Best/most scenic route to Moncton NB in 1 day. | GTAMotorcycle.com

Best/most scenic route to Moncton NB in 1 day.

PrivatePilot

PrivatePilot

Ironus Butticus
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So, with all the other trips I had planned this year never happening for various reasons, I've got 1 last opportunity for one final blast before the season ends. I have a friend in Moncton who I'm going to shoot out to see in 1 long riding day, but aside from the obvious route through Quebec city and such, once I get to Edmunston (or St Leonard, to be exact) I've got options to split off the trans canada and see some other routes.

The straight trans-canada route of course is the easiest, but there's a few other options that would take me southeast earlier, or straight east and then south.

It's been so long since I was there that I don't recall any of those roads anymore aside from the Trans Canada.

Anyone got any interesting suggestions?

We'll be taking off and doing the Cape Breton loop on day 2 and 3, and then day 4 and 5 I'm going to shoot up and do the Gaspe Peninsula again (despite being there once already this year, it sure was pretty in October last year, so it's worth seeing again) and then shoot home.
 
There was a thread or two in the last few years about a high route through QC bypassing much of the suck. Not sure who was asking at the time. IIRC, as usual @shanekingsley had some good suggestions.
 
Key being it needs to be a 1 day ride to get there, so going toooo far out the way isn't viable if we're talking north-shore and ferries.

I could go a little further east along 132 and then south through the west side of the peninsula to Campbellton NB and then down from the North, but Highway 20 and 132 out that way so far as Metis sur le Mer is....meh. It's only east of there further along the peninsula where it gets really good, so I'm not sure there's much added value that way, especially since I've done that road already 4 times in the last year and would be doign it a 5th time on the way back west from the peninsula.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Key being it needs to be a 1 day ride to get there, so going toooo far out the way isn't viable if we're talking north-shore and ferries.

I could go a little further east along 132 and then south through the west side of the peninsula to Campbellton NB and then down from the North, but Highway 20 and 132 out that way so far as Metis sur le Mer is....meh. It's only east of there further along the peninsula where it gets really good, so I'm not sure there's much added value that way, especially since I've done that road already 4 times in the last year and would be doign it a 5th time on the way back west from the peninsula.
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How long is your "day". It looks like about 14 hours of slabbing, how many hours can the fun route add?

The last time I was out there, from this side of the Confederation bridge to my destination about 30 minutes east of you was 15 hours on the slab (actual time including gas stops).
 
I'd like to be at point B around or not long after sunset to avoid any wildlife issues, so by then, 7pm-ish. Will probably leave here 4AMish. So got 15 hours to work with. That doesn't allow for a lot of playing around so far as routes given the most direct is 14 hours, but I tend to make a little time given the fact that I ride hard when I'm solo like this....so a 14 hour estimate will probably end up being....14 hours, even with fuel stops and such. But I've got an hour to play with.
 
GreyGhost said:
There was a thread or two in the last few years about a high route through QC bypassing much of the suck. Not sure who was asking at the time. IIRC, as usual @shanekingsley had some good suggestions.
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Yeah I did help out with planning a longer route there, but you are right, it went up to Saguenay. If the direct route is already 14 hours, then adding 1hr isn't that difficult. Just pick a reasonable curvy looking road off the main route for a detour. Personally, I'd probably look into a cool place to stop for an hour that I've never been to, since there's not a lot of options to add a super exciting detour that only encompasses one hour.
 
Thx. If I opt for the vanilla trans Canada route as it seems likely I’ll do, I’ve driven all those roads before, so there won’t be a ton of things I’ll want to stop and see necessarily, but it’s an option.

The roads past Moncton are where I’ll slow down. The trip *to* Moncton will just be zen time.

It’s just a little short of an iron butt though. Hmmm. lol.
 
It's only 4 1/2 hours Toronto to Montreal, but you're kinda messed over since you can't cut through the U.S.
 
Yeah, last time we went to fredericton/Moncton we went down through Vermont and such and it was beautifully scenic.

Sadly not an option this time and slab all the way to Quebec city is unavoidable.

