I have been a British car owner for the past 16 years and to tell the truth. I am not sure why I bought my first one, or my second, or third for that matter. As the years past and British car clubs started to become popular and I noticed that the owners of British Cars are of a different breed. Most British Car owners don't hide their cars in garages, they drive them, they learn how to fix them and they truly enjoy them. Being a member of a car club presents many opportunities to get out and enjoy your car and meet the great people who own them. After the formation of the BCCCB, many of the members made many pilgrimages to British car shows in P.E.I. and recently Windsor Nova Scotia. Over time you meet some great people from other British Car Clubs who have the same interests and friendships form, these friendships bring clubs closer together. This year we have the first joint tour of Cape Breton with both members of the B.A.T.A.N.S. and the BCCCB. This is year one for such a tour and hopefully it will grow next year. This is our story.

On the heels of Hurricane Irene I drove to Port Hastings to meet up with some great people from BATANS  for a two day tour of the Ceilidh Trail and the Cabot Trail. What a way to meet everyone and start our day, over breakfast. We have Preston and Betti Ann, Don and Eleanor, Larry and Donna and last but not least Bob and Carol. First impressions mean a lot and they nailed it, this is going to be a great and adventurist two days. The wind was high driving here and there was a 10 minute deluge of rain but after meeting everyone and getting ready for today's adventure the clouds mysteriously disappeared and believe it or not, it was sunny and warm.  A sign that all was going to be perfect. Lets go shall we.

Irene kicked up the seas a tad and we were so hoping to see some spectacular surf today but it wasn't as big as we had hoped. Still a nice display of pounding surf all the same, the surf even managed to splash over the road as we skirted the shoreline just outside of Port Hood.

Pulling into Port Hood the first thing you notice is Port Hood Island, I had to turn off Main Street and head for Water Street to give our guests a better look at the island, beach and the failed attempted of a road across to Port Hood Island.

Above, the failed road attempt. The road was completed in 1951 and for the period of 3 days it was used daily until ..... on the evening of the third day a fierce weather system washed away all the hard work. Today all that remains lays just below the water line in low tide. If you look closely at the first photo you can see the marker buoys warning of the hidden danger to boaters. From the vantage point that Donna and Carol have found, atop of a sand dune, you can see the old road and the settlement on Port Hood Island.

Time to leave Port Hood by the Sea behind us but not before driving through town and the dead-end main street. Above is where we turned around at the end of the road and when cresting the hill the panoramic view is nothing short of breathtaking. Unfortunately, as luck would have it my picture of this view didn't come out.

I think everyone in the BCCCB are aware of how much I enjoy stopping off at the many wharves that dot the coastline of Nova Scotia and from time to time I am teased about it but I find every little inlet and harbour has it's own identity and charm. Some of us see the same thing and others maybe not. Above, Donna has her trusty camera out snapping away, I think she enjoys these little inlets and harbours as well. What's next? The shop in the background look familiar?  

Yes the Galloping Cows. This little hidden gem is a great stop. The shelves are stocked with many jams, jellies and spreads to tease your taste buds and today we had a bit of a treat, the owner, Joanne Schmidt took the time to tell us of the history of the shop and their contributions to the Golden Globe Awards. Yes, a small Cape Breton Company does well in the world market. As she tells stories of actors and actresses who request their products. Donna, Eleanor and Carol took the time to go through the "Galloping Cows Photo album of the stars" who enjoy their delicious treats. A very enjoyable stop and I think we all took something home to try. 

Coming into the Village of Mabou, the heart of Celtic Country, you just have to stop off at the Mabou Shrine, if not to say thank you for the lovely weather, then to pray for no breakdowns, either way, this place is well known in Cape Breton and when showing visitor around, a stop surely is a necessity. We all parked and before Preston got out I told him to park in front for a picture, so there you have it, Preston and Betti Ann with their great looking 1980 MGB LE parked in front of the Mabou Shrine. 

Before our next stop I took our friends down a challenging yet scenic little road to the Mabou wharf, yes I know, another wharf but yet again another scenic stop. Above you have Bob and Carol in their great looking 73 BRG MG navigating the turns and potholes effortlessly. If my memory serves me correctly, and recently it hasn't, this old lighthouse was a gift shop but today the doors are lock and the interior is empty. Maybe this challenging little road was a little much for most people and they had to close their doors.

Can you guess what is next? That's right, the "Red Shoe Pub". A beautiful little Pub where the sounds of many a fiddle filled the air with Celtic Music. Were we going to be lucky enough today to witness a bow being drawn across the strings of a fiddle? Just as we walked up the steps I could hear a piano but as we entered inside it was a guy tuning the piano. We struck out on the music but we sure lucked out on the food this place was great. 

Stopping here was in my plan but I believe it was Betti Ann who asked if we could stop here along the way.  Not a problem at all, I love stopping here and I love touring with these great folks, like ourselves of the BCCCB, they love to eat, and have a good time while out in a tour, and that is just what we did here at the shoe.

