After working our way quickly to the ultimate destination of our trip, Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, we studied the weather carefully and decided the next day would be the best for donning helmets and motorcycle jackets and doing the 190 miles around the Cabot Trail, conveniently located less than a mile from our campground. Despite a few foggy patches at the beginning, it was a day spent as close to heaven as you can get on earth. The scenery is breathtaking, and my photos barely do it any justice. The Cabot Trail is like taking the best of the California, Oregon and Washington State coastlines, mixing them together with the quiet peace and beauty of the San Juan Islands and concentrating them all together in this one tiny island. We couldn’t stop at every scenic overlook and did bare justice to the miles of hiking trails that take you further inland. You could spend an entire vacation, however long, exploring the Cabo Trail and the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It’s an “I’ve got to come back” kind of place.

Lookout over the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Small fishing villages abound. We ate lunch at The Happy Clam overlooking this collection of fishing boats.

The Cabot Trail wanders along, hugging the coastline as much as possible.

Looking out over the highlands. 10 feet of snow is not unusual here. The roads never close, because about 1600 people live on the island all year.

The happiest home I’ve ever seen. I’d love to meet the people who live in it!

The Lonely Shieling–a replica of the kind of shelter shepherds would use in Scotland where the sheepherder and sometimes the sheep would find shelter from inclement or very hot weather.

Along the trail to the shieling (above)