Today consisted of a total of 120km of driving. Our shortest day so far.
Knowing we had a short day today, we slept in and tried the showers at the campground. Being a Parks Canada location the facilities are decent and clean. The showers had lots of hot water yet were small with little room to turn about as one washed. Still ranking them a 8/10.
We finally headed out at about 10:30am with our first stop being at the Home Hardware in Ingonish Beach for a small can of WD40. Applied to propane quick connect hoping it will penetrate and loosen while driving. Fingers crossed!
Our second stop was at the Pathend Brook Lookout on the Cabot Trail. Stunning views from a high cliff overlook out across the Atlantic.
From here we ambled on toward our lunch stop at the Clucking Hen Café & Bakery. A small busy roadside eatery that clearly was popular amongst the locals as well as tourists. We both enjoyed a bowl of seafood chowder and Barb had a Lobster roll and I a turkey & cheddar sandwich. We picked up a couple of pastry treats to eat along the way. Yummy. Highly recommend this as a stop.
On the road again we arrived at the Englishtown ferry and waited just a few minutes for it to arrive. The loading and crossing takes only about 10min and this cuts about a half hour off of the longer way around.
Joining the Trans-Canada again, we headed toward Bras D’Or which is where we are staying for the night at the Arm of Gold campground. We check in and park on site #1 very happy with our choice and the day so far.
And then…
As I went to the back of the van to get the electrical cabling out to connect the van to power I looked left and noticed that the covers for both storage tubes (secured under the van storing dump pipes) were hanging free and no longer secured. Evidently when we exited the Englishtown ferry we dragged the tubes on the ramp which broke both tube end covers free to dangle by the rubber restraining straps. Luckily, both dump pipes within the tubes were also still in-place after a 35km highway drive.
Ok, I’m kicking myself as I write this as I thought twice about taking the ferry because the loading ramps were steep, but I choose to proceed. The damage is on me. No problem, go to an RV service center and acquire new caps. Seems simple enough, except that neither of the two nearby have them. They’d have to be ordered in. Solution…. Gorilla tape! It will have to do until I get home (that is unless I locate another source).
Back at the camp site, I had a go at loosening the BBQ quick connect. No luck. Sigh. Looks like I’m going to be looking for a replacement tomorrow. I have two places to start. In the meantime all cooking will have to take place in the van.
Just to prove that things happen in threes, as I’m writing this Barb informs me that she has broken the frames of her reading glasses. We laugh, you can’t make this stuff up. Tomorrow will also see us visiting Shoppers Drug Mart for a new pair of glasses for her.
Keep on smiling, we are!
Tomorrow will be historic!