Monday AM - off to Nova Scotia

[deilenberger]

Leaving central NJ at 9AM for my annual 2 week ride. This year it's Nova Scotia.... be going up NY Thruway to 84, across CT to MA, around Boston on 495 to 95 up into Maine. Eventually to St. John NB, where we catch the ferry to Digby Nova Scotia. Being accompanied by a fellow local club member (and R1150R.NET member) R12R owner John Malaska.

Any suggestions on cool places to stop/eat/stay on the way up are welcome. Planning on taking 3 days to get to St. John from NJ, probably stop Monday night in NH along the coast somewhere, then Tuesday night around Bangor ME, or near the border crossing. Weds to St. John, and overnight there, taking the 12 noon ferry across.

Looking forward to passing the 40,000 mile mark on the R12R..

[sjbmw]

Ride safe Don, I'm jealous.

[Rolando33]

Me too----------JEALOUS!

[JohnM]

And a public TY to Don, who installed my FF50s w/ Lumalink mounts on my R12R over the weekend. While Don was doing that, he also re-wired my Fuzeblock, which sorta looked like a mouse nest.

On our return leg from the Maritimes, we're heading to the RA Rally near Bennington VT.

[dav]

Have a safe trip & take plenty of pics .

[rtallent]

Don-
Rather than go through Bangor and across rte. 9 ("The Airline" -- not only not a beautiful road and watch out for logging trucks!) take rte. 1A down into Ellsworth (some construction between Bangor and Ellsworth, but not tooo bad) or better yet, take rte. 3 from Augusta through Belfast and Bucksport and into Ellsworth that way, stay over night at Jasper's in Ellsworth then take rte. 1 up to Calais and cross into St. John. Have breakfast at Martha's on High St.in Ellsworth (down the street from Jasper's) -- cash only but WELL worth it. I'm about 10 miles from Ellsworth, maybe we can meet
Bon Voyage!
Bob

[deilenberger]

Bob - thanks for the suggestions. Exactly what I'm looking for (local knowledge is a good thing!)..

Printed that out and will plug it into Google Maps at lunchtime and see how the route looks.

Thanks again!
Don

[hankth]

Don, Did this ride in 2007 on my R1200R, was with another guy on a '72 R100! He didn't slow me down at all, lol. Cape Breton is the best riding, about 105 mile loop. Other than that, alot of straight and flat. The people are super friendly up there, it really shows. Be sure to try their mussels. Ride safe, Hank

[Motorcycle_Girl]

Enjoy your trip! I haven't been to the East Coast in years...went every summer when I was a kid as I have family out there. Plan to do it on the bike perhaps next year. Looking forward to hearing all about your trip.

Ride Safe!

Celeste

[silvermcoupe]

We are planning that for our 2011 Spring ride. Are you doing the Cabot Trail? Would love to see some pictures posted from your trip.

In September we are riding to the Dakota's and the Custer Battlefield. Our spring trip early June this year was to Laketa and Big Bend Texas.

So many places so little time.

[spoonyfork]

Any suggestions on cool places to stop/eat/stay on the way up are welcome.

I don't know if this is too far away from where you'll be but the Gaspésie Tour in eastern Quebec north of New Brunswick has been on my list of rides.

[deilenberger]

We are planning that for our 2011 Spring ride. Are you doing the Cabot Trail? Would love to see some pictures posted from your trip.

Spending about 4 days circling Cape Breton Island.. so yup - Cabot Trail is on the list. Pics will show up on my Trips pages on my website sooner or later, probably, sorta..

[deilenberger]

Any suggestions on cool places to stop/eat/stay on the way up are welcome.

I don't know if this is too far away from where you'll be but the Gaspésie Tour in eastern Quebec north of New Brunswick has been on my list of rides.

Not too far actually - but the length of the Tour would take more time then we have.. so it will have to be saved for "next time.."

[angellr]

We are planning that for our 2011 Spring ride. Are you doing the Cabot Trail? Would love to see some pictures posted from your trip.

Spending about 4 days circling Cape Breton Island.. so yup - Cabot Trail is on the list. Pics will show up on my Trips pages on my website sooner or later, probably, sorta..

