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I have'nt posted in a while, but I wanted to share my last trip, and thank everyone for their posts & links in regards to touring the East Coast. I found them most helpful.
I left Toronto on July 12th and returned yesterday Aug. 6th a total of 8 725 kms round trip.
Visiting NY, Vermont, NH & Maine and all the Maritime provinces including NFLND.
I camped, moteled it & stayed in hostels, the hostels are a great, inexpensive alternative BTW, you meet great folks and other riders to bounce route ideas off of ect.
Wo'nt go into all the roads travelled and all that cause of course there were many, but a couple highlights were riding up Mt. Washington in NH and naturally, the Cabot Trail, bought the shirt to prove it! www.cabottrailbiker.com
If you're planning a trip like this, I'd be happy to offer any info, Cheers, Gerry.
Next up, Toronto to Vancouver through the provinces & back through the States, may be pushing it a bit being later in the season, but hey, why not.
Expect to back in TO by the end of Sept. Heard HWY 2 is a good route to head east back to TO, will probably do alot of that and whatever else looks good at the time. Any suggestions are welcome, Cheers, Gerry.
Tues. July 12/11, Leaving Toronto for the East Coast through the States. 300 km
I'd packed the bike the day before and felt OK with it. I had all the camping gear wrapped up in a bike cover & held with bungees on the passenger seat, but I was'nt convinced it was a good idea, I'm not a big fan of bungee cords or mesh cords securing things, especially with a long trip coming up.
So Tuesday morning I scrapped the bungees & made do with what I had for luggage and left the bike cover behind .Left Toronto later than I wanted to, and took the 401 to Kingston to visit & stay overnight at a friends place. When I hit the exit ramp, the bike was'nt sounding right, I'd blown a hole in the muffler, on the first day!
Wed. July 13/11 Kingston 320 kmWent to Tonys Cycle to see what could be done, 5 to 6 days for parts, so I got some muffler tape at the auto parts store & hoped for the best. The guys at Tonys were really helpful, with phone #s for shops ect., I do'nt have a smart phone. Called Freedom Cycle in Halifax and ordered the parts to be there, before I got there, but I did'nt book a service appointment, did'nt even cross my mind-duh? but it all worked out. Crossed into NY State at Gananoque, took 81 South to Watertown, NY then 3 East, thinking I'd stay in Lake Placid. Nice roads when you hit the Adirondacks, so I called it a day in Tupper Lake.
Last edited by GAR; 01-23-2012 at 11:19 PM.
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?
25 days, Toronto to NFLND and back. There were a few days when I did'nt ride at all. Averaged around 400 kms a day, so not very agressive, taking mainly secondary routes. I would hit the road around 9 or 10 am and ride till I was tired or before the sun went down.
I'm sure you could do it in a week and a half at a much faster pace, if you skip NFLND.
Thrs. July 14/11
"All back roads at a slow pace, but great scenery" that's right outta my journal, seemed fitting.
From Tupper Lake, heading East, I went through Lake Placid To Westport & down Lake Champlain, 3/30, 3, 86, 73, 9N, 9N/22S to Crown Point.
Crossed the ferry for free into Vermont & went up to 17E, great riding past Bristol, up Stark Mountain, lotsa switchbacks, twisties and bikes, of course.
Ended up having dinner, then camping in Morrisville, NH. First night camping, nice, right on a creek.
400km
Last edited by GAR; 01-27-2012 at 12:45 AM.
Thats where I want to go!!! Nova Scotia!! thanks for the info!! I might be able to take 2 weeks off work this coming summer!!!! let me know if you need company!!!
VTX 1800R
From the looks of it if i can get 1.5-2 weeks off work ill be going in july sometime...maybe later july/early august or mid-end julyOriginally Posted by TIBURON
I encourage you guys to do it, try & get two weeks!
Fri. July 15
Left Morrisville VMNT, towards NH, taking 15S, 2E, into Lancaster NH, still on 2E at Gorham NH I saw the signs for Mount Washington and thought I'd give it a go. I stopped for a break in a parking lot and went into an optomotrist office to ask about Mount Washington, the woman there said I'd be crazy not to do it, especially on a bike and on such a good day, so off I went.
Helluva ride up, helluva ride down, great fun. Very narrow road and it's not all paved, no guardrails, no nothing, with sheer drops all over the place. Never rode anything like it & loved every minute!
