Maybe this isn't world shattering news but:
- I (and many other local cyclists) cycle this road at least
once a week. Sometimes a time-trial route.
- It is a major bicycle route coming to Wolfville and the Annapols Valley
from the east (Halifax or Truro etc)
- The Gaspereau Valley is one of the beautiful valleys in the world :-)
As of June 28 2006, approx 1230: there is a deep culvert washout
(hole is about 5 m deep) on the Gaspereau River Road about 1 km west
of Avonport (road going to Melanson, Gaspereau village and connection
to Wolfville)
The signs says ROAD IMPASSABLE. On June 28 one could walk across but
the rest of the road may collapse or be dug out at any time. Given
past history, it may take months or years to repair.
The detour marked is a little impractical for cyclists, involving
an extra steep climb (150 m) <nice view from top however>.
From Avonport the least complicated (but not too pleasant) route
to Wolfville is Rt 101, freeway, heavy traffic but wide shoulder for
3 km (exit 9 to Exit 10), then Rt 1, heavy traffic, no shoulder for 5 km
to Wolfville.
If coming from Windsor and Hantsport on Rt 1, turn left
on West Brooklyn road (yard at corner has
display of old farm machinery and bicycles ). This climbs a bit
to View Park (picnic park with viewpoint over Minas Basin)
and then comes down to Gaspereau River just west of the washout.
map (X marks washout at anderson brook)
http://www.dermott.ca/nstour/detour.png
PS A British tourist in the 1880s wrote an article comparing the Gaspereau
to the Rhine Valley! It probably looks even more like the Rhine (or Mosel)
valley now since it it is the major wine-grape growing valley in Nova
Scotia.
--
David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email: [email hidden]
WWW pages: http://www.dermott.ca/index.html