My States/East Coast Trip

**GAR** · 02-20-2012, 10:25 PM

Sat. July 20 2011

Bonavista to Lark Harbour 694 km

235 to 233 to 1 Trans Can, 450 to Lark Harbour

Accross the island again under blue skies. Got the new bank card in Cornerbrook, set up camp at beautiful Lark Harbour.

Sun July 30 2011

Lark Harbour to Port aux Basques 266 km

Woke up with the rain, was a wet ride all the way to PaB, checked into the hotel, dried out the tent and myself in the room.

I rolled the odometer at Mount Moriah on the 250, we had a little toast to that.

Nice to have a room after a soggy night & rainy day.

Monday Aug 1 2011

470 to Rose Blanche and back, ferry to Cape Breton.

My ferry was'nt till later in the afternoon so I rode out to Rose Blanche, 470 is a great road winding all over the place & of course the scenery. Not far out of PaB I'm sure I saw a "gravel pit" camp.
Stopped in Margaree, Fox Roost and Isle aux Morts. A great send off from Newfoundland, I'd dare say this ride is a must for anyone visiting.

Rode back from Rose Blanche and caught the ferry back to Cape Breton and stayed at the Bear on the Lake hostel again. It was alot more crowded this time with an organized hostel tour, some other folks, and a guy hitchiking with a cello, yes, a cello. Was pretty cool kicking around the campfire, looking up at the stars with everyone listening to classical music being played by a guy, with a cello, right beside you. I could be wrong, but I don't think I'll experience that again. One of those moments.

www.photobucket.com/ew-9

**ypcat** · 02-22-2012, 03:35 PM

Wow. That was fantastic! Nice thread - great pictures.

My wife and I are doing that exact trip (almost) next year 2 up on a Road King. I'll bring along the camping stuff and expected camping and hotel/motel but never considered a hostel. Not too sure about them but sounds fine from what I'm seeing/reading here. I went to high school in the 70's on the New Brunswick north shore so I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I'll be hitting St. Johns and St. John too

**GAR** · 02-23-2012, 12:26 AM

Hey, Thanks, I was surprised the pics turned out that well. Now I just have to figure out how to post them full size without a link....

I've got a few more days to write about and a last series of pics. I rode out West too, so I'll revive that thread when this one's done.

Most of the hostels offered private rooms for couples, often w/ a bathroom/shower at a rate less expensive than a hotel/motel. Great way to meet some folks and get info about the area.

Have a great trip!

**theshnizzle** · 02-23-2012, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Dsquintz

this is a trip i was planning to do this summer in august(ish).
unsure if i will go through the States to come back.
my general idea was to go through ontario to quebec to NB/nova scotia. dont think ill hit NFLD but who knows. then come home through maine/NY crossing the border at niagara falls.

you took a 3 week timeframe for this...i may only be able to take a 1.5 week off of work in order to do this, so id be slabbing it most of the time. how "aggressive" were you travelling? 1000km/10-12hr a day?

That doesn\t sound like a very "fun" trip. Superslabbing the entire time of a trip is not a "great ride". If you only have 1.5 weeks why don't you go somewhere else and wait until you can go when you can take your time/ back roads?

**Dsquintz** · 02-24-2012, 07:00 PM

i ran through a route. i can't consider it "superslabbing"
longest day is 1000km, shortest is like 200 average day ill say 500-650km nothing crazy and about 10 days. was just going to post my maps for suggestions on improvments etc.

**GAR** · 02-27-2012, 03:44 PM

Tues. Aug 2 2011

Bear on the Lake Hostel, Cape Breton to Charlottetown, PEI, 255 km

105, 104, 4

Headed for the the ferry to PEI at Caribou. Dressed for rain that never came! Of course if you think it's gonna rain and you put on the rain gear, it wo'nt. If you think it's gonna rain, but hope it will clear up and do'nt put on the rain gear, it will.
It's a free ferry ride there, but you pay when you leave. I was the first bike there, a couple on matching sport bikes, from PEI arrived and another really chatty guy from PEI after them. The chatty guy bent my ear the whole 1hr 45min trip.

Got off at the Woods Island Terminal, went West on #1 with a stop at Stewarts Point, nice little scenic spot. Back on #1 for the BnB in Charlottetown. It was a busy time in Charlottetown, my room had two beds so I offered to share. Got cleaned up and headed to a large brew pub for dinner, struck up a conversation w/ a couple who moved there last year and loved it, and a backpacker sitting on the other side of me, who turned out to be the guy I was sharing the room with! We hit a couple other pubs before going back to the BnB.

Wed. Aug 3 2011

Charlottetown PEI to Kings Landing, New Brunswick 466 km

#1 to 10 to Bridge, 15 to Moncton, # 2 to Kings Landing.

Woke up to really bad weather and a worse forecast, I wanted to boot around PEI alot more but it was'nt looking good. I cut PEI short and took the Confederation Bridge to NB. Rainy ride all day, 8 hr ride, with a break in Moncton. Took a motel room on 102N just North of Kings Landing. They had a resteraunt too, perfect.

Thrs. Aug 4 2011

Kings Landing, NB to Riviere du Loop, PQ, 371 km

North along St. Johns River-bouncing btwn 102N, #2, 105, ect to 185N to Riviere du Loop

I wanted to take this route up to PQ because as a drummer I wanted to visit the Sabian cymbal factory at Meductic, NB & following the St. Johns River was fantastic. I have some great cymbals from the 70's ( when they were still Zildjian ) that were made here, and also some Sabians too. Great visit.

The roads along the river are nice and curvy, but slow going. Crossed the world's longest covered bridge at Hartland. Made it up to Riviere du Loop and checked into the hostel.

**GAR** · 02-27-2012, 04:08 PM

Fri. Aug. 5 2011

Riviere du Loop to Montreal, 20W, 485 km

Getting closer to home. Stayed with family overnight in Montreal, got lost looking for their new place. I always get turned around in Montreal, do'nt know why...my uncle joked he was surprised I'd done this trip at all, seeing as I can get lost on a one-way, dead end street. I hate riding in Montreal.
Finally found them and went out for a night on the town.

Sat. Aug. 6 2011

Montreal to Toronto, 20W, 401W, 540 km

Slabbed it all the way, just wanting to get home. Stinking hot day on the road and in TO.
Home! Plopped down on the couch with a beer and ordered pizza. Slept like a rock, did'nt unpack my gear till three days later!

Last series of pics

www.photobucket.com/ew-10