Headed back up to 2E, crossed into Maine and camped in Bethel at one of the best campgrounds ever, great night around the fire with the couple that ran the place and staff. This was the first of many examples of meeting people at campgrounds that were great, I found at most campgrounds, even though you were riding alone, you did'nt have to be at the end of the day. Lotsa campfires & good folks.
I've never camped before, let alone done a trip like this.
Tackled the muffler after I set up the tent.
The exhaust tape just was'nt cutting it, I kept replacing it. I pulled into a motorcycle repair shop that was a barn on the side of the road, all kinds of bikes out front, mostly old Hondas, Yamahas, hoping maybe my "new" muffler may be in a dusty corner. Hey, you never know...instead the owner and the guy getting some "new" rear shocks on his '74 Honda 750 4, suggested a beer can and O-ring clamps, sounded good to me.
I had a Mountain Dew can that fit better, after cutting, still can't believe this fix made it all the way to Halifax.
263 km
Still trying to get some pics up, anything I add is over the quota on the forum, I have some in photobucket now, but can't figure out how to link them here.
Last edited by GAR; 01-31-2012 at 02:43 PM.
With pics, think I got it now,
www.photobucket.com/eastwestbike2011
Sat. Juy16 2011
Bethel, Maine to St. Stephen, New Brunswick, 450km
Up early and had coffee with a rally racing fan who was following the circut, she hoped to be competing in a year or two.
Left Bethel at 9:30, 26S to Paris, 117E to Turner, 4S to Lewiston, 95N to Bangor, 9E to St. Stephen.
Around Turner, I pulled into an empty lot and the tractor I passed pulled in right behind me. Turned out it was his lot and he was checking on some pallets. He joked that he did'nt think I was a threat to his property or that I would make off with his pallets, but it has happened, he explained. It was lunchtime and he suggested a "farmers store" not too far off from where I was heading. Forget that 100 mile diet thing, everything came from 100 metres away! Yeah, it was a really good lunch, cause for the most part unless you really make an effort, at least for me, it was hard to eat well on the road.
95N was a bore but clocked some kms, 9E was great all the way to New Brunswick. I had to laugh when I went through customs into NB, after all the questions and ID, I was fumbling with the helmet, gloves, ID, ect, and apologized. He leaned back in his chair and said " hey, take your time" . I was in the Maritimes.
I was bagged and wanted a bed so checked into a motel and hung out with some guys from Quebec who were repairing a local resevoir and were at the motel for four weeks, they figured they were halfway through.
Sunday July 17 2011
St. Stephens, NB to Moncton NB 480 km
Rode to St. Andrews & Blacks Harbour, really nice, and through Saint John. I found Saint John really hard to navigate, but then again I can get lost anywhere.
Went to the Fundy Trail at St. Martins, which was a great intro of what was was to come-one of many awesome roads along a bay, shore, cove, inlet, basin, you name it.
North on 111 to 1E to Moncton. Stayed with a friend there who took me out to the nearest bar at a motel and hung out all night by the pool with roller derby gals staying there who were in town for a tournament, go figure.
Mon. July 18
Moncton, NB to Maitland, Nova Scotia 330km
Set the alarm for 7am & woke up hungover to a major thunderstorm, so I slept a couple more hours, left around 10 after it cleared up a bit. Made my way to Nova Scotia at Sackville/Amherst. From Amherst I took 2S through Springhill to Parsboro, 2E to Truro, 2/102S to Shubenacadie, then 215N to Maitland.
Missed all the rain cause I was following the storm, loved that. Parsboro is something else & had an introduction to it's unofficial mayor, whose family used to run the resteraunt and the candy place. He filled me in on anything I wanted to know about Parsboro, it's history, or the surounding area. I was just sittin' there on a bench taking in the veiw when he rolled up, one of the best things about travelling is meeting guys like that.
Camped in Maitland, another good night camping hanging out with a recently retired Navy and his wife.
Really quiet, felt like I was is in the middle of nowhere.
www.photobucket.com/ew-2
Tues. July 19
Maitland, Nova Scotia to Greenfield, NS, 361 km
215E to 1/101E to 8S
Packed up and left the campground very early, 7:30am, well, very early for me!
