2011-06-24 NL and the TLH
Well here is my ride report of my trip across the Trans-lab. It's a little long-winded but I hope it will help anybody that is thinking of doing it. June 24 Finished packing and was on the road by 12 noon. Rode through Upper Musquodoboit,Dean to New Glasgow.Stopped in Antigonish for a steak at Mother Webbs. A steak,side of mushrooms and a beer-$31.50. Yikes. First bit of advice-skip Mother Webb's.Had to put the liners back in my suit before continuing on. Basically froze my ass-off by the time I got to Sydney. Overnight on The Blue Puttes, very smooth crossing.
June 25 Into to Port Aux Basque at 6 a.m. Drove east to Rose Blanche, well worth the side trip.there was still snow in the Table Mountains in Wreck House. I now know what Wreck House winds are now.Drove up to Stephenville and stay at Tyson and Jodi's cabin.
June 26 Tour of Stephenville and Port au port peninsula.
June 27 Off to Cornerbrook and on to Deer lake. Started in to Gros Morne and the rain and fog started, so hard I couldn't see a thing. No Moose, I couldn't even see the mountains. It's okay, they will be there the next time I come back. Stopped in Rocky Harbour and got a room at the Gros Morne campground. They have 4 rooms on the back of their office.
June 28 Left Rocky harbour around 10:30 Still raining but it was starting to let-up. Came across some really old cars touring around Newfoundland. Travelling north up the peninsula, stopped at the Arches Provincial Park. A few showers and cold. There is an Irving in Hawkes Bay which is the last place to get high-test Gas until Lab city. I filled up my jerry cans there. Stopped at St.Barbe to check on the ferry and the next one left at 10:30 the next morning. I got a room there and the lady at the hotel called and booked the ferry for me. Gotta love the newfie hospitality. I had enough time so I drove up to L'anse Aux Meadows and back that evening. The temp in L'anse Aux Meadows was 6 degrees Celsius and windy.
June 29 Got on the ferry at 10:30 in the morning. Best weather yet, sunny and almost warm. There was lots of whales as I crossed to Quebec. Coastal Labrador is very scenic, stop as much as you can and take it in. There are no flies along the coast. Pavement ends in Red Bay. The first section of gravel is the absolute worst section of the Trans-lab Highway! Approx. 30 kms of 3" gravel and fine crushed granite dust. The road gets better but just when you think the road is gonna stay good a bad section can catch you off guard. The roads in Labrador if not graded, are good in the centre and all the loose gravel is on the sides. Great for making time but you have to be careful on hills and turns because if you have to get over fast the sides are like driving on marbles.If the roads are graded, all they do is move the gravel back into the middle and the sides can still be soft. I made it to Port Hope Simpson, gassed up and got something to eat. Looking at the map, I thought I would try and make it to Happy Valley-Goose bay. The road from Port Hope Simpson To Cartwright Junction was great.
But from Cartwright Junction on was 85 kms of freshly graded roads. I came across 4 ladies in a car with a blown out tire. I stopped and changed it for them. It was the second one for them that day. The gas I got in port Hope Simpson was really bad so I put in some octane boost and the high test I had in my Jerry cans. The bike worked normal after that. Shortly after that I came across a mileage sign that said Happy Valley-Goose bay 200 kms. It was 9 o'clock at night and if the road kept up this way I wouldn't make it into Goosebay until after midnight. The weather was good so I pulled into a gravel pit and put up my tent. No shortage of bugs so the tent was up in about 3 minutes flat.
June 30 Got up when the sun came up, about 4:30 am. and was in Goose bay about 2.5 hours later. Spent some time in Happy Valley and then headed out of town. Pavement out of town then a section of gravel approx 15kms then pavement again for 30-40 kms. If you go into Muskrat Falls you will come across a parking area on the right and a look-off area straight a head. The look-off area is full of old nails from campfires. Luckily I got out without picking any up in my tires. On both sides of Churchill Falls there is a lot of road work for miles, widening and grading. 100kms from Lab City the Pavement starts again. If you plan to stay in Lab City, book a room in advance. All the hotels were full. After a long search I found Dudley lake Family Campground. It was the most run down campground I was ever in, But for $10.00 plus $2.00 for a shower it did the trick. There is no power going into the park, so all the trailers run their generators all night long. Bring ear plugs.
