The Viking Run- 171 Days to Departure

 

This trip is going to be here before you know it. It's coming on so fast it seems, without big items solidified. The representative from Relais Nordik called me today with the details for getting the bike on the cargo ship and berthing from Blanc Sablon to Havre St. Pierre. He said that getting the bike unloaded in Natashquan would be difficult as the port facilities were a poor choice for that. That trip averages 2 days and 7 hours depending on time spent in the seven different ports of call in between and weather. The biggest thing to note is that I have to be in Blanc Sablon on August 27th to catch the boat. The ferry from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Argentia, Newfoundland departs on August 21st, so that gives me 5 days to explore Newfoundland, which is more than I expected really. A big issue however, is there is no guarantee I will get a spot on the freighter. I had to put my name in the hat today and will hope to hear from Relais Nordik by the end of March. If I can't get on the boat, well, then I'm going to have to turn left at Deer Lake, Newfoundland and give up going to the viking ruins at L'Anse aux Meadows. I'll have to head to Port aux Basques and take a ferry back to North Sydney and get to Canada via Maine. Not having a plan is nerve wracking.  

Searching For a Title - 175 Days to Departure.

I applied for my passport last week. I should receive it in eight to twelve weeks. It will be the first time I've ever had one. I've been making some calls as well to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and boarder agencies. Just trying to verify what I'll need for my boarder crossing; which turns out isn't much. I will have to utilize two different apps it appears for proof of Covid shots, one for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and the other for the rest of Canada. 

                                                

                                                            Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

I have made a change to my route to head north west out of D.C. and visit Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I was thinking of going from there to Hershey, PA. but not so sure that I'll find much of interest there, and I can get a Hershey Bar at pretty much any gas station. 

I'll have some time available to me to extend my stay by a day or two in various locations, so I'm looking for those places where I may want to extend my stay. Like possibly taking a day in Nipigon, Ontario for some fishing for Rainbow Trout. Who knows, there are lot's of possibilities.

                                                                    Rainbow Trout