Southern Shore | Newfoundland

Day 5 | 86 km

Today’s ride traverses the center of the Burin Peninsula, crossing panoramic maritime barrens, one of the main ecoregion characteristics of this province. Keep an eye out for rough-legged hawks and the migratory Midland caribou, whose young are threatened by black bear, coyote and bald eagle populations. The rocks you see strewn about the barrens are glacial erratics; boulders dropped by melting glaciers 10,000 years ago.

The highway starts out at sea level in Swift Current and rises and falls in a series of hills to heights of up to 200 meters.

Head back out to the highway, turn right and ride over the bridge that crosses Piper’s Hole River.  The first hill of today starts almost immediately and rises past a lookout on the left (at 1.6 km) to the top of the hill at 3 km (130 meters)

Following this are a series of rises;

• 1 km – a hill starts and reaches peak of 155 meters at 4.2 km, then flattens out
• 5.4 km – a hill starts again and reaches peak of 173 meters at 7.2 km and flattens out somewhat but continues to rise gradually until it reaches a height of 200 meters at 10.9 km

After this the highway continues on a fairly level course for awhile

• 19.8 km – The highway descends to 120 meters at 20.4 km then rises again to reach 175 meters at 23.2 km
• 23.4 km – pass Sandy Harbour River Interpretive Walk
• 31.4 km – After a nice downhill, pass the cut-off for Route 214 that travels southeast to Davis Cove and Monkstown
• 32.7 km – reach the bottom of the hill (107 meters) and then head uphill again.  This hill is fairly steep.  
• 34.4 km – reach the top of the hill at 182 meters
• 36.4 km – pass the cut-off for Route 211 that travels west to Terrenceville and Grand Le Pierre
• The road then becomes level and even slightly descending
• 39.7 km – the next hill starts at 140 meters.  Reach the top of 158 meters at 41.4 km

Following this is a series of rises with level or gently descending roadway between;

• 45.4 km – uphill starts at 140 meters and rises to 170 meters at 45.9 km
• 54.4 km – uphill starts at 150 meters and rises to 173 meters at 58 km
• 63.1 km – uphill starts at 135 meters and rises to 143 meters at 66.1 km
• 66.7 km – uphill starts at 125 meters and rises to 178 meters at 67.9 km
• 70.6 km – turn right at the cut-off for Route 212 that leads to Bay L’Argent
• 71.4 km – uphill starts at 130 meters and rises to 160 meters at 72.4 km
• 73.8 km – uphill starts at 127 meters and rises to 136 meters at 74.1 km and then to 142 meters at 75 km

Now the reward!  A big downhill that takes us down to sea level at 77.4 km

• 80.6 km – turn right toward Bay L’Argent.  
• 80.9 km - This junction is the home of an Ultramar Gas Station and Dairy Bar and a PharmaPlus Drug Store.  It might be a good idea to use the washroom here!
• 81.5 km – the highway rises to 27 meters and then falls gently back to sea level and runs along the edge of the bay
• 84.5 km – turn left to Bay L’Argent and the Rencontre East ferry
• 84.7 km – There is a small picnic area on the right which is known as the “RV Park” but has no water or sewer services.  We can camp here.  Notice the Berry Hill Trail on the other side of the highway a short way back.  This might provide an outdoor bathroom for us for the evening!

Continuing along into town for supplies;

• 85.3 km – pass the well water site on the left where we can replenish our water supplies
• 85.4 km – Reid’s Convenience Store which has lots of ingredients for our supper.

Also we’ll need to have food for breakfast tomorrow morning and lunch in Rencontre East.

• 85.5 km – turn right on Water Street and head to the white building on the right with yellow curbs surrounding the parking area.  This is the ferry dock where we will depart in the morning for Rencontre East and Pools Cove.