty nice asphalt. We left the campground and headed East on Road 201, through the communities of Bellevue. Thornlea and Norman's Cove. A longer ride than if we had headed to the TCH.

Completely wet, we pulled into a convenience store in Norman's Cove and asked a gentleman if there was anywhere to have a bite and a coffee and get out of the rain. He mentioned a take out place at the top of the hill. "A take out were we can sit" we asked. He said yes, it's my parents business. He came back out and told us they just opened.

As directed, we found the take out place at the top of the hill (near the post office). We walked in and had a quick look at the menu. No breakfast menu but the cook offered to come up with something. He got us two coffees and later came back out with a BLT and egg sandwich and home fries. It was delicious. If you take the 201, you got to stop there. He has an item on the menu called "Mess". Picture an artery blocking poutine on steroids!

Hélène and Neil Smith at the Charlotte's Take Out in
Norman's Cove

The meal put a smile on Hélène's face and she kept it until we
got to Whitbourne

As if yesterday's flat was not enough, I had another one today that consisted in another tear along the tire bead. I had expected that if I was gonna have issues from yesterday's flat, it would be were there is a hole in the side wall. That held up fine. This new problem is somewhere else. I put my big snow tire back on and we took off.

You can see the inner tube coming out between the tire and the rim.
A second later, it burst

We finally made it to the Moorland Motel around 2:30 p.m. Hélène immediately took off for the convenience store next door and I went to check in. I was given a towel so I would make a smaller puddle in the lobby. When Hélène showed up, she was taken to the laundry room and shown were all the towels were and laundry facilities. Most people we have run into so far in Newfoundland, go out of their way to help you. Believe me when you are cold, wet and miserable (just me Hélène is never miserable) it quickly warms you right up.

Almost everything in this picture is soaked

It rained pretty hard today and with the wind, it made it that much harder to get to the motel. The kindness of stranger made it a day we will not soon forget. 

27.40 miles - Total so far 2,010.19 miles