I had been obsessively tracking the weather for weeks before our trip. I was elated when at one point it looked like we’d have a tailwind for the entire four-day loop. Then slightly freaked-out when a few days later the winds had completely shifted, and not in our favor.
The day before our start, it looked like a favorable tailwind on Day 1, as we headed north up the east coast of the island, followed by some challenging headwinds on Day 2 and Day 3. And that’s how it turned out.
Day 1 ended with a challenging climb up Smokey Mountain (a mile and a half at an average grade of 9.4%). We were greatly helped by a 20-mph push from the wind.
(l-r) Me, Peter, Mark, about to leave our luxury hotel in Baddeck, on our way to Ingonish, on a chilly and wet morning.
On top of Cape Smokey
The view from our cottage. The rainbow lasted for hours.
