Where to go on motorcycle using 10 days off

[SVRACER01]

i would gladly do deals on an FLHR. the roads are so twisty that even doing the speed limit is a blast.

-you could probably loop the great lakes in 10 days.
-key west and back and hit the BRP and dragon there and back

[nhbubba]

-key west and back and hit the BRP and dragon there and back

Or the gap one way and the outer banks headed the other way..

[stoinkythepig]

That actually doesn't work. Rt 138 doesn't connect from Blanc Sablon through to Natashquan. The only way to ride from the Newfoundland ferry to the Quebec City area is via the Trans-Labrador Highway, which I would strongly discourage on a Harley.


--mark

There's a daily ferry that runs from St. Barbe, Newfoundland to Blanc Sablon, Quebec. See http://www.tourismlowernorthshore.com/bycar.asp

[Kawi Ken]

Here's my 9 day trip for an example leaving 8/1 camping -1st stop Bar Harbor/Acadia.
Not exact route ,still learning basecamp.But looping PEI & Cape Breton-
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...M.kTCFP_loexzY
The ferry one way from yarmouth to portland was expensive at $400 bike,cabin & me.

[Imbeek]

Here's my 9 day trip for an example leaving 8/1 camping -1st stop Bar Harbor/Acadia.
Not exact route ,still learning basecamp.But looping PEI & Cape Breton-
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...M.kTCFP_loexzY
The ferry one way from yarmouth to portland was expensive at $400 bike,cabin & me.

Thanks for post but the link said "request denied" and prompted me to ask you for permission...so I did. I guess you will see the request somewhere else (its a gmail account with Southwick in the name)

[SRTie4k]

Or the gap one way and the outer banks headed the other way..

My wife and I actually did this as our last vacation. It was a lot of driving, but man was it fun, and beautiful. And surprisingly comfortable in a Wrangler with AT's. Only thing about going through the outer banks is you gotta plan ahead for the Cedar Island/Ocracoke Ferry, they only run every 2 hours if I remember right, and it's a 2 hour trip.

I would definitely do it again though, and I'd LOVE to do it on the bike.

[markbvt]

There's a daily ferry that runs from St. Barbe, Newfoundland to Blanc Sablon, Quebec. See http://www.tourismlowernorthshore.com/bycar.asp

Yes, I've taken it three times. I was talking about getting from Blanc Sablon back to the Quebec City area. The only road that connects is the Trans-Labrador Highway. Rt 138 stops a short distance west of Blanc Sablon, and then resumes in Kegashka, a long way to the west.

Aside from the Trans-Lab, there are only two other ways to get from Blanc Sablon back to the US: ferry back over to Newfoundland and then back down to Cape Breton, or take the Relais Nordik cargo liner down the St Lawrence to where there are once again roads that connect. That takes several days and costs close to $500 for rider and bike, and it runs once a week.

--mark

[dvarhol]

Rent a cabin in the mountains of North Carolina and ride the the Blue Ridge Parkway, take a day trip to Deal's Gap. Here's our video from our week-long trip there this summer.

[Kawi Ken]

Thanks for post but the link said "request denied" and prompted me to ask you for permission...so I did. I guess you will see the request somewhere else (its a gmail account with Southwick in the name)

I really suck at this Navigation software. Soo heres another try-
1st stop Bar Harbor\ Acadia Maine
2nd stop Bay of Fundy New Brunswick
3rd-PEI Scenic routes 3 days
4-Ferry from PEI to Nova Scotia /Cape Breton 3 days.
5-Yarmouth to Portland Ferry on NovaStar

[02redhawk]

This would have my vote. I rode from Boston area up though Lake George, cut across southern Canada, down through Michigan, the Wisconson Dells, west past Wall Drug, theough the Dacotas stopping at Mt Rushmore, etc on the way. Leaving your "one too many" bikes out in Washington seems like a great way to have a trip to remember while setting the groundwork for even better ones to come. Good luck whichever trip you take.

Or I could ride "all the way" west, leave one of my too many bikes at my Mom's in Olympia, WA, for future PCH rides, and fly back. Doable in 2+ weeks, I think, and there is surf this time of year in Oregon (left a board there already)

[stoinkythepig]

Yes, I've taken it three times. I was talking about getting from Blanc Sablon back to the Quebec City area. The only road that connects is the Trans-Labrador Highway. Rt 138 stops a short distance west of Blanc Sablon, and then resumes in Kegashka, a long way to the west.

Aside from the Trans-Lab, there are only two other ways to get from Blanc Sablon back to the US: ferry back over to Newfoundland and then back down to Cape Breton, or take the Relais Nordik cargo liner down the St Lawrence to where there are once again roads that connect. That takes several days and costs close to $500 for rider and bike, and it runs once a week.

--mark

Gotcha. There goes my bucket list item. Google maps shows 138 as through road all the way west.

[markbvt]

Gotcha. There goes my bucket list item. Google maps shows 138 as through road all the way west.

That's interesting. It doesn't for me. It shows it heading east from Baie-Comeau as far as Kegashka, and it shows a short spur heading west from Blanc Sablon, but nothing in between.

There was talk for a while that the government of Quebec would build a through road to connect the towns along the St Lawrence and ease traffic from Newfoundland west, but they'd have to cross a lot of water, and bridges are expensive. I suspect that's why so much effort is being put into the Trans-Labrador Highway instead. In a few years, it'll be completely paved. Do that as your bucket list item instead -- it's amazing up there. (Better yet, do it now while some of it is still unpaved.)

--mark

[abeer]

I don't know if this really counts, since you can't exactly "get there" on your bike without a ferry and some serious fee's. BUT, I just got back from a 10 day motorcycle tour of Iceland, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

A group of 8 of us went, bikes were rented through http://www.rmc.is/en/biking-viking/ (rented a BMW F800GS)

It was not cheap. But, again, lifetime experience.











I could go on and on with the pictures... but I'm sure you get a rough idea...

[stoinkythepig]

I could go on and on with the pictures... but I'm sure you get a rough idea...

I doubt I'm alone in this, but even though I get the rough idea, please do go on and on with the pictures. Wow! Iceland was already on my bucket list, now it's closer to the top of it.

[TheIglu]

I hear the women are hot in iceland. Ironic!

[abeer]

Hahah, yeah it should be at the top of anyone's bucket list. Especially living in New England. It's only a 5 hour flight, everyone there speaks fluent English, people are friendly, and the landscape never quits. After 10 days, I could not get used to seeing a new mind blowing spectacle after every bend in the road. Clayton, the women are definitely hot, just be aware the men are too and they are often named "Thor" with the physique to match hahahah.

I had such an epic time, words (and even photo's) just can't convey it.

As requested, here are some more shots...






(In July, the sun "sets" at around 10:30 but dusk &dawn blend together right through into the morning. There is almost no darkness)






This is where I picked up my bike (it's the one with the top and side cases, second from the right)

[abeer]

Did I mention, the roads are super free of traffic and people are extremely motorcycle friendly? It's amazing.

Or that I got to play with a tame arctic fox pup?

[nhbubba]

Dave (DucDave) was convincing me that Iceland needs to be at the top of my list the other day. I was thinking of putting my money into flying west and renting bikes out there again. But he about had me convinced. Your photos help that effort.

10 days huh? He said I would need 3 weeks minimum. (Which I can't do.)

[abeer]

Three weeks would be lovely, but I'd say that is WAY over kill. Honestly, you can go around the entire country in two days. One day if you are determined. The 10 day pace gave us time to stop and see lots of sites, really enjoy each others company at various eclectic inn's and villages. We had off road riding, fast twisties, some really long straights and fast dirt roads. Most of the tours around the country are 5-7 days. The 10 and 12 day tours were the ones that seemed most comfortably paced. And 3 weeks would be pointless unless you wanted to go all the way around, then cut across the middle for some serious adventure riding and river crossings (we did not cross any rivers).

[abeer]

Here is some more incentive




(best waffles I ever had served by a little old couple in the middle of nowhere along the side of a deep fjord where we saw blue whales)






Hot bath in the middle of nowhere, on the other side of that deep fjord)

[Imbeek]

I don't know if this really counts, since you can't exactly "get there" on your bike without a ferry and some serious fee's. BUT, I just got back from a 10 day motorcycle tour of Iceland, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

A group of 8 of us went, bikes were rented through http://www.rmc.is/en/biking-viking/ (rented a BMW F800GS)

It was not cheap. But, again, lifetime experience.











I could go on and on with the pictures... but I'm sure you get a rough idea...

Whoa what's up with the road in pic three? Is that dirt and if so, what would be the worst that could happen, jail wise, if you ran it wfo on a motard?

[markbvt]

Jesus. Now I really need to get to Iceland.

--mark

[nhbubba]

10 days in iceland on an adventure-something-or-other sounds like a damned fine way to live to me.

[abeer]

There are police out there on the roads in Iceland. And they will cite you for speeding if they catch you (expensive). But, they are INCREDIBLY few and far between. And on those old gravel roads I saw none. The roads have incredible visibility, so fast was always an option, and regularly exercised

The only thing REALLY worth being cautious of, are sheep. They are everywhere, and they pop out in front of traffic occasionally causing lots of heavy breaking. Apparently, a rider who was touring with a group just after us had to get med-evac'd after going end over end over a sheep. They are stable, but it was serious.

[TheIglu]

Clayton, the women are definitely hot, just be aware the men are too and they are often named "Thor" with the physique to match hahahah.

Really? Damn.

... sheep. They are everywhere

Ok, all hope is not lost.