Bangor to Monpelier

I downloaded the SPOT tracks to a Google Map so you can follow my tracks on the way home. The link is here.

Today was going to be a fun day since the ride will include the  Kancamagus Highway (112) in New Hampshire. This designated as one of the scenic highways in the US because it travels through the White Mountain National Forest, which includes Mt Washington, the highest peak in the Eastern states.
Got on the road early at 9 am and arrived at Conway, the gateway to 112 by 3 ish. It was clear from the roads leading to Conway, that the White Mountain area contains a large number of roads that would provide excellent motorcycle fun. During the trip out, we followed highway 2, which skirts the northern edge of the White Mountains but there are numerous roads that traverse the park in several places.

Kancamagus Info

112 is very similar to the Blue Ridge Skyway with twisty,hilly sections and lush mountain forest - following creek bed sections. I was following a pair of Harley riders when suddenly they made a right turn onto a paved road. They were locals so I though, Hmmm, wonder where they are going. That was a good choice. Turns out the road, which is barely marked on maps, Bear Notch Road (closed in winter), is a well paved road that snakes through a pass and connects to hwy 302 in a town called Bartlett. WOW. I turned around and on the way back, got behind a slow moving vehicle so when the first dirt road came along, turned on to it. These roads were marked on the GPS as unpaved and created a network of side roads through the mountain forest. Another great discovery that put the GS through it's paces. The uphills were steep enough with switchbacks, that any loss of momentum would create a difficult situation trying to restart the bike on such a steep section. The near bald Pirelli Scorpions managed to keep sufficient traction on the steeper sections that in the end, it was nothing. Fully loaded, the suspension had no problem keeping up with the ruts and rocks. Good thing the area was so remote, cause anyone hearing me whooping it up the hills would that thought a nut case was let loose - just like Cipi hollering down the Dragon's tail. Imagine my surprise, when hitting the peak of a steep section, bumping into a Honda Odessey slowly inching down the road. I stopped to ask the driver if he was lost, and no, he planned to take this road - does it get any worst than this?. After advising him that he was on the easy section and about to hit the steep stuff, his jaw dropped and I left him to decide whether to proceed or back up - a tough decision. The road signs do say that the roads are usable by vehicles and motorcycles. They should have been more clear to specify all wheel drive. I would take an all wheel drive jeep or subaru on that road, but not a family van.

Got back to the main highway for a spectacular drive to Lincoln, which marks the end of the 26 mile section. The remaining section of 112 had some good altitude and several interesting side roads (116), but it was getting late and I did want to get to Lake Placid if possible. Made it to Montpelier by 6 and used the dinner break to plan next steps. Cell coverage returned and Julie SMS's me that her mom was in the Hospital with breathing problems. So by the time I got all that straightened out (after several days, Doctors decided that change her heart medication), I decided to stay in Montpelier. Lake Placid was 3+ hours away, and I wasn't keen to drive the mountain roads at dusk, when the deer come out.

Conclusion: This section of New Hampshire and Vermont are spectacularly beautiful. The entire region deserves more time to explore and enjoy - certainly with the riding buddies for a 3-4 day weekend, or with Julie. Perhaps trailer the bike to a resort and then explore a bit each day.

Shuttle day to Bangor

The radar shows a solid wall of rain at in the US east coast moving towards the Maritimes. I will get wet today.

Today is shuttle day. I am driving from Windsor to Bangor Maine. First step is getting to Truro. There are 3 major route possibilities from Windsor, with the recommended, least time route taking you back to Sackville via 101, and then up to Truro via 102. ?? Why??, when Highway 236 or 14 cut right across the diagonal. Once you get on the roads, it's clear - both highways curve like a drunken sailor ALL THE WAY. Not good when you want to get there fast, but great fun when you are taking the bike. Either of these roads are on the must run recommendations when in Nova Scotia.

236 also takes you past the Shubenacadie River, which offers surfing via the tidal bore. The river places a venturi effect on the massive Bay of Fundy tide and creates waves for surfing or kayak surfing.

From Truro, the ride was just plain highway cruising all the way to Bangor. The winds were not as bad Truro to Moncton but the road was getting boring the third time around. I had a little fun diverting down 111 from Sussex, to the sea road and then to St John. That is some wilderness with few houses along the stretch. There is hilly terrain and winding roads, which makes this a must ride as well. I found a covered bridge on one of the side roads that made the diversion worth while. This blog will be updated with photos and GPS locations when I get a chance. I forgot about the time difference so it was really late by the time I got to Bangor. Long day but pleased with the distance covered.

Blomidon Provincial Park

River side to Windsor
Started the morning early - sky was sunny and clear - a good sign. Pack the bike and … can't find the GPS. Unpack everything, unload each bike, retrace my steps from yesterday (I had sat outside by the BBQ reading) - nothing. One last check of the room before going to the desk and asking if anyone turning a GPS (desperation move), lift the tank bag, and there it was. When I got off the bike, I attached the GPS to the tank bag handle so I wouldn't forget it during sign in. Whew, I had visions of navigating with just the maps, which really don't have a lot of detailed information.

Quickly returned to Lunenberg to see how it looks in clear weather. The bay is very scenic and the town is painted in vibrant colours that really must be seen in full sunlight. Then, it back to Halifax along the coastal route. The ride is a lot of fun because traffic is minimal. On stop on the way is the Bayswater site of the SwissAir flight 111 memorial and interment site. Yesterday, I had stopped in at the Peggy's Cove site. Both of these communities played an important role in the recovery of the aircraft and it's passengers and crew. As an aircraft nut, I remember reading about the recovery and the event has stuck in my mind.
Originally, I had planned to ride back to Peggy's Cove as well, but the traffic was way too heavy. It was close to 11am and coffee was on my mind, so I drove down Peggy's cove road a few kilometres to the White Sails bakery. Their coffee gives Starbucks a run for the money and fresh baked goods are excellent. Highly recommended for anyone travelling in the area. I also took a photo of the lagoon against a sunny sky, as compared to the storm wall that was there yesterday. On the way back to the main road, there was another Cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) cloud building in the distance. The system seems to be following a constant line. This early in the day - that cloud was going to be a probem.

