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Newfoundland Trip rescheduled/misadventure

Started by leroys73, April 24, 2016, 12:03:12 AM

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leroys73

I have had to reschedule my Newfoundland trip too many times.  Thanks to this site I have received a lot of valuable information.

I will be on a motorcycle and plan to camp some. 

This year if no health issues come up I will make the trip.  It has been on my "list" for four years.  I have moved it all over the calendar. 

So if I wait until mid to late August to arrive on the island, is this  too late into their summer and heading into their fall/winter?  Or would mid to late July be better?  Or early August?  Or even early September?  I would sort of like to miss the busiest part of the tourist season but still have good odds of their better weather is one reason I thought of mid to late August.   

I know the weather can vary greatly.  I already have my route planned in good detail along with must see places.  And yes I will take in Prince Edward Island and a lot of Nova Scotia.

So my concern is tourist crowds and the best time to have a chance for good weather.

Thanks for you help.
'73 Vette, '72 Monte Carlo, ;11 Green with Envy Challenger R/T,Ram, RoyalStarVenture S,USA Honda VTX1300R ridden 49states &11provinces,Driven cars in50 states+DC&21countries,OverseasBrats;IronButt:MileEatersilver,SS1000Gold,SS3000,3xSS2000,18xSS1000, 3TX1000,6BB1500,NPT,LakeSuperiorCircleTour


ghYHZ

#1
Mid to late August and early September would be a great time to visit.  Days will be warm...low to mid 20s but as you get into September you may get frost at night. If you review my previous road trip posts.....you'll see the mostly warm sunny weather I encountered around Labour Day weekend in 2011 and 2014.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5280

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=13851.0

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=5284.0

Crowds during the summer? Generally not a problem. You might find the parking lot full at Signal Hill or Cape Spear.....but you should be able to fit a motorcycle in. Even Gros Morne National Park is never crowded like a US National Park.

Newfoundland could also be in the path of Atlantic hurricanes in late summer but if travelling to Newfoundland you would have seen the effects all up the east coast and if on a motorcycle.....would probably have turned back by then.

But one particular bad hurricane that had stayed mostly out to sea until it reached Newfoundland was Igor in late September 2010. It devastated the eastern end of the province. Hurricanes, having a major affect here are few and far between...but just saying it's something to keep in mind in late summer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHYXNgRhcqk

leroys73

Thank you for the input.  Your info was very helpful. 

I am pretty sure I will target August 15 to be at or near the ferry terminal.  Maybe as early as the 10th of August.  Glad to hear about the crowds. They sort of ruined my visit to Lake Louise last summer.  I enjoy nature but not many people.  :ded: 

I know to stay in Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, or the Smoky Mountains National Parks reservations are mandatory in peak season.   
'73 Vette, '72 Monte Carlo, ;11 Green with Envy Challenger R/T,Ram, RoyalStarVenture S,USA Honda VTX1300R ridden 49states &11provinces,Driven cars in50 states+DC&21countries,OverseasBrats;IronButt:MileEatersilver,SS1000Gold,SS3000,3xSS2000,18xSS1000, 3TX1000,6BB1500,NPT,LakeSuperiorCircleTour

ghYHZ

Hotels/Motels outside of the larger centres are few so best to have a reservation......but there's lots of B&Bs and camping shouldn't be a problem.

leroys73

Quote from: ghYHZ on April 24, 2016, 03:38:37 PM
Hotels/Motels outside of the larger centres are few so best to have a reservation......but there's lots of B&Bs and camping shouldn't be a problem.

Good to hear on the camping.  One reason I planned on camping some as I thought well surely I can find somewhere to put a tent even if I can't find a room.  Plus I like some camping and it save a few dollars at the same time.  I figured few places to stay outside the larger centers.  I like B&Bs.

Thanks for the info. 
'73 Vette, '72 Monte Carlo, ;11 Green with Envy Challenger R/T,Ram, RoyalStarVenture S,USA Honda VTX1300R ridden 49states &11provinces,Driven cars in50 states+DC&21countries,OverseasBrats;IronButt:MileEatersilver,SS1000Gold,SS3000,3xSS2000,18xSS1000, 3TX1000,6BB1500,NPT,LakeSuperiorCircleTour

ghYHZ

Did you make it to Newfoundland?

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Gander Newfoundland hosted a large contingent of bikers over this past weekend from the New York area who accompanied a steel beam from the World Trade Center It was being presented to Gander Airport in recognition for its efforts on 9-11 when 38 transatlantic wide-bodies were diverted there and 7,000 passengers fed and housed for several days....mealy doubling  the town's population.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gander+on+911&view=detail&mid=8695E3A19B0C09E5BF4D8695E3A19B0C09E5BF4D&FORM=VIRE

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=gander+on+911&view=detail&mid=FD3D044E401EB3701223FD3D044E401EB3701223&FORM=VIRE

leroys73

#6
Quote from: ghYHZ on September 12, 2016, 08:40:02 AM
Did you make it to Newfoundland?
:no:  Almost.  Here goes the 2016 Misadventure   

I left home on schedule August 8 @ O'dark Thirty on my heavily loaded, trusty, '07 Honda VTX 1300R motorcycle with 120,000 miles on the odometer. 