That being said, unlike a lot of my riding buddies and a lot of riders in general it seems, I don’t actually despise slab riding - being able to just put the bike on cruise control for hours at a time between gas stops adds to zen time for me.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Yeah, last time we went to fredericton/Moncton we went down through Vermont and such and it was beautifully scenic.

Sadly not an option this time and slab all the way to Quebec city is unavoidable.

That being said, unlike a lot of my riding buddies and a lot of riders in general it seems, I don’t actually despise slab riding - being able to just put the bike on cruise control for hours at a time between gas stops adds to zen time for me.
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Slab puts a hurting on tires though.
 
Grand Falls just past Edmunston is a great stop. You can visit the Falls and Gorge Camping area. It’s available for stop ins for a hike, picnic etc. It’s a beautiful area. Well worth the stop and everyone is so friendly.

Wish we stayed longer but, only stumbled upon it on our way home. Grabbed some food and hiked down the gorge and came back up for a bite to eat and drink. Could have spend a few days there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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We left at 430am in July and arrived in Fredericton around 6pm their time (direct route). Stops were pretty minimal at a pair of 15min stops and a single 30min stop. Pace was brisk where traffic/construction didn't slow us down. Honestly just take the direct route. Going that far in one day is already tiring so keep as fresh as you can for days following it.
 
Yeah that’s what I’ve decided to do in the end. There was a temptation to add a few miles and make it a submittable Iron Butt since from my house to where I’m going just the other side of Moncton is really close to the magic 1620km, but meh, I’ve already got a BB1000 to my name and paying another fee to get another piece of paper is pretty much a waste of money on further thought.

We will be heading out the next morning to do the Cabot over 2 days - nice slow place to allow lots of sightseeing. Hopefully it’s not raining. Or snowing lol.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Yeah that’s what I’ve decided to do in the end. There was a temptation to add a few miles and make it a submittable Iron Butt since from my house to where I’m going just the other side of Moncton is really close to the magic 1620km, but meh, I’ve already got a BB1000 to my name and paying another fee to get another piece of paper is pretty much a waste of money on further thought.

We will be heading out the next morning to do the Cabot over 2 days - nice slow place to allow lots of sightseeing. Hopefully it’s not raining. Or snowing lol.
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Leave time for fog. I went clockwise starting very early (I was camped in a random persons driveway somewhere around Margaree and wanted to leave before they got up) and was in the clouds much of the time until about Neils Harbour. I was in Baddeck by 08:30 to have breakfast. It was definitely more enjoyable and a hell of a lot less slippery once the fog burned off. Only saw one vehicle going my way and a half dozen going ccw though.
 
Most scenic 1 day to Moncton?

Porter Airlines - get a window seat.
 
GreyGhost said:
I'd say VIA was more scenic but have my doubts that it can reliably get there in a day.
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I've taken VIA to NS. It sucked.
As a kid we went to NS every year and except for the one train ride we always drove. Big highlight being the one old-time diner in Quebec on 2 with the monster trucks and giant dinosaurs. Big hit when you're 5. They demo'd the place a few years back and it's now a McDonalds but they redid some of the dino display.
 
Left at 4:30 this morning. Heavy rain until basically Belleville. On and off showers until Cornwall/Montreal. Blue skies from Montreal until Quebec City and then mostly cloud the rest of the way to Moncton.

Found out I’d left a shoulder vent open on my jacket so my jacket liner got pretty damp on the front chest and right arm before I realized why. That dampness plagued me the rest of the day even with my heated vest set to hot-lava the rest of the day - it was brisk and I just couldn’t shake that dampness.

Last fuel stop in Fredricton I layered up to full Michelin-Man levels and put my rain pants back on for wind break - much better, I should have done that a few hours earlier.

Pulled into my friends place just south of Moncton at about the 15 hour point. Pretty happy with that for 1460km. Averaged a good 120 fairly consistently with the exception of places in Quebec crawling with all the usual speed traps but Waze was working well. Fuel stops were rapid affairs, not even getting off the bike for a lot of them, but a 5-10 minute stretch at a few others. One 20 minute food and warmup break.

Thankfully my sciatica even decided to cooperate.

Off to Nova Scotia tomorrow. Cabot trail Tuesday.
 
So you rode in the dark through moose country for much of the ride just to save a day... Lucky you didn't hit any wildlife.
 
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