Off to Dartmouth to buy chain lube from the Honda dealer that I spotted the prior day and then to Andrea's for a quick visit. We had lunch - and guess what, the storm that I and seen earlier dropped rain on us as well. We chatted and caught up on "stuff" and then Andrea took me for a quick tour of Halifax. She also frequents the White Sails bakery - small world. Andrea recommended a few side trips to Wolfville and Blomidon provincial park. This is the Bay of Fundy area with some of the highest tides in the world. Just outside of Halifax, another monster cloud was building over the same spot. It looked like my more northerly route would miss it, but what is it about that spot? It must be a big storm because an aircraft was steering around it.

Wolfville is home to Acadia University. They have a quaint campus in but with school out, not a lot of activity in town. On the way to the park, I experience my first evidence of how big the tide really is, with several boats sitting in the mud beside a pier.  The provincial park is famous for it's red cliffs and large tidal beach so I had to walk out to the edge. The pictures say it all. Quite a walk in my Klim pants and motorcycle boots. The cliffs are the end of a long chain of a mountain (hill actually) that runs along this entire coast. I found a dirt road, called mountain road, that went to the top of the ridge to a road that goes to the end of land here. Followed that to the "Spit". There, the tide depth is even more evident (see the pictures). The tide was rolling in and you could actually see it building a bit of a front as the water rolled in shore. There were some people exploring out by water's edge, so I hope they realized tide was coming in. It can be really fast and if you are on a high spot, you can get surrounded quickly. There are warnings everywhere there is beach access.
By now it was 7pm, and I was hoping to get to Truro for the night. Started back and stopped at a great over look of the valley (see pic). By the time I got back to Wolfville, it was clear that I was not going to easily make Truro since the GPS route wanted me to go back to Halifax. Julie confirmed that there were hotels available but it was a 2 hour journey at least. I was getting tired - started the day at 5am, and pulled over in Windsor, just before cutting off at 104, which bypasses Halifax, and low and behold, there is a Super 8 in Windsor. Done for the day. Plus, they have laundry facilities so my clothing is ready for the last run to TO.

Dartmouth to Yarmouth (not)

Got up at 5 am to update the blog and then thought a nap before the trip would provide a bit of a recharge. Woke up at 9:40, so it's clear, this day wasn't going to be as productive as others. First stop: Peggy's Cove - 'cause you've got to see that when in the Maritimes. Passed a guy and his girl on a KLR while negotiating the streets to find Prospect road. He drove up to me at a red light further down the road and asked where I was going. When I told him, he said "follow me, I'm going there as well". So now we have a group ride with a local. He pulls over at a variety store on Prospect road, so I follow. He introduces himself as Trevor, (I forget the ladies' name) and advises me that he is getting something to eat, so I wait, and wait … and it's getting hot in the Klim suit. I'm thinking of bolting when he finally emerges and announces that the line up in there was longer that expected. We get back on the road and I can't help but notice how scenic this area is; exposed rock, with green shrubbery, moss, blocks of stone balanced precariously, like modern sculpture in random areas. It truly lives up to it's reputation as a place of nature beauty.

Peggy's cove is BUSY. The village is quaint with no modern buildings other than a visitor centre that blends nicely into the area. Met several bikers there. One couple, the wife was pregnant and due within a week - she was hoping that the ride would induce labour. Another group of riders was suggesting great rides and commented that yesterday's highway 387, also known as the road to no where, was a government boondoggle to support a paper mill that was never built.

As I entered Peggy's cove, i noticed clouds building over the other shore - right where I was heading. The pregnant couple sitting on the rock were watching lightning bolts from the cloud. The next stage of the ride was going to be wet. I started looking for places to stop and eat during the storm and started getting desperate as the black wall approached, and then, around the corner was the bakery in Seabright. The rain started just after I ordered the hot sub, and since there were only two tables in the bakery, I had the Klim plus OR hat, so I ate outside. First the rain was light, and the light show interesting with loud boomers. Then it got heavy. By the time I went back into the bakery for a date square dessert, my suit was dripping. Met a couple (retired dad and daughter) who were riding a 400cc enduro with no rain gear, since they were travelling in a motor home.

The rain cleared, so I hit the road again. These roads are amazing with great scenery and few passing zones because the road curves so much. There are a lot of bikes on the road in spite of the wet. The cars are a pain though because they drive so slow. At 3pm I was a long way from yarmouth, so I hit the main highway - 255km to Yarmouth. I figure on hour on the highway would allow me to get back on the fine riding coastal road. Within a short time, the dark cloud wall from a massive new storm is in front of me again. The wall of rain clearly visible over the sea. Decision made to divert to Lunenberg where the sky looks less intense. I get there and while sight seeing, it starts to rain. Then to top it off, chunks of hail - the storm did look intense. I got the small stuff. Apparently, some areas had significant hail damage. While talking to Julie, we get a few bit lightning hits and immediate loud thunder booms - one of them clears the street of the few remaining sight seers, who are taking shelter under awnings.

Now it's getting close to 5 - there is no way I'm going to make it to Yarmouth tonight and there is no place to stay between here and there - this is a rural area. There are only quaint inns in Lunenberg - and expensive, so I ask Julie to find me a place. She books a room at Comfort inn in Bridge water 16km away (thanks Julie). On the drive there, I notice that the road is littered with leaf clusters and branches. Further down the road is an entire tree freshly downed - and there are more of these cells on the road to Yarmouth, so yes, that's it for today (and this stage of the trip)

I had planned to ride the entire coast the next day and find my way back to Dartmouth to visit Andrea. They I would head home. There isn't enough time to do that so tomorrow, I'm heading back to Dartmouth and then starting the trip home. Andy is having a birthday party for Karlee and I want to be there.

I'm a bit disappointed over the prospect of missing the best roads in this part of the maritimes, but hey, need to leave something for the next ride. Plus, my back tire is getting really low on tread, and I have Mount Washington and Lake Placid to look forward to.

PEI to Dartmouth

One can't visit the Maritimes and miss the shores of Nova Scotia, so now it's off to Dartmouth to see that part of the world. There was no traffic over the bridge - which is much better than what will likely occur on Monday, when everyone starts leaving the island. You pay the toll on the way out - like Hotel California.

