Less Stuff, More Life

My Favourite Direction is North

Well no, maybe I should have said ‘my favourite direction is remote’, instead. 

I haven’t been to the extreme southern latitudes, so I can’t really comment with any authority. I would probably like the southern tip of South America as much as I like the north of North America (NA). 

This current road trip through Labrador took us to North West River a few days ago; a small, fishing village at the junction of Grand Lake and Lake Melville. It’s the most northeasterly place in NA that you can drive to. Population a few hundred, small tidy homes, place smells like fish, old HBC outpost, it’s a friendly spot. Clarence, the resident town greeter informed me that he often relaxes by watching sea trout jump out along a nearby point at the towns' shoreline. Clarence is in his early 60's and has lived here all his life. He fished commercially for 25 years, worked janitorial duties in the local Grenfell Hospital, was stationed as an armed polar bear security guard in a government operated camp further up the Labrador coast at Nain and he is an authority on the history of the town.

I like these places because of the things that aren’t here; the buildings that hide the sky and cover the mountains, the thousands of rooftops jammed into only a few acres, frightening aroma combinations, pavement and concrete, a 24 hour noise drone, bright lights and speed ... all, simultaneously inundated with too much of everything. 

Wilderness canoe trips have always had a profound affect on my spirit. For a short time, living is stripped down to basic human need, becomes much less complicated and inevitably less stressful. Travelling remote roads and passing through the communities that are scattered along them have a similar affect on me. Views are unobstructed, lives led are simpler, water and air are pristine, nature is not behind bars, there are moments of total quiet.

Less Stuff, More Life

We're booked on the Blanc-Sablon, QC to St. Barbe, NL ferry. We never decided on a formal itinerary for this trip, just a general direction and we're kinda' making decisions as we go ... soooo, I know, lets head north after we get LOAF off the Appolo and we can all visit with some Vikings. We'll intersect with the VIKING TRAIL part-ways through, head north for awhile to L'Anse aux Meadows and then turn around and drive south to the trails' terminus at Deer Lake. We can do some cultural stuff and hikes along the way and maybe even sample some of the local cuisine ... cod tongues and cheeks!

The Appolo

Leaving Labrador
Crossing the Strait of Belle-Isle between Blanc-Sablon, QC and St, Barbe, NL

 Crusty ... philosophising