Tim Hortons are great, and my dogs have all figured out the drive up window thing as well. In fact, they believe its the way it works at toll booths and ferry booths as well, and are dissapointed when some of these humans "just don't get it" as well. No kidding. Any bike crapping out on the road isn't usually an easy fix. Mind you, I won't know until the next rain if that was the problem or not. It made sense, and I didn't look any further, but my theory hasn't been tested yet. With any luck, I won't test it until sometime long after I pull into my yard at home
If you want I can send you a care package with a cup of coffee and a donut it it, if you have any idea what country you might be in. It might not be all that fresh when it arrives, though..............................
You are BRINGING back GREAT memories, Brian! We stood at that very overlook and have similar pictures there! We were fortunate and the sea was out when we were there so we got to really check out the sea floor. You got down there though! :) We stayed in Moncton and really enjoyed the area. Yeah, our little dog walked that floor too, sort of, since I carried him. I also begged 'his' way onto a whale watching boat and a coal mine tour under the Atlantic while in Nova Scotia! We have very FOND memories of that trip. My wife will love seeing those pictures. Check out both of those adventures if you get to the Sydney area!
I was meaning to ask you Brian,Have you been able to enjoy any night time riding yet? I am sure missing it more than Timmy's and no the care package would never make it through the border,the smell of a doughnut would set off all of the lunch time alarms.
I don't know ......and maybe it is just me but is there a male familial similarity in this image? In a few years when your hair turns white check this image again and you might be surprised by what you see. Enjoying your trip report! Cheers
Man, you're seeing some neat stuff! That was quite the, uh, rally in Texas! And back in Canada - even though you're way out east, does it feel like home yet? Hopewell Rocks has now been added to my official list of Things I Must See. Great RR, Brian - been really enjoying reading it!
I had been told that Randy and Tammys house was right on the bay of Fundy, and they had a good view of the bay and could see Nova Scotia across the bay. When I pulled in yesterday, it was cold and foggy. The only proof I had that we were anywhere near the ocean was .. that it was cold and foggy. Tammy assured me that, yes, they lived near the ocean and had a good view. The fog didnt lift all day and the running joke was that they lived waaayyy inland.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> I woke up early this morning, went to the washroom in a bit of a haze, looked outside, and it had cleared.<o></o> <o></o> View from the bathroom window (this photo is for Bride of SoSlow J)<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I went outside for a better look. <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> They had things to do in Moncton today (about an hour away)and they asked me if I wanted to come. I told them I had never seen Moncton before, so after breakfast we headed out. First stop was the neighbors where Tammys car was parked.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> Then we headed into town. Moncton is a pretty cool city.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> It was getting late by the time they had showed me the sights and gotten their stuff in Moncton done, so we decided to go into Alma for some seafood. <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> Unfortunately, it was Sunday and the tourist season hadnt started yet so we ended up going to the pizza joint. The owner is a friend of Randy and Tammys, and she sat with us while we ate. She was hilarious. Pretty much exactly what I picture of when I think of a maritimer. Boisterous, quick witted and a lot of fun. <o></o> <o></o> And, the pizza was great. They were out of chicken wings, but if we wanted some, she would run out and get some (she said she would kill the chickens) and, so we had wings, too. ( I didnt ask where she got them from). They were great too. When I paid for supper, I commented on how you leave Canada for a few months, and when you get back the money is made out of plastic. How did that happen. She commented that a lot of people are complaining that the new money sticks together, so I should watch for that. I asked to see the money I had given her, and she kind of hid the till from me, and told me to start watching for the sticky money .. tomorrow J<o></o> <o></o> We drove down to the dock to check out the boats. There is a huge tide in the Bay of Fundy, and at low tide these boats sit on the ground.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> We headed back to Tammy and Randys and did some work around the place. Well, Randy did, and I watched and offered advice J<o></o>
Its awesome here. I am heading for Sydney for the the morning Ferry. Not sure what else I will see there. I might spend an extra day or 2 in Nova Scotia on the way back..... its pretty nice here :)
I haven't been doing a lot of night riding, just down to restaurants and stuff after I have gotten a room for the night. Night riding is dark and I want to see stuff :) I think the lunch alarms go steady at the borders. Always seems to be someone out for lunch, and its seems to always be the guy who deals with motorcycles..... go figure.
Yeah, now that I look at the photo, there is a bit of resemblance. But, there is no relation........that I know of.........