215 was pretty, but slow. Had a great breakfast in Summerville at the cafe/general store/bookstore/garden patio & BnB. The owner brought me a copy of "Motorcycle journeys through Atlantic Canada" by Raine Gillis and Ken Aiken-Whitehorse Press, to look through and I pulled out my copy from under my map. Good stuff, pretty funny.
Jumped back and forth between 1 and 101, some parts were just 101. 1 was great too, but again slow.
I meant to hook up with a buddy in Liverpool, but it turned out he was staying at a buddys' cottage near Greenfield and invited me there instead, ended up staying a couple nights. Had a good rest, couple fires, and a few swims.
Followed another storm on 8S toward Kejimkujik National Park, spent some time checking out the park till I rode down to Greenfield.
Wed. July 20
Greenfield, 0km
Had the whole morning to catch up w/ e-mails ( I did'nt bring a laptop ) and made some calls. My buddy came back around noon and showed me around Liverpool and its' beaches, felt like I was in the Carribean, gorgeous.
Thrs. July 21
Greefield to Halifax 167 km
Left Greefield early to make it to the shop in Halifax, got there just before they opened. They took my bike in right away and put on some new headers & repaired the main muffler assembley, better than the pop can and o-rings! Great fix, the new, expensive, muffler will have to wait till I get back to Toronto.
Rode around Halifax and checked out the sights, checked into the hostel downtown and met a friend for dinner.
Fri. July 22 2011
Halifax to Bear on the Lake Hostel, Cape Breton 387 km
Hostel is btwn Whycocomagh and Bucklaw on 105. Highly recommended, great place, veiw, host & a bbq!
Took 7 along the Southern shore to Antigonish then 4/104 to Port Hastings into Cape Breton. Main thing on my mind was looking forward to the Cabot Trail.
Met a guy at the hostel who rode from Vancouver on his sportbike with full camping gear, laptop, video gear, and ALL the other stuff you gotta take, had to respect that. He was on his way to St. Johns NFLND, and hoped to work in the motorcycle biz. From one coast to another. We swapped stories and he left a few hours later for the ferry to NFLND, sure enough we crossed paths again in Bonavista, could'nt believe it.
www.photobucket.com/ew-4
Sat. July 23 2011
The Cabot Trail, from the hostel and back, 423 km
What a day! The Trail was everything I hoped it would be, stunning. I was a little concerned that it would be crowded since it was a Saturday, it was'nt, and the weather was too good not to do it today. I've been very lucky with the weather so far, as everyone kept telling me. I left at 9:30 heading for the Trail counter-clockwise, stopped for lunch, bought the shirt, and continued on. One of the many reasons to come here is that my family is from Bay St. Lawrence, generations ago, settled there from Ireland, so it was quite something visiting there & looking at all the old tombstones at the church with my Mothers maiden name.
I learned later from my uncle who is a preist that there are many more family tombstones, but a preist in Bay St. Lawrence got tired of mowing the grass around them so he removed them! After the town discovered this he was quickly run out of town. He stacked them behind a shed. My uncle is'nt sure where they are now.
I did visit one of the " heritage centres " and saw some photos and names, but missed another one with some more history ect, a good reason to go back. Maybe find out what happened to those tombstones!
On to Meat Cove with probably one of the best campgrounds in the world, right on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I meant to camp there but it looked like the weather may be turning for the worst, so I hung out for a bit and started down the other side. Awesome ride with the sun shining through the clouds sending beams of light on the water, magical.
Made my way back to the hostel as it was getting dark. Long day, only 423 km, but 11 hours, with the side trips and stops.
www.photobucket.com/ew-5
Sunday July 22 2011
Hostel to North Sydney for the ferry to Newfoundland 92 km
I was'nt entirely sure if I would visit Newfoundland or not, after the Cabot Trail, I thought about it more and figured I was so close, so may as well. I planned on a few days exploring Gros Morne National Park, but that all changed.
I left the hostel at 10:30 hoping to get on the 2:30 ferry on "standby" since I did'nt have a reservation. Met another rider at the dock hoping for the same. Around 1:30 we learned we could'nt get on the 2:30, but were good to go for the 7:00, that was fine. Now what, with time to kill, what to do, well we went to the bar nearby. I do not reccomend this.
