10, 11, and 12th of August: Dice & Little Men, Planning the Playing of Roles, as well as Herring & Cod.

10th: Today it was time to be board and by that I mean boardgames! Laundry too, but that’s boring. We tried some new games, like Touring and Thurn & Taxis, and some that we played before, like 7 Wonders.

    In the afternoon, the weather cleared up so we set out to catch delicious mackerel. First, we tried one spot, with rod and reel, then another and another. What we got was…herring!

    Turns out, herring swim at a depth just above mackerel. Each time we let our weighted lure drop it continuously impacted into something that felt like the sea bottom. This was incorrect as what our weights impacted into were incredibly dense schools of herring.

    We met a few other fishermen that had the same problem. For every 20 fish they caught only 1 would be mackerel. Alas, we took our four good herring back to the harbour. After filleting, there wasn’t a lot left. 

    After supper, conversation, and more boardgames our energy dimmed and we headed off to bed.

11th: The next day we divided and conquered. The ladies went to a gathering in Terra Nova Park while the gents spitballed ideas for Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) adventures and engaged in conquest and cooperation.

    In the morning and early afternoon, we discussed K’s ideas for running a series of D&D roleplaying games. K said all the players would be the same class, Bard, which is normally a supportive role for other players. Since they would be all Bards it would require some “out of the box” thinking on how to achieve common objectives.

    The adventures would be run to be completed in one session when their regular gamesmaster (GM) needed a break. Each adventure would have common themes and clues that would help when the final session took place. Oh, and for each session the players would have to play together as a band. Each one-shot would have some mystery, combat, intrigue, and/or diplomacy. K and I ruminated through overall plot ideas and deliberated on three in detail. We spitballed the possible scenes, came up with solutions to problems, and ways to connect the scenes. It was quite fun and gave me a glimpse into how collaborative storytelling works.

    In the afternoon a friend of K&A came over and we played two boardgames; 7 Wonders (against each other) and Pandemic (cooperative). It was at the tail end of a game of Pandemic that Natalie and A messaged us. They were coming home. K quickly got some things together for burgers and vegetables so it was nearly ready when they got home.

    They arrived and said they had a good time. After supper we played a game of Carcassonne then went to bed.

12th: Today was to be the last full day spent at K&A’s place. In the morning we chatted and re-packed our luggage so we would be ready. In the afternoon we gathered at the dining room table to right a wrong…to seek justice…to solve a mystery.

    Unsolved Case Files is a solo or cooperative game contained in a see-through plastic ziplock bag. Once you tear off the bag top, you open the ziplock and pull out the file folder. Everyone looks through the evidence list, multiple pictures, witness statements, interrogations, and other items of note. There are a sequence of sealed envelopes that can only be opened once you answer a question. In the envelope are more recent facts of the case.

    I read the witness statements and for the interrogations I adopted different voices for the characters. It was great fun and took two and a half hours.

    We then had a supper of stir-fried cod, played another game, then skittered off to bed knowing justice was served.

09 August: Taking a Gander at a Brand New Day.

Lazy morning objective achieved, we (my wife and I) set out on our own for a brand new day. Destination…Gander. After arriving, we obtained coffee drinks at Jumping Bean Cafe and I quickly visited the nice little game store “Goliath Cards and Collectables”. Feeling hungry, and looking at the few places open on a Sunday, we decided to go to ol’dependable at the Big Stop in the nearest Irving gas station.

    Established in 1924, by Kenneth Irving, after building his first gas station in Bouctouche New Brunswick. Seven years later, he had more gas stations than any other company in the Maritimes. Now they own the largest oil refinery in Canada, in Saint John, and Ireland’s only oil refinery. This expansionistic company also spread into pulp & paper, liquid asphalt, tanker trucks, ships to transport oil, automotive repair, newspapers, shipbuilding (including Canadian warships) and other ventures. 

    Big Stops started to be built during the 1970’s near major highways to provide good inexpensive meals and places for big rigs to refuel/rest/and eat. They also own all English language daily newspapers in New Brunswick, receive government grants and tax exemptions even though they make billions, engage in tax evasion/obfuscation, and the Irving corporate family places their personal fortunes in offshore accounts. However, Irving was also the first Canadian company to offer unleaded gasoline, low sulphur gas, and supported the Kyoto accords. They are still a major force in New Brunswick and the Maritimes.

    Anyhoo, I ordered the old favourite of a classic clubhouse and switched fries for a salad. Tasty and nostalgic.

    Next stop was the airport in order to be transported, but we weren’t getting into a plane. The International section has been converted into a museum.

    Opened in 1938 it was soon the largest airport in the world with four runways. This was because flights across the Atlantic Ocean had to stop her for refuelling before continuing. The air traffic controllers here still direct planes in the North Atlantic. During WW2 it was a pivotal airbase. During the Cold War, this was the only airport that Eastern Bloc planes could land at before continuing to Cuba. Many defections happened here. International flights decreased in frequency during the 1960’s until the 1990’s when there were none. Planes travelling across the Atlantic that need a quick landing still use Gander. Also, crosswind testing of new airplane designs are still done here.

