07/08/2018

Port Hope Simpson, Labrador, Canada

347 miles of gravel road under the keel today. 160 yet to go. So far the gravel roads are very smooth over 95% of the distance. We managed to set the cruise control on 50 MPH and zoom. About noon we stopped in Cartwright to have lunch only to discover a small flaw in the reconstruction of the camper door.

When we opened the camper door to get the fixings for our lunch on the waterfront, we discovered everything inside the camper was covered with this talc fine road dust. Inspection of the door revealed about a ¼" gap between the door sill and the bottom of the door. Not to get too technical but it seems the low pressure created at the back of the camper as we drove Hoovered the talc size road dust right into the inside of the camper. (-:

Remember back when you sat on the beach in a moderate wind and that fine sand that blew across the surface slowly but surely got into every thing you had on, carried with you and piled up? Now imagine that as talcum powder size particles instead of sand size particles and you have a fair idea of the dust inside the camper.

We dug out the lunch fixings, ate lunch and cogitated what to do. With the mess in the camper, added to the fact that it was Sunday and everything was closed in Cartwright including the only rv park, we decided to drive on to Port Hope Simpson and to bag the idea of staying in Cartwright tonight. Also a local, Ron, who came by said the wx forecast was 5 degrees C for the night. With that bit of intel the decision was made.

Sidebar: Labrador on Sunday is a day of all things closed. In a small town of 500, Sunday means things are really closed. (-: We had to go down to the commercial fishing docks to get diesel fuel. That was an interesting evolution hey?. (-:

Anyway, we read that there was an rv park and a 'must see' pottery shop in Port HS. So we set off on the 135 mile trip. We stopped at Penny's Pit Stop on the outskirts of Port HS only to discover from Penny herself that the rv park closed 2 years ago along with the pottery shop. She lamented that the young ones are moving away and the town is slowly dying. Now as touching as that story was after traveling the dusty way for 347 mile, gathering dust samples all along the way, tired and hungry, we WANTED to see that %*(*&^* pottery shop and rv park!!!! (-: But Penny, bless her soul, was patient and pointed out there was a B&B just around the corner with a restaurant and bakery. Off we go to Campbell's. Did you know EVERYTHING in Labrador is closed on Sunday???? (-:

Long story short, we got a hot roast beef sandwich, a $95 room for for the night and a promise of a free breakfast in the morning at 7AM. Oh yea, this place has internet service when you can get it. Password is, no kidding, is CRAPPYINTERNET. (-: You got to love small towns. (-:

We'll deal with the camper full of Labradorian soil samples in the morning. (-: