<–  Day 14 Aug 15: Beach Bums | The Sun Has Set on Newfoundland 2019

Early Friday morning, the Newfoundland 2019 crew disbanded. I believe Joe left first; he’s headed back to Maryland to reunite with Emily and their son. The Ogles and Ingrums departed soon after Joe; they are headed back to the Paris of Illinois. Jim, Kevin and Bill left a little later.

Exiting the island didn’t quite go smoothly for Jim and Kevin, as they succumbed to a clogged fuel filter. But, forty-five minutes later, they were back on the road.

I’d guess everyone is still a couple days from arriving at home. If there are any additional reports, I’ll share them. Otherwise, Newfoundland 2019 is a wrap.

Thanks to everyone who met up with the Newfoundland crew, provided local advice, and followed along the journey. I know the crew really enjoyed meeting you all and, as Cowboy said in one of his Facebook comments, it renews faith in people as you meet folks from all walks of life. From my perspective, being able to meet people on our trips always makes traveling so much more satisfying.

Finally, many thanks to Bill for spearheading this trip. I wish more of his fellow Alaska Or Rusters could have joined, but if not in body and jeep, we were there in spirit, following along with each photo you sent and each tale you spun. I believe we all agree that there will be another grand journey together at some point and we have a couple ideas percolating.

Friday morning as Joe pull’s into the US border.

<–  Day 14 Aug 15: Beach Bums | The Sun Has Set on Newfoundland 2019

• <–  Day 13 Aug 14: Let The Sun Shine | The NF Trip 2019 –>

The crew spent the day driving and walking beaches; yep, they were pretty much beach bums. Good for them! Bill’s uncle is hosting them on his property on Prince Edward Island.

Below, Joe and Scott are enjoying the beaches:

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<–  Day 12 Aug 13: Alternator Blues | Day 14 Aug 15: Beach Bums –>

Joe’s relaxing on a beautiful Price Edward Island evening!

The crew started Wednesday morning in Nova Scotia. Their plan was to head for Prince Edward Island via the ferry. Then, they found a place to camp at High Bank, PEI.

The day began with a beautiful morning. Below, you can see Joe’s CJ-3B hiding behind a tree as the sun breaks over it.

The crystal blue sky frames this photo of Scott and Kathy nicely:

However, some of the crew had gotten a little bit too much sun, which led to a .. well … I’m just not sure what is going on here … bonding? Greco-Roman wrestling?

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<–  Day 11 Aug 12: All Good Things Come to an End | Day 13 Aug 14: Let The Sun Shine –>

Great group shot of the crew along the Cabot Trail. Despite the rain, everyone’s having fun.

The crew spent Monday night on the ferry from Newfoundland. On Tuesday they drove around Cabot Trail, then, due to Joe’s breakdown, had to rework their schedule, so instead of making Price Edward Island, they camped at Hyclass Ocean Campground (same place they camped Tuesday night).

Tuesday’s drive along Cabot Trail.

Our intrepid crew left their overnight ferry yesterday, but it didn’t take long for Joe to run into trouble. The brand new alternator he’d purchased a few days earlier had a bearing go bad, making it sound like it might literally explode. Fortunately, CarQuest was willing to deliver one to him. So, they waited for a while.

These three didn’t let Joe’s alternator get them down. They went for a walk (food gathering perhaps? Trouble making?).

As they walked, Jim wrote a new song, which I’ve titled, “Alternator Blues” … you’ll notice he still has a lot of work left on it…

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<–  Day 10 Aug 11: North Atlantic Cowboy | Day 12 Aug 13: Alternator Blues –>

Nice photo of the Ingrums on the left and the Ogles to the right.

On Monday, the crew began their morning in Gros Morne National Park. This was their last day in Newfoundland. Monday’s goal was to reach the shorter ferry (takes 6-8 hours), spend the night on it, then head, my guess is, toward Prince Edward Island early on Tuesday morning.

Here’s another look at Jim and Kevin’s camp spot:

Kevin really enjoyed the first. He was the fire tender. If he only had a Wilson soccer ball (it turns out you can buy these??), all would be complete.

Once they got goin, the crew found some beautiful scenery:

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<–  Day 8 Aug 9th: Collecting Penneys | Day 10 Aug 11: North Atlantic Cowboy –>

The crew’s campsite for Saturday night.

On Saturday, the Newfoundland crew left their comfortable environs at Pippy Park for lands unknown (to them) for some primitive camping.  Below, the sun shone a little more than the day before as they left the campground:

Both on Friday and on Saturday the crew met members of the Overland Newfoundland group, a “group for outdoor loving people who seek adventure by overlanding” the province of Newfoundland Labrador.

One of the numerous members of the Overland Newfoundland group that the crew met along their travels on Saturday.

Along their way to their remote campground, the crew stopped at the North Atlantic Aviation Museum in Gander, NL. They took some pics for us there:

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<–  Day 7 Aug 8th: Visiting St. John’s For The Halibut | Day 9 Aug 10: Primitive Camping –>

Bill, Kevin, Eric Penney, Cowboy, and Jim. We met Eric’s son Todd Penney in Fort Nelson in 2017.

Our intrepid Newfoundland crew spent the day meeting more folks and taking in the sights.

They started the morning at the break of dawn, hoping to see the first rays of sun to hit the North American continent. So, they drove to Cape Spear (A National Historic Site), the most eastern edge of Canada. However, Mother Nature fooled them, hiding the sun behind some clouds ….

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<–  Day 6 Aug 7th: New Found Land Ho! | Day 8 Aug 9th: Collecting Penneys –>

A photo of the highway from Argentia to Pippy Park, NL

After a 16-hour ferry ride (I finally received information on the correct length of the journey) Wednesday night/Thursday morning, the crew reached their destination: Newfoundland. It was a little wetter than expected.

When the Newfoundland crew awoke and strolled out onto the ferry deck on Thursday morning, it was a bit cloudy, but the views were still gorgeous.  Here are some photos:

Here’s a great shot of Kathy Jo, Joe, Jim and Kevin, on the ferry:

The crew landed and disembarked; the first indication that they’d landed in the right place was this huge welcome sign:
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<– Day 4 Aug 5th: Lobster Tales and Other Stories | The NF Trip 2019

UPDATE: It seems I landed flat on my face. It turns out that there is a Saint John, New Brunswick, and a St. John’s, Newfoundland, (thank you Ian). It’s all very hard to see that accurately from where I am on the West Coast. So my apologies! 

On Tuesday the crew drove from Saint John, NB, to Linwood, Nova Scotia, a distance of just under 300 miles.

Yesterday the Newfoundland 2019 (or Rust) crew woke to a beautiful morning near the bustling city of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Here is a beautiful pic of St. John, NB:

I learned Tuesday that the crew had been in Canada almost 24 hours, yet still hadn’t been to a Tim Horton’s, the second greatest thing Canada has ever produced; the greatest thing the country has produced, of course, are stand-in movie locations: Vancouver as Portland (I’m looking at you Grimm) or the Drumheller Valley in place of the US West (Unforgiven).

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<– Day 3 August 4th: Maine’ly Driving Late  | Day 5 Aug 6th: Scooting Across to Nova Scotia –>

Jim, Kevin and Merlin parked for the night Monday night at the Rockwood campground in Saint John, NB.

Amazingly, the Canadians allowed the Newfoundland 2019 (or Rust) crew into Canada yesterday. Clearly they must be desperate for tourists! Well, that and the fact that New Brunswick is so far from the Yukon that they probably still haven’t received word about our 2017 visit to Canada. Whew!

My guess as to the route they took on Monday August 5th.

The crew started the morning in Sanford, Maine, at a Walmart Parking lot.

Beginning at the Sanford, Maine, Walmart.

My guess is that the crew hit Highway One along the Maine coast line, then followed it to Bar Harbor. Now, if you are new to this adventure, you may be wondering, why doesn’t the narrator know what’s happening? Well, that’s because the crew’s phones are being jammed and they are unable to communicate with the rest of the Western Hemisphere … it’s the only possible explanation. So, I’ll make a few literary leaps …

I HOPE they got themselves a Lobster Roll, as great ones can be found all along the coast (the best one we found in 2013 was actually in Massachusetts). Even some McDonalds sells lobster rolls during the summer! Just don’t fall for lobster rolls that brag about their Langostino lobster (It’s no more lobster than Almond milk is milk). Here’s a lobster they may have seen in Bar Harbor.

This sums up much of the Maine we saw in 2013: Lobster, Lobster Rolls, and Ice Cream. We saw more signs for those three items than anything else!

From Bar Harbor, they likely followed the picturesque Highway 1 north to the border with New Brunswick. Fortunately, Merlin has saved me from using stock photos at this point, as he shared a few pics along the route:

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<– Day 2 Aug 3rd: Newfoundland Found, First Group Camp | Day 4 Aug 5th: Lobster Tales and Other Stories –>

The crew’s goal today was to reach Sanford, Maine.

They began the day bright and early, as this photo shows. I think we all know that it’s the Gladiator that makes the scene so impressive. They had roughly 8 hours of driving ahead of them, so, literally, they were both mainly driving and Maine’ly driving.

Today, shortly after leaving Bill’s property in Monticello, the Newfoundland crew had to bid adieu to Russ. Due to a family health issue, he felt an obligation to be with his family. We all wish him and his wife Stacey all the best in this difficult time.

After goodbye, the crew lined up for a cool photo:

Then, they began their trek to their destination, a spot near Portland, Maine. I do not keep the location secret so they can avoid the paparazzi; nor are they hoping to avoid all their adoring fans. Instead, I just don’t know! But, when I do, I will share the news! Their route should be close to the one shown below.

Here they are on their trek, a photo taken by Pete.This sure looks a lot like Alaska to me … I wondering they are sneaking back there without me? Guys? Guys … you are breaking up.

At some point, the group pulled into a cozy Walmart late last night. If you’ve never stayed at a Walmart parking lot, they are great, free places to pull in for the night. There’s even a list of which Walmarts don’t support camping, as not all do.

And, as I mentioned to Jim, the pro tip of the day is that the Super Center Walmarts all seem to have a bathroom at the rear of the store that, in my experience, is cleaner and less crowded.

Camped at the Sanford, Maine, Walmart.

<– Day 2 Aug 3rd: Newfoundland Found, First Group Camp | Day 4 Aug 5th: Lobster Tales and Other Stories –>

<– Day 1: Newfoundland 2019 (Or Rust) | Day 3 August 4th: Maine’ly Driving Late –>

The Ingram’s and Ogles won the Newfoundland 2019 (Or Rust) trip yesterday by reaching Newfoundland first on Saturday. The problem is, they reached the wrong Newfoundland … I don’t know how they found it, but apparently there’s a Newfoundland, Pennsylvania. Those folks from Paris (Paris, Illinois), weren’t messing around! Well played folks!

After celebrating their achievement, they left for Monticello, New York, where they joined most of the rest of the crew for the first group camp. Below we have Bill’s CJ-5 and trailer from Alaska Or Rust 2017.

Jim and ‘Kelvin’ will be bunking in Jim’s new camo-palace.

Joe’s tent is the same setup he used for Alaska Or Rust.

Russ has got himself a new trailer, with his rebuilt wagon well tested on the drive up to Monticello.

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The NF Trip 2019 (Or Rust) | Day 2 Aug 3rd: Newfoundland Found, First Group Camp –>

Russ (at the wagon) and Joe Bee’s CJ-3B are filling up for their meeting with the group.

Over the last couple of days a group of intrepid explorers–tough, thoughtful, highly trained, without fear, able to withstand the worst summer conditions–have set out for the wilds of Newfoundland, Canada. Many of these brave souls participated in the 2017 Alaska Or Rust trip.

Having survived western Canada two years ago, they are ready to join forces once again to explore the wilds of eastern Canada. They are equipped only with the latest techo gadgets, GPS locators, and A/C units in their trailers, along with healthy doses of humor,  Some are in classic jeeps and others in modern ones, but all have joined to share in the goal of adventure, friendship, and camaraderie.

This is a rough estimate of the Newfoundland trip. I don’t know what the final route will be.

Together, they’ll be exploring the other worldly area of Newfoundland, places with strange names, such as the unique town of Dildo, where they might just get a photo with Captain Dildo … yes, I kid you not.

Ann and I will not be joining them on this trip, so I’ll do my best to keep folks up-to-date on their travels. In fact, I haven’t been involved in the planning process, so I’ll only be learning where they are going as they travel. I also don’t know who all the participants will be.

Naturally, a trip like this can’t begin without some last minute heroics. This year’s award goes to Joe Bee, who worked his butt off to finish up engine and brake upgrades to Russ Lawton’s Wagon.

Bill Reiss also spent time checking over his Dually CJ-5, which turned out to be a good idea, as he discovered a tire-popper in one of his tires.

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