Bredahl Tour Bus

Happy hour, then dinner with the Scholes.
4 Aug. Mon day 64
Today is a down day. Catch up Laundry, coach cleaning and maintenance. Help to others - broken hitch and electrical problems. Tonight we all went out to “Earles” a local spot that serves traditional foods. Gayla had (Jig dinner) and Myron had (Jig dinner with Moose). Jig Dinner is carrots, cabbage, potatoes, pea pudding (mashed yellow peas), and corned beef. Finished with Partridge Berry Pie (Ligonberries)

5 Aug Tues. day 65
Depart from Grand Codroy. Rain all the way. Drove most of the length of the “LONG RANGE MOUNTAINS“. Just under 2000 ft., Height, but very massive looking. Very steep but with rounded tops and flat tops. Pot luck dinner at camp.

6 Aug. Wed day 66
5:15am departure for ferry. Schedualed 6 hr. run. Port Aux Basques to North Sidney. Big screw up at the ferry. Boat doesn’t get in until 9:00am, we don’t leave until 11:00am
Crossing is a little bouncy the first half then it smoothes out and we have a nice ride. Drive to Louis Bourg, Nova Scotia. Great park, right on the water. In the evening, while walking the beach Gayla & I meet the owner, LINDA.

7 Aug Thur day 67
Bus tour to Louisbourg Fortress National Park. The French settled here in 1713 and built the Fortress over the next 7 years. It’s a major trade center until the British take it in 1745. Three years later, they give it back to France. Then in 1758 the British take it back and in two years totally dismantle it. In 1928 it’s declared a national monument. In 1961 construction begins to rebuild 1/5 of the original fortress. This evening we go to Louisbourg playhouse for a great musical with local talent.

8 Aug. Fri. day 68
Leave Louisbourg for Pictou, Nova Scotia. Arrive Pictou about 2pm run into town for a little exploring. Tour the Grohmann Knife factory, learned how quality knives are made by hand and learned a few pointers on how to sharpen knives. Group gathering in the evening for a little socializing.

9 Aug Sat. day 69
Up at 5am for another Ferry ride. Boat is scheduled to depart at 8am . We don’t make the first boat, so we left at 9:30 on the next boat and its 1hr 30min crossing to Charlottetown, PEI (Prince Edward Island). Drive to the RV park arrive at 1pm. Played catch-up this afternoon.

29 Jul Tues. day 58
We depart at 8:00am for a 250 mi. drive to Portland Creek, NF. We have been in central north and are now driving to the N.W. corner of Newfoundland. This is where their really big mountains are - all 1900 ft. of them. They are big- Huge - round rock mountains. This was truly a beautiful drive.

30 Jul Wed. day 59
We drive to St. Anthony. Wet and bouncy. The roads up here are not very good. In fact we thought the cabinets were going to come off the walls in some places. After several days of mid 80’s its overcast - light rain-- mid 60’s. Arrive around 1:00pm The afternoon off - checked out St. Anthony - Laundry and shopping.

31 Jul Thurs. day 60
8:00am bus to L’Anse Aux Meadows. At this spot at about the year 1000 the Norsk arrived. This place has the remains of a Viking Village found in 1960. Amazing people.
They sailed from Norway and Ice Land to this location in Viking ships that have sails and oars. Tonight we have the Viking Feast. At the southern tip of St. Anthony they have built a Viking Long House. Big- Sod covered mound - tunnel entrance. We have a lot of great food with Viking waiters. Our waiter is a “kick” Myron said “Nut Job” After dinner we hold aViking court and some of our members are “Roasted” and found GUILTY…………….Fun night.

1st. Aug. Fri day 61
Load up the group in a tour bus. Frank is our driver, and we are off for Labrador. We drive down to the Ferry Dock and its 1hr. 30 min across to Labrador. On this side of Labrador there is only 60 miles of paved road. We drive to the end which is RED BAY.
A Basque fishing village. They have found a 400 year old galleon on the bottom of the bay. This was a major whaling town at that time.Then we travel on to the Red Bay Light house. Up to the top 126 steps, 6ft. Thick walls at the base and 4ft. Thick walls at the top. It just turned 150 years old. Tonight we stay in the Northern Lights hotel in Labrador.

2 Aug Sat. day 62
We leave the motel at 9:00 am and Frank takes us back to the Ferry. He lives in Labrador and has a vast knowledge of local customs and history. We met his wife and daughters, and they seem to be a very close, secure and happy. On the way back we watch Moose by the road, and arrive at camp at about noon. (Bunny way very happy to see us) This evening Frank comes back with the bus and we go out on a MOOSE hunt. Viewing actually. He gets the bus to within about 20 ft. of a couple of Moose. We see 12 of the big guys in about 1 hour. Temp. here has been in the 60’s with Fog in the A.M. Unfortunately, Moose get hit by cars just like deer.