July 1st Back into Lab City for breakfast. When you leave Lab City and head up the hill there is a gas station on the left that has high test. Fill up your jerry cans there even if you use regular (more on that later). I learned just past Fermont that if you stop and take pictures while sitting on your bike with your bike in neutral and you try to take pictures behind you, the bike tends to fall over in the mud. It is absolutely no fun trying to pick up a loaded F800GS in the mud in neutral. The next 50kms is dirt and there must be close to 20 railroad crossings. The roads in Quebec were by far in better condition then in Labrador. You can see the mine tailings just before you get to Firelake and you're on the pavement for 50 kms to Gagnon. After Gagnon the fun starts. Hills, turns , mountains and great road conditions. In 76 kms you will come to Relais-Gabriel. Do not buy gas here $1.66 a litre for regular. A can of pop $2.50. If you filled your jerry cans in Lab City you will have no problem getting to Manic#5 to get gas and food. I also learned at manic#5 that if you put a can of pop in your panniers with a camp axe, that after 100kms the axe will find the can of pop and chop a hole in the can. I now know my panniers are waterproof because not one drop leaked out. The best motorcycle road ever starts at Manic#5. Pavement but 200kms of twists, turns and hills. It is best to do this section on weekends or holidays, logging trucks are not on it then. While waiting for the ferry in Baie Comeau I ran into a guy from Musquodoboit harbour on a triumph tiger. He came up and met his friends from Montreal and ran up to Manic#5 and back. His friends continued on to the Trans lab but he came back. He said his friend put brand new knobbies on his 1200gsa in Montreal and the rear tire was almost shot by the time he got to manic#5. Caught the ferry to Matane and stayed there for the night.
July 2nd Went from Matane to Campbellton. Nice river valleys and hills and then a pretty much uneventful run through New Brunswick and home to Peggy's Cove in the fog.
Critter count. Moose-0, Caribou-0, Black bears-0, Foxes-2, Groundhogs- at least 30, Whales-30-40, Blackflys-678,566,220,863,832,763,563.5, Mosquitos-874,432,543,867,945,834,294,846,657,647, Turkey Vultures-1 in northern New Brunswick chewing on a groundhog.
Price of a fridge magnet-$3.00, Steak at Mother Webb's-$31.50,ferry crossing-$200.00, total cost of trip-approx. $950.00, Being able to say I beat the Trans-Lab Solo?
"PRICELESS"!!!!!
Read MoreJune 25 Into to Port Aux Basque at 6 a.m. Drove east to Rose Blanche, well worth the side trip.there was still snow in the Table Mountains in Wreck House. I now know what Wreck House winds are now.Drove up to Stephenville and stay at Tyson and Jodi's cabin.
June 26 Tour of Stephenville and Port au port peninsula.
June 27 Off to Cornerbrook and on to Deer lake. Started in to Gros Morne and the rain and fog started, so hard I couldn't see a thing. No Moose, I couldn't even see the mountains. It's okay, they will be there the next time I come back. Stopped in Rocky Harbour and got a room at the Gros Morne campground. They have 4 rooms on the back of their office.
June 28 Left Rocky harbour around 10:30 Still raining but it was starting to let-up. Came across some really old cars touring around Newfoundland. Travelling north up the peninsula, stopped at the Arches Provincial Park. A few showers and cold. There is an Irving in Hawkes Bay which is the last place to get high-test Gas until Lab city. I filled up my jerry cans there. Stopped at St.Barbe to check on the ferry and the next one left at 10:30 the next morning. I got a room there and the lady at the hotel called and booked the ferry for me. Gotta love the newfie hospitality. I had enough time so I drove up to L'anse Aux Meadows and back that evening. The temp in L'anse Aux Meadows was 6 degrees Celsius and windy.
June 29 Got on the ferry at 10:30 in the morning. Best weather yet, sunny and almost warm. There was lots of whales as I crossed to Quebec. Coastal Labrador is very scenic, stop as much as you can and take it in. There are no flies along the coast. Pavement ends in Red Bay. The first section of gravel is the absolute worst section of the Trans-lab Highway! Approx. 30 kms of 3" gravel and fine crushed granite dust. The road gets better but just when you think the road is gonna stay good a bad section can catch you off guard. The roads in Labrador if not graded, are good in the centre and all the loose gravel is on the sides. Great for making time but you have to be careful on hills and turns because if you have to get over fast the sides are like driving on marbles.If the roads are graded, all they do is move the gravel back into the middle and the sides can still be soft. I made it to Port Hope Simpson, gassed up and got something to eat. Looking at the map, I thought I would try and make it to Happy Valley-Goose bay. The road from Port Hope Simpson To Cartwright Junction was great.
