Cape Breton welcomed us with rain - lots of it. It was perfect, really. The sky was grey and threatening when we reached the Ceilidh Trail. It was spitting rain when we got to Broad Cove, and by the time we hit Cheticamp, it was pouring down. The hills toward Cape Breton Highlands National Park rose from the mist like a great dark monster and we headed straight for them. Normally, rain puts a damper on my travels but this time, it was beautiful and...right. I couldn't have imagined a more moody, dramatic experience. Finally, the rain stopped as we made our way to Pleasant Bay, but the mist hung about heavily as the landscape changed from verdant hills to coniferous forest (we saw a moose!). By the time we reached Ingonish on the Atlantic side, the sun had come out and everything turned bright and cheerful. The road was quiet all the way from Ingonish to Indian Brook, except for a few cyclists and trucks, and the stillness, warmth, and clarity of summer light were both soothing and dazzling at the same time.