3 Aug. Sun day 63
8:am dept. for Rocky Harbor. Easy drive, more great sights and beautiful landscapes. Happy hour, then dinner with the Scholes.

Today was one of the REALLY GOOD days. We started with a bus ride at 9:00am out to a little fishing village. But fishing has become a pleasure thing rather than a business, as they now grow mussels. We toured the harbor on a boat around the mussel farm. Our tour guide for the day was Reg Hemeon. Great knowledge of local history and the mussel farm, Plus a wonderful story teller. After the boat tour, we had lunch (they call it dinner) at Reg's B&B. We had Seafood Chowder & sandwiches. THEN WE HAD THE CEREMONY. WE WERE INDUCTED INTO THE NEWFOUNDLAND SOCIETY. WE ARE UN-OFFICIAL CITIZENS OF NEWFOUNDLAND. Myron had to stand with one foot on a rock and the other in a tub of Sea water. Then we had an intelligence test, after that the ceremonial toast with SKREECH, which is their local Rum.
Bus ride back to town. We then toured the SeaPlane museum which was right where we were parked. At 6:15pm we walked up the street a few blocks to the BOTWOOD 50 PLUS CLUB. The local Seniors group made us a Buffet Supper, ALL HOMEMADE DISHES. We had MOOSE IN GRAVY, VEGETABLES & FRUIT from the local area. Several of the dishes were specialties of the area.
We had intertainment by a Local singer and it was a GREAT day with the temp. in the 80's.

Bus pickup at 9:30 am for City tour and then out to Cape Spear, NF. We tour Cape Spear Light house and the grounds. We are now standing on the furtherest East Point of North America. When we look to the Sea, we are watching 6 whales role and dive just off shore.
Back on the bus and head back towards town to signal Hill. THE SPOT MARCONI HEARD THE FIRST GLOBEL TRANSMISSION OF A TELEGRAPH FROM EUROPE.

26 Jul Sat. day 55
This run is to Gander, NL. CENTER OF THE EARTH FOR AVIATION FOR DECADES. The airfield there was built in 1936. Aircraft from North America to Europe had to stop here for fuel. This City almost doubled in size on 9/11/01, when 43 Jumbo Jets converged here with 6700 passengers, because of terrorist attack in N.Y.C and D.C. The city at the time had a population of 8500 people.

27 Jul Sun. day 56
Drive to Botwood. Population about 3600. Started as a Seaplane base for early aviaton.
During WW2 it was the center for all Sea Plane activity for the North Atlantic. Today it has a papermill and fishing. today it hit 90degrees and we have had 3 days in the high 80's.

Travel to Stillwater and Nimrod RV Park. Had to make it thru Halifax-- thank goodness for Sunday morning and no traffic. Stopped at Heritage Village. There are 15 buildings all made up for the forties/fifties nostalgia. All kinds of of old stuff sitting everywhere, Brings back a lot of memories. Had lunch there in the (Cook Shack). Served on enamal ware, were vegetable soup, beans, fresh baked bread. Molasses for the beans. Dessert was ginger-bread with Rhubarb sauce. A big thunderstorm just as we got there soaked us . Nimrod RV park set on a very nice little lake.

(FINALLY ABLE TO CATCH UP, SO BARE WITH US)

21 jULY mON. DAY 50
Drive to Harris and Sidney. Stopping in Baedeck, NS to visit Alexander Graham Bell museum. Discovered how many things he was involved with besides the Telephone.
Amazing man way ahead of his time.

22 July Tu. day 51
Bus tour around Cape Betton Park. Following the Cabot Trail. Explored by Cabot in 1497 then settled by Scots. Gaelic culture abounds the area. Celtic University is there to teach the old language and ways. This evening we had the meeting for the Ferry trip to Newfoundland.

23 Jul Wed. day 52
THE LONGEST DAY. Up at 4am for a 5am departure. 22 mile drive to the Ferry dock.
In line about 2 hrs. before loading. The Ferry is about 540 ft. in length, will hold 370 cars and 70 tracter trailers. We can't stay in the coach so we are assigned a cabin. It's 260 miles and takes 17 hrs. so we don't get into Argentia, Newfoundland until 2am on the 24th of July (thur)

24 Jul Thur. day 53
After getting to bed at 3:30am We are all up and leave Argentia for St. John's at 11:00am
Very pretty drive--gorgeous lakes--lots of rocks. Arr. at the RV park at 3:00 get on a bus at 4:30 for a ride out to a little cove and another boat ride---- But this time to see Whales and Puffins. Saw 2 Whales up close and personal. Then an Island full of Puffins (Cute Birds) Back to the dock after about 1Hr.30min of cruising, then had a wonderful tasty Cod Au gratin dinner.