The feeling of being back on two wheels again was overwhelming. After my 11 day hiatus from riding, all I wanted to do was knock out miles but I realized that this weather and the sites along the coast were too much an opportunity to pass by so I stopped often to smell the flowers and salty breeze. The nagging vibration around 30mph was now gone with new variator, weights, belt and mostly new clutch. To make it even more special, it was "the first real day of summer" the folks on the island have had with temperatures around 80F and bright sunshine drying out the soggy grasses on the roadside. A side road leads to Port Saunders, my last name, and continues on to the fishing village of Port Au Choix. Originally named Portuchoa "Little Port" by Basque Fisherman in the 16th century. This area is notable for it's rich ecological and archeological sites. It hosts one of a few limestone barrens on the western coast, home to many unique hardy plants and flowers which only grow here. I spot a Moose on my first 5 minutes in the park! |
The archeological significance of this site dates back to over 5500 years ago when the Maritime-Archaic peoples hunted and fished these shores. Evidence of many camps and burial sites show that this was one of the southernmost stretches of this forgotten culture. Their homes were dug into the land, comprised of whalebone supports and seal skin walls. The oblong buildings were similar in design to Mongolian Yurts and had a central fire and an outer sleeping/sitting shelf of rocks. The hand dug impressions are still visible to this day in Phillip's Garden. Walking along the barren areas, I get down on my knees to photograph the small flowers and delicate ferns struggling to survive against the winds of winter and ice that freezes and thaws the loose limestone.
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Mike SaundersIn May 2014 I quit my job to ride a Honda Ruckus over 69'000 mi and counting. Wild camping most nights and cooking most of my own meals, I keep the costs low and the landscape changing. Archives
April 2018
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