First week back on bike this spring

I can't believe only last week-end I was out on snowmobile, and this week-end, I'm back out on bike. Since we had a high of 20 degrees Celsius on Saturday and sunshine both days of the week-end, I took the opportunity to finally go explore the surrounding villages around me. Saturday I went down and explored Stanhope, Brown's Arm and Porterville and Sunday I went down the other junction and explored Embree and Little Burnt Bay, ranking a leisurely 35ish km per morning.

At the top of the hill entering Brown's Arm

 When my students from Brown's Arm heard I biked through their village, they all wanted to know how I made it out of their village (on bike). I tell them, I am either super strong, or have a really nice bike ;).

Coastal rural living

Despite all my colleagues here in this town telling me that it is too dangerous to bike, I actually find Lewispote quite a good area for biking. I can say, I enjoy biking in the rural, because you can bike long stretches before having to worry about intersections. Plus, since there is less traffic, I basically have the road all to myself most of the time.

Unlike in Springdale, bikes are rare on the road, which I guess is the reason why everyone feels it is not safe for biking. The few bikes that are out roaming around town are usually children on the sidewalk on their trick bikes, and on occasional older adults cruising leisurely for fresh air (also on the sidewalk). That makes me  the only bike out that is actually on the road, daily. The other day, my college was commenting on how I'm making the drivers in my town learn how to drive with me in town.  That is a very precise description of my impact. Daily, I impose on the town my culture of utilitarian biking: I blind them with my fluorescent reflective vest, flash them with my hand signals, headlights and back lights, and demand that they queue patiently behind me as I wait for a clearing in oncoming traffic to make a left turn.

Sunken ship at Embree

Small park on the shore at Little Burnt Bay

I'm starting a collection of photos of knots. Knots were a big part of the fishing culture. Knots from my other posts.

Is this knot obsolete? :p

So smart

No fancy handle? No problem.

When I saw this dog house, I was intrigued by the silver handle on its roof.
It turns out it's a road side garbage storage box. 

The simple octagon boxes in the above photo is the more typical garbage box. Everyone has one in front of their house. The green or tin trash cans with a lid which Grouch from Sesame Street lives in are not practical here due to the high winds.  The people here need something heavy duty which will stay on the ground and prevent crows from picking apart the plastic bags before the dump truck makes its round.