While in Terra Nova National Park our coordinator was trying desperately to contact us though we had no phone or internet access. A group of mountain bikers from Cornerbrook had discovered that we were in the province and were willing to do anything to schedule a visit before we left. We were destined for Gros Morne National Park anyway, and since days off are for sissies, we were more than happy to stop in.
Geoff Wareham was the instigator and our host for this visit and as soon as we arrived he took us
around to see the existing trails. We decided that Cornerbrook had enormous potential for an
expansive trail network beginning right in town with family-friendly trails leaving the brand new city park and connecting all the way out to epic cross country loops and shuttle accessible downhills. Then people could ride their bikes right back into downtown for their post-ride beer. They’ll have to build it first, though.
With a flurry of phone calls, Geoff was able to arrange an impromptu meeting with everyone who was anyone in the city. Peter Alderhead, the local bike shop owner, hosted us at his coffee shop along with representatives from the municipality, recreation, city planning, provincial tourism and business development. Everyone contacted had only a couple of hours notice, but they all dropped what they were doing in the middle of their work day and arrived ready to take notes.
What happens next is up to them. We went through maps and discussed steps to applying for an
official IMBA visit next year. Most of the terrain surrounding Cornerbrook is crown land like the rest of Newfoundland so official and protected access will have to be arranged. We’re hopeful that they can get organized enough to at least begin making changes before we pass that way again.
While we were there, Geoff was good enough to be our tour guide to Gros Morne National Park. Both the climb and the vistas at Gros Morne mountain were breathtaking. Deanne had been adamant that we couldn’t leave until we saw a moose. We saw four of them as well as a caribou and black bear all on the same trail. We’ll be planting suggestions about a visit there next year as well.