The route followed the coastal highway from Tidnish on Hwy366, to Pugwash on Hwy 6. Drove by the Tim Horton camps for Kids at Tatamagouche, NS - great location by the sea. Had lunch at Pictou where many of the restaurants were closed for Canada Day. Had a smoked meat sandwich while watching the canada day activities on the wharf. Across the bay, was the Northern Pulp mill, belching white smoke across the sound as the cold air from the sea cause the smelly exhaust to drop to water level and swirl with the waves. The restaurant proprietor stated "good thing the wind is not from the south - that smoke would clear out my patio". Now that's a healthy neighbour - but the mill brings jobs to an area that doesn't have a lot of alternatives.
I jumped on 104 to 347, which was the target road. This is a very winding road that leads to the highway 7 coastal road. 347 is remote - there are few homes along the entire route and it provides the quantity of twisties desired by motorcyclists. As a matter of fact, there were more bikes than cars on this road.  The scenery changes dramatically in this part of the Maritimes. It feels like Muskoka with hilly sections and lots of pine forests. With the temperature getting over 30C, the smell of pine in the air was refreshing. As Highway 7 moved closer to the coast, air temperature started to drop, which was a relief in my Klim hot box suite. Just before the coast, Sherbrooke was celebrating Canada day with a parade. I seem to have arrived just as the parade was done, but was the centre of attention from a lot of people, still in their chairs lining the streets - You're not from here, are you? Still, it's wonderful to see entire towns celebrating the day.

Celebrating - again, I wanted to get off the road before inebriated celebrators started driving home, so the run along #7 was done at high speed. Saw a sign that advised me that Dartmouth was still 200km away - that's a problem on a bike that gets approximately 280km to a tank, and my last fill was 120km away. Due to sparse population, there were not very many (none) gas stations so far on the road. The first few that I passed in the smaller towns were closed for the holiday, or sunday, or both. Started to ease off the throttle and drive in 6th as much as possible to conserve fuel. I had visions of camping on the side of the road, or in the parking lot of a gas station when Sheet Harbour came to the rescue. They had 2 major stations that were open, so, with a full tank, I could blast all the way to Dartmouth. This road is very fun to drive and is a must ride for any biker visiting the maritimes. Since the coast is rocky, there are lots of hills as well. The sea scape looks like muskoka with pine covered islands so the ride was very scenic. After so many days on the bike, the concentration is starting to tire me (guess I'm getting old). The throttle wrist is also getting sore, so I was happy to roll into Dartmouth, explore a bit and find a room. There are too many sketchy looking guys in this area so I arrange to park the bike right in front of the lobby. Tomorrow, off to Peggys Cove and the coastal road south of Halifax.

575 km today. Bike has 13,008 km. The impact of choosing the twisty roads is that the standard distance from Charlottetown to Dartmouth is 320 km.

PEI east side

Today was the day to explore the east side of the island. First I met with Andrea at a local conservation area that is popular with dog walkers. She and Chris were taking their 3 dog entourage to romp in the fields of a 60 acre park. It was great to meet Chris and to catch up with Andrea. Chris kindly recommended several locations that are popular with the locals, so I set out to the Dunes, right beside the Brackley provincial park, accessible by dirt road (with free access). It's clear that beach is one of the words that must be used to define PEI. This is one spot of many that has beautiful sand and almost no one there. One item of note is the purple bottomed jelly fish are in the water and washed up on shore. Not sure if this is a permanent condition, but I wouldn't want to brush up on one while swimming. A local said that they do sting a bit but it's not that painful.

Another facilitating fact: This beach has "singing sand" Singing sand is defined as sand that emits a sound when walking on it. There is a beach on the west side that is advertised as singing sands, but I couldn't find it while driving on that part of the beach, but then hey, I experienced it first hand, un promoted, on the local beach.


Next runs were up the coastal highway. The day was very sunny - and would stay that way all day long, and starting to get hot. This is when ATGATT (All the gear, All the time) is a difficult model to follow from a heat perspective, however, this leg of the tour included many dirt roads, so the potential of picking stones out of raw skin made the decision to go full gear easy. Loved those roads.
Today, it was clear that something was different at the harbours. There were lots of people hanging around, drinking a pop or beer, music and general party mood. Also noticeable, were the piles of lobster traps. I later found out from an old timer, while having lunch at the local restaurant at Naufrage harbour, that today is the last day of the lobster season. It seems that the bounty was plentiful and the fisherman took in one of the larger catches. That's probably good for the local economy. That motivated me to go out and get my own lobster for dinner.

I visited several beaches and light houses. From a biking perspective, this felt just like riding along the shores of Lake Erie. The road winds in and about the water, close enough but only visible on occasion, fairly flat terrain and cliffs that drop down to a beach. A nice ride to do, but not a motorcycle destination. The fun comes from the dirt roads, which is great for a GS, but not a regular road bike. Summerside hosted a big Atlanticade motorcycle event that draws 10,000 bikers from all over north america from June 28 to July 2. That explains why there was no accommodation on that side of the island. Summerside is near the North Cape and ironically, while the weather was hot and sunny on the east side, big thunder clouds were visible in the north. Andrea advises me that the Mellencamp concert was delayed due to rain and lightning. My choice of sequencing the ride worked well this time.

Thinking of all those lobsters in the record catch, make me hungry for a pet lobster. Got this cutie as a take home pet, but the guy at the store gave it a hot bath and it got a sun burn. So much for the pet, yummy for the meal.

PEI is a shallow island. Most of my coastal rides in the North were near sea level. The east side has "cliffs" that rise 20 to 30 feet from the sea. These are mostly made up of the red sand that makes farming so productive on the island. Erosion must be a problem here. With all the shallow sections, I can't help but wonder about the impact of global warming and rising seas. There is no doubt in my mind that PEI will loose a lot of land to rising seas. Only time will tell.

PEI

Took the long route to Charlottetown, along the coast via Shediac and the coast road 133. The lobster and oyster business is visible everywhere - yum. Traffic was light but I suspect that the evening rush over the Confederation bridge to Charlottetown was going to be much busier due to the extensive Canada Day plans in the city. The sky was clear, sun hot - best weather of the trip.

One of my co-workers lived in the area for a while, so I explored the city and surrounding areas according to his recommendations. The city is small, but it has a heritage and a vibrant youth culture.

