The Trans-Lab is Overdone. We want to Ride the Rock.

We'll be heading there at such time as the Soiree is on so we might see you as you leave the island. Perhaps party in the Maritime Atlantic parking lot

Believe it or not, but I am getting ready! Recived new packages today. Feels so good to open all those boxes and plan way before you go
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Come on over to NBDSC.ca and say hi. You'll have to sign up as a member and post something up since the site is members only due to incessant spambot activity. Once you do get in, have a look at this ride report:
http://nbdsc.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1540&p=14475#p14475
"2-WEEK WANDER (Newfoundland '08)"
Its a rather picture intensive report with something like 230 pictures on the first page so you'll need a good computer and high speed connection. Its almost all off road and worth checking out.

Thanks, I'll do that. Actually, I just tried, but my internet is slow at this time of night, and you weren't kidding about the pics!

Thanks!!! I am at day 3 and like it!

Those pics stink. I think we'll re-route our trip and do Detroit or the Bronx instead -- NOT!

What an amazing place! I'm pretty sure that the first trip is simply going to be a taste of what could become a life-long obsession.

Given the opportunity, I'd like to explore the remains of some of Newfoundland's "resettled" communities. I have great sympathy with those that were moved from their homes. I was "relocated" (our nice little term for it down here) from our family home in the 1970's when the government wanted to build a hydro impound on the Delaware River. Like most government projects, it was a fluster cluck. The dam was never constructed, but the families will never return.

Here's a map of the abandoned communities:

http://theindependent.ca/2011/04/07/the-abandoned-communities-of-our-province/

Newfoundland is fantastic. The first time we went I didn't want to go home. Second time the same. I'm planning our third visit for next summer.

We went on a boat tour from New Bonaventure that takes visitors to several abandoned outports around Ireland's Eye in Trinity Bay. 8 of us in a converted fishing boat, 3 hours of whales, bald eagle and great stories from the captain. Even a shore visit in his old community.

http://www.ruggedbeautyboattours.net/

Highlight of the trip!

Lots of resettlement happened and it still happens. DRZ will put you in alot of these places.
The thing you will find here is chatting with the local old timers will give you more info than you can gain anywhere else. And you can talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime. People chat with total strangers and don't find it strange at all.

That's one of my problems making any miles in Canada. People engage in conversation much more freely, without the suspicion found here. Two hours chatting in a parking lot is perfectly normal. People roll down the windows at stop lights and ask how you're doing and are genuinely interested in the answer. The waitress asks how your meal is and will fix it if it's not right.

My first experience of this was way back in the '80s bicycling through Nova Scotia. A fellow pulled off in front of us, stopped, and asked if we had everything we needed. Could he get us some groceries? Did we need a place to camp? Did we want to marry any of his daughters or extended relations?

I remember he mentioned there was a farm for sale down the road, cheap. If I'd had any sense or cash on hand, I should have bought it.

I like hanging with the elders. Anyone who thinks we're at the cutting edge just now hasn't had much experience talking to the previous generations. The old folk may have no idea of how to download an Android app, but when the lights go out, I'd rather have one of them by my side than fifty tech gurus.

Thanks for the link...Very enjoyable RR...Cheers...Steve

I have been to NL 4 times, twice by bike. I swear I will return every chance I get. I have done the west coast and hope to do the east coast maybe this summer.
My favourite location was l'anse aux meadows to see the ice bergs but a second favourite would be the Port au Port Peninsula. Very picturesque.
Everything in between is wonderful.

If you care to look at a bunch more pictures, feel free to see here from 2008,
https://dualsport.smugmug.com/2008-Ride-Reports/NS2NL
2011 is here, https://dualsport.smugmug.com/2011RideReports/2011-07-Newfoundland

Even though the TLH is "overdone" I did it here, https://dualsport.smugmug.com/2011R...e-TLH/18291314_8p8z3T#!i=1407709256&k=72jHLwt

You can count on the two of us as potential maybes... I introduced one of my co-workers to Adventure Riding this fall...he's now hooked and planning more trips than I have vacation for. He is, however, one of Newfoundlands's native sons... and can supply lots of local information and translation services...

C-Stain:



and the not quite an inmate, I'll get to that sooner or later, Newfoundlander, Noah:

You sure you're going to be able to keep up with the Mighty TW200 that Anton's riding? He is a crazy Russian.

I started looking at property after a friend told me of his great deal etc right off the ocean!
All I can say is, if I can ever talk the wife into moving , I'm in!
I do prefer the west coast for scenery, just the mountains etc, but NFLD has just as nice at every turn, not quite as high lol....but great stuff all the same. PLUS.....the land prices are almost FREE!!!

I think we're in for late Aug so far.....2 full weeks on the Rock.....should give us enough time to see maybe 1/10th of the good stuff.....lol....?

I've already got my property in Nova Scotia, which is about 14 hours from my home. I hope I don't fall too deeply in love with Newfoundland. The commute would be a bugger.

I've been plunking through quite a number of routes, with my thumb on the pages of the Canada Back Roads Atlas, an eye on Google Maps and Earth, and a sense of what's reasonable to expect in a day of mixed terrain. I think 10% is fairly optimistic. First shot, I'd like to strike a line down the middle of the island, and concentrate on the western portion. I think too many potentially great trips are ruined by taking too big a bite. This one, I'd like to arrive and leave on the Port aux Basques ferry and spend quite a lot of time sniffing the flowers and taking pictures. If we end up with a fairly large group, I'd think it would be best to have a ride at your own pace affair, with a meeting point at the end of the day and perhaps for lunch. This is not a ride like my RedNEK Rendezvous. Having never been in this area before, there's no way I can play ride leader.

Coastal routes get you the best scenery but your equipment seems more geared (pun intended) for trails and logging roads where scenery is scarcer.
Off the ferry is the trailway with exceptional coastal views to Stephenville. A side order of Port aux Port gives you coastal vistas and a Lloyds River/Red Indian Lake run puts you into the center of the island but avoids the slab. Backtrack to Howley on the Trailway across the Gaff Topsails and up the Northern Peninsulsa via Richard Squires Park to Cormack. Gros Morne awaits you there.
All good dirt for your pleasure.
Just offerings mind you.

Much appreciated. I know that if we do slab, I'd like it to be 480. Not much lies off of it, but it seems well worth riding, anyway. Gros Morne is in, as is Anse Aux Meadows. I think I MAY have found some good gravel routes on logging/resource roads that cut out some of the pavement. St. Johns is out. I'm not going this far to ride through cities, no matter how good the beer and the bands may be.

I'm a little divided. Usually, on a trip like this, I'd take the KLR. I can get 330 miles out of a tank, and carry all I need about anywhere. I'm concerned with the fuel capacity on the DRZ. It's 130 miles to reserve. If my rich uncle that I don't have leaves me a pile, I might switch to one of the Safari tanks. The DRZ is more fun to ride, but it's also hopped up a tad, so it doesn't get the mileage that the KLR does.