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What's the most exotic/distant place you've ever ridden (In Ontario/Quebec)
- Thread starter PrivatePilot
- Start date
Is 546 paved? I've been wanting to do that road for a while but never have yet.
I rode 129 this past july from chapleau to hwy 17. There was no construction on it, although I seem to remember the southern portion of it (which is the twisty part) was in good condition while the northern part was pretty old pavement with lots of bumps.
mistersouthpaw
Well-known member
Around mont tremblant is pretty awesome if no one has mentioned it already
I agree with this post (except, maybe, Florida)
Thanks - it's the isolated nature and the "off the beaten path" thing that piqued my interest on the James Bay adventure. I had the exact same schedule in mind you took - 5 days, and yes, the power plant tour is def on the list. I do have a lot of flexibility on timing so if there's a rain day there's the option to just wait it out vs being forced to ride in it.
US is an option, and we have at least 1 or 2 US trips in mind this summer, one indeed being the Adirondacks for 2-3 days. Deals gap might be next year, the rest of those I've either been to already via RV or simply won't fit into a 5-7 day timeline without a crazy rushed pace which I'm not into.
Mount Tremblant is on the list this summer as well as part of an extension to an Ottawa trip we did last summer that was a blast and we are repeating. Going to spend 2-3 days in Ottawa with Tremblant being a day trip to/from.
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bit light timing ...it's a chunk each way on the slab. 530 km or so ...not a lot of riding time in the area. If you leave at sparrows on Sat you'll get some riding in.
I'd say 3 days is the minimum.
Coudersport PA on the other hand is 340 KM so getting there by noon not an issue...and coming back I've never had an issue with riding after dark on the QEW ...I just try to hit the border before the deer get too frisky. If you can ...going down Friday is better.
No cop worries in PA where as cops very frequent on the weekends around Lake Saranac and the traffic is crazy plus it's New York so they have a ticket agreement with Ontario. PA is REALLLLY motorcycle friendly and no Ontario agreement.
I'm interested in a Key West run and take the ferry with or without the bikes to Cuba
If you can get a bit more time...reach further into Quebec
https://goo.gl/maps/ssiAtmiHxfo
and better yet loop up to Rouyn- Noranda and take the TransCanada to Trmblant from the top and then over to Mauricie National Park ...road through there is much better than the average Quebec road.
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/La...a23f47a9!8m2!3d46.8339205!4d-72.9992275?hl=en
There was zilch traffic when we did it tho finding the western entrance to the park defeated us it wasn't a big deal we just came in from Gande-Piles
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It's a friend planning the Adirondack ride so I'm just along for the miles and scenery. I was advised it was a "A lot of riding, not a lot of stopping" type ride (so I'm anticipating high miles), and I'm cool with that. Not sure if leaving Friday is the plan or not to get down there for a full day of riding, but either way is good, even if it's just down Sat and home Sun.
See if you can sneak in Whiteface and really mind the cops. Rural roads not so much but weekend blitzes are rather intense.
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/...more_than_33000_tickets_in_dwi_crackdown.html
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/...more_than_33000_tickets_in_dwi_crackdown.html
The cops aren't too bad....they are either just before or just after every town pulled off to the side of the road. When I've been there it's like riding between speed bumps.
If I can get the time off I'd be interested in a Florida run. I have family there. I really regret not riding down for the last shuttle launch.
Another vote for the James Bay road. I've done it twice, had tire trouble both times - this is a trip best done by those who are prepared for side-of-road incidents. If anything happens, you're very far away from practical help.
It's amazingly remote for being so close to Toronto. Both trips I've done it in 5 days - 2 days to Radisson, one day there for the dam tour and a rest, and 2 days home.
Have a close look at Google Maps and you have the opportunity to ride your bike in Nunavut, which is otherwise only accessible via air or boat.
The remoteness is spectacular. To me it's very exotic - a different language, a different culture, different everything. Well worth the time, if only to do it once.
It's amazingly remote for being so close to Toronto. Both trips I've done it in 5 days - 2 days to Radisson, one day there for the dam tour and a rest, and 2 days home.
Have a close look at Google Maps and you have the opportunity to ride your bike in Nunavut, which is otherwise only accessible via air or boat.
The remoteness is spectacular. To me it's very exotic - a different language, a different culture, different everything. Well worth the time, if only to do it once.
My wife and I took our bikes around Lake Superior last summer and then looped back up to 129 and over to Cochrane to catch the train up to Moosonee.