Leaving the shoe with a full belly, our next stop was just down the road, the Glenora Distillery. We took a few moments to sink in the grounds at then into the pub for a cold treat on what turned out to be one heck of a hot day. What's that we heard when the doors of the pub opened.... yes, Cape Breton fiddle Music. You can't do a Cape Breton Tour without hearing fiddle music somewhere, it's truly part of the experience and I was so hoping to come across this very thing along the way, and sure enough, here it is.

Again, a great time. The main floor was full and we managed to find a table big enough to seat us all up in the loft. The sound of the fiddle and guitar filled the air as we took the time to cool down and chat. I have to say that these folk have many interesting stories and each we a pleasure to hear. It was interesting to hear Larry speak of his career and where it take him, he even explained the rood structure of the pub, interesting stuff indeed.

Leaving the distillery, with Larry and Donna behind me in their near perfect 1975 MGB, we traveled the rugged coastline into Cheticamp. I am forever watching my mirror to make sure I don't miss a great shot. Sometimes in my haste, I don't give my Camera a chance to focus and the picture is far from perfect, so a little Photoshop is needed to make the photo suitable for a storey. Above, a picture of Larry and Donna and the gang driving through Grand Etang, just outside of Cheticamp, with the seas of the Gulf of St. Lawrence crashing in the cliffs. To nice of a shot to pass up.

After and long day on the road, this is the best way to wind down, sitting out on the front step laughing and sharing even more stories. While sitting here, a couple drove up from Washington DC and mentioned the cars. After a brief chat, the girls told them to join us.... a very nice gesture and I love when people do this sort of stuff.... Anyway, Sharon and Dan quickly became part of the gang and part of the tour, and it was a true pleasure to have them along. Before we knew it, it was 7:00. where did the time go. Laurie's Restaurant was beside us, and we all flocked there for our supper feast. Again, these folks are amazing. I just loved listening to them and once or twice I threatened to print some of their stories on the website. To funny.

Day two started with an 8am breakfast at Laurie's and Sharon and Dan were right there with us to come along on the tour. The plan was to be on the road by 9 and sure enough we did. I figure everyone knew it was going to be a full day of driving and sightseeing so all were ready to roll at 9. One last stop at the room to check for anything left behind, while here I had a moment to check out Larry's car. This guy knows what he is doing. The wood grain kit looks impressive and the custom seats and door panels are perfect and look as though factory. Without getting to far into it, the under bonnet trouble light is a wicket idea. These are things you learn when you meet new people.

Leaving the French Village of Cheticamp it was time to hit the trail. Just look at the sky, hardly a cloud and it was warm at 9am, this is starting to look like another perfect day. I hope everyone was watching their rear-view mirror like I was, the view in front of you is only half the sights. If none of us had a sore neck heading into the trail, I am sure they did by the time we finished. The word rubbernecking in the dictionary should read : A pain in the neck caused by checking out the sights when traveling the Cabot Trail.

First stop, a look off while climbing up French Mountain. The road behind us is in many visitor guides and shot from many angles and it shows what to expect along the trail, the high mountains, the steep inclines, the rapid descents and the rugged shoreline. Speaking of rugged, here we are. We battled the high winds and rain of a hurricane and drove with the roof down in searing heat to get to this point. Bring it on, anything for a good time.

Still climbing French Mountain we passed a few bicyclists (I admire your strength but if it doesn't have a motor, forget it). Above Larry has his hand up, he is either waving at the camera or offering it to a young lady on the bike to pull her up the mountain. Now, once on top of the mountain there is a lake and if you didn't know it was there you would drive right by. This is a very popular moose watching area and today, like this entire trip, it was perfect. A big ole moose was doing her thing in the lake. What a pleasure to watch.

Dan from Washington asked how I knew to stop here. Well this is the difference when you travel with someone who knows the area, you don't miss a good stop. Now when we arrived, there was a young couple there, now throw in 5 great looking British Cars and then a crowd gathers. Everyone got to see a moose in the wild and this is one of the things everyone looks for when traveling the trail.

 The view from Mackenzie Mountain looking over Pleasant Bay is always nice and a great photo stop for sure. At the foot of Mackenzie Mountain you have the popular Rusty Anchor. This place being an hour (with stops) away from where we had breakfast and drank lots of coffee, tea and water..... well lets say the old rusty anchor is a little more rustier.

Lone Sheiling is a very popular spot along the way but if you blink, you'll miss the turnoff. A nice spot in the summer but to stop here in the fall, with all the colors, oh man, what a spot. The canopy, green is nice but add in the bright fall colors and the place comes alive. You guys may have to come for fall colors to see exactly what I am talking about. Now I am ashamed to say this, but all the years of travelling around the trail and stopping here, I have never taken the opportunity to walk to the shelter. I posted a link so all could see what this historical place is all about.

Again I hope our guests were watching the rear-view mirror, I was, just to to watch for the perfect picture. The first pic I capture Larry and Donna as well as Don and Eleanor just cresting North Mountain and you can see the mountains and valleys leading into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Larry was saying that at about this point he was watching the temp gauge rising, as was I but all was well. A few short months ago one didn't have to worry about the temperature gauge raising. Paula and I did a winter run around the trail to check out snow conditions and this is a few pics we took from atop North Mountain. Now just a little ways down the other side there is a look off, in the fall after a few leave comes off the tree the you can see a portion of the Beulach Ban Falls far off in the distance.