First stop, Brackley beach. Of course, the GPS takes me on the fasted route, which includes a jaunt along Ling Rd. one of PEI's may red dirt roads. The Beemer was happy to be in it's environment and hummed along at 80kph, wiggling a bit on the loose stuff. Brackley is a provincial park and there was a line up to get in, so I checked out the Dunes gallery and then decided to follow the coast road to Cavendish, home of Green Gables. Green Gables is a government tourist shrine - OK I guess, but not for me. Continuing and exploring the coast road was a ton of fun with twists and curves all the way. The wind picked up a lot and pushed the bike around a bit, but the lower speeds kept it safe. The roads kept coming and eventually it became clear that the north cape was within striking distance. The road from Alberton and Tighish Harbour to the north cape were particularly fun, with a few dirt road side trips thrown in.

The North Cape has a wind farm that generates 10 megawatts of power. The light house is still there and a restaurant serves government cafeteria food using expensive ingredients like lobster. Didn't have time to eat since the sun was setting and I had a two and a half hour ride back to Charlottetown. That was planned down Highway 2, which runs right up the middle of the island. Had numerous opportunities to run the LED driving lights during complete darkness on the unlit highway - works as expected. Lights up the road ahead, plus to the sides so you can safely operate at 100kph. Not sure what it looks like for on coming traffic, but I never got the angry flashes from opposite traffic (the lights were turned off before the other drivers could be blinded). Got back by 10:30, 558 km day, 12,091km on the bike.

My cousin's daughter is visiting a friend's parents in Charlottetown, so we will spend some time tomorrow.

Transition Day

We finished the Cape rides today, which also marks the point in time where Jonathan has accomplished his objectives for the trip. His hand has developed numbness so he has decided to return to Kingston. By the time he returns, he will have travelled 3,500 km - not bad for seventh time septuagenerian.

The ride completed the Cabot trail and we took the ferry back to hwy 105. The weather was sunny and warming for most of the ride to Canso canal (that is where the cape joins the mainland). We hit a bit of fog on the last mountain serpentine road, and had a double bummer because we followed a transport truck down the hill. So, it was slow/brakes on all the way. Actually, there was a learning experience - the truck took up both lanes in each turn, similar to what you can see on some of the tail of the dragon videos. An aggressive motor cyclist or cager would be in for a big surprise if they met up with that going up or down the hill.

We decided to make a dash for Moncton. For Mike, it was a chance to see if he could convince the BMW dealer to find a slot over the next few days to perform the 10K service and install a new rear tire, and for Jonathan, it was the jumping point back to Kingston.

The weather traded wind for rain. When we crossed water, whitecaps told us the winds were at least force 6. Jonathan estimates that crossing the flats, winds were gusting to force 7 - 30 knots (31 to 38 mph). The bikes looked funny leaning heavily to counteract the wind and every time a truck passed us, we would wobble to counteract the change in wind plus the dirty air coming off the trucks. At times like these, it would be nice to trade the light weight touring bikes for a big fat Harley or a fully faired full touring bike. We survived with a bit of stress.

The Atlantic BMW dealer is a BIG disappointment. BMW really emphasizes that the GS bikes are THE Adventure bike, but apparently, when you are actively adventuring, you need to make service appointments 2 weeks in advance. Interesting challenge since one can't predict where one will be based on weather, road condition etc. Adventuring is unpredictable. Julie tried to make an appointment earlier in the week but couldn't give then a day, so they did nothing. When I arrived, long story short, one week from now was the best they could do.

In their defence, BMW only lets certified technicians work on the machines, and those are rare. There is even a shortage in Toronto, and my dealer is booking regular service into third week July, but, for certain conditions i.e. my bike, he will find an opening. Atlantic BMW could have found that opening if they tried.

I called my dealer and Cray (the Motorrad guy) advised me to ride it, be safe and have fun. No worries if I bring it back with 15K km. The tire is still a few mm above the wear bar, so I'll ride carefully and it will be bald when I return.

Jonathan was tired so we took a room in the same Comfort Inn from day 2, had a home cooked meal at Jean's (again), short walk and called it a day. Drove 529 km.

Tomorrow, Jonathan starts his return to Kingston an I'm off to Charlottetown to travel PEI. My cousin's daughter lives in Dartmouth but is spending the week end in PEI so I may try to catch up with her.

A foggy day made good

The day started out cloaked in fog, thick enough, that riding would not be fun, and that you would get soaked from the micro moisture droplets that make up the cloud. And it was cold. We packed the bikes and while standing and surveying the scene, Jonathan announced that we're staying one more day because he would rather watch the football game and read his book, than travel half blind, cold and wet. I don't blame him, we covered a lot of hard driven km, and I was a bit tired as well.

I took the advantage to explore. There was a "road" that I saw on the 3D map at the park entrance (the norther tip of the Cape is a provincial park), so I headed back to the tip of the cape. Used the opportunity to explore all the coves that we blew by yesterday. I also took some of the back roads, off the main highway trail that big the cliffs and lead to what I can on only assume are cottages, cause they can't be regular homes or else their inhabitants would be cut off during winter storms. Also, I would never want to drive one of those roads without chains and an all wheel drive. It doesn't make sense - way to much effort to live in a remote location.

Near the end of one of those roads, I found a  30 foot tall Buddhist shrine dedicated to an individual (didn't write down his name). The things you see while travelling.

On the top of the cape, after hiking the boardwalk that surrounds a bog, I had just got the bike to speed, and was doing my customary scan for moose and bear (we were warned at the gate that moose and bear were active on the highway - the rules are stop for Moose, I don't know if I would stop for a bear), and I noticed that there was a boulder awfully close to the highway, on the shoulder. As the bike came closer, the boulder moved and turned into a large wolfe. This guy was the size of a large German Sheppard with a grey/light brown coat. He was staring at me as I approached and then just before I passed him, he burst into a full run … to chase me! Is that what all wild dogs are conditioned to do? Do I look like food? Perhaps he was defending himself? Either way, at 90kph, he had no chance of catching me and I caught him in my rear view mirror heading back to his spot. He hadn't travelled more than 10 feet. I remember thinking that if that wolf is going to sit there and chase vehicles, there would be a reddened pile of fur at the side of the road on my return trip. Fortunately, that was not the case.

Interestingly, it was warmer and sunnier on this side of the coast. Even the mountain top was warmer than Ingonish.

