NFL - Day 1 - The Big Four (Goal 10/17 Complete)

7/1/17, “The Big Four” (Goal 10/17 Complete)

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

When I set out to see the world five years ago, I named 4 goals from the get go, and the other 13 goals were added gradually over time.  Those first four goals, I refer to as “the big four.”  I am pleased to announce that I have now completed the first of those big four goals by having visited every Canadian province.  It was no easy task, but here in Newfoundland and Labrador, I have accomplished that goal.  I have just finished my first Official meal, and I am enjoying a Partagas on the waterfront as I write this entry to celebrate this feat.  After some adversity, the trip seems to be back on track.

After I closed and published last night, I fell asleep with some difficulty, but I managed to catch three full REM cycles, more than I would have gotten if I had spent the night at my hotel here.  I headed to my gate, and we soon boarded.  I was in business class, so I fell asleep easily.

I woke up for a mediocre breakfast served very elegantly and went back to sleep.  I guess I got another REM cycle or two on the plane.  Five REM cycles is a full night’s sleep, so I arrived at YYT well-rested.  The captain wished a happy Canada Day.  Oh, fuck.  That’s when it hit me.  Today was Canada Day, the 150^th Anniversary, in fact.  What if everything was closed, the souvenir shops, the restaurants?  An agent assured me that the restaurants would be open, but probably not the shops.  It was after 11 AM local time, so I called the souvenir shop I had scouted out, and no one picked up.  Fuck.  Fuck.  Fuck.

I got my car and headed to the legislative assembly building, called the Confederate Building.  I lit up a Partagas and took my ceremonial picture.  I had now been to the legislative assembly buildings of all 13 Canadian provinces and territories.  I was rightfully proud of my accomplishment.  I then continued to Irene’s, the souvenir shop, just in case.  I was able to park about a block away, and it was now a little bit past midday.

I walked to the shop, and, lo! I saw a door that looked opened.  I continued.  Behold! it was open.  They had the flag pins.  As soon as I took one, I told her that I now had flag pins from each of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories.  I got more souvenirs and a restaurant recommendation, which actually was on the block where I parked my car, so I walked back there.

It was called St. John’s Fish Exchange, and it was perfect.  They a local dish called Fish and Brewis, which was basically just boiled salt fish and other stuff.  That did the trick.  I got a local beer to go with it.  When the food came, I used my chopsticks to grab a piece of fish.  I was ready.  After my first bite, I said it.  “All Canadian provinces.  Goal 10 of 17 Complete.”  I had completed the first of the big four.  After my meal, I retrieved my laptop and cigar and went to a chair by the waterfront, where I sat down and proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can go to Mistaken Point.

St. Barbe, Newfoundand and Labrador

I made it.  I have been driving all night, literally, as this establishing shot at dawn proves.  In fact, I only have this narrow window before sunrise to write this entry, and I am cold and tired, so I will be as brief as possible.  “I have done worse for less.”  That was almost a mantra for me as I drove, knowing that the brutal drive I was undertaking was not the worst drive I had ever undertaken, maybe not even top five.  Those other five or so had less of a reward than this.  Budapest, I’m talking abut you.  The Dalton, I’m talking about you, too.

What was this reward?  Well, I have alternatively been using the hashtag #TheFinalFour on posts today, in reference to the fact that this trip is taking me to my final four WHS in Canada, my final four in North America.  This trip was designed the way it was so that I could see all four of the province’s WHS in four days, one per day.  That was why I had to drive all night to get to this motel by the ferry.  Tomorrow morning, I will be taking the ferry across the Strait of Belle Isle to Labrador so that I can visit the Red Bay Basque Whaling Site.  That will be my second of four.  Mistaken point was the first, and that was what I visited this afternoon.

After I closed in St. John’s, I went back to my car and changed out of my suit into some more casual clothes.  I then got on the road and drove to Mistaken Point.  As soon as I got on the highway, I lit up a Davidoff Yamaso Toro and put on “Red.”  It was a straight shot and an easy drive to the Edge of Avalon Interpretative Centre, which served as the VC for the WHS.  I got there and was disappointed that there was no Plaque, but it was inscribed less than a year ago.  In fact, come to think of it, after I finish this trip, I might become the first person to have visited all of Canada’s WHS since Mistaken Point was inscribed.

