Maritime Tour
Some of the milestones
In February 2006 I ordered a new motorcycle. On May 11, I took delivery of the BMW R-1200-GS. Within the first 100KM of riding this new toy I recognized that this bike and I would bond very nicely over the next few months.
By May 27th I had moved out of me apartment. At this time most of my personal belongs are gone other then a few boxes, skis and bicycles I've stored in my good friends Gerry and Susan's basement.
On May 30th I loaded up the moto and had headed off for a shake down tour of the Maritime Provinces. The objective of this tour was to address a number of concerns i.e. how well had I packed the bike, how would the bike handle fully loaded, what items can I leave behind and what components am I missing?
My first stop on my ride from Fredericton to Halifax is Moncton where I stop for lunch. Once I dismount from the bike I immediately began to inspect it to ensure the the tie-down are secure and that none of the load has shifted. A lady walk past and comments about the loaded bike and if I would be traveling far. I share my plans with her. Her reactions was “on a bike are you CRAZY”. My response was “dam good question Lady”.
My ride through the region took me from Fredericton to Halifax along the south shore of NS to Liverpool, I then headed north to Kejimkujik National Park, onto Annapolis Royal, Wolfville, Windsor, along the shore of the Minus Basin to Truro, Antigonish, Baddeck, Cheticamp, onto Caribou to catch the ferry to PEI. After a few days of island travel it's back back to New Brunswick via the Confederation bridge. I then made my way back to Fredericton where I am provide with a great send off from my extended family the “Capital City Road Runners”. It's then onto Sussex, Fundy National Park, Moncton, Kouchibouguac National Park,
Miramichi, the Acadian Peninsula and Dalhousie.
During this Maritime Tour I was provided with some awesome accommodation's and quality meals by some of my very good friends I had dropped-in to visit. Many of these visits were unannounced. Special thanks to Gerry & Susan, Steve & Nora, John & Marise, Bill & Debbie, Dave & Brenda, Maurice & Dorothy, Jim & Aline, Irvine & Bonnie.
The tour provided an opportunity to utilize my new GPS. I am very impressed with this unit which should improve my direction challenged navigation skills.
The dreaming, worrying, planning, preparing are all now behind me. It's time to ride and what a great feeling that provides.
What you see is just about all I own these days other then a few boxes stored in a basement and what a great feeling that provides.
The Charlo Dam built on the Charlo river is 30.5 metres in height and 107 metres in width. It was built in 1929 by the Foundation Co. of Canada to provide process water to the Dalhousie paper mill.
The Restigouche River from Morrissey Rock situated at the West End of Tide Head, Morrissey Rock is best known for its railway tunnel chiseled through the rock, the only railway tunnel east of Montreal. Suggested translations for the name Restigouche include "river that divides like a hand" and simply "goodly river". The famed Atlantic salmon of the Restigouche was the magnet that drew early traders to the region for it is "one of the greatest salmon rivers of the world".
Surrounded by steep, jagged cliffs and home to hundreds of cormorants and other sea birds, Pokeshaw Island is a favourite spot for artists and photographers.
This monument was erected to recognize the lost of 32 fishermen in Escuminac, NB on June 20th, 1959 when gales with waves up to 14 metres high rolled along the Northumberland Strait. As a young boy I remember my parents discussing this disaster and understanding the pain and tremendous loss for the families of these fishermen. www.lostatsea.ca/escumina.htm
This is one of my favorite NB rides along the shores of Northumberland Straight on route 505 to where the road ends at Cap Lumiere.
Sunrise on the Bouctouche River shot from the front steps of my good friends John and Marise retirement home.
SwissAir Flight 111 Memorial at Whalesback
This memorial is dedicated to the 229 individuals who lost their lives in the Swiss Air crash of September 2, 1998, near Peggy's Cove. The site looks out to the original crash site.
Peggy's Cove Light House – Built on the large smooth wave washed granite rocks is one of the most well known lighthouse in Canada and one of the most photographed in the world.
Peggy's Cove - a small picturesque fishing village (population 120) surrounds a narrow ocean inlet which provides a safe haven for boats. I first visit Peggy's Cove some 25 years ago. This particular setting has continued to have a lasting impression - I would consider this picturesque inlet to be within the top dozen of pretty place I have visited. Perhaps one day I'll have my good friend Henny paint this setting for me.
The Minas Basin at low tide - Here, the tides rise and fall 14 metres twice a day. On each tide, a 100 cubic kilometres of water flow in and out of the Bay, which is more than the combined daily discharge of all the rivers in the word. Under such powerful erosive action, the Bay of Fundy is a seascape of cliffs.
Cabot Trail one of the most beautiful scenic drives in Atlantic Canada. The trail winds around Cape Breton's northern shore, ascending to the incredible plateaus of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This magnificent highway is carved into the sides of mountains that rise high above the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
There were very few tourist on the Cabot Trail this overcast Sunday morning. It was a blast to lean the bike over – crank the trottle and whip through the tight turns.
The bow of the ferry Confederation is raised to allow loading for passage between NS and PEI
These particular locations are some of my favourite Maritime settings. It is rare that I would ride past one of these locations without stopping to admire the view.
Cavendish National Park is located on the western shore of a 40-kilometre section of environmentally-protected, dune-ed beaches. The beach continues to attract thousands of visitors from around the world each year to its Gulf stream warmed waters.
The red soil of PEI - Local farmers have been producing potatoes for the world since 1790. Today, potatoes are P.E.I.’s primary cash crop. The Island enjoys the reputation as Canada’s leading potato province, responsible for almost one-third of Canadian production.
The 12.9 KM long Confederation Bridge is estimated to have cost $1 billion to build. It is the longest bridge over ice-covered waters in the world. I was very fortunate to be one of the many hundreds to have participated in the Bridge fest road race from NB to PEI which was part of the Bridge's opening celebrations in May 1997.
