Tuesday May 27th. Amanda dropped me the team back in Gambo, though we had a worrying moment while Lady had second thoughts about the trailer, quickly solved by producing some left over buns which she adores. Gambo is the birthplace of the controversial Newfoundland politician Joey Smallwood, who was responsible among other things for bringing Newfoundland into confederation with Canada in 1949. Extraordinarily it was only realised at the last moment that the chosen official date of April 1st for confederation might not be enitrely appropriate. So confederation was quickly stated as happening in the last moment of March 31st 1949, although the celebrations took place the following day. Joey seems to be the Marmite of Newfoundland - people have either loved or hated him. But here are Albert, Lady and me in front of a statue of Marmite Man before setting out ....
This was one of the best riding sections of the trail I had so far encountered, sandy with few stones, and we made good progress ...
Albert casts an approving glance at a sign along the way....
Before long we arrived in Benton. Stopping to graze the horses, I was accosted by a friendly Newfoundlander who appeared to be expecting me. The horses were guided to a grassy garden, while I was shepherded in to a nearby house where his waiting wife announced "We were expecting you yesterday" while plying me with tea and biscuits. This was Clar and Maisie, who apparently make a haibt of taking in passing travellers, including Bernie who recently journeyed across Newfoundland with a mule.
It was Clar and Maisie who told me that Bernie had also been forced to detour round the bridge between Alexander Bay junction and Gambo. And that Mary Liebau, an American who rode a horse along the T'Railway in the last few years (I had tried to track her down without success) had actually attempted to cross the bridge. The horse had injured itself after trapping its leg in one of the gaps and required a vet to be called out.
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