The loft

The loft Channel-Port aux Basques, Canada

Channel-Port aux Basques, Canada

The Deer Lake Loft at the Birchview B&B is quite the experience. Arthur is giving us the tour, explaining how each light turns and yes here is the bathroom sink. Florence tell us that there are two beds in the room but if we only use one she will give us $5 off! We both blurt out simultaneously that we will use both beds! That will cost us $65 Canadian. The loft is above a workshop and has a 7 foot ceiling and everything is OSB Pressboard with paint on it. There are two beds, and a drum set. We aren’t concerned at all, just so tired we collapse into bed. I try to dig down through blankets but find that the only sheet is on top of three blankets. I’m able to get some sleep. In the morning Arthur and Florence have our room decorated in what I describe as the “early junkyard period”. The floor is filthy and there are three different colors of very used carpet. Arthur says he was a carpenter before he retired, but he must have made doghouses. Art just walks in without knocking, and turns off the lights saying. “well now Skippy we don’t need these lights on in here!” We have one egg for bfast with toast and coffee. Lee goes down first and Art gives him hell for wearing his boots in the house. Telling him “if we all wear our shoes in the house pretty soon the outdoors would be indoors!” Unknowingly I do the same. Art says ” now Skippy you are in the house with your boots on, no one wears shoes in the house. ” I say that I didn’t see the sign. There is no sign and I am told that if I had a proper upbringing I wouldn’t need a sign. We are in no hurry as we have a short day of riding and would rather hang out here just slightly more than being on the parking lot for hours. We pass the time playing dress up with the eclectic hats hanging from everywhere there aren’t Christmas light or extension cords. Kathy is joining in this through FaceTime. Arthur comes up and right in again, telling Skippy that there is no need for the lights. After he turns out the lights and the heat because we have the door open, he just hangs out in the room. I do my best to ignore him by burying myself busily in my iPhone. Finally he asks when do we think we will be leaving as he looks at his watch. It’s 10:10 now he tells me, tapping the face of the watch. I say we should be out by 1100. “Oh no, no we can’t have that! We need to go to town and we never let anyone stay past 10 o’clock. I receive a small lecture about how this is all supposed to work. I use refrain and tell him, well if you get out of here we will too. He walks out. They are in the wrong business to run a B&B! An hour down the road we take a right turn towards Cape Saint George. This loop of about 125 miles is beautiful. The road is good and twisty with great curves. Although it is windy again today, we enjoy the curves which again dictate our speed. We stop at the Visitor Center to write this blog and kill some time in Port aux Basque before getting on the ferry that sails at 2345 tonight. The six hour trip, this time will go better as we have a room so we can catch some sleep. We rode two days to get back here to this ferry, insuring we will be in Halifax Friday night to meet the girls.