First day I made the 1200 miles in 19 hours to my reserved hotel in Lexington, VA as planned.  Second day I made my next planned stop in Scranton, PA, after visiting with an old college buddy in Frederick, MD.

Here is where I started out at least an hour behind time as I had a long repetitive visits with the toilet.   :colorful:  However, I did make it to Bangor, ME before dark and only 60 miles short of my goal.  From here my schedule was to be flexible as long as I was at the ferry terminal at 9:45 PM on August 14th.

So far it has been pretty much a grind on interstates with rain off and on each day.  :banghead:    But on this fourth day I would have pleasant weather and a pleasant ride up ME 11 to Fort Kent and the beginning of US 1, then over to Madawaska, ME (the most NE town in the US).  Then down US 1, and 1A, I crossed into Canada near Hartford, NB to ride across the World's Longest Covered Bridge with a night in Fredericton, NB. 

The next day was crappy weather and got worse with light rain to heavy rain to light to heavy rain again once I got into Nova Scotia.  I crossed over to Prince Edward Island on the 12 mile bridge.  I had planned to spend some time on the island but since I have been there before and the weather was turning worse I headed back across the bridge and headed towards Sydney, NS. 

I was planning on camping once I was in Nova Scotia.  The weather was so rough and at 67 I don't plan to set up a tent in the rain if I don't have to.  I found a very neat older motel with cabins, The Cove Motel, and with a good restaurant.  Fantastic, they had a cabin with a nice porch and view available.

Signed up for two nights with the plan for the next day to make the Cabot Trail and loop back to my cabin.  I was looking forward to the next evening sitting on the porch and drinking a few adult beverages.

I left the cabin sort of early leaving behind a lot of my luggage.  It was a beautiful day.  An excellent day to ride the Cabot Trail.  It was very enjoyable.  I ate my first lobster roll.  I even braved the horrible (for a cruiser style motorcycle) mostly rough dirt road to Meat Cove, the northern most point in Nova Scotia.  It was a nice view after I arrived there.

Then I fought with the road, and won, returning to the paved part of the Cabot Trail.  All was going very well when I decided to stop at one of the last scenic overlooks and take a break.  I was almost stopped and hit a deep pot hole I did not see.  My motorcycle was on top of me and I had a broken leg. :ded:

I was very fortunate things were not worse.  I thank God for that.  A Mounty was behind me who saw the entire thing.  He told me the pot hole is what got me.  An RN with her family was there also so I had immediate attention.  I always ride with protective gear on which I am sure helped.   

The motorcycle was fine but my pride was not.  A fellow who lives nearby stopped to help.  He kept my motorcycle for me until it got shipped home by my Med Jet Assist insurance.  I got my first ambulance ride and my first broken bone in my 67 years almost 3,000 miles from home.  The EMTs wanted to cut my boot and Kevlar jeans but I refused  to let them.  I said, "Man, these are $400 boots and the jeans are $200, I'll take the pain just pull them off".  Didn't hurt for long.

My break was pretty much a text book break as was the surgery.  I had an excellent surgeon.  I spent 4 nights in the hospital with excellent care and 4 nights in a hotel waiting for flight connections back to Texas.  Med Jet would have evacuated me if more severe or needed hospital care longer. 

I called the motel from the hospital and they gathered up all of my stuff in my cabin.  Then the next day the fellow who took care of my motorcycle drove the 45 minutes to the Sidney hospital plus the 2 hours to my motel.  He got my luggage from the motel, drove the 2 hours back to Sidney, took the luggage to UPS, and stopped back by the hospital to see how I was doing.  Great guy!  All he wanted was gas money plus UPS cost.  I gladly agreed and gave him a good amount more.  His help was priceless.  He has called me a few times since I have been home.  Even the UPS guys sent me a card. 

I love those Canadians.  Everyone was no less than awesome.  The cab drivers I used were very considerate also.

My motorcycle arrived three weeks later than I did.  It looked just like I left it.  All of my luggage arrived about a week after I did.  Not one thing was missing. 

I should be fully recovered very soon and riding again.

So, no, I did not make it to Newfoundland.  However, I did see some wonderful country and met some wonderful people.  In some ways my experiences on this trip were better than finishing the trip.  True, I broke my leg but the kindness I experienced far overshadowed the inconvenience and limited pain I suffered. 

Each trip I take out by myself on my motorcycle I get my faith in mankind renewed.               
     
'73 Vette, '72 Monte Carlo, ;11 Green with Envy Challenger R/T,Ram, RoyalStarVenture S,USA Honda VTX1300R ridden 49states &11provinces,Driven cars in50 states+DC&21countries,OverseasBrats;IronButt:MileEatersilver,SS1000Gold,SS3000,3xSS2000,18xSS1000, 3TX1000,6BB1500,NPT,LakeSuperiorCircleTour



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