Ideas for Toronto to Cape Breton trip

ezrider · 08-16-2004, 09:27 PM

hi everyone,

I'm hoping to make this trip during 1st and 2nd weeks of sept and am looking for inputs reg routes, equipment, must-dos, and any other advice.

it will be my first long journey alone. i dont mind roughing it out and am hoping to camp overnights.
I have 10 days to play with and am hoping for 3 days riding, 4 days rest and exploring cape breton, and 3 days riding back. if there are worthy detours, i dont mind doing a 4-2-4 trip. i prefer to average around 1200 kms per day and on the whole i'm hoping to go thru some great roads in a sport touring sense and not necessarily a dual sport/enduro sense.
I will be riding an SV650S with sport touring tires.

Here is what i definetly need help with:

1. Route. What is a good route for this? I prefer twisty and scenic roads. I dont mind gravel roads up to say 50 kms. I dont want to travel by the same route on return. are the appalacian roads any good?

2. Navigation. Is a GPS absolutely necessary for this journey? can i rely on regional maps coupled with detailed printouts from a good mapping application? i'm not too keen on buying a GPS until garmin comes out with a 276C type device with non-propietary memory expansion (or I find a waerproof PocketPC solution that works).

3. Motorcycle maintenance. What tools do I need? will i need an oil change (due in 5K) ?

i apologize if this is the wrong forum for this type or trip etc. i would appreciate any tips and advice.

thanks

-ez

pilot · 08-17-2004, 03:07 AM

If you have time, try to ride around the Gaspe Penensula. Very scenic.

I don't think time will allow you to see much of PEI. Not much there to see anyway. The bridge over is interesting, but they charge you to ride back to the mainland.

Meat Cove is interesting in a "Dueling Banjoes" kind of way. It's at the far north point of Cape Bretton. Worth going to.

If you get on any back roads and secondary highways, watch out for frost heaves. The right hand half of the lane can drop 4 or 5 inches.

Shazam* · 08-17-2004, 05:40 AM

there is a Nova Scotia Motorcycle book available for free.
Google it.
Say, do you work for Big Blue?
I know at least one other software engineer in TO riding the same bike as you.
Lots of threads about riding to NS are buried in the archives, do a little searching.

ezrider · 08-17-2004, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shazam*

there is a Nova Scotia Motorcycle book available for free.
Google it.
Say, do you work for Big Blue?
I know at least one other software engineer in TO riding the same bike as you.
Lots of threads about riding to NS are buried in the archives, do a little searching.

thanks for the tip, somewhere a book has my name on now :)

and yes, i do work for big blue...you got PM.

cheers

-ez

jasonhendriks · 08-17-2004, 08:35 AM

I made tentative plans myself to go from Toronto to Nova Scotia for the week of Labour Day. I've driven out east twice, but never on my bike, and I've never overnighted on a bike journey either.

My primary objective is to take pictures; secondary is a vacation and to visit an ex-IBM'r friend.

I was planning to leave the morning of Saturday September 4th, and return Sunday the 12th. Two nights camping on the way, 5 days with my friend in NS, and one night camping on the way back.

I just picked up my repair & maintenance manual and I plan to do an oil/filter change before I leave.

ezrider · 08-17-2004, 09:27 AM

jason, sounds like we have similar objectives en route to NS, im also looking to take plenty of pix. if you dont mind travelling by backroads only (within reasonable limits) and a bit of extra distance in connecting good twisty roads, we can hook up on saturday.

i'm starting on friday and can spend overnight in ottawa. if u're going past that area, we can meet up on saturday.

im still working on a finalized route, will let you know when i think i have one.

08-16-2004, 09:27 PM	#1
ezrider ^OP wannabe cafe-racer Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto Oddometer: 49	Ideas for Toronto to Cape Breton trip hi everyone, I'm hoping to make this trip during 1st and 2nd weeks of sept and am looking for inputs reg routes, equipment, must-dos, and any other advice. it will be my first long journey alone. i dont mind roughing it out and am hoping to camp overnights. I have 10 days to play with and am hoping for 3 days riding, 4 days rest and exploring cape breton, and 3 days riding back. if there are worthy detours, i dont mind doing a 4-2-4 trip. i prefer to average around 1200 kms per day and on the whole i'm hoping to go thru some great roads in a sport touring sense and not necessarily a dual sport/enduro sense. I will be riding an SV650S with sport touring tires. Here is what i definetly need help with: 1. Route. What is a good route for this? I prefer twisty and scenic roads. I dont mind gravel roads up to say 50 kms. I dont want to travel by the same route on return. are the appalacian roads any good? 2. Navigation. Is a GPS absolutely necessary for this journey? can i rely on regional maps coupled with detailed printouts from a good mapping application? i'm not too keen on buying a GPS until garmin comes out with a 276C type device with non-propietary memory expansion (or I find a waerproof PocketPC solution that works). 3. Motorcycle maintenance. What tools do I need? will i need an oil change (due in 5K) ? i apologize if this is the wrong forum for this type or trip etc. i would appreciate any tips and advice. thanks -ez

08-17-2004, 03:07 AM	#2
pilot Slacker Joined: Dec 2002 Location: Kansas City Oddometer: 29,458	If you have time, try to ride around the Gaspe Penensula. Very scenic. I don't think time will allow you to see much of PEI. Not much there to see anyway. The bridge over is interesting, but they charge you to ride back to the mainland. Meat Cove is interesting in a "Dueling Banjoes" kind of way. It's at the far north point of Cape Bretton. Worth going to. If you get on any back roads and secondary highways, watch out for frost heaves. The right hand half of the lane can drop 4 or 5 inches. __________________ The finishers medal is satisfyingly heavy... Neduro on Dakar The other 10% are sociopaths , serial killers and KLR riders. You wont get much sympathy from them. -Furious D

08-17-2004, 05:40 AM	#3
Shazam* Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada Oddometer: 774	there is a Nova Scotia Motorcycle book available for free. Google it. Say, do you work for Big Blue? I know at least one other software engineer in TO riding the same bike as you. Lots of threads about riding to NS are buried in the archives, do a little searching. __________________ If life was easy, everybody would have one...

08-17-2004, 08:35 AM	#5
jasonhendriks jason Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Oddometer: 1	Nova Scotia trip I made tentative plans myself to go from Toronto to Nova Scotia for the week of Labour Day. I've driven out east twice, but never on my bike, and I've never overnighted on a bike journey either. My primary objective is to take pictures; secondary is a vacation and to visit an ex-IBM'r friend. I was planning to leave the morning of Saturday September 4th, and return Sunday the 12th. Two nights camping on the way, 5 days with my friend in NS, and one night camping on the way back. I just picked up my repair & maintenance manual and I plan to do an oil/filter change before I leave. jasonhendriks screwed with this post 08-17-2004 at 12:16 PM

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08-17-2004, 09:27 AM	#6
ezrider ^OP wannabe cafe-racer Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Toronto Oddometer: 49	jason, sounds like we have similar objectives en route to NS, im also looking to take plenty of pix. if you dont mind travelling by backroads only (within reasonable limits) and a bit of extra distance in connecting good twisty roads, we can hook up on saturday. i'm starting on friday and can spend overnight in ottawa. if u're going past that area, we can meet up on saturday. im still working on a finalized route, will let you know when i think i have one.