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

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by willys

Beautiful, can't wait!!!! I may even bring my trailer for that easy trail!!!!

No problem!!!

That trailer have pontoons? I'm thinking of bringing mine also. Mine floats.

[willys]

I know it's water tight from the underneath.....and it weighs not much when empty....but loaded I bet it floats like a rock!!!

I also won't be testing it out that far for sure.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by willys

I know it's water tight from the underneath.....and it weighs not much when empty....but loaded I bet it floats like a rock!!!
I also won't be testing it out that far for sure.

I went out with a little spin locally with Jackpiner57 on my KLR yesterday. I've been divided between bringing the KLR for comfort or the DRZ for trail ability. Now, Tom is a much more experienced dirt rider than I am, but his DRZ sure made the rough stuff look easier. I think that 100+ pounds less weight would make things a whole lot more pleasant. Shame they had to put Newfoundland so far away, though. Getting there on the DRZ could be an exercise in endurance.

[Canuman]

Went out with inmate Barbsironbutt on her Mighty XT225 Serow. Rode lots of gravel, had a good early dinner, and saw a moose. I'm officially in training, b'yse.

[jackpiner57]

Originally Posted by Canuman

I went out with a little spin locally with Jackpiner57 on my KLR yesterday. I've been divided between bringing the KLR for comfort or the DRZ for trail ability. Now, Tom is a much more experienced dirt rider than I am, but his DRZ sure made the rough stuff look easier. I think that 100+ pounds less weight would make things a whole lot more pleasant. Shame they had to put Newfoundland so far away, though. Getting there on the DRZ could be an exercise in endurance.

It was great to get out and ride with you Tim! Yeah the DRZ is way easier to ride in the more rugged terrain, but I'm thinking you'd be better off on the KLR because there is probably very little if anything that it wouldn't handle on this trip. Isn't it mostly gravel roads?

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by jackpiner57

It was great to get out and ride with you Tim! Yeah the DRZ is way easier to ride in the more rugged terrain, but I'm thinking you'd be better off on the KLR because there is probably very little if anything that it wouldn't handle on this trip. Isn't it mostly gravel roads?

Haven't you heard of the Newfie Flesh-Eater Route, Tom? I'm pretty sure that I could ride the KLR over most of the island. However, being on the DRZ was a heck of a lot of fun today. I do like that bike. It's not exactly a KDX, but it works pretty well, and feels light in comparison to the Kaw. I like the fact that I can ride a good ten miles per hour faster on the DRZ in the rough stuff, and in places I'd have to slow way down and pick through on the KLR, I can shoot through on the DRZ.

Besides, as Anton said, there are some very big advantages to running on the same basic bike as far as weight savings, tools and spares needed.

[8gv]

How far between gas stops on the rock eh?

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by 8gv

How far between gas stops on the rock eh?

Depends on which way we go, Rich. Probably the longest leg is about 100 miles, if you are satisfied with 87 octane. I'm sure as a pilot, you get paranoid running on reserve, as do I. A one-gallon Rotopax would be wicked handy. As with most places up north, the gas is likely to be available from about eight to five, and may need to be bought with cash. From what I've seen, fuel in Newfoundland is about on average in price with the rest of Canada. I'd expect about $1.32 a liter if things don't get crazy, although this could change.

Jackpiner57 could probably hook you up with a custom-made fuel mounting point for a very reasonable price.

That's roughly $5.25 a gallon. I'd say budgeting $25-$35 per day for gas would be sufficient. We're going up there to have a good time and take plenty of pictures, not to wind out hero miles. I'm planning on 200 miles a day, with plenty of time to talk to the locals.

[8gv]

Originally Posted by Canuman

Depends on which way we go, Rich. Probably the longest leg is about 100 miles, if you are satisfied with 87 octane. I'm sure as a pilot, you get paranoid running on reserve, as do I. A one-gallon Rotopax would be wicked handy. As with most places up north, the gas is likely to be available from about eight to five, and may need to be bought with cash. From what I've seen, fuel in Newfoundland is about on average in price with the rest of Canada. I'd expect about $1.32 a liter if things don't get crazy, although this could change.

Jackpiner57 could probably hook you up with a custom-made fuel mounting point for a very reasonable price.

That's roughly $5.25 a gallon. I'd say budgeting $25-$35 per day for gas would be sufficient. We're going up there to have a good time and take plenty of pictures, not to wind out hero miles. I'm planning on 200 miles a day, with plenty of time to talk to the locals.