But from Cartwright Junction on was 85 kms of freshly graded roads. I came across 4 ladies in a car with a blown out tire. I stopped and changed it for them. It was the second one for them that day. The gas I got in port Hope Simpson was really bad so I put in some octane boost and the high test I had in my Jerry cans. The bike worked normal after that. Shortly after that I came across a mileage sign that said Happy Valley-Goose bay 200 kms. It was 9 o'clock at night and if the road kept up this way I wouldn't make it into Goosebay until after midnight. The weather was good so I pulled into a gravel pit and put up my tent. No shortage of bugs so the tent was up in about 3 minutes flat.
June 30 Got up when the sun came up, about 4:30 am. and was in Goose bay about 2.5 hours later. Spent some time in Happy Valley and then headed out of town. Pavement out of town then a section of gravel approx 15kms then pavement again for 30-40 kms. If you go into Muskrat Falls you will come across a parking area on the right and a look-off area straight a head. The look-off area is full of old nails from campfires. Luckily I got out without picking any up in my tires. On both sides of Churchill Falls there is a lot of road work for miles, widening and grading. 100kms from Lab City the Pavement starts again. If you plan to stay in Lab City, book a room in advance. All the hotels were full. After a long search I found Dudley lake Family Campground. It was the most run down campground I was ever in, But for $10.00 plus $2.00 for a shower it did the trick. There is no power going into the park, so all the trailers run their generators all night long. Bring ear plugs.
July 1st Back into Lab City for breakfast. When you leave Lab City and head up the hill there is a gas station on the left that has high test. Fill up your jerry cans there even if you use regular (more on that later). I learned just past Fermont that if you stop and take pictures while sitting on your bike with your bike in neutral and you try to take pictures behind you, the bike tends to fall over in the mud. It is absolutely no fun trying to pick up a loaded F800GS in the mud in neutral. The next 50kms is dirt and there must be close to 20 railroad crossings. The roads in Quebec were by far in better condition then in Labrador. You can see the mine tailings just before you get to Firelake and you're on the pavement for 50 kms to Gagnon. After Gagnon the fun starts. Hills, turns , mountains and great road conditions. In 76 kms you will come to Relais-Gabriel. Do not buy gas here $1.66 a litre for regular. A can of pop $2.50. If you filled your jerry cans in Lab City you will have no problem getting to Manic#5 to get gas and food. I also learned at manic#5 that if you put a can of pop in your panniers with a camp axe, that after 100kms the axe will find the can of pop and chop a hole in the can. I now know my panniers are waterproof because not one drop leaked out. The best motorcycle road ever starts at Manic#5. Pavement but 200kms of twists, turns and hills. It is best to do this section on weekends or holidays, logging trucks are not on it then. While waiting for the ferry in Baie Comeau I ran into a guy from Musquodoboit harbour on a triumph tiger. He came up and met his friends from Montreal and ran up to Manic#5 and back. His friends continued on to the Trans lab but he came back. He said his friend put brand new knobbies on his 1200gsa in Montreal and the rear tire was almost shot by the time he got to manic#5. Caught the ferry to Matane and stayed there for the night.
July 2nd Went from Matane to Campbellton. Nice river valleys and hills and then a pretty much uneventful run through New Brunswick and home to Peggy's Cove in the fog.
Critter count. Moose-0, Caribou-0, Black bears-0, Foxes-2, Groundhogs- at least 30, Whales-30-40, Blackflys-678,566,220,863,832,763,563.5, Mosquitos-874,432,543,867,945,834,294,846,657,647, Turkey Vultures-1 in northern New Brunswick chewing on a groundhog.
Price of a fridge magnet-$3.00, Steak at Mother Webb's-$31.50,ferry crossing-$200.00, total cost of trip-approx. $950.00, Being able to say I beat the Trans-Lab Solo?
"PRICELESS"!!!!!
