...But first, coffee (with Jen)

Alright kiddo's!  This was a day trip that took planning - and for outsiders of the community, it took some backtracking and exploring to find.  But, we made it.  We finally got to see the abandoned Glovertown Mill. I love abandoned sites!!  Exploring warms my cold, mystery-loving, horror-reading heart :) The story of the Glovertown Mill is pretty interesting. The massive mill was strategically built in Glovertown, near a large river as it was planed to be a thriving pulp and paper mill.  It was expected that this mill would be open and operational in 1922.  However, not all plans go as scheduled. And this mill is an example of plans changing. The owning company, Terra Nova Sulphite Company, ran into financial problems when the Newfoundland Government denied their loan guarantee - ultimately shutting down this project - full stop.  In 1921 the mill was purchased by Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company.  The new owners determined ...

I love Summer.  I love the sun. I love the warmth. And I love the exploring! This post is about historic Brigus . This (mostly) quiet little town is fantastic to explore.  In the main section of town you have narrow roads, a mix of older and newer homes, historic sites, a walking trail to the lighthouse (which I have yet to do), and places to shop and eat. During the Summer months Brigus comes alive with tourists, and it is a site to take in for the Blueberry festival (omfg the food!) This pic above is from the other side of the town. It's really quite on this side as it is away from the tourist sites. On a trail, opposite of the water, are a few really old, abandoned homes.  They've been pretty trashed over the years.  Below is the house that is still standing.  I love how tucked away it is - you would never know it is there if you didn't' venture down the pathway. We don't luck into finding places like this.  We found this gem while Geocaching!...

This.  This is an AMAZING site to see.  There is a poorly marked hike up the side of a mountain to get to the plane crash - but it is well worth it. Pictured here is the memorial for the lives lost when this plane crashed. Here is a link for more information.   This is the FIRST crash of stormy March day. I first found out about the Burgoynes Cove plane crash about 10 years ago. It was featured in a copy of the local newspaper (The Telegram - online article is no longer available), that was sitting on the lunchroom table. I nabbed the article for future use - because this was something that I needed to see and I knew that my hubby would be totally interested in a hike like this. The cockpit was burned into aluminum ash and is not present to view.  But, you can see where it hit further into the woods, and that area has been reclaimed by Mother Nature.  The rest of the plane - the cabin, wings, electrical panels, and wheels are all view-able and in a...

Road trip to the Trinity Train Loop. This is an abandoned family park that I had visited when I was a kid, and a few times as an adult after it closed. From my childhood I remember the train, the train tracks, the Ferris wheel, the mini golf, and the bummer boats (I was not allowed to go on the bummer boats). Trinity is about a 3 hour drive from St. John's. Now that you have a happy little image of the park, here is what it looks like now: The park took a huge hit with Hurricane Igor.  And a majority of the tracks, the parts that not have been reclaimed by nature, were washed out.  As in, I can stand under the track, put my arms in the air, and *just* reach the track above my head. The cabins, trains, petting zoo, and other buildings have all been destroyed but vandals. The copper has been pulled from the walls, and signs have been tossed into the pond.  How's that for a shot right to the childhood? The Ferris Wheel had a mean lean on it when we visite...

Our road trip to Colliers did not disappoint. We're always on the hunt for abandoned, but view-able, sites - and this is one of them.  Here is the shipwrecked Hamilton Banker. It can be seen docked in Colliers, lopsided, and sitting on rocks in a shallow area. There is no hiking required, and you can drive your car right up to the boat itself. Colliers is about a 50 min drive from St. John's. This is my picture from last year's visit: This is a ship that sunk and was re-floated in June 2006. According to CBC , "The Hamilton Banker was built in Norway in 1977, and was refurbished in Newfoundland in 1987. It has been owned by a number of companies over the years, most recently by a consortium that includes a Labrador Inuit organization." We viewed the Hamilton Banker from a safe distance (note: I have a tendency to fall into shallow bodies of water).  You can walk right up next to the ship and see that it is heavily damaged from fire and sinking.  ...