The Trans-Canada north of Sault St Marie is one of the most scenic roads you can ride on in Ontario. Fabulous Vistas of Lake Superior and I think well worth seeing!
We went up 129 after looping lake Superior and I have to say that it really was nothing special. Mind you it was cold and rainy (which doesn't really matter to me.) There were a few nice twisties but it certainly doesn't deserve the name of "Canada's Tail of the Dragon" which I have heard some people call it.
..Tom
The Trans-Canada north of Sault St Marie is one of the most scenic roads you can ride on in Ontario. Fabulous Vistas of Lake Superior and I think well worth seeing!
We went up 129 after looping lake Superior and I have to say that it really was nothing special. Mind you it was cold and rainy (which doesn't really matter to me.) There were a few nice twisties but it certainly doesn't deserve the name of "Canada's Tail of the Dragon" which I have heard some people call it.
..Tom
Couldn't agree more.
Eastern Ontario has better twisty roads but there is nothing in Ontario that compares to the Smoky Mountains and vicinity.
Ontario 129 is scenic when the weather is good, so is 6 from Manitoulin to Espanola. The highway that continues north of Elliot Lake and doubles back to the bottom of 129 is pretty good.
Ontario 129 is scenic when the weather is good, so is 6 from Manitoulin to Espanola. The highway that continues north of Elliot Lake and doubles back to the bottom of 129 is pretty good.
When you go north of Elliot Lake, rather than double back to the bottom of 129 you can cut across on a logging road to 129. It gets choked off to a very tight rocky single track just long enough to make you wonder what would happen in the event of a tip over and is it further back where you came from or better to push forward because the odo isn't working. Eventually it opens up again and dumps you behind an outfitter type store that also carries ice cream.
So....plans are firming up on this trip, looks like there will be 3 or 4 of us going.
For those who have done a trip into remote areas like this, what's on your packing list? So far, from some rudimentary planning I've come up with this:
Other thoughts?
For those who have done a trip into remote areas like this, what's on your packing list? So far, from some rudimentary planning I've come up with this:
- Basic camping/shelter gear. We don't plan on camping but will go prepared just in case.
- Gas gans. I figure at least 2 of us will need to carry 25L jerry cans to make sure everyone has enough to make the long stretch on James Bay Road to the fuel stop.
- Bear spray. In case camping becomes a necessity for some reason in a less than ideal area.
- Some food basics & water. Again, in case we end up spending a night in some place less than ideal.
- Tow rope. Even if a bike stops running for some reason, we can at least tow it.
- Basic tools, enough to get a chain back on or repair an electrical glitch, blown fuse, etc.
- Basic parts - fuses, spare headlight and tail/stop light bulbs,
- Small compressor, Tire patch kit, and tire patch goo (Several of us have tube tires, including myself)
- TP. Nothing worse than being 200K in any direction from a bathroom, nature calls, and no TP.
- Medical / First aid kit. At least one of those coming is CPR/First aid certified.
- Flares. Don't take up much space but invaluable to get attention if needed.
- Flashlight(s). Again, if we break down somewhere and are still effecting repairs in the dark by chance.
- Quality rain gear. Not many stories I've read about James Bay Road that didn't involve rain on occasion.
Other thoughts?
25L? That's a really large jerry can! I can't even imagine what that would look like on the back of a motorcycle!
381 kms is the magic number you have to be able to hit on the James Bay Road between fuel stops.
It's 2 of us carrying larger cans so other don't have to (and can pack the other gear), or all of us carrying smaller cans and collectively having less space on each bike. 2 of us have cargo racks big enough to put a full 25L (standard sized) jerry can on the back without any fanfare, and that gives each bike 12L of reserve fuel, as well as 2 bikes with more versatile cargo space usage as a result of no fuel cans at all, big or small.
I can do roughly 270K on a full tank until I'm dry, and at about 5.5L/100K I'll need at least 6L on my own bike to realistically make the magic 381K stretch. 2 of the other riders have even slightly less range than me, but the last guy on a HD has a big tank should be OK, but again, it's contingency for all 4 bikes that way.
I've also read more than few stories of people who ended up using a lot more fuel than expected (and being caught short of gas) because of, *ahem*, a brisk riding pace on the 381KM stretch of basically unmonitored blacktop.
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That's over 40 lbs of liquids sloshing around behind you high up on the seat or rack!
Much better for each to carry their own fuel.
Much better for each to carry their own fuel.
If you do end up putting a 25L jerry can on your rack, please post a picture!
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