I was wondering if any of you would be interested in attending a Newfoundland road meet. As I've said plenty of times in the past, my ancestry is from Newfoundland and I've been there plenty of times.
Some things that could be showcased:
-The original eastern end of the TCH in St John's
-Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America and thus would be the most easterly road in North America
-Ongoing work with the Team Gushue Highway extension
-The Topsail Road/Kenmount Road interchange in Mount Pearl.....while this is not the original bridge, it was replaced in 2011, the fact remains that it is still served by an interchange. This bridge was rather symbolic for Newfoundlanders as it was the boundary between the "townies" which were those that lived in St. John's, and the "baymen", those who lived outside of St. John's or what we know as "around the bay".
-If possible, going "around the bay" and up NL-75, a bypass of the old Conception Bay Highway to Carbonear (there are a few epic lookoffs here), which for a rather new road, opened in the early 2000s, is possibly the worst designed road ever
Was just gauging interest, as I know it's a far way away for most of you.
Sounds like a fun idea. Maybe plan for 2019?
If the timing is right, I am certainly in for this one.
I'd be looking at doing this in Summer 2019.
The main issue I can see for many is the very expensive cost of the ferry.
Marine Atlantic is the government corporation which runs the ferry.
www.marineatlantic.ca (http://www.marineatlantic.ca)
Marine Atlantic runs a route from North Sydney, NS to Port Aux Basques, NL. In the summer months they also run a route from North Sydney to Argentia.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.burntislandsnl.ca%2FMAM.gif&hash=b31a402c9e4e0aff6440f3b73bde392ca4b8cf1b)
While I honestly have never done the drive across the island, (I've always taken the Argentia ferry) the road is single lane with a passing lane here and there. There is a short freeway segment around Corner Brook, but a full fledged freeway does not begin until after you pass Whitbourne, incidentally this is also the turnoff to head towards Argentia (NL-100)
Here are this year's ferry rates:
North Sydney-Port Aux Basques
Adults 13-64 Years - $45.57
Autos up to 20' - $119.24
North Sydney-Argentia
Adults 13-64 Years - $121.26
Autos up to 20' - $244.56
As for flying....there are no direct flights from St. John's to any US city (United used to fly there from Newark but they don't anymore), thus any flight would have to have you connect in Toronto or Montreal to go to St. John's.
Holy busted budgets Batman!!! Do ferries normally cost that much? Also, are those rates in Canadian or American $$$?
Those ferries are LONG. I actually think that they're well-priced for the length of the voyage.
That was in Canadian money, I should have made that clear.
That's what sucks, crossing the gulf by ferry is expensive. But it's Marine atlantic, you have to take them or swim, it's your choice.
If I'm not mistaken, those are the base ferry rates without sleeping accommodations, right? Add a few hundred dollars for a room if you want privacy/a bed instead of a coach-type seat.
For those who don't know, the ferry to Port-aux-Basques is 6.5 to 7.5 hours and the one to Argentia is 14 hours.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 23, 2018, 03:38:54 PM
If I'm not mistaken, those are the base ferry rates without sleeping accommodations, right? Add a few hundred dollars for a room if you want privacy/a bed instead of a coach-type seat.
How long is the ride?
But don't pay the ferryman until he gets you to the other side ;)
Quote from: cjk374 on April 23, 2018, 03:40:36 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 23, 2018, 03:38:54 PM
If I'm not mistaken, those are the base ferry rates without sleeping accommodations, right? Add a few hundred dollars for a room if you want privacy/a bed instead of a coach-type seat.
How long is the ride?
See above, I edited my post before seeing your query.
These ferries are big. Not at all like, say, the ones in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Yeah, Argentia is usually 14 hours right on the money. I always thought Port Aux Basques was about 6 hours.
Keep in mind you must show up two hours before the boat leaves.
Quote from: MisterSG1 on April 23, 2018, 03:26:38 PM
That's what sucks, crossing the gulf by ferry is expensive. But it's Marine atlantic, you have to take them or swim, it's your choice.
FWIW, you can take a shorter ferry trip from Blanc Sablon in far eastern Quebec to northern Newfoundland island. But the best way to get to Blanc Sablon is via the Trans-Labrador Highway, and two long connecting highways (part of QC 138 east of the provincial capital, and QC 389 north of Baie-Comeau). No getting around the fact that travel to Newfoundland is expensive.
One attraction that could be worked into a meet tour would be a stop in the village of Dildo. Too far from the tour, but could be worked into people's itineraries to or from the meet, is a ferry ride (by yourself, or now your car can come with you) to the offshore French possession of St. Pierre and Miquelon.
