TLH Trans Labrador Highway Question and Answers

After completing the TLH, I thought it maybe a great idea for those who have also completed it to share experiences, or maybe even answer some questions for future riders.

It is definitely a great trip here in North America. Even though a few sections will be completed for paving..it is still good to give it a go.

The most challenging part for me was from Fire Lake to Baie Comeau. The oversized trucks and dust made things quite interesting.

Clockwise or Counterclockwise ???????????????

I did it CCW and encountered the large trucks from Fire Lake to Baie Comeau. If someone can chime in who did it CW it would be great. I would think travelling with the traffic would be better than against!

My ride report here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=804532

I am sure there are many many other. Maybe people can link all the reports here.

If you are at all thinking about this....DO IT!

Thanks for the great posting of the Trans Labrador Highway. Planning this for next summer. Great Information!
Thanks for relating cautions where needed.
wescnmbkr1

Agreed it's a great ride. My biggest flag for caution had to do with the bum-rush between the ferries at Cartwright and Blanc Sablon - a 60+ mph, 300-mile rolling caravan / dust-cloud. Alas, no longer relevant with the mid-section of TLH having been completed.

Scenery-wise I highly recommend the poorly-marked, two-track dirt road that heads south starting about 20 miles out of Happy Valley. Terminates at a mile-long hiking path to Muskrat Falls - very nice.

Just ran the Trans-Lab a few weeks ago. Was able to run the unpaved sections on a fully loaded R1200GS with TKC-80's at 50mph without a problem. Yes, it rained hard the last day heading towards Port Hope Simpson, but again,no problem.

Did you by chance see Thop on his KLR and bright yellow panniers heading ccw?

I would stop for the free Damn Tour in Churchill Falls, go swimming in the pool, do some laundry and have a beer.

In Lab City I would arrange a tour of the big pit mine if your into that stuff, it's an impressive hole.

+1 on Muskat falls. Also neat old Hudson Bay Fur trading post outside Happy Valley to the North across the river.

When we arrived at Lab City, a couple guys stopped us and suggested to head up to the "Look-Out" for an awesome view of the area. Road looked a little sketchy for laiden down bikes, so we opted out.

The Churchill Tour is a must see. Also, in Red Bay (End of Pavement CCW, or beginning of pavement CW LOL) has a great basque whaling museum there.

I find this route interesting... actually I´ve got a friend who lives in Philadelphia, and have thought about the possibility to ship my own bike over (or of course renting a bike could be possible as well, it´ll depend on many things, like how long I could stay, etc).

I know it´s a tough question to give a definite answer to, because the pace of travel that people like to do, does very a lot. But if you were doing this, do you guys reckon 4 weeks would be adequate time for a ride starting and ending in Philadelphia, visiting Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, then do the Trans-Labrador Highway, and on the way back make a detour to see the Niagara Falls? If I estimate 4000 miles for that loop, am I in the ballpark?

I´m afraid I´ll have trouble to arrange even 4 weeks, but any shorter (coming over from Europe) probably would not make any sense either.

Four weeks would be enough time for you to do all that, and also take in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, the Gaspé Peninsula, the Adirondacks, and most of New England.

If you just wanted to do what you said above, you could easily do it in a little over two weeks.

--mark

TO do the complete loop entering New Brunswick border from Maine, down through Nove Scotia,(one day) across to Newfoundland (Over night) (If you wish to explore NFLD a bit, give yourself 4 days)if not, travel directly from Port aux Basque ferry north to St Barbe(one day), then cross over to start the Labrador route back to Baie Comeau (4 days) Then take the northern coastal route through Quebec City, then onto Ontario.. 4 weeks will be tight but do-able

Ok, thanks... I hope I can manage in the near future a long enough vacation, that doing this would become feasible!

