Cape Breton is a bigger place than you’d expect. Maybe that’s a subjective call, but my GPS was giving me an unusually high number of instructions on the way from Eskasoni to Cow Bay. And while the looping, switchback roads might contribute a bit to the sense that you’re not getting anywhere quick, I think the main fault lies with the scenery. I blame the scenery for making time – and my pace – slow down. It’s tough not to stare when the ocean extends from sharp cliffs to mingle with the sky on the horizon. Hell, it’s hard to stay in your lane.
After a bit more than an hour (plus obligatory Tim Horton’s stop), I made it to Port Morien for the Cow Bay Ceilidh. A few local and international artists would entertain the occupants of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 055. Unfortunately, as with most events at the Legions of Canada, the crowd was fairly advanced in their years. Honestly, the average age was about 60. Dancing and raucous celebration were to be replaced by polite clapping and soft humming. The downstairs location of the bar might have had something to do with that, too.