I've been to the province thrice (the last two included Labrador), unlikely I'd be up for a fourth visit. But only my first visit in 2003 included the Avalon region on which the meet would focus. The possible side trip to St. Pierre and Miquelon would also be a plus.
This August marks 36 years since I've been to Newfoundland (west coast only), and I'd love to go back to see the same places and go to St. John's, possibly mixing in some golf stops. But I have a feeling it's just too damn far to be practical for me right now. I'd probably have to fly up to make it realistic.
I'm very interested. However, I don't know how practical it is that I'd be able to make it. From Michigan it would probably be something like a 3-day drive out and a 3-day drive back. Maybe I could make this work if it's in 2019.
What concerns me most is the amount of time I would need off as well as the cost of the ferry. Yikes. Plus I don't know how my spouse would feel about me being gone that long for a trip on my own. Haha! Not to mention other road trips and other travels I'm hoping to embark on in 2019.
To give people a visual idea of what I have in mind, here is the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland.....roughly 51% of Newfoundland's population lives here:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walds.org%2Fnewf2002%2Fmaps%2Fav700.gif&hash=d55f753c99e8004b32e7376cab90b0e472523ffe)
After seeing a few sites in St. John's, I plan to go "around the bay" using the TCH and NL-75 to get to Carbonear, and then possibly returning using the old conception bay highway. Crossing "the barrens" (which is that blank space on the interior of the shores of Conception and Trinity Bays done by using NL-73 or NL-74) to go to Dildo may be doable, but would change plans. My only fear is that this meet would last too long if we were to go around the bay and back.
I agree this is quite interesting, though given the drive time and ferry rates, the fact that I would want to go to Saint Pierre in a Newfoundland trip, my Florida trip this year, and a potential Alaska meet in 2020 or 2021, I'm not sure when I'll actually manage to get out to Newfoundland.
Definitely interested. Not sure I could swing it this year, but possibly next year.
Since this is a big one, I mean in that it is far away, the meet would happen in 2019.
OK, how did I miss this one?
My favorite band is Great Big Sea, and I've had a vanity plate to that effect in three different states.
I traveled to Newfoundland in August 2007 with my then-girlfriend, and I loved it. Stayed a few days in St. John's, and another few days in Port-Aux-Basques (my girlfriend had been invited to a wedding there -- she took someone else as her +1... that should have raised a red flag).
We flew Continental from BOS --> EWR --> YYT. The EWR --> YYT leg was in a 24 passenger mini-jet. I'm not surprised they don't fly that route anymore.
We took The Bus (DRL Bus Lines, the only bus company there) from St. John's to P-A-B and back. It is an all-day, 8+ hour bus ride on the Trans-Canada Highway. On the second half of the trip when we stayed in St. John's, I rented a car, but didn't use it very much (and in fact got a parking ticket for parking in a metered spot and then going on a 4 hour whale watch with a 2 hour max parking limit - whoops).
I have not taken the ferry from/to P-A-B from Nova Scotia. If I had to do it again, I'd definitely want to visit Gros Morne National Park, which I did not get to visit, and to camp there for a night or three. If I were to drive, I'd likely either take the catamaran from Portland ME to Nova Scotia and then the ferry. As much as I'd like to drive up 95... it's an 8 hour drive to southern New England for me these days (I lived in Boston back then but am now in Maryland), then probably a bunch more hours to the ferry, then 8 hours from P-A-B to St. John's. Though I'd love to drive around in the only US/Canadian jurisdiction that does not allow vanity plates (Québec started allowing them in July) with a vanity plate honoring their native sons. :D
I'd imagine a roadmeet up there would HAVE to focus on the Avalon Peninsula... the rest of the province doesn't have many roads, period. Unless you want to go up to Labrador and take the unpaved NL-500 to Québec -- I understand that's a recently built road (and a LONG one!). I'd also want to see St. Pierre et Miquelon, which is technically part of France.
Security requirements of my job dictate that I notify someone at least 45 days in advance of foreign travel, and have any reservations booked as well (I think). This includes trips Canada and Mexico. My last trip to NL was actually the last time I left the US.