Note, we deviated from our planned trip, we travelled directly from Lab to Matane, next day motel in Marimachi, then onto PEI with a cabin. Next day directly to ferry crossing to PAB

Breakdown of distances and places to stay

Stats on my trip:
DAY 2 Sunday July 1
Springdale – St Barbe
6hrs 525km
St Barbe RV Park
Tent site
877-2515

DAY 3 Monday July 2
+ 1 ¾ Ferry Crossing
Ferry @ 1030
Check in 1hr prior. Reservations recommended
Ferry $ 11.50 (Motorcycle and driver)
Blanc Sablon to Port Hope Simson
5 hrs 220km
Alexis Hotel (Margret)
$145+ 10 for cot ($175)
709 960 0228

Day 4 Tuesday July 3
Port Hope Simson to Goose Bay
7 hrs 410km
Hotel North 2
382 Hamilton River Road
Happy Valley
1-888-892-5505
$139 double room ($157)
Conf# 027168

Day 5 Wednesday July 4
Goose Bay to Lab City
8.5 hrs 535km
Duley Lake Park
(709)280-1128

Day 6 Thursday July 5
“OUR FREE DAY”
Two Seasons Inn
1 800 670 7667
Conf # MC2D266234
$140 ($158)

Day 7 Friday July 6
Depart
Lab City to Baie Comeau to Matane
9hrs 580km
Plus 2hr ferry (11hr)
Ferry to Matane $42.50 (Bike and driver)
Conf #48524
Check in 30min prior
1-877-562-6560
Baie Comeau to Matane Ferry
2000 hrs
Camping Riviere Matane
150 Route Louis Felix Dionne, Matane , QC
Site #71 $23 tax in
Conf # 205 281 408 52
418-562-3414

Day 8 Saturday July 7
Matane to Mirmachi
5hrs 345km

MATANE TO MIRMACHI
Route 195 to Amqui
Route 132 to 11 (Bridge turn off)
11 to 134 to Campbellton
134 to Blair Malcolm rd to 11
11 – 280 to bypass Dalhousie
280-134
134 to Bathurst to Miramichi
Cont on 134 to 116 North Black River road - CAMP

Camping Mirmachi
116 North Black River Rd.
Black River Bridge, NB
(506) 773-6252
Conf # 064920
$25
Day 9 Sunday July 8
Mirmachi to Bay St. Lawrence
9.5 hrs 690km
MIRMACHI TO BAY ST LAWRENCE
11 to Richibucto
Cont on 11 to Bouctouche
EXIT 32 B
LEFT 515
Right 134 Cross Bridge Left on 535 to Dixon Point
535 to Bridge at 134
134 to Shediac
Get 11 to 15
15 to Port Elgin to 16
Left on Main St to Tidnish Road NB970
970 to 366 Sunrise Trail​
to Pugwash on 6 to Pictou
Pictou 106 to 104 TCH east to 105
105 to Bay St. Lawrence Road

Jumping Mouse
3360 Bay St Lawrence Road
$25 Camp $40 Cabin
902-383-2914
Cabin Booked
jumpingmousecamping@gmail.com

Day 10 Monday July 9
Bay St. Lawrence to North Sydney
2hrs 150km
Ferry $100 (bike and driver)


My estimation of costs

Gas
3300 kms round trip
18ltrs/320kms X 3300kms
186 ltrs total @ $1.4/ltr
Gas. = $260
Ferry. = $154
Tenting = $123
Hotel shared. = $150
Food. $20/day. = $200
Total = $887
Money I left with
$990


Here is my actual breakdown, note hotels were split 4 ways (two extra cots) except for Miramichi we had 2 rooms


Cost gas Full tank from deer lake
port aux choix
13.035 ltrs. $17.00
Lans a Clair
18.9ltrs(rev can) $24.00
Port hope
10.56ltrs $15.00
Goose Bay
10.44ltrs. $13.60
Churchill
13.795 ltrs. $18.75
Lab city
13.461 ltrs. $17.89
Manic 5
20.6 ltr (5 in rev) $35.00
Baie comeau
17.04 ltrs. $22.22
Bathurst
16.741 ltrs. $20.78
Bouctouche nb
10.256 ltrs. $12.51
Pei
13.63 ltrs. $15.93
Badeck. NS
16.395 ltrs. $20.28
Sydney
7.165ltrs. $9.41
Pasadena
18.00 ltrs. $24.12
Total gas $266.42

