Episode 12: Miles travelled so far = 584mls
The fog disappeared sometime in the night while I pretended to sleep in my ditch. At about 5am I got up and made some hot coffee to have with a couple of breakfast bars. The sky overhead had hardly a cloud in it and it looked like a fine days riding was in store.
The Newfoundland Visitor Centre at Port aux Basques, my sleeping ditch is arrowed.
Having had my breakfast and stowed my things away I decided I might as well be on my way. I put my helmet on, started the bike and backed out of the corner I had parked it in. Pulling round slowly to face the highway I noticed a girl walking by the highway and mistook her for someone out of the couple of camper vans who were parked in the opposite corner of the car park from me, perhaps she was looking for a water tap or something? She called out something to me which I couldn't hear over the engine noise and with my balaclava and helmet on. She must have realised because she changed direction and started towards me. She was tall, long blond hair, startling blue eyes, high cheekbones and slim.
"You must be wondering why I'm walking down the highway at 6 o'clock in the morning with no shoes on." she called.
I switched the engine off, took off my gloves and helmet, pushed the balaclava down so it was around my neck, removed my earplugs and by now she was about ten feet away.
"So tell me, why are you walking down the highway at 6 o'clock in the morning with no shoes on?" I asked wondering if she had an angle that would try and liberate some cash from me, but although wary I was also curious.
"Ooh, are you from Australia?" she asked her face lighting up.
"No England." I replied with a grin, North Americans often confuse the two accents, although how the manage to do that is beyond me.
"My name is Natasha, did you know that Natasha is Russian?"
"Yes Natasha, I did." and told her my name.
"Did you ride your bike all the way here from England then?"
"Well almost Natasha, you see there's 4,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean to get across first." I said chuckling.
"Oh I'm not very good at maps and things." she laughed.
"Ah, right." I said.
"I went into town last night with my boyfriend, to a party." she said pointing vaguely back towards Port aux Basques. "Not a proper party, just a few of his friends, and some music and a few cans of beer. Ya know?"
"Ah, right." I said again.
"Do you have a cigarrette?" she asked.
"No I only smoke cigars, but we can share one if you like." I said producing my packet of Hamlets and lighting one up. She took a drag on it, made a face and passed it back.
"I didn't like the party much, some of his friends are into dope, ya know?"
"Ah, right." I said once more.
"So when they started to want to play those 'party games', I told my boyfriend, he's my ex-boyfriend now by the way," she added taking the cigar again, and making a face again after inhaling from it. "I told him I wanted to go home now."
"Ah, right." I said.
"So he said, 'You can't go home, 'cause I've hidden your shoes!' We'll see about that I told him, which is why I'm walking down the Highway at 6 o'clock in the morning in my bare feet." she finished.
"Ah, right." I said.
"Haha, ohh I just love the way you say 'Ah, right.'" she said with a big smile on her face.
"I cannot go without taking a picture of you Natasha, here stand by the 'bike and I'll take one."
"Can I sit on it? she asked.
"Of course." I replied and took a couple of snaps as she posed outrageously.
Jumping down she gave me a big hug and said "Welcome to Newfoundland. I gotta go now, my Mum will have enough to say as it is. I only live in the next village."
"I wish I could give you a lift Natasha," I said, completely putting aside the instruction from the lady at the Customs Office that I must not give anyone a ride, "but as you can see there is absolutely no room for you to squeeze on, what with my camping gear and luggage." I explained,
"I know, but that's not why I stopped, I get this intuition thing sometimes," she replied screwing up her face a little, "something just told me I had to come over and talk to you." We both laughed, she gave me another hug and walked off towards the Visitor Centre.
"I think the cleaner is there," she called over her shoulder, "maybe I can get a taxi."
I put my helmet on, remounted my bike and rode of with a wave and a "Hi ho Silver away, who was that masked man?" call; which no one but me and my 'bike Christine would have heard.
Why there are no photos of Natasha will be explained later on.
Miles today =0
Miles Covered so far = 584mls
Tomorrow, Gros Morne National Park
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