Exiting the look-off, it is  like the road just drops off, a quick descent. I didn't smell any over heated brakes but then again I was in the lead. That being said, I am sure Larry and Donna could smell my brakes as the heat created a little wobble in my rotors. Once they cooled they were fine. Now for a right turn at Cape North and off to ...... Meat Cove. The scenery along this route toward Bay St. Lawrence is just amazing. At one point Preston Said over the radio something like...  that is some beautiful scenery.

The road into Meat Cove is gravel, yes gravel and miles of it. I had only been here once before and I don't remember the road being this long. Larry came over the radio... how much further. I replied that I was looking for the picnic park where they charged you $2 to have a picnic. Now, its a camp ground and a restaurant across the gravel road. Honest to god, the miles on the gravel road was worth it to see the view. Our great looking cars has a layer of dirt on them now but shortly, a few high speed mile will blow that away.

It was getting close to lunch time when we left Meat Cove to eat at the ever popular Morrison's Restaurant was closed, so lunch looks like it will be in Neil's Harbour. Coming into Neil's Harbour through the back way is the best approach as it passes through some great moose country but none to be seen today. Moose are more on the move early in the morning and early evening, we passed by just after noon so they must have been slumbering. So, through Neil's Harbour we went and we parked at the lighthouse by the Chowder House.

This is a much smaller version of the restaurant at Hall's Harbour, you order and you get a number that you post at your table. This place is always an enjoyable stop and I am sure all enjoyed their meal. Time to move on, as Sydney is still a long ways off.

Just down the road from Neil's Harbour is Black Brook, one of Cape Bretons more popular beaches but you wouldn't think it as there were only a few enjoying the surf. I mentioned the water falls just down the beach and Donna took off for a look. Jokingly I said she went at the rocks like a kamikaze Kangaroo but when the falls came into view I was disappointed with the amount of water. After the wet summer we had, I though that the falls would be flowing fast, as a matter of fact, this is the least amount of water I had ever seen. Oh well the beauty of the area made up for it. 

Through Ingonish we drove, passing the Highland Links and the large Church that is just on the side of the asphalt, always a nice picture when there is one or two old British cars in front of it. A brief stop at the Keltic Lodge for a peek inside. I asked Bob and Carol to park in front for a picture. Still a long way to go so off we drove. Smokey Mountain will test any braking system and here we are tightly lined up as we negotiated the hairpin turns and steep descent. Back in July, while on the "This Is Warr" tour, a Tractor Trailer didn't make the turn at  the bottom busting up the front of his tractor. We on the other hand, never had a problem.

Another request from Betti Ann, a stop off at Sew Inclined. What a stop! Again, I have driven bye often without a second glance and what a shop to miss. As it turns out, Sir Elton John will be Playing in Sydney on the 13th of September and the owner of this shop is making a hat for him and his young son. A missed opportunity as I had a chance to get a picture of the hat and didn't take it. Here Bob tried on a trappers hat and with his rugged looks he looked like he belonged back in the 1800s. He should have bought the hat. 

Ice-Cream break! Wreck Cove's General store was next and then the run to the ferry, the English Town Ferry. In my younger days, after a weekend camping in Ingonish the road past the Wreck Cove General Store towards the ferry was like the Daytona Speed Way as you tried to pass as many cars as you could because you knew it was an hour wait at the ferry because of so much traffic, today, we got the next boat out. Finally a good shot of Don and Eleanor's 2007 Mini Cooper. The mini is now made by BMW but with the car's heritage, it's roots are truly British, and it will never be denied the title of a great looking British Car.

Above we have Preston and Bettu Ann on board the Englishtown ferry, the Torquil MacLean. Their MGB is packed as though they did this before and after listening to them over the past few days these good folks are world travelers and enjoying life. As a matter of fact it appears that most British Car owners do just that, enjoy life. Exiting the Torquil MacLean, it was the last leg of the journey, for our new friends, Dan and Sharon, with this great joint club tour. Dan thanked me for for the great tour and it truly was a pleasure having them along. At the end of the Englishtown road Dan and Sharon turned off towards Baddeck while the rest of us made the run up Kelly's Mountain and and evening lunch at my place in big Bras D'or. I told Paula that I was stopping by with the gang from BATANS and she quickly put together a light lunch. The group stayed for a while and enjoyed tea, wine and a few sandwiches.

 Guys, this was a great run and I was proud to be a part of it. We took the time to enjoy as much as time allowed and we seen a lot. We entered into this tour as strangers and finished up as friends and this is what the British Car experience is all about, good times with great friends. There were a couple of people from both clubs who backed out or couldn't make it and they missed a great run. There is always next time I suppose. Would be kind of hard to top this tour, as everything was perfect.

 A sincere thank you to all who attended this joint tour, we all had a blast and I hope to do it again, be it on the mainland or back here. An event such as this should be a staple in our summer activities to add a little more fun to the British Car Experience.

If you weren't there you missed it. Come along next time.