just outside of Gander
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I spent too much money on a hotel room in Gander in. $70. It was comfy, sooo comfy. I just stayed in my room all night enjoying the playboy life of clean sheets and a body that didn't smell like a moldy gym bag. I ended up watching alot of television that night which is unusual for me. I worshiped them as a child but in recent years i find myself without one more often than not. I like it that way. Televisions just get a hold of a mind in such strange ways. its flickering aura capitvating the nueral goo. My attention was grabbed by the devastating wreck of a hurricane down south. It made me feel bad for getting down about the weather i was having. Those guys definately got it worse. its an awesome power that nature has over us. makes one feel very small indeed.
The next day i left for the trail once again. After getting some supplies at the local grocery mart. As I was on my way down Airport road, i passed a curbside vendor selling vegetables. I stopped for a bunch of carrots. The chap running the stand gave me a few free "uglies" in addition to the bunch I bought. While i waited in line i ran into Betty who works for the NFLD Trailway. She offered to take me to HQ so i took her up on the offer. Tony and Terry who also work for the association sent me a map and info about the trailway last winter. I was eager to meet them and put a face to a name so it was perfect i ran into Betty when i did. When we got to HQ, Betty prepared me a cup of tea and i sat down to chat with Tony (Terry was at a stones concert in Moncton). He gave me a rough outline of what to expect on the trail, and we chatted about various other things. It was a good visit, I had a piece of apricot cake that Terry's mom had made. which was most excellent. Kudos to you Terry's Mom. Tony later drove me out to the trail and saw me on my way. On our way out i noticed the gas prices $1.17/litre.
It was a kind of greyish day but not to gloomy. I walked some very straight bits. Through some more of those beautiful bogs. About 15kms down the trail a ATVer stopped. He was a young kid on his way home from a night of fun in gander. He asked me if i wanted a lift, and being the opportunist that i am, i hopped on. I don't think the kid ever had it below 70 kms/h. it was maxxed at 90 most of the time. a white knuckle ride if ever there was one. I was only hopping that my pack-sack would serve as some kind of cushion should i be flung off. I have ridden on motorcycles and know the importance of leaning into a turn. Infact motorcycles are the only things i am licenced to drive. I didn't die on the ride, but my kidneys took a couple of shots, and my hat has never been more muddy. The lad dropped me off at the old train station in Greenwood. There were a couple of other kids there hanging out. So i sat and chatted them up. Nice enough lads. They told me what it was like to live in a small town. They seem quite enthusiatic about the fact that there were no police patrols in their village.
After leaving their keep I stopped at the store and got some water and candy. i didn't walk much farther that day. It was hot, finally, and i felt like sitting under a tree. I found a really nice waterfall and sat down next to it for a good long while. i fell asleep infact.
when i woke up it was late evening. so i packed my gear up and tried to find the trail back. When last i left it, it seemed to dead end at the Trans can. I ended up going the wrong way and when i realized it, darkness was getting on. So i went back to the trans can and slept in the tunnel. It was a stroke of genius because at midnight a large and very mad storm broke overhead. I was laughing in the tunnel, nice and dry except for a few drips.
The next morning was grey but there were clear patches of to the west so i wasn't too worried. I found the trail pretty easily the next morn. I felt like a moron for missing it the night before. It cleared up completely at about 10. thats also when i made it to Notre Dame Junction, where i inquired about some water. An older lady filled my bottle for me, and gave me 3 bananas to boot. I had a little lunch break just past there, the bananas though bruised, were still quite nice. Then I hauled ass to Norris Arm where I stopped for some beers and dinner. For dessert I had the coconut cream pie, it was a dollar fifty, and the slice was a 1/4 of a pie!! Feeling stuffed and happy I felt like i could tackle another 20 k so hoisted the pack again and slopped off. I hiked under a star ladden sky until about 10 or so. Feeling good about the weather i slept like an open-faced sandwich, you know all my jelly bits exposed an everything. There was no melting due to rain either.
There was maybe 5 kms from where I slept to Bishop's falls. When I got to the river there was a multitude of greyhairs out on the bridge doing laps for exercise. Each one had to stop me and asked me what i was doing. After repeating myself at least a hundred times, they let me go on to the Irving gas staition. I had breakfast, and watched some stormy looking clouds pass. I also noticed the price of gas $1.50/litre. holy shit... 30 cents in 2 days. Quite the hike.
I have to mention it now. This is why i walk. Its for the cure from cars. The way I see it you could compare modern car culture to a junkie. it starts off subtlely. you ride around in them. until you buy a car and start consuming gas. Soon your live becomes dependant on said car and gasoline. Gradually your whole life revolves around this car and its gasoline habit. Then all your money is slowly being sapped by this thing with checks and valves. then everyone else gets into it, and the demand for gas sky-rockets. Now everyone needs. Who's gots? Anyone carrying? I really needs! Well folkes, the price is only going to go up you know. but unlike harsh street drugs which can be manufactured out of plants and plumbing supplies, oil is finite. there is only so much. If the price of gas goes up much more it'll become very hard to get around. If you are just a regular joe at a regular job, how are you expected to afford such dainties? The fools in the SUV's will finally see the futility of a over-powerful engine. It'll be like people who are turned to the street because of an addiction. Or corporate execs who turn to expensive habits to give their money a use. Who wants to be broken by a substance? No one. The last thing we want to see is modern culture crumbling like dope fiends. there, its said. probably just another rant. We need a cure for this cancer. any ideas? nothing is quite as easy as turning a key and going, i know. I am addicted just the same. I can't let opportunity pass me by. But there has to be some way we can still go about our ways without shoveling more money and resources into furnaces. Think about it. if everyone in Canada were to give up their cars and invest that money into public transportation. We would have the best transportation system in the universe. but why only canada, why not the world. lets stop foolishly and greedily guzzeling from the funnel of dead dinosaur bones.
Anyhow back to the story. After I left the gas station the sun came back. I walked on to Grand Falls Windsor. There were a few stops to graze on bluberries, and a bald eagle flew overhead, but little to note. I was preoccupied by the gas thoughts. As i entered town I was greeted by two kids on bikes. They followed me along asking all sosorts of questions. Once they found out that i was walking across their province the told me i was "Nutz." They brought me to the music/computer store. I inquired about the internet and they us downtown.
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