Date:         Fri, 10 Aug 2012 06:43:35 -0230
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Great Eastern American/Canadian Road Trip
In-Reply-To:  <3D511C26-94F2-4903-9494-A12D10FC6374@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Craig, for all that I live in NL and think it's a great place, if you have
max five weeks and you're starting in NY, I think it's too far unless you
want to do an awful lot of driving.  I spent three weeks on the island my
first time here - took the ferry to Argentia, then headed to St. John's,
then worked my way west, then south down the peninsula to where you get the
ferry to St. Pierre et Miquelon (part of France, so you can include Europe
on your trip to NL), then out to Gros Morne (wonderful park, world heritage
site), up to the end of the northern Peninsula (only proven Viking site in
N. America), the ferry across the Labrador, and down to the end of the road
and the museum where the Basque fishing boat was found.  Then back to NL,
down to Port-aux-Basques to the other ferry back to Nova Scotia.  Three
weeks was definitely not enough to cover that much ground!  And unless
you're in a hurry, it's definitely a week to North Sydney, where the ferry
leaves from Cape Breton.

If you don't want to try to do Newfoundland, though, DO go to Cape Breton
and work your way around the national park - it is beautiful.  Louisbourg
Fortress, also in Cape Breton, is really interesting (and in fact, Greg
Potts, who recently got stuck in Sydney on a work trip, was there last
week).  I haven't been to the western part of Nova Scotia, aside from a
brief stop in Halifax once, but the Annapolis valley is supposed to be
beautiful. The north shore of Nova Scotia is not particularly exciting, but
the water is warm, so you can swim in the beaches.  (You can't swim in
Newfoundland, except in ponds - water is too cold.  We kayak in drysuits
year round.)

I did do the loop through PEI - ferry one way, bridge the other.  PEI is
very mild and gentle compared to Cape Breton, and even more so compared to
Newfoundland.  It's pretty, and great beaches, but I found Cape Breton &
Newfoundland visually much more interesting.  If you're interested in
festivals and the like, make sure you check the calendars of events first.
The Newfoundland and Labrador folk festival, which is a great event, was
last weekend, and the George St. festival, which I avoid, the weekend
before.

But if you choose to ignore my advice and you come to St. John's, please DO
get in touch with me!  I've been seeing your posts forever, it would be
great to get together.  I can't exactly offer a place to stay, alas, as I
live right downtown, only street parking, and my street is too steep for
you to want to camp in your van on it.  Also pretty much no spare parking
on my street these days.  And my guest bedroom is kind of a bed-less store
room (with all the stuff I pulled out of my van when I sold it!).

George Street is just down the hill from me. Lots of good local music in
the bars (generally Irish-inspired), though I never go there as I'm rather
less interested in beer than most Newfoundlanders. Unfortunately there is
more violence here than in the past - I suspect it takes more the form of
drunks beating their wives and drug addicts holding up convenience shops (a
lot of that), than anything you see in Republic of Doyle.

If you do think to head here, there is a pretty crazy art event the weekend
of the 25th, the 24-hour art marathon.  Lots of fun.  And do get in touch!


Joy


On Tue, Aug 7, 2012 at 7:05 AM, Frank Condelli <RAlanen@aol.com> wrote:

>         Craig, your always welcome here.  We have two acres to keep you
> amused and the town of Almonte where BusFusion is held has a nice river
> front park where you can camp for free.  Weekends are usually occupied with
> local VW events.  This weekend for example is Buses of the Corn in Whitby,
> ON.  Anyways, check in and hope we see you.
>
>
> On 2012-08-05, at 8:57 PM, Automatic digest processor <
> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> wrote:
>
> > Several years ago I posted to this list that i was heading out to
> > Nevada for a summer, and looking for cool people and places to meet in
> > between. The result was amazing, driveways to camp in, amazing
> > suggestions, and some now well established friendships that have stood
> > the tests of time.
> > Due to constantly adjusting life situations, I have some time on my
> > hands. Starting August 17th, I finish up work in Rye NY with a fully
> > loaded Sunroof Syncro with full westy interior, bostig engine, solar
> > panels, and hopefully fridge...... but not much of any destination.
> > I want to spend some of my hard earned money and trek around the north
> > east, hopefully heading into canada for at least a chunk of it.
> > Two to five weeks is the plan.
> > Does anyone have any suggestions of wonderful sights or experiences in
> > the NH, Maine, VT areas? Nova Scotia? Newfounland? Etc.
> > Does anyone live in these areas with a driveway that can occupy a
> > transient traveler overnight?
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Frank Condelli
> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
> '87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel
> Trains (Collection for sale)
> Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the
> Ottawa Valley
> Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
> BusFusion a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2012
>