A Canadian writer's life: Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Quidi Vidi and then southwest to Grand Bank NL)

Quidi Vidi Brewing in Quidi Vidi NL

July 19th: For the first time in 80 days of traveling, the compass on my car's dashboard pointed west. The Fuzz-butt and I still have more places to explore but we are now slowly heading back in the direction of Penticton BC. I plan to arrive home around September 1st, all going well.

Leaving our hotel I took a quick detour, toward the nearby village of Quidi Vidi. The locals aren't sure if the unusual name was derived from Portuguese, Spanish, French or even Latin. No one knows the exact origin. This is where the Quidi Vidi Brewery is located, the makers of Iceberg Lager. "Brewed with pure 20,000 year-old iceberg water harvested straight from our shores."

Quidi Vidi Newfoundland

The 163-kilometre (100-mile) drive between St. John's and Goobies, near Come-by-Chance, on the Trans Canada Highway is long and not very interesting.

It's one of the few times that I stayed on the main highway. The sideroads are much more fun, but I had a longer than normal distance to drive, so stayed with easy and boring.

Grand Bank NL

At Goobies, I turned south and drove another 197 kilometres toward the town of Grand Bank located at the bottom of the Burin Peninsula and on the edge of the famous Grand Banks fishing grounds.

Sparky and I are staying in a cottage on the outskirts of town that is part of a B&B.

It's very comfortable, and the owners are great, but the three cans of bug spray at the outside fire pit is probably a clue as to the type of uninvited guests that hang around in the evenings.

Cheers Lynda and The Sparkinator