I got to blast up the steep survey roads that transitioned from the coast to the plateau. Second time around allows a little more speed as one corrects for errors made the prior day.

In another stop along the way, there was a pebble road that lead to the rouge settlement that was established by these red cliffs. A Portuguese community settled here because the fish stock were massive. They set up a fish canning operation and a ward, but abandoned it after 50 years. On the way back to the highway, check both ways for traffic, and accelerate on to the highway. My visor was still up and as I was reaching to lower it, a farking MOOSE bolts across the highway, right in front of my, and bolts through the thick bush on the other side. I know that the BMW makes a loud barking, snarky sound, as the parallel twin winds through the power band, and that probably startled the moose. Not sure who was more scared, him or me. What a trip - at least I didn't hit him. He would have had my antlers (pick you trophy parts) on his wall.

Got the the visitor centre and, to my disappointment, the road, which cut right across the point and finished from the park gate, to a location near the Keltic lodge, was not a road, but the park boundary. LOL, that means I am going all the way back around. This time, with no stops, I made it in 35 minutes - made so much good time, that it was spent exploring more.

A satisfying day. Had dinner with Jonathan in the restaurant in town (great seafood) and then returned to the Lodge to watch the sun go down (the clouds need to clear for that - good news). Got some interesting shots of the sun set and moon).

Tomorrow, back to Moncton to see about a new tire for the bike and the 10K service which is now overdue.

The Cape ride

Today we spent all day on the Cabot trail. We started by heading up Highway 105 to the east side. The change in scenery is very noticeable once you start on the Cabot trail, turning north off 105. The trail starts winding, following the terrain, which is characterized by step mountain sides and distinct cut valleys that follow the rivers that create the valleys themselves. Just as a river meanders, so do the valleys. The terrain is uniquely Cape Breton, so I can't compare it to anywhere else. Steep mountains, carpeted by lush pine and deciduous trees creates an exquisite nature themed perfume along the ride. It's like the mountains in Pennsylvania, only the mountains are way steeper. To the guys from the Dragon trip, you would love this as well. Not as many curves and up and downs but when it's good, the quality is very high. The roads are mostly in good condition with some swampy sections that where the road a bit rough. Visually, you feel like you're in some distance country, with colourful villages and fishing wharfs along craggy cliff shoreline. Where creeks/rivers cut their way down the mountains, the shoreline widens to create a beach and hairpin roads are needed to wind down to the river bed, and then up to the plateau. Many of the roads are steeper than anything from the Dragon trip. The shore road is inhabited, so unbridled rip snorting high speed runs would not be tolerated. Slow down, enjoy the ride and soak up the scenery.

Winding roads through the mountain passes

The North shore drops were particularly steep. I wanted to get to Meat Cove, the most northerly point that one can drive to, but Jonathan knew the last section was on dirt road, so he spent the afternoon at a family restaurant. I knew this was going to be interesting when 5 minutes into the ride, the temperature started dropping from 25C to 12C. The temp drop was accompanied by a fast moving fog that flowed up the mountain creating white fingers on the outside edge, that found their way through gaps in the peaks. Climbing up the road, half blind from the cloud, I had to dodge locals who took up the whole road because sections were in such poor condition, they would zip to the other side of the road, rather than risk the dips in the road. The fog create a layer that obscured half the village of St Margaret Village yet it was funny to see cars with vinyl dinghies and bike racks drive into to town, looking for a place to beach. It was way too cold for those activities. One van had two girls in bikinis, rocking to the music, windows closed, (obviously) heater full blast. I guess you need to make summer when nature doesn't comply. The road to Meat Cove beckoned from the cliffs opposite St Margaret. This road followed precipitously along the edge of the cliffs and can be seen in my photos.

St Margaret harbour. Notice the road to Meat cove

The cape road was just as steep as the major Cabot trail sections, without the fame and quality of pavement. Eventually, the asphalt turned into a dirt road but didn't loose the steepness. I restarted the bike with ABS off, so that it could actually stop on the steep downhill dirt sections. The views were spectacular all the way to the campground at Cape Mud. I took the road to the start of a trail head that lead Low Lands Cove - but that ended up being a hiking trail.

Meat Cove had two brand new bridges, so obviously, it means a lot to the provincial government. There is a resort, camp ground and family restaurant at in this remote location, in addition to several residences. I don't know what they do in Winter since there is no hope in hell that a wheeled vehicle could make to those location with snow on the ground.

The beach was spectacular with cliffs that show just how severe the vertical tilting forces shaped this area.

On the way back, it started to rain, so the road became a bit slicker. I became more comfortable with the bike on dirt roads, and was able to speed up to third gear, while the bike made it's own tracks through the gravel and dirt. Once you get used to the floaty, squirmy feeling, the bike demonstrates just how much it likes these conditions. I ended up following a couple in a fancy car, who would not let me pass. Later, when we got onto the pavement, I had to stop and turn ABS on a gain. In spite of this, I caught up to the couple again and still, they did not let me pass, so I blew them away on the first minor straight away but had to brake hard to keep from flying off the cliff at the next curve. From then on, it was full blast back to the restaurant, where the patron and proprietor was surely getting to know the good Dr. J since I was away for at east 90 plus minutes. I got enough twists that ride to last for a long time.

Caught up to the doctor who was ready to go. He had done his research and announced that the Keltic Lodge at the end of the park in Ingonish is where we would stay. By that time, I was tired and the rain was starting to settle so we made a mad dash for the final section of the Cabot trail to the resort. That part of the trail is boring (compared to the north shore) - kind of like highway 60 in algonquin.

For those who are "just touring", Cape Breton is a must ride/must see trip. It truly is a different experience on a bike, plus getting there involves an opportunity to drive through the mountains in New York, Vermont and Maine. They you need to follow sea side roads that follow the cliffs - that's a rough thing to do.

The Keltic Inn is government owned and sits on a long spit that reaches out into the ocean. All sides are pounded by wind and waves to create a spectacular setting for a golf course and resort. We got a room (2 cots in the laundry room - just kidding) and settled in. I jumped on the bike to get cigs, pepsi and Gibsons' finest to replenish supplies. Jonathan was tired from the curves so he took a nap, admitting (with a grin from ear to ear) that curvy roads are a lot of fun.  the  A local musician, who grew up with a musical family, the youngest of 7 kids, played guitar and sang while we ate. Jonathan was familiar with many of the songs and sang along. Great way to cap the day

I started to rain and has continued to now (i'm hitting the sack) Tomorrow promises rain so we might do zodiac adventures, and explore the area which is supposed to be a blast. Although, with the cold weather, they might not go out since Jonathan and I may be their only customer.

