Ride on, Highway Cat !!: OFFICIAL END OF JOURNEY !!

Day 64, Signal Hill and Mile Zero
Wednesday July 20, 2011
Dist. 6 km to finish ! 25 km.(tourist ride) Saddle Time, 2:44 Avg. 11.4 km. slowly as she goes...

Today's plan was to see "Signal Hill", downtown St.John's and more importantly, "Mile Zero" to mark the official end to my coast-coast trip.
Before heading out, I decided to move to a different campsite. I picked a site with more mosquitos and WI FI capability. (U 17)
Wish I had a pic of myself riding down the road with my tent still erected in tow. Once I had the site fully functional, I headed out to see the important stuff. I was excited for the day ahead.
On my way to downtown, I found an inner city cemetery. This prehistoric site was surrounded by the city's infrastructure. It felt strange to venture into this hillside place of death and history. I have never seen so many tombstones of such disrepair and age. Some stones were broken and lay flat with grass growing around them. Others were virtually worn clean of any inscription. I found some that were fenced off separately and some that were lost in bushes. A city crew was on site with lawn maintenance tools cleaning up the overgrown foliage.
Time to head up to see the "Battery Hotel" and signal hill...
Dandy climb up to Signal Hill. I stopped to look at the Battery Hotel as I will be checking in tomorrow. An odd structure with an amazing view overlooking the harbour. There were a few locals running and biking this accent. It should be a grunt when I return tomorrow with a full load. The scenery and scale of historic value is unprecedented, and not too shabby as a defensive stronghold. Too bad all the cannons are filled with empty Tim Hortons coffee cups. ... sigh...Signal Hill
I enjoyed seeing the Cabot Tower and the surroundings. Part of the tower was under repair. Inside was the tightest spiral staircase I've ever seen. Lots of tourists taking their turn up or down. Outside I would've loved to hike some of the trails along the cliff edge but my bike shoes would add a level of danger that I could do without.
Back in town the roads were not very bike friendly. Of coarse, this is because of urban planning around the oldest city in North America. It's small enough that it doesn't bother me much. The hills here are great, reminds me of home in North Vancouver. I need to be quick with gear selection which is tough on this touring bike.
I think I've used my breaks more while in St. John's than my entire trip.
Well, I had a Google map in hand but it was not helpful in finding "Mile Zero"
I went to the Tourism Center on the main drag to get some answers. They told me that they weren't sure where it was, but that it was tough to find. They gave me a rough idea where it should be.
It was located in an industrial area that was far away from any tourist's contamination.
When I found the marker, I was angry. This was the most pathetic Terry Fox icon that I have ever seen. It was like a tombstone in the middle of a barren field. I later found a Terry Fox monument at Mile 1. Perhaps this site was the one that the city wanted to promote. It was a more respectful marker. I think that it was in Thunder Bay, Ontario where I found the most impressive monument. Humongous.
Anyway, I was very happy to take some pics of me, Shirley and HWC around this important marker. There were no other tourists around which made the poser-shoot an easy one. In contrast to that, I was inundated with a bus load of Asian tourists at the start of my trip. Mile 0 in Victoria BC. I wanted to dip Shirley's wheel in the Atlantic, but this shore was fenced off and I lost interest in finding a suitable dunk zone. I might go to "Cape Spear" to add 30 or so km. to stretch my eastern range.
Now that my trip is officially over, I can relax and see the sights...

Store for Pippy Park Campground. Firewood, Can foods, Snacks and wait for it... BEER !

Relocating to a new site with more mosquitoes and wi-fi.

It was a quick move. I grabbed my empty tent with one hand and rode fast enough to keep it airborne.

My view from the new site into trailer wasteland. Yuk.

Not as tidy, but fewer night walkers venture this far. Loner. Who, me ?

No WI-FI here...

A great place for a Metal album cover photo shoot.

Too eroded to be legible...Rotting in Peace.

Lots of ornate iron. Must've bin a banker...

Lovely Art Gallery. I didn't budget the time to visit though

Typical lovely street scene. Sure beats the cream colour stucco in Vancouver.

...

Paint retailers must do well here.

More colours. Signal Hill in the background.

Up towards Signal Hill. I don't know that guy in red, but he has a confident swagger indeed.

I need a bike box...

I need a shave...and a bike box...

The Port Authority building obstructs Mile 0

That crane isn't big enough.

Terry Fox Mile 0...

A truly pathetic monument. It looks more like a tombstone than a memorial. Shame on you St. John's !! There is no signage. It is virtually unseen, and almost hidden, or abandoned I was shocked.

Guidance

Back side Battery Hotel. A strange, but cool place

The climb to Battery Hotel

Federal signage

A little further to the Cabot Tower...

Cabot Tower "Trick or Treat"

Humans invade...

View down to the harbour

Trails around the hill. Wish a brought my runners.

Shirley was the only steed on this day. HWC was sleeping.

Security

Pathetic selfish lazy goofs using great heritage as a garbage can. "Double double". I would toss the guilty over the cliff for free. As Shirley would say, "So mad I could spit !"