Yeah, Texas was pretty fun........ It does feel like home, even though I am a long ways from my home still, and they do talk a bit funny (they say I talk funny, but really its them) But, yeah, its definatly Canada here :) I was going to e-mail you once I was finished posting here. I am going to spend a few days in Newfoundland, then start heading west. I will get ahold of you when I start getting close to your area. There, now I don't have to e-mail
I wanted to head towards Newfoundland, so after a breakfast of eggs and salmon, I set out on the road. In our travels in Randys truck, we had passed an old covered bridge a number of times, so I stopped to check it out.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> There road to the bridge was blocked to traffic, but there was lots of room for a bike to get through. I walked around, took a few pictures, loaded up, looked for official looking vehicles, and booted it over the bridge. There were no signs saying it wasnt ok .. just the blocked road. I get to the other side, and am not sure how to get back to the road. Is it a dead end? I ride a bit farther, and there it is, access to the main road.<o></o> <o></o> I head into Moncton and find the highway to Nova Scotia, and it is cold out. I stop and put on more clothes, and carry on, and its still cold, but manageable. <o></o> <o></o> I get to Cape Breton Island and stop at the tourist info booth, and ask questions about the ferry, campsites and rooms. Seems that things get a bit pricey here, and most places are still closed because its not really tourist season yet. It was getting late, so I went to the picnic table area, made myself a snack, and a guy pulls in on a motorbike. The guy comes over, sits down, and we start BSing. Turns out he works at the info booth, rides steady and knows all the best areas to ride and camp. He explains that hotels and campsites are so expensive here because of the short tourist season, and explains that you can pretty much camp wherever you want, no one is going to tell you its ok, and no one is going to tell you not to, and tells a story about some bicyclists who were camped right behind the info booth and because they were there after the booth closed(the booth had just closed), no one cared but he cant tell anyone its ok to camp there because of a liability issue (hint hint).<o></o> <o></o> Cape Breton Island<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I wanted to get a bit closer to the ferry before shutting down for the night, so I thanked him for all his information and hit the road. As I went further north, the crappy, cheap looking motels were getting pricier and pricier, and it was getting colder and colder. I checked the weather report (I love iPhone apps) and it was currently 8C, and there were frost warnings. Crap. I decided that I was going to have to splurge for a crappy expensive motel. Just then I spotted a sign for a campsite with cabins for $45 a night. Whoo hoo. I pull in, get a cabin, with heat and internet .. and a fire ring, and call it a day.<o></o> <o></o>
Still following with great interest, Brian. Good to see you are going to do Newfy as that is part of my planned route too. Are you going for Labrador? Someone just told me that the TransLab is now paved. And, to get you a little more homesick, one shot of last weekends' local Orca Run. The weather was spectacular. Ride safe, bud.
Really been enjoying your adventures and the amazing things you've seen! (thanks for the picture too) Enjoy the curvy roads of the Maritimes! Mrs. SoSlow
I didnt have a reservation for the ferry, so I wanted to get there in plenty of time. I left my warm cabin and headed towards the ferry.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> <o></o> When I got to the ferry, the lads asks if I have a reservation. I tell her no and she kind of goes oh gets on her computer for a bit, makes a phone call, and I am thinking oh. Turns out it was all OK. Even though I was there about an hour and a half before the ferry, they had closed something down for new passengers ( I guess most people reserve) and all she had to do was check to see if there was room (of course there was) and I headed into line.<o></o> I get loaded onto a real nice ferry, get my bike strapped down, visit with a guy from Alberta riding a Hyosung 650, then head up to the passenger deck. There are restaurants, bars, giant big screen TVs, and hardly any people. Seems its not tourist season yet, so the ferries are not that busy. <o></o> <o></o> Sydney from the Sun Deck<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> Pulling out of Sydney<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> It was about a 6 hour sailing, so I spent my time wandering around the big assed boat, visiting with people, sitting out on deck (there is a reason the tourists dont come yet, its freakin cold) ,visiting with people and uploading photos. There was internet, it was reeaaal slow internet, but I had lots of time ..and there were people to visit with while they uploadedJ<o></o> <o></o> We pulled into Port aux Basques about 6:00 PM and I was in Newfoundland.<o></o> <o></o> Port aux Basques<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I wanted to make it a ways before I shut it down for the night, so I headed towards Corner Brook (pretty much the only choice in roads) I was dangerously low on gas, so I stopped at a little place, and all they had was regular. My whole trip, the only other place I had to buy regular, and that includes some pretty small towns in Mexico and Guatemala, was in a little town in California. I needed fuel, and the Buell does run ok on regular (though it prefers not to) and . while I was filling up, there were people to visit with J<o></o> It seems that this little gas station/store is the 1<SUP>st</SUP> place off the ferry to buy beer, and the truckers were stopping to pick some up, I guess for the drive to St Johns .. just a bit scary, but whatever works, I guess. The conversations all started with donsha thoink iss a beet coal owt fer raiden dat mooseekle, buy?