A few photos to whet your appetite for a road trip to Newfoundland:
The cost of the ferry is not excessive when you consider the crossing to Port-aux-Basques (Port O Bask) is 6 hours and 150 km .....or a 15 hour 500km overnight run to Argentia. The ferries are big.....carrying 500 cars with cabins or "˜business class' type seating, dining rooms and lounges.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-s_t1WKBwRQc/VCcJMF-gbiI/AAAAAAAAM8I/vV6wZQ0Muno/s800/IMG_3382.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BVJHkzUPaMo/VCcKxJqcNiI/AAAAAAAAM8o/py4zvLcAV4k/s800/IMG_3419.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bUN9BdMaFdk/VCcMfix_pBI/AAAAAAAAM9Q/rRXdfz1tHJ4/s800/IMG_3512.JPG)
Leaving the ferry at Argentia .....NL100 (on the left) was constructed direct to the ferry terminal to keep civilian traffic off the former US Navy Base access road (on the right)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AyMa8rvsVbM/VFUGWx4JfoI/AAAAAAAANJM/KV_EJgdz6Ek/s800/IMG_3515.JPG)
At St. John's the most easterly section of freeway in North America ends and tapers down to two lanes at Logy Bay Rd.......then across town and out to Cape Spear, the most easterly point you can drive to.
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wLvQTclbIR0/Tmz7FnoNj_I/AAAAAAAAH0k/olRx3dAlJ1E/s800/IMG_0272.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HQFMxQHHAzs/Tmz7Dq8znqI/AAAAAAAAH0g/HrfwGln_af8/s800/IMG_0273.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mWL15928ZsY/Tmz8SbQxVFI/AAAAAAAAH0w/1sawm5T9tgg/s800/IMG_0270.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qDXEZCGsm34/Tmz9G29BGcI/AAAAAAAAH00/kLV5bhm2GsY/s800/IMG_0262.JPG)
Here's the Trans Canada Highway through the narrow Humber River gorge near Corner Brook:
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yJVfOjiiLBU/VDlH2Vk5R2I/AAAAAAAANDQ/Ahe3gJB9w1A/s800/DSC02459.JPG)
Stephenville is the location of the former US Air Force Earnest Harmon Field. Walk around town and most of the streets are named for US States.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iiaX8H-pcuE/VDl4-rHJhMI/AAAAAAAANEU/enri8rwhU3M/s800/IMG_3749.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6MlMMboNcds/VBIakmGXiaI/AAAAAAAAMZs/0r7GcZdVPi0/s800/IMG_3748.JPG)
Now back on the Trans Canada Highway and down the west coast of the island........ and in case you haven't noticed.....there's hardly any traffic. Other than the surge of 500 cars and trucks when a ferry docks.....you have a wide, straight highway nearly to yourself. Just watch out for moose!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VjyMsXqmVG4/VFUM4FLHu5I/AAAAAAAANLY/-f04HyJW9Hg/s800/IMG_3778.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uGkMk3LIY2I/VFUOPiR3SiI/AAAAAAAANL0/isQoymgJBfU/s800/IMG_3789.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-sIuPnj4jTq4/VFUPBC_3TxI/AAAAAAAANL8/1x6isBtSDQw/s800/IMG_3795.JPG)
Wow... those photos are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing them. They definitely renew my interest in a road trip to Newfoundland!!
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on October 31, 2018, 08:50:40 PM
Wow... those photos are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing them. They definitely renew my interest in a road trip to Newfoundland!!
Yeah, I was thinking the same here!! I might have to convince my dad to take me on a road trip to Newfoundland...
Quote from: tckma on October 25, 2018, 05:03:38 PM
.... If I were to drive, I'd likely either take the catamaran from Portland ME to Nova Scotia and then the ferry. ....
They're talking about changing to Bar Harbor due to various disputes with Portland. Plus the shorter route would allow them to run more trips, in theory anyway, in part because they could go both ways in a single day.
BTW, the last time we were up there, we drove from home (Fairfax County) to Portland and it took about ten hours of driving, eleven hours of total travel time if I recall correctly–I'm pretty sure we left here around 7:00 AM and got there around 6:00 PM, in time to check into the hotel and then have a nice sit-down dinner. Back then the ferry left Portland in the morning. I believe it now runs in the afternoon instead.
Always wanted to go to Gros Morne.
I haven't been posting in quite a while.
I do realize this meet is impossible, but if anyone honestly wants to commit, I'll make it happen. It's harder for y'all to commit than for me.
On a side note, the Team Gushue Highway has just been extended to Topsail Road.
Just wondering if there was still interest for this.
Quote from: MisterSG1 on January 06, 2019, 04:26:48 PM
I do realize this meet is impossible, but if anyone honestly wants to commit, I'll make it happen. It's harder for y'all to commit than for me.
Just wondering if there was still interest for this.
I wouldn't say this meet is impossible. If I were in your shoes, I would suggest some possible dates and see who might be available on whatever dates you propose. You can create a poll. For me, I am very interested but it's pretty much impossible that I would be able to do this in 2019 (maybe not 2020 either). As odd as it sounds, I might be able to commit if the meet is announced for a few years from now. Unfortunately it would likely be too far out for anyone else to commit to.
