The Sound of Music and the Rhythm of a Ride

Jud Gunning from Pictou, Nova Scotia

Last night at the Keltic Lodge in Ingonish, Nova Scotia, we were treated to a very special musical evening. Cape Breton Island is home to exceptional local musicians, and last night we experienced the gift of a folk artist who played excellent songs by Canadian musicians such as Gordon Lightfoot and Neil Young. Throughout his performance, he engaged us with revealing storytelling that taught us a great deal about the roots and history of Canadian music.

His performance was followed by a 21-year-old musician, Jud Gunning, a stunning guitarist and vocalist who captivated the entire room with songs that uniquely reflected life in Canada. I’ve attended many concerts in my life, but I can honestly say this was one of the best performances I have ever seen and heard. It was inspiring and, admittedly, emotional to listen to this young man as he naturally wove history and life lessons into his music.

A view from Mt. Smokey looking south along the eastern coast of Cape Breton

After such a great night, it was a bit difficult to get going this morning. We had one more major climb on the Cabot Trail and then a fairly long ride to our next destination, Baddeck, NS. The ride turned out to be about 55 miles, featuring a beautiful rhythmic ascent and descent of Mt. Smokey. Today’s coastal ride reminded us both of some of the dramatic routes we’ve taken in Manzanita and Cannon Beach in our home state of Oregon.

Facing the downhill.

We have completed the Cabot Trail and are now on the home stretch of our ride to Halifax. This last section is a bit complicated, as we need to backtrack to places we’ve already visited and figure out the best route to Halifax. Tomorrow, we will return to Auld’s Cove, the home of the famous seafood dinner, where we will determine the best way to reach Halifax, our final destination on this tour. The plan is to arrive by Thursday, but fatigue, weather, and remote sections of road are factors we are currently navigating. Tomorrow, we will finalize what we hope will be a smooth and rhythmic route for this last leg of our incredible Canadian Apology Tour.