Total
Hotels
St barbe $25
Port hope $40
Lab city. $40
Marimachi $55
Pei cabin $20
Matane. $5. Tent
Total. $180
Ferry.
St barbe. $11.50
Matane. $44.25
PEI. $40.00
Pab. $94.23
Total $189.98

Total gas $266.42
Total lodging. $180.00
Total ferry. $189.98
Total trip. $636.56
Food Roughly $200.00
booze. $75
souvenirs $60
Total money spent $950 approx

Guys, I'm doing this solo next month coming from Houston, Texas. As you've just been, I have a few questions. I'll be travelling CCW. Here is just the loop part I am concerned with. I'll play the rest of the trip by ear.




1. Ferry from NS to NF: I have a few stops until I get to Sydney, NS so I don't know what day I'll be there. Do I "have to" reserve the space on the ferry ahead of time? Or is it easy enough to just slip in unannounced? I plan on going into Argentia to get to St. John for the sole reason I am not interested in backtracking the same road before heading north.

2. Money: Cash-wise, I hate carrying cash and would rather pay by card but realize there are times that I must. Going into the middle of nowhere is one of those times. I'll be hotelling it the whole way.

So, for hotels, eats and fuel, what's a good rule of thumb for how much cash to bring along? Likelyhood of being able to use the card?

3. Ferry from NF to LAB. Again...is it necessary to have a reservation from St. Barbe?

4. Hotels: As I don't know what day I'll be where or at what rate I'll be traveling at, how do you feel about availablity from just showing up?

5. Fuel? I've got 8.5 gallons in the Stelvio. Good range for the trip from what I can tell. What's the furthest between fuel stop? Also, operating hours... do I need to make sure I hit certain places before 4 or 5 pm? Worries about someone not opening up one day because they felt like staying in?

6. Road conditions and tires? Sounds like there's more pavement than I anticipated. I was only expecting to see a mile's worth in HVGB and LC.

Are the gravel raods pretty well graded and hard? Or are there deep and soft sections that will sink the battleship unexpectedly?

I was thinking of prepaying for some TKC80s at a shop in St. Johns to get them ordered up and then swapped out on arrival. Sound like I have the right idea? Now I'll need to find a shop in St. Johns...

7. Can't think of any other concerns except what I shouldn't miss out on. I've riden to NS twice but never had enough vaction time until now to actually ferry over to NF. So what recommendations for "must see" things do you have?

Sorry for the long winded post, especially since I haven't posted a thing in 3 years on here. Thanks guys.

BTW, I don't think I've streesed enough about how excited I am to do this. I've been doing the trip on Google's Street View for a while...where a street view is available. Will be great to get out of this 100 deg heat and flat, brown terrain.

Lots of motorcycle shops in St Johns to install rubber. Of course you know of the trailway from St Johns to Port aux Basques and everywhere in between but the coastal loops are where it is at for scenery and people. You can talk to anyone anywhere anytime. No strange looks just anything you want or need is just to ask.

Is there a particular shop in SJ you recommend? A quick search turns up Honda One and the HD dealear. I think I know which one I'd pick of the 2. The sooner I get them to order a set of TKCs for me, the better.

Hi Murph! Backdraft here

Excellent, great questions:

1. Ferry from NS to NF: I have a few stops until I get to Sydney, NS so I don't know what day I'll be there. Do I "have to" reserve the space on the ferry ahead of time? Or is it easy enough to just slip in unannounced? I plan on going into Argentia to get to St. John for the sole reason I am not interested in backtracking the same road before heading north.

You should definitely make reservations for the ferry, also may consider getting a berth as you will be on the cattle boat for 18 hours

2. Money: Cash-wise, I hate carrying cash and would rather pay by card but realize there are times that I must. Going into the middle of nowhere is one of those times. I'll be hotelling it the whole way.

