Rexford Snowmobiles & Parts

Get Up and Go in the Snow

Travel Labrador, Newfoundland

On Wednesday, August 27, 2003, we have a great day for the trip to Labrador. We travel the Trans Labrador. Our first stop L'Anse Amour was the site of a tomb 7,500 years. Was found by a group of students who thought that the model of the rock was quite unusual. Under the rock found a baby wrapped around twelve years, upside down, painted red with a flat stone lower back. The artifacts associated with the landfill is a walrus tusk, a number of stone and bone projectile points, a bird bone whistle, paint mill, a wooden collar, a toggle harpoon and an eagle decorated with ivory.

On the way towards the light Love is the biggest province of Newfoundland. Although their presence did not prevent the ships from the treacherous shores. In 1922, HMS Raleigh, a cruise ship 12,000 tons avoiding an iceberg ran aground. His remains were scattered on the shore. During World War II came in two ships collide in dense fog event in the narrow, because had a warning from a submarine in the region. Ironically, two other vessels were lost in the Strait of that day too, but in a different domain. Strait Belle Isle is not only a corridor of icebergs, but also a wrecked room.

On the road in Red Bay, archaeologists are still uncovering the whaling station first industrial application worldwide. Founded in early 1540 by the Basque fishermen, the area between France and Spain, whale oil was used to illuminate Europe. During its heyday, more than 2,500 whales in Labrador, produces about 20,000 barrels of oil per year. Boats using a boat that is not a sandwich, which harpoons and the whales brought ashore for processing. In the port of the island Saddle archaeological excavations are still ongoing. Many objects are displayed in the museum local, including parts of the remains of San Juan, a whale, found near the wreckage of modern Bernier made in the same type of storms associated with the coast of Labrador. There are many sites on the mainland, but have not been explored found on private property. Basque industry died around 1600, due to their participation in Spanish Armada.

Red Bay in the paved road ends. A dirt road leads to new Cartwright, the opening of coastal cities for tourism and development business. After around 40 km on the road, we parked at night in one of the many gravel pits used for construction of the platform.

Today we spent six hours by car from the gravel road from Red Bay to Cartwright, a distance of 312 kilometers or 187 miles. The road is about ten feet wide and be very careful. The speed limit is 70 km / h 42. Along the road are broad prospects pine forest and mountains, similar to the completion of the Northwest Passage through of the Adirondack Mountains. About 80 miles out the planned route Cartwright to Goose Bay, a 250 km.

Most cities along the route are left aside by the new road. There are few services in the highway. Bay Lodge, gas and miscellaneous items are available in a stop Mona, not diesel. Diesel is available in Puerto de María C & J Automotive. St. Mary's is the departure point for Battle Harbour Island National Historic District. Known as the "no official capital 'of Labrador, Battle Harbour was an important base for fishing for cod in Labrador in the 19th century. The area is very similar to what in 1909. Fishing has continued the 1990, then was given to the public. Until the advent road this year, the island was quite inaccessible except by boat. Today's interpreters traditional costume of a tourist guide in a typical fishing village of ages 19 and 20. The units are available for the night.

50 k. Port Mary, Port Hope Simpson is in the beautiful river Alexis. Restaurants, bedding, fuel and hospital are available. This is the last vestige of civilization over the next 187 k. There are very few places to turn off the road to rest. Most people park on the roadside. Most of the traffic vehicles were found during the construction of 50 k. stretch.

The roads in Cartwight are in stark contrast to the road, rolling grooves. Other trailers parked in the parking ticket near the dock.

I spent a quiet day in Cartwright. We approached Sir Robert (not James) Bond Ferry at 4:30 for a candle 07:00. The boat was full, everyone returned from vacation or the best three day weekend before returning to school or work. The boat is far luxury. At night, many people who do not have a camera size broom closet, slept on deck. The strangest thing is the food service boat. The cafeteria was open until 06:30, half an hour before departure. Only snacks and bar are open for navigation itself. I wanted to see the Wunderstrand a mile long white sand beach of the story for The Vikings, a two-day trip to L'Anse aux Meadows. By the time we reached the coast and Porcupine Point, the sun had set. After a good night on the ferry, which landed in Goose Bay-Happy Valley, North Carolina. We awoke to a typical day in Labrador: sunny, wet and cool.