Mr. Eilenberger:

Do you use a helmet mounted camera? Or do you use the "old fashioned" method of stopping, shooting and moving along?

[deilenberger]

Don, Did this ride in 2007 on my R1200R, was with another guy on a '72 R100! He didn't slow me down at all, lol. Cape Breton is the best riding, about 105 mile loop. Other than that, alot of straight and flat. The people are super friendly up there, it really shows. Be sure to try their mussels. Ride safe, Hank

Been there before by car.. it's not so straight if you take routes like the "Lighthouse Trail" - which is two lane twisting around following the coast and into every little spit of land sticking out. It is a tad flattish, but we'll have relief from that in VT/NH/ME on our way up and back. I actually like the scallops there - I really sorta pig out on them because even on the NJ shore - it's hard to get ones this fresh.

The Cabot Trail Route:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source= ... 1&dirflg=d

Looks to be about 400 miles. I want to stop at the Alexander Graham Bell house/museum, and there is Scotch distillery in Inverness.. so.. will have plenty to do.

[dhgeyer]

Bon Voyage, ride safe, have a great time! Give a wave off to the West as you pass through NH.

I did a ride a few years ago up through Bangor and Belfast. Pretty country. It's good you're leaving early in the week. Parts of coastal Maine turn into parking lots in the Summer on weekends.

[deilenberger]

Here are my plans for Monday-Weds. Weds we should arrive in St. John, find a motel with a pool and cool off.. We take the ferry to Nova Scotia Thursday at noon.

DAY-1
------------------------------------------------------
NJ Parkway to top
NY Thruway to Cairo exit
Over to NY Rt 22 (very nice road!) - north to Rt 7 and Bennington VT
Rt 9 across Vt (nice road!) to Brattleboro VT - Sleep there.
About 300 miles, and 6-7.5 hours depending on gas/pee/eat stops.

DAY-2
------------------------------------------------------
Brattleboro VT to Portland ME
Portland ME to Augusta ME - Sleep there
About 275 miles, 5-6.5 hours depending on gas/pee/eat stops

DAY-3
------------------------------------------------------
Augusta ME to Ellsworth ME
Ellsworth ME to St Stephens NB CA
St Stephens NB CA to St John NB, CA - Sleep there
About 275 miles, 6-7 hours depending on gas/pee/eat stops.

That gets us off a lot of slab and on some roads I've been on by bike that are really nice. The ride up 22 is great
as is the ride across VT/NH.

Part of my goal with this route was to get off the interstate when possible.. the first burst up the GSP and NYT get us out of the NJ/NY metro area with the least pain in the quickest time. Then it starts to get interesting. I really like NY-22 (runs along the eastern border of NY state up to Albany) - but it had gotten really rough a number of years ago. Last year someone told me it had been repaved so I'm looking forward to it again. Rt 9 across the bottom of VT is a nice road, lots of twists and hills. Temps are supposed to be in the low/mid 90's.. so lots of water is coming along with me (Camelback I think..)

[dhgeyer]

DAY-2
------------------------------------------------------
Brattleboro VT to Portland ME

How are you planning to get from Brattleboro to Portland? Possible meet for coffee? I live just off 101 in Merrimack, but could easily ride up to someplace on Rt. 4 or 9 if that's what you're planning.

[AncientMariner]

Don,

Enjoy your trip. Last time I went to Nova Scotia it was on a US Navy Frigate with a disabled hull stabilizer system. Talk about twisties.

I'm hopin we can meet at the RA. Just look for a Beautiful Blue Roadster. I will be looking for your incredibly farkled black with stripes and Joisy plate.

Bruce

[deilenberger]

DAY-2
------------------------------------------------------
Brattleboro VT to Portland ME

How are you planning to get from Brattleboro to Portland? Possible meet for coffee? I live just off 101 in Merrimack, but could easily ride up to someplace on Rt. 4 or 9 if that's what you're planning.

I have to look at the maps (or GoogleMaps) - I'm planning on avoiding main roads - and I have taken a backroad route across the bottom of NH before.

Ah - looks like Route 9 most of the way..

This link may or may not work (GoogleMaps is running a beta version..)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source= ... 29095&z=10

If you want to PM me your phone# (and name..) I can see where we're at on Tuesday AM, and perhaps we can grab coffee..