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Nova Scotia / Newfoundland Trip


Casper

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Artmageddon, Earache and I are discussing a possible Nova Scotia / Newfoundland trip for August or September. Right now it's looking like 8-9 days, right around 500 miles each day. It'd be a fairly relaxed pace with lots to see. Maybe add a day or two to the trip. Maybe do more miles one day so we can have a few short days. It's all up in the air right now. I know Earache doesn't camp. Artmageddon I don't think wants to either. I kinda do. So maybe throw in a few camping nights for those who want to. We'll be riding a lot of coastline, a few state and national parks/forests, etc. Lots to see. It's at around 3700+ miles so far. All mileage is estimated. Could be more, could be less. And there will be several optional trips. Some people might want to go through New York and Boston. Some might not. I'm thinking maybe a rough outline with schedule stops would be best and you can take your own route to get there. The trip can be done in 2800 miles if you take the more direct routes. This includes taking a ferry from Sydney, NS to Newfoundland. The ferry cost is $80 each way for an adult and a motorcycle. You will obviously need a passport (or maybe one of the new passport cards).

Rough outline map

1. Columbus, OH to Bethlehem, PA

530 miles

2. Bethlehem, PA to Portland, ME

480 miles

3. Portland, ME to Halifax, NS

550 miles

4. Halifax, NS to Sydney, NS (Ferry to Newfoundland)

248 miles

5. Screw around in Newfoundland, eventually make it back to Sydney

500 +/- miles

6. Sydney, NS to Bangor, ME

590 miles

7. Bangor, ME to Plattsburgh, NY

346 miles (through state/national forests, backroads)

8. Plattsburgh, NY to Warren, PA

490 miles (through Allegheny National Forest)

9. Warren, PA to Columbus, OH

300 miles

Costs:

The ferry is $160 roundtrip.

If you average 40 mpg, gas will be around $300 - $400 (assuming $3.00 - $4.00/gal).

Lodging costs will vary. Assume $30 - $100/night if you're sharing a room with someone. If you camp a few nights, that'll obviously be a lot cheaper. We'll probably stay is mediocre rooms most nights, with one or two baller hotels to have some fun.

So all in all, the trip should cost around $730 - $1460 plus food. Might be cheaper. Might be more. Depends on you; what hotels you want to stay in, how much camping you want to do if any, how many people you want to share a room with, etc.

And lastly, some teaser pictures:

cbh_aerial.jpg

View_of_highway_along_Cabot_Trail_-_a_great_motorbike_ride_awaits_252736.jpg

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Beware%20of%20Moose%20Picture%20page%203.jpg

If you're interested, post up. We're looking to see how much interest there is in this trip. This promises to be an awesome adventure.

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I did up a route to Portland, Maine a couple of weeks ago. There's a ferry there in Portland to Nova Scotia. Aggressive first day start of 650 miles into upstate New York. Route hits Adirondacks, Green, White, Catskill, Endless, Poconos (maybe), and Appalachian mountains. A little dip off the freeway to catch CT and RI. Back through PA valleys, to I-70, to avoid riding back the same freeways.

Upstate areas are booked solid during what is a very short warm, dry weather vacation season. I'll have to look up when that is. Do you all have passports? Do any of you speak French? Canadian French? I'm putting some Frommer's and travel guides together in PDF, if you want a copy of them. For Eastern Canada, New England, and Nova Scotia.

Columbus to Portland Maine and back

Charlie's Inn - upstate New York

Becky's Diner - Portland Maine

edit: dang it, URL is to long to hot link... one moment please, pic...

picture.php?albumid=139&pictureid=9555

charlie's inn, junction road, lake clear, new york

652 mi - about 11 hours 20 mins

almost all freeway

390 Commercial St, portland, maine

265 mi – about 7 hours 2 mins

adrionacks and white mountain and green mountain roads

and ferry boat across lake from New York to Vermont

New Milford, PA

448 mi – about 9 hours 36 mins

freeway and rural catskill roads

Columbus, OH

487 mi – about 10 hours 17 mins

rural PA mountains and freeway

total

1,855 mi – about 1 day 14 hours total road time

Edited by ReconRat
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Fuck a whole lot of that!

Yeah. I thought I could ride and camp once. Could for a night, probably even 3. 8 or 9? No fucking way. I love to camp, love to ride, but I'm beat up from years of sports injuries and getting old. Hell, I pull back muscles drying off after a shower and dislocate knees kicking a pebble.

I used to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime. Now more than one night away from my memory foam mattress has my lower back screaming. I'm spoiled now.

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I assume this would replace the trip out west? Either trip would be great. I'm in for either trip at this point.

I think so. Or maybe there will be more than one???? There are a few routes under consideration right now. Earache suggested Glacier a while back, we talked about this one, maybe a southern coastal trip too. Dunno yet.

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This route peeks my interest more than going west and baking across the Plains. The coast would be beautiful and the possibilty of getting some real Canadian poutine would be a bonus

I agree. The only part of Canada I've ever seen is Windsor. I've always wanted to go to Quebec, hoping maybe that can get thrown in. I've heard Quebec is the closest you can get to Europe without actually going there.

I know most people hate the French, but that is my ancestry, probably why I like New Orleans so much too.

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I've heard Quebec is the closest you can get to Europe without actually going there.

.

Other than the language, nothing there will remind you of Europe. Doesn't look like Yurp, people don't dress like they're from Yurp, buildings aren't old and look more like Detroit than anything in Yurp.

But they do have the "I hate Americans" and snobbery thing down pretty good.

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I agree. The only part of Canada I've ever seen is Windsor. I've always wanted to go to Quebec, hoping maybe that can get thrown in. I've heard Quebec is the closest you can get to Europe without actually going there.

I know most people hate the French, but that is my ancestry, probably why I like New Orleans so much too.

Quebec is a pretty cool place with lots of great scenary. I spent a week snowmobiling there about 5 years ago. If you are around people with more of the English background / ancestry your ok. If you are in more of the French Canadian areas you're hit and miss to get any help or interaction. They love your money but can't stand to deal with you.

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Looks like Earache wants to fill in the last little corner of his map except for Louisiana. No one goes there, 'tis a silly place. ;)

This looks great, but unless I sink some serious cash into the RR I don't think it will work well for endurance rides. Hell, I could barely make it 150 miles in a day.

Oh yeah, make sure you eat plenty of cheap lobsters while your there, I expect to see some pics of lobsters fighting on the VStrom seat.

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