Our first stop was the visitor center, which closed: open only Monday through Friday. I guess people forget that the influx of people from a ship every Saturday 8:00 to 9:00, who may have information about the city. We heard that VR was allowed to park in the parking Hall. But he knew where he was and the map does not show it. We decided to go to a Tim Horton, thinks Dunkin 'Donuts in the U.S., and enjoy food, a cup of Java, and needed some guidance. After winning two and some good advice from the locals who had been aboard the boat with us, we went the door when he heard shouting: "Chicago?" I put my jacket in Chicago Heights, floor We turned around and met a couple. Chicago. He worked for Serco, Meteorologists at the air base. After spending some time in conversation, he asked if we wanted a site visit. The Greek chorus roared a resounding "YES."

Goose Bay Airport was once one of the largest military air bases in North America. The United States has built a mega-track, long enough to land all aircraft and once employed 16,000 staff based on the CAC in 1991. In the 1980's one of the spacecraft using runway of an airstrip. We accompanied the tower weather forecasts and gave a culinary tour of the facilities. The facility is divided into three sections: observation, military intelligence, and foresight. They are responsible for weather observation and reporting of a diameter of 240 K, the size of New England in Maine. We could not climb the tower adjacent air. RAF Royal Air Force intends to start flying maneuvers at low in minutes. We missed the launch of a U.S. AWACS few hours earlier. We went on deck and saw Tornado jets took off from the runway in the afterburner and the sound of thunder to its step, a very exciting spectacle. Between RCMP landed an airplane taking off and before us. Other small commercial aircraft also have shared the track. In other words, Goose Bay is a living, vibrant. In addition, the use of the facilities are the German Air Force (Luftwafte), and Canada, 5 wing.

Based CANEX is like a PX in the U.S.. Everyone can buy here. What makes this unique is the wide variety of food available for the Labrador. specialty items are operated in Germany and Britain, men and women giving a feeling of home. The German club has a restaurant open to the public local, but it closed after the tourist season in mid-September.

A sunny day in Labrador. We saw some walking trails in a brochure birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. The trails are well maintained and pass through different types of forest ecosystems. A poplar has scars from when the bear tried rise. At the top of a hill, called Lookout Rock, we could have a panoramic view and the surrounding Lake Melville. Along the way, we saw piles of excrement fresh black bear. We knew it was a black bear because of the preponderance and crackerberries blueberries in it. It was not enough to make jam. NO!

Continue the drive to North West River and Sheshitiu more along Lake Melville fifteen miles to the lake. The cities are separated by a river and a gulf of differences cultural. Sheshitiu is Innui and resettlement is a hunter-gatherer community in northern Canada. They have the common ground and have little concept of private property and permanence of the residences. It is a city to travel through, but I want to stay. Your property is supposed to be communal property and therefore are treated well. On the other side of the river live the Inuit and Metis. Interestingly there is no restaurant in the city, a grocery store. The city has to offer beautiful beaches and trails. There are also two important museums: the Labrador and the Labrador Interpretation Centre.

The Labrador Museum is divided into four sections: the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, Hudson Bay Trading Company, Grenfell Medical Mission work among the people, and sending the Interior Hubbard in 1903. We spent about an hour there watching the shows.

Labrador Interpretation Centre was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997. A modern building with thousands of artifacts from years adjust the various peoples of Labrador. On display is a sealskin kayak 100 years, that still seemed enough service. supermodels models were real people Labrador. The Center also features a large concert hall showing two films in different parts of Labrador.

On the way back we passed the Hotel Aurora and took the satellite phone for our trip to Churchill tomorrow. This is a free service, guaranteed by a credit card, 24 hours, you can contact the RCMP in an emergency.