Ok, so my bike gets about 130, miles, not those km things, to reserve and then 25 more. I think a Rotopax might be overkill since I've been using one of my camelbaks to carry extra fuel. Now which hose was which? I expect no trouble from 87 since I've heard that the mighty KLR250 will run on wiz if required. Price if fuel? You can't take it with you...

Maybe I can join up for the meat of the ride on the rock, skipping any prior foreplay elsewhere. When you have some dates let me know so I can start planning compensatory activities with SWMBO.

[C-Stain]

I may have missed it, but am too lazy to read the whole thread again. What's the proposed route again?

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by C-Stain

I may have missed it, but am too lazy to read the whole thread again. What's the proposed route again?

Go up to Port aux Basques and avoid as much pavement as possible sometime in August.

[willys]

Personally...I would go for comfort and take the gravel sections or dirt track a bit slower and enjoy the ride over having to sit on a bike without those comfort aspects for the amount of time it takes to get to the harder riding. Just my 2 and a half cents worth of .....well you know....lol.

If this is a first time ride of the harder places why not use it as a scouting trip perhaps for a trailered trip on the lighter bike at a later date? That way you can get there faster possibly and spend more time on the harder more challengind trails once there.....I know...it's not a bike adventure if you add in a trailer to carry said bikes....but.....you sometimes have to accept things you normally wouldn't to get the best out of a fun vacation.

For me it's the whole trip as I'm not into a possible bike damaging situation far far away from home.

Just saying....?

[8gv]

So I've got my winter bike prep items sitting in the garage waiting for my boat repair to be finished.

-New T63 front tire with tube
-Wolfman front fender tool bag (too much tool weight on the ass end now)
-Fork rebuild kit

Other items:
Go through every fastener on the bike to ensure tool kit is complete.
I may order some bar risers to get up and back about 1"-1.5", cable and brake hose permitting.
I need to order a spare shift lever.
I'll do the oil, filter, a/c and valve check soon.
Chain and sprockets are looking good.
Skid plate has been well tested in Maine.
Maybe I'll bring a pulley to enhance the rescue capability of my emergency rope.

The bike will be ready.

Once we have a date for ROCK therapy, I'll do my best to commit.

What doth thow sayeth, lord Canuman?

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by 8gv

So I've got my winter bike prep items sitting in the garage waiting for my boat repair to be finished.

-New T63 front tire with tube
-Wolfman front fender tool bag (too much tool weight on the ass end now)
-Fork rebuild kit

Other items:
Go through every fastener on the bike to ensure tool kit is complete.
I may order some bar risers to get up and back about 1"-1.5", cable and brake hose permitting.
I need to order a spare shift lever.
I'll do the oil, filter, a/c and valve check soon.
Chain and sprockets are looking good.
Skid plate has been well tested in Maine.
Maybe I'll bring a pulley to enhance the rescue capability of my emergency rope.

The bike will be ready.

Once we have a date for ROCK therapy, I'll do my best to commit.

What doth thow sayeth, lord Canuman?

I've been hashing this over with AtlasEXP, while he has been avoiding flooding in Brooklyn. I got to ride and chat with Jackpiner57 last weekend. It's actually tempting to slap the bikes on a trailer and get as close to Newfoundland as we can in one big push, so as to have more riding time there. The economics are pretty similar taking a van and trailer as opposed to riding individually. I'm pretty sure that I can get two weeks to do the trip, but others may not have so much time. Realistically, I think that I want to devote as much time to The Rock as possible. Even trailering, I think that will take two days to get to the embarkation point, taking the Sydney to Port Aux Basques ferry.

I think the month of August may offer the best weather. I don't have any doubts about the capabilities of this crew. If we plan well, there are opportunities to reduce weight. For example, there is no need for each person to have a huge tool kit, as long as we all plan ahead and stick together. I think two stoves would be sufficient, and we can plan a cook kit that will allow all of us to eat comfortably in good style.

We probably want to firm up plans as best we can during the winter, and then get together for a couple of rides in the spring or summer to check our outfitting. I'm planning on getting both the DRZ and KLR checked through over the winter. I am confident that I could take the KLR just about anywhere, but I also need to have the valves checked, and do general maintenance on it. The DRZ needs a better headlight and fairing, but I'm addressing that now.

The only thing that concerns me is that I haven't found much information on the availability of fried clams in Newfoundland. I am sure that they can be had, but you'll have to be the point man on that front. I can speak confidently on the topic of both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick mussels, however. If we can get some smoked salmon or smoked eel, I'll be plenty happy. I'd even settle for a delicious fresh herring dish I enjoyed up there some time ago.

[Canuman]

Does anyone have experience with this route? It goes from Cox's Cove to the Bonne Bay road. Some of the maps I have show it going through, others not.