Marathon all 10 Canadian provinces in 5 years — that’s the plan.  Opportunity knocked.  Got to tagalong Stephen & Sheila’s family gathering in Nova Scotia.  They arrived the weekend prior, sight-seeing the easternmost portion of the province, Cape Breton.

I landed Thursday evening: (Air Canada) Denver to Toronto, Toronto to Halifax.  What a greeting – welcomed by the entire Cavanaugh clan!  Easy dinner nearby then an hour north to Wolfville.  Stayed with Lynne & Andy; beautiful home, gracious people.

Early to bed, early to rise.  Andy had coordinated a 15K trail run with his daughter Kyla, a 2018 Boston Marathon qualifier.  Super personality – a mile downtown, past Acadia University, left at the ice rink (home of hockey’s Axemen), then the next hour entirely on trail.  Rolling farmland levied from the Bay, 2 centuries ago by the island’s French Acadians. 

Quick pace – this gal wasn’t even breathing hard.  Ran alongside Minas Basin ’til we hit our target distance, then turned back toward town.  15K, sub-9/minute pace.  Whew – welcome to Canada!  GREAT 6 a.m. morning run! 🙂

Shower, 2 packets of instant oatmeal – back to adventuring.  Hiking the outer tip past Scots Bay, to Cape Split on the Bay of Fundy.  4 miles out-n-back.  Lynne’s sister Jade volunteered today’s hike.  Cool misty morning, had the trail almost entirely to ourselves.  Green, leafy trees completely canopied our trek.  Few ups-n-downs, steady even trail, near PERFECT conditions – (skill level) overrated as moderate…absolutely stunning views.  Landscape reminiscent of ‘Last of the Mohicans’, similar to our East Coast Alleghenies. 

Hike end: tip of the island, Cape Split – completely obscured by dense fog.  ARGH!  Sea gull cries pierced the all consuming cloud, their bodies darting in & out as they plunged off nearby cliffs, riding the Bay’s blustery current. 

Backpack lunch, then the skies opened.  20 minutes of sunshine.  What once was shrouded by thick clinging fog, now exposed multi-coloured rock, high canyon walls & a shark-fin island – Cape Split – pounded by ocean waves in the Bay of Fundy.  WOW, WOW, WOW!

Drove home via Scots Bay.  Stopped at the [Blomidon] Look Off, soaked in a scenic/panoramic view of Annapolis Valley.  “On a clear day you can see five counties.”  Fail – Kings County, the only one [of 5] I can remember (sorry Jade).

Sandwich & an hour nap, more than enough.  Attending my first Cèilidh tonite!

Cape Split, NS