Before leaving for our trip to Goose Bay to Churchill Falls and beyond, who had heard the artwork in Labrador Medical Center hundred yards of us. The people were right. The artwork is beautiful. Diana Dabinett, an artist from San Juan has made a series of curtains painted silk depicting various aspects of Labrador: birds, marine life, animals and landscapes. They hang in the cafeteria with large oil painting of various scenes of waterfalls Labrador coast, surrounded by trees and mountains. In the corridors are popular sculptures made by the Eskimo and Inuit peoples. All signs are written in the hospital in three languages: English, Innu and Inuit.

With the satellite phone in hand, we went 180 miles of adventure along the gravel road of the highway 500. The speed limit is 70 km / h (42 mph). The road is well maintained, but still raw. We have two students working in different parts of the road .. The views are the black spruce forest with aspen, birch and spruce interspersed others. ground cover is mostly Caribou Moss, actually a lichen. Nearby area ORMA Metchin East River caribou. On the side the road you can see the remains of caribou killed by sport: helmets, bones, etc.

We arrived Churchill after six hours of driving. We average about thirty-five miles per hour. This included frequent stops. We did not want to run through region due to the presence of potholes, etc.

We did a tour of the Churchill Falls hydroelectric Metro. This plant is the largest underground power station the seventh largest producer in the world power, using turbines to produce enough of eleven to 60% of the electricity for the province of Quebec and Labrador. We took an elevator for more than nine feet from the rock where the rock is 3000000000 (three thousand) years, some of the world's oldest rocks. I do not understand that number. The trip to Labrador is taking this whole factory tour, a wonder of the unknown world. The water tank is used for production is the size of the province New Brunswick. It takes three days for water to flow from the turbines to reach groundwater.

The city itself is one of the few towns in the company is still in existence. All accommodations and other services are owned and operated by the CFLCL, except the service station only, and the complex the restaurant. The library of a town of only 650 people is very wide and is the largest library open any province of Newfoundland, including St. John. The city is a workplace, but not retired. The winters are very difficult: -40 ° F and up to fifteen feet of snow a year. Most people intend to stay only five years, but remain as they become lovers of the North Country. Most people buy trucks, snowmobiles (one per family member) canoes, boats and other recreational toys for adults. To get to meet people while working, shopping, praying, etc, built a cabin in the city. Everything is subsidized by the company, including food (same price as that of San Juan) housing and transportation of cargo.

The guide mentioned in make a record of road conditions in Labrador City, which is completely slipped our minds. Do not forget to take the next satellite phone, for which we are grateful. The road from Labrador City was an adventure. Some places you could go fifty mph, but almost immediately you press a number of roads washboard, which slows down within fifteen mph. There are students to improve the road, but there is nothing to improve, as most of the top layer is scraped and

We were lucky on our trip of 160 miles. Only lost the plug for connecting sewer pipes and broke a glass of wine. Everything was covered with a thin layer of dust. We wanted an adventure and our wish was granted. We could go talk to one another quite politely - with a little effort.

We toured Wabush and Labrador City, both cities were built in the 70's and early 60 due to iron deposits. First train from Sept-Iles, PQ. Later they built the road from Baie Comeau.

All visits mine ended Friday before Labor Day. Once again we were a few days too late. We saw a couple of explosions. Wabash Mine define a stop at 12:15. Was small. Mines of the ICC, however, left a great one hour later.

About the Author

John and Maggie Pelley are Geriatric Gypsies. Both of us are retired from the rat race of working. We are full-time RVers, who ran away from home. We began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons. No more shoveling snow in Chicago. We have discovered volunteering with the National Park System. During our travels we have found that each town has a story to tell: some are more interesting than others. Both of us enjoy good listening music as we go. John has a CD he has recorded of Native American flure music. We have learned that RVing has a learning curve. We want to pass on some advice the help others avoid this trecherous curve. Life is an adventure. We are living it to the utmost.

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