Day 1 - Monday April 24th, 2017 Sandy Cove to Digby - 30km

I met Jen in Middleton on Sunday afternoon and she'd arranged for me to leave my car at the local Foodland until Thursday. Back at Hillcote Farm and Jenipher made a lovely supper of scallops topped with leek puree. We didn't stay up late as we wanted to get an early start.

Ready for the road

We were out of the door by about 8:15 - it was cold and cloudy. Through the village and onto the road at the top of the hill. We walk many kilometres along the road but it's not too bad.

We made it out of the village

There was lots to see - at least for me. Jenipher walks this road all the time. The sun came out and stayed all day.

Buoy, oh buoy

Our first stop was Lake Midway for a quick pit stop at the outhouse. Next stop, Centreville - and the the gas station. We ran into Justin driving a big red truck with horns on the front. I asked where he'd got them and he said they were oxen horns that belonged to his dad and that he'd never known what to do with them until he watched an old episode of Dukes of Hazard and saw a set of horns on the sheriff's car! I don't know if he was really called Justin but that's what the tattoo on the side of his neck said. He was very friendly.

Bad shot but you can see one of the horns at least!

Next stop was an abandoned church in Waterford. Years ago, when my son Daniel was about 11 we'd taken a road trip down the Neck to go whale watching with our friend Simon. I'm pretty sure we stopped here. The place is slowly crumbling into the woods. It's sad to see, but not unusual. We saw a number of lovely old houses in various states of decay and abandonment along the road. It's such a sad waste but it's the same all across rural Nova Scotia.

I have a photo of Daniel and I sitting in the top window

We had lunch sitting between two old boats on the shore by the road, trying to get out of the wind. Shoes and socks off...nice to air the feet out. Beef jerky, cheese and chocolate. Yum.

We continued on along the shore and spotted a great blue heron fishing in the shallows. On up the hill and before long we were finally able to turn off the highway at Marsh Road.

This was a wonderful stretch of the walk across the dikes at the head of St. Mary's Bay. The tide was out and we could see half a dozen ATV's scooting back and forth along the sand. Jen told me they were probably digging for worms, big nasty worms that they sell for bait in the U.S. You can just see them in the background of the photo below.

On the Marsh Road dike

Back on the highway we crossed the road to avoid a barking dog. The cars were zipping by at speed. It wasn't not long before Paul came along to pick us up. What a sweet sight!

It was a much quicker trip back to Sandy Cove for an ice cold beer, a hot shower and a delicious lobster dinner. I could hardly keep my eyes open and we were in bed by 9:30am. So day one was done and we walked approximately 30km. Jenipher was working on a nice sized blister and I had a disgusting heat rash around my ankles but other than that and total exhaustion all was well.

Off to Sandy Cove - Sunday April 23rd

I got up very early this morning, it was still dark. I looked out of the window and then did a double take as even in the dark I could see this.

Really.

Oh well, the weather person says it will melt and be sunny by this afternoon. We took Jim for a walk along the river road near our house and the wind was bitterly cold off the Northumberland Strait. On the upside the birds were singing and the daffodils and daylilies are poking defiantly out of the snow.

My backpack is ready. I've got my boots on so off we go!

Last Training Walk - Thursday

Jim and I set out this afternoon for one more walk before my trip - just a short one today, about 12km. He is a great walking companion and despite having very short legs, he keeps on trucking. We walked from our house down the Forbes Mill Road, a very quiet dirt road  Apart from a herd of deer and a couple of eagles soaring overhead we didn't see a soul.

Physically, it was harder than the two longer walks I've done in the last couple of weeks. I just couldn't seem to get going and I kept thinking that maybe I'd call David to come and get me. But, that stubborn streak in me was having none of that and we kept going. I did stop to rearrange my sock and sat on a tree stump near the river. Of course, Jim followed me and immediately stepped into a clump of burdock, his poor paws were covered with them. Sometime later we were able to continue the walk!

The rest of the walk was fairly uneventful and the farther we went the better I felt. Sometimes you just have to walk through the discomfort. Still not sure I'm ready for this but I'm going to do it anyway.

April 19th, 2017

Well, we're off again. This time it's not quite so ambitious , but more than enough after a long winter with not enough exercise. We're starting next Monday.

  We're attempting a 4 day hike from Sandy Cove to Middleton.  I say attempting because we haven't had a lot of time to train. Jen, I think has been more faithful than me, clocking a number of 10km walks along with two 15km walks in the last three days. I have walked sporadically and have managed some distance hikes, one of 15km and one 20km. It was hard and my feet hurt and I think Jen is nursing a blister.

So, I'm not completely sure we're ready for this but we're going to do it anyway. I hope you'll follow along with us!