July 17, 2011
Inverness, Nova Scotia Canada
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Driving the Cabot Trail loop
Now heading south, west side of Cape Breton, driving the Cabot Trail loop counter-clockwise. Sea / ocean on the right / west side is absolutely magnificent.
Come in to Inverness... right on the coast. Many towns here have Scottish, Irish, Brittish, French -- old world names-- for new world colonies. Most villages were settled here in the colonial era starting in the 1,500s through the 20th century. England and France were constantly at war w/ each other. They just transfered their war over here to the new world.
In the rush to "claim land for their nation" , they encouraged, promoted, assisted, deported ,... even penal transportation -- Britain sentenced, deported... about 1,000 criminals a year to the new world colonies. ?ancestors and forefathers....
This region was settled by the Europeans coming to the new world... by choice... sometimes by sentence. Many of the town and villages are named from towns back in the old world. Inverness is a town/ village on the western drive down the Cape Breton Trail.
*** from wikipedia
Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Inbhir Nis) is a Canadian rural community in Inverness County, Nova Scotia. In 2001 its population was 2,496.[1]
Located on the west coast of Cape Breton Island fronting the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Inverness sits astride a small coal seam which was exploited from the late 19th century to the mid-late 20th century, beginning with a mine opened by William Mackenzie (railway entrepreneur) and Donald Mann during the 1890s after they achieved control of the Inverness and Richmond Railway. Several more mines opened in and near Inverness during the early 20th century, but many closed following World War II with the last one closing in the early 1990s following a fire.
The community was established in 1904. It experienced economic hardship since large scale industrial coal mining ended; the local economy is now based mainly on fishing and tourism. Inverness Raceway was established in 1926, and harness races are held twice weekly between May and October.[2] A 200-acre (0.81 km2) golf course is under development on the site of the former coal mine.[3]
****
Driving through the through the village...
and then saw the sign -- Harness Racing today-- I have to go see this. Maybe put a $2 dollar bet on a horse -- on the nose -- be a winner today. don't pass up a chance like this.
So head up the street / hill... a really proment church on the way... city hall... then came to the track. A worn out track...old wooden structure... been here forever... ?since the 30s? Painted white so many times it's thick paint.
Late to the show as usual... pull up and park on what is "the home stretch". A couple of the local gamblers there to watch the races.
The harness racer come around into the stretch... and it's the real raw racing. This is NOT figure skating on CBS... Decades worn out Jockeys and horses way past their prime ,... pushing,... driving hard to make a show for the day. This was horse racing at it's real... raw best; these were the real guys... the real jockeys... racing in a place where time went back 50 years.... hustling to make their rig come "in the money"
I've seen horse races and I absolutely love them. Horse racing IS the sport of Kings!!! Watching Calvin Boreal as a novice jockey at Calder track in Miami bring in weaker horses taught me a valuable lesson; a good jockey was the key to bringing in a weaker horse. I love horse racing!
This was a real treat to see some real, raw racing... just for a moment. and back out of town... a church a block away where you could confess your sins of gambling on the ponys.
If I lived here,... or near... I'd be here betting on the races.
MARNE 28 # 172
July 17, 2011
Inverness, Nova Scotia Canada
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Driving the Cabot Trail
Now heading south, west side of Cape Breton, driving the Cabot Trail loop counter - clockwise. Sea / ocean on the right / west side is absolutely magnificent.
Come in to Inverness... right on the coast. Many towns here have Scottish, Irish, Brittish, French -- old world names-- for new world colonies. Most villages were settled here in the colonial era starting in the 1,500s through the 20th century. England and France were constantly at war w/ each other. They just transfered their war over here to the new world.
In the rush to "claim land for their nation" , they encouraged, promoted, assisted, deported ,... even penal transportation -- Britain sentenced, deported... about 1,000 criminals a year to the new world colonies. ?ancestors and forefathers....
This region was settled by the Europeans coming to the new world... by choice... sometimes by sentence. Many of the town and villages are named from towns back in the old world. Inverness is a town/ village on the western drive down the Cape Breton Trail.
*** from wikipedia
Inverness (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Inbhir Nis) is a Canadian rural community in Inverness County, Nova Scotia. In 2001 its population was 2,496.[1]
Located on the west coast of Cape Breton Island fronting the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Inverness sits astride a small coal seam which was exploited from the late 19th century to the mid-late 20th century, beginning with a mine opened by William Mackenzie (railway entrepreneur) and Donald Mann during the 1890s after they achieved control of the Inverness and Richmond Railway. Several more mines opened in and near Inverness during the early 20th century, but many closed following World War II with the last one closing in the early 1990s following a fire.
The community was established in 1904. It experienced economic hardship since large scale industrial coal mining ended; the local economy is now based mainly on fishing and tourism. Inverness Raceway was established in 1926, and harness races are held twice weekly between May and October.[2] A 200-acre (0.81 km2) golf course is under development on the site of the former coal mine.[3]
****
Driving through the through the village...and then saw the sign -- Harness Racing today-- I have to go see this. Maybe put a $2 dollar bet on a horse -- on the nose -- be a winner today. don't pass up a chance like this.
So head up the street / hill... a really proment church on the way... city hall... then came to the track. A worn out track...old wooden structure... been here forever... ?since the 30s? Painted white so many times it's thick paint.
Late to the show as usual... pull up and park on what is "the home stretch". A couple of the local gamblers there to watch the races.
The harness racer come around into the stretch... and it's the real raw racing. This is NOT figure skating on CBS... Decades worn out Jockeys and horses way past their prime ,... pushing,... driving hard to make a show for the day. This was horse racing at it's real... raw best; these were the real guys... the real jockeys... racing in a place where time went back 50 years.... husteling to make their rig come "in the money"
I've seen horse races and I absolutely love them. Horse racing IS the sport of Kings!!! Watching Calvin Boreal as a novice jockey at Calder track in Miami bring in weaker horses taught me a valuable lesson; a good jockey was the key to bringing in a weaker horse. I love horse racing!
This was a real treat to see some real, raw racing... just for a moment. and back out of town... a church a block away where you could confess your sins of gambling on the ponys.
If I lived here,... or near... I'd e here betting on the races.