    Famously, with the closure of American airspace on 11th September 2001, 38 airliners landed in Gander under Operation Yellow Ribbon. All aircrew and passengers were taken in and cared for by Newfoundlanders in and near Gander. Resident Beulah Cooper was quoted saying, “I got a phone call asking me to bring a tray of sandwiches to the Legion - didn’t know what it was for - when I got down there, I was told there was a plane load of people coming in…28 hours later I found my bed.” As Claude Elliot, the Mayor of Gander, said “On the first day, we had 7000 strangers. On the Third day, we had 7000 friends. On the fifth day, we had 7000 family members.”

    The decor inside the international section has kept it’s 50’s-70’s charm. Furniture, art, and colour palette all embrace the nostalgia. The museum upstairs contains wonderful and uplifting informative displays. There are also a gift shop and concession stand.

    Besides looking around there was another reason to be here. We wanted to see a movie. My wife, on the 15th of August, would be flying back to Victoria while I would go to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for two more weeks and see family and friends. There was a chance the movie we were seeing might have left the theatres so for a matinee show we watched “Spider Man: Brand New Day”. The local movie theatre closed in 2007 and this theatre, with state-of-the-art seats and equipment, opened just a few years ago. They show new releases for one week only to rotate them out. We both liked the new Spider Man film and found it had more gravitas and drama than previous ones. The action scenes purposefully advance the story rather than be excuses for unnecessary action.

    Heading back to K&A’s we had supper, chatted, and later went to bed.

08 August: Toilet Mischief, Beer & Cheese, and a Foxy Trail.

Off to Port Rexton! Early! Very early! On the way I took a picture of one of the many small marsh ponds along the roadways of Newfoundland. It must have been very interesting for the road surveyors and engineers to find the best routes.

    Once at the village, we drove around and through its hilly labyrinth and stopped at a good-sized parking lot. There, above the garbage can, was a sign indicating private property. Below it, in smaller letters, it said “Please do not use as a toilet.” Was it the land behind the sign we weren’t supposed to use as a toilet or the garbage can? Either way, what’s the problem with people’s critical thinking skills?

    Taking a photo of the Skerwink Trail sign (8km and hiking time 1.5-2.5 hours) we set off. While going through the first leg, through town, the bright yellow flowers, house designs old and new, and hilly rock filled terrain were a lovely sight.

    Once in the forest, we started walking close to the cliffside as we increased elevation. The water views were admired. At some lookout areas, whale plumes could be seen, but K&A said they looked like they were from juvenile whales.

    During our return along the route, Port Rexton and another town could be seen in Trinity Bay. Looking back, at the tall cliffside we had just travelled along, it looked scarier than when we were on it.

    Time for lunch at Port Rexton Brewing. I had a tall glass of the shoreline salted stout, which was very delicious and refreshing. For food I had the Popeye grilled cheese sandwich from the attached food truck, Oh My Cheeses, which was pure gooey yummy goodness.

The next hike was on nearby Fox Island and it was called…Fox Island Trail. At 5.3 km in length we went for it.

    The path had mostly clear views of the water and surrounding areas. The first half was high up, but not too high. Occasional mushrooms grew on each side of the path and provided conversations like “is it poisonous or not”, but we didn’t chance it.

    Close to the end of the hike, while approaching the village of Champney’s West, one white panelled building stuck out. It was surrounded by trees and those trees were surrounded by white fences, with different styles on each of the four sides. There is a story here. Perhaps it is to keep out deer or keep in their own animals. Perhaps a subtle reminder to their neighbours that they do not wish to be neighbourly. Who knows?

    By the wharf, clever people had made a series of standalone rental cottages to look like fishing stages. I smiled at the idea, especially for how the concept would embed itself into the memories of those who were young or young at heart.

    Inside the village, I was looking at the closed Trailside Crafts & Things Store when two local residents came to meet me. They immediately began to rub against my legs and demanded I scratch their heads and backs. The noises were like lawn mowers in low gear. The residents were also quite…furry. Not sure who their owners were, but the cats certainly liked people.

    The remainder of the walk was taxing on our muscles, yet provided calming views. Delicate purple-pink Loosestrife flowers swayed from the light wind as we ascended to the parking lot. Just before we got there, in a field of wild berries, a young child was being taught to pick blueberries. The elders there coaxed and encouraged the youngling this way and that across the field. 

    That night, on our return, we stopped at Cabin 6 Pizza for supper. My pick was the sausage and sweet potato pizza with roasted garlic, brown butter sage, sprinkled goat and mozza cheese, then sprinkled with balsamic vinegar. Birch beer, made by Crush (Pepsi), had interesting flavours.

    After returning we chatted, refreshed with water, and headed for bed. 13.6km walked and 62 flights climbed.