Had a couple beers and headed back to the bike to change clothes and get something to eat & to ease up on the suds. Told the other rider I'd be back in an hour or so. On the way back I hooked up with this great couple from the States who heading to the bar too, they were each on their own bikes. Hung out with them at the bar while waiting to board the ferry. Made our way back to the dock, a little buzzed. All the bikes were already on the ferry except for our three lonely bikes sitting there. We hustled, following directions form the port staff and got on.
This was my first time on a ferry this large & tying the bike down, happy to say all went well.
Great ferry ride with some live entertainment playing covers ect. On their breaks the guys were encouraged to play traditional songs on acoustic guitars in the corner, worth the price of the ferry ticket right there.
Met another rider from Labrador, and after telling him my plan just to boot around Gros Morne and return to Cape Breton, he looked at me like I was nuts, "you're coming all the way to Newfoundland, and you're not going to St. Johns?", "when you meet another Newfoundlander someplace, somewhere, one of the first things they'll ask is how you liked St. Johns, if you don't go there, you'd better lie". So it was settled, I was going to St. Johns.
The ferry reached Port aux Basques at 1am, found the BnB I'd booked and hit the hay.
www.photobucket.com/ew-6
Monday July 25 2011
Port aux Basques to Lamond, Gros Morne 460 km
North on 1 , the Trans-Can, 430N at Deer Lake, 431W to Lamond & Trout River
Up early, not much sleep, and hit the road. Took a side trip and checked out Stephenville. Even though I was riding on the highway, not many options really, the scenery was great. Was really happy I came here.
Everyone will tell you to watch out for moose, a real danger and on ongoing concern. You're advised not to ride at night either. The whole time I was there, I did'nt see one moose, on the road or elsewhere, not that I minded. I did'nt see any whales either, not for lack of trying, but I never took a tour either.
After setting up camp at the Provincial campground at Lamond, I rode to Woody Point and Trout River. The rode to Trout River takes you through the Tablelands, they were formed 300 million years ago with a collision btwn the American & European tectonic plates, when the continents were being formed and the earths crust was starting to cool. Very surreal, like you're on another planet.
www.photobucket.com/ew-7
Tues. July 26 2011
Lamond, Gros Morne to St. Johns 700 km
Accross the island on the Trans-Can, long day. I was going to camp at Arnolds Cove south of Clarenville but after stopping at the Clarenville visitors centre I learned bad weather was on the way. I was lucky all day with blue skies so I thought I'd just press on to St. Johns. Just a note, if Rogers is your cell phone provider, you'll only have service in the Clarenville/St. Johns corridor, that's it.
Checked into the hostel on Gower St., did some laundry and got cleaned up. Met a guy from Toronto with a connection to one of my best friends, small world. We hit the bars on George St., good times, great music. Do'nt remember much after that.....
Wed. July 27 2011
Sure enough woke up to heavy rain, so I spent the day walking around. I loved St. Johns, great city.
Buddy from Toronto was looking for me all day apparently to keep his party going, not a chance, I was riding to Bonavista the next day and I really did'nt want to feel like I did today! I politely declined.
Thursday July 28 2011
St. Johns to Bonavista 324 km
Hwy 60 to the Trans-Can up to 230 to Trinity & Trinity South, onto Bonanvista.
Left St. Johns by 9am for what turned out to be a hellish ride to Bonavista, my luck ran out, rain and fog most of the way. Could'nt see anything, so I tucked in behind a semi for most of the way. Cleared up as I approached Trinity. Met some fishermen on the pier in Trinity south, they all rode motorcycles in their younger days.
Made it to Bonavista and found the hostel empty but the door was open so I made myself at home, warming up with a hot shower. The couple who own the hostel showed up a couple hours later, great folks, had a really nice time there. Went to the pub later for dinner.
Friday July 29 2011
Spent the day checking out the Cape at Bonavista, awesome, rugged coastline. The pics really do'nt do the place justice.
Before I left, Doug rolled up on his sportbike, whom I met earlier on Cape Breton, dropping his bags on the floor-"we meet again!"
I did some banking in Bonavista, while I was fumbling with papers and pockets the machine took my bank card, I did'nt take it out soon enough, aargh! My bank doe'snt have a branch there, after a phone call, I found a branch in Cornerbrook. I was returning back accross the island the next day so I left early enough to make it there before they closed for a new card.
Back at the hostel, met a gal travelling from Switzerland and went down to watch the sunset.
St. Johns/Bonavista pics
www.photobucket.com/ew-8
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