<o></o> <o></o> I got advice from the nice ladies in the store on places to stay (the one B&B in town wasnt open yet. It wasnt tourist season yet)<o></o> <o></o> I headed towards Robinsons Junction where there was a hotel with a restaurant ( I had an expensive hot dog when I got on the ferry, but nothing since) The place was on the highway, and I when I pulled in the restaurant didnt look very open. Crap. I get a reasonably inexpensive room in the old, run down motel, and ask about restaurants. The one there didnt open until . You guessed it, tourist season starts (I am still not really sure when tourist season actually starts)The closest one is about 15 minutes back the way I had come from. Crap. She had some sandwiches in the fridge behind her desk, but she told me they were preeeetty old, and might not be that good anymore.<o></o> <o></o> I head to my room, get unpacked, and decide I am not going to brave the crisp Newfoundland weather for food. I had some food with me for camping, and they had a coffee machine I could make tea with to mix with some of my purchases from the Duty Free store.<o></o> <o></o> I go back to reception to pick up some chips and a coke, tell the lady I am not going to the restaurant 15 mins away .. and then I found out all the stories you hear about Newfoundlanders being kind were true. She apologized that she had nothing much there to feed me and offered to make me some toast.<o></o> <o></o> I thanked her, told her no thank you I have enough food with me and headed back to my room for a hot drink and a hot bath<o></o>
When I got up the sun was shining, it was still pretty cold, but the wind had died down. It had been cold last night, though. While I was loading the bike, a guy walked out back to a disconnected satellite dish that was facing up, and dumped out a big piece of ice.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o> I hung around the motel for a while more, waiting for the sun to build some heat, and headed out. The main road kind of stayed inland, and I wanted to see the coast, so I looked on the map, and saw a road that that took me to the coast and then up to Stephenville.<o></o> <o></o> Saint Georges<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I headed down the road towards Stephenville, crossed a bridge beside another bridge<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> Rolled into town, parked and went for a walk around.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I was getting hungry, so I looked for a restaurant. I wanted a busy place the locals went to, so I wandered around till I found one. It was a typical small town diner, and the waitresses were run off their feet. I sat down and ordered a burger and fries, and listened to the people talking. The conversations jumped from fishing, to kids, to boats to fishing to gossip about other people, back to fishing, to boats, to gossip and then back to fishing. It was great.<o></o> After I ate the waitress asked me how it was, I told her it was a great burger (it was). She told me I was pretty easy to please. I said it was easy when the food was good, and she accused me of not being contrary. I am not really sure what that means, but I am assuming its a good thing J<o></o> <o></o> I have found the people here are really friendly, sometimes almost to a fault. When I was leaving town, I stopped at a light and a guy was walking across the street. A lady was turning from the intersecting street, and they guy stopped and waved the lady in the car to go ahead. She waved him on to continue walking, and he waved her through, and she waved her through, and finally he got mad, waved her through rather abruptly, she went and he looked at me and shook his head. It would appear he was angry that she wouldnt accept his kindness and that she wanted him to accept her kindness. J<o></o> <o></o> I got back on the highway, and road past a nice inlet.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> I got to Corner Brook and tried to find a place I could afford (did I mention its not cheap here)<o></o> <o></o> I found a nice B&B that was almost affordable. Its a pretty laid back atmosphere, you cook your own breakfast, and are welcome to use the kitchen for your own food for other meals. You have full access to the house and washer/dryer facilities. I would say its almost like a cross between a B&B and a Hostel.<o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> <o></o> The owner of the place is a real friendly, talkative fellow, and there are guests from Saskatchewan staying here who are a lot of fun to talk with.<o></o>
You are a good writer, Man! Ah, Newfoundland! We BLEW that one and you are doing it right. We toured the majority of Nova Scotia, including the famous Cape Breton, but Newfoundland, hey we're from Texas, , was not on our radar! On our way back to New Brunswick we stayed in Amherst, Nova Scotia and during a great dinner at a brewpub/steak place we got to talking to folks and one was from Newfoundland. ERRRR! We blew it. We debated backtracking to Sydney to catch the ferry but we chose to do it another time. We were RIGHT THERE!!!! Newfoundland is definitely on our list and your pictures and comments have us wanting to go more! :) Keep enjoying and don't get in a rush! What a GREAT trip!
Brian, It just occurred to me that you didn't mention whether or not you changed your oil filter when you turned that Walmart parking lot into a Jiffy Lube! :) I haven't changed my own oil when on trips, because of the 'where to do it' concern but I'm thinking I might in the future. The filter of course takes longer and creates more exposure. Your thoughts and practice? Thanks.
Thanks RockyDS Its been amazing. I am having a great time. Still lots of cool stuff to see and people to meet :).