I seriously want to go to Newfoundland in my lifetime, but it's unfortunately not going to happen as early as you're probably hoping to host this meet. But there may be others who might be able to plan on it... especially those who live closer to Newfoundland... New England U.S.A., Ontario, Quebec, or other maritime provinces.
I agree with AJ. Such a meet isn't impossible (hell, three made it to Alaska last year), but it will require a bit more planning (and advance warning), than maybe say, a meet in Ohio.
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on January 08, 2019, 06:50:44 AM
or other maritime provinces.
This is a common misconception, the Maritime Provinces refers to those 3, NB, NS, and PE. Newfoundland is not considered a "maritime province". Usually, the correct term to refer to all 4 collectively is "Atlantic Canada".
Newfoundland is tricky because it's out there, kind of like a second Alaska so to speak. (which actually almost happened believe it or not after World War II, but that's a story for another day) And as I mentioned, the ferry ride across the gulf is NOT cheap.
Putting a tentative date is a bit tricky, because god knows where I'll be this summer or next summer, but I suppose wherever I end up, I could always fly over to "The Rock" for the weekend to host the meet.
I picture this meet to be a bit longer than 3 hours, since all of you assuming will have "Come From Away" (had to throw that pun in) I'm sure you won't mind an extended meet as it will be impossible to get back home after the meet in one evening.
I know it would be a long day/drive and probably best to split into two days.....but for anyone in New England (Boston for example).....an early start will have you dockside in North Sydney ready to board the overnight Marine Atlantic Ferry to Newfoundland at 11:30pm.
https://goo.gl/maps/Jrjg3raDShP2
And the cost of the ferry crossing is reasonable when you consider the distance covered. Adult: $45 and car: $119 each way. Sure it gets a bit more expensive adding in a cabin but about equal to a hotel room ($125.)
https://www.marineatlantic.ca/en/
Quote from: MisterSG1 on January 08, 2019, 08:39:17 PM
Newfoundland is tricky because it's out there, kind of like a second Alaska so to speak. (which actually almost happened believe it or not after World War II, but that's a story for another day)
?? Please enlighten me about Newfoundland almost being a second Alaska after WWII ??
I think he might be referring to how there was interest to join the US among the people of Newfoundland at the time of the referendum on becoming part of Canada - neither Canada nor the UK wanted Newfoundland to become American state or territory, so they made sure that option was not on the ballot.
Quote from: vdeane on January 09, 2019, 12:56:53 PM
I think he might be referring to how there was interest to join the US among the people of Newfoundland at the time of the referendum on becoming part of Canada - neither Canada nor the UK wanted Newfoundland to become American state or territory, so they made sure that option was not on the ballot.
The US did not particularly want it either beyond concerns over Cold War-era military installations, and after Truman was assured there would be no interference with US military bases there the government expressed no further interest in the possibility.
This is kind of what I was getting at. I do have a whole book on the 1948 referendums called "Don't Tell the Newfoundlanders" but have yet to read it. But I know that there was much trickery to shoehorn Newfoundland into confederation.
Newfoundland and the US of course became strong friends during World War II, the war effort got them out of the depression. Considering Newfoundland, instead of pulling it together, Newfoundland actually voted itself out of existence in the 1930s to become a colony again basically.
Informal polls at the time from what I've read, there was an article in the Cape Breton Post about this, suggested that 70% of Newfoundlanders wanted join the US after World War II.
What was talked about at the time was "economic union", it's unclear exactly what this meant, but somewhere along the lines of what we call a customs union today, it should be noted that in the Dominion era of Newfoundland, they attempted twice to negotiate a free trade deal with the US.
Britain was afraid that responsible government, going back to dominion status may lead to a snowball effect that would have eventually led to Newfoundland probably becoming a US territory. Remember, it would be a full decade after this when Alaska and Hawaii would gain statehood.
Then there's Joey Smallwood, the main proponent of confederation in Newfoundland, and he would be Premier of Newfoundland when it became a province for 23 years thereafter. My parents suggest that there was a lot of skullduggery that he pulled.
Newfoundland as a province became the butt end of jokes in Canada, and it became an outpost. Read up on the whole Churchill Falls incident to see how Newfoundland was always conned. I'd say the average Canadian knows nothing about Newfoundland other than that St. John's is its capital.
This article in The Telegram, which is the "main" St John's newspaper talks about this:
https://www.thetelegram.com/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/letter-newfoundland-was-sold-down-the-churchill-river-263605/ (https://www.thetelegram.com/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/letter-newfoundland-was-sold-down-the-churchill-river-263605/)
We see the effects of how Newfoundland was always used.....I was born and raised in the GTA, meaning that my parents had to move off the island because of bad economic conditions.