The Cabot Trail and Some Big News!

The Thursday of our trip we were off to drive the Cabot Trail! The Cabot Trail is a long road that winds up the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. It is the big circular yellow road and is around 300km so we allotted a whole day for it- totally needed it when we ran into construction or an RV trying to get up the mountainside! Plus is meant we could stop and every lookout point, go to the beach, and get some lunch!

Our KOA was actually right by the first green 105 marker in the lower right- so very convenient for touring! We decided to drive counter-clockwise so we would be on the outside lane- easier to pull over at the lookout stops. I drove the first hour or two and honestly we all started to worry that the drive would end up being really boring- it was a lot of trees and very few glimpses of the ocean. But then right around the beginning of the park you start climbing up into the mountains and it gets SO scenic! We kept pulling over to take shots of the water and valleys! And we saw a bald eagle! I was hoping to see a moose on this trip (I've only ever seen one when I was 16), but I will take a bald eagle instead. At one point we found a beach and Cam went for a swim. The water was about 100 billion negative degrees (give or take) so I declined to join him and enjoyed the sun with my Dad!

BALD EAGLE!!

Cam wetting his toes before going in for a real swim

We stopped for lunch somewhere in Pleasant Bay and I had a really delicious lobster roll! Somewhere in the park we pulled over and there were park rangers there with all sorts of whale facts (we didn't see any whales, but sometimes they pop out of the water) Overall we all really enjoyed the Cabot Trail and I would totally recommend anyone who is in the area to save a day for it. Also, I recommend going through Neil's Harbour up in the north- it is a touch farther, but a very scenic route through some small fishing towns.

By some luck (seriously- the KOA manager said we were very lucky here- that we got any cabin at all last minute was unusual), we were able to extend our cabin rental to leave on Saturday morning so we designated Friday as a rest day (and a lobster dinner day). It turned out nice because it kind of rained on and off all day so we relaxed, read books, Cam went for a swim again. And then in the late afternoon Cam asked if I wanted to go sit out on the dock at the campground beach (which we had done a couple of times over the week so it wasn't that suspicious) and he PROPOSED!!

Ahhhh it was so exciting!!! I will admit I had a lot of suspicions that it might happen on this trip but it was still so special and surprising. We hung down at the water for a bit before heading back to camp to share the news with my Dad! Then we all went out for dinner. Unfortunately fresh lobster wasn't in season, but we had lots of other lobster dishes to celebrate. I also Facetimed my Mom and called about a million friends on the drive to and from dinner :).

Saturday morning we packed up for a long two-day drive home. It all went smoothly and no hiccups and now we are home and planning our wedding!!!