Welcome To Labrador

6/29/2015

I crossed into Labrador with a huge smile on my face, having finally reached a milestone in this portion of the journey. While attempting to take a timer shot of myself and the bike, a grey Impala pulls up and a beautiful woman asks if I want my picture taken? Absolutely! As she emerges from the car, I realize my photographer is actually an RCMP officer from Labrador City out patrolling 389. Gulp.

With a big smile, she takes multiple pics of the bike and I, commenting that she enjoys photography as well. While returning my camera, a construction work truck arrives and the woman hollers "Hey, want both your pictures taken together? " Sure!

Handing her my camera, I joke "All we need now is an Indian (First Nations up here) and we'd have the Village People. To this she jokes "But I have heritage" , turning to lift her shirt back exposing a tattoo of a feathered dream catcher. I suppose it was meant to be!

At 6am this morning while preparing coffee at a yet - open gas station, she pulled up beside me and said she had a chance to check out my blog. Neat! After giving me advice on her home island of Newfoundland and warning of bears ahead, she drove off with an hour left on her shift. Oof, 7-7 that's a long 12 hrs. Thanks again to the RCMP for not being personality - less hardasses like in the states.

My RCMP Welcome Comittee

7 Comments

T & D

6/28/2015 11:28:49 pm

Yee Haw !!! Go Mike Go....
Great Photos...
Cool about the Officer !!

Bob Peek

6/29/2015 04:22:50 am

Great stories Mike

RichardM link

6/29/2015 04:37:05 pm

Those stories of the people you meet make the trip special!

SonjaM link

6/30/2015 06:54:07 am

I have been following you for a while now, Mike, and enjoy your stories and pictures very much. Ride on!

As for the encounter with the police, I'd say: only in Canada, eh!

Mike Saunders

7/1/2015 02:33:19 am

Wow, thanks Sonja for following along. I appreciate your interest and continuing comments.

Martha

7/1/2015 02:43:43 am

Great pic (just love the sky!) and great story. Who knows.... you might run into her again.

Krista Miller

7/10/2015 02:26:57 am

That is one great picture Mike! :) I've taken quite a few for passing tourists while patrolling the highway over my last three years in the Big Land but never for someone on a Honda Ruckas trekking from Virginia solo! Its nice to see you made it to Goose Bay and the Bears in Churchill Falls never got you! And as for those two guys on their bikes that you manage to run into, they just passed me on the highway here in Labrador City today (Canada Day) while I was on patrol looking to get my picture taken with an American again! I never did introduce myself to you but my name is Krista or Constable Miller and somedays I'm called everything under the sun hahaha. I am actually not an RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officer I am a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) officer, we police 4 regions in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are the provincial police and the RCMP are federal but as well police a lot of the smaller towns in NL and yes it gets smaller than Labrador City! Don't worry it wasn't an insult but I must say the RNC are so much more nicer than the RCMP!!! I kid, everyone is nice in Canada once you make your way down the coast of Labrador and then to the island of Newfoundland you will discover how special of a place we are and the people living in it. I love to travel as I mentioned to you, but truly love coming come and smelling the ocean air. They say you can always pick out a Newfoundlander where ever you go, because they are the ones that always want to go home! You'll see why when you get to the island - Gros Moore, Terra Nova, St.John's. So try not to say to many nice things on your blog, we do want to keep some things a secret! Hahaha

Send me your email address and I'll send you those Police patches and some goodies!
Be safe out there,
Krista

69'000 miles on a Honda Ruckus named
La Tortuga