Made it to the cape (breton)

Feels like there is not a lot to record for today.

Made a dash for the cape, drove 512km and got a booking for a room by afternoon. Unloaded a bunch of gear in Port Hawksbury, had lunch and then did a mini tour up the coast. Great twisty roads that had Jonathan grinning (Mike as well) and spectacular views of the ocean and Cape Breton cliffs.

The beemer needed a chain adjustment and cleaning which rewarded me with a service now indicator (just a coincidence with total accumulated km). We met a couple that was also planning to ride the cape ... with their young daughter riding pillion. They had just finished a tour of Mexico on their KLR's and were doing a family road bike tour.

I had a chance to spend some miles on gravel roads with the bike and it behaved magnificently. Kept it below 80kph, and it wiggled a bit but generally it behaved. I was able to apply throttle and push out the back end - it behaves very predictably. On panic stops (just testing) it squirmed a bit but ABS works well. Full throttle, swings out the arse end but it behaves predictably. I do like the bike.

Tomorrow, we make a dash for the cape. Forecast is not good, but we'll grin and bear it. Today was sunny all day, as the low tracked down from Quebec to Maine. Bangor had a lot of rain. 

Rain ... lots of it

Today was dominated by ... the wet stuff. There was a huge Low pressure zone centred right over Portland Maine that was moving north ever so slowly. This brought lots of rain right into our path from Wilkin Maine, along highway 2 to Bangor and Highway 9 eventually to Calais Maine, where we crossed at St Stephens. The roads were all scenic 2 lane highways that meandered through classic north east towns and villages situated on a river by some falls to support the earliest industries. Some of the towns have found news ways to survive while others are barely hanging in there. You can tell by the quality of the streets and condition of stores on main street.

Once in Canada, we threw on some extra layers because the temp dropped to 15C and continued to trudge through the rain. Highway 1 to St John, through Sussex, to hwy 2 to Moncton. We are drying out at the Comfort Inn just outside Moncton.

Had lunch - clams at a home cooked restaurant just out side St Stephen, overlooking the sea. Jonathan reminisced that he sailed 20 miles past this point on a sailboat voyage back to Europe many years ago. An old timer wandered over to our table to announce that he remembers touring when he had his BSA. Wished I never sold it, but my wife reminded me I was getting old. We shared a few laughs and he went on his way.

 With the cold, we had to stop in several locations for coffee or soup to warm up. Everywhere people were observing that "isn't it a bit wet to be out on a motorcycle???" Yes, but we are having fun  ... sort of. It truly is a ton of fun touring on a bike. The rain and cold make the trip more challenging but frequent stops help fight hypothermia. The real bitch is fogging visors and rain drops that stick to the visor, reducing visibility to dangerously low levels. Combine that with transport trucks going way too fast, and crazy motorists who pass you at 60+ kph above the speed limit ... in the rain, and it gets really interesting. I had two events where the front tire slipped on tar road snakes, hidden under 2 inches of water that covered the truck ruts on worn sections of the highway. That brings you to attention quickly.

While we entered the maritimes, someone changed the clocks on us. Good thing we went to dinner early. Only did 563 km due to reduced speed on the wet roads. Tomorrow, we are off to the start of the Cabot trail. 

Rainy start to day 2

The weather radar doesn't look too great this morning, but what the heck, that's what adventure touring is all about. Perhaps today won't be such a long day if we end up soaked and cold. This system is centred just north of Bangor and everything is rotating around it.

Fun ... Wow.

Full Day 1, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine

We started out early 5:30 and were on the bikes by 6:30. First dawn had a red sky - and you know what that means, Sailors be warned. The sun was shining through a rain storm just as the day started. It seems that there were steams of cold air pushing rain in narrow bands. Turns out those bands would case us all day. It was strange driving through near 30C temps and then within minutes, pushing through 18C cold blasts. Lots of high level moisture and anvil clouds.

Having said that, we missed most of the rain although it was persistently in the distance, with sounds of thunder, lightning in the distance (while we were in the sun), dark clouds and rain slick roads in varying  states of drying.

We crossed New York state into Vermont via lake Champlain and worked our way down on 89 to make time, and then Highway 2 east for a scenic trip with stops in Mont Pellier, capital of Vermont, Mexico Maine and ending up in Wilkin Maine. Rain caught up to us in the last part of the trip, entering Mexico and then all the way to Wilkin.

Vermont roads are spectacular, similar to Pennsylvania, only the hills are much higher. It does seem though that the towns are not maintaining the parts of the roads that belong to them, so the federal sections are in great shape but municipal sections are literally falling apart. Did more gravel than Jonathan cares to do on his Suzuki Bergman. The 800GS of course just ate the gravel sections right up. We made a wrong turn at one time and while Jonathan turned his Suzi around to get back on track, the Beemer just went over the curb, through a field and back onto the road.

Dinner was order in - Italian, that was one of the best Alfredo/Cabonarra every (really). Ordered a few beers to the room since it was too rainy to make it to the beer store. In bed by 10, no doubt, an early start. Looks like we will be at the Atlantic tomorrow.

Total km= 713

Adventure away

Escaped from TO much later than expected due to a meeting that went long. Will have some work to follow up on the trip. Traffic on the 401 was murder so I took 407 to 7 just past Oshawa. By the time I hit the 401, it was 7:30 but traffic clears up after the cottagers turned off at hwy 35. Made it to the marina by 9:50 because traffic allowed a 120kph pace. The good Dr had a Rogan Gosh waiting, a cold beer and a quick change of plan and off to bed. We get up at the crack of dawn and hit the road early. We'll bypass Montreal and head through NY state and Vermont to Nova Scotia. Next update, tomorrow.

2012 Salty Dog tour

Today is the start of the 2012 Salty Dog Tour of the Maritimes.