They had cake and coffee set out for Canada Day, celebrating Canada’s 150^th Birthday, as was everyone else it seemed, but first I needed to get my souvenirs.  After I picked out a few, I helped myself to piece of cake and a cup of coffee.  I also got the information on where I needed to go to be inside the inscribed area.  I showed him the inscription photo, and he said the view from the Rookery would like “more or less” like that.  I walked around the museum and was fascinated to learn that the oldest “complex fossil” ever discovered was found here.  It was 575 million years old.  I was baffled by that number.

I then drove about 6 klicks to the Rookery trailhead, half of it on a gravel road.  When I got to the Rookery, I lit up a Trinidad and walked the trail to the cliff.  When I saw the vista, it looked exactly like the inscription photo, and I exclaimed, “more more than less.”  In fact, I started to think that not only was it similar, but that it might actually be the inscription spot.  I took my ceremonial picture, posted it, enjoyed the view, and headed back to the car.

It was now almost 5 PM.  I entered the ferry terminal (next to the motel) into the GPS, and I almost went into shock when it said an ETA of 4:30 AM.  Google Maps was slightly more generous with 3:45 AM, but that didn’t make it much better.  I knew that sunrise was slightly after 5 AM and that I needed to finish my entry before sunrise.  I don’t need to publish it, but, the moment the sun rises, I would need to write a new dateline of 7/2/17.  I figured that I could shave an hour or two off that time, but I would have to give some time back for gas and food.  All that mattered was not getting into an accident and getting the entry written before sunrise.  I was willing to endure the torture of the brutal drive.  After all, I had done worse for less.

I got on the road and, after I finished my Trinidad, lit up a Nat Sherman’s.  That brought me to my first stop for dinner and gas.  I got a pretzel bagel sandwich with turkey, ham, and bacon.  That filled me up quite well.  It also came with a coffee and a Canada’s 150^th Birthday special donut.  I got snacks and drinks for the road and got going, lighting up an Aroma de Cuba.  I was surprised to see the sun starting to set around 9 PM, as I was expecting an sunset of around 11 PM, but that was for St. Barbe, and I was significantly southeast of St. Barbe.

I followed the Aroma de Cuba with a Quesada, and, once it got dark, I started seeing bright flashes.  I soon found out what they were.  Fireworks, for Canada’s 150^th Birthday.  I got to see fireworks this year after all.  It made me very happy.  I was now starting to worry that I would not have enough gas to make it to the motel, and I did not know what would be open on the road.  I was on the Trans-Canada Highway, the biggest highway in these parts.  I passed two gas stations, both closed.

I then found out that there were a bunch of gas stations at the interchange where I would turn on to Route 430.  I had no confidence in anything being open along Route 430.  I lit up a new Fuente called Casa Cuba, and it was easily the best cigar of the night.  When I got to the interchange, I found a gas station that was open, and I even got some coffee, which was a boon.  This was when the driving started going from rough to downright brutal.  I was now starting to get tired, and Route 430 was in terrible shape, no lighting, faded lane lines, and under construction in various parts.  I endured.  My goal was a hard arrival at the hotel of 4 AM and writing my entry by 4:30 AM, which would allow me to finish by 5 AM.  I would get two full REM cycles that way and publish in the morning.  Tomorrow will another rough day.

After my Fuente, I lit up an LFD Andalusian Bull, which brought me to my hotel, and I saw the beginnings of nautical twilight as I drove.  With about half an hour left, I started to feel my eyes closing and took what I call “extreme measures” to keep myself awake.  The first of those is biting my hands and fingers, hard enough to feel pain.  The second, if that is not sufficient, is alternately closing one eye at time.

It worked, and I made it to the hotel around 3:45 AM.  I grabbed my smaller day bag with stuff I needed for tonight and tomorrow, along with my pajamas, my shirt for tomorrow, and a pair of socks.  I had no desire to bring in my two larger bags.  I checked in and headed to my hotel.  I was delighted that my hotel had a balcony with a beautiful view of the fjord at dawn.  I changed into my pajamas, and grabbed my pipe, a blanket, a chair, and my electronics.  I then went outside, where I sat down, lit up my my Ser Jacopo, and proceeded to write this entry, which I will now close so that I can pass out and get some sleep before I have to take the ferry.