Credit cards and insta bank no problems anywhere that I can recall. Carrying a lot of cash is unneccessay.

So, for hotels, eats and fuel, what's a good rule of thumb for how much cash to bring along? Likelyhood of being able to use the card?

3. Ferry from NF to LAB. Again...is it necessary to have a reservation from St. Barbe?

When you get closer or can confirm when you will be crossing, it would be wise to book. Make note that some days it leaves St Barbe at 8 am and others at 10:30am (other crossings throughout the day I am unsure of times)

4. Hotels: As I don't know what day I'll be where or at what rate I'll be traveling at, how do you feel about availablity from just showing up?

For the most part there shouldn't be any problems with accomodations, OUTIDE OF LAB CITY, near impossible to get a room there. The place is booming with activity and accomodationsare at a premium.

5. Fuel? I've got 8.5 gallons in the Stelvio. Good range for the trip from what I can tell. What's the furthest between fuel stop? Also, operating hours... do I need to make sure I hit certain places before 4 or 5 pm? Worries about someone not opening up one day because they felt like staying in?

From Port Hope to Goose was the longest distance between gas stops, 410 kms. Port Hope station opened between 8-6 (IIRC), if your bike cannot go that far, instead f carrying a gas can on the entire trip, in Port Hope, buy a gallon of windsheild wash, and dump out the cotents and use that for the extra gas (Not UL approved, but should work)

6. Road conditions and tires? Sounds like there's more pavement than I anticipated. I was only expecting to see a mile's worth in HVGB and LC.

Red Bay to Goose - dirt, first 60 or so kms from Goose to Lab City paved, the last 100 or so kms into Lab City is paved, 40 kms south of Lab city paved, section from Fire Lake to the top of Lac Manicouagan is paved and boring, with construction. Dirt then to Manic 5, then pavement the rest of the way.

Are the gravel raods pretty well graded and hard? Or are there deep and soft sections that will sink the battleship
unexpectedly?

Roads are well graded, loose service, keep an eye on the grader berms, and going around corners too fast

I was thinking of prepaying for some TKC80s at a shop in St. Johns to get them ordered up and then swapped out on arrival. Sound like I have the right idea? Now I'll need to find a shop in St. Johns...

What DaMurph said !

7. Can't think of any other concerns except what I shouldn't miss out on. I've riden to NS twice but never had enough vaction time until now to actually ferry over to NF. So what recommendations for "must see" things do you have?

Western Brook Gorge north of Rocky Hr, Red Bay Museum, Churchhill Falls Hydro tour (must see)

There are these options in St Johns but might i suggest the Toy Box as well. Honda One is fabulous at getting tires. Toy Box is Avalon Motorrad and as such has experience balancing single sided rear wheels. If you want to start the Trans Lab on the freshest rubber possible there is a shop in Lanse au Loup, Labrador that has helped many an ADV rider. Rapid Power in Steady Brook NL will put you only a few hundred KMs below the ferry at St Barbe. I only have experience with the St John's shops and if you are gonna ride the trailway you may wish to apply new rubber there. Hope this is helpful.

Hi back, Backdraft/ Newfie Rider. Rose Bowl location gave it away for me long ago.

Thanks a lot guys for the good info.

I'd like to do a little look around on the rock before crossing over. Place looks amazing on Google Street view. So that should give me time to plan a ferry reservation at St. Barbe. Sounds like the big ride really needs to be narrowed down to a solid date so I'll have to plan my days on the way up there. I thought I'd take a day to mess around in NB and enjoy the infinite number of dirt roads and covered bridges.

Good advice on Avalon. Looks like I'll be calling them come Tuesday.

As for hotel stays in Lab City, I expected to get raped on price considering the location. Considering it's a miningtown, I guess I didn't expect it to be a vacation destination for people other than us nuts enough to ride through for no other reason than to do it.