In the fall of 2011, our friend, Dr Jonathan (our son is named after him) advised Julie that he was thinking of touring the Maritimes on his bike. Julie was thinking: Hey, Mike is getting a bike, wouldn't it be cool if he joined the good doctor on the trip (that cemented by plan to get the Beemer).

After work today, I will fight the weekend traffic and head up to Jonathan's house in Kingston. On saturday, we hit the road. The current plan is to either follow the north shore to Baie Comeau and take the ferry to Matane and then travel south through New Brunswick. Or, we may take the south shore ... that's the nature of this trip. We are heading in a general direction to the Maritimes and whim will direct us each day. We have from June 23 to July 8 to decide our path with the only definitive being a slow ride along the entire Cabot trail.

On thursday, Jonathan asked if I have a tent, just in case we don't make it to a hotel - plus that makes it a real adventure. Did I tell you that Jonathan is a certified adventurer? He has sailed single handed from England to North America several times including a date with a hurricane while sailing in the 27 foot "Mary Poppins".

I will do my best to post blogs each day, and if possible a photo or two. It will depend largely on where we have access to bandwidth.

Time to get to the office for one last day of work.

Camp Ooch to Windsor

I had to be in Windsor Friday the 15th, 10am to participate in Elizabeths MBA convocation. The options were to head back to TO, get to bed early and then travel to Windsor with a 3:30 AM start. Since my schedule called for a 7 am meeting with our CEO, I decided it was going to be a mad dash to Windsor.

Leaving camp at 3:30, we (me 'n the bike) rode 141 to Bracebridge, which was a mistake due to tourist traffic, then we hit Highway 11 for the big roads all the way to our destination. Got my afternoon lull (falling asleep - it can happen on a bike as well) by Barrie, close to 5pm. Stopped at MEC to buy socks and other stuff for the Maritimes trip, and bumped into a friend of a guy I worked with 35 years ago - small world, but he is a BMW owner and I wasted too much time on bike talk. Back on the road by 6 and got caught in the Toronto rush hour at 400 to 401. Took the 400 extension to Jane and tried to get back on at Weston. Summer construction and rush hour made that a 45 minute detour. There as no break to be had. By the time I got back on the 401, rush hour had eased so it was only crazy busy (not stop and go) to Woodstock, where I had to stop for gas. Can't believe that the first gas station only had regular, and no premium.  Put in 5 bucks to get me to the next station. It was starting to turn to dusk but my energy levels and concentration were still good. Had a quick subway, called Julie to find she was just past London, so they weren't too far ahead. It was also getting cooler so I put on a long sleeve shirt and shut down all the ventilation on my badlands suite.

Drove and drove and drove in the dark, with very heavy truck traffic - those guys are either steady just below the speed limit or crazy. Fedex, some of your drivers are a$$holes. Had to pull over just past Chatham cause the brain was starting to get dull. Do some stretches, drink water and wake up. Didn't want to hit the RedBull 'cause I needed to sleep for the 7am conference call.

Managed to test the new 3,000 lumen driving lights, that I bought to increase visibility. Standard BMW driving lights low beam is safe for 60 kph and high beam is good for 100kph. The LED lamps give an extra few hundred feed of illumination and provide visibility to the side of the road, but they blind on coming traffic, so I needed to use them carefully. When they are on, my bike is no longer invisible.

Made it to Windsor at midnight. Starting to get very tired, but also happy that I survived an 820km day. That is a personal record - wonder how long it will last.

Monster Weekend of riding:

Thursday June 14, 2012.

The Ride started on Thursday at 5 AM to prepare for the trip to Camp Ooch. Took the back roads starting with highway 27 to Barrie, and then old Barrie Road to Orillia. The ride was slightly cool, 11°C, but not a lot of traffic and a nice sunny morning. From Orillia, the goals was to take some back roads to see a bit of Northern Ontario. It turns out that the GPS took me into the middle of nowhere.

Lesson # 1: A GPS is just a navigation aid. Don't use it in place of a map.

The GPS simply does not give a proper sense of where you are in relation to the rest of the map. As you zoom out, the GPS looses details.

It runs out that I haven't figured out how to use the GPS using a route downloaded from Base camp, the Garmin mapping program. It seems when you get off the route, the GPS tries to establish a new route, and that will take you on a brain dead path. Garmin routing uses math, not understanding of your ride requirements.

It turns out that I ended up on the road that I was looking for: Sparrow road. This takes you across the Trent canal by Sparrow lake and then winds through the Ontario interior to highway 69.  I should have stopped for photos because the scenery is spectacular. The road, which is narrow and winding, passes through true precambrian wilderness and few people ride the road so it's isolated. One problem - the road has sand on the pavement in many places, making for a hairy ride on the bike if you push it into corners. This is likely winter sand that hasn't washed off yet, or it's an attempt to prevent bikes from using the road at speed, in which case - it works.

Because the GPS doesn't show your position relative to the big picture, and because the routing math does not align with the kind of trip you want to take, I was guessing which road to take. In fact, at the end, the GPS route took me in the right direction, past Bala ( was really confused why it would take me there - but that was because I didn't have a map, and the map would have explained it all) and then via Muskoka road 26, to Brackenrigg road, Windemere road and finally Deebank to 141, just south of Camp Ooch. That was some fine riding. New pavement, winding with all the scenery you expect from the Precambrian shield.

Two full bus loads of Rexall staff, volunteered to help prepare Camp Ooch for it's opening. We painted picnic tables, benches and other equipment, raked/cleaned the breach, painted the moose, back filled the outdoor stage after the electricians laid new cables to illuminate the steps. Camp Ooch is an oasis for kids with cancer. They have an incredible facility in the woods to ensure that the kids can put their cancer treatment to the side and be kids again for a week.

Camp Ooch info

Then, it was off to Windsor to celebrate Elizabeth's accomplishment and attend her MBA convocation. Leaving at 3:30PM, this was going to be a balls to the walls forced march to Windsor.

Fun Ride today.

Fun ride today. Weather did not go as planned - a lot wetter than expected. Klim Badlands suit did it's thing and kept me dry. The first set of Revit gloves got soaked through and the handlebar heater keep those useful until the last 40 minutes. Ended up at my brother's place in Caledon to warm up and change gloves and plug in the heated jacket - ahh, now there's riding luxury. Klim keeps me dry, Gerbings keeps me warm. It got cold - the freezing warning activated a few times. The helmet visor stayed fogged below 60km/h and the rain was so heavy, I couldn't track the road at times. Thermometer was indicating 3C and there was snow at the side of the road at the top of the escarpment.

Go into the Caledon dirt roads, which felt like a slick skating rink with the heavy saturation of water. The bike got real dirty, slipped around a bit on the 90/10 tires (90% paved road, 10% off road), but the spinning at least took the nibs off the tires. The bike actually feels solid as it goes sideways a bit or the front end chooses the best path through the ruts and loose stones. I'm not ready to take it sideways yet, but indicators are good (although it never went really hairy - there is a lot of momentum in that bike).

There are some beautiful roads along the escarpment and moraines. Hopefully those areas remain undeveloped.

Can't wait for the next ride - but I would like some better weather.


(sorry if this shows up twice in G+)

Impressions from the first ride.

Spent 74 km riding the bike home from the dealer to establish first impressions with the bike.
First of all, I was a bit anxious about the first part of the ride since it has been a long time since I had ridden a bike this size. I could imagine many bad things - stalling on the roadway, dropping the bike in a turn, getting distracted and running a red light, any form of crash on the ride home … Cray (the sales guy) advised me that the tires are new - they need 500km to rub off the hold compound and get full traction, plus since it was 6C, the road was cold - drive the bike like you are in the snow. Great, first ride and I should drive like it's in the snow.


Not a problem. Let the clutch out, moved to the roadway, made my right hand turn (a bit wide) and started home (whew - survived the first challenge. Cray said I wouldn't be the first if I dropped the bike leaving the parking lot). First gear is tall - that will increase the challenge during off-pavement riding. The bike actually feels smallish - not 250cc enduro small, but it's definitely not a big bike. The weight feels top heavy so it can't be thrown around like an dirt bike. That makes the steering much slower than a my prior steeds - probably not bad since a dirt bike is not designed to do 160+ km/h. It didn't take long to get into the groove with the bike which means not proficient but also not a danger to myself or others on the road.
The throttle is really sensitive. A couple of times, when adjusting the temperature on the heated grips (standard on the Beemer), the slight twitch of the wrist cased a major surge in power. Others have reprogrammed the ECU to eliminate this feature - I can see why. Driving through a curve takes concentration to ensure that the throttle does not blip - felt that happen in a minor way. A real blip would cause a low side.


I was surprisingly warm in the Klim gear - warm in fact, for the entire trip. There was a tiny air leak at the top of the collar where it meets the helmet - not a problem, just noticeable. I'll need a neck gaiter for future cold rides. The handle bar warmers worked magnificently. In fact, the high setting was too hot. My hands never got cold in the 3 season Revit gloves. That's good for all but the warmest days - then, they will likely be too hot. The Shoei Neotec helmet is very comfortable and has excellent visibility. It does fog very easily and the pin lock mounts are very noticeable during side glances for lane changes. 


Close to home, I took the bike around the neighbour hood to practice slow driving. Street speeds keep the bike in second gear LOL. I'll need many hours to get full proficiency in quick manoeuvres. This first year will focus on gaining basic bike skills on the heavier machine. The traffic calming bumps on Shaver Ave North helped demonstrate why this bike is a favourite off pavement. While the street is rated at 30k and any car taking a bump at that speed risks scraping their bumpers, the BMW didn't even notice them. I bet that standing, combined with a blip of the throttle at high revs on approach (wheelie factor), the bike could hit those bumps at 100km/h no problem. Let me get a bit more practice before testing that hypothesis.
The bike reluctantly went into the garage, hooked up the battery tender so that the alarm system does't drain the battery and Julie and I jumped into the car for a weekend with Brian and Harriet. Can't wait to get back to TO, install the basic farkles and spend monday (day off) riding all day. That will test the common complaint of the 800GS, that the saddle causes major ass pain. 

Yeah, getting the bike

Finally. Picking up the bike today.

The bike was supposed to be ready on April 14th but apparently, there was a problem with the shipment. Then, I was notified that the bike had arrived at the dealership in a container with 10 other bikes and would be ready June 25th. It turns out that wasn't good either and Cray, the sales guy advised me that it might take another week because the dealership changed ownership and somehow the bike was in the original dealers name, and the new dealer couldn't register it for licensing purposes. He was apologetic and mentioned that his hands were tied by "the back office". I had booked friday and monday as vacation days to get in lots of km in order to break in the bike and this news was disappointing to say the least.

It's easier to blow a guy off (that sounds a bit weird) over the phone, but it's harder to do that face to face, so I decided that it's time to visit the dealership and discuss the topic with the "guy in the back office". This was my first visit to Serpa BMW (nee Open Road BMW) and since I bought the bike over the phone, Cray had never met be before. I got a small chuckle when approaching him, after obviously looking at the bikes and parts on the showroom floor. He greeted me with his patented high energy greeting "you can have one in any colour that you want". When I responded with "I already have one - and it's black. Hi, my name is Mike May", his energy drained, he slouched a bit in defeat (knowing that he was about to have an uncomfortable conversation with no safe harbour to ride out the storm). We sat at his desk and he provided a more detailed version of the story that was provided on the phone, and then we got to the point - I wanted to meet the back office guy and discuss the steps needed to get the bike. Long story short - it was promised for Friday (April 27) or Monday the latest and... they delivered on the early date, which is a good way to make borscht out of beets.

The issue was caused when the dealership was sold, management tried to save as much money as possible so it delayed inventory transfer to minimize carrying costs, and reduced staff to 1 mechanic and 1 sales guy. They got caught with their pants down when the weather turned nice, and myself and probably 10 to 18 other guys were disappointed.

Next, I need to get some parts on the bike and then, depending on weather, ride it to a friend's cottage on Rosseau. Cold weather may be a problem, so let's see where that goes.

Setting up an Adventure Blog

This blog will support a web site that I am setting up to keep track of my Adventure touring initiatives. Many individuals who Adventure tour, maintain an blog and web site to chronicle their escapades (which can be interesting to follow). The web site is currently at the following link, but the url will change since I own the AdventureAmigos.com domain name. The web site is under construction and will take time to complete due to work commitments, but I hope to get a big chunk running by the time the bike is delivered mid April (which is when the dealer has promised delivery). Subscribe to the link if you want to be kept informed.