Thursday, July 3

Off again on a 4 hr drive to Corner Brook. This drive was straight along the TCH (Trans Canada Highway). We experienced some horrendous rain storms, but no thunder or lightening. We stopped to see Marble Mountain before arriving in Corner Brook around 1:30 p.m. Once in Corner Brook we had lunch in the mall, then went to the Newfoundland Railway Society’s display. Apparently the last passenger train to run on the narrow gauge railway was in 1969 and the last freight train was in 1988. The railway was first built in the late 1800s. The narrow gauge was used to permit sharper turns and for cost effectiveness. However, the height of the trains caused many accidents and slow speeds. The “Newfie Bullet” reached speeds of only 30 miles an hour while other trains on normal railways were hitting speeds of 80 and above. The railway closed down because it became unprofitable to run. We then had dinner at Jungle Jim’s. Don’t know if this is just a “Newfie” restaurant but we have not encountered it in Ontario; anyway, the food was reasonable.

Corner Brook seems like a nice town. The drive into the city was quite spectacular. We drove down the valley alongside the Humber River from which steep mountain slopes rise straight up. At the end, the river opens out into the Humber Arm and Corner Brook (population 23000) spreads up the slopes from the water. There is a large pulp and paper mill that dominates the town. The town is built up from the shores of the river and is accessible up steep hills that you can’t imagine negotiating in the middle of winter.

We are staying at Bell’s Inn, a small B & B about 15 minutes from downtown ….. and desperately trying to catch up on emails, blog, and civilization!