Headin' Up Country: 8/7/15 Around the Bend

Today we made it around the west bend in the Nova Scotia bow tie. We've been trying for two days to reach Yarmouth, but the draw of every small village we passed kept us winding along the coast.

Cloudless warmth was our companion for most of the day as we left Liverpool in our dust. The South Beach recharmed us with sparkling ocean views. Riding directly toward the west, we finally rode as far as we could and were forced to make an abrupt right turn at Shag Harbour. Heading into Yarmouth, subtle differences gave clues that the human climate had changed. Tri-colored, single starred flags took the place of the Maple Leaf and business and road signs announced in French. We had driven into another world, part of the original settlement of New France, known as Acadia. Just as in Quebec, French is the spoken language here and residents are deeply proud and protective of their roots.

At a quiet picnic spot we were joined by a couple from Quebec riding a Road King . Riders like us, they put as many miles under their boots as they can. Communicating with only a small language barrier, we swapped stories about our favorite rides which were amazingly similar. They were our French speaking doppelgänger, loving their lives in a way we know so well.

Waving adieu, we set our sights on Digby, a ferry port, for the evening. The Evangeline Trail was our afternoon guide, riding us crowded against St. Mary's Bay. Constantly reminded of the economy of Nova Scotia, we rode past legions of working boats, moored and secure for the night with their catch of the day, already weighed, accounted for, and probably on somebody's table. The coast is peppered with monuments to fishermen lost at sea, an all to constant reminder of the dangers involved in making a living from the sea.

Digby announced itself as the "Scallop Capital" miles before we rode into this charming small town, celebrating "Scallop Days", their signature festival of the year. This event charmed us with its local flavor. Fortunate to have a room at the hub of activity, we watched the crowning of the Scallop Queen, a Proclamation by historic characters, and fireworks, all while dining al fresco on bacon-wrapped, maple brandied - you guessed it- scallops!. A spectacular end to a perfect day!

Labor Day weekend will see a different sort of event here as thousands of bikes roll into town for the "Wharf Rat Rally". Billed as the largest bike rally in Canada, riders flock here from all the provinces and many states. Pleased to have dodged that bullet and seen Digby in its natural and homey beauty, we ended our day listening to an OK local band play one more set, just